Thursday, August 05, 2010 at 8:26 AM
Posted by Leonid Taycher, software engineer
http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2010/08/books-of-world-stand-up-and-be-counted.html (http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2010/08/books-of-world-stand-up-and-be-counted.html)
When you are part of a company that is trying to digitize all the books in the world, the first question you often get is: "Just how many books are out there?"
Well, it all depends on what exactly you mean by a "book." We're not going to count what library scientists call "works," those elusive "distinct intellectual or artistic creations." It makes sense to consider all editions of "Hamlet" separately, as we would like to distinguish between -- and scan -- books containing, for example, different forewords and commentaries.
One definition of a book we find helpful inside Google when handling book metadata is a "tome," an idealized bound volume. A tome can have millions of copies (e.g. a particular edition of "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown) or can exist in just one or two copies (such as an obscure master's thesis languishing in a university library). This is a convenient definition to work with, but it has drawbacks. For example, we count hardcover and paperback books produced from the same text twice, but treat several pamphlets bound together by a library as a single book.
Our definition is very close to what ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) are supposed to represent, so why can't we just count those? First, ISBNs (and their SBN precursors) have been around only since the mid 1960s, and were not widely adopted until the early-to-mid seventies. They also remain a mostly western phenomenon. So most books printed earlier, and those not intended for commercial distribution or printed in other regions of the world, have never been assigned an ISBN.
The other reason we can't rely on ISBNs alone is that ever since they became an accepted standard, they have been used in non-standard ways. They have sometimes been assigned to multiple books: we've seen anywhere from two to 1,500 books assigned the same ISBN. They are also often assigned to things other than books. Even though they are intended to represent "books and book-like products," unique ISBNs have been assigned to anything from CDs to bookmarks to t-shirts.
What about other well-known identifiers, for example those assigned by Library of Congress (Library of Congress Control Numbers) or OCLC (WorldCat accession numbers)? Rather than identifying books, these identify records that describe bibliographic entities. For example the bibliographic record for Lecture Notes in Mathematics (a monographic series with thousands of volumes) is assigned a single OCLC number. This makes sense when organizing library catalogs, but does not help us to count individual volumes. This practice also causes duplication: a particular book can be assigned one number when cataloged as part of a series or a set and another when cataloged alone. The duplication is further exacerbated by the difficulty of aggregating multiple library catalogs that use different cataloging rules. For example, a single Italian edition of "Angels and Demons" has been assigned no fewer than 5 OCLC numbers.
So what does Google do? We collect metadata from many providers (more than 150 and counting) that include libraries, WorldCat, national union catalogs and commercial providers. At the moment we have close to a billion unique raw records. We then further analyze these records to reduce the level of duplication within each provider, bringing us down to close to 600 million records.
Does this mean that there are 600 million unique books in the world? Hardly. There is still a lot of duplication within a single provider (e.g. libraries holding multiple distinct copies of a book) and among providers -- for example, we have 96 records from 46 providers for "Programming Perl, 3rd Edition". Twice every week we group all those records into "tome" clusters, taking into account nearly all attributes of each record.
When evaluating record similarity, not all attributes are created equal. For example, when two records contain the same ISBN this is a very strong (but not absolute) signal that they describe the same book, but if they contain different ISBNs, then they definitely describe different books. We trust OCLC and LCCN number similarity slightly less, both because of the inconsistencies noted above and because these numbers do not have checksums, so catalogers have a tendency to mistype them.
We put even less trust in the "free-form" attributes such as titles, author names and publisher names. For example, are "Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 1234" and "Proceedings of the 4th international symposium on Logical Foundations of Computer Science" the same book? They are indeed, but there's no way for a computer to know that from titles alone. We have to deal with these differences between cataloging practices all the time.
We tend to rely on publisher names, as they are cataloged, even less. While publishers are very protective of their names, catalogers are much less so. Consider two records for "At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror" by H.P. Lovecraft, published in 1971. One claims that the book it describes has been published by Ballantine Books, another that the publisher is Beagle Books. Is this one book or two? This is a mystery, since Beagle Books is not a known publisher. Only looking at the actual cover of the book will clear this up. The book is published by Ballantine as part of "A Beagle Horror Collection", which appears to have been mistakenly cataloged as a publisher name by a harried librarian. We also use publication years, volume numbers, and other information.
So after all is said and done, how many clusters does our algorithm come up with? The answer changes every time the computation is performed, as we accumulate more data and fine-tune the algorithm. The current number is around 210 million.
Is that a final number of books in the world? Not quite. We still have to exclude non-books such as microforms (8 million), audio recordings (4.5 million), videos (2 million), maps (another 2 million), t-shirts with ISBNs (about one thousand), turkey probes (1, added to a library catalog as an April Fools joke), and other items for which we receive catalog entries.
Counting only things that are printed and bound, we arrive at about 146 million. This is our best answer today. It will change as we get more data and become more adept at interpreting what we already have.
Our handling of serials is still imperfect. Serials cataloging practices vary widely across institutions. The volume descriptions are free-form and are often entered as an afterthought. For example, "volume 325, number 6", "no. 325 sec. 6", and "V325NO6" all describe the same bound volume. The same can be said for the vast holdings of the government documents in US libraries. At the moment we estimate that we know of 16 million bound serial and government document volumes. This number is likely to rise as our disambiguating algorithms become smarter.
After we exclude serials, we can finally count all the books in the world. There are 129,864,880 of them. At least until Sunday.
Enivejz, dodatna knjiga od koje se mnogo očekuje je (opet!!) ujedno i prvenac: Charles Yu i njegov žešće ishvaljen roman koji se očekuje u septembru, a SFSignal već tipuje na How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe kao na jedan od najboljih romana 2010.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0307379205/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0307379205/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books)
REVIEW SUMMARY: A brilliant first novel.
MY RATING:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Charles Yu (the character, not the author), is a resident of Universe 31, a time travel technition, who escapes into his time machine to avoid the present, and interacts with his time machine's operating system (TAMMY), whom he's in love with, and Ed, a paradoxical dog.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: A fantastic time travel story, one that blends fiction and reality, a sharp style of storytelling that blew my mind.
CONS: The Advanced copies had far better covers than the finalized version.
BOTTOM LINE: One of the best novels of 2010.
Never before have I read a book quite like this. Charles Yu's debut novel, How To Living Safely In A Science Fictional Universe, (following a collection of short stories, Third Class Superhero) is a wonderfully stunning, brilliant work of science fiction that goes to the heart of self-realization, happiness and connections.
The story follows a Charles Yu, a time travel technician who lives an isolated existence, saving people from themselves. His mother is caught in a time loop, and his father vanished years ago in a time machine of his own. Yu's existence is populated by himself, a paradoxical dog, his time machine's software, TAMMY, (whom he's somewhat in love with) and a distant, computerized boss, Phil, who doesn't realize that he's a computer program.
Yu has accomplished something remarkable in this book, blending science fiction universes with his own, alternative self's life, in a way, breaking past the bonds of the page and bringing the reader right into the action: the book that the reader is holding is actually part of the story, written by the author (or his alternate) as the action happens. This very surreal nature to his stories is something that is not new to anybody who has read Third Class Superhero, where stories utilized the text itself to help tell the story, and this ability is something that makes How To Live stand far out from the crowd when it comes to the science fiction literature genre.
Still, time travel is only a part of this story, a major element of the background, where Yu finds himself. The real story is one that is far simpler: a boy trying to find his father, someone who has been deeply affected by his childhood, and seeks to overcome those hurtles. At times, the book and character seems to wallow in a bit too much self pity, and anyone picking up the book thinking that it will be the next Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy will find a different book altogether.
Despite that, there is a strong story here about self realization, where Yu overcomes his depression. The time travel element serves in another element here in allowing Yu to discover what's wrong with himself, and his family, and by the end of the story comes together in a very smart fashion. The entirety of the story is part of Yu's journey to find his missing father, but along the way, discover himself as well.
Wrapped up in this book is Yu's excellent prose that pulls the words of the story into the story itself, as a sort of genre-introspective in and of itself. The past tense is literal in some instances of the story, and this book is a good example of the story coming to life, which makes everything that much more interesting. I cannot say that I've ever seen anything like this before, and it makes the read that much more interesting. In all likelihood, this is one of the most important books of the genre to be published this year, if not amongst the years that preceded it.
Simply, this is one of the absolute best time travel stories that I've ever read, even compared to works such as The Time Machine by H.G. Wells or the Doctor Who television series. Yu blends in a number of science fiction references, and even clauses in the English language that quite literally brings the physical framework of a story into the reality of the story. Ultimately, time travel stories come down to stories about free will and destiny, and often there is a level of disappointment with how the story plays out: the character embodying free will learns that he cannot escape destiny, or destiny turns out to be free will: Yu manages to navigate between the two, a bit, and creates a satisfying ending for himself (or his alternative self).
How To Live Safely is an exemplary example of storytelling in the genre, where story and characters come together to bring about a story of revelation, and one that is both thought provoking and touching. Yu, working through himself, paints a lonely, troubled existence, one with much baggage that he slowly works out over the course of the story. Here, time travel is the perfect medium for looking over past, rather than the future.
Elem, ovu knjigu bi ipak mogli i da zaobiđemo, a evo i zašto:
Quote
Charles Yu has built his world around a character he names, uh, Charles Yu. That should have been an early tip about his imagination, or lack thereof. Borrowing a portable environment straight from Dr. Who, Yu (the author) has us travel with Yu (the character) as he repairs time travel machines. But that cover story doesn't last for very long.
We then go through an entire angst filled, coming-of-age exploration of his life and his relationship with his dad, the inventor, and his mom, the near non-entity (though her later existence is spent in another non-entity loop). Don't worry about her, though, the entire construct around her existence added nothing to the book. The big problem with the book is that we go through this angst filled, etc. several times. He (Charles Yu the character) ages, but the story doesn't really change.
Yu (the author) adds a meta-fictional element to the story (surprise - author Charles Yu has protagonist Charles Yu write a book; several times!). He also makes sure to include all of the same old contradictions and paradoxes that could be created by time travel.
Add in page after page of self-referential (he does thank Douglas Hofstadter), recursive, repetitive travels through time (maybe). All this is there to disguise the fact that the entire book is about Charles Yu (the character) being totally fixated on where his father ended up after leaving the family so long ago.
The reader gets the science of the science fiction early on. The plot trick he (Charles Yu the author) used of having some residents of his world living in the real world while others live in the science fiction world is never developed to the extent the reader expects.
Neither of the two named Charles Yu seems to have a clue about how to get out of the loop the book has been in (for way too many pages). So, they contrive an oh-so-convenient event at the end that had to have entered every reader's mind long before Yu uses it. Then he (Charles Yu, the real author, not the meta-fiction author/character) totally changes writing style to deliver a benediction labeled Appendix A.
This is a book traveling in disguise. This is merely another boy grows into young man then adult and needs to revisit all this to try to understand his life, and that of his father. The science fiction is merely a thin, and, to be repetitive, very repetitive device to make the story seem different.
I hope Charles Yu (the real one) has gotten this story out of his system so he can turn his future efforts into something with more inventiveness and a real story in keeping with the world he creates. This was a game try for a debut novel.
Hmm, prevideo sam ovo tvoje napise... hvala, mada bih svakako sacekao jos neki review pre no sto bih narucio
Pa vidi, ovo ti definitivno nije jedini pomalo uzdržan rivju tog romana, nego eto, izabrala sam ga zato što je elokventan i prilično pronicljiv, ovaj tip očigledno zna šta hoće od svog es-efa. :) Ostalo su bili, onako, više kratki komentari samih čitalaca nego ozbiljni rivjui, ali opet, nekako svi vuku na istu stranu. S druge strane, najoduševljeniji rivju ove knjige na koji sam naišla je onaj Liptakov, na Signalu, ali Liptak mi se sad već pomalo čini kao poslovično oduševljen svime žanrovskim, plus što verujem da mu najprijatnije legne upravo nekakvo sci-fi space opera štivo.
Još jedan zanimljiv prvi roman dolazi od Joan Frances Turner i zove se Dust.
QuoteDust is told from the point of view of Jessie Anne Porter, a young woman who died in a brutal car accident and only to be reborn as a zombie. Through the adventures of Jessie, Turner explores the psychological, emotional and social implications of an alternative reality in which zombies are sentient creatures. Turner's zombies struggle with love and acceptance, anger and grief--allowing readers to face their own fears about life, death, and whatever comes after. Thoughtful, well-crafted and engaging, Dust adds a new dimension to everything you thought you knew about the living dead.
a evo i trejlera (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8myQcr0F17A#ws)
William Gibson Q & A:
What's your favourite piece of technology, and how has it improved your life?
Whatever piece of word processing software I'm using. I never learned to touch-type.
When was the last time you used it, and what for?
To answer the previous question.
What additional features would you add if you could?
I'd like a Word-compatible processor optimised for writing novels, that takes up a minimum of storage space, thanks.
Do you think it will be obsolete in 10 years' time?
I imagine we'll be using some version of it as long as we continue to write at lengths greater than 140 characters.
What always frustrates you about technology in general?
The reality of malfunction, something I've quite rightly been criticised for neglecting to adequately depict in my fiction.
Is there any particular piece of technology that you have owned and hated?
The last fax I bothered to purchase, which cost virtually nothing, and was so loaded with features and options that I've yet to figure out how to send a fax. Fortunately I only need to send two or three a year, in which case I go to a nearby shop.
If you had one tip about getting the best out of new technology, what would it be?
To wait for at least the second iteration, but then I suppose it's no longer new. But I've always tended to be a slow adaptor. I'd rather watch other people use new things than use them myself.
Do you consider yourself to be a luddite or a nerd?
Neither. I try to be objective about technology. Agnostic, in a sense. Whatever personal opinions I form tend to have more to do with what we find to do with the new thing.
What's the most expensive piece of technology you've ever owned?
A Volkswagen Passat.
Mac or PC, and why?
Mac. I started with Apple, in a pre-Windows era when PCs seemed to involve more of a learning curve. But the fact that I'm yet to acquire so much as a single virus still seems a very good thing.
Do you still buy physical media such as CDs and DVDs, or do you download? What was your last purchase?
Both. I like physical browsing. It activates the hunter-gatherer module differently. I last bought Arcade Fire's new album, The Suburbs, via iTunes.
Robot butlers – a good idea or not?
I've never been very intrigued with the idea of robots, not even as a boy. Actually I've never been intrigued at all with the idea of a butler.
What piece of technology would you most like to own?
A Festo Air Penguin! It's an autonomously flying robotic penguin.
William Gibson's new novel, Zero History (Viking), is published on 2 September
(Inače, da ne bude kako Liptaka sad obilazim u širokom luku...)
Michael A. Burstein (via io9) highlights an interesting point when it comes to genre fiction in a post that looks at the politics of a writer and looking to the point where a reader is alienated. It's an interesting read, and I recommend checking out both his review, and the other review that he's referencing. The question arose though, that wasn't really addressed on a larger picture: When has science fiction been free from politics?
The very nature of the genre is one that can lend itself to political elements, on both the right and left sides of the house. Science Fiction is about the changing nature of humanity and people's work to understand the world around them, either in the future, past or present, but most of all, science fiction is influenced by the culture that helps to shepherd its creation. Looking over a couple of books that I've read and am somewhat more familiar with, there's a good selection of books that cover any number of larger political issues, either explicitly, or referentially.
The story in question in the original review is Fossil Figures, by Joyce Carol Oats in the anthology Stories, where a pair of brothers are made distinct: one is labeled a Demon Brother, and through the course of the story, it's fairly clear that he's a conservative politician, and by extension, it can be interpreted that Oats is deliberately labeling the Republican party as one of demons. (At times, I can't say that I disagree) Clearly, there is a political statement to be made here, and I felt that the distinction didn't feel out of place, but helped set the story in a modern, relatable setting that the reader will identify. This tends to fall along one of the more explicit references to modern politics, but other stories that have come out recently delve into some other hot-topic issues.
Karen Traviss's Wess'Har Wars deals heavily into environmental policy, from the first book, City of Pearl, where her main character, Shan Frankland, is set off on a mission to Cavanagh's Star, several hundred light years away, to locate a missing colony. As the story transpires, a weighty, pro-environmental message comes out, as Frankland comes across the Wess'har, an alien race that has very set opinions and beliefs on the sanctity of nature, and have gone through great lengths to protect Cavanagh's Star, to the point where they are willing to destroy entire races and species. This ties in closely with the futuristic world, and it is possibly one of the earlier books to be influenced on the modern attitudes of global climate change. Another author, Paolo Bacigalupi, has penned two novels (The often mentioned The Windup Girl and Ship Breaker), both of which deal with a closer time of climate change, and the influences that is has upon human society: there are major consequences. In Traviss's take, these consequences take the form of an alien race that's very dedicated towards rolling back some of humanity's mistakes with the climate: at our expense. Bacigalupi paints a very bleak picture of humanity as a sort of post-human individual, where people have adapted to literally eat rocks in The People of Sand and Slag.
Global Climate change is a major political issue at the moment, and I personally believe that this is the next major movement when it comes to science fiction themes and content, much as the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union sparked its own set of science fiction influences. Politically, Climate Change is one major issue, especially as its full effects aren't going to be instantaneous, but played out over a larger stretch of time. The future elements and implications associated with this have sparked the political world as people begin to think about how to plan ahead: the impacts on business and society are immense, and clearly, this is good trawling grounds for the near future. At the same time, a large number of people still harbor doubts about the concept, and in Bacigalupi's works, there's clearly a political message that will turn some people off, if a couple of the lower amazon.com ratings are anything to go by.
Going back a couple more years, a read through Philip Pullman's fantastic novel The Amber Spyglass, which took the story that had been set up by the two prior books in the series, and dropped an extremely thoughtful and controversial story within that addressed the nature of the fall of mankind and original sin. This largely anti-established religion story had been building throughout the His Dark Materials Trilogy since it the first book, but The Amber Spyglass was the fulfillment of most of those thoughts. Around the same time, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series was aggressively attacked by people who fervently believed that the story was aimed towards converting children towards the occult, something I've always been puzzled by, especially with the release of Pullman's series, which could do a lot more serious damage to the Church itself with some of the ideas that were within it. Pullman's recent book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, where Pullman himself noted that there was a deliberate attempt to rouse people in the name of free speech. (His comments are here.) The American political right and the much of the religious community seem to work very well together, and when it comes to fiction, religious is likewise ripe for speculative fiction, given the similarities between searching for meaning and context in one's life, or in the future. Pullman's words have certainly put off readers, given the content, but at the same time, there's quite a story behind those words, which readers would do well to think about.
One of the most notable examples of science fiction and politics merging is through Robert Heinlein, and his numerous books. Two of my favorites are Starship Troopers and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, both of which touch upon libertarian and the overall relationship towards government. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress struck me as being far more libertarian when I read it years ago (it's currently awaiting a re-read), with echoes of the American revolution within it, as the colonists on the moon sought to free themselves from a distant government, while Starship Troopers is notable for its anti-communist feelings, but also the responsibilities of people to be active in their society, contributing towards the good of the whole, rather than a government enforcing such values from the top down. These books came at a time when science fiction was heavily influenced by surrounding cultural occurrences, from the possibility of war to competing political ideologies.
The political elements of science fiction are generally shaped by the culture around it. I'll go back to the argument that I've generally made before, that art is created within a certain context, and that people will gain different appreciations for things at different points in time. Politics represent a major opportunity for authors because of the variety of underlying philosophies and outlooks that they tend to promote: conservative values look towards a smaller, less intrusive government, while liberal politics look to a more well structured and powerful central government, and the conflict between these two viewpoints has existed for as long as the country has been around. Doubtlessly, it will continue to rage on in the pages of science fiction novels as well.
THE FIRST MAJOR WORK IN NEARLY A DECADE BY ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT THINKERS—A MARVELOUSLY CONCISE BOOK WITH NEW ANSWERS TO THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS OF LIFE
When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is the nature of reality? Why are the laws of nature so finely tuned as to allow for the existence of beings like ourselves? And, finally, is the apparent "grand design" of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion—or does science offer another explanation?
The most fundamental questions about the origins of the universe and of life itself, once the province of philosophy, now occupy the territory where scientists, philosophers, and theologians meet—if only to disagree. In their new book, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most recent scientific thinking about the mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by both brilliance and simplicity.
In The Grand Design they explain that according to quantum theory, the cosmos does not have just a single existence or history, but rather that every possible history of the universe exists simultaneously. When applied to the universe as a whole, this idea calls into question the very notion of cause and effect. But the "top-down" approach to cosmology that Hawking and
Mlodinow describe would say that the fact that the past takes no definite form means that we create history by observing it, rather than that history creates us. The authors further explain that we ourselves are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe, and show how quantum theory predicts the "multiverse"—the idea that ours is just one of many universes that appeared spontaneously out of nothing, each with different laws of nature.
Along the way Hawking and Mlodinow question the conventional concept of reality, posing a "model-dependent" theory of reality as the best we can hope to find. And they conclude with a riveting assessment of M-theory, an explanation of the laws governing us and our universe that is currently the only viable candidate for a complete "theory of everything." If confirmed, they write, it will be the unified theory that Einstein was looking for, and the ultimate triumph of human reason.
A succinct, startling, and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems, The Grand Design is a book that will inform—and provoke—like no other.
The Grand Desing (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553907070)
Ben Bova:
It seems that whenever somebody disagrees with my opinion, they bring up the fact that I write science fiction.
Last month Reinhold Schmieding, president and founder of Arthrex Inc., derided my columns about the future potential of gene therapy, calling it "wishful thinking" and "science fiction." This, from a person who runs a company that manufactures orthopedic surgical supplies, items of biomedical technology that just a few short years ago were (dare I say it?) science fiction.
You see, science fiction has a way of coming true. Not all of it, of course. But quite a bit. There isn't an aspect of our modern world that wasn't written about in science fiction decades, even generations ago.
Genetic engineering and gene therapy are as inevitable as television and artificial satellites, which were once to be found only in the pages of science-fiction stories. In a way, science fiction has helped to bring about all these modern wonders. Youngsters read science-fiction stories and get turned on by their sense of wonder. Wow! Maybe we could fly to Mars. Or cure cancer. Or produce a real cloak of invisibility. Or live for a thousand years.
And some of those young men and women go on to careers in science and technology and make those impossible things come true. Every astronaut who walked on the moon read science fiction as a teenager.
The first magazine devoted entirely to science fiction, "Amazing Stories," began publication in 1926. Its motto had this to say about science fiction: "Extravagant fiction today; cold fact tomorrow."
And so it is.
I've seen ideas I used in my own science-fiction stories become reality. One of my earliest novels, "The Dueling Machine" (published in 1969), laid out the basics of what is now called virtual reality: two people can engage in a deadly duel without coming to harm, because their duel is fought in an electronic simulator that gives each of the duelists the physical sensations — sights, sounds, even pain — of a reality that exists only inside a computer's program.
Great idea, even though I didn't recognize it at the time. But I was in good company. In 1946 Arthur C. Clarke invented the concept of the communications satellite — more than 10 years before the first artificial satellite went into orbit.
Considering the enormous economic impact of commsats, and how he had failed to even try to patent his idea, Clarke ruefully developed a lecture about the affair which he titled "How I Lost a Billion Dollars in my Spare Time."
Science fiction does come true.
In 1976 my novel "Millennium" was published. It dealt with the idea that a defense against ballistic missiles would break the stalemate between the United States and Soviet Russia and end the Cold War.
Former President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which the news media derided as "Star Wars," did just that. The mere fact that the U.S. was pursuing a missile-defense system broke the Cold War wide open and the Soviet Union collapsed — 10 years earlier than the date I had picked in my novel.
Alvin Toffler said that science fiction is the antidote for future shock. By this he meant that science fiction shows all the many possibilities of the future — the good, the bad, the exalting, the frightening.
Because science fiction deals with science and technology, two of the major driving forces in our society, science fiction can be very prophetic.
Not every science-fiction story accurately predicts the future, of course. But enough of them do so that if you read science fiction regularly there will be precious little that happens in your world that you didn't read about years beforehand.
If you think of the history of the human race as a vast migration across the eons of time, then the science-fiction writers are the scouts who go out ahead of the main body of people to look over the territory up ahead and send back reports on what we can expect.
That's far from wishful thinking. Mr. Schmieding should try reading some science fiction. It might help him to see what's coming next.
(Bova is the author of nearly 125 books, including "The Return," his latest futuristic novel. Bova's website address is www.benbova.com (http://www.benbova.com).)
FIREFLY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvhqqxDq9Ds#)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0857660551/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0857660551/sfsi0c-20)
"Down these mean streets a woman with a magic animal must go. You'll want to go there too. Lauren Beukes is Jeff Noon crossed with Raymond Chandler. I loved it, it's going to be huge." - Paul Cornell
"In Zoo City we have an unfamiliar land full of familiars, a broken Johannesburg of the near future peopled with damaged wonders. Proving her debut novel was no fluke, she writes better than I wish I could on my best day. If our words are bullets, Lauren Beukes is a marksman in a world of drunken machine-gunners, firing her ideas and images into us with a sly and deadly accuracy, wasting nothing, never missing. I'll follow her career as long as she's willing to write and I'm able to read." - Bill Willingham, creator of Fables
"Zoo City is a story of mysteries unfolding, and it is a story well told. But it's the world around the story, and the words that guide us through, that make it something more than simply marvellous. With her subtle, intimate descriptions of the roads we walk in this crazy city; with characters so deeply twisty you could lose a giant squid in their nebulous hidey holes, and with turns of phrase that are as likely to conjure up Rudyard Kipling, Brenda Fassie or Credo Mutwa as they are to invoke Japanese anime, Doctor Who or the crack in Johnny Cash's voice as he sings of his greatest loss, this canny authoress has brought real magic to everyday life in Jozi, in what I'm afraid I really am going to end off by describing as an act of unadulterated literature." - Matthew du Plessis, Times Live
"This book is a must read for lovers of South African fiction and urban fantasy alike. It is edgy and pacey and like a rollercoaster ride, it sweeps you up, spins you around, turns you upside down and dumps you out on the other end, heady and breathless and yearning for more." - Exclus1ves
"Lauren Beukes is an awfully smart writer. In Zoo City her characters ooze attitude, their dialogue is snappy, and her vivid imagery is both original and arresting. What's more, with an inspired blend of pop-culture savvy and fantasy (just enough, not too much), her depiction of Johannesburg, magical charms and all, feels eerily real... In fact, it feels as incomplete as real life. It's gritty, it's tangled and it's flawed; nothing is polished, nothing perfect. That's what makes Zoo City so disturbingly, hauntingly, uncompromisingly brilliant." - Jonno Cohen, MiniMonologues
"At times the witty and lyrical prose is sheer magic, the story captivating and the characters exotic, cruel and beautiful while the backdrop of Johannesburg seeths with hidden, lurking dangers around every corner, Zoo City is quite simply captivating." - SciFi & Fantasy Books
Product Description
WHERE NO ONE ELSE DARE VENTURE...
Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty online 419 scam habit – and a talent for finding lost things. But when her latest client, a little old lady, turns up dead and the cops confiscate her lastpaycheck, she's forced to take on her least favourite kind of job: missing persons
An astonishing second novel from the author of the highly-acclaimed Moxyland.
Elem, bruka & sramota, ovo mi bilo pred nosom a da nisam overila... sad se već ne može da nađe uopšte, a sećam se oduševljenog rivjua od samog baje Kluta, ništa manje...
Compared to Gibson's immured gaze upon a world he could not make up stories to exit, Lauren Beukes skates through the foam filth of the present like a waterbug. Zoo City may dive a little too glamorously into terrible high-rises and worse tunnels, and its protagonist (who survives the tale she tells) may wear her deformations and her scars and her cabaret presentation of self like war ribbons, and the present tense of the tale's telling may try a little officiously to shove our faces in the fleuve of the overwhelming nows of an alternate-2011 urban South Africa (Johannesburg is hardly exited), but throughout the horrors and the almost synaesthesical complexities of the scenes unfolded we get a sense of vigour, some of it irrepressible. The main joy of Zoo City is the energy of the thing, that it doesn't stop for breath until it stops for good.
The alternate world transform is laid in so casually that one might be forgiven the assumption that Beukes thinks she is writing a fantasy, but she is not, or not quite. Round about 1998, we learn via one single easy-to-skip passage, a "New York film student" who had transformed himself into an Afghan warlord brings the Zoo Plague—or AAF, Acquired Aposymbiotic Familiarism—into the world. Suddenly (I guess world-wide) humans who have (I think) been found guilty of a crime (or maybe have found themselves guilty of some terrible deed or thought) develop AAF, finding themselves irretrievably bonded to an animal familiar whose shape and behaviour paraphrase their humans' nature and deeds. Any undue separation of human and familiar causes anguish to both. Given the fact that she namechecks Philip Pullman, we can assume that Beukes wishes us to understand that she is channelling the human-daemon partnering so brilliantly utilized in his Dark Materials trilogy. This is in fact so clear upon the page that it gives absolutely no offense; indeed, the opposite: it makes Zoo City, which sometimes has a bit of an versimilitude problem with its material—there are moments when its protagonist protests a bit too much about the grime and guts and venality of the world she weaves her way through shouting—into a genuinely conversant text.
The protagonist, whose name is Zinzi, tells her own story in the present tense, a practice Philip Pullman, writing in the Guardian for 18 September 2010, clearly disapproves of:
"If I just relate now what's happening now," the writer seems to say, "I can't be held to account for it. It's the way things are. I'm just standing close to the action as it happens. I'm not editing or anything. It's really real."
Which may be a little harsh, though there are points in Zoo City when a conventional tensed paragraph of context-wonking wouldn't have exactly hurt; but Zinzi does usually carry the day along with her. The guilt, or crime, which has lumbered her with a Sloth, is that of not (I think) stopping the bullet that kills her brother. She now lives in Zoo City, a District 9 kind of slum where the "animalled" congregate; she has a psychic talent, that of finding things; she is suborned into looking for a missing teenage singer by a vividly unpleasant duo:
I'm obviously not remotely okay, because somehow I missed these two in the crowd—a gangly angel with huge dark wings and a dapper man with a Maltese Poodle dyed a ludicrous orange to match the scarf at his neck. . . The Dog gave me a dull look from the end of its leash and thumps its tail half-heartedly. Say what you like about Sloths, but at least I didn't end up with a motorized toilet-brush. Or a Vulture, judging by the hideous bald head that bobbles up and down behind the woman's choulder, digging under its wing.
The duo subjects Zinzi to beatings and chases and raw encounters with at least one ex-lover; during these ordeals she unpacks an exceedingly unpleasant mystery, involving a crocodile familiar and what seems to be chthonic cannibalism which may be magic, or props.
But maybe the main character of the book is the city. The urban world Beukes describes discharges in the reader's face with something of the interjaculatory in your face insistence of worlds depicted by Paolo Bacigalupi or Ian McDonald, or for that matter Jerome Charyn when he is deep deep deep into Manhattan. Zoo City is exceedingly smart, though overwhelmed at times by plethora (a venal sin; Beukes's familiar is the Hummingbird that eats its body weight daily). The book bustles, it gives you a headache, it pulls at you like a new lover, it nags, it is not quiet, it is not dead yet, it feels proprioceptive to the world.
Long may she last.
Jah, ima tu malo i o Zero History...
It is dreadful to be here at last, here at the zero moment of history that lasts forever, now that Satan has finally touched down after aeons of fall, it is hell. It may be where William Gibson always knew his novels were heading, to that still point of the present case Zero History inhabits, sucked deep into durance: for the present of the world, with no near future riff to bring a breath of air to the page, is pure hell. Zero History is fatally touched by the present. The title of the book—which buries its predecessors, Pattern Recognition (2003) and Spook Country (2007), in cold ash—is cited, I think, only once in a tale so embedded in epiphanies of nada that reading it feels like staring at Medusa. A female Special Agent for the American Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS)—estrangedly off-patch in a London so awash in evacuated sigils that it has become illegible—has been interviewing the most humanly appealing of the several protagonists of the new tale, whose name is Milgrim (c.f. Spook Country). Half-unwittingly, Milgrim has kept himself effectively invisible (which is to say illegible) for several years: no jobs, no taxes, no address, no expense accounts, no credit cards, no form, no sex, no walkabout, no pheromones. He has been in a kind of brown-out, and must now learn the furniture of 2010 (tweeting is a mystery to him, etc) as though he were a visitor to utopia. This, she says, means that he has attained "zero history." She is of course wrong: the visitor to utopia always finds a ticket to ride. Gibson means something else by zero, by history.
Even as late as 2010—65 years deeper into the progressive cultural amnesia whose dead-centre nadir point in 1945 the term "year zero" was coined to mark—it is pretty certain that Gibson means his title primarily to remind us of the state of Europe (specifically Berlin) at the end of World War Two: a point when it seemed that the long poisonous pogrom-sluiced suicide of twentieth century Europe had accomplished its goal, dooming its surviving inhabitants to spend the rest of their lives in a cenotaphic (which is to say evacuated) present tense, because there was no story left to tell. (The urge to reclaim history from amnesia—which sounds almost Marxist I guess: the Marx who saw that the end of exchange is pure nada—seems to me to fuel the late Tony Judt's magisterial Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 [2005].) So distressedly does Zero History inhabit a world that Tony Judt could not reclaim in a mere book—especially in the terrifyingly unstoried first 200 pages, before Gibson's better-mousetrap instincts guide him to a neatish conclusion evocative of all his earlier closings of the gate against intolerable apercu—it seems a miracle it was written at all.
In his NYRSF review of Pattern Recognition, Graham Sleight justly notes "the terse and verbless terms which Gibson reserves for epiphanic moments," quoting from a moment when Cayce Pollard is brought to a state of ecstatic information overload by the sight of some footage from the fragmented video Hubertus Bigend has directed her to trace down. The heart of this footage seems to be a single "out-of-focus shot of a bird in flight: a noun with no verbs." But those were happier days for Bigend, for Gibson, for the world: days when an absence of the verb of story might expose, for an instant, the pure gape of an unexchanged world. In Zero History, moments when verbs all but disappear create, I think, something different: not epiphany but (literally so in the passage I'm about to quote) taxidermy:
To her right, in shadow, illuminated from within by an Edwardian museum fixture, stood a vitrine displaying taxidermy. Game birds, mostly; a pheasant, several quail, others she couldn't put a name to, all mounted as though caught in motion, crossing a sward of faded billiard-felt. . . . Behind them, anthropomorphically upright, forelimbs outstretched in the manner of a cartoon somnambulist, came a moth-eaten ferret.
In Pattern Recognition, a bird in flight, out of the frame, unentangled; in Zero History, a stuffed quail under glass. When the gape of the world is fixed, as it is here and in the long succession of despairing limnings of deathly embeddedness that follow this early passage, we have come to the dead silent still centre of a world that no longer remembers how to move, a world that can no longer be read. Zero History is not a story about the end of story; it is photograph of that death.
The story itself is obedient to this despair. Hubertus Bigend, mysterious potentiator of the previous volumes of this current trilogy, has no more personality this time round than his phosphorescent suit, which encloses him like a vitrine. His search for a stealth brand of clothing called the Hounds of Gabriel is ditheringly mundane compared to his earlier preeternatural urge to embrace/surround the bird no verb can pattern. Eventually the designer's identity is revealed—she withholds her name, but readers of Pattern Recognition will recognize her instantly: the readers of Zero History are permitted to make more sense of its moments of story than the inhabitants of zero history can—but this moment of traditional storytelling subsides instantly. Over and beyond Milgrim's attempts to parse himself, there is no story to drive the book, just as there is no near future any more to drive the world. There can be no true sequel to this dead stillness. Bigend, like Satan, has been left without a move to make. This is hell.
Zero History is full of intricate and rather marvelous descriptions of frisson-tasty bits of a world too close to grasp whole; and some hilarious moments; and an overwhelming knowledgability as regards clothing stuff. Its immersion in London is as spot-on and geographically exact as one expects of Gibson, whose figurings of the inner coigns of London have become, over the decades of his career, as inherently edificial as Iain Sinclair's. But this time round the utterands of London choke in their yarns like bugs in amber, for they are already deadish: for you cannot hear history when you are under glass. The death of history, being too much like life at this time, must have been terrifying to face. Nada is hell to describe. Zero History is as brave a book as its title demands of it.
Nešto za Micu... :lol:
Scores
By John Clute (http://www.strangehorizons.com/2010/20101108/clute-c.shtml)
8 November 2010
Even had London burned down for good in 1940, as almost happened during the
Docklands firestorm of 7 September that did not, in our world, quite
conflagrate into chymical marriage like Dresden, 1940 would have already
been saved, if by saved we mean known. There may be no other single year in
world history-certainly no other single season-more intensely anticipated
(see below), more intensely studied in the present tense of unfolding events
(see below), and more intensely relived (see below) than the last months of
1940, that great season when Saint Paul's did not burn, not even during the
terrible rain of incendiaries at the end of December, the historical moment
Connie Willis focuses on in "Fire Watch" (1982), the first of her time
travel tales to invigilate this thronged passage in the story of the West.
Chastely and reverently, "Fire Watch" treats as unchangeable a series of
events already so densely told that to manipulate a jot or tittle of the
Memory Cathedral would seem blasphemous, for the heart of the Blitz is
precisely the way it happened. There is no theoretical Jonbar Point-unlike,
say, the moment when Abraham Lincoln is or is not assassinated-whose
enactment would not dishonour what actually came down: when a million life
events threatened to petrify in the glare: the lives of all who lived then
incinerating into dominos of fire: the medusa clatter of dominos toppling as
Hitler Wins, creating a world more terrible even than the stygian nightmare
foretold by Katharine Burdekin in Swastika Night (1937): but a
transmogrification that by all that is holy did not happen, which is one of
the miracles we have lived by in a bad century.
Willis is perfectly capable of doing postcard to the past when she can get
away with it-she is not hugely faithful to the abyssal back-lit fragments of
historical record that are all we retain of the time of the Black Death,
where Doomsday Book (1992), the next instalment in what one might call her
Oxford Historians sequence, is set; and when her Oxford gang of history
postgrads and docents from the middle of the twenty-first century swans back
to the 1880s in To Say Nothing of the Dog (1997), they arrive in an Edenic
England that was a nostalgic fiction then, and a lie now-and perhaps before
divagating into what's wrong and right about her vast new novel I should
jump my gun and say that Blackout/All Clear, one of whose intricately
welded, hugely drawn-out climaxes magically transects the events of "Fire
Watch," also honours the consensus of the veritable world. It is, in fact,
all about honouring that consensus.
Blackout/All Clear (Willis's publisher broke the slow, sometimes
infuriatingly seamless crescendo structure of this extremely long novel into
two volumes; my proof copy of the second volume boorishly describes it as a
"follow-up") is in fact a time travel story not about changing the world but
about saving the world; Blackout/All Clear (hence All Clear, because that is
what it is all about in the end) is as reverent for this world as Kim
Stanley Robinson's Galileo's Dream
<http://www.strangehorizons.com/2010/20100118/clute-c.shtml> . But before we
glance at All Clear in slightly more detail, I think we need to consider for
a moment what may have been Willis's greatest challenge in writing her huge
tale, which is the Memory Cathedral Problem: how does an author honour
consensus when so much is already known that honour is no longer an emotion
appropriate in general to the circumstances, but more centrally an
obligation to get it right? Aristotle may have said that fiction is truer
than history (anticipating by a mere few thousand years my own excited claim
that any Story is inherently non-mimetic), but it does seem that any tale
set in a period of history denser than the concinnity magnets of Story can
harmonize must be conceived as honouring a reversal of that proposition: for
the Blitz is truer than Story.
If this is true of any nonfantastic fiction set then, it is a principle far
more poignantly binding on an author of fantastika, where Story is
inherently exposed in all its workings (absolute Story being absolute
fantastika). A tale like Sarah Waters's The Night Watch (2006), which plays
delicately with forms of the supernatural whose incursion is unlikely to
change the story of the world, can incorporate a few shortcuts or errors
without much risk, but All Clear, being a time travel story driven for
almost 1100 pages by the anxiety (see below) that history might be/might
have already been changed by the bumbling incursion of the Oxford postgrads,
is hugely more vulnerable to scrutiny. And scrutinizing the text for signs
of alternative realities is exactly the task any reader familiar with time
travel tales, as almost all of Willis's readers will be, will take as having
been demanded by the author, on the assumption that what seems to be an
"error" in the tale will almost certainly serve as an exact marker that
another story of the world is sliding into view.
So, given the almost supernatural density of our knowledge of 1940, it's
clear Willis faced an extremely daunting challenge in ensuring that All
Clear meant what it said, within reasonable limits. So despite the fact that
it is a time travel story, I did not look for errors; though inevitably I
found a few, I didn't think the honour of the book-its obedience to the
world-depended upon absolute accuracy, nor were its weaknesses exposed by
mistakes: rather the reverse in fact. All the same, it's clear that the
irradiated density of our knowledge of 1940 must have been a challenge and a
burden. There's no point explicating here the complexity of access points we
are able to use in 2010 to get a sense of 1940. Among recent studies that do
that job for us, the best may be Juliet Gardiner's The Blitz: The British
Under Attack (2010) which magisterially exploits various archives, some of
them vast; makes narrative sense of this flood of stuff; closes with a ten
page bibliography that scratches the surface just deeply enough to evoke
chaos theory in the timid. But some of the historical record does need to be
mentioned here, as it shines an odd light on the extremely peculiar research
missions that Willis's modestly incompetent crew seem to have been assigned.
Without getting in harm's way (we will return to that astonishing directive
a bit later), their task is to insert themselves into and to report back on
ordinary life as it was lived just before and during the Blitz. Whether or
not these missions may seem implausibly low-key for a clearly very
expensive, cutting-edge project located at a point that SF writers and
readers almost certainly (not without cause) think of as Planetary Crisis
Time, there is another problem Willis must solve if she is going to honour
the time, as I have already said I think she has intended to. The problem,
of course, is the problem of the known.
One of the cast, Eileen, becomes a kind of nanny taking care of refugee
children in a stately home; another, Polly, becomes a shopgirl. Seriously
dislocated by "slippage"-all Willis's time travel stories seem to take off
from the fact that time travel does not actually work very well-a third
protagonist, whose name is sometimes Mike, sees much of southern England
from below. In due course, the three of them do observe quite a bit of the
life of the masses; their slow, sidling, sometimes palsied progress through
volume one in search of each other, a task bedevilled by slippages and
failures of portals back to 2060 to open when they should, gives Willis
plenty of opportunities to tell us what they've seen, observing at all times
(in order to honour the time) the historical record, which is to say she
must have herself confirmed in the historical record anything that might
have already been mentioned. And here's the rub. The problem with the first
half of All Clear is that the job Willis's cast has been sent back at
astronomical cost to accomplish was already done before they got there. What
they find out, we have already told them.
In 1937 two men-Charles Madge, who was deeply involved, as was his mentor W.
H. Auden, in 1930s Modernism-for-the-people; and Tom Harrisson, an extremely
acute and pragmatic sociologist-founded an organization called Mass
Observation (it still exists) whose goal was precisely to observe the
behaviour of "ordinary" folk in England at a time of growing anxiety about
the future; to measure and record the real life of the English people before
dread made them sick as war neared, the World War Two everyone in 1937
anticipated with depths of anxiety we hardly feel even now, fingernails
clawing at our own edge of things. Mass Observation was founded, in other
words, to save 1930s England for the future by learning it. To a surprising
degree, the project succeeded. Fifteen books of observations and findings
were published by the early 1940s, some of them widely distributed; in 2010
(half a century before our Carry On Boffin historians are sent back to the
same time to do the same job) the entire Mass Observation Archive at the
University of Sussex near Brighton is available to researchers. True, Mass
Observation may reflect a seriously unAmerican sub specie eternitatis
Scientific Romance perspective on the events of history; and Connie
Willis-though her main accomplishment has been a set of novels that do sound
in synopsis as though they were pure Scientific Romance-may not leave the
veriest secular/clerical trace of a Wellsian echo in the way she actually
tells story, and anyway I've no idea if she actually made use of Mass
Observation: but if she did read the books, or access the Archive, every sip
of knowledge from this resource must have been attar from a poison chalice:
because everything she could have learned would necessarily have added
essential detail to the honour she so clearly wished to pay England and the
period she so transparently loved: everything Mass Observation had already
recorded closed down upon her ability to manoeuvre, to unleash her cast to
behave like typical SF protagonists (which they surely do not) and find
stuff out. Willis, as she proves in every one of her 1100 pages of
honourable crochet-work, knows that they must not fabricate a novum out of
the prelapsarian bounty of the real recorded world that we deem holy, and in
the event they learn nothing that we don't already know: 1940 is not to be
alternated with.
There is a beauty of observance in this, what one does in a church when one
obeys the rules. This sense of a gradually unfolding litany did in the end
work a sea change on my own initially frustrated reading of the first half
of All Clear, the 500 pages of which only slowly confessed themselves,
through foggy spirals of story-stuff generated by the cast's unavailing
attempts to accomplish anything (see below), as comprising a great extended
exercise in obedience not novum. There were points, all the same, when it
might have helped to foreground the fact that nothing new could be allowed
in church, perhaps through a scene or two in which Oxford historians in 2060
are seen accessing research material already online half a century earlier
in the real world. But just as the hordes of Mass Observation observers make
no appearance in All Clear neither does-it is one instance out of many-The
London County Council Bomb Damage Maps 1939-1945 (London Topographical
Society and London Metropolitan Archives, 2005), an edition by Ann Saunders
of the 110 Ordinance Survey maps upon which, beginning in September 1940,
the London County Council Architect's Department recorded and made available
the specific location and degree of bomb damage inflicted throughout the
period of the Blitz and later. Willis, who plausibly consulted these hugely
detailed maps herself, might have profitably portrayed honcho boffin
Dunworthy using them to avoid boners in his attempts to work out exactly
where and when bombs fell in 1940, in order to instruct his students where
and when never to go: anywhere, that is, they might encounter danger,
anywhere the rough beast of history might slouch Godzilla-like across the
Channel, anywhere the real world, in its anguish, might need eyes to
witness.
Indeed, the least useful pages of All Clear are spent tracing its cast's
ultimately baulked attempts not to see anything, and it does take a while to
grasp the beauty of All Clear, the intense humility of its portrait of
London as her cast increasingly ignores Dunworthy's strictures, especially
in two superb, hugely extended setpieces: one devoted to the terrible first
bombing raid on 7 September; the second massively expanding on the events
first depicted in "Fire Watch" as Saint Paul's almost burns at the end of
December. Almost certainly some bad mistakes leak into the text (how else,
given the oceans of data she had to attempt to master); but I for one found
nothing to complain about. The main errors I noted myself were in fact
easily correctible: Willis seems to have consulted a contemporary map of the
London Underground, which seems to have led her to assume that the Victoria
and the Jubilee Lines, both constructed decades later, were there in 1940;
nurses bewilderingly tell patients their temperature in centigrade; and the
term "disinformation" seems not to have existed before 1955, the first year
it was used to describe false information created, usually by a government,
for purposes of deceit. But none of these slips opened any plausible gulf
into the alternate realities whose potential irruption haunts her cast. All
Clear is a song of London, a song of England, and she has gotten the song
right.
That the first volume of the huge tale is almost all recitative with no
arias may unfairly deter some readers (at points it came pretty close to
deterring me). It took some time to realize that-over and above the
exigencies of story-this recitative was actually the song of London clearing
its throat. But those exigencies were a burden. Hundreds of pages are spent
following the three main protagonists miss every possible connection in
their attempts to link up with each other, none of them realizing that these
failures are far from coincidental, for the first 700 pages of the story of
All Clear are an intercalated rat's nest of Appointments in Samarra tropes
where, as it seems, every attempt they make not to interfere with space-time
leads them towards places where they commit ever deeper damage. Time and
again they run from Death and meet Death smiling thanks. Or so they seem to
think. They are wrong.
The actual story of All Clear only begins to make much sense on page 311 of
the second volume, when Polly begins to realize what readers from 2010-who
have clearly read a lot more time travel stories than Willis's time
travelers-will have suspected for some time: that the Oxford Historians have
gotten it all back to front. They have feared that their forced presence in
1940, long after they were supposed to find their portals and vamoose back
up the time stream, has caused a fatal deterioration in the "entire
space-time continuum," whose Gaia-like struggle to maintain the continuity
of the world they have fatally compromised; that the Samarra dance they have
led is a sort of body English of the death-throes of our world, the world in
which Hitler loses the war. This is what Polly thinks she has understood
when finally she realizes that everything had conspired against them, from Theodore's refusal to leave the pantomime to the blocked streets which had kept them from getting here before he left this morning. It was as if the entire space-time continuum
had been engaged in an elaborate plot to keep them from reaching John
Bartholomew [the protagonist of "Fire Watch"]. Just as it had kept her and
Eileen from finding each other last autumn. "How all occasions do inform
against us," she thought.
The important thing here is that-after 700 pages of Feydeau-like story
teases that seemed to go nowhere, all conducted with the same
school-marmish, leadenly-light whimsy that scuppered To Say Nothing of the
Dog-we have finally been given a grammar to sort All Clear out. Polly may
still have it all back-to-front, but it is now only a matter of time before
she and her colleagues use this exposed grammar of story to unpack the
truth: that the "entire space-time continuum" has in fact been forcing them
to make precisely the interventions in the world of 1940 that they have been
trying to avoid; that instead of blasphemously thinning the "weight of the
world" until it caves in, their actions have comprised a series of tipping
points whose effect is to avoid the more likely prime reality, where Hitler
Wins. Once the cast understands this, light pours from the heavens, and the
novel ends in elation and Return.
The Appointments in Samarra have been with Life.
Galileo unburnt, London unburned: worlds to pray for.
Thanks, jeste za mene...
Ipak, moram da primetim da je i Clute malo ostario i smekšao...
Why I Write Reviews
November 23, 2010 — Niall
If it weren't for the existence of many fine writer-critics, I would sometimes be tempted to start believing that fiction writers just don't get reviewing. A case in point: a post by Jason Sanford titled, "Why we write literary reviews". It feels a little unfair to object to a post that concludes that reviewing is a valuable and worthwhile activity, but I can't let that "we" stand, because while I'm sure what Jason Sanford says is true for Jason Sanford, it's at best partially true for me; because I suspect the same is true for many other reviewers; and because the post as a whole traffics in assumptions about the nature of purpose and reviewing that I think undermine the whole enterprise.
To the point, in fact, where I could disagree with just about every sentence in the post that isn't purely factual. For instance, on negative reviews, Sanford writes: "I basically refuse to waste my time reviewing bad stories". The error here — beyond ignoring the fact that the decision, or assignment, to review is usually made before you know whether a story is good or bad — is to consider it a waste of time to review a bad story, when such a policy makes it impossible for a reader to form a full picture of Sanford's taste (which precludes them from accurately weighting his judgments), and helps to bias the public picture of the sf field away from reality (which does more than theoretical damage). Moreover, negative reviews are apparently easy to write because "When you read a bad story, the flaws almost beg for sarcastic comments and ridicule"; the mistake here is to assume that sarcastic comments and ridicule make for a good negative review, when the opposite is much more likely to be the case.
But the central frustration of Sanford's post is the assumed nature of the relationship between fiction and criticism, which colours everything else. I think it's clearest in the fifth of his six reasons for reviewing:
A need to draw attention to the reviewer. This is another irritating reason to write a literary review. Reviewers who want attention should instead write their own stories, although that's also a lousy reason to write fiction. While there is nothing wrong with critiquing from your own point of view—indeed, that's hard to avoid because criticism and opinions are such personal affairs—reviewers should never forget that true criticism isn't about them alone. Yes, it is their reaction to the story. But the story also exists apart from them. Only a fool forgets that.
This characterisation of reviewing — as, ideally, a pure and ego-less activity performed by willing supplicants at the altar of fiction — seems, at best, naive. Obviously, showboating should be avoided, as in the case of negative reviews filled with cheap snark noted above. But, equally obviously, of course reviewers want attention; reviewing is an act of communication, it takes a certain amount of ego just to stand up and say your piece in public, and we want to know that our communication is valued. I want to know that my communication is useful — less in the sense of persuading people to pick up a book, since although that's always a pleasure it's a limited if not illusory power, and more in the sense of prompting further thought, of contributing to or generating a conversation.
More importantly, critiquing a story from your own point of view isn't just "hard to avoid", it's central to the entire project. Contra Sanford, I assert that "the story" does not exist apart from the reader, it exists in the interaction between the reader's mind and the words on the page — if short story club achieves nothing else, it demonstrates that! — and that communicating a personal aesthetic experience is a vital element of a successful review, perhaps the most vital element.
The most irritating sentence in the paragraph, however, is the third. "Reviewers who want attention should instead write their own stories." What's objectionable here is not just the too-common canard that reviewers are frustrated fiction writers; it's the suggestion that reviewers should want to write fiction, that fiction is in some undefined way inherently the superior activity, the true end-point of the urge to write, the only form of writing worthy of attention, that reviewing is but a stepping stone to that goal.
As I say, I'm happy to accept this is true for Sanford. It's not true for me. Because I assert that reading is an inherently creative act, I also assert that reviewing is a creative act — which is to say I assert that it is inherently a literary act, worthy of attention and consideration as such. The notion that a review has no value as an independent work is easily dismissed with reference to the work of someone like John Clute, but the more nuanced argument that a review is lesser because it cannot exist without a prompting work is also something of a red herring; fiction hardly emerges from a vacuum, after all. To the extent that all reviews, in transcribing the experience of the reviewer, necessarily re-tell and mis-tell their subject, they are productively creative. And the other side of this, of course, is that to the extent that all fiction is a response to things in the world, it is usefully critical. (Consider Farah Mendlesohn's definition of science fiction as "an argument with the universe" as a description of all fiction.) To cast reviewing as inherently a lesser activity than fiction because it is more obviously a secondary activity is, I suggest, to misunderstand the nature of both.
There's much more to disagree with in Sanford's post — the paragraph on "A need to pontificate" as a reason for reviewing could easily generate another post of this length — but almost all of it comes back to this view of the relative worth of the two activities. Even when Sanford is discussing "A need to expand the understanding of a story", his reasons for the desirability of doing so have to do almost entirely with its potential utility for fiction writers: "if I, as a reviewer, understand what made one novel special then perhaps my own fiction writings will take a giant step forward. Or perhaps new writers who read my review will apply this understanding to their own fiction." Perhaps indeed; but as a reason to write reviews, such a priority seems rather skewed. For my part, I can't improve on Gary K Wolfe: "One writes reviews because reviews are what one writes: they are essays about literature, and literature is worth writing essays about."
A couple of weeks ago, Jo Walton pointed out that there was once, and I think for one year only, a "Best Book Reviewer" Hugo category, and suggested reviving it. Most of the time I think this would be a bad idea: we have too many Hugo categories as it is. But posts like Sanford's make me wish it did exist, in the hope that it might make people think a bit more deeply about the art of criticism, and its value.
GREG BEAR'S HULL ZERO THREE (http://www.orbitbooks.net/extracts/hull-zero-three-extract)
HULL ZERO THREE, by Greg Bear (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXoxX6p-WD8#ws)
@Gaff: znači, Greg Bear me fino upecao sa onim otvaranjem romana, a? ;)
(trebalo je da više pažnje obratim na ovaj trejler, nego na obećanja "blagog i sanjalačkog" prvog poglavlja... :))
Dalje, Gary K. Wolfe predstavlja
Into the Media Web (Michael Moorcock) na Locus Online Reviews:
Quote
— posted Wednesday 27 October 2010 @ 5:36 pm PDT
I don't think anyone I know claims to have a good handle on the career of Michael Moorcock. With 70-odd novels in just about every genre he could find, scores of stories, novellas, and anthologies, rock albums, comics and graphic novels, fanzines, professional magazines (most notably New Worlds), reviews, essays, and for all I know auto repair manuals and recipes, he's surely among the most protean figures of recent English literature, let alone the last half-century of SF and fantasy. When Tachyon published The Best of Michael Moorcock last year, it was, as Paul Witcover said in his September 2009 review here, ''a hell of a title to live up to'' – and that was only the short fiction. Now, in Into the Media Web – what amounts to a non-fiction companion volume not only to that book but to Moorcock's entire career – his friend John Davey has assembled some 150 items covering a 52-year span (selected, he says, from four or five times as many), ranging from a teenage essay on Bret Harte to recent reviews of Thomas Pynchon and Walter Mosley and a 2009 obituary of Moorcock's friend James Cawthorn. Weighing in at more than 700 pages, with many fascinating photos and illustrations, it's a feast for readers and an invaluable resource for students or scholars of Moorcock, but they'll quickly find they have their work cut out for them: in his introduction, Davey raises the question of how to best organize this chaos of material and announces, ''In the end, a decision was taken to arrange the contents randomly.'' Since another decision was taken to provide no index, we're pretty much alone in the bazaar, left to stumble across pleasures and oddities on our own – a bit like wandering through Camden Market in London, or Portobello Road in the mid-1960s, which Moorcock describes in one of the most evocative photo-essays in the book (the photos are by Bryce Atwell).
Fortunately, the arrangement isn't uniformly random. There are clusters of low entropy in the book, such as a chronological sequence of 19 editorials, reviews, and essays from New Worlds – an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to understand what the New Wave was about, although some of the most important memoirs about the magazine are separate from this sequence, such as ''New Worlds: A Personal History'', written for Foundation in 1978 and expanded in 1981. Another invaluable sequence consists of seven introductions written for omnibus editions of the Eternal Champion megaseries, which very nearly encompasses Moorcock's life's work in fantastic literature (he reports having begun it when he was 17). In order to help us get our bearings for what comes later, the book opens with a long autobiographical essay (written for Contemporary Authors), then leads us into a complex mosaic ranging from introductions and notes that are scarcely a page long to substantial critical essays such as ''Patriotism and the Scientific Romance'' and two chapters from Wizardry and Wild Romance, including the famous ''Epic Pooh'' essay, with its provocative dismissal of Tolkien and the Inklings. Since many of these pieces were written as introductions, Moorcock more often comes across as a generous critic, celebrating the work of his friends Mervyn Peake, Andrea Dworkin, Angela Carter, and the much less-known Jack Trevor Story and revealing unexpected passions for writers like Eudora Welty, Henry Treece, and George Meredith, but he can be acerbic as well, as in the Pooh essay, or when he complains of ''the astonishing elevation of extremely poor writers, like Virginia Woolf or John Braine,'' or describes Zelazny's Lord of Light as ''self-indulgent, infantile, self-conscious, escapist, derivative fantasy fiction that lacks even the saving grace of Tolkien's relatively clean style.'' And the impatience with the timidity of SF in general, which seemed such a call to arms in the 1960s New Worlds editorials, has not flagged much in later years, as when he describes Heinlein's later ''serious'' novels as ''producing some of the most ludicrously unlikely people ever to appear in print.''
Davey has generally done a heroic and meticulous job, though it's clearly a true labor of love rather than of formal scholarship (at one point he mistakenly credits Moorcock as having coined the term ''speculative fiction'' in 1960, when it had been used by Heinlein nearly 20 years earlier). Though SF readers are likely to be most interested in those pieces which form a portrait of a crucial period in SF history during which Moorcock, arguably, was the central figure, Davey has also been careful to leaven the literary bits with a wildly eclectic selection of cultural pieces ranging from passionate attacks on the pornography industry to sharply observed essays on Elvis Presley or Tom Mix, to a defense of Los Angeles, to an excellent essay on the Rushdie affair, written on the occasion of Khomeini's death, that seems as timely now as when it was written in 1989 (though Moorcock remains disdainful of Rushdie's fiction, noting ''one is frequently put in a position of defending something or someone one can't stand''). These non-genre-related pieces add up to a far more complex and fascinating portrait of Moorcock as a writer and a ''post-war culture-ruffian,'' as Alan Moore describes him in his introduction, and lend the book a deep texture that makes for fascinating reading even for those of us who pretty much passed out of our Elric phase many years ago.
Čini mi se da će Zoo City biti jedan od onih romana koji su nominovani levo i desno ali bez značajnih rezultata po pitanju značajnijih nagrada. Što je šteta, zaista, pošto je ovo zaista genijalan roman, čak i za mene, koja baš i nisam ljubitelj new weird fazona.
Pored ovog gore citiranog pohvalnog rivjua iz Master Klut pera, rekla bih da je Zoo City fenomen kakvom ostali tek ima da nauče kako da pariraju; ZC nudi infrastrukturu zbog koje se jedan NW roman čita kao dokumentarac, a to ne polazi za rukom čak ni gosn Čajni. :mrgreen: Kao prvo, tu su fejk naučni radovi po pitanju simbiotizma ljudi i dodeljenih im životinja, tu su rezultati "naučnih istraživanja" o posledicama smrti simbiotskih životinja na njihove nesrećne ljudske vlasnike, tu su fejk intervjui i novinarska, medicinska i policijska istraživanja o simbiotizmu i afričkim ratnim žarištima, tu je ceo dijapazon (insajderima lako prepoznatljivih) pop-kulturnih referenci koje prozi daju autetničan šmek do te mere da će 50% rezultata pri guglanju potvrditi infrastrukturu. Sa takvom pozadinom, objašnjenja skoro da i nisu potrebna, pa ZC ulazi u takav realm samodovoljnosti da se dobar deo romana može prihvatiti i kao pop-kulturni vodič kroz JAR. Jednom to rečeno, fentezi realm ZC nije baš klasičan anglofoni roman, i duboko poigravanje lokalnom ikonografijom može da bude hendikep baš koliko i prednost, zavisno od konzumenta. U lokalnim okvirima, roman ima daleko manje impakta nego što bi se dalo za očekivati od romana koji se probio na svetsko tržište. Sreća pa je Angry Robot versatilan izdavač – prošle godine je organizovao konkurs za kratku priču sa temom iz Moxyland-a, prvog romana Lauren Beukes, i tri priče odabrane od strane samog autora našle su svoje mesto u ovoj knjizi.
Elem, koga zanima detaljniji rivju romana, nek overi Gaffov blog.
Najpre da pomenem kako mi je ovaj roman od samog početka prizivao u sećanje jedno izuzetno domaće delo, a to se, zaista, meni retko kad dešava (mada pamtim da je u bezbroj prilika slučaj bio obrnut :(): reč je o romanu Mijane Novaković, Đavo & njegov sluga, a prizivan je u sećanje ne toliko zbog samog stila i sadržaja (mada je i toga bilo, ali tek kasnije u čitanju, i daleko suptilnije) koliko po izvesnoj produhovljenosti koja pleni svojim zrelim i iskrenim pristupom. U pitanju je prvenstveno karakterizacija, finese muško-ženskih odnosa i njihov uticaj na percepciju naratora, a onda i mudrost i pronicljivost po pitanjima lako prepoznatljive (mada ujedno i sasvim egzotične) svakodnevice, koju narator prikazuje sa utoliko većom produhovljenošću što je ista banalnija. To uopšte nije pitanje zanatske veštine, da se razumemo (oba romana su prvenci, mada se to nikada ne bi dalo pretpostaviti iz samog materijala), nego je pitanje isključivo talenta - sposobnosti opažanja, a onda i sposobnosti saopštavanja i razlučivanja bitnog od nebitnog.
Karen Lord je ovaj roman napisala 2008e i dobila je za njega prestižnu nagradu, a da ne bude zabune, već iduće godine je pokupila istu tu nagradu za svoj drugi roman, tako da zasigurno nije u pitanju nikakva slučajnost. Redemption in Indigo je prošle godine objavio Small Beer Press i trenutno je prilično zapažen po pitanju konkurencija za žanrovske nagrade, ali, pošto je u pitanju popriličan odmak od standardnih žanrovskih uradaka čak i unutar okvira magijskog realizma, ne bi trebalo tu očekivati nit' brda nit' doline. No svejedno, o ovom romanu se itekako priča, tako da sve to nije ni bitno.
O sadržaju, bez bitnog spojlera: roman prati mladu ženu imenom Pama, koja traži sklonište od bračnih nevolja pod roditeljskim krovom, a da pri tom niti roditeljima niti neudatoj sestri objasni razloge za tako drastičan čin. (Roman nudi prepričanu – tojest obrađenu & osavremenjenu – senegalsku narodnu pripovetku, pa se striktno patrijahalni okviri tu naprosto podrazumevaju, a to je upravo ono što priči daje izuzetan šarm i straobalnu podlogu za već pominjanu produhovljenost naracije.) Razlog toj Paminoj tajanstvenosti je procena kako bi retko ko istinski shvatio njenu muku, a patronizacija onog tako poznatog povlađivanja bez razumevanja i opravdanja (koje su svi roditelji, u svakoj kulturi, po pravilu spremni da sruče na svoj podmladak) bi samo pridodala njenoj muci, sa kojom ionako može da izađe na kraj jedino bekstvom. Pama je, naime, upala u klopku banalnog, trivijalnog života, čiju istinsku težinu može da shvati jedino paćenik u istom, pošto takav banalan i trivijalan život po pravilu nudi svedocima sa strane (pa čak i samim roditeljima) ne samo uglačani sjaj vesele podnošljivosti, nego i otmenu veniru kobajagi zavidno srećnog života. Pama i njen muž su, naime, naizgled bili stvoreni jedno za drugo: Pama je oduvek bila poznata kao žena sa neprikosnovenim talentom za kuvanje, a Pamin muž je oduvek imao još širu reputaciju gurmana, a to je - u patrijahalnim očima mnogih, a pogotovo Paminih roditelja - bilo i jeste više nego dovoljno za savršen brak. Pama, stoga, niti je imala kome, niti je umela kako da objasni suptilnu razliku između proždrljivosti i gurmanluka, pa je spas našla u begu i ćutanju.
Do te tačke, priča je surovo savremena i realistična.
Onaj "drugi" deo leži u tradicionalnoj kulturološkoj dimenziji u kojoj ljudi žive pored djombija, natprirodnih i besmrtnih trikstera i šejpšiftera iz narodnih predanja, koji na sirote ljude uglavnom paze ali ujedno se i silno zabavljaju raznolikim prčkanjem u ljudske sudbine. A kako svi oni koji nad nečim bdiju neretko steknu i kvalitete onoga nad čime bdiju, djombiji tu nisu nikakav izuzetak, baš kao što nisu bili ni svi oni siroti grčko/rimski bogovi. I dok je sve ovo zapravo samo baza na koju se nadogradila narativna infrastruktura, pravi zaplet počinje onoga trena kada par djombija odluči da Pami pokloni moć koja pripada vrhovnom djombiju. U pitanju je, naravno, Indigo Lord, zato što mu je koža boje indiga, a moć koja je njemu ukradena je upravljanje haosom - vrhovna djombi moć spakovana i za te svrhe sakrivena u jednan bezvredan objekt kao što je... hm, pa, eto... kutlača, ne bi li tako ti djombi zaverenici naučili pameti svakog pojedinog aktera u ovoj fascinantno egzotičnog naraciji. I mada je Pama - po svojoj prirodi sklona da ili izbegava konfrontacije ili ih "rešava" bezbednim begom – itekako voljna da tu nesrećnu kutlaču vrati u ruke Indigo Lorda, oboje zapanjeno otkrivaju da je to ipak nemoguće, sve dok sama Pama iskreno ne poveruje kako je moć haosa zaista najsigurnija upravo u djombijevim indigo rukama.
Nažalost, Pamina skorašnja životna iskustva je pomalo sprečavaju u mišljenju da je bilo koji muškarac, pa makar i indigo djombi, zaista bogom dano oličenje ispravnosti, tako da njena sumnjičavost zapravo i dovodi do postojanja ovog romana – Indigo Lord, naime, mora Pamu ubediti kako je uistinu dostojan ma kakvog sitnog poverenja, a kamoli onoga koje upravlja haosom, i to je ujedno i krajnja svrha i cilj ovog romana.
trejler je genijalno elokventan: Redemption in Indigo (http://merumsal.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/redemption-in-indigo-the-book-trailer)
Quote from: LiBeat on 13-02-2011, 12:28:03
Karen Lord je ovaj roman napisala 2008e i dobila je za njega prestižnu nagradu, a da ne bude zabune, već iduće godine je pokupila istu tu nagradu za svoj drugi roman, tako da zasigurno nije u pitanju nikakva slučajnost.
Uf! - rece poglavica.
Odustajem od dešifrovanja svih tvojih dvosmislenih opaski, to uglavnom zbog nedostatka vremena. :cry:
Ma nista dvosmisleno, samo, koliko ja znam, Redemption joj je prvi i i jedini roman, objavljen 2010 i dobila je 2011 William Craford (valda se tako pise) nagradu koja se, opet valjda, dodeljuje za najbolji debut.
A ovo samo evociram Karla Maja bez ikakvog razloga.
Quote from: Melkor on 13-02-2011, 13:00:47
Ma nista dvosmisleno, samo, koliko ja znam, Redemption joj je prvi i i jedini roman, objavljen 2010 i dobila je 2011 William Craford (valda se tako pise) nagradu koja se, opet valjda, dodeljuje za najbolji debut.
A ovo samo evociram Karla Maja bez ikakvog razloga.
Pa, ne znam za to što pominješ.
Znam da je dobila Frenk Kolimor nagradu za Indigo 2008e i za The Best of all Possible Worlds 2009te. A za tu nagradu kažem da je "prestižna" barem zbog toga što su u pitanju značajni novčani iznosi za Barbados, tako da se ipak radi o nagradi koja ima velikog uticaja na karijeru debitanta. Jer, stipu ti tamo neke povelje i sva ta ostala sranja za "slavu" - jedino kad autor dobije neku kintu, ima nekakve šanse da batali "dnevni posao" i posveti se ozbiljno pisanju. U tom smislu kažem da je nagrada "prestižna".
Sad si me naterala da guglam. Tu nagradu je dobila za rukopise. Dobro, zamalo da ispadnem glup u drustvu :)
Inace, nisam siguran da je taj finansijski deo najbitniji, skimovao sam neki njen intervju i ispade da su joj taj, jos uvek nenagradjeni, rukopis odbili 4 puta. Dobijanje nagrade ju je ipak pomerilo u, urednicima, vidljiviju orbitu.
Ma, uozbilji se, Melkore; ovo je društvo u kom više niko ne može da ispadne glup. :lol:
Pa, nagrada koja se dodeljuje rukopisima (whoa, evo sad i asocijacije na još jednog ovde pominjanog pisca :twisted:) je, po meni, najvrednija od sviju nagrada, pošto autor od nje ima najviše koristi. Svet je pun glupavih knjiga, a poznata imena ionako sama sebe prodaju, pa je zaista najbitnije svrnuti pažnju na rukopise.
Ali ovu knjiu bi trebalo najpre pročitati, jer tek onda sve kontroverze legnu na dodeljena mesta.
Evo, sa'cu, samo da zavrsim poslednjeg M.Banksa.
kakav sad M. Banks, koji to M. Banks? :cry:
Ovaj:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newcon4.com%2Fnewcon%2Fmain%2Fimages%2Fcontent%2FIain_M_Banks.jpg&hash=c3f372119707ded7cfddc0786040ce622aa81bee) (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIain_Banks&rct=j&q=ian%20m%20banks&ei=zrVaTcOODZGbOuzbzekL&usg=AFQjCNEokDeHcP3xB69KJR9VaflgniKgIQ&sig2=QOpcHO4kKThvrT5rnET4vg&cad=rja)
Eto, sad ti mene teraš da guglam... :cry: :cry: :( Ijan.
i, kakav je?
Pa nisi morala, slika je i link :) Odlican kao i uvek, samo se treba izboriti sa kolicinom teksta. HC ima preko 600 strana!
Jel' on pisao "Fabriku osa?" Čuči u magacinu, mogao bih prionuti na to, ako valja.
Kod nas su objavljena dva njegova rana romana Fabrika osa i Hod po staklu.
Fabrika osa je debitantski roman, veoma dobar. Hod po staklu zanimljiv, ali ništa posebno.
Čovek piše paralelno nešto što bi se moglo smatrati slipstrimom i nešto što je čist SF. Jedno od toga potpisuje sa M. u sredini, ali nikad ne znam šta.
Prve knjige su mu bile normalne debljine, ali se ugledao na ove fantastičare, pa su mu romani sve deblji i deblji i prestao sam da ga čitam.
10 Literary Novels for Genre Readers
Every so often a debate breaks out across the blogosphere about the comparative merits of literary versus genre literature, usually sparked by some comment advocating one of the two with some supercilious tone. The topic brings out heated rhetoric, often times boiling down to one's personal views on the shape of fiction as a whole. One thing is for sure, the debate is unsettled.
There need not be a chasm between movements, however, as genre and literary fiction can be quite complementary to one another. Certainly no one aspect of literature can lay claim to a higher standard of quality. While literary fiction can be a window into the human condition, it can also be pretentious and overbearing. Genre fiction can be full of inspiring ideas but it can also be wooden and derivative. The opportunity for a book to be crap isn't limited by the bookstore shelf it lands on.
There are plenty of guides to gateway books for literary readers to discover SF/F, but very few to introduce primarily genre readers to literary works they would find enjoyable. And so, in the spirit of reconciliation, I've compiled this short list of books that fill the gap between speculative and so called realistic fiction. It is by no means comprehensive but should serve as a decent introduction for genre readers to see how the other half lives.
1. Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
Nabokov is infamous for his 1955 novel Lolita but his masterwork may have been the hilarious and daring Pale Fire. In it, John Shade writes the eponymous 999 line poem over the last twenty days of his life only to have it stolen and commented upon by his crazy neighbor Charles Kinbote. The latter twists the tale suggested by the poem to fit some imaginary narrative about Shade's homeland of Zembla, to which Kinbote believes himself to be ruler. A combination of poetry and narrative, commentary and satire, Nabokov's brilliant craftsmanship blends with plenty of fantastic elements to make this a novel worth the genre reader's time.
2. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
While this book doesn't indimidate with its size, it's barely a novella, Pynchon packs in detail that makes The Crying of Lot 49 more than the sum of it's parts. We follow Oedipa Maas as she attempts to settle the estate of an ex-boyfriend after his death. What she winds up pursuing is a centuries-old, secret underground postal service. Oedipa's brushes with the shady Tristero lead her further and further down a rabbit hole of paranoia that leaves her, and our, heads spinning. For those who may be interested in Pynchon's work but don't want to plunge into the massive and difficult Gravity's Rainbow, Lot 49 gives more than a little taste of what's on offer.
3. Crash by J. G. Ballard
Ballard is a name not unfamiliar to genre readers. His contributions to the cyberpunk movement and his general flare for the speculative have led many to classify some of his stories as soft SF. Crash is a novel that borders on the dystopian, dealing as it does with the transformation of people into psychosexual thrill-seekers. The book's sensationalist overtones served as example to later shock literartis such as Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk.
4. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
Oates is an author who routinely jumps fences into areas outside the mainstream. Based on the life of Jeffery Dahmer, Zombie follows the gruesome Quentin P. as he attempts to construct a zombie out of an unsuspecting young man, seeking essentially to rewire him as a sex slave. The novel won a Bram Stoker Award in 1995.
5. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
Add and M and Iain Banks transforms from literary novelist to hard SF author and creator of The Culture series. And as with Banks' genre work, The Wasp Factory is a tight thriller. We follow the antics of Frank Cauldhame as he examines the world around him through ritual animal sacrifice. Frank is plagued by the spector of his older brother Eric, a criminal psychotic recently escaped and bearing down on Frank and his father. Controversial for it's depiction of animal cruelty, The Wasp Factor is nonetheless an exciting if gruesome read.
6. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Perhaps the only Pulitzer Prize winner ever to deal with the comics industry, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay deals with the eponymous duo's creation of The Escapist, an anti-fascist comic book hero, during World War II. The two deal with the emotional toll of the holocaust from the point of view of Jewish creatives, reflecting the real struggles of ethnic and immigrant illustrators in the 30's and 40's as they were unable to get work in other fields. Chabon's genre awareness makes this a great gateway book for SF/F and comics fans to get their feet wet in the literary genre.
7. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
A far cry from the plaintive westerns of McMurtry, McCarthy delivered what one reviewer describes as " a slap in the face" to modern audiences who are cut off from the brutal reality of the old west. Controversial for its ultra-violent depictions, we follow a teenage runaway known as "the kid" as he joins a group of indian scalp hunters. McCarthy has a penchant for extremely powerful narratives that affect the reader in emotionally vulnerable areas. His boderline SF novel The Road also strikes this cord, the struggle for morality amongst the nihilistic, the battle for life against inhospitable nature.
8. Underworld by Don DeLillo
Written in a tone dubbed super-omniscience, DeLillo's acclaimed novel is a series of vignettes and story fragments, framing the cold war in a dream-like composite of American culture. Jackie Gleason, J Edgar Hoover, and Frank Sinatra sit in the stands of the Giants-Dodgers game, fielding a home run as they learn of the first Russian nuclear missile test. From the seeds of this prologue we filter out into wider America, as well as a memorable stint in a Soviet hospital, and the lessons of the cold war are filtered through the people we meet. A difficult book to be certain, but one worth unraveling and unique in its story telling style.
9. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Plenty of discussion has already gone into pondering Atwood's place in genre. To some, she is a fantasist, plain and simple. To others, she uses SF/F tropes to bring some wonder to a decidedly literary sensibility. Regardless, The Blind Assassin gets too little attention from either camp. Ostensibly a realistic tale with a science fiction story layered beneath, the book follows the life of Iris Chase as she recalls it from the vantage of old age. The interthreaded SF novel gradually comes to mirror the happenings in the novel proper, casting doubt upon its meaning and authorship. Winner of the 2000 Booker Prize, The Blind Assassin is a unique blend of SF and literary fiction.
10. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
One of the most confounding and controversial novels in recent times, Infinite Jest stands as the swansong of DFW's novel writing career and a monument to the late writers genious. Equally capable of holding open your mind and your door, this sweeping dystopia takes place in a world where time itself is subsidized. Most events take place in the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment, and the majority of the plot revolves around finding the master copy of the film entitled Infinite Jest, an entertainment so compelling, people who watch it have no other earthly desires than to keep watching it. Wallace's fiction can be challenging and none more so than this, not quite as obfuscated as Pynchon but substantially more scattered than Philip K. Dick.
Izgleda da se moram pomiriti sa činjenicom kako su trilogije odavno postale najpopularniji i najprofitabilniji format žanrovske proze. Naravno, mirenje s tom činjenicom ne mora imati negativne posledice, ali ipak, neretko ih ima, bar u onoj meri u kojoj pozitivan rivju jednog naslova u trilogiji ima uticaja na sveokupni utisak o istoj. Trilogije, po pravilu, startuju sa veoma dobrim prvim delom – prvi deo ima tu privilegiju da ponudi svežu ideju, zanimljiv pristup, kompleksan world-building, vizionarske ekstrapolacije (bar kad je u pitanju hardSF pristup), zdrave temelje žanrovske estetike i obilnu količinu entuzijazma, uglavnom serviranu u obećavajućem zapletu i velikim očekivanjima povodom samog raspleta, dok ostali delovi uglavnom preživaju iste te krupnjaste zalogaje. Ukratko, čak i sasvim osrednje trilogije mogu da vas relativno lako "kupe" u prvom romanu, da bi vas "izgubile" tek na kraju drugog, nakon čega ostajete u zanimljivoj poziciji garantovanog potrošača i trećeg dela, makar samo da vidite "ima li kakvog boljitka". To je, možda, i temelj samog "fenomena trilogija" – ako vam se iole dopadne prvi roman, velike su šanse da ćete podleći toj čitalačkoj inerciji. Otud i moje ustezanje da bilo koji prvenac u trilogijama preterano hvalim, tretirajući ga kao da je samostalan; ne bi trebalo zaboraviti da on to, ipak, nije. Uz tu ogradu, fer je priznati kako je Directive 51 ispunio sve uslove koje očekujem da ispuni upravo vrlo dobra žanrovska proza. Naravno da su ti uslovi bazirani isključivo na ličnim preferencama, kako žanrovskim tako i literarnim, i naravno da se odnose samo na prvi roman trilogije; poučena iskustvom žanrovskih trilogija poput Kardovog Endera ili Vatsovih Riftera (ili Matrix trilogijom, tek da se vidi kako ni drugi mediji nisu imuni na trilogijsku boljku), rekla bih da jedna lasta ipak ne nosi celo proleće, sve i ako joj priznamo da je glasnik istog.
Što se mene tiče, post-apokaliptični deo SFa mi je uvek bio najimpresivniji od svih prepoznatljivih žanrovskih pravaca, tako da mi dobar deo "naj" liste pokrivaju upravo naslovi iz tog domena. Naravno, to je donekle rezultat i preferisanja takozvanog "tvrdog SF-a" kao jasno definisanog žanrovskog domena koji konsenzusom stavlja ekstrapolaciju kao neophodnost višeg reda nad samim eskapizmom, ili, prostije rečeno, "hardSF" vidim kao žanrovski domen u kom je svako proizvoljno lupetanje drastično ograničeno, Gospod nek' je hvaljen na malim darovima. A unutar tog domena, upravo mi je post-apokaliptični pristup nekako najortodoksniji u stvaranju alternativnog sveta na bazi striktne ekstrapolacije, to kako po svom shvatanju vremenske i karakterne dinamike, tako i po neprelaženju delikatne empirijske granice pri stvaranju varijabilnih elemenata. Govoriti o smaku sveta ipak podrazumeva minimum suspenzije neverice, jer kako da se istinski uživim u katastrofu globalnih razmera, ako mi je predočena u očigledno detinjastom kontekstu, od strane neubedljivog (čitaj – očigledno inferiornog) naratora? U tom smislu, Direktiva 51 ispunjava osnovni uslov koji obavezno postavljam svakoj interpretaciji globalne kataklizme: da li je nešto takvo uopšte moguće?
Post-apokaliptična žanrovska proza za koju smatram da je uspešno položila taj ispit može se nabrojati na prste jedne ruke, onako nasumce: Vidalov "Kalki", Mekartijev "Put", Nivenov "Luciferov čekić", Milerov "Kantikulum, Brinov "Poštar", pa donekle i Matisonov "Ja sam Legenda", mada samo kao uspomena iz eskapizmu naklonjenog detinjstva. Osim Kalkija, navedeni romani se ne bave odviše detaljnom analizom samih uzroka apokalipse – štaviše, neki od pomenutih romana ih namerno ostavljaju nepoznatima - nego se više osvrću na same posledice, opisujući tako alternativni post-apokaliptični svet koji je neretko drastično vremenski udaljen od samog "dana D". To je donekle i razumljivo, ako se ima na umu kako pedanterija ubedljivog prikazivanja globalne kataklizme zahteva ne samo pozamašno obrazovanje samog autora, nego i njegovih čitalaca, a u podilaženju toj famoznoj potonjoj kategoriji na snazi je konsenzus baziran na drkavom principu jednostavnosti. Prostije rečeno - manje zahtevna proza ima proporcionalno više šanse da dosegne širi segment populacije, a romani se ipak pišu da ih što više ljudi kupi, zar ne? To je toliko hladna jednačina da je i ja moram da poštujem, sve i ako je prezirem. Zato je i sam Vidal dobro pazio da ne pretrpa radnju tehničkim specifikacijama globalnog trovanja populacije, nego je istu prezentovao tek posredno, kroz sporedne tačke gledišta koje nisu aktivno učestvovale u samom procesu, pa tako nisu ni bile obavezne da nas narativno dave tim konkretno detaljima.
Direktiva 51 je roman koji svesno odbija da hoda linijom manjeg otpora; roman ne samo precizno detaljiše šta je urađeno, nego u velikoj meri pokazuje i kako je to urađeno. U Direktivi 51, globalnu kataklizmu ljudi donose sami sebi, i to ne iz mržnje za celokupno čovečanstvo, nego iz čiste ljubavi za samu planetu. Ideja koja ih ujedinjuje i vodi nije ideja eliminacije ljudske vrste kao u Kalkiju, nego je usmerena na uništavanje samo one tehnologije koja nezaustavljivo truje čovekov okoliš. To je ideja koja polazi od čvrste pretpostavke da će čovečanstvo duhovno (a kasnije i materijalno) profitirati iz kolapsa "negativne" tehnologije onog trena kada se vrati na tehnološki nivo 19tog veka – doslovno, kada se vrati u (sada nam tako drevno) vreme parnjača i organske poljoprivrede, pre sviju velikih pošasti modernog doba, oličenih u pesticidima, nuklearnoj tehnologiji i genetskoj manipulaciji. Naravno, u pitanju je bazična ideja nekadašnjih hipi-komuna, te stoga nije niti nepoznata niti zahteva ikakvu suspenziju neverice, iako je podignuta na nivo globalne filozofije koju pothranjuju upravo životna i karijerna razočarenja generacije dot.com profesionalaca, koji su odrasli upravo na silnoj sprdnji tim i takvim idealima. Zbog toga, svako od nas sa lakoćom može (to samo donekle, naravno) da se poistoveti sa takvom pomalo romantičnom vizijom "povratka prirodi", bar u onoj meri u kojoj smo sposobni da sebi tu viziju uobličimo, sve sedeći u tehnološki sofisticiranoj udobnosti sadašnjice. Čovek je zverka najviše sklona kompromisima upravo onda kada nije svesna sopstvenog kompromitovanja, tako da ne bi trebalo da nas čude sva ta naivna uverenja o "beskrvnim revolucijama", o "kontrolisanoj kolateralnoj šteti" i o "razumnim žrtvama kojima se kupuje sutrašnje blagostanje naše dece" – na kraju krajeva, sve su to koncepti koji sami sebe prodaju, i ako ikada poželimo da gledamo u lice kupaca tih i takvih koncepata, dovoljno je da svrnemo pogled na ogledalo. Upravo tako krajnje pojednostavljeni moralni, etički i ideološki koncepti imaju moć da izbrišu onu finu liniju između dobra i zla, kako u velikoj šemi finalnih zbivanja na nivou država, tako i u proceni karakternih značajki svakog pojedinca. A kad se takve dileme suoče u prozi koja bez stida deklariše pripadništvu žanru koji se uvelike bazira na simplificiranim odrednicama kojima preferiše moćne muškarce, lepe i bespomoćne žene i lako rešive probleme u striktno avanturističkom bitisanju, onda se i sam pokušaj rvanja sa takvim dilemama mora ne samo blagonaklono prepoznati, nego i silno poštovati. Na kraju krajeva, ovo je proza koja se bavi upravo onim pretpostavkama kojima se bavi mejnstrim i od kojih populistički, eskapistički deo žanra beži kao od kuge – o odgovornosti, ličnoj i društvenoj, o prirodi samog klasnog sistema i hijerarhijskog ustrojstva i o ispoljavanju sile unutar tog sistema i ustrojstva. To zasigurno nisu aspekti kojima se prilazi kroz žanrovski eskapizam, baš kao što ni njihova prozna elaboracija nije namenjena suštinski neodraslom jezgru žanrovskog čitalaštva. A pošto roman nigde ne pravi ustupke koji bi ga primakli tom delu čitalačke baze, rekla bih da je ovo roman osuđen na ograničenu popularnost. Niko neće da se satre od trčanja da ovu prozu prevede, toliko je bar sigurno.
Način na koji je Direktiva 51 isporučuje apokalipsu na lepi nam i mili svet je striktno tehnološki, što je i logično, pošto se sofisticirana tehnologija može uništiti samo onom još sofisticiranijom, a za potrebe ovog romana, to su nano-roboti i bioti. E sad, radnja romana je smeštena u blisku budućnost, udaljenu tek malo više od dve decenije, i tp je već pitanje obrazovane pretpostavke da se i apokaliptični nano-roboti i bioti zaista mogu proizvesti u tom roku, i to u uslovima krajnje terorističke underground strukture. Na kraju krajeva, iz moje laičke perspektive se maltene podrazumeva da je izuzetno teško proizvesti sofisticirane nano-robote i biote koji imaju specifičnu svrhu – tipa, recimo, lečenja raka ili rekonstrukcije srozanog imunog sistema ili već nešto slično u tom grandiozno gloriozno pozitivnom smislu - dok je relativno lakše industrijski proizvesti one biote i nano-robote koji za cilj imaju čisto uništenje ama baš svega sa čime dođu u kontakt. U tom smislu, Barnsova ekstrapolacija na bazi današnjih saznanja ne samo da impresionira svojom uverljivošću, nego i fascinira svojim bazično ljudskim pretpostavkama kako se svakoj alatki iznađu najpre mnoge svrhe zloupotrebe, da bi se tek kasnije, eventualno, došlo i do korisnih mogućnosti upotrebe. Distopični fatalizam Barnsovog pristupa temi zasigurno nudi onu neophodnu pozadinu koja omogućava da nas roman impresionira i kao triler i kao futurističko upozorenje o katastrofalnim posledicama odmazde nezauzdane tehnološke supremacije, tako često predočavane u klasičnom žanrovskom tipu radoznalog deteta koje danas na raspolaganju ima ne samo šibice, nego i kanticu benzina pride. A kad sam već sve to rekla, onda je možda i fer da ponudim i kratak sadržaj, uz minimum spojlera:
Na dan 28 oktobra 2024, projekat "Svitanje" je istovremeno stupio na snagu u gotovo svim značajnijim zemljama, ili, bolje rečeno, u gotovo svim delovima planete Zemlje. Projekat je do tada godinama egzistirao kao radikalna internet grupacija čiji su multimilionski članovi imali jednu zajedničku i ujedinjavajuću ideju – da sruše takozvani "Veliki Sistem", oličen ne samo u državnim strukturama najmoćnijih zemalja, nego i u samoj organizaciji samoodrživih sistema tehnološki orjentisanog sveta. Pokret nije bio tajan, naravno, bio je otvoren za sve i svakoga, a prolazio je nezapaženo uglavnom zato što je ispoljavao ideje isuviše radikalne da bi ih iko uzeo za ozbiljno, egzistirajući na netu kao neka vrst WOW verzije za vaskolike disidente. Projekat "Svitanje" je imao za neskriven cilj kompletno uništenje civilizacijskog sistema, i to kroz faze uništenja dvaju osnovnih komponenti koje ga održavaju: kroz uništenje svih generatora i akumulatora električne energije, i kroz uništenje svih artefakta baziranih na bilo kom vidu plastike. U jednom danu, istovremeno, milioni članova "Svitanja" su izvršili naizgled omanje diverzije koje su, u složenim uzročno-posledičnim kombinacijama rezultovale uništenjem najpre svih elektiričnih naprava, to od tostera i automobilske baterije pa sve do satelita u orbiti, a onda i svih plastičnih proizvoda, to od penkala, plastičnih flaša i automobilskih guma, pa sve do sofisticiranih delova modern mašinerije, od aviona pa do već pomenutih satelita. Već u prvom danu apokalipse, većina temelja industrija na kojima je civilizacijski sistem baziran je nepovratno urušena, a svaki novi dan posle "dana D" je donosio sijaset novih uništenja. Primera radi, u gradovima čije su prometnice od prvog dana bile zakrčene automoblima bez guma i akumulatora, vatra je sravnila sa zemljom čitave četvrti, bez da je iko tu bio u stanju da ikome pomogne - gradovi su postali klopke za milione umirućih od gladi, žeđi i bolesti, a svi oni koji su nekako i uspeli da se izvuku iz takve situacije kasnije su desetkovali i, zauzvrat, bili brutalno desetkovani nasiljem koje je proizvelo bezakonje. Pa ipak, u centru Direktive 51 nije sav taj užas o kom bi se zaista moglo napisati tomove; u centru ovog romana je upravo direktiva na koju upućuje sam naslov – direktiva čiju je trenutačnu verziju ozakonio presednik Buš, a koja reguliše državni kontinuitet u slučaju iznenadnih i maltene nepredvidivih situacija u kojima bi glavnina vrhovnog ešalona američke federalne vlasti bila odjednom zbrisana sa lica zemlje, a sama potreba za implementacijom te direktive ukazuje koliko je "Svitanje" bilo efikasno, sa terorističke tačke gledišta. Gotovo pola romana odlazi na zbivanja u samom "danu D", dalja četvrtina odlazi na prvih deset post-apokaliptičnih dana a ostatak dovodi radnju na nešto malo više od mesec dana od same aktivacije "Svitanja", pa u tako pedantnoj rekreaciji zbivanja zaista nema mesta ni za kakve "glavne" likove; bitnijih likova ima sijaset, baš koliko i tačaka gledišta, i narativna celina je zbog toga vrlo detaljna, uverljiva i maksimalno trodimenzionalna. Roman se završava umereno intrigantnim klifhangerom po pitanju pozadinskih zbivanja ali, realno rečeno, funkcioniše i kao zaokružena celina, pošto samom svojom postavkom daje na znanje kako svet više nikada neće biti isti, a u nedostatku saznanja o novom svetu koji će ga zameniti, ovaj roman je sasvim dostatan kao ubedljiv dokument o smrti sveta kakvog danas znamo.
Sam Barns je pomalo "stara garda" pisaca tvrdog SFa, meni do sada nepoznat uglavnom zato što je sklon serijalima, mada će ovo možda biti prilika da bar neke od svojih predrasuda po pitanju SF serijala donele ispravim.
Daybreak Zero (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Daybreak-Zero/John-Barnes/e/9780441019755)
:|
Daybreak Zero – John Barnes
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fictiondb.com%2Fcoversth%2Fth_0441019757.jpg&hash=68106c1a3dbbc2d8497b0406981c9683fd014421)
Dakle, stvarno je odličan osećaj kad na pola trilogije izostane bilo kakvo lupanje glavom o zid. Ili još bolje, kad vas rizičan potez povlađivanja pomalo sujetnoj intuiciji nagradi opravdanjem za elan s kojim ste se bacilli na višetomsku žanrovsku prozu, to sve na veresiju obećanja koje je ponudio njen početak. Na kraju krajeva, prvi roman trilogije je maltene ekvivalent uvodnog pasusa kratke priče – umereno saopštava, odmereno nagoveštava i krajnje zavodljivo vas poziva da ga sledite. I mada trilogije zahtevaju nesrazmerno više ulaganja u tako rizičnom poduhvatu, barem se ne može negirati kako isplate budu srazmerne ulogu. To samo u slučaju da ikakve isplate bude, naravno; a po pitanju Barnsove trilogije Svitanje, sad sam prilično uverena da će je biti.
Najpre, sitna rekapitulacija prvog dela; 28 oktobra 2024 godine, koordinisane i efikasno raspoređene diverzije multimilionskog članstva Svitanja dokrajčile su eko-sabotažom svet kakav nam je danas poznat. Biološka oružja - namenjena uništenju goriva, plastike i električnih uređaja ali ne i ljudi - uništila su infrastrukturu na kojoj nam počiva vaskolika civilizacija. U roku od svega nekoliko sati zbrisani su sami temelji poznatog nam i udobnog sveta – nestalo je ili je oštećeno uglavnom sve, od obuće pa do automobilskih guma, od šporeta pa do kompjutera, od penkale do aviona, od telefona pa do satelita. U roku tih par dana, svet se strmoglavio na tehnološki nivo 19tog veka, otvarajući preko tog uništenja širok prostor za nicanje davno zaboravljenih veština, kojima su se do tada bavili uglavnom gikovi, iz prostog hobija. Direktiva 51 – prvi roman trilogije – pedantno opisuje taj i takav civilizacijski sunovrat, sledeći u tančine najznačajnija zbivanja, baš kao i najznačajnije učesnike, nemilice ih desetkujući do kraja romana, što se maltene da i očekivati u ozbiljnom postapokaliptičnom pristupu.
Drugi roman nastavlja zbivanja bez ikakvog vidljivog šava. Direktiva 51 je dosegla tek do stotog dana nakon Svitanja; Svitanje Nula nas odnosi do novembra 2025, kroz čitavu postapokaliptičnu godinu i, mada se rasprostire po daleko većoja vremenskoj skali, nimalo time ne gubi na intezitetu pripovedanja. Kao što i priliči središnjem romanu trilogije, Svitanje Nula ne objašnjava začetke zapleta, date nam u prvom romanu; Svitanje Nula im naprosto rasteže originalne razmere do zaista džinovskih proporcija, pri tom oprezno izbegavajući čak i najsitniji nagoveštaj raspleta. Ono što je u prvom romanu bila tek insinuacija, u drugom postaje gotovo neizdrživa strepnja; šta je, zapravo, bilo to "Svitanje"? Da li je to bila teroristička urota, izvedena od strane prijatelja i komšija, to u ime dobrobiti spašavanja planete koju svi jednako dele? Ili je iza "Svitanja" ipak bila veštačka inteligencija, onaj dobro nam poznat AI predstavnik svesti bez savesti? Ili je "Svitanje" naprosto bio fenomen poznat kao "sistem artefakt" – rezultat civilizacijskih interakcija koje egzistiraju isključivo na bazi nasumičnih, pa stoga i teško prepoznatljivih značajki, zbog kojih je i sam artefakt vidljiv jedino po svojim posledicama, naizgled i bez konkretnih uzora i izvora? Recimo da je tu artefakt pomalo nalik na modne trendove, koji proizilaze iz izvesnih kulturoloških fenomena na koje se možda i može u određenoj meri uticati, ali koji se ipak ne mogu u potpunosti kontrolisati - kao naprasna popularnost neke pop-kulturne avangarde, oko koje se preko noći stvori sledbeništvo čiju konstrukciju niko ne može suvereno da svojata, bez obzira na jačinu propagandnog upliva. Efekat je tu poguban, naravno, taman koliko je i zarazan ili neuništiv; mislim stvarno... kako se boriti protiv popularnosti neke pop-pesme ili filma unutar samog trendovskog sledbeništva? U doba ovako nesmetanog pristupa neograničenoj količini informacija, cenzura ili zabrana po pravlu proizvode kontraefekat kažnjavanja samog korisnika, čime ujedno samo inspiriše produkciju na veću sofisticiranost. I dok je Direktiva 51 dozvoljavala da se te kompleksne dileme tek naslute, Svitanje Nula ih intenzivira i detaljiše, bez da ih objašnjava i bez da se priklanja ma kojoj od prepoznatljivih mogućnosti po pitanju porekla istih. Da li je "Svitanje" imalo za cilj da kontroliše čovečanstvo ili da ga zatre? I dalje nam nije poznato da li je "Svitanje" imalo vođe, ali sad bar saznajemo da Svitanje i dalje ima mnogobrojne agente koji se s lakoćom i bukvalno svuda infiltriraju, to od vladinih organizacija pa do samog uma pojedinca. I mada nam je donekle jasnija skala na kojoj se to radi, i dalje nam nije poznato ko i kako to radi, iako je sam zaplet sad već proširen i do baze na Mesecu. Zaista, po pitanju rapleta, Svitanje Nula vas prži na žeravici uslužno razastrtoj još sa prvim romanom, tako da je glad i dalje neutažena, uprkos obilnoj porciji vešto predočenih novih zbivanja.
Ono što drugom delu trilogije daje dubinu (bez obzira akcioni format isporuke) je najpre izdvajanje snažnog ženskog lika; Heather O'Grainne je bila tek "član tima jakih" u prvom romanu, ali u drugom postaje ne samo samostalan učesnik biranja pravca u kom se kreće postapokaliptični svet, nego i najuticajni faktor koji drži na odstojanju gotovo neminovan civilni rat. Jer, da: nakon kolapsa civilizacije i u uslovima gotovo zatrte populacije, ono što po logici stvari sledi je – civilni rat među zaraćenim frakcijama, i to ne rat oko resursa neophodnih za preživljavanje, nego oko političkih vizija kako bi "budući svet" trebalo da izgleda. Fundamentalizam, u svakom svom obliku i načinu, se aktivno bori za prevlast ne obazirući se na žrtve i posledice, a kao najmoćniji se izvajaju politički i religiozni fundamentalizam. Barns kao da nam nudi mogućnost da studiranjem tih ideoloških zastranjivanja polako sastavimo mozaik i o samom fenomenu "Svitanja", vakcinišući nas za mogućnost kako svako ideološko zastranjivanje - ma kako fantastično, nelogično i u stvarnosti neutemeljeno izgledalo na prvi pogled – počiva na užasavajuće praktičnoj unutrašnjoj logici; samoobmane nam počivaju na čvrstim temeljima koji nisu niti površni niti naivni, uprkos tome što upravo tako izgledaju nesrećnicima bez benefita inicijacije. Snažan ženski lik, oličen u Heather, postaje zato lako razumljiv i još lakše prihvatljiv, jasno ocrtan na pozadini vaskolike ideološke ostrašćenosti; Heather je u "Svitanju" izgubila partnera ali je stekla dete, i njen primarni stav je time uslovljen kao protektivan a konačni cilj praktičan. Ruku na srce, u romanu to uopšte nije ponuđeno stereotipno, kako to ovde možda zvuči – preko Heather se ne nude niti prepoznatljivo feministički, niti prepoznatljivo matrijahalni obrasci borbe "žene u svetu muškaraca", već više praktični i logični rezultati zdravog demokratskog društvenog uređenja. I mada ima likova koji također streme istom političkom uređenju, jedna od razlika je najuočljivija u činjenici da se oni ne libe diktatorskih metoda u postizanju tog cilja.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lonelyfriday.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F02%2Fdaybreak.jpg&hash=b7a786d7e4116ccf901227c8aa5687c3a16eb8e0)
Dodatna dimenzija Barnsovog postapokaliptičnog sveta bavi se analizom debljine same civilizacijske venire kojom se čovek toliko ponosi u salonskim diskusijama ali koja se zastrašujuće lako uklanja u uslovima samoodabrane odgovornosti i izostanka kazne za istu. Mada u romanu ima taman dovoljno elemenata fantastike da se Barnsova psihologija mase prihvati sa zadrškom do samog raspleta, ipak je dovoljno prepoznatljiva da se na njoj bazira upečatljiv raspad civilizacije koja počiva uglavnom na zakonu i luksuzu, a ne na intelektu i produhovljenosti, kako već to sirota nam civilizacija samu sebe uporno uverava. Barnsovo insistiranje na trileru i akciji donekle kamuflira dubinu te analize, taman dovoljno da prozu učini prihvatljivijom i preko žanrovski-zabavnog pristupa, ostavljajući time i dovoljno prostora za "nismo krivi mi, krivi su oni drugi" eskapizam u završnom delu, ali iskreno se nadam da tome neće podleći, ili bar ne u velikoj meri.
Bilo kako bilo, trilogija Svitanje zadržava veliki potencijal da priviri u mnoge mračne uglove ne samo sveta kakvog danas imamo, nego i sveta kakav bi lako mogli da dobijemo, kad bi se svetovi –nedaj Bože! - delili po zaslugama.
Quote from: LiBeat on 19-03-2011, 11:23:31
Ono što drugom delu trilogije daje dubinu (bez obzira akcioni format isporuke) je najpre izdvajanje snažnog ženskog lika; Heather O'Grainne je bila tek "član tima jakih" u prvom romanu, ali u drugom postaje ne samo samostalan učesnik biranja pravca u kom se kreće postapokaliptični svet, nego i najuticajni faktor koji drži na odstojanju gotovo neminovan civilni rat.
Ovo je moglo da se nasluti iz kraja prvog dela. :)
Donekle da, priznajem, ali opet - to je tamo bilo uglavnom unutar ustavne krize po pitanju hijerarhije prenosa vrhovne vlasti i tako to... njena neutralnost je tamo bila više kao politička dimenzija između Provis i Tempera, ali su se na to ovde nadogradile nove frakcije religioznih i vojnih fundamentalista i onih već pominjanih feudalnih zamkova, tako da je postala skroz autonomna. Primera radi, u prvom romanu nije donela niti jednu samostalnu političku odluku, nego se samo opredeljivala da li da sledi Kameronovu ili Vajsbergovu inicijativu, dok u drugom romanu obojici prilazi iz striktno autonomne pozicije u vreme kad su obojica toliko zastranili da međusobno ni ne komuniciraju.
Dalje, njeni prioriteti su se također promenili, u fokus su upali Tribals (kako bi se to prevelo, "plemena"? :shock:), tako da je shvatila daleko pre njih dvojice kako je opsednutost ustavno-proceduralnim pitanjima prilično nebitna, ako država izgubi suverenitet nad samom teritorijom. Zbog te dalekovidosti mi je i postala daleko bitniji faktor od njih dvojice, iako ona nije političar niti je ušla u samu državnu strukturu. Ako se nastavi linijom koju je zacrtao prvi roman, tipujem da će i Kameron i Vajsberg skroz nestati u prvim izborima, dok će ona najverovatnije opstati u političkoj sferi. Doduše, nadam se da to neće biti u svojstvu političara, nego uticajnog naučnog saradnika... to bi mi baš dalo ono što očekujem od trilogije.
Dalje, ima nešto i u onom Barsovom nepominjanju ostatka sveta, baš sam nešto razmišljala o tome, ali fer je priznati da mi to uopšte nije palo na pamet dok sam knjigu čitala. Šta ja znam, valjda je to posledica formiranja ukusa na američkom žanru. :?: Recimo, sad se pitam da li bi mi ovaj zaplet bio isto toliko intrigantan da je smešten u Brazil ili Kinu? Iskreno – ne. Nekako mi se čini da kršenje američkih ustavnih amandmana prozivodi dramu kakva naprosto ne bi funkcionisala u Kini pa to ti je... u stvari, kad bolje razmisliš, ima li zemlje u kojoj bi se ogroman deo populacije toliko satirao da ne izgubi svoje državno uređenje? Većina vlada ga iovako maltene na silu nameće, možeš misliti koliko dugo bi takvi opstali u postapokaliptičnim uslovima koje Barns nudi... :evil:
Quote from: LiBeat on 19-03-2011, 18:13:57
Dalje, ima nešto i u onom Barsovom nepominjanju ostatka sveta, baš sam nešto razmišljala o tome, ali fer je priznati da mi to uopšte nije palo na pamet dok sam knjigu čitala.
Knjiga se, je li, bavi zavrzlamom u "nasleđivanju" predsedničkih ovlasti u SAD, a na osnovu D51. Apokalipsa je koliko osnova/pozadina priče, toliko i uzrok te zavrzlame. Jasno mi je zašto je akcenat samo na američkom doživljavanju apokalipse. Nemam ja s tim problema. Samo sam napomenuo da mi fali
bar jedan (recimo ona dvojica što su "nestali" u onoj vikendici/čemu li - mogli su biti 'ladno francuzi/kinezi/australijanci) pogled na apokalipsu iz ugla nekog ne-amera. Ovako mi knjiga odaje utisak da je pisana
striktno za amere. Bez obzira, slažem se da je knjiga odlična.
Quote from: LiBeat on 19-03-2011, 18:13:57
... u stvari, kad bolje razmisliš, ima li zemlje u kojoj bi se ogroman deo populacije toliko satirao da ne izgubi svoje državno uređenje? Većina vlada ga iovako maltene na silu nameće, možeš misliti koliko dugo bi takvi opstali u postapokaliptičnim uslovima koje Barns nudi...
Upravo to! Ali da ja ne poznajem (barem donekle) ovaj aspekt državnog uređenja SAD i da nisam svestan (barem donekle) o njihovom iracionalnom strahu o gubitku "glave" države, možda mi dosta toga ne bi bilo jasno (tako nešto) u priči. Ponavljam, imam utisak da sam čitao roman pisan za amere. I ponavljam, bez obzira na to, knjiga je odlična.
Quote from: LiBeat on 19-03-2011, 18:13:57
Ako se nastavi linijom koju je zacrtao prvi roman, tipujem da će i Kameron i Vajsberg skroz nestati u prvim izborima, dok će ona najverovatnije opstati u političkoj sferi.
Nadam se da će se ispostaviti da je neko od njih troje Dejbrejker... :mrgreen:
Quote from: Gaff on 19-03-2011, 19:43:19
Nadam se da će se ispostaviti da je neko od njih troje Dejbrejker... :mrgreen:
Bilo je svašta sa dejbrejkom, ne bih ti da spojlujem, ali bar su njih troje ostali sejf do kraja drugog toma. :)
Quote from: LiBeat on 20-03-2011, 19:45:34
Bilo je svašta sa dejbrejkom, ne bih ti da spojlujem...
Nemoj da spojluješ, molim te! :)
Quote from: LiBeat on 20-03-2011, 19:45:34
... ali bar su njih troje ostali sejf do kraja drugog toma. :)
Pa to mi je i sumnjivo. Tipujem na Grejema. :lol:
Ako budeš u pravu, to će doći u nekom žešćem obrtu, zaista. Ne mogu ni da zamislim tu mogućnost.
Nego, da ne bude sve samo o romanima, evo i jedan podsetnik na obavezne naslove druge vrste:
Engineering Infinity - Jonathan Strahan
Mike Ashley - The Mammoth Book of Apocalyptic SF
Ian Whates - Conflicts
Nick Gevers Marty Halpern - Is anybody out there?
Jetse de Vries - Shine
Alastair Reynolds - Deep navigation
James Patrick Kelly & John Kessel - The Secret History of Science Fiction
Jonathan Strahan - Eclipse 3
Gardner Dozois & Jonathan Strahan - The new space opera 2
prvi je na redu, naravno, prvi, ako sutra u flip-d-koin ne prevagne drugi. :)
:) :) Ovaj Shine deluje veselo :) javi kakav je. Od onoga sto sam citao, ako me secanje dobro sluzi, Eclipse je mozda najvise tvoja soljica caja.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-google-digital.html (http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-google-digital.html)
Quote
A US judge dealt a major blow to Google's digital book-scanning project on Tuesday, rejecting a settlement with authors and publishers that would have allowed the Internet giant to create a vast online library.
"While the digitization of books and the creation of a universal digital library would benefit many, the (proposed settlement) would simply go too far," US District Court Judge Denny Chin said in his ruling.
In his 48-page ruling, which came 13 months after Google and opponents of the deal had their day in court, Chin said the proposed settlement was not "fair, adequate and reasonable."
Explaining his decision, he said the settlement would grant Google "significant rights to exploit entire books, without permission of the copyright owners."
The settlement would give Google "a significant advantage over competitors, rewarding it for engaging in wholesale copying of copyrighted works without permission," he said.
The settlement agreement resulted from a class action lawsuit filed in 2005 by the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers (AAP) charging Google with copyright infringement.
The settlement called for Google to pay $125 million to resolve outstanding claims and to establish an independent "Book Rights Registry," which would provide sales and advertising revenue to authors and publishers.
Google managing counsel Hilary Ware expressed disappointment with the judge's ruling.
"This is clearly disappointing, but we'll review the court's decision and consider our options," Ware said in a statement.
"Like many others, we believe this agreement has the potential to open-up access to millions of books that are currently hard to find in the US today," she said. "Regardless of the outcome, we'll continue to work to make more of the world's books discoverable online through Google Books and Google eBooks."
Supporters of the settlement have argued that Google's proposed digital library and electronic bookstore would make millions of out-of-print books available and provide a new avenue for authors to profit from their works.
Opponents urged the judge to reject the deal on antitrust, copyright and privacy grounds and said it would give Google exclusive rights to digitize "orphan works" -- out-of-print books whose authors cannot be traced.
The Justice Department criticized the settlement between Google and the Authors Guild and the AAP for including books unless an author expressly opts out of the deal.
Judge Chin also expressed concern about the opt-out aspect of the settlement.
"Many of the concerns raised in the objections would be ameliorated if the (proposed settlement) were converted from an 'opt-out' settlement to an 'opt-in' settlement," he said in his ruling.
(c) 2011 AFP]A US judge dealt a major blow to Google's digital book-scanning project on Tuesday, rejecting a settlement with authors and publishers that would have allowed the Internet giant to create a vast online library.
"While the digitization of books and the creation of a universal digital library would benefit many, the (proposed settlement) would simply go too far," US District Court Judge Denny Chin said in his ruling.
In his 48-page ruling, which came 13 months after Google and opponents of the deal had their day in court, Chin said the proposed settlement was not "fair, adequate and reasonable."
Explaining his decision, he said the settlement would grant Google "significant rights to exploit entire books, without permission of the copyright owners."
The settlement would give Google "a significant advantage over competitors, rewarding it for engaging in wholesale copying of copyrighted works without permission," he said.
The settlement agreement resulted from a class action lawsuit filed in 2005 by the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers (AAP) charging Google with copyright infringement.
The settlement called for Google to pay $125 million to resolve outstanding claims and to establish an independent "Book Rights Registry," which would provide sales and advertising revenue to authors and publishers.
Google managing counsel Hilary Ware expressed disappointment with the judge's ruling.
"This is clearly disappointing, but we'll review the court's decision and consider our options," Ware said in a statement.
"Like many others, we believe this agreement has the potential to open-up access to millions of books that are currently hard to find in the US today," she said. "Regardless of the outcome, we'll continue to work to make more of the world's books discoverable online through Google Books and Google eBooks."
Supporters of the settlement have argued that Google's proposed digital library and electronic bookstore would make millions of out-of-print books available and provide a new avenue for authors to profit from their works.
Opponents urged the judge to reject the deal on antitrust, copyright and privacy grounds and said it would give Google exclusive rights to digitize "orphan works" -- out-of-print books whose authors cannot be traced.
The Justice Department criticized the settlement between Google and the Authors Guild and the AAP for including books unless an author expressly opts out of the deal.
Judge Chin also expressed concern about the opt-out aspect of the settlement.
"Many of the concerns raised in the objections would be ameliorated if the (proposed settlement) were converted from an 'opt-out' settlement to an 'opt-in' settlement," he said in his ruling.
(c) 2011 AFP
aha! Skoro 6 godina kasnije – a ne verujem ni da je ovo finalna tačka na kontraverzu - ispada da je ovo je zasluga upravo Grand Dame, skoro single-handedly, tek uz pomoć Mekintajerove po pitanju okupljanja ljudi za peticiju! pratila sam peticioni blog neko vreme, pa to je bila maltene who is who lista u današnjoj fantastici, divota jedna, zaista. Zanima me samo koliko je renomiranih autora pobeglo iz Authors Guild, nakon njene ostavke na članstvo; sad mi već izgleda da AG okuplja uglavnom sitne ribice koje ionako ne mogu žive od svog pisanja, pa bi ga ustupili Guglu i za dž, da barem imaju 'slavu' da ih pretraživač izbaci, kud već nemaju pare i tiraže... :mrgreen: ... a njena peticija je okupila oko 400 zvučnih imena, uz podršku i kongresmena i najbogatije spisateljice ikada i teškaša među agencijama. S tako nečim ni gugl nije mogao da se nosi... :|
Koliko ja vidim, sa spiska onih koji su potpisali peticiju ili je podržali nedostaju svi trenutno najčitaniji i najuticajniji pisci naučne, epske i ostalih fantastika. Premda ima poznatih pisaca i meni veoma omiljenih, čini mi se da nema nijednog koji trenutno igra u prvoj ligi.
Edit: Moguće da nisam pronašao najaktuelniji spisak, ili šta već. 'Ajd daj link, plz.
Imaš i peticiju i listu potpisnika na njenom sajtu pod "google settlement" linkom, ne mogu sad da to otvorim. Ali vidi, većina pisca po pravilu ne insistira na principima, a pogotovo ne protiv giganta koji ima moć da utiče na prodaju njihovih naslova. Takvi su se jednostavno odlučili za hush-hush opt-out; nikom se ne zameraju a dobijaju ono što su hteli. Drugo, većina zemalja sa produkcijom na engleskom jeziku je ionako izuzeta iz ugovora; Južna Afrika, Novi Zeland, Irska i Indija su protestvovale kroz državne kanale i zato su izuzete iz ugovora, tako da se na kraju sve svelo uglavnom na američke autore. Kao treće, tu je i pitanje ličnog stava prema nepovredivosti kopirajta, a po tom pitanju sigurno ne zauzimaju svi Ursulinu stranu. Mislim, što bi Kori Doktorov potpisivao tu peticiju kad on ionako nudi svu svoju prozu za besplatno skidanje, pa svejedno sasvim solidno zarađuje na prodaji knjiga? a noviji, popularni autori sigurno ne žele da se nađu u bilo kakvoj kontraverzi na samom početku karijere, tako da se od mlađih autora sećam jedino Elizabeth Bear kao potpisnika. I tako, kad se sve to uzme u obzir, tim mi je veći ovaj njen poduhvat.
Across Wounded Galaxies - Larry McCaffery
Kolekcija dobro odabranih intervjua sa teškašima: Gregory Benford, William S. Burroughs, Octavia E. Butler, Samuel R. Delany, Thomas M. Disch, William Gibson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Bruce Sterling i Gene Wolfe. Opširno i iscrpno detaljisanje političkog i kulturnog okruženja u kom je žanr ravnopravno uticao i na pop-kulturu i na "ozbiljniju" umetnost + dosta prirodno vođeni razgovori, uz vidljiv nemali napor intervjuiste da, tu i tamo, barem indirektno povuče izvesne paralele sa "većom priznatošću" evropskog pandana sa Velsom, Čapekom, Hakslijem i Orvelom kao predstavnicima. Već samim izborom imena kao da se stavlja naglasak na razdvajanje striktno popularnosti od originalnosti, pošto su gotovo sva imena prilično udaljena od konzervativnog pristupa bilo formi ili sadržaju. Pitanja zato nisu bog zna kako zemljotresna (dosta njih mi je bilo na granici banalnosti), ali ih zato ima dosta i pokrivaju velik teren, pa su zato odgovori oličenje iskrenosti i analitičnosti.
G. Benford: For example, artificial intelligence is going to change the bulk of humanity's views of something as basic as what it means to be human. Aristotle's definition of an intelligent person who was useful and capable of significantly participating in society was someone who had the ability to do sums - a capacity you can buy in any market these days for three dollars. The definition of human beings (and therefore the entire program of humanism) is obviously time dependent. There are no eternal verities in such definitions, nor is there such a thing as the human condition.
Pored samih pretresanja žanrovskih oznaka, definicija, vrlina i mana, pretresalo se i sve ostalo – politika, filozofija, društvo pa i sami žanrovski i mejnstrim autori, zajedno sa produkcijom. A kako su tu u pitanju precizno definisane i izuzetno elokventne individue sa različitim bekgraundom, njihove ideološke i političke perspektive nude preko intervjua mozaik ništa manje kompleksan nego što ga nude prozom.
Gene Wolfe: I feel both optimistic and pessimistic about what we've been doing with technology. As you say, it has already been used to produce both wonderful and terrible things. The greatest ecological disaster to yet hit this planet has come from technology-the invention of plastics. (If I could go back into the past and repeal a single discovery it would be the discovery of plastics.) On the other hand, we're getting into space now and doing some amazing things with the life sciences, including cybernetics and robot development. Technology is like a punch or a gun: it's good or bad depending on what you do with it. The world is full of people who assume you can get rid of evil if you can just get rid of the punch or the gun.
Karen Burnham overila Redemption in Indigo:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The tale of a woman caught up in djombi business.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: A lovely, funny, different, and human story.
CONS: The prologue chapter probably doesn't set the right tone for the story as a whole.
BOTTOM LINE: A fast and beautiful read.
The most important thing to remember about Redemption in Indigo is that first and foremost, this is a story. It is a story told by a storyteller, who knows how to make an audience laugh or draw in close to hear more. The storyteller has a voice, one of the strongest I've read in recent years. The narrator isn't above some snark at the expense of her characters, but she also obviously sympathizes with them, even the silly ones. Although the cloth of the tale may be short (less than 200 pages), it is beautifully woven with lovely colors and texture.
At its core this is Paama's story. She has been married a good number of years, and finally escapes from her husband's house back to her parent's village. I say 'escapes,' but her husband, Ansige, is no violent tyrant--he's a childish glutton who follows his belly into all sorts of trouble. Paama is an renowned cook, but this is no perfect match. She finally tires of his unrelenting demands and takes a trip home to her family... a rather extended vacation. In the first act of the book, Ansige travels to her village to try to win her back. Hilarity ensues as he gets himself into all kinds of silly trouble, and Paama, saving his face and her own, gets him out of it. Introducing this situation, on page 7, is an excellent example of the strong narrative voice that I love so much, the sense of a tale being told:
Quote
I can hear some of you complaining already. 'A woman who cooks and a man who eats should be a match made in heaven!' Do you really think so? Then you have not grasped that Ansige was not an epicure, but a gourmand. Paama's talents were wasted on him.
After watching her manage her fool of a husband, some of the local djombi (spirits who are not quite gods) bestow on Paama a gift: the Chaos Stick. At first she has no idea what it is, but another djombi eventually shows up to help her learn to use it. This is no Ultimate Staff of Power (TM), and Paama has a very good head on her shoulders. However, with a name like "Chaos Stick," it is no surprise that it is not conducive to her settling back into a quiet life. There is an older, more powerful djombi (one who manifests as a man with pure indigo skin) who believes the Chaos Stick is rightly his. He first tries to wrest it back, but the Stick acknowledges that Paama is its rightful owner. Instead, the djombi of indigo absconds with Paama and takes her on a tour, showing her many wondrous sights and scenes, trying both to awe her with his own power and impress her with that of the Stick. Along the way they learn lessons from each other.
The ending does not follow any of the conventions that you're probably imagining as I describe the plot--and I love the story all the more for it. Paama makes some choices that don't fit in the 'heroic' mold, but fit her just perfectly. This is a fairly quiet story, for all that there is Chaos at its center. Even the Chaos is well-behaved, consisting more of tweaking probabilities and quantum froth than the flashy lightning-and-flame of Wild Magic in Epic Fantasy. Along the way we meet silly people and noble people, but mostly just people trying to do their best--even when they happen to be trickster spirits. There's no Ultimate Good or Ultimate Evil here. Even Paama is no model of noble perfection. Fundamentally this is a human story with a just-slightly-larger-than-human scale. It is both funnier and deeper than I expected when I picked it up (knowing little about it other than the fact that it won this year's Crawford Award), and it completely won me over.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FEater.jpg&hash=581f4966438c818f26c59b02054f337c0dbd6848)
Gregory Benford: Eater
Žderač (Eater) je objavljen sredinom 2000 i Benford je u njemu zaista na vrhuncu baratanja kako temom tako i stilom; na kraju krajeva, fenomen "Prvog kontakta" je jedna od najcentralnijih tema 'tvrdog SFa', a u kombinaciji sa naučnom pretpostavkom o neorganskom vanzemaljskom životu dobija se jedna od upečatljivijh žanrovskih konvencija kojom su oduvek dominirali žanrovski pisci/naučnici poput Klarka, Nivena, Pola, Sagana i samog Benforda. Upravo je koncentracija autora koji svoje SF ideje prezentuju preko čvrste i precizne naučne pozadine i stvorila taj domen preko kojega je ceo žanr ponajviše i stekao identitet i kredibilitet.
Zbivanja u romanu su locirana u odmereno blisku budućnost: 2022 godine otkrivena je crna rupa čije karakteristike značajno odudaraju od klasično poznatih za tu vrstu nebeskih tela; ova crna rupa ispoljila je anomaliju koordinisanog kretanja u svemiru, i to podešavanjem putanje u odnosu na asteroide u svojoj najbližoj okolini. Cilj i svrha tih podešavanja su uskoro postali očigledni - crna rupa se tim asteroidima "hranila", koristeći ih kao izvor goriva za sopstveno kretanje i rast, te otud dobija i ime "Eater" ili, u kontekstu samih zbivanja u romanu, Žderač. Grupa astrofizičara u bazi na Havajima pažljivo prati Žderačevo kretanje i uskoro dolaze do nedvosmislenog zaključka da je u pitanju ne samo nebesko telo koje svrhovito upravlja sopstvenim kretanjem, nego i svesan neorganski entitet čija se inteligencija bazira na zastrašujućem prikupljanju podataka u rasponu od 7 milijardi godina. Informacija koju je entitet za to vreme sakupio sačuvana je u obliku elektormagnetskih polja koje održava sama crna rupa u centru, navodeći tako zemljane da u tome prepoznaju fizički izgled peščanika. Tokom konverzacije - koja usledi na inicijativu samog Žderača i koja se odvija na stotinu zemaljskih jezika kojima je Žderač savršeno ovladao na bazi analize televizijskih emisija - postaje jasno da su pominjana elektromagnetska polja zapravo skladišta podataka o civilizacijama na koje je Žderač naišao, ili, još preciznije, da je to "um" koji sadržava fizičke ostatke svih delimično ili sasvim proždranih i "probavljenih" civilizacija na koje je crna rupa naišla u svom dugom postojanju. Naravno, Žderač ima nameru da taj stotinama puta upražnjen proces nabavljanja znanja primeni i u slučaju sa Zemljom, i mada njegove namere isprva ne uključuju fizičko uništenje same planete, ultimatum koji Žderač postavlja je neprihvatljiv; on zahteva stotinjak hiljada pomno odabranih ljudskih jedinki, ne bi li asimilacijom njihovih fizičkih tela došao do informacije koja ga zanima. Taj ultimatum je i okosnica samog dramskog zapleta u romanu, pored pomalo klasičnog zapleta koji se odvija među samom ekipom astrofizičara koji su prvi otkrili i stupili u kontakt sa Žderačom.
Tema je, naravno, daleko od neraubovane a i sam pristup bi se teško mogao prepoznati kao originalan. Benford nesumnjivo uspeva da oživi svoje likove: Benjamin Knowlton, vođa tima astrofizičara, živi i radi u bazi zajedno sa suprugom, Channing Knowlton, bivšim astronautom, koja u vreme otkrivanja Žderača boluje od raka u poodmakloj fazi, i Kingsley Dart, engleski astronom kojeg oboje poznaju iz ranijih dana, i sa kojim je Channing nekada davno imala i kratku ljubavnu vezu. U pitanju su svakako živopisni i uverljivi likovi (sasvim moguće bar donekle bazirani na Benfordovim kolegama, makar kad je reč o samim odnosima unutar esnafa), no uprkos tome, primetno je podleganje stereotipma koji poprilično dominiraju svim aspektima radnje koji nisu striktno tehničke prirode. Dobro sad, neosporno je da specifičnost takve situacije zahteva i srazmerne specifičnosti u karakterizaciji; da, za očekivati je da će vojne i državne strukture bez mnogo razmišljanja posegnuti za oružanim "rešenjem problema", ali ipak je to stereotip s kojim bi se moralo lakše i uverljivije izaći na kraj, pošto su po tom pitanju danas očekivanja daleko veća no što su ranije bila. Isto tako, fenomen "intelekta bez emocije" danas također zahteva podrobniju analizu od Benfordovog pomalo lakonskog pristupa, oličenog u pretpostavci da je sa vanzemaljskim entitetima potpuna komunikacija nemoguća, baš kao i naše razumevanje bilo kakvih poriva koje bi ne-organska inteligencija mogla da poseduje. U suštini, gotovo svi potezi Benfordovog Žderača nam na kraju budu relativizovani do tačke u kojoj ih prepoznajemo kao razumljive, a to možda i ponajviše ukazuje na Benfordovo skliznuće u klopku stereotipa. Zato se i sam finalni obračun sa Žderačem čini kao ne odviše ubedljivo postizanje pat-pozicije kojom se postiže neka vrst finalnog odlaganja koje niti ohrabruje, niti obavezuje, i pored grandioznosti samih zbivanja. Benford u velikoj meri podilazi želji da se osećamo sigurnima na ovom stepenu tehnološkog razvitka, a to se znatno razlikuje od (možda pomalo i preterano) samokritičnog stava nekih pređašnjih žanrovskih bavljenja sličnim temama.
No dobro, bilo kako bilo, čak i uz priznanje da je ovo roman koji zasigurno ne podiže prečagu overenu od strane superiornijih prethodnika, ipak se mora priznati kako Žderač nagrađuje čitaoca pomalo nostalgičnim oduševljenjem što nam se uopšte i nudi prilika da pročitamo još jedan roman o prvom kontaktu, i to iz pomalo didaktičnog pera dobre, stare garde.
Mislim da bih ovome mogao da posvetim vreme.
Philip K. Dick & Roger Zelazny: Deus Irae
Najimpresivniji žanrovski romani su upravo oni koji se ne daju sumirati sinopsisom, prosto zato što vrlo malo ovise o kosturu sopstvenog zapleta, pa su otud i imuni na spojlere bilo kakve vrste. Vrednost takvih romana tek donekle leži u temi kojom se bave, ma koliko ista bila privlačna i ma koliko pristup istoj bio originalan; vrednost takvih romana otkriva se daleko više u utisku i reakciji koju proizvode u čitaoca. Deus Irae je upravo takav roman.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FRoger_Zelazny_Phillip_K_Dick_Deus_Irae.png&hash=fecc562198f9beb5eec48fafc8e3ed9f48163eb4)
Deus Irae je rezultat saradnje dvojice žanrovskih titana koji, bez obzira na sve razlike u pristupu, predstavljaju upravo struju koja prozno kontemplira nad relevantnim uvidima u društvene, političke i duhovne posledice ljudskog bitisanja, to neretko upravo preko blasfemičnog nasrtanja na tabue. Deus Irae je mučno i bolno zasecanje upravo u ono tkivo za koje je čovek oduvek smatrao da sadrži jedine vrline vredne posedovanja - vrline koje ga označavaju kao biće vrednije od ostalih koji tumaraju Zemljom, biće koje je, u lancu celokupnog života na planeti, razgraničeno od sopstvene hrane upravo karakteristikom koja možda i potiče iz samog razuma i inteligencije – duhovne vrline. Bez takvih vrlina, čovek bi bio lišen suštinske razlike kojom sam sebe odvaja od životinja koje tovi u ime sopstvenog blagostanja u ishrani, i od veštačke inteligencije, koju proizvodi u ime sopstvenog blagostanja u luksuzu.
Zaplet je relativno jednostavan, taman u meri u kojoj je neophodan za dalja seciranja judeo-hrišćanskog morala i svetonazora; reč je o postapokaliptičnom svetu neposredno nakon nuklearne katastrofe. Svet kakvog znamo je nestao a na njegovo mesto Deus Irae postavlja ekstrapolaciju na vrlo svedenim posledicama kataklizme, koja je ujedno i žanrovski lako prepoznatljiv pogodbeni svet; preživele ostatke čovečanstva nalazimo rasute u male enklave od kojih svaka tetura na ivici opstanka u svakodnevici uništenih resursa i postapokaliptičnih mutanata. Borba za opstanak je jednako grčevita kako u materijalnom, tako i u duhovnom pogledu; dok materijalno preživljavanje tih enklava još uvek dobrano ovisi o zalihama pre same apokalipse, duhovni opstanak je daleko više uslovljen post-apokaliptičnom realnošću. Tako se razvio i novi religiozni kult, baziran na mesijanskom ustrojstvu i protestanskim ograncima hrišćanstva: ,,SOW" ili ,,Servants of Wrath" ili ,,Sluge Božjeg Gneva", u krajnje slobodnom prevodu. Bez obzira kako to na prvi pogled izgledalo, SOW nije baziran na striktno ,,antihrist" konceptu, iako se definiše mnogim generalno poznatim njegovim kvalifikacijama: ,,Sluge Božjeg Gneva" štuju čoveka imenom Carleton Lufteufel (igra reči na nemačkom: "Luft" – vazduh, "Teufel" – đavo) koji je lično ,,pritisnuo crveno dugme", tj. koji je svojeručno detonirao američki arsenal specifičnih bombi koje za cilj nisu imale uništavanje materijalne mase, nego kontaminaciju atmosfere bioškim agentima za koje su amerikanci smatrali da imaju protiv-dejstvo. (Zapravo su ga i imali, ali to samo za vrlo kratko vreme, dok mutacije unutar samog aktiviranog biološkog oružja nisu stekle premoć i okrenule ga najviše upravo protiv onih koji su ga i aktivirali.) Sluge Božjeg Gneva su zato u Lufteufelu prepoznale ne toliko antihrista, koliko upravo starozavetnog boga gneva i osvete, boga o kom Ezekijel govori kada citira": ,,Silno ću im se osvetiti i gnevno ih kazniti. I tada će znati da sam ja Jehova, kad im se osvetim". U kontekstu takvog pristupa hrišćanskoj doktrini božje svemoći, Sluge Božjeg Gneva prepoznaju apokalipsu ne kao rezultat borbe između boga i đavola, nego kao rezultat borbe između milosrdnog i slabog Boga na jednoj strani, i gnevnog i moćnog Boga na drugoj. Više je nego očigledno ko je tu zapravo odneo prevagu, pa se zato i Lufteufel slavi kao inkarnacija potonjeg boga, njegov instrument na zemlji - Deus Irae lično. U tu svrhu, novostvorena Crkva šalje svog slikara, Tibora – postapokaliptičnog mutanta rođenog bez nogu i ruku, opremeljenog kiborškim prosteticima i malim zaprežnim kolima koje vuče krava – na hodočašće, da lično pronađe i upozna Lufteufela, ne bi li tako bio u stanju da ga portretom predstavi na muralu nove crkve kao ikonu novog boga. Sinopsis romana bi se mogao svesti upravo na taj konkretno zaplet: na Tibora i njegovu potragu za čovekom koji je pritisnuo famozno crveno dugme apokalipse, i na dogodovštine koje su se zbile na tom hodočašću, kako samom Tiboru tako i Piteru Sandsu, katoliku koji se pridružio Tiboru iz krajnje ambivalentnih razloga, i samom Lufteufelu, koji je, baš kao i ostala dvojica (a i svi ostali likovi u romanu) i sam pokušao da pronađe granice sopstvene i tuđe čovečnosti. Gledano kroz prizme institucija i sistema ljudskog bitisanja, svi oni ujedno i uspevaju i propadaju u tom podvigu, to kako zbog sopstvenih slabosti, tako i zbog tuđeg uticaja, a to, u krajnjoj liniji, i sumarizuje svu grčevitost oko egzistencijalnih pitanja kojima se roman bavi, a to se, pak, ponajviše nudi u samim dijalozima i odnosima, u direktnoj razmeni između likova koji neguju nepomirljivo različite svetonazore i koji čvrsto veruju da su u posedu Istine.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fn3289.jpg&hash=9c7fc9ecf681d4b72d89765b75a917f32af91a40)
Bez obzira na saradnju sa stilski i idejno prepoznatljivim autorom kao što je Zelazni, roman je tipično Dikovski u svim aspektima. Dikove intimne opsesije nad razgraničenjima prirodnih izvora paranoidnih iskustava od veštačkih (baš kao i nad razgraničenjima religioznih doživljaja od šizofreničnih halucinacija) rezultuju lako prepoznatljivom, unikatnom smesom misticizma, teologije, tehnologije, složenih (i neretko blasfemičnih) religijskih metafora i filozofskih referenci, isporučenih u plimnom talasu ingenioznih pseudo-naučnih nedoslednosti - smesom koja pečatira većinu Dikove proze. Sam vremenski raspon zbivanja u romanu je krajnje proizvoljan; jedine pouzdane hronološke naznake u romanu lociraju apokalipsu u rane osamdesete, da bi nakon toga većina referenci gradila uglavnom konfuznu hronološku liniju u kojoj, s jedne strane, imamo živog Lefteufela lično, a s druge strane imamo obilje genetskih mutacija koje naprosto podrazumevaju višegeneracijska razvijanja. Naravno, u Dikovim fantazmagorijama upravo nedoslednosti imaju svrhu, pa se tako svaki nemogući koncept uspešno nadograđuje na impresivnu tvorevinu lucidnog seciranja ljudskog poriva i naravi. Svojevremeno je Klark u Rajskim Vodoskocima izjavio da je religija nus-produkt siromaštva i gladi; Deus Irae secira upravo tu dimenziju odnosa religije i ljudskosti, i to ne u potrazi za konkretnim odgovorima koliko u potrazi za pitanjima koja teraju pojedinca na preispitivanje koncepta kako dobra tako i zla, kako mane tako i vrline kojom čovek stremi da dosegne ono za šta smatra da će ga učiniti celovitijim. I mada se roman uvek iznova vraća na prirodnu zakonitost da upravo iz zla proizilazi dobro, pri svakom se povratku nesmiljeno dovodi u pitanje suštinsko značenje obaju pojmova, i to uglavnom najjednostavnim menjanjem perspektive; može li Istina preživeti spoznaju da je bazirana na laži? I da li je to na kraju krajeva uopšte i važno, ako sama laž ispuni svrhu za koju iskreno smatramo da samo istina može da ima? I dok praćenjem formiranja SOW organizovane religije roman slobodno ukazuje na paralele sa začecima danas prepoznatljive hrišćanske institucije, u tom procesu ujedno i otkriva da je maltene nemoguće izbeći baziranja religioznih Istina upravo na laži i neznanju, ali da to ipak ne podrazumeva da samim time postaju i nepotrebne. Preko svakog lika ponaosob, Deus Irae stavlja naglasak na individualno traženje i nalaženje takve Istine.
Zbog konteksta protestantske jeresi, naglasak je stavljen na nemačku liturgiju, filozofiju i poeziju (to je Zelaznijev doprinos; materijal je maestralno izabran i uklopljene reference nude dodatnu dimenziju i podtekst, a to omogućava ovom kratkom romanu da ostane potpuno neopterećen didaktičkim pritiscima), što bi, u određenoj meri, moglo da oteža čitanje, no srećom su danas bar prevodi lako pristupačni.
Naučna fantastika je žanr koji je sebi odavno pribavio svrhovite alate i izborio pravo i kredibilitet da se osvrne i analizira sve tabue i toteme čovekovog društva i svesti. U toj lepezi žanrovskih pristupa, jedan od važnijih (to bar meni, naravno) je razmatranje tehnologija koje nam donose jedan vrlo specifičan vid virtuelne stvarnosti: reč je sofisticiranom prepoznavanju, analizi i reprezentaciji ljudskog nervnog sistema, a onda i transferu tog sadržaja u kompjuterski čip. Naravno, odrastanje nam svima neminovno utiče na apetite i svetonazore - makar utoliko što se sve više možemo pouzdati u diskriminatorne filtere koje vremenom stičemo i održavamo – pa se tako javljaju i prohtevi koji uveliko prevazilaze skromna dostignuća žanrovskih hajtek trešina i palpičnih simplifikacija tehnoloških (sve)mogućnosti. Kako postajemo sve zahtevniji, kako se sve srčanije upuštamo u avanturu odbijanja od sise ustaljenih palpičnih navika, tako i, lagano ali sigurno, sve dublje uranjajmo u hladne vode moralnih i etičkih preispitavanja ustrojstva sveta u kom obitavamo. U tom limbu – u tom čistilištvu u kom za većinu nas tehnološki razvitak dopleruje uglavnom crvenilom – Greg Egan vam je perfektan sadrug; ne prezire vas što mu niste dorasli, ne prekoreva vas što niste odveć razmišljali o stvarima o kojima je itekako trebalo razmišljati, ne vuče vas niti vas gura, ali vas ipak nesmiljeno odvodi tamo gde treba, to upravo onom brzinom kojom ste sposobni da koračate.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fzendegi.jpg&hash=1a852e66d345a1151f5a82ce47099f6876a6a8b9)
Zendegi.
Zendegi je sve ono što volim u SFu.
Kao prvo, Zendegi je roman koji vam nudi ono što zasigurno ne poznajete: nudi vam Iran. Ne, ne, ne nudi vam ONAJ Iran na kog ste se već itekako navikli, ONAJ Iran kog su zapadnjački mediji do te mere demonizirali da svi danas veruju kako tamo žive samo zatucani islamski radikali i njihove obespravljene supruge u burkama; ne, Egan vam nudi Iran onako kako bi vam ga ponudio i rođeni Iračanin – nudi stvarne ljude u Iranu, ljude iskrene i razumne, ljude sa svojim vrlinama i manama, sa poštenim željama i nadama za svoju i tuđu bolju budućnost, ljude iskrene i strastvene i ponosne i moralne i očajne i nemoćne i revoltirane i bez zadrške rešene da svojoj deci obezbede bolji svet od onoga u kom sami žive. Eganov Iran me se dojmio kao najiskrenija moguća slika kakvu svi progresivni ljudi neguju o sopstvenoj zemlji, bez obzira na smradna činjenična stanja i nesrećna lična iskustva, i zato je Egan ona retka zverka SF pisca za kojeg se lako može videti da poštuje ono o čemu piše i da zato piše uglavnom o onome što voli i poznaje i što mu je blisko kao čoveku. I to osećanje autorove naklonosti, iskrenosti i razumevanja traje koliko i roman, bez obzira na svu turbulentnost i tragičnost zbivanja u njemu, jer ovo je roman u kom je svaki greh pripisan samo počiniocu, čak i kada je u pitanju individua (ili više njih) koja u očima celog sveta reprezentuje celokupnu zemlju i celokupan narod. Dobronamerno i iskreno, Egan ceo svoj roman podređuje naporima da se svaki pojedinac vidi, prikaže i prihvati van stereotipnih tradicionalnih zaleđina, da bude zaseban i odgovoran i jednako opterećen sopstvenim vrlinama i manama, koje se niti prelivaju u, niti opravdavaju kroz religijsku ili ideološku pripadnost; kod Egana su svi ljudi unikatni i jednako vredni, jednako voljeni i prihvaćeni i opravdani na temelju sopstvene ljudskosti.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2F156_large.jpg&hash=b5435654bbc1ed1d26f359769338a643fb522db7)
Zendegi se otvara futurističkom pretpostavkom svrgavanja današnjeg ajatolah-režima u 2012; scene narodnog svrgavanja vlasti uvelike su preuzete iz stvarne iranske revolucije pri svrgavanju šaha Pahlavija, stoga je revolucija u romanu beskrvna i moćna i nudi iskren uvid u prošla i sadašnja stradanja naroda koji je u svetu bio predstavljan isključivo najmanjim zajedničkim nazivnikom. Jedna od dvaju narativnih linija prati australijskog novinara (Martin Seymour) koji u Teheranu izbliza ne samo prati revoluciju, nego donekle u njoj i učestvuje, a kroz njegovu vizuru i uz pomoć njegovih lokalnih saradnika, roman nudi ne samo politički, nego i kulturni, društveni i tradicionalni profil Irana na koji Martin reaguje do te mere da zemlju i njene ljude prihvata kao sopstvene, te posle revolucije ostaje da živi u Iranu, oženjen mladom Iračankom (aktiviskinjom Mahnoosh). Druga narativna linija prati Iračanku Nasim Golestani, koja je sa majkom emigrirala iz Irana u Ameriku nakon ubistva oca i tamo radila na projektu kompjuterske simulacije nervnog sistema, analizirajući i mapirajući mozgove mrtvih zeba. (Već tu se potencira unikatnost i individualnost svake jedinke na kojoj se istraživanje bazira; svaka pojedina zeba ima različitu pesmu.) Narativne linije se prepliću tek 15 godina nakon revolucije kojom se otvara roman: Nasim se vraća u Iran i radi na projektu Zendegi, virtuelnoj simulaciji sveta iračkih bajki i mitova, dok je Martin tada već udovac, sa sinom i neizlečivom bolešću zbog koje se obraća Nasim sa molbom da "kopira" njegovu svest u Zendegi, ne bi li tako bio prisutan u životu svog sina makar kao virtuelni sadrug u popularnoj igri.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FZendegi200.gif&hash=c5e6529b3ca4dd2b6d30f57bf15ab3d39cb5ba39)
Eganov pristup transhumanističkoj platformi je striktno naučan, baš kao što je i njegov pristup društvenom i kulturnom profilisanju Irana striktno ekstrapolacijski. Kod Egana nema divljih pretpostavki niti fantazmagoričnog futurizma koji mnoge od nas danas više zasmejava nego impresionira; tema je više nego ozbiljna i Egan joj tako i prilazi. Koncepti "boljitka u savezništvu čoveka i mašine" su razmotreni iz različitih uglova i stav romana je vrlo umeren i odmeren, sa žanrovskog stanovišta. Koncept "učitavanja" ljudske svesti u kompjuterske čipove je, van književnog domena, odavno postao opsesija mnogih koji sebi mogu da priušte ostvarivanje svakog prohteva, i roman se ne ustručava da ozbiljno razmatra i taj konkretno pristup besmrtnosti. Ali težište romana je nedvosmisleno i mada se ne nudi nikakvo samozavaravanje po pitanju moralnih izbora (SF je odavno već ustanovio da će čovek uraditi sve što mu tehnologija dopusti, makar samo zato da pokaže kako to može) ostavlja se dovoljno prostora za takva razmišljanja, čak i van konkretne radnje u samom romanu. "Zendegi" je farsi reč za "život", dok je pun naziv VR igrice (hm, žao mi je što nemamo bolji izraz, ali upravo je "kompjuterska igrica" u pitanju, ili bar njena modernija RPG verzija, u kojoj ravnopravno učestvuju i ljudi i virtuelne simulacije, u ambijentu kreiranom da vaskrsne apsolutno sve, od mitova i legendi pa do fudbalskih utakmica, to sa virtuelnom simulacijom stvarnih fudbalskih zvezda, što će reći – sa njihovom svesti učitanom u program same igre) Zendegi-ye Behtar, ili doslovno – "bolji život". I mada sam taj naslov implicira određeni stav, činjenica je da se roman zapravo bavi postavljanjem upravo onih pitanja koje bi i sami postavljali, samo da nam se pruži rečena mogućnost: da li je? i zašto? Sad već nema sumnje da se tim pravcem krećemo i da je takvo unapređenje vrste samo pitanje vremena i načina. Kao i sa svim kontroverznim idejama, ni ova nema jedinstvenu podršku ali ima nesumnjivo dovoljno privlačnosti; nije lako reći "ne" u izboru koji vam nudi besmrtnost, pa makar ona bila i virtuelna. U suočavanju sa takvim izborima i takvim mogućnostima, Eganova proza je zadivljujuće precizna i beskompromisna u svom odolevanju da iskrenost makar i najmanje dileme maskira bilo kakvom trgovinom osećanjima. Neprijatnosti koje tako beskompromisan stav donosi svom vlasniku, Egan nudi direktno i bez umivanja, a zauzvrat od čitaoca dobija isto tako iskren i potpun odgovor – da, ovaj roman je pravo ono zbog čega volim SF.
(Za Miću. :) )
Da. To bi me moglo zanimati. Ovo "učitavanje" čoveka posle smrti je postalo popularno u SF-u negde sredinom osamdesetih, ako se dobro sećam.
Baš me zanima šta bi Egan mogao da ponudi po tom pitanju. On mi nije delovao tako "radikalno" kao Stross i kompanija.
Legendarna knjiga, ali ovde skoro potpuno nepoznata...???
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F3%2F37%2FThe_Muller-Fokker_Effect.JPG%2F353px-The_Muller-Fokker_Effect.JPG&hash=e597bbb531de070e00bb87cbc8c5950820a5c9ab)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_M%C3%BCller-Fokker_Effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_M%C3%BCller-Fokker_Effect)
QuoteThe Müller-Fokker Effect is a satirical science fiction novel written by John Sladek in 1970. It has long been out of print in the United States, having come out in a Pocket Books edition in 1973. A reprint was done in 1990 by Carroll & Graf. The title is a pun with the insult motherfucker, and the book itself is suffused with wordplay of all stripes.
Quotehe time is "somewhere in the near future" from the 1970s, and Bob Shairp is a government worker for a project in which a human being's individual qualities can be stored as computer data — on Müller-Fokker tapes.
These reel-to-reel tapes, flesh pink in color, can store an entire person's identity in four tapes. The people recorded on the tapes can be reconstructed by encoding the tapes' data into a virus and infecting someone with that virus (see mind uploading). Of course, that person would have to be backed up too, and a game of musical chairs is set in motion.
Pa, dobro, nije baš toliko nepoznata. Imalo je toga da se kupi u Beogradu.
Tripp je to čitao. Ja sve mislim da sam je čitao u nekom crnom izdanju, ali možda sam prolupao.
Mogla je da se kupi tokom sedamdesetih i mislim da je bilo još jedno izdanje. Nisam čuo da je ovde bilo ko pominje.
Zaista dobar roman, jedan od onih za koje cujete da su rodonacelnici tzv. kiberpanka [da su mi placali po $ za svaki put kada sam procitao da je neki roman iz 50-ih, 60-ih a narocito 70-ih bio rodonacelnik kiberpanka... danas bih sigurno imao novaca da kupim onaj nash komplet Cehova od 12 tomova]
mislim da ga je i iain m. banks ubacio medju svojih omiljenih 10 sf naslova. Moje izdanje je iz 1990-ih, Carroll & Graf.
Sladek je svukuda zaboravljen pisac, iako je bio medju prvima u New Wave-u, krajem 1960-ih, zajedno sa Murkokom, Dishom, Spinradom, Balardom... Njegovo oruzje je vise-manje bio humor (najveca prednost ovoga zanra, na kraju krajeva), ali u smislu da covjek ne pise namjerne parodije (osim s vremena na vrijeme u pricama), poput Harija Harisona ili Daglasa Adamsa, vec vise dikovsko-pol/kornblutovske parabole koje ozbiljno tretiraju svoju uvrnutu temu, znaci nesto sto je, prema mome misljenju vec u startu promaklo pravim rodonacelnicima kiberpanka.
Vjerovatno su i njegovi ostali romani vrijedni paznje, medjutim ja sam imao prilike da procitam samo TIK-TOK [jos jedan njegov must-read, o sadistickom robotu, eto koliko da se stavi tacka na Asimova], njegov best-of i dva RODERICK romana [prilicno dobre socijalne satire].
To je bio jedan od onih Amerikanaca sto su uoci New Wave-a zivjeli u Londonu, jer je to tada bilo uber-kul. Sa Dischom je potpisao par osrednjih naslova, a kuriozitet je da je Sladek bio doveden da ubaci nekoliko pasusa i poveze rupe u onom PKD-ovom cudnom zbrda-zdola narko navrat-nanos romanu UNTELEPORTED MAN, odn. LIES, INC.
Rado bih nabavio THE STEAM-DRIVEN BOY i THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM istoga pisca.
Ja ću samo o ovoj rečenici:
Sad već nema sumnje da se tim pravcem krećemo i da je takvo unapređenje vrste samo pitanje vremena i načina.
Svima koji bi se navukli, poručujem da traje samo dok se ne ugasi svetlo. Ili potroši baterija.
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 19-05-2011, 23:35:24
Baš me zanima šta bi Egan mogao da ponudi po tom pitanju. On mi nije delovao tako "radikalno" kao Stross i kompanija.
Egan je u Zendegiju vrlo, vrlo,
vrlo umeren i oprezan u ekstrapolaciji, iako se dotiče i singulariteta i post/transhumanizma i bukvalno celog paketa koji ide uz "učitavanje" i uz sam medijum. Recimo, ja sam totalni laik po pitanju MMORPG, mene tu fasciniraju i najprostije stvari, tako da je meni tu moglo stvarno svašta da se proda, jer ipak se radi o 2028, a to mi se, kao laiku, čini kao sasvim dovoljno vremena da se dobrano poradi na polju koje ima tako velik obrt para i interesovanja, jer ja sam jedna od onih koje iskreno šokira fakt da WoW ima 12 miliona pretplatnika. S druge strane, baš zato mi i jeste tako impresivan, zato što je odmeren; ceo koncept mi ovako izgleda daleko ubedljivije i stvarnije, nego da se bazirao na makar i malo "divljijim" pretpostavkama. Zato sam i izabrala Diasporu za sledeći roman, sad me totalno zanima kako će Egan da se razmaše sa ovakvom radnjom smeštenom u trideseti vek.
Nego, uzgred, kad se pominju Dikove kolaboracije; Dik je za Deus Irae otkrio da mu treba pomoć za deonice o katoličanstvu i protestanizmu, pa je na kraju taj rukopis zaobilaznicom završio kod Zelaznija i njegova mačka se kritičarski ispišala po papirima. Zelazni je zato izdavaču poslao fotokopije tih urnisanih strana ali Dabldej je ugovorno insistirao da vidi originale, ili da se vrati predujam dat Diku skoro deset godina ranije, pa im je tako siroti Zelazni morao da pošalje upišan rukopis... nasmejalo me to kad sam saznala, jer me stvarno kopkalo zašto bi jedan tako genijalan roman kao Deus Irae prošao onako ugaljivo nezapaženo. :?: xrotaeye
Elem, samo par uzgrednih beleški za Pandemonium, tek da se nađe... xnerd
Što se žanra tiče, Pandemonium decidirano nije SF – demonic possession tema je po difoltu u domenu natprirodnog, bez obzira da li je tu u pitanju judeohrišćanski demon ili avatar popkulturnog Zeitgeista. E sad, problem je (čuj, problem :roll:) što je Pandemonijum stvoren striktno SF alatom – baš kao i Zoo City, recimo, sa svojim otkačenim naučnim pristupom – i što se referiše striktno na SF žanr (pri tom ne mislim samo na Dik-reference, nego i na same avatare iz palp faze SFa), i tako talks the talk and walks the walk kao SF roman, pa se tako može i prihvatiti. A ako se ispostavi da je Pandemonium deo serijala – a što da ne, to je genijalan prvenac sa očigledno namerno otvorenim završetkom, baš kao i Mehanička devojka – ima sasvim dovoljno prostora da celokupan serijal završi u SFu, pošto Pandemonuim ne nudi ama baš ništa što bi mu tu mogućnost uskratilo, dok s druge strane nudi tonu materijala da je itekako obezbedi. Tako da... divota jedna.
Što se stila i pristupa i obrade tiče, i to je uzeto iz SF arsenala, tako da nema ni najmanje šanse, ama ni mrvička, da Pandemonium iko ikada ošacne kao horor roman, baš kao što je to slučaj sa Zoo City. A to je stvarno impresivno za prvenac, nema tu zbora, tako da Daryl Gregory jeste velika nada Sfa.
Quote from: LiBeat on 10-06-2011, 13:46:20
... nema tu zbora, tako da Daryl Gregory jeste velika nada Sfa.
Ne čudi, stoga, što se našao i u nekim Year's Best SF/F antologijama.
Elem, ovo naizgled možda i nema direktne veze sa žanrom ali ima (itekako) sa knjigama.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgraphics8.nytimes.com%2Fimages%2F2011%2F06%2F16%2Farts%2FLEARY%2FLEARY-articleLarge.jpg&hash=8fc45fdefc5807576dcbf3d717cf454f74e92436)
New York Public Library Buys Timothy Leary's Papers (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/books/new-york-public-library-buys-timothy-learys-papers.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=books&adxnnlx=1308330009-xHXJvL2u71LV9M60Z2mYHw)
Thousands of letters and papers from Ginsberg, Aldous Huxley, William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, Charles Mingus, Maynard Ferguson, Arthur Koestler, G. Gordon Liddy and even Cary Grant — an enthusiastic LSD user — are in the boxes.
"How about contributing to my next prose masterpiece by sending me (as you sent Burroughs) a bottle of SM pills," Kerouac wrote Leary, referring to psilocybin. "Allen said I could knock off a daily chapter with 2 SMs and be done with a whole novel in a month."
A nešto malo toga se prelilo i na Novi Talas... :lol:
Lari Niven je jedan od retkih žanrovaca kojima nikada nije trebalo da pisanjem zarađuje hleb nasušni; Lari Niven je rođen kao novčano dobro obezbeđen pra-pra unuk američkog naftnog magnata i oduvek je bio u stanju da sebi priušti luksuz pisanja u skladu sa sopstvenim afinitetima. Dok je većina veterana naučne fantastike grcala pod striktnim zahtevima ondašnjeg palpičnog tržišta tek da honorarima plate kiriju, Niven je pisao žanrovsku prozu kakvu je verovatno i sam voleo da čita. U svojoj srži, Nivenova proza je uglavnom iskrena i entuzijastična naučna fantastika, bez ikakvih mejnstrim pretenzija i bez praznjikavog filozofiranja, folirancije, razmetljivosti i nadobudne stilske kitnjastosti, pa zato nudi naučnu fantastiku u najiskrenijoj varijanti - kao žanr koji se ne stidi sebe i svojih nasušnih začudnosti, sa svim svojim palpičnim repertoarom veličanstvenih svetova, opčaravajućih vanzmaljaca i moćnih, od-svetlosti-bržih svemirskih brodova.
Ali naravno, pare nisu jedino iskušenje koje edituje vaskoliku prozu, tu vam je i slava, pa ko i umakne Scili, neretko posrne baš kod te Haribde. Tako se i Niven obreo u silnim kolaboracijama preko kojih je, valjda, posezao za većom popularnošću i priznatošću, to bar većom od one koju je sam sebi stekao unutar granica žanrovskog geta. Usledile su tako kolaboracije sa autorima različitih senzibiliteta i domašaja (Barns, Parnel, Kuperova i Lerner), koje su isporučile relativno zapažene i kritički dobro primljene naslove od kojih su neki bili franšize originalnih Nivenovih ideja i romana, dok su neki - poput Luciferovog Čekića, u saradnji sa Parnelom - bili neka vrst brižljivo odgajenog hibrida naučne fantastike i mejnstrima: mešavina lako prihvatljiva i još lakše probavljiva za obe ciljne grupe, kako žanrovsku, tako i mejnstrim. Iskreno, nisam ništa od svega toga čitala - jer toga ima mnogo, ali zaista mnogo - ali jesam pročitala Luciferov Čekić, pa makar po tome mogu proceniti da takve kolaboracije ipak nude vrlo prijemčivu ideju koja relativno lako doseže mejnstrim čitalaštvo, bez da ga isuviše primorava da zagazi makar i u mutiljavi žanrovski plićak. Jer, eto, komete postoje, zar ne? I te komete ponekad padaju i na zemlju, zar ne? Da sad i ne zalazimo u teze po pitanjima tipa šta je to istrebilo dinosaure ili šta je to eksplodiralo 1908 u Sibiru - dovoljno je reći kako skoro svi mi znamo za obilje kratera koji su posledica upravo takvih prirodnih kataklizmi, a to nam je, opet, neretko i dovoljno da rečeni fenomen izvadimo iz čeljusti žanra čije opsesije uključuju male zelene vanzemaljce i vratimo u domen realistične nam (da sad ne kažem i normalne) svakodnevice, pa time i samog mejnstrima.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2F2%2F2b%2FLucifer%2527sHammer%2528Fawcett%2529.jpg&hash=efc1461d4c6e341dfb94adff0d441e55d85c47d4)
Luciferov Čekić je upravo takav hibrid, koji jednu striktno žanrovsku postapokaliptičnu ideju odnosi u mejnstrim i time je čini... pa, svima lakše prihvatljivom, a time valjda i malko respektabilnijom. Velika je pažnja posvećena upravo naučnoj uverljivosti svih zbivanja u vezi sa padom komete, to od samog udara i njegove trenutačne posledice u vidu plimnog talasa, pa sve do detaljisanja u vidu gradacije meteoroloških prilika i neprilika u mesecima koji slede. Ta informacijska infrastruktura je dovoljno precizna i ubedljiva da se roman na momente doima kao priručnik tipa "šta i kako raditi u slučaju pada komete", ali eto, za divno čudo, uspešno postavljena struktura romana s lakoćom apsorbira svu tu informaciju, te je nudi kao vrlo prirodan okvir uzgrednih zbivanja, dok u samom centru romana ipak ostaju likovi, i to ne tek bilo kakvi likovi, već neki vrlo stvarni i realistični i iskreni ljudi, koji su na jedvite jade preživeli smak sveta, tek da bi kasnije suočili istinske patnje kakve već donosi postapokaliptični svet.
Luciferov Čekić je ime same komete koja je glavni pokretač zbivanja, a to ime je bazirano na igri reči sa prezimenom jednog od otkrivača komete, astrologa-amatera Tima Hamnera. Krstitelj komete je bio te-ve propovednik Armitaž, koji je započeo svoju proročanski intoniranu apokaliptičnu medijsku kampanju još u vreme kad je većina relevantnih proučavalaca smatrala da će kometa bezbedno zaobići Zemlju, dok su mediji, vazda željni senzacije i kataklizme koja će im prodati novine, vešto aranžirali njegovo besmisleno trabunjanje u bobmastične naslove. I, ne lezi vraže, igra slučaja je prevagnula tas i kometa je stvarno udarila u Zemlju. I upravo u tome leži velik deo uverljivosti samog romana, u celom tom preemptivnom hajpu i medijski uhranjenoj privlačnosti raznih mentalno nestabilnih proroka apokalipse, koji ne samo da iskreno veruju, nego se i sopstenim bogovima svesrdno mole, da se planeta na kojoj žive temeljito i u celosti uništi. Roman maltene da vredi čitati samo zbog tih ljupko predočenih arhetipa čovekove nesposobnosti da sopstvene religije shvati i prihvati u svrhu u koju su one namenjene, pa se zato i postapokaliptična preživljavanja kako Hamnera tako i Armitaža, zajedno sa velikim brojem sporednih individua koje, svaka na svoj način, uglavnom predstavljaju preko dva markatno i jasno prepoznatljiva obrasca; prvi, uslovno rečeno Hamnerov, koji želi ne samo da preživi, nego i da vrati civilizaciju na njen predapokaliptični nivo, i drugi, uslovno rečeno Armitažev, koji iskreno želi da istu civilizaciju u potpunosti ukloni, bez nekog jasnog koncepta kojim bi je zamenio. I upravo se na tom intelektualnom i emotivnom raskoraku dvaju svetonazora gradi okosnica drame samog romana: na jednoj strani, roman nam nudi grupu ljudi koji, uz pretnje oružjem i ubistvom, odbijaju sve slučajne namernike, prosto zato što nemaju dovoljno hrane ni za sebe i sopstvenu decu a kamoli za bezbrojne izgladnele pridošlice na samrti, dok na drugoj strani nudi religiozno ostrašćene kanibale, koji preko tih istih bogohulnih zalogaja recituju šta je to Bog imao na umu kada je kometu usmerio na Zemlju.
Luciferov Čekić je, stoga, klasična postapokaliptična vizija stvarnosti u kojoj čovekova civilizacija - kako materijalna tako i ona duhovna - počiva na staklenim nogama, baš kao što i sam čovek udobno počiva na luksuzu koji je svega jednu mesečnu platu udaljen od kompletne propasti, a sve što čovek poseduje - pa bilo to duhovno ili materijalno dobro, svejedno - vredi samo onoliko koliko to jedan proizvoljni trenutak u vremenu odluči.
Daryl Gregory - The Devil's Alphabet
Daryl Gregory je sa svojim prvencem želeo da se dokaže, i u tome je uspeo, pošto je Pandemonium odličan, ali zaista odličan prvenac. Sa svojim drugim romanom, The Devil's Alphabet, Daryl Gregory je želeo da se pokaže, i - kako to već biva sa neprikosnovenim talentom - uspeo je i u tome. The Devil's Alphabet je omaž žanru naučne fantastike kakav se samo poželeti može. Skoro da nema tabua i totema kojim se žanr ikada bavio a da u ovom romanu nije barem okrznut, i to upravo kroz prepoznatljive fascinacije koje je SF (od)negovao u osamdesetima: ima tu radikalnih postavki o seksualnosti, to u maniru Sterdžena, Ras i Farmera; o ksenofobiji u maniru Bera i Karda; o psihodeliji i o meidkamentima uslovljenoj percepciji u maniru Dika, Diša i Barouza; o multiverzumima i biološkoj apokalipsi u maniru vrhunskih pisaca hardSF garde; o ideološkoj ostrašćenosti u maniru Spinrada i Orvela; o vrednosti fome u međuljudskim odnosima, to striktno u maniru Vonegata; o biološkim imperativima u maniru Ursule Legvin, J. T. Jr. i Oktavije Batler; o religioznim identitetima u maniru Zelaznija, i, last but not least - o palpičnom formatu iskrene kontemplacije, to u maniru suludo hrabre i radikalno imaginativne narko-pene na samom vrhu Novog Talasa, sa sve biblijskim refererencama pride. I kako onda da čovek ostane nedodirnut svim tim svetlosnim spiralama i koncentričnim krugovima koji se... šire. :D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDevils-Alphabet-Daryl-Gregory%2Fdp%2F0345501179%2Fref%3Dntt_at_ep_dpt_2&hash=e497108219566fd99a305fbac1f6f59602d04319)
Dakle, The Devil's Alphabet, ukratko: nakon deceniju i po odsustva, Pakston se vraća u svoj rodni grad, to krajnje nevoljno, protiv svoje volje i instinkta, nekako više emotivno prisiljen da prisusustvuje sahrani žene sa kojom je odrastao, u koju je kao tinejdžer bio iskreno zaljubljen, i sa kojom je imao prvo erotsko i emotivno iskustvo u ménage à trois erotskom ispipavanju sveta odraslih. I eto, već u samom tom kontekstu ima dovoljno retrospektivnog materijala za dramski zaplet bilo kakvog romana, ali ovaj roman zaista ide u širinu, pa tako saznajemo da je razlog Pakstonovog napuštanja rodnog mesta počiva ne u tim njegoim bi/homoseksualnim eskapadama, nego u činjenici da je njegovo mesto rođenja - Svičkrik, Tenesi - u to doba preplavila neobjašnjiva virulentna pošast, eufemistično nazvana "Promena". Promena je desetkovala stanovništvo tog malog mesta, a preživele pojedince je geneski preoblikovala u tri jasno prepoznatljive, neljudske varijante. Modifikovani ljudi te prve varijante "Promene" su nazvani Argosi, i taj udarni talas biološke mutacije odlikovao se regeneracijom hormona rasta, pa su tako ti prvi zaraženi primerci bukvalno nastavili da rastu, sve dok njihove najstarije individue (da se razumemo, ovde se indirektno govori o maksimalno 15 godina nakon Promene) nisu dosegle visinu od 5 i kusur metara. Ubrzo nakon tog prvog virulentnog udara, pojavio se i drugi talas modifikacije, nazvan Beta: ta genetska modifikacija je proizvela radikalnu feminizaciju kod svih inficiranih, pa su tako svi muškarci zaraženi beta-varijantom Promene istrpeli radikalno gubljenje testosterona, dok su žene u beta varijanti dobile sposobnost partenogeneze. (Lilit bi stvarno uživala u Betama, a i u celom SF aspektu ovog romana, u intronima, bakterijskim plazmidima, aseksualnoj reprodukciji, mejozi, gametogenezi i kvantnoj teoriji o virusu koji "skače" iz jednog univerzuma u drugi... divota jedna, stvarno). Poslednji talas promene proizveo je Čarlije, groteskno izmenjene u ekstremnu gojaznost, i oni su na neki način vrhunac kontroverze u romanu; stariji Čarli muškarci, oni koje je Promena zahvatila kao odrasle osobe, luče neku vrst... pa, eto, vodenastog telesnog sastojka, "vintage", koji im izbija kroz kožu i skuplja se u plikovima, i koji na mlađe pripadnike Čarli klana deluje kao izuzetno jak narkotik i afrodizijak ujedno. (da, da, morbidno i groteskno, ali ipak, to samo kad se ovako izdvaja, dok je u romanu daleko lakše prihvatljivo.) Pakstonov otac je upravo jedan od tih muškaraca koji su u... "fazi berbe", što bi se reklo, a sama izlučevina deluje na Pakstona do te mere da postaje ovisnik u roku od jednog probanja iscedka. Ali, u istinskom obilju svih tih smelih koncepata provlači se i prava drama, to u vidu sukoba radikalno izmenjenih svetonazora koji dovode u konflikt Pakstona - inače jednog od retkih ljudi koji su neizmenjeni preživeli Promenu - i ostatka ljudi koje poznaje i voli od rođenja. Vrhunac zapleta u romanu javlja se kada se Promena javi na drugom kraju planete, u ovećem gradu Ekvadora, i kad se najzad dotakne mogućnost da će "normalni" ljudi reagovati genocidom u cilju očuvanja sopstvene vrste.
Eto, to je taj orkan. Priznajem postojanje nekoliko momenata u kojima je bilo poprilično teško rvati tu lavinu smelosti, pogotovo što je isporučena u formatu koji ređe nalazim u savremenoj SF prozi. Žanrovska ambicioznost ove vrste postavlja pred čitaoca velike zahteve po pitanju suspenzije neverice, pogotovo kad se prepozna da se roman očigledno ozbiljno bavi svakom pojedinom kontroverzom koju tako izdašno nudi; ovom romanu zaista ne manjka ozbiljnosti, pošto se pristup svakom od tabua jasno definiše zapletom, ili, bolje rečeno, zaplet stvarno jeste posledica tog vrlo ozbiljnog pristupa tabuima. Kroz aseksualno razmnožavanje među Betama, roman direktno otvara tabue kontrole nad materinstvom i očuvanjem vrste, i to iz aspekta koji dovodi u pitanje možda najvredniju slobodu moderne žene - slobodu da sama donosi odluke koje se tiču njenog tela i života. Roman nudi koncept žene silovane od strane sopstvenog tela, a odmah zatim i evolucije: naime, Beta žene zatrude spontano, bez seksualnog čina, i bez kontrole nad reproduktivnim aktivnostima sopstvenog tela, što ih dovodi u situaciju da rađaju dvoje dece u periodu od tri godine, od ranog puberteta pa do smrti. Zbog skoro permanentnog stanja trudnoće i dojenja, Beta žene su preplavljene prirodnim narkoticima kojima evolucija prisiljava ženu da se stara o budućoj generaciji - serotonin, oksitocin, dopamin - stvarajući tako prirodnu narko-ovisnost kod žene, to u cilju očuvanja i prosperiteta vrste. (Čak ni Rusova u Ženskom Čoveku nije bila toliko radikalna da ženu ponudi kroz striktno biološki imperativ, i da prizna kako ženina "slobodna volja" i nije baš toliko slobodna, dok god njome upravljaju prirodni narkotici.) Zaplet romana se tako delimično bazira i na nekoj vrsti prisilne emancipacije žena, kroz uslovno rečeno funkciju "skidanja sa droge materinstva", a to baca zanimljivo svetlo na biološku uslovljenost i svetonazor koji ta uslovljenost proizvodi. U drugom pristupu tabuu, Čarli muškarci i žene su također hemijski uslovljeni na izvesne obrasce ponašanja, i preko toga se dovodi u pitanje još jedna "savremena tekovina" - dobrovoljni brak. U vaganju vrednosti "ugovornog braka", kojeg sklapaju ili roditelji ili staratelji mladih osoba, i "dobrovoljnog braka", kojeg sklapa... hm... recimo, trenutačna erotska privlačnost između tih mladih osoba, ovo potonje se baš i ne kotira tako dobro. :lol: U maniru Dika, roman se svrhovito dotiče razmatranja eventualnih razlika između prirodnih i veštačkih narkotika (s tim što naizgled dovodi u pitanje postojanje ovih potonjih), ali primarno se bavi dilemama cilja vs svrhe, kao i uslovljenosti vs slobodne volje. I sve to u naizgled palpičnom formatu, gusto zbijeno u frenentičan tempo pripovedanja, naizgled neobavezno ali zapravo veoma ozbiljno, s naglaskom na koncepte od kojih baš i nije lako napraviti štivo ovog stepena čitljivosti. Genijalan roman i genijalan pisac, iskrena preporuka svima koji još nisu overili.
hvala na preporuci, upravo ga kindlovah na iPad. :lol:
btw, introni su mi bili najfascinantniji deo molekularne biologije i moram da se poFalim da mi je profa posle tog ispita rekao: žao mi je sto vam ne mogu dati 11. xrofl
Eeee, ovo je tvoj kap-of-ti, sigurna sam. Ako ti se onako dopala Mehanička devojka, ovo tek ima da te oduva.
Mene, Libe, uopšte ne čudi da ti se sviđa Daryl, s obzirom da piše i stripovanu verziju tvog i Mićinog omiljenog filma. Da ne govorim da, takođe, piše i skript za strip serijal o večnom heroju svih naših noćnih mora, a čiji su "potomci" ovekovečeni u brilijantnim delima, kakva je i serija o Sookie Stackhouse.
I samo da te podsetim, još samo dva dana do:
http://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/index.php?topic=5692.msg336601#msg336601 (http://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/index.php?topic=5692.msg336601#msg336601)
"omiljeni film", a... :mrgreen:
dva dana. ;)
Egzaktli moja .! ;)
Za one koji su se zainteresovali za The Devil's Alphabet (priznajem da sam među njima) evo jednog lepog torenta, koji sem pomenutog dela sadrži još 2500 Kindle knjiga (http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/6079454/2_500_Retail_Quality_Ebooks_for_Kindle_%28MOBI%29). Da, tačnije: 2591 knjiga u oko 3 GB. Stavila sam na Midiafire spiskove sa autorima i delima, pa pogledajte pre eventualnog skidanja:
5 Star Book List (EXCEL).xls (http://www.mediafire.com/?xv0tr07x7utuux)
ili, za one koji nemaju Excel:
5 Star Book List (HTML).htm (http://www.mediafire.com/?9ppdduac7y5j8sb)
Naravno, sve ovo možete čitati i na običnom kompjuteru. Preporučujem veoma jednostavan programčić Kindle for PC (http://download.cnet.com/3001-20412_4-75185974.html?spi=71c4dd6f1e44482a6a80d7ed84606d8a).
Eto, nije da se nisam potrudila :!:. Nadam se da će ovo obradovati nekog (a koliko sam lepih stvari otkrila zahvaljujući Sagiti, bilo je krajnje vreme da se nekako odužim).
Hvala Mušet, ima tu stvarno svačeg finog. :)
A Daryl Gregory se u Raising Stony Mayhall (http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/06/take-five-with-daryl-gregory-author-raising-stony-mayhall.html) bavi... zombijima.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.randomhouse.com%2Fimages%2Fdyn%2Fcover%2F%3Fsource%3D9780345522375%26amp%3Bwidth%3D180&hash=2b31a9bd854db1b1433fd4be2915dcb20e965de6)
In 1968, after the first zombie outbreak, Wanda Mayhall and her three young daughters discover the body of a teenage mother during a snowstorm. Wrapped in the woman's arms is a baby, stone-cold, not breathing, and without a pulse. But then his eyes open and look up at Wanda—and he begins to move.
The family hides the child—whom they name Stony—rather than turn him over to authorities that would destroy him. Against all scientific reason, the undead boy begins to grow. For years his adoptive mother and sisters manage to keep his existence a secret—until one terrifying night when Stony is forced to run and he learns that he is not the only living dead boy left in the world.
Jesi pročitala excerpt što sam ti poslao?
jesam, evo pre pola sata. Uberkul. :!:
Eto, prilično je zabavno kad čovek otkrije kako ga žanr još uvek može itekako iznenaditi, i to baš onako, na prepad... to udari baš zdrav balans onom famoznom "u-moje-vreme" stanju svesti koje čoveka spopadne u drugoj polovini života. :lol: A pošto je The Devil's Alphabet definitivno jedno od takvih iznenađenja, i pošto ne nailazim često na takve primerke, prosto ne mogu a da ne čeprkam po romanu. Tim pre što u ranim poglavljima nije bilo naznake da će ostaviti ovakav utisak; naprotiv, u dve deonice sam ga gotovo batalila, zbog te njegove gotovo razmetljive rešenosti da zagrize u ama baš sve što mu padne na pamet, bez da išta temeljito sažvače. Primera radi, sva meni poznata žanrovska remek-dela koja su se bavila "The Other" konceptom (ili razlaganjem hetero-normativa, kako bi to valjda Batlerova rekla) su smrtno ozbiljno prilazila temi i smrtno ozbiljno proučavala razlike u svetonazorima koji proizilaze iz takvog rušenja hetero-norme. The Devil's Alphabet to ne radi, a s obzirom kako je postavio koncept, maltene da i ne može, sve i da hoće, pošto se vremenski raspon od pojavljivanja "Drugoga" do vremena radnje u romanu svodi na svega 15tak godina, a to naprosto nije dovoljno vremena da se formira svetonazor baziran na radikalno drugačijem konceptu ljudskosti. Na neki način, moglo bi se reći da Gregori zapravo razlaže dostignuća koja su dela poput Leve ruke tame, Ženskog Čoveka i Venere+X stvorila, pa i to donekle ima uticaja na onaj pominjani utisak o autorovoj razmetljivosti. Gregori uzima mnoge žanrovski već odavno definisane koncepte, i sakati ih taman dovoljno da kod čitaoca proizvede reakciju merljivo drugačiju od one koju proizvode originalni koncepti, pa se tako čovek zatekne u razmišljanju da li je svrha takvog razlaganja bila u "cheap thrill" efektu ili nameri da se koncepti zaista preispitaju. Bilo kako bilo, nešto od rečenog preispitivanja se maltene podrazumeva, pošto su postavke zaista provokativne, pogotovo u delovima u kom mi liče na "osakaćene" koncepte iz triju navedenih romana. Pa ću zato malo da ovde smaram sa poređenjima The Devil's Alphabet sa navedena tri romana. :mrgreen:
1. Koncept "Stranca" ili "Različitosti" je u tri pomenuta romana dat sa izvesnim odmakom koji čitaocu pomaže da se pogodbeni svetovi lakše "probave": Getenjani su, pa, ne-ljudska rasa na drugoj planeti, pa se samim tim osećamo relativno bezbedni po pitanju činjenice da mogu biti i "muškarci" i "žene" u kemeru, dok su ostatak vremena aseksualni, dvospolci iz Venere+X su evolucijom odmaknuti na bezbednu razdaljinu (ili to tako bar izgleda, dok se upoznajemo sa konceptom) a lezbejstvo Ženskog Čoveka je odmaknuto prosto zato što je posledica nužnosti, pa se stoga i lako prihvata, te nam otud sva tri romana lako predočavaju "Drugačijost" kao normativ. Kod Gregorija nema takvog odmaka - "Drugačijost" koju on nudi direktno ugrožava naš normativ, pa stoga i izaziva drugačiju reakciju kod čitaoca; Argosi su sterilni, Bete žene se razmnožavaju partenogenezom, Beta muškarci su biološki kastrirani u aseksualnost, a groteskni Čarli muškarci hemijski uspostavljaju seksualnu dominaciju nad muškarcima i ženama jednako, tu najverovatnije uključujući i nezaražene ljude. Radikalne su to postavke, nema tu zbora, dostojne onih gorepominjanih, pa upravo zbog toga čitaocu teško pada taj nedostatak odmaka. "Drugačijost" iz The Devil's Alphabet je ne samo ne-ljudska nego i neprirodna u najosnovnijem nam smislu te reči. To je bolest koju niko ne želi, ponajmanje sami oboleli, i sama ta postavka sprečava ozbiljno razmatranje svetonazora koji bi "Drugačijost" trebalo da ponudi, pa je čitaoc svo vreme svestan da je tu prioritet više na pretpostavci nekakvog izlečenja i vraćanja pod okrilje normativa, nego u bilo kakvoj ideji alternativnog a ujedno i jednako vrednog svetonazora. I tu dolazi do izražaja kontroverznost romana: mi, koje je žanr naučio da sagledamo koncepte "Stranca" i "Drugačijosti" na ravnoj nozi sa sopstvenim normativom, odjednom smo pomalo izgubljeni kad shvatimo da je to bilo relativno lako kad se autor potrudio da nam to obezbedi. Gregori se ne samo da ne trudi po tom pitanju, nego i nudi upravo argumente da čitaoca u tome spreči. Kada se u romanu dotakla mogućnost genocida, užasnula me vlastita reakcija kojom sam taj sled zbivanja prihvatila kao maltene... pa, podrazumevajući (ne kažem da sam baš bila naklonjena toj verziji konačnog rešenja, nego prosto, nisam videla nikakvu zdravu alternativu), a to je stvarno radikalno razlaganje širine horizonta koju nam je upravo žanr obezbedio... maltene sam se zatekla na strani ksenofobnih negativaca iz žanrovskog asortimana. A to nije mala stvar, kad roman na kvarnjaka razgoliti falinke svetonazora...
Drugi siguronosni odmak koji je ovde uskraćen je mogućnost suočavanja "Različitosti" kroz pojedinca; u tri pomenuta romana, imamo lika u romanu koji nas polagano i oprezno upoznaje sa svim tim radikalno drugačijim konceptima, a to nam ostavlja mogućnost da neke od sopstvenih negativnih reakcija suočimo razblažene kroz taj lik, i tako donekle podelimo odgovornost. The Devil's Alphabet ne nudi čak ni to - koncepti su suočeni na najdirektniji mogući način, sa zaraženim "ne-ljudima" u karantinu jednog malog grada i sa "normalnim" ljudima u ostatku sveta oko tog karantina, i skoro da se i ne postavlja pitanje gde ste to vi, kao čitalac, smešteni. I mada neki od likova lako uspevaju da čitaoca dovoljno bocnu na reagovanje empatijom, ta empatija se nikad, ali zaista nikad, ne razliva na celokupnu populaciju. Čak ni njihova borba za preživljavanje ne proizvodi u čitaocu onoliko simpatija koliko se žanr trudio da obezbedi za koncepte "Stranca" i "Različitosti", a to samo još više dokazuje da ni naše vrline nisu baš toliko bistave kakvima ih smatramo u odsustvu iskušenja. I to je prva u nizu agresivnih postavki kojima ovaj roman temeljito i vrlo uspešno dovodi u pitanje one divne konstrukcije na koje nas je žanr navikao.
Quote from: LiBeat on 05-07-2011, 22:48:14
Primera radi, sva meni poznata žanrovska remek-dela koja su se bavila "The Other" konceptom (ili razlaganjem hetero-normativa, kako bi to valjda Batlerova rekla) su smrtno ozbiljno prilazila temi i smrtno ozbiljno proučavala razlike u svetonazorima koji proizilaze iz takvog rušenja hetero-norme. The Devil's Alphabet to ne radi, a s obzirom kako je postavio koncept, maltene da i ne može, sve i da hoće, pošto se vremenski raspon od pojavljivanja "Drugoga" do vremena radnje u romanu svodi na svega 15tak godina, a to naprosto nije dovoljno vremena da se formira svetonazor baziran na radikalno drugačijem konceptu ljudskosti. Na neki način, moglo bi se reći da Gregori zapravo razlaže dostignuća koja su dela poput Leve ruke tame, Ženskog Čoveka i Venere+X stvorila, pa i to donekle ima uticaja na onaj pominjani utisak o autorovoj razmetljivosti. Gregori uzima mnoge žanrovski već odavno definisane koncepte, i sakati ih taman dovoljno da kod čitaoca proizvede reakciju merljivo drugačiju od one koju proizvode originalni koncepti, pa se tako čovek zatekne u razmišljanju da li je svrha takvog razlaganja bila u "cheap thrill" efektu ili nameri da se koncepti zaista preispitaju. Bilo kako bilo, nešto od rečenog preispitivanja se maltene podrazumeva, pošto su postavke zaista provokativne, pogotovo u delovima u kom mi liče na "osakaćene" koncepte iz triju navedenih romana.
xtwak
Sad me teraš s ovim da pročitam Gregorijeve knjige! K'o da nemam drugog posla!
Vaistinu. :mrgreen:
Super, zato se maksimalno klonim bilo kakvih ilustrativnih spojlera, sve u nadi da vas privolim da roman pročitate, pa da pretresamo kontroverze. Tri glave su po pravilu pametnije nego jedna... :lol:
Elem, druga ogromna kontroverza koju roman nudi je žena+njeno pravo+slobodna volja. E, po tom pitanju je bilo silnog škripanja zubima, ali odistinski. :cry: :( Daleko bilo da roman nema snažne ženske likove – zapravo su upravo žene te koje sprečavaju da se ceo taj haos raspadne po šavovima, a pride i upravljaju sudbinom skoro svakog pojedinca u karantinu – ali pre ili kasnije roman dovede u pitanje i najosnovnije postavke koje svi nekako uzimamo zdravo za gotovo; na primer, da li žena uopšte može imati svrhovit identitet van onog kakvog joj je sama priroda dodelila - identitet "roditeljice" i čuvara vrste?
Koncept žene kao "Drugoga" nudi se preko sposobnosti Beta žena za aseksualnu reprodukciju, i šokantan je i perverzan i užasavajući i duboko portresan, čak i van feminističke platforme. Ako je i postojala ikakva mogućnost da žena izbegne jaram patrijahalnog ustrojstva u kom neretko nema pravo da odlučuje da li će i koliko će imati dece, ovde joj sama priroda uskraćuje bilo kakvu kontrolu nad sopstvenom sudbinom. Ali to je samo pola jada i čemera zbog kojeg se pri čitanju često začuje gnevna škripa zuba: druga polovina leži u faktu da u romanu nema društvenog patrijahalnog ustrojstva kojim se takva postavka ženama nameće, da nema ama baš nikakvog društvenog pokušaja da se ženina prava i slobode potčine ili uklone. Naprotiv, u romanu ima upravo sušte suprotnosti bilo kakvom patrijahalnom režimu - ima pokušaja "nasilne emancipacije", koji se nude do te mere subverzivno da čovek prosto ne može a da se ne zatekne na strani upravo onog mrskog ali bar udobno prepoznatljivog patrijahalnog koncepta. Jer eto, naglasak romana je na slobodnoj volji, a slobodna volja u Beta žena ovisi primarno o koktelu prirodnih stimulansa kojima evolucija podržava materinske osećaje u svrhu očuvanja vrste, tako da... Beta žena voli ulogu koju joj je priroda dodelila, ona ne želi ništa drugo sem da tu ulogu u potpunosti ispuni, ona je najkompletnija, najzadovoljnija a time i najsrećnija upravo u ispunjavanju te uloge, i svaki pokušaj nasilnog emancipiranja Beta žene završava istinski tragično, kako po nju samu, tako i po onoga ko joj na taj način želi pomoći. I mada Beta žene imaju šansu da uspostave prirodan i krajnje nenasilan matrijahat (s obzirom da se funkcija Beta muškaraca prirodno svela na ulogu submisivnog, aseksualnog zaštitnika i pomagača Beta žene i njenog podmlatka), taj matrijahat bi toliko bio podređen biološkom imperativu da bi žena u njemu bila još veći sužanj i "mašina za rađanje" nego što je to ikada bila u ma kom patrijahatu. A to je tako radikalno razlaganje slobodarskog profila žene koji je SF nudio preko feminističkih autora da ja prosto nemam reči da objasnim koliko me ta kontroverza šokira i zdravo izluđuje. xuss
ja čitam, al me ometaju. :cry:
E, od tebe jedva čekam mišljenje po pitanju kontroverze #2... ja ne znam kud da se po tom pitanju priklonim, iskreno da ti kažem. Sećam se frke pre par godina kada su univerziteti u Kanadi zabranili studentikanjama da nose burke, čadore, feredže, štaliveć... sve to u ime emancipacije, naravno. Kao rezultat, skoro 50 devojaka se demonstrativno ispisalo sa univerziteta, i garant je to pomoglo njihovoj emancipaciji, jelda... :roll: :( Sećam se opaske jedne od tih devojaka, kad je revoltirano pitala reportera nešto u fazonu a kako se vi napredni zapadnjaci to borite za prava žena kad im ne dozvoljavate ni da obuku ono što ih je volja...??
Enivejz, idemo dalje: treća velika kontroverza ovog romana je opako poigravanje žanrovima, a to je već postao i zaštitni znak autora, pošto su mu sva tri romana u sličnom fazonu. Gregori koristi alate i modele SFa, ali prilazi temi i postavlja koncepte na način koji mi je duboko u domenu horora. Što se mene tiče, kad god koncept "Drugoga" i "Različitosti" u meni proizvede kristalno jasnu ksenofobiju, odbojnost i osećaj ugroženosti/strepnje za civilizaciju i ljudsku vrstu u globalu, onda znam da više nisam na SF domenu, nego u horor području. A u ovom slučaju, koncept ne-ljudskog kog Gregori nudi nema čak ni fascinaciju kakvu, recimo, Vampir ima, kao jedan od impresivnih modela "Drugog"; Gregori nudi model ne-ljudskosti kom sasvim lako nađemo užasavajuće mane, pa zato nema nikakvih iskupljujućih okolnosti koje bi nam pomogle da prevaziđemo ksenofobiju. Ako je suditi po reakcijama pri čitanju, rekla bih da mi je tip ne-ljudskosti u ovom romanu bio najbliži konceptu zombija, recimo, pa su zato i moje reakcije bile u skladu sa tim obrascem, pogotovo ona o genocidu... a to mi, samo po sebi, jače definiše žanr negoli samo korištenje prepoznatljivih alata i ikonografije. E sad, naravno da ksenofobija nije nepoznata u SFu, ali je meni uglavnom sinonimna sa ranijim žanrovskim fazama, sa fobijama tipa vanzemaljskih invazija, bodisnačera, agresivnih i bezumnih ETija i tako to... a ovde ipak govorimo o ljudima, dakle, govorimo o nekoj vrsti degenerativne bolesti koja od ljudi pravi ne-ljude, a to je ipak iz asortimana horora. I mada se u romanu stalno potencira mogućnost evolucije, to meni niti jednog trenutka nije zaživelo kao istinski SF aspekt, ma koliko da se forsirao, prosto zato što nigde nisam uspela da vidim ni najmanji boljitak ili ma kakav napredak u odnosu na ljudskost od koje su se odvojili. No ipak, sve u svemu, pitanje žanrovske pripadnosti mi i nije toliko bitno, jer roman zaista genijalno spaja najprovokativnije alatke iz obaju žanrova, pa zato i uspeva da se tako lako poigra sa čitalačkim očekivanjem.
Daryl Gregory: Raising Stony Mayhall
Zasigurno ima istine u tvrdnji da "život na vrhu" donosi silnu usamljenost, iako to podrazumeva uglavnom moćnu ljudsku jedinku na krajnjem mramornom kamenu hijerarhijske piramide. Primenimo li to zapažanje na čoveka kao vrstu koja superiorno dominira predatorima na sopstvenoj planeti, onda se taj osećaj usamljenosti može prepoznati i kao... pa, eto, kao neka vrst dosade, egzistencijalne učmalosti, evolutivne izmeštenosti iz onog iskonskog, prirodnog ustrojstva u kom su moćne čeljusti i hitri refleksi oduvek bili osnovni uslovi opstanka. Valjda nas zato naše reptilsko jezgro mozga i tera da vazda čeznemo za adrenalinskom "bori se ili beži" senzacijom, pogotovo ako istu možemo doživeti dok ležimo na kauču i žvačemo visokokalorične proizvode civilizacijske otuđenosti od prirode.
Upravo u takvom stanju čovek otkriva kako je žanr horora njegova najservilnija udvorica.
Žanr horora se specijalizovao da konzumentima priušti bezbedne doze nezahtevne napetosti, uzbuđenja, strave i užasa, a već sama ta odrednica podrazumeva i korištenje fantastike, makar zato što smo, nakon svega par hiljada godina civilizacije, poprilično oguglali na mundane, da ne kažem sad stvarne oblike proizvodnje adrenalina. Nije da ih danas uopšte nema, ali eto, kratkog su daha i jednokratne upotrebe: vesti o svakovrsnim agresijama u svetu danas od nas izvuku tek mlako interesovanje, iako se neretko radi o tragedijama ogromnih razmera. S druge strane, zmije i pirane, ajkule i lavovi, krokodili, vukovi i medvedi svakako spadaju u asortiman impresivnih zubatih pošasti od kojih se štrecamo na kaučima, ali ujedno spadaju i u kaveze naših zooloških vrtova, a to baca podosta hladne vode na žeravice naše fascinacije. A kako reptilski deo našeg mozga i dalje najbolje reaguje na imidž zubatog neprijatelja, otud horor i poseže za stvorenjima iz domena noćnih mora, za čudovištima i predatorima koji imaju samo jednu nameru i svrhu - da zariju očnjake u ljudske žile-kucavice. Otud Vampir i Zombi, kao dva prototipa užasavajuće ne-ljudskosti koja, pored već pominjanih krvopijačkih zuba, dotiče još jednu čovekovu opsesiju, ne nužno udomljenu u R-kompleksu: smrt. Smrt je ogavna stvar koja ne gine nikome od nas, pa je poželjno kontemplirati nad poentom da ni oni koji su uspeli da izbegnu deblji kraj sa skeletonskim kosačem neće mnogo profitirati u svom ne-životu, naprotiv.
E sad, problem horora kao žanra je upravo ta njegova specijalizovanost, koja se po pravilu ustručava od postavljanja zahteva od neokorteksa, pa su zato sve ne-ljudske krvopije krajnje jednodimenzionalne a stoga i pomalo naivne, to u svakom bogovetnom pogledu, bar ako ste prebacili ranu tinejdžersku fazu. Otud potiče i zakonitost da svaki horor model ne-ljudske krvopije istinski impresionira samo kada se prvi put vidi, i to pod uslovom da je viđenje obavljeno pre trinaestog vam rođendana; otud se i ceo taj doživljaj dadne sumarizovati zaključkom "čim vidiš jedan film sa vampirima/zombijima - video si ih sve". Jer, zaista, ti modeli su fiksirani sopstvenom svrhom, a pošto se ona ne menja, tako se ni modeli ne menjaju. Što je šteta, naravno, pošto imaju potencijal koji nadaleko prevazilazi okvire inferiornog žanra u koji su smešteni, no, na našu sreću i zadovoljstvo, tu i tamo se neko i smiluje pa im priđe iz perspektivnog ugla naučne fantastike.
Raising Stony Mayhall je jedno od upravo takvih čitalačkih zadovoljstava.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.randomhouse.com%2Fimages%2Fdyn%2Fcover%2F%3Fsource%3D9780345522375%26amp%3Bheight%3D250%26amp%3Bmaxwidth%3D170&hash=0e82eaf8baea3c1150fbd29dce1336dcfb03a6a5)
Roman ne razlaže postojeći model Zombija kakvog znamo iz Romerovog kultnog filma; naprotiv, on se na taj film oslanja kao na dokumentarac koji je na celuloidu zabležio stvarnu epidemiju na koju se sam roman nadograđuje. Stony je zombi-mrtvorođenče koje je Wanda Mayhall našla u zimu 1968-e pokraj mrtvog tela porodilje, smrznute u snežnoj vejavici; Wanda je na leševe nabasala zajedno sa svoje tri kćeri i naravno da je ženski instinkt igrao veliku ulogu u odluci da se ljudsko mrtvorođenče ne ostavi u snegu, baš kao i u odluci da se kasnije ne odbaci, jednom kada je tako nemrtvo otvorilo oči i krotko zamahalo rukama. Wanda je tako odlučila ne samo da to dete sakrije od čistki koje je zombi epidemija pokrenula, nego i da ga odgoji kao sopstveno, pa je Stony tako podelio srećno detinjstvo sa majkom, tri starije "sestre" i komšijskim vršnjakom, koji su u njegovoj ne-ljudskosti videli tek drugačijost krajnje prihvatljive vrste. I kada je tom srećnom životu u ilegali došao kraj, Stony je među ostale "živuće mrtvace" odneo svetonazor koji uvelike prevazišao bilo kakvu horor ideju o zombijima na koju ste ikada nabasali, iako sam ovaj roman nudi najhororičniji od svih zamislivih okvira - nudi onaj okvir u kom zombiji ne samo da nisu eliminisani nego su i s lakoćom nadvladali. Bazična postavka koja je omogućila taj sled događaja ogleda se u jednoj jedinoj radikalnoj izmeni poznatog nam koncepta; u pretpostavci da bezumna želja za ljudskim mesom traje samo par dana po infekciji, nakon čega zombi ovladava svojim intulektualnim kapacitetima, mada neretko uz amneziju iz koje ga mogu izvući samo oni koji su ga poznavali i voleli za života. I to je upravo najvažniji deo postavke za koju horor kao žanr nije bio sposoban: naime, žanr horora kao je uvek podrazumevao da inficirani nisu imali niti porodice, niti ljude koji su ih voleli, te je tako postavljao obavezan šablon za dehumanizaciju i uništenje inficiranih. Na sreću pa je naučna fantastika žanr koji ipak daleko bolje poznaje čoveka i njegovu prirodu, te stoga dopušta i mogućnost da neće ama baš svi roditelji biti tek tako voljni da pobiju svoju zaraženu decu, niti će sva deca biti spremna da ubiju zaražene roditelje, pa se time otvorila i mogućnost za mali procenat ljudi koji su zaražene članove svojih porodica držali skrivene po podrumima i tavanima, omogućivši ima tako da prežive taj kobni period groznice i izgube sve predatorske osobine koje povezujemo sa zombijima. Naime, jednom kad prebole tih par grozničavih dana nakon inficiranja, zombiji nemaju ama baš nikakvu želju da ubijaju zdrave ljude i jedu njihove unutrašnje organe. Naprotiv, zombiji ne jedu apsolutno ništa, jer sve što progutaju moraju obavezno i da povrate, a niko normalan to ne želi, iako Stony to redovito radi, samo zato što ravnopravno učestvuje u svim aspektima obiteljskog života, kao što su, recimo, i obiteljska doručkovanja i ručanja. Ali osim tih ekstremnih stvari koje zombiji rade da se bolje uklope među živuće ljude koje vole, većina zombija uglavnom želi da ih se ostavi na miru da se bave stvarima koje ih zanimaju, a to su - gle čuda! :lol: - uglavnom čitanje palp romana, gledanje TV sapunica i generalna sklonost ka fizički zahtevnim građevinskim poduhvatima, oličena u silnom entuzijazmu za... pa eto, kopanjem. U nekom idealnom svetu, zombiji iz ovog romana bi bili perfektni rudari - ne dišu, ne spavaju, ne jedu, ne umaraju se i ne trebaju ama baš nikakva tehnološka pomagala da prokopaju tunele do same jezgre planete, ako je to nekome od koristi. Ali naravno, Gregory u svom romanu govori o stvarnom svetu, a u njemu ništa nije niti normalno a kamoli idealno; stoga se Gregory povinuje čovekovoj želji i potrebi za istrebljenjem i potpunim uništenjem svega što ne shvata i prihvata, a pri tom je, bar u ovom konkretno slučaju, taj siroti čovek vrlo daleko od superiornosti koju sebi umišlja.
Treći po redu perfektan roman iz pera čoveka čije ime zaista vredi zapamtiti: Daryl Gregory.
Ovo je iduće na listi interesovanja:
Louise Marley's Mozart's Blood
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB003IYI7RI.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL200_.jpg&hash=750193882d72a08da503800193d6bf9b50340d4d)
Vampiri i klasična muzika... eh... :!:
My Life as a White Trash Zombie - Diana Rowland
"What did the zombie say to the whore?"
"... Um... what?"
"Keep the tip."
Ovaj sirovi vic koji akteri razmenjuju negde na sredini romana možda najbolje sumira i ton i ugao iz kojeg je autorka odlučila da nam ponudi dobre, stare, klasične oživljene mrtvace. My Life as a White Trash Zombie nudi zombije koji su nam, s jedne strane, dovoljno prepoznatljivi da se oslonimo na tonu istorije koju su ostavili u popularnoj kulturi, dok s druge strane dobijamo unapređenu, evoluiranu varijantu originalnog modela, s tim što su rečena unapređenja samo naizgled kozmetične prirode. Rowland se prilično slobodno poslužila najprivlačnijim delovima ikonografije drugih podžanrova i tako stvorila Novog Zombija koji je najzad postao sve ono što je Stari Zombi oduvek hteo da bude: urban, šarmantan, duhovit i krajnje privlačan zavodnik.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fwtz_cover_final_med.jpg&hash=f9dfad15eaf325cae9bd7f7036bb0127afdd922f)
My Life as a White Trash Zombie je ispričan u prvom licu, iz iskrene perspektive Angel, koja se još kao maloletnica čvrsto zacementirala na samom dnu društvene lestvice. Nakon što joj je psihički nestabilna majka u zatvoru izvršila samoubistvo, Angel je ostala da živi sa ocem, inače nezaposlenim alkoholičarem, i sa isto tako besperspektivnim momkom, na dobrom putu da postane ovisnik o alkoholu i tabletama. U ostataku zavidno obilnih životnih iskustava za tako mladu osobu, Angel je napabirčila i napuštanje školovanja, nekoliko hapšenja zbog sitnih krađa, zatvorsku kaznu preinačenu u uslovno puštanje na slobodu, kao i neznan broj neuspelih pokušaja da sastavi više od desetak dana čak i na onim najjednostavnijim (a time i najmanje plaćenim) poslovima. Vrhunac - ili bolje rečeno dno dna - tog životnog fijaska Angel je dosegla upravo u uvodnom poglavlju romana, probudivši se u bolničkom krevetu, s kristalno jasnim sećanjem na automobilsku nesreću i kasapljenje od strane košmarno moćnih, neljudskih zuba. Nakon što joj je objašnjeno da je nađena pored puta, gola i komatozna, ali i bez ijedne ogrebotine, i da joj je iz stomaka ispumpana trodnevna zaliha omanjeg apotekarskog skladišta, njene tvrdnje o automobilskoj nesreći i kasapljenju su glatko otpisane kao halucinacije overdoziranog narkomana, te je usledilo i hitro otpuštanje iz bolnice, onako kako se već otpuštaju beznadežni slučajevi. I tu počinje serija uistinu neshvatljivih zbivanja: Angel istog dana otkriva ne samo da je stekla tajnog dobrotvora - neznanu osobu koja iz isto tako neznanih razloga pokazuje očiglednu nameru da joj pomogne - nego da joj je isti i obezbedio posao u gradskoj mrtvačnici, i to posao vozača mrtvačkog kombija i asistenta patologu pri autopsijama... Morbidnan posao, da, to svakako, ali... Angel je razumna devojka, svesna daleko veće morbidnosti svog statusa kao društvenog gubitnika i svesna da jedan od uslova njenog ostajanja na slobodi počiva upravo na njenoj sposobnosti da nađe i zadrži izvor legalnog prihoda. Angel zato ozbiljno sagledava ceo taj fijasko koji zove svojim životom i odlučuje da prihvati pruženu ruku neznanog dobročinitelja, to usprkos faktu da se fizički oseća do te mere iscrpljeno, kao da je na rubu smrti. No, njen dobročinitelj kao da zna i za te fizičke patnje kroz koje ona prolazi, pa tako Angel pred kućnim vratima nalazi i... hm, recimo malu zalihu krajnje egzotičnog napitka - gustu i ne odviše aromatičnu smesu nepoznatih ali gotovo magičnih sastojaka - koji joj daje dovoljno energije da suoči zahtevan prvi radni dan u gradskoj mrtvačnici. Angel uskoro shvata da njen opstanak - to sasvim doslovno i u svakom zamislivom aspektu - bezuslovno počiva na obavezi da taj posao zadrži pod svaku cenu, dok postepeno otkriva da više nije ono što je nekad bila... za početak, nije više živa, bar ne u smislu u kom je bila živa pre no što se probudila u bolničkom krevetu.
Iskrenost kojom Rowland nudi Angel i njenu sudbinu daje ovom romanu šarm kakav se retko nalazi u prozi koja koketira sa takozvanim "talogom modernog društva". Humor je često na granici crnog ali nikad potcenjivački; Angel jeste kompletno i detaljno formirana na stereotipu "belog smeća", ali je u isto vreme precizno oživljena kao istinska heroina čije su nesumnjive kvalitete i sposobnosti (bile) nadvladane isključivo nesrećnim, sputavajućim okolnostima u koje je rođena, a rođena je u istinsku neimaštinu, kako materijalnu tako i duhovnu. My Life as a White Trash Zombie sasvim ozbiljno razmatra mogućnost da su mnogi talenti i nesuđeni Nobelovci skončali neprepoznati i obespravljni u getu u koje su rođeni, i da je savremena svakodnevica koja se odavno smatra kao datost zapravo još uvek nedostižan luksuz za ogroman broj ljudi. Umetnost, baš kao i stvarni život, neretko sagledava takve ljude kroz prizmu ili zlurade sprdnje ili patronizirajućeg sažaljenja, a to još više dograđuje nevidljive zidove njihovog geta, zato je izlazak iz takve društvene i ekonomske izolacije maltene nemoguć ukoliko se ne pojavi dobrostiva ruka da pri tome pomogne. I mada svi mi podrazumevamo takvu pomoć bar od strane sopstvenih roditelja, neretko ona nije dovoljna, ili - što je beskrajno gore - u potpunosti izostane. Ljudi koji nisu bili u stanju da pomognu sami sebi retko budu u stanju da pomognu sopstvenoj deci, pa je zato paralela sa zombijima stoga odlično pogođena i majstorski izvedena: niko ne bira da bude zombi, zar ne? Uz sav užas i mržnju koju zombiji izazivaju kod ljudi, lako se zaboravlja da se iza tako dehumanizovanog koncepta krije ipak primarno ljudska žrtva, a taj pristup je upravo temelj ove priče. Naravno, ima tu još mnogo sastojaka, odreda uspešnih i još uspešnije zamešenih, od tipične whodunit detektivske misterije pa do pomalo subverzivnog poigravanja žanrovskim konvencijama, a to čini ovaj roman izuzetno čitljivom i zabavnom odskočnom daskom za gotovo neminovan serijal.
Što se samog lika Zombija tiče, Rowland je odlučila da ga žanrovski unapredi izvesnim karakteristikama koje inače pripadaju liku Vampira: Rowland svojim zombijima daje natprirodnu snagu i brzinu, baš kao i ne-starenje, potencijalnu besmrtnost i tipično vapmirsku žeđ, odnosno, u ovom slučaju - glad. U ovom romanu, zombiji gladuju isključivo za ljudskim mozgom, i to je neka vrsta eliksira koja ne samo da sprečava raspadanje njihovih nemrtvih tela, nego i zaceljuje bilo kakve rane i povrede, održavajući ih tako u bezmalo perfktnom stanju, to ako se zanemari pomalo nezdrava sivkasta nijansa posmrtnog tena.
Rečima same Angel: "I'm finally getting my life together. Too bad I had to die first", ovaj roman je zapravo topla ljudska priča (koliko god to svima nam zvučalo kao najotrcaniji kliše) o propuštenim prilikama, surovim životnim iskušenjima, novim prijateljima i novim počecima.
Ernest Cline - Ready Player One
Gikovština pisana od strane gikčine za mega-gikove.
Što, naravno, ne znači da je po difoltu i loše.
Hvaljeno je na sve strane pa, za svaki slučaj, ako se ispostavi da ne izaziva samo gikorgazam...
http://boingboing.net/2011/05/03/interview-with-ernes.html (http://boingboing.net/2011/05/03/interview-with-ernes.html)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi54.tinypic.com%2F2cxyby8.jpg&hash=528a4eaf7e2af68826ef68210e97105d5d1d9ef3)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline--Book Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifXryyx4erU#ws)
Tjah, hipsteri i gikovi se danas valjaju po tuce za paru, ali je zato gosn Simons razgnevio oveći komad politički korektnog populusa svojom najnovijom mega-romančinom i mnogi su izgleda zaista užasnuti i šokirani i uvređeni i zgroženi do te mere da drže gaće u rajćes indignejšen... :twisted: Flešbek kao da je majka svih apokalipsa: Amerika bankrotirala, Japan je "kupio", meksikanci prisvojili jug, hrišćanski fundamentalisti se otcepili od federacije, deca po školama uče kako je 9/11 "svitanje novog svetskog poretka"... svaki pošten arapin mora da cepti od sreće i zadovoljstva dok čita ovu knjigu, dok neki drugi (signalov Fernandez, na primer) tu uglavnom vide Obama-bašing hejt spič, rasizam i ksenofobiju rednek supremaciste... divota jedna. :mrgreen:
kaže gosn Simons:
[aeva]
QuoteWhy Write Dystopian Novels?
In a 1969 interview, Kurt Vonnegut said -- " I sometimes wondered what the use of any of the arts was. The best thing I could come up with was what I call the canary in the coal mine theory of the arts. This theory says that artists are useful to society because they are so sensitive. They are super-sensitive. They keel over like canaries in poison coal mines long before more robust types realize that there is any danger whatsoever."
For anyone who doesn't quite get the canary in the coal mine analogy, here's a linked explanation -- " The classic example of animals serving as sentinels is the canary in the coal mine. Well into the 20th century, coal miners in the United Kingdom and the United States brought canaries into coal mines as an early-warning signal for toxic gases including methane and carbon monoxide. The birds, being more sensitive, would become sick before the miners, who would then have a chance to escape or put on protective respirators."
Well, to be honest, most of those birds didn't "become sick"; they fell off their perch and went belly up and stone dead. The canaries had ceased to be. The canaries had gone to meet their maker. They were ex-canaries..
So those of us who write dystopian novels do so because we're weaker than the "more robust types" who can carry on with business as usual (even making profits and joining the Führer's favorite country club) through the increasing noxious gases of fascism or communism or limitless capitalism or attacks on our language or attacks on our intelligence and our deepest sense of reality and morality. This particular Vonnegutian super-sensitive canary in its cage on a long pole explores -- in the novel Flashback -- the possibility that the United States of America, if it continues accruing debt without rethinking its spending and social welfare programs, could implode in sudden and total bankruptcy, losing not only its position in the world but its own sense of self for hundreds of millions of its citizens.
In Flashback, this canary also imagines a cheap and available drug called flashback; a drug that allows hundreds of millions of Americans to find an escape hatch from life in such a damned and dismal future simply by reliving the good parts of their former lives. Over and over. And over. Twenty puny newbucks buys twenty perfect memories. And not just mere memories -- a full-sensory reliving of those minutes and hours and days we'd once thought lost forever.
So -- like Sir Thomas More, George Orwell, Kurt Vonnegut, Aldous Huxley, Anthony Burgess, and literally hundreds of other authors ---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dystopian_novels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dystopian_novels)
--- I confess that I have a canary-in-the-mineshaft weakness to certain noxious gases in the air these days. Each canary, it seems, falls off his or her perch and goes belly up in the cage at different times, in different parts of the mine, reacting to different -- but perhaps equally noxious -- gases.
Flashback is where I topple off my perch and go belly up with the best of them.
What Do the Best Dystopian Novels Give Us?
The language of these "noxious gases" speaks to us across the decades: Big Brother, doublethink, thoughtcrime, Newspeak, and Memory hole all set off alarm bells -- even for those pre- or post-literates who never read the book 1984.
In the 1980's, state legislators in Midwestern tornado-alley states pondered making it a legal requirement to add a $5 chip to all televisions; the chip would allow state and federal authoritites to turn on the television in sleeping families' homes from a distant government disaster center, tuning the set to maximum volume, thus assuring that otherwise helpless families in a tornado's path would hear the tornado alert. Thousands of lives could be saved by such a simple, inexpensive early-warning system. All it required was one little harmless, inexpensive chip in the TV's remote control memory, allowing it to be turned on from afar when a twister was in the area.
Both state and federal legislators voted down the idea by a wide margin. The reason, they said, was that it "smacked of Big Brother". It may be that a majority of those senators and congresspeople hadn't even read the book. No matter. Orwell's idea is in the air now, perhaps in our genes.
Almost every American has an aversion to Big Brother, even if they don't know who the hell he was. Big Brother was a gift to freedom-loving peoples from George Orwell, who also gave us such concepts as -- War is Peace!, Freedom is Slavery!, Ignorance is Strength !
Each generation -- whether they have read Orwell's canary-in-the-cage novel 1984 or not -- learns, in its own way and unique context how to be wary of such triumphant statements by whatever party or person in power. War is not peace, and no amount of Orwellian Newspeak can make it so. In a real sense, the novel 1984 was like a smallpox or polio vaccination to immunize future generations from the plague of Ingsoc where the Ministry of Truth, when not spreading its propaganda, is watching us 24/7 through omnipresent telescreens.
So, one can ask, did the book 1984, written in 1948, help us avoid living in a real "1984"? For hundreds of millions of human beings under Communist and various dictators' rule during the second half of the 20th Century, it didn't. They experienced all -- or at least most -- of 1984's perverse horrors and more.
But for Americans and other free peoples, it's my opinion that 1984 has raised, for even the most "robust" among us, a hyper-awareness to certain noxious gases. (You don't have to be a supersensitive canary to detect such gases; you just have to watch the damned and doomed canary.)
Is Flashback A Novel Stating Dan Simmons's Political Biases?
In a word . . . no. In two words . . . hell no.
I spent 18 years as an elementary classroom teacher (and loved it!) and one of the things I was proud of when I ended that career and moved on to another one (writing) is that after working with hundreds of kids in so many interesting ways, including "Black History" lectures, social studies simulations such as our five days of "The Cuban Missile Crisis" and the gifted/talented APEX program I helped create to serve thousands of bright kids -- after all that, I stake my reputation that not one of those students I taught ever left with even a hint of my stand on religion or politics or any other adults-only issues. It was simply not my role as an educator to share them.
After 29 novels published, I want (and trust) the same to be true with those who read my novels. I have my own core beliefs, but my profession here is to speculate, not to argue my opinions or to pretend to be a prophet. That latter skill, prophecy. like the trick of walking on water, hasn't been done well in a long, long time.
Finally, it's also true that I've noticed that even the most famous (and popular) (and beloved) writers from the 20th and 21st Century can be abysmally stupid when it comes to politics. This tendency toward idiotic political opinions may be one of the very few ways in which novelists and poets are like movie stars and rock idols.
One is more likely to receive a more common-sense political view and interesting speculation about the future by asking an average citizen on the street than by querying most writers.
And yet . . . .
The Vonnegut--canaries amongst us do fall off our perches from time to time.
If Not Peddling Your Own Politics in Flashback, What?
To put it in stark terms, Flashback is the novel in which I share the psychological and real-world reality (if not any details of the actual experience) of the day I came home from college early in my freshman year to discover that both of my parents had been diagnosed with cancer and would soon die. And it will also share the dawning perception of a nineteen-year-old -- after my parents' slow and hard deaths that year only six months apart, and after hospital and funeral expenses were paid -- that my younger brother (still in high school) and I, the remnants of what had been a fairly happy family, were flat broke, jobless, and seemingly without a viable future. None of my story of this is in Flashback, per se, yet it's all there behind the book. The emotions are there.
And some three hundred and seventy-five million Americans experience that feeling in Flashback.
What's the Starting Point for Flashback?
A left-Democratic friend of mine recently said that all this fuss about the national debt was just so much "Tea Party nonsense".
For purposes of basing a speculative fiction novel in a profoundly dystopian near-future, I'm not so sure my left-wing friend is right. Recently I heard a reporter ask Secretary of Defense Robert Gates the question -- "What is the greatest existential threat to the United States today?"
You know, unlike most of reporters' questions these days -- "How do you feel about winning the Olympic gold medal?" "How do you feel about having five members of your family carried away in the tornado?" -- this was a damned good question.
What is the greatest existential threat to America in 2011? What threat out there could end us as a free and viable nation? Russia with its aging stockpiles of megedeath sitting in its rusting missile silos and old submarines tied to wharfs? China with its surging technology, new stealth bombers, heaps of hydrogen bombs, new nuclear submarines, and a clear hunger for Taiwan and a Pacific hegemony? Iran with its new nuclear toys and incipient madness? Al Qaeda and its jihadist sympathizers around the world seeking and waiting impatiently for its chance to get its grubby hands on those weapons to murder more American men, women, and children?
What is the greatest existential threat to the United States in 2011?
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates -- soon to retire as I write this, but seen by almost everyone as a serious man, one of the finest and most solid members of both George W. Bush's and Barack Obama's administrations, one of the few men or women in government today with the Greek gift and curse of gravitas -- did not hesitate for a second when asked that question.
"The most serious existential threat to the United States is its rapidly growing national debt," said Robert Gates.
Sounds like a boring premise on which to build an exciting dystopian novel. But we'll see. There's also a deep love story in Flashback. And the core of the book is a complex mystery -- a compelling thriller even without the dystopian elements of the novel.
And beneath that are certain revelations about ourselves and our society that I think will run deep for readers.
But what does a stupid canary on a perch in a cage held out on a 12-foot pole know?
What Does the Phrase "Die-Ought-If" Mean?
In the Flashback-present twenty-some years from our own, ex-police detective Nick Bottom, Nick's 16-year-old son Val, Nick's 74-year-old father-in-law Professor Emeritus George Leonard Fox, and millions of other Americans know that "Die-Ought-If" is the way they pronounce the acronym D.I.A.H.T.F. -- the Day It All Hit The Fan. They use the phrase casually, but usually with some hint of pain, the way we currently talk about "nine-eleven" or "ground zero" and the way our parents' generation talked about "November twenty-second" and their parents' spoke of "Pearl Harbor".
I never learned when exactly the Day It All Hit The Fan was, but I got the sense it was closer to our "now" than to their "now". The Day It All Hit The Fan obviously wasn't just a replay of October, 1929, or of the puny housing-bubble-collapse/Global Financial Crisis/Great Recession of 2008 . . .
On Die-Ought-If, everything that could hit the fan did hit the fan.
It was global economic meltdown, but who gave a rip about the rest of the world? Here was bad enough. Here it was Die-Ought-If. Sometime closer to our now than Flashback's their now, if you were an American, you woke to find that the United States -- the interest on its debt now outpacing all revenue -- had, overnight, defaulted on it debt. You'd vaguely known that the government, in order to continue supporting "necessary" programs such as healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and continued "stimulus spending", was already borrowing sixty-three cents for every dollar it "spent" , but, suddenly, all of that became irrelevant. Our primary bank -- China -- was no longer there: split into thirty segments, each with one or more warlord fighting for ascendancy. The fact that "China" was now demanding payment in full on certain loans meant almost nothing. What meant something was that your ATM no longer spat out any money, even when you swiped the card again and pressed all the right buttons.
Now, in Flashback future not so far away, the dollar is, quite literally, no longer worth the paper it was printed on. Your savings and investments -- if you had any -- are gone. Prices have gone up a bit: an airline ticket from Los Angeles to New York now costs more than two million dollars, a loaf of bread around $900. The movie you want to stream on Friday night is only $1200.
Die-Ought-If was the day that Medicare and Medicaid died, the day that Social Security became a nostalgic memory -- like, say, those big, black phones with a rotary dial -- and the day that ObamaCare, expanding generously since its conception as every government program in history has, expired like a newborn with its umbilical cord wrapped tight around its neck.
Medical services in America continued to be provided, of course. When your diagnosed cancer calls for chemotherapy, you get in line. (Unless you're very rich.) The first state-insurance-funded chemotherapy sessions will arrive, on average in post-Die-Ought-If America, in eighteen months or so. No one talks about Death Panels any longer. There are no panels. Everyone is truly treated equal in post-Die-Ought-If America. (Except, of course, for those who can pay in Old Bucks or gold.)
Die-Ought-If was also the day that gasoline went to $300 a barrel and then really began to climb. It was the day that the consensual hallucination of the stock market -- everyone's stock market, everywhere -- popped like the precariously levitated soap bubble it always was. The Day It All Hit The Fan was the day that the steady 8.3% unemployment jumped to 72.9% but then dropped and stabilized because it no longer really meant a whole lot of difference whether one was employed or unemployed..
"Nothing will come of nothing, speak again," King Lear said to his doomed daughter Cordelia.
Lear's Fool said to Lear that now he was nothing without his crown and power: "Now thou art an O without a figure. I am better than thou art now; I'm a fool, thou art nothing". According to the Fool, King Lear was a zero and was no better than a "shealed peascod".
There were a hell of a lot of shealed peascods in America after Die Ought If. After the Day It All Hit The Fan, the giant number 0 was found painted on walls and abandoned cars and on the sides of buildings. Often it was painted in blood. Sometimes it was dabbed on the foreheads of murder victims. No one knew what it meant.
Gold was still worth something and in the days after the D.I.A.H.T. F. the federal government passed legislation appropriating all private gold and promptly sent troops around to collect it. So much for that particular portfolio investment.
The seizure of all gold didn't seem to change anything. Both the government and its citizens remain broke. Mother is dead. Father is dead. Uncle Samuel, who used to help the family in hard times and was the source of many presents, has been institutionalized either for Alzheimer's or for passing bad checks or for both.
The new American economy with its National Identification Card and its billions of near-worthless newbucks replacing real money struggled into existence, closer to our "now" than Flashback's "now", but did so with real difficulty: a bloody breach birth. Most people -- ex-homicide detective Nick Bottom included -- have found a way to survive in the new not-quite-real-economy. More than a few chose not to. Internet sites showing how to rig explosive suicide vests for best results -- including dipping the hundreds of shrapnel nails and tacks and marbles in rat poison -- received more than a million hits.
What's the United States Like In This Flashback Future?
America has seen better days. Including during the depths of the depths of the 1930's Great Depression.
There are 44 stars on the new flag of the United States.
The good news is that America finally has a solid and almost unpassable border -- more than 2,400 miles of it, protected by "smart fences", "seven-sense" detectors, other high-technology means, and a highly trained border force that means business to the point that almost no one passes this national border fence. The bad news is that the fence was created by, belongs to, and is manned by Canada. Americans at the end of their string try fleeing north, but they fail. The Canadian parliament, once so gentle and generous, passed the "three time's the charm" rule; the mass burial sites are said to take up hundreds of acres between Stepstone and Dog Lake north of Thunder Bay.
Hawaii is a royal kingdom again, presided over by a pure-blooded Hawaiian queen -- Liliʻuokalani the Second, also known as Lili'uoka2 , a top-streaming music star. She does not like tourists from the United States. Just as in the 1880's, a hundred and fifty years earlier, Hawaii is a fair-scented isle with too many hungry suitors, the Russian Federation, India, and Nippon among them.
Alaska is an energy-sufficient republic thanks to its "nationalized" oil and natural gas but it also has to play a complex game with the Russian Federation . . . and Canada . . . to keep its newfound independence. And its oil.
Texas is once again the Republic of Texas -- it's brought its oldest flag out of mothballs -- and the citizens there have voted, perhaps a bit whimsically (but probably not), to refer to themselves and to have others know them once again (it was popular during the days of the Alamo) as "Texicans". The aerosol drug flashback, sold everywhere in the remaining forty-four continental states, is illegal in the Republic of Texas: the punishment for the offense of using flashback in the Republic is prisoner tattooing, the loss of both index fingers, and exile; the punishment for selling flashback inside the borders of the Republic of Texas is execution by firing squad within 48 hours: no appeal, no delays, no blindfold.
A civil war in Mexico between the government and drug cartels (and between drug cartels and drug cartels) has driven the cartels and about 20,000,000 Mexicans across our former (and laughable) "southern borders". Sometime in the first decade of the 21st Century, an opponent of the easy illegal immigration from Mexico that had already brought more than 12,000,000 illegal immigrants to America -- primarily to its Southwestern states -- had said (most politically incorrectly) -- "To move to a new country, to work for yourself and your children to learn its language and culture, and to work hard and hope for the best is to be an immigrant. To move to a new country while carrying your old flag, language, culture, behavior, and national loyalties with you, is to be a colonist."
There are about 23,000,000 new colonists in the great swath ranging from the border with the Republic of Texas on the east, including all of what had once been New Mexico and Arizona, small swaths of Nevada, and irregular parts of southern California up to Los Angeles, ending at the Pacific Ocean. This is Nuevo Mexico -- pronounced in the proper Spanish-Mexican way -- and while the civil war continues to wage in the south with Hugonista rebels, trained in Argentina, reportedly occupying everything from the former southern border to Veracruz, Nuevo Mexico itself is reported to be calm and self-sufficient. Except for stories of starvation. And for stories of entire cities (such as Las Vegas, formerly of New Mexico) having to be abandoned because of water shortages. And except for Hugonista raids from the south and for Nuevo Mexico's constant border war with the Republic of Texas.
All in all, Nuevo Mexico is still a safer place to be than the United States.
What's Wrong With the United States in Flashback?
As mentioned earlier, the economy and currency have collapsed -- imploded. Health and social services have all but ceased to exist.
There's no government money for repairs, not even after ABO -- the Almost Big One -- hits the Bay Area, Anglo-held Los Angeles,and what's left of American California.
Violence in the streets is endemic. The upsurge in domestic jihadist terrorist attacks shortly after Die-Ought-If has made suicide bombings, sniper shootings, and all forms of terrorism chic.
Nick Bottom's 16-year-old son Val, sent off to live with his grandfather six years earlier because his father is too busy using flashback to pay attention to his child, looks out on a city, Los Angeles, completely lost to tribalism: Latino gang areas, Nuevo Mexico outposts covering several miles of the southeast part of the city; Vietnamese gangs owning the south; rich Anglo Protection Associations building walls and hiring ex-Blackwater mercenaries to draw the line in Bel Air, parts of Malibu, sections around Mulholland Boulevard, the working sections of Hollywood; black gang South Central areas where too many young men have taken the middle name "Nigger"; Aryan-Brotherhood areas of L.A. where it's death to enter without a tattooed blue-tear at the corner of your eye; the high-tech-protected Asian compound near U.C.L.A. with slayer drones buzzing overhead day and night . . .
In a time where any crowd is a suicide bomber's inevitable target, crowds no longer gather. Malls are closed and turned into condos. (Nick Bottom lives in a former luxury mall, now low-rent cubies, in south Denver.) The great sporting stadiums in America are now mostly detention centers or Homeland Security prisons. Denver has both -- the Coors Field baseball park turned into a mostly open-air prison holding around 70,000 detainees, most of them black or Latino (the populations do not mix, exept at the pitcher's mound where representatives can meet and talk on the truce rubber) and Denver's Invesco Field at Mile High where the Broncos once played. Now it's a black-roofed, black-walled, laser-eyed Regional Homeland Security Detention Center. Detainees check into Mile-High Stadium, but they never check out. Alive.
American males still get their sports fix. NFL Football, MLB baseball, NHL hockey, NBA basketball, whatever the hell the initials are for soccer -- it's all live on 3DHD TV. But the games never actually happen, as such. World-class athletes continue getting paid more money than dictators of Third World states -- of which there are many more now -- but they do their moves in a green-screen TMC (total motion capture) environment and the computers do the rest.
While Nick Bottom can drink a beer and watch his favorite pitcher throw the first pitch for the first game in a three-game series with the Mets in a perfectly rendered 3DHD Coors Field -- all the 37,000 faces in the crowd real people rendered from previous 3D video capture -- he can also smell the stench from the real Coors Field Detention Center more than four miles from his Cherry Creek Mall Manors seven-by-nine-foot cubie, subdivided from a former Baby Gap, every cubie in America big enough for a standard 7-foot widescreen 3DHD flatscreen, guaranteed by the New Bill of Rights.
Along with the terrorism, some of it directed for some obscure purpose (mostly jihadic) but the majority random, there's the flashgang violence.
Val Bottom belongs to a flashgang in L.A. Flashgangs commit violent and illegal acts solely for the purpose of flashing on them again; reliving them again and again via the cheap drug flashback.
Val's flashgang of eight boys has gang raped a 13-year-old spanic girl (for some reason Val volunteered to "stand guard" and didn't join in this time) and then Monk, Toohey, Sully, the Cruncher, Dinjin, Gene D., and Val leave the bleeding girl and retreat to their hideout -- the "eyrie" their leader Billy Coyne calls it, on the barricaded-off V-steel of an overpass high above an abandoned stretch of the 101 dropped during the ABO that Val barely remembers -- to flash on the rape.
Once safe high among the girders and slabs, Val's flashgang flashes again and again, always to repeated orgasm, reliving -- over and over -- every sensory detail, sight, sound, thought, feeling, and physical sensation of the rape of the young spanic girl. Such power. To rape and beat someone not once but fifty times. A hundred times!
The only thing Val Fox . . . his school name, his grandfather Leonard's name actually, since Val is really Val Bottom but will not honor his father who abandoned him . . .the only thing Val Bottom wants to flash on is the shooting of his old man. The killing, the very personal killing -- Val now has the 9mm Beretta semi-automatic and the ammunition -- of ex-detective Nick Bottom by his abandoned and forgotten just-turned-16-year-old son Val Bottom.
Shooting his father for the sin of abandoning him will happen soon, Val vows, despite the distance between Los Angeles and Denver where his father lives and despite chaos that's ripping the nation apart. Val vows that he will settle the score with his absentee father.
How About New Forms of Energy, New Types of Cars in the Future of Flashback?
Evidently our current hope-and change-focus on windmills didn't work out so well. Ex-homicide detective Nick Bottom lives in Denver where the locals have always taken an undeserved personal pride in their view of more than 150 miles of the Continental Divide. The line of snowy high peaks, a very few rising to more than 14,000 feet, have always shown pure white against the deep blue Colorado sky.
Now all of that view -- and further beyond the curve of the earth, north far onto the plains and Jim Bridger mountain wilderness of Wyoming and south beyond Pikes Peak deep into what had been New Mexico -- is studded with abandoned wind-turbine windmills. There are hundreds of these windmills, thousands of them between the Canadian Wall and the point where the mountains dwindle to desert near what used to be the Mexican border, and each tall, rusted, abandoned windmill is 350-ft. or 400-ft. tall. The blades are frozen in place from the day the state utilities finally gave up on them. Remnants of hundreds of thousands of birds, especially the night-migrating species, lie sliced and diced under the old snow and thin high-country soil. Giant conduction cables snake across and around and down the slopes and through slashes in the forest especially cut for them -- for our renewable wind power salvation -- more than a decade and a half earlier.
Earlier American administrations were more obsessed with windmills than Don Quixote had been. And the outcome is much the same as the Knight with the Woeful Countenance, save that America has spent trillions of dollars in a mostly vain -- and ultimately abandoned -- attempt to capture the wind. There is no money left to tear down and cart away the giant windmills that mar the view along every seacoast, across every prairie, and along the crest of almost every great mountain ridgeline in America.
So in Flashback we see the hundreds upon hundreds of windmills along the Divide west of Denver rusting in the high, chilly summer and winter sun above 11,000 feet. Val and his grandfather, Leonard, pass under these cold sentinels in the moonlight as the armed convoy of 18-wheelers they have taken from L.A. follows the deteriorating two-lane highway up and over Loveland Pass, over the summit at 11,990 feet. Val finds the line of 400-foot-tall columns frightening in the moonlight. Meanwhile, massive cables scarring the mountains on both western and eastern slopes of the Divide are turning a vomitous rust brown. No electricity flows through them. Denver and the other cities in Colorado and Wyoming receive power -- between rolling brownouts -- from huge new coal-burning plants or from one of the small nuclear reactors mass-produced in India or Japan.
The Sierra Club demands -- no longer requests, but demands -- that the thousands of rusting windmill skeletons be removed from the Continental Divide and from America's other lonely, lovely windy spots. But there's no money to throw a big tarp over them, much less remove them. Evidently this drives some lovers-of-the-planet mad. According to the Homeland Defense Security Agency's annual assessment, the Sierra Club has become a terrorist organization, responsible for more than three thousand suicide and terror bombings a year. (This makes it one of the minor terrorist groups operating in America in Flashback's near-future present.)
A few freelance scavengers try to salvage precious metals in what's left of the wind turbine's motors and many of these people fall to their deaths, blown by high winds from the stalks and bulbs of the 40-story tall turbines. Meanwhile, the windmills stay there, standing along the high mountain skyline like some ugly metal picket fence; or perhaps, to reach for an odder but more interesting (at least to me) simile, looking more like the rusting, long-legged remnants of some Martian War Machine Invasion gone terribly wrong for the Martians. (Our generation, of course, were the Martians in this folly.)
As for futuristic cars -- a few exist, but Nick Bottom and his fellow Americans rarely see them except as an occasional blur hissing past them in the Lexus Lane. One of the characters in Flashback describes the hydrogen and fuel-cell-powered cars the nine Japanese Federal Advisors and a few rich and corrupt Americans drive as "low, slick skateboards with bubble windshields and a clutter-free interior out of a 1957 Popular Mechanics". The old high-occupancy lanes on I-25 and other urban Interstates have become the Lexus Lanes, reserved day and night for the few VIP vehicles. Unauthorized driving in the Lexus Lane, no matter how jammed the traffic on the regular lanes might be, means automatic loss of a driver's license and a visit to Mile-High Stadium. The Lexus Lanes are almost always empty. Flashgangs often lay mines in them, just for the hell of it.
Nick Bottom, like so many Americans, drives an eighteen-year-old gelding. Geldings are gasoline-electric hybrids built almost as long ago as our present day, but with their gasoline engines and all attendant internal-combustion bits ripped out and the primitive electrical systems re-rigged to power the hybrid's small electric motors at each wheel. Of course, most expensive hybrids from our decade and the last weren't built to run on electric power alone. They do so poorly.
Don't look for any high-speed chases in Flashback. Nick and most other Americans have the option of driving 28 miles a day at 38 miles per hour or 38 miles at 28 m.p.h.. And that's only if there's lots of downhill involved.
It takes about sixteen hours to recharge Nick's gelding and the electricity from the reactor at the Rawhide Project near the Wyoming border isn't cheap. But with regular gasoline going for more than $58 a gallon -- old bucks, real dollars -- Nick pays for his trickle-charge and hopes his gelding holds together for a few more slow miles.
What About the Rest of the World?
The rest of the world? Who gives a damn about the rest of the world?
Regular Americans rarely give much of a damn about the "rest of the world" even in good times -- except for planning expensive European vacations where they'll be insulted by their hosts -- and they're even less interested during, say, the Great Depression or in the years since the Die-Ought-If.
But we get glimpses of the Rest of the World through Nick Bottom, his father-in-law Leonard Fox, the Japanese billionaire and powerful Federal Advisor Hiroshi Nakamura, and even through 16-year-old Val Bottom's points of view.
The Rest of the World has been busy with its own chaos while the United States has economically imploded and geographically shrunken:
A couple of million young American men and women are fighting "overseas" -- in the warlord-ridden mess of civil-war-divided China; in Malaysia and Indonesia and the free-fire zone once called Pakistan; in parts of Guatemala and Colombia -- but the United States is not at war. These American soldiers are mercenaries, hird to fight for the rising new superpowers -- Nippon, India, Brazil -- and we've brought back the draft (conscription, Selective Service, compulsory military service)to meet the need for troops. We had to. Payment for our military's services is America's primary source of hard currency.
Val Bottom, just turned sixteen, has already received his first notification card from the SS (Selective Service), a subset now of Homeland Security. They're going to keep close tabs on him until his induction after his seventeenth birthday.
We also get glimpses that tell us that the Global Islamic Caliphate -- only a fervent fever dream now in a billion or so minds -- is real enough in the post-Die-Ought-If days of Flashback. The Global Caliphate is a giant crescent, its central curve and core and capital in the Mideast where the triumphant states of Iran and Syria struggled toward mere regional hegemony in our own day. It seems that they succeeded. And then some. The northern horn of the Caliphate crescent stretches from the heart of the Mideast (Mecca and Medina, no longer part of the dead state Saudi Arabia at the heart of this heart) across Turkey and eastern Europe and all of Western Europe with the sharp tip of its crescent ending in Canada.
Europe, in our not-so-far-away Flashback future, is -- more than anything else -- old. Evidently it had neither the heart, stomach, energy, or armies for struggle. The E.U., save for the convenience of the euro in parts of the continent, has ceased to exist. Most of the nations of Western Europe -- as nations qua nations -- have similarly ceased to exist. What the hell -- most of them had long since been embarrassed by anything so crass as patriotism or "nationalism". Those ideas belonged to a bloody and dusty past.
So the Global Caliphate is vital across Western Europe and the U.K., allowing islands of "autonomy" for the remnants of the old nations occupied mostly by old men and women. The Global Caliphate, in contrast, is young. And filled with the energy of more than two billion True Believers who are seeing their faith's dream come true.
In Flashback we see these places and events as through a mist . . . or through a veil. Professor Emeritus George Leonard Fox has been married three times and we hear that his grown daughter in his second-marriage was wed in France and "went under the veil". He's not heard a word from her in the decades since.
The southern horn of the Global Caliphate's crescent sweeps triumphantly -- following the curve of Islam's first great expansion in the 7th Century -- across northern Africa, across the Atlantic into parts of Central America, with its sharpened horn buried deep in southern Mexico.
Canada, used to dividing itself into smaller parts to appease ethnic groups, languages, and claims to prior ownership, now divides itself gracefully into parts of the Umma and scores of local Canadian enclaves, many run by First Peoples, others by gangsters and terrorists, some by both groups combined. Ottawa's seat of government has control over Parliament Hill -- on a good day -- but little more. The most common baby name in Canada in the time of Flashback is Mohammed. (Way back in 2010, this was the most common baby name in Sweden.)
We learn in Flashback that jihadist terror in the United States is widespread, but the violence tends to be lost against the backdrop of chaos. Cities, states, and Americans are making a separate peace whenever possible.
In the first draft of Flashback, more than seven months before I heard the first news or whisper or rumor of this reality, I had written that Muslims had demanded that a mosque be built on the site of New York's Ground Zero -- the site of the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center. I wrote this because of my study of the habit of expansive Islam in the Middle Ages -- and after the Middle Ages -- so frequently building mosques on the sites of great military victories over the infidels. (Christianity, of course, had done similar things, building churches and cathedrals over "pagan" sites -- but most of these sites were ancient ruins or druid stones.) Islam built its trophy marks more quickly and with little subtlety.
"Hagia Sophia" is Greek for "Holy Wisdom" and the Christian cathedral to rise on that site in Constantinople was dedicated in the Fourth Century A.D.. Hagia Sophia was formally consecrated and dedicated in the name of logos -- "discourse" or "reason" or "knowledge", as in the idea of "Word" from the opening of the Gospel according to John --" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Besides dedicating the cathedral to reason, it meant dedication to the Holy Spirit who is the bringer of Grace and source of human reason.
From 260 A.D. to 1532 A.D., the Haga Sophia served as the central Constantinople Cathedral for both Orthodox and then Roman Catholic faith. The story is told that in May of 1532, as Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmet II broke through siege defenses around Constantinople, up to 50,000 Christians rushed to the great square outside Hagia Sophia and then pressed into the cathedral itself, where priests and bishops were saying Mass, the Holy Liturgy, and the Prayer of the Hours around the clock -- begging God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and especially Jesus Christ to deliver them from the infidel.
But the infidel - or in these infidels' particular view, the enemy of all infidels, the followers of the Prophet -- prevailed that May day in 1532. The sultan had promised his men three days of unrestricted looting and pillage if they succeeded in taking Constantinople, and Mehmet II was as good as his word. The thousands of Christians cowering in Hagia Sophia -- including the bishops saying Mass until Muslim troops beat them into silence or killed them -- were fair game for such pillage. The cathedral was deliberately desecrated and looted and the men, women, and children praying there killed on the spot -- except for the thousands who were dragged off in chains as slaves.
When Mehmet II entered Hagia Sophia, he immediately ordered it converted to the Ayasofya Mosque -- as per the tradition of raising mosques to praise Allah after great victories. Hagia Sophia remained a mosque from 1532 until 1935 when the first Turkish president and founder of the secular Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, ordered the mosque turned into a museum.
So this is why -- seven months before any news of the debate about the mosque at Ground Zero hit the media -- I had written in my first draft that in the near-future of Flashback time, over the hole at Ground Zero, rose the Sharid al-Haram -- the largest mosque in North America. Sharid al-Haram means something like Martyrs of the Holy Place, or so young Val learned in school in Los Angeles, the mosque eternally (and quite correctly, according to young Val's teachers) memorializing the martyrdom operation of September 11, 2001 -- the day, the teachers explained, when the American Hegemony and illegal occupations of Islamic holy lands finally began to break.
September 11 is one of the days in the novel and Val and his grandfather hear not only the AK-47 shots of the faithful echoing around Los Angeles in celebration of the day, but also most of the church bells in L.A. ringing in peaceful and sympathetic support of the Islamic holiday.
Then, in my second draft, I took out the Sharid al-Haram mosque. I felt it was just too cynical. Muslims, especially American-born Muslims, I felt, would never be so completely insensitive and overbearing as to demand a mosque on the very place that jihadist Islam -- with the terrorists screaming Allahu-Akbar! as literally the last things the men, women, and children in the hijacked aircraft would ever hear -- had attacked America. And if they were to be so outrageous, I thought as I removed those Sharid al-Haram paragraphs from the second draft, New York and American politicians would never allow such an outrage to get beyond the talking stage, no matter how dedicated to religious freedom were are in this country. Building a mosque at or near the Ground Zero site would be like . . . well, like raising a huge mosque on the foundation of the great Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Instanbul. Raising it literally on the bones and bone dust of the slaughtered.
Well, imagine my surprise. Reality does that to me. And frequently.
[/aeva]
:evil:
prestala sam da čitam kod Six Flags Over the Jews: bojim se spojlera, jer ovo je romančina za koju mi treba najmanje 30 sati, kakvo crno brzo čitanje... :cry: :lol:
Je l' ovo promaklo samo meni?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi55.tinypic.com%2F4jiiw.jpg&hash=071d42f3f998ec6ef9e494d9da20e237c018fa9b)
Nije The Sword of Truth al' tu je negde...
"THE OMEN MACHINE - This is the extraordinary story of what happens next in Richard and Kahlan's world now that the great war has ended. (A few have asked, and no, there is no connection whatsoever to THE LAW OF NINES.) I'm having a great time writing this book and can't wait for people to read it. From the first sentence you will be just as mystified as Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, and many of the other characters we've all come to care so much about. I can't say much more for now... except fear what is about to happen." - Terry Goodkind, December 2010
Ma jeste SoT. Pola interneta mu se izruguje.
David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Heaven's Shadow
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi53.tinypic.com%2Fdw4zv7.jpg&hash=cfbdef81e4b549bc62f76070728dd8fa171bd145)
Je l' ovaj David S. Goyer ovaj David S. Goyer: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/ (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/) ?
Quote from: Gaff on 24-08-2011, 11:28:55
David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Heaven's Shadow
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi53.tinypic.com%2Fdw4zv7.jpg&hash=cfbdef81e4b549bc62f76070728dd8fa171bd145)
Je l' ovaj David S. Goyer ovaj David S. Goyer: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/ (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/) ?
Quote from: Gaff on 24-08-2011, 11:28:55
David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Heaven's Shadow
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi53.tinypic.com%2Fdw4zv7.jpg&hash=cfbdef81e4b549bc62f76070728dd8fa171bd145)
Je l' ovaj David S. Goyer ovaj David S. Goyer: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/ (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333060/) ?
Quote from: mekon.com on 24-08-2011, 16:19:30
Quote from: Gaff on 24-08-2011, 11:28:55
David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Heaven's Shadow
izgleda da jeste..http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2011/06/heavens-shadow-by-david-s-goyer-michael.html (http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2011/06/heavens-shadow-by-david-s-goyer-michael.html)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi53.tinypic.com%2Fdw4zv7.jpg&hash=cfbdef81e4b549bc62f76070728dd8fa171bd145)
Je l' ovaj David S. Goyer ovaj David S. Goyer:
Hvala, mekone.
Interesantno... biće i filma/trilogije...
Ma garantovano će nam tri puta prodati istu foru.
Biće dobro ako bude samo tri puta... što me podseti...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi55.tinypic.com%2F34xgrpi.jpg&hash=3c81f9ada8b49258cad3097e5a443109fd21daac)
Ima nešto u ljudskom biću što ga stalno tera... da priviruje u budućnost. :) Dosta nas veruje da mnoga pitanja o koja se filozofi od pamtiveka sapliću - te ko smo to mi, te kuda smo se to uputili, te kakav smo to put odabrali, te kuda sve to možemo tim putem da stignemo - zasigurno imaju svoje odgovore u budućnosti. Mislim, eto, naša sadašnjost ima skroz proste odgovore na mnoga pitanja koja su drevni mudraci sagledavali kao žestoke glavolomke, pa kakva li će to znanja posedovati naši potomci za par stotina godina, recimo? A kako je pretpostavljanje odgovora vazda bila jedna od omiljenih naučnofantastičnih zanimacija, gvirkanje u budućnost se zato rasprostire po celom žanrovskom terenu, u lepezi od sve tamo čistog detinjastog eskapizma pa do smrtno ozbiljne naučne ekstrapolacije. SF je oduvek bio fasciniran budućnošću, nema tu zbora. U svojim naivnim počecima, SF bio skloniji da o budućnosti razmišlja pun vere u procvat Čoveka, pun entuzijazma za njegove podvige i stremljenja, pun benevolentne podrške za njegovu odlučnost i rešenost i predodređenost da hoda prostranstvima kojima niko još nije kročio... kasnije se SF otreznio, malko uozbiljio i realnije sagledao zbivanja oko sebe i u sebi. Moglo bi se reći da je SF, u svom poznijem odrastanju, usput taknut hladnim prstom pesimizma, a to mu je otvorilo vidike dovoljno široke da u njim nazre i sam kraj tog famoznog puta kojim Čovek tumara.
Govorim, naravno, o vidicima "apokaliptične" naučne fantastike.
Čak i ako ceo apokaliptični korpus danas prepoznamo kao ono što on u suštini i jeste - prorok naše propasti i dežurni najavljivač vaskolikog nam kraja - to zasigurno ne podrazumeva da provalije u koje on upire prstom ne postoje. Istina, neka od tih upiranja prstom danas će nam zasigurno izmamiti osmejak, ili čak i poluglasno kikotanje... žanrovske invazije malih zelenih marsovaca, na primer. Invazije vanzemaljskih virusa, kojekakvih predatora ili kometa možda još i mogu da podignu tu i tamo pokoju obrvu, ali ne mnogo više od toga. Ali to ne znači da ostale provalije u koje je žanr uperio prst ne izgledaju vredne strahopoštvanja: opasnost od samouništenja nuklearnim i biološkim oružjem, opasnost od nepopravljivog zagađenja životne okoline, od neobnovljivog uništavanja prirodnih zaliha, nekontrolisane društvene i pogrešno kontrolisane ekonomske raspodele, uništenja ozonskog omotača, otapanja silnih zaliha leda, radioaktivnih katastrofa, od... pa, eto, nastavite tu listu kako vam drago. Mnoge od potencijalnih katastrofa s te liste imaju koren i temelj u uličnoj primeni visokih tehnologija i taj aspekt se lako može prepoznati kao najsavremenije lice apokaliptičnog ogranka žanra naučne fantastike.
Dobrodošli u Soft Apocalypse.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fea_SoftApocalypse.jpg&hash=38c8a430136cc88b249197796bfe28e833a38c4c)
Ne, u ovom romanu nema grandioznog smaka sveta na kakvog su vas navikle poznate žanrovske apokalipse. Nema vulkanske niti zemljotresne globalne katastrofe, nema čak ni asteroida koji bi pri impaktu potopio skoro polovinu naseljenog sveta, a ostatku kasnije doneo novo ledeno doba. Nema ni vanzemaljskog napada, ni nuklearnog holokausta koji bi civilizaciju vratio na tehnološki nivo pećinskog nomada, naoružanog samo lukom i strelom. Nema ni komete, ni otapanja polarnog leda, niti bilo kakve pojedinačne kataklizme kojoj bi mogli pripisati krah civilizacije, pa opet... ima nešto srazmerno gore od svega toga zajedno: u ovom romanu, nudi se smiraj ne civilizacije, nego samog Čoveka, a pri tom je izveden iz upravo onih zbivanja koje danas smatramo za maltene svakodnevicu.
Sofisticirana tehnologija uvek nađe svoju uličnu primenu: to je danas već aksiom koji nam je ponajviše ilustrovao upravo kiberpank. Informacija donosi znanje, a znanje donosi moć, tako da je pojam bilo kakve "privilegije" odavno redefinisan, i to u korist ulice. U svetu u kom crna berza ilegalne trgovine stoji gotovo ravnopravna sa legalnom tehnologijom, piraterija ne samo da nudi isto što i original, nego i mnogo više od toga: ne možete da kupite razorni eksploziv u supermarketu, zar ne, ali zato može da na internetu lako pronađete upustva kako da isti sami napravite, u bezbednosti sopstvenog podruma, i to od jeftinih, legalnih i lako dostupnih hemikalija za široku potrošnju. To je odavno već naša svakodnevica i mi u njoj već danas krajnje nelagodno živimo, oslanjajući se tek na delikatnu ravnotežu koju održava razumna većina nad destruktivnom manjinom.
Ali šta nam to zapravo garantuje taj odnos snaga?
Pa, valjda nekakva vera u bolju budućnost. Još uvek verujemo u tu "bolju budućnost", zar ne? Još uvek smo spremni da radimo na njenom ostvarivanju, još uvek nismo došli do one tačke slamanja ljudskosti u kojoj se nedužni prolaznici ubijaju snajperom, bombama, otrovom ili gasom... no dobro, možda smo samo spori u reagovanju, pa privirimo zato u svet Tihe Apokalipse i sagledajmo šta nas čeka za svega desetak godina.
Nezaposlenost od oko 40%, to primarno u društvenjačkim sektorima. Ozbiljno smanjene zalihe fosilnih goriva, čije cene upravljaju tržištem do te mere da se neopozivo gubi srednja klasa, postavljajući tako nepremostiv jaz između krajnje bogatih i krajnje siromašnih. Velika ekonomska depresija koja proizvodi nasumično nasilje čiji je primarni cilj pljačka, a onda i uništenje svega što se ne može opljačkati. Otvorena manipulacija očajanjem velikog broja krajnje obespravljenih ljudi, koji uporno insistiraju na iluziji da će se njihov raspadajući svet vratiti u normalu nekakvom krajnje jednostavnom intervencijom države. Beznađe, očaj a onda i gnev... ali, na šta? na koga? U tako naglom i tako sveobuhvatnom narodnom nezadovoljstvu, gnev se ne kanališe ni na koga posebno, nego na generalnu okolinu. Na sve u blizini. Na upravo sve što se može dohvatiti, na sve što se nalazi u najdirektnijoj okolini - na svoje bližnje, na nedužne prolaznike, na beskućnike koji tumaraju ulicama bez sredstava za život... i posredno, naravno, na same sebe.
Ulična primena visoke tehnologije okreće se primarno destrukciji. Zaboravite na današnju produkciju kompjuterskih virusa, motivisanu dosadom i zlobom taman koliko i materijalnom pohlepom; zamislite rađe hakersku produkciju precizno dizajniranih bio-virusa, i to motivisanu isključivo destrukcijom. Zamislite ljude koji na nedužne prolaznike bacaju molotovljeve koktele takvih zaraza. Zamislite svet u kom policajci, intervenišući u sukobima uličnih bandi, za pola sata umru, iskašljavajući sopstvena pluća u komadima, a onda zamislite svet u kom policajci uzvraćaju nervnim gasom i masakrima. Zamislite Kool-Aid svet u kom zaražene majke bodu usnulu decu okrvavljenim iglama, da im tako priušte svoj bezbrižni svet dizajner virusa zvanog Doctor Happy. Zamislite svet u kom bio-hakeri "unaprede" bambus u nejestivu, brzorastuću varijantu koja se razmnožava preko podzemnog korena i koja pri takvom rastu može da prodre kroz asfalt i beton. Zamislite beskućnike koji, zadojeni mešavinom anarhizma i uličnih tumačenja poluprobavljenih filozofija, bukvalno umiru od gladi, dok tumaraju gradovima i podmeću takve sadnice na najprometnije ulice. Zamislite ljude koji nose mačete i srpove da bi mogli da se kroz divlje rastinje probiju do svojih zgrada, dok još stoje na temeljima do kojih bambus nije dosegao. Zamislite ljude koji kidnapuju pse i u stomake im podmeću razorne eksplozive, ne bi li im tako pobili vlasnike, a onda zamislite i ljude koji razapinju svoje žrtve na zemlju i sladostrasno gledaju probijanja sadnica bambusa kroz ljudsko meso.
A onda zamislite i Jaspera, mladića koji proživljava tu apokalipsu u njenom najsurovije obespravljenom vidu, uporno tražeći smisao u svetu koji se raspada, ili barem tražeći srodnu dušu u čijem bi društvu to raspadanje lakše podneo. Zamislite Jaspera koji tu srodnu dušu traži preko internet sajtova za sklapanje romantičnih poznanstava, grčevito se držeći iluzije da makar i najgori od svih mogućih svetova postaje podnošljiv, samo ako čovek ima ženu koju voli, i koja tu ljubav uzvraća. Zamislite mladog čoveka koji je čak i u takvom svetu spreman da poveruje da lična sreća može da parira globalnoj apokalipsi, i to će vam, možda, samo donekle da priušti uvid u grandioznost ovog debi-romana, čija istinska dubina leži van fokusa samog zapleta, na periferiji majstorski nijansirane slike beznađa koje nam je tako lako prepoznatljivo. U Tihoj Apokalipsi, Jasper nas predstavlja onako kako poslednji čovek na svetu predstavlja celokupno čovečnstvo; živimo samo dok se sa beznađem borimo. Jer, kakva god da ta borba bila i koliko god jalova se pokazala, jedino nas ona sprečava da ne ustuknemo u mračne uglove u kojima sipljiv i boležljiv poluživot tavori dok mu dah ne istekne. U svetu u kome ljudi više nemaju volje za takvom borbom, Soft Apocalypse nam upire prstom u provaliju na čijim rubovima odavno živimo i niz čije litice sve češće bacamo nezainteresovane poglede, iako dobro znamo da civilizacija umire upravo u onom trenu u kom čovek shvati da mu do nje više nije stalo.
A možda baš i zbog toga.
Izašlo juče.
Charlaine Harris - The Sookie Stackhouse Companion
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi55.tinypic.com%2Frwklk1.jpg&hash=4ab9549bf3a5629a1fb931849c2c0628005ea025)
Quote
The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the definitive guide to the world of Sookie Stackhouse.
Charlaine Harris has topped the bestseller charts and has become a nationwide phenomenon, thanks to the unconventional-and otherworldly- life of Sookie Stackhouse. Now, in her own words, Sookie gives readers a look at her family, friends, enemies, adventures, and-of course-the lovers who set her world on fire...
Readers will:
* Tour Bon Temps, the small Louisiana town that Sookie calls home, and visit the houses of her Gran and her sometime vampire lover, Bill
* Prowl around the werewolf and were-panther communities
* Browse through her best friend Tara's dress shop
* Belly up to the bar in Merlotte's, where Sookie works
* Get must-have Bon Temps recipes-including Caroline Bellfleur's famous chocolate cheesecake
* Test themselves with trivia questions from the series
Ima da isisa iz ovog serijala i poslednju kap.
Novi Simonsov roman je do te mere krcat distopičnim vizijama bliske nam budućnosti, da je ceo zaplet u romanu maltene bačen u zasenak. Daleko bilo da samom tom zapletu išta fali – naprotiv, reč je o intrigantnom i odlično tempiranom trileru čiji akteri su besprekorno funkcionalni – nego eto, i tokom čitanja i po čitanju Flešbeka, bićete daleko više fascinirani svetom kojeg vam Simons nudi tek kao pozadinu.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51U05MK-7YL.jpg&hash=f48de24f4c95bebd0de815c4dca6de8be58ee361)
Zaplet je klasično detektivski (na momente čak pomalo i šablonski u toj svojoj klasičnosti) i preko njega se odlično nudi oprobana formula odmerenog doziranja čitalačke informacije. Nik Botom - nekadašnji policijski detektiv kome je tragična smrt supruge okončala karijeru i bacila ga u tešku ovisnost o flešbeku, aerosolnom narkotiku pod čijim dejstvom korisnik doslovno iznova proživljava odabrane momente iz sopstvene prošlosti – naprasno biva unajmljen da reši misteriozno, šest godina staro ubistvo. Čak je i samom Niku odmah jasno da nije dorastao tom zadatku, bar ne u stanju u kom se trenutno nalazi: ako je nekada i bio sposoban policijski detektiv, Nik je svestan da je odavno postao nešto sasvim suprotno tome - postao je gubitnik i narkoman, slabić koji utočište nalazi u narkotiku koji mu omogućava da iznova proživljava srećne trenutke koje je delio sa ženom i detetom. Nik stoga prihvata ponudu sa striktnom namerom da ukrade koliko može od basnoslovne svote koja se nudi za rešenje misterije oko ubistva. Ali, poslodavac je ne samo otac ubijenog mladića, nego i japanski političar, vlasnik jednog od najbogatijih zaibatsua i jedan od daimja u užem izboru za šogunat, a to znači i da lako može da silom dobije sve ono što je spreman tako obilno da plati. Nik postepeno otkriva da je ne samo u stanju da reši enigmu oko ubistva Nakamurinog sina i naslednika, nego i da se ključ te enigme nalazi upravo u uspomenama koje tako spremno oživljava uz pomoć droge – uspomenama koje uključuju i njegovo tragično preminulu suprugu.
Naravno da, bar u rukama majstora kao što je Simons, sam taj zaplet nosi potencijal za odličan detektivski roman, ali ono što Flešbek najiskrenije nudi se zapravo vrlo malo oslanja na finese direktnih zbivanja, ma koliko iste bile intrigantne. Simons je prvenstveno vođen idejom da nam dočara svet bliske budućnosti, i to da ga dočara u maniru striktne ekstrapolacije koja roman čini odlično tempiranim komentarom na trenutne političke, ekonomske i društvene kontroverze o kojima Simons očigledno vrlo često i vrlo ozbiljno razmišlja. I mada je neosporno da je Simonsov pristup osetno konzervativan i desničarski (neki bi tu dodali i ono "ultra"), isto je tako osetan napor da se surovost realizma u romanu opravda insistiranjem na prostoj eskalaciji truleži zatečenog stanja današnjice, pa se tako i sam SF žanr u romanu svodi na futurizam u kom se izdvaja samo jedan uistinu smeli fantastični element, a to je sama droga flešbek. S druge strane, detaljisanje tog elementa je tako sračunato zaobiđeno, da se na njega komotno može gledati i kao na metaforu: da, 90% stanovništva je ovisno o flešbeku, i da, 90% njih provode dane u proživljavanju sopstvenih ,,dobrih, starih dana", ali, svet ipak ide dalje, samo bez njih.
Simonsa, naravno, brine kuda to taj svet ide.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51U66J0ufFL.jpg&hash=c736b8dd6be243726a5cb42b1535f16c5af20a23)
Dakle, svega dvadesetak godina u budućnosti, SAD su u poodmaklom stanju ekonomskog i političkog raspada: moćna federacija je teritorijalno osakaćena upadima meskičke vojske i politički ponižena kako japanskim preuzimanjem političke vlasti, tako i vaskolikim ilegalnim imigrantima, koji su implodirali ekonomsku i društvenu ravnotežu. Američka zakonska infrastruktura je u kolapsu - autoputevima operišu pljačkaši i kidnaperi, dok je glavni izvor američkih prihoda postalo iznajmljivanje američke vojske koja se praktično smatra najamničkom formacijom u službi bilo koga ko može da da priušti plaćanje tih i takvih usluga. Izrael je zbrisan sa lica zemlje nuklearnim napadom a muslimanske zemlje su se udružile u formaciju zvanu Islamski Globalni Kalifat. U ostatku sveta, pogotovo u Evropi, stanje nije nimalo bolje: šarijat je na mala vrata ušao u zakone evropskih zemalja i one su uskoro poklekle, kako društveno tako i politički, pred silovitim naletom ,,teokratske kulture srednjevekovnog mentaliteta", kako to sam Simons kaže; Kina je u potpunom kolapsu i Japan i Indija je prisvajaju deo po deo; Kanada je postala zemlja u kojoj je najčešće ime za mušku novorođenčad – Muhamed; zemlje Prvog sveta su zaboravile veštinu samostalnog prehranjivanja i samodovoljnosti uopšte, pa njihovu politiku diktira čisto ekonomski aspekt brutalne svakodnevice; na mestu višespratnica srušenih u 9/11 napadu podignuta je džamija; Teksas je nezavisna država; nekad moćna američka federacija zvanično broji 44.5 članica i u njoj tinejdžeri govore rusofilnim žargonom iz Paklene pomorandže...
Ima toga još, naravno, ali to su otprilike dimenzije okvira u kom Simons vidi svet za dvadesetak godina. Prilično je lako ustanoviti desničarsku intonaciju u Simonsovom futurizmu, ali daleko je teže argumentovano tvrditi da za tako distopične strepnje apsolutno nema mesta u sagledavanju današnjice i svih mogućnosti koje ona nudi. I mada je Simonsovo insistiranje na šablonskoj reda-radi-otvorenoj završnici neka vrst omaža palpičnoj viziji univerzalne pravde, ostaje činjenica da je njegov futurizam daleko ubedljiviji u svojoj distopičnoj vizuri, negoli u pomalo nasilno ružičastoj viziji prkosnog povratka u radioaktivnu pustinju Izraela ili u prilično neubedljiviim pokušajima rekonstrukcije Svetskog poretka, baziranim na pseudo-demoktratskim premisama kakve se čak i danas smatraju neproduktivnima. Naime, završiti roman stavom koji 2 milijarde ljudi na planeti definiše kao "rak u remisiji" teško može da isporuči optimističnu završnicu, čak i u sprezi sa prilično mlitavo izvedenim privatnim polu-hepi-endom za glavnog junaka, koji je tako očigledno predstavnik najugroženijeg dela današnje zapadnjačke civilizacije.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51C9mmmwk%252BL.jpg&hash=e58bea67765fc3026388771fe247eb619f225bf5)
U tom i takvom futurističkom okviru, flešbek zaista i nije droga, koliko je metafora za apatiju kojom današnjih 90% liberalnih mislilaca ćutke prihvata otpremljivanje u distopičnu budućnost koju nam Simons tako verno dočarava i koje se tako iskreno plaši. Na više mesta u romanu se otvoreno proziva Obamina administracija kao prelomna tačka posle koje više nije bilo povratka, ali nema mesta sumnji da je glavni ,,krivac" u romanu upravo onih 90% apatičnih ovisnika o begu od stvarnosti, od kojih neki koriste flešbek da iznova prožive sate i sate čitanja papirnatih knjiga, kakve u distopičnom svetu kojeg Simons nudi više ne postoje.
Dan Simmons: The Terror
"The Life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
Simmonsov roman The Terror je nesvakidašnja mešavina mitologije, fikcije i istorijskog realizma, ponuđena kroz pedantno višesmislenu prizmu natprirodnog horora, i pritom u celosti podređena upravo gore navedenom citatu iz Hobbesovog Leviathana.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2F20090606145200Franklins_lost_expedition_map.png&hash=60333a0154d63b32bed4da1276077e9664a9b655)
Roman nudi pretpostavljenu sudbinu istinitog istorijskog događaja - misterioznog nestanka Sir John Franklin arktičke ekspedicije pokrenute u maju 1845, sa dva broda, HMS Erebus i HMS Terror, sa njihovih 129 članova posade, to u potrazi za prolazom koji na kanadskom arktiku spaja Atlantik sa Tihim okeanom. O sudbini te ekspedicije se ništa pouzdano nije saznalo, uprkos pokušajima spasilačkih ekipa koje je instigirala i dobrim delom finansirala Sir Johnova supruga. Simmons se zato striktno drži poznatih činjenica - to van samih špekulacija o konačnim danima posade, mada Simmons čak i njih nudi uz veliko insistiranje na verodostojnosti - i smišljeno dovodi u sumnju natprirodni aspekt samog romana.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fterror_simmons.jpg&hash=1340990294ac7cdc28c9aa34bdbd03b8471997ec)
Sir John Franklin je bio ne samo vođa ekspedicije, nego i kapetan čelnog broda Erebus, dok je kapetan broda Terror bio izvesni Francis Crozier - neosporno kompetentan moreplovac, kog su jedino besparica i irsko poreklo drastično lišavali zasluženog priznanja u kraljevskoj mornarici. Oba jedrenjaka su bila dodatno adaptirana kao parnjače, to za ispomoć u plovidbi bez vetra, ali Erebus je već na samom početku oštetio elisu motora, tako da su se već u prvoj zimi oba broda zatekla čvrsto okovana arktičkim ledom. I mada su oba broda bila opskrbljena sasvim prikladnim zalihama za trogodišnje putovanje (a uz razumne restrikcije pri trošenju, te zalihe su mogle da podnesu čak i petogodišnju opskrbu najnužnijih prohteva kako broda tako i posade), ubrzo se ispostavilo da je velik deo konzerviranih zaliha hrane bio zatrovan u faličnoj proizvodnji, pa time i praktično neupotrebljiv. Posada je tako već u prvoj zimi bila prisiljena da živi uglavnom na zalihama usoljenog mesa, pa je užasavajuća perspektiva skorbuta vrebala već od samog početka ekspedicije. U naporu da se jelovnik obogati spasonosnim svežim mesom, grupe lovaca su odaslate u potragu za polarnim medvedima i lisicama, i jedna od tih grupa je slučajno nabasala na par Eskima, devojku i njenog oca, ili verovatnije dedu, s obzirom na njegovu starost. U tom susretu stari Inuk je nehotično ranjen, pa se posada osetila obaveznom da urođenike povede sa sobom na brodove. Stari Inuk je eventualno podlegao rani, a za devojku se ustanovilo da nema sposobnost govora zato što joj je jezik odsečen, ili boljen rečeno odgrižen, sasvim nisko pri korenu. Kapetan Crozier je dopustio da devojka ostane na njegovom brodu, smatrajući da joj inače ne gine smrt od gladi i smrzavanja, i dao joj je ime Lady Silence, zaduživši pri tom mladog oficira Johna Irvinga da se stara o njenoj sigurnosti.
Ubrzo po tom događaju, posade obaju brodova su otkrile da ih vreba predator daleko opasniji od bilo kog poznatog oblika arktičke faune. Kako su strah i panika lagano rasli, prisustvo Lady Silence je među posadom proizvodilo uglavnom dve reakcije, obe krajnje destruktivne: jedna grupacija je u njoj videla uzrok svih zala koji su ih snašli, te je, shodno tome, planirala njeno ritualno žrtvovanje, dok je druga grupacija u Eskimo devojci videla vešticu koja bi mogla upravo od tih zala da ih spase, to samo ako je podmite sitnim darovima u mesu i rumu. Kapetan Crozier se zdušno borio protiv obaju grupacija, pri tom insistirajući upravo na vojnoj disciplini i zdravom razumu, time nehotično hraneći pobunjenički sentiment među demoralizovanim ljudstvom. U uslovima krajnje niskih temperatura, gotovo neprestanih snežnih vejavica, drastično smanjene vidljivosti i nedostatka suvislih i pouzdanih izveštaja od strane retkih očevidaca, posada se sve više priklanjala praznovericama po pitanju objašnjenja porekla "Stvora sa leda". Nakon grozomornog masakra nad ljudima koji su pokušali da čudovišno stvorenje uhvate u klopku - a među njima je bio i Sir John, vođa ekspedicije - posada je došla do zaključka kako nije u pitanju obična polarna životinja, nego isključivo natprirodni fenomen.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FInvestigator_1687930c.jpg&hash=f9ed44ac3241cf8e603893317e1fb40fec89c058)
Kad je, po dolasku kratkog arktičkog leta, izostalo otapanje leda kojim su brodovi bili okovani, i kad su izostale očekivane migracije arktičke faune na koju je posada računala za ishranu, kad su zalihe uglja i usoljene hrane spale na nivo na kom više nisu mogle da održe preživelu posadu, kapetani Crozier i Fitzjames su odlučili da napuste oba ledom zdrobljena broda i potraže spas u pešačenju preko ogromnog ledenog prostranstva. U trećoj godini tih surovih iskušenja, među posadom zgromljenom nemilosrdnom hladnoćom, glađu, skorbutom i ubitačnim paganskim praznovericama izraslim oko maliciozne inteligencije predatora koji ih uporno i nemilosrdno ubija iz zasede, došlo je najzad i vreme pobuna i kanibalizma, vreme u kom su ubice jele svoje ubijene kolege, tek da bi kasnije i sami postali žrtve nekih budućih žrtvi.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2Fe%2Fe2%2FCaptaincrozier.jpg%2F200px-Captaincrozier.jpg&hash=4ba187df3236835ede3ef25a9761be73ba2558d2)
Najimpresivniji aspekti romana se otkrivaju u Simmonsovom nesmiljenom analiziranju čovekovog instinkta aktiviranog u situacijama krajnje egzistencijalne ugroženosti. Simmons se ponajviše bavi upravo mehanizmom koji racionalizira instinkte i porive kakvi retko kad isplivaju na površinu u iole stabilnom društvenom uređenju. U najdirektnijem takvom seciranju, na udaru se našla prvenstveno religioznost, i to kao baza ondašnjeg (a u velikoj meri verovatno i današnjeg) morala i vaskolikog društvenog uređenja; Simmons kontemplira mogućnost da je kultura bazirana na religioznom ustrojstvu tek nakalemljena na bazično paganske praznoverice, pa se zato upravo na njih i vraća, u uslovima krajnjih fizičkih iskušenja.
Otvorena pozivanja na Hobbesove ideje o društvenoj i političkoj svesti nude izvesnu soc-kuturnu platformu sa koje se ceo zaplet (a pogotovo rasplet) može sagledati iz perspektive koja uveliko prevazilazi pojedinačne aspekte samog romana. Dileme kojima se ovaj roman bavi bazirane su na avanturizmu i heroizmu kao na osnovnim ljudskim porivima i još osnovnijim uzrocima čovekovih tragedija. I mada sam činjenični deo zapleta unekoliko predatira darvinski pogled na čoveka i njegovo mesto u "lancu planetarne ishrane", roman postavlja sasvim adekvatne dileme koje rezultuju naizgled krajnje jednostavnim odgovorima: linija razgraničenja između čoveka i životinje ne leži toliko u samoj inteligenciji, koliko u njenoj malevolentnoj manifestaciji.
Ono čime nas Simmonsov Stvor sa leda istinski plaši nije činjenica da on iz zasede ubija jednog po jednog člana nesretne posade - uostalom, to donekle rade i polarni medvedi - nego činjenica da on, za razliku od polarnog medveda, to radi izvan sopstvenog poriva za opstankom. Naime, Stvor sa Leda ne jede meso svojih žrtava, on se na njima uglavnom iživljava: bilo da svoje nesretne žrtve vraća u komadima - torzo jednog leša, nakalemljen na noge drugog - ili da ih naprosto znatiželjno promatra dok umiru, Stvor sa Leda samim tim ponašanjem nameće sebe kao natprirodan fenomen, prosto zato što su njegovi porivi za ubijanjem nejasni, što prevazilaze uobičajene potrebe koje vladaju ponašanjem životinjskih članova vaskolikog "lanca ishrane". Tokom glavnine romana, mi sami dolazimo do zaključka kako Stvor sa Leda ubija ne iz potrebe nego iz čistog perverznog zadovoljstva, a sama ta činjenica je, iz nekog čudnog razloga, dovoljna da on prevaziđe svoje mesto u lancu faune i izdvoji se u domen natprirodnog. U tome se i ogleda sva maestralnost Simmonsove naracije - u činjenici da on narativno ne nudi nikakav materijalni dokaz natprirodnosti fenomena, to čak ni u mitološkim pretpostavkama samog raspleta: Simmons naprosto insistira na predatorskom ponašanju koje se može tumačiti i kao maliciozna inteligencija, a to je, izgleda, nama sasvim dovoljno da u ponuđeno učitamo aspekt natprirodnog. Jer ljudi su vrsta koja je odvajkada, a ne samo 1845, sebe smatrala superiornom u prehrambenom lancu planete, te su stoga svi ljudski porivi sasvim prihvatljivi ako ih ispoljavaju ljudi, dok su u ostatku faune prepoznati kao isključivo natprirodni.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2F30_years.jpg&hash=91253a636a53f471af6bea8e3f6d56cb98493aa0)
Ta postavka u velikoj meri relativizira kanibalizam kao tek jednu od manifestacija uzročno-posledičnog postojanja u lancu ishrane: u određenim situacijama, čovek je čoveku ipak primarno ishrana, a svi dometi civilizacije streme ka izbegavanju upravo takvih situacije. Protestantske konotacije predočavanja hrišćanskih postavki uvelike potenciraju taj aspekt - Crozierove euharistijske halucinacije tu unose kristalno jasnu dimenziju nesalomive spone između paganstva i hrišćanstva, potencirajući time slične veze između divljaštva i civilizacije i između intelekta i poriva. Tokom svih milenijuma čovekove istorije, on je daleko manje truda ulagao na sopstveno unapređenje, koliko na iznalaženje filozofija koje bi njegova fiktivna, ili iskrenije rečeno nepostojeća unapređenja predočila kao nepobitnu činjenicu. Čovekova činjenična istorija je zato straobalna fikcija, dok se jedino u fikciji ovakve vrste može iznaći relativna činjeničnost. Ako u to iole sumnjate, uzmite par vrhunski probranih primeraka današnje civilizacije i bacite ih u krajnost arktičke surovosti, a onda štopericom merite koliko će im trebati da završe u viru pravičnog i opravdanog kanibalizma.
U fiktivnom odmeravanju civilizacijskih dometa, Simmons se odlično služi eskimskom mitologijom, po meni daleko superiornije nego kad se koristi ofucanim i kompromitovanim konceptom hrišćanske euharistije, koja po difoltu inkorporira upravo kanibalizam kao osnovu idealizirane ljudskosti, ali tek u sprezi obaju tih krajnosti rasplet vrtoglavo dobija na značaju. Nigde u toku romana se ne daje nagoveštaj ovakvog raspleta, i on je tim više impresivan; neosporno je da isti podrazumeva suspenziju neverice kakvu jedino žanr horora podrazumeva, ali opet - takvim se strminama uspinju i ubeđeni realisti sa religioznim tendencijama, i to srazmerno daleko lakše i hitrije nego puki žanrovski entuzijasti.
Bilo kako bilo, u nepobitno moćnom naletu inspiracije, Simmons završava ovaj roman negirajući samo jedan jedini aspekt nepobitne istine u gorecitiranoj Hobbesovoj tvrdnji: čovekov život se nepobitno sastoji od svega što Hobbes tamo navodi, ali u njegovoj je mogućnosti bar da opvrgne jedan deo te surove odrednice - onaj deo o usamljenosti. Kapetan Crozier je u ovom romanu dobio makar toliko, a mi, koji smo ga ispratili u najmučnijem delu njegovog života, dobili smo time kraj dostojan sveukupne grandioznosti jedne vrtoglavo smele pretpostavke, koja nas je obogatila upravo svojim postojanjem.
Upala si u Simons fazu?
Tako izgleda, mada je sve to relativno... zapravo sam krenula sa Droodom, ali se ispostavilo da ga nalazim izuzetno... neinteresantnim. :( Ali kupile su me tamo sve one natuknice o ekspediciji i Crozieru, pa me to navelo da se bacim na ovaj roman, kog sam do sad izbegavala striktno zbog glomaznosti.
I, ne lezi vraže, sad smatram da je upravo ovaj roman najbolji njegov ikada. :lol:
Meni je Drood bio raaazvuuuučeeeen, ali stavi Dikensa kao jednog od junaka, i ja ću to da pročitam. :lol:
Pa, moguće da mene malko odbija ta Salijeri varijanta pripovedanja, jer inače stvarno nemam konkretnih zamerki, naprotiv, dobro je sve to napisano, ali eto, ostavlja me skroz hladnom.
Outpost je ambiciozan roman u trendu koji polako ali sigurno osvaja moju naklonost, to uprkos dugogodišnjoj ravnodušnosti prema zombi podžanru. Fer je priznati da je trend zarazno inventivan, a izdvaja se od ostatka klasičnog "zombi korpusa" do te mere da ga sad već privatno krstim kao "Novi Zombi" trend. Bilo da je reč o tech-noir zombi varijanti kakvu nudi Knapp, o urbanom zombi zavodniku kakvog je ponudila Rowland, ili pak o striktno ne-hororičnoj SF varijanti kakvu je dao Gregory, "Novi Zombi" trend bez zadrške osvaja ingenioznim obradama jednog relativno ofucanog i meni već odavno zamorno infantilnog motiva. Usred svog obilja drskih inovacija, Outpost također nudi dobitnu kombinaciju, baziranu na vešto ukomponovanim i zarazno interesantnim poigravanjima sa starim i novim pristupima i sa sračunato pozajmljenim konvencionalnim elementima i njihovim obradama.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Foutpost.jpg&hash=392198ddd69005cd8e00eb096b76349d145ca428)
Opet Arktik. :)
Tačnije, u romanu je reč o Kasker Rampart rafinerijskoj platformi u Beringovom moru, koja sa minimalnim kapacitetom proizvodnje i sa tek najneophodnijim osobljem od 15 članova posade tavori na presahlom izvoru, u administrativnom iščekivanju remonta. Glavni junak je tu sveštenik, ali - hej, hej - ne bilo kakav sveštenik, nego - žena sveštenik. Šta dalje reći o ingenioznoj drskosti ovog romana? :) Pri tom je ista ta Džejn miljama daleko od klasičnog imidža bilo kakve žanrovske heroine, pošto je debela, depresivna, i nesmiljeno opterećena suicidalnim tendencijama. I dok Džejn na početku romana isprobava granice uspešne kombinacije samoubilačkog overdoziranja na tabletama i sladoledu, ostatak posade strpljivo očekuje obećani brod kojim bi napustili platformu i vratili se u civilizaciju. Ali, taj brod kasni, a platforma uskoro gubi i sve komunikacijske veze sa ostatkom sveta. Nekoliko TV kanala emituje automatske reprize poslednjih izveštaja o misterioznoj epidemiji koja relativno brzo i bez iznimke ubije zaražene žrtve, da bi ih kasnije isto tako brzo oživela na način koji nam je lako prepoznatljiva postmortem spontana reanimacija. Kapetan platforme se usteže da tu informaciju podeli sa ostatkom posade, plašeći se histerije i pobune, pa se zato obraća tek nekolicini odabranih, a Džejn je jedna od te nekolicine. Kapetan, naime, smatra kako će posadi platforme trebati podrška i razumevanje, jednom kad saznaju za apokalipsu koja je uništila svet u njihovom odsustvu, a ko to može bolje da im ponudi od sveštenika? I mada se isprva maltene podrazumeva da bi platforma mogla biti poslednji bastion pred zarazom koja rapidno osvaja ostatak sveta, ubrzo se otvara mogućnost da je upravo arktička pustara izrodila zarazu, i to preko jedne davno zaboravljene i zataškane ruske kosmonautske misije. (Dakle, opet striktno SF motiv vanzemaljskog virusa, samo obrađen alatom i estetikom horor žanra. :mrgreen:) Kao poslednja slamka u bezizlaznoj situaciji, u blizini platforme se pojavljuje luksuzni prekookenaski brod, na kom su svi članovi posade i putnika podlegli epidemiji. Deo po deo, domine zapleta se lagano slažu u dodeljena im mesta, a Džejn preko njih proživljava transformacije kako fizičke tako i duhovne, u procesu koji se hrani bazičnim ljudskim porivom neprikosnovene želje za opstankom. Žena koja je na vrhuncu ličnog luksuza gajila isključivo suicidalne misli, otkriva kako je volja za životom upravo obrnuto proporcionalna istom tom luksuzu.
Nemilosrdno zbijeno pakovanje akcije, intrigantnih podzapleta i odlično tempiranog doziranja informacije čini Outpost izuzetno čitljivim štivom, kroz kojeg se projuri zaista u dahu i bez predaha. Karakterizacija je tu najprijatnije iznenađenje, i to ne samo zbog odlično ukomponiranog detaljiziranja, nego i zbog vrlo dovitljivog izbegavanja očekivanih klopki u kojima vrebaju stereotipi i ostale žanrovske zakonitosti. Ruku na srce, za strukturu samog zapleta se može reći da je odavno već žanrovsko opšte mesto, ali Outpost zaista uspeva da svojom sračunato multižanrovskom izvedbom ponudi vrlo intrigantnu verziju klasične zombi-apokalipse. A pošto je (opet! :!:) u pitanju debi-roman, skroz me oduševljava sva ta reinvencija donedavno atrofiranih (i sa sviju staromodnih strana zdušno fetišiziranih) bajatih žanrovskih okrajaka. Po pitanju slobodnih asocijacija na već viđene slične uratke, bilo prozne ili filmske, moglo bi se reći da je Outpost pokupio sve ono što se moglo uzeti iz filmova Virus i Splinter, recimo, i iz The Passage i Blood Music, i pri tom sve to krajnje slobodno ukomponovao u modernu akcijašku konstrukciju. Outpost se trudi da naglasak održi na drami, rađe nego na žanrovskom larpuraltizmu, a to u velikoj meri drži palpičnost pod kontrolom. I mada roman na momente teško izlazi na kraj sa predvidljivošću samog raspleta - to je maltene datost u ovakvim žanrovskim konstrukcijama - ipak uspeva da ponudi sasvim zadovoljavajuću količinu neophodnog saspensa da sebi osigura koliko-toliko održiv otvoreni kraj.
E sad, kao i uvek kad su u pitanju žanrovski naslovi, neretko se pojavi ono famozno "nešto" što izdvoji naslov iz gomile njemu sličnih, to u nekom skroz intimnom i subjektivnom ocenjivanju i procenjivanju teksta. U ovom slučaju, to "nešto" sam otkrila u Bakerovom stilu - u svedenom, preciznom proznom izrazu koji mi uvelike priziva u sećanje Ellroyev "telegrafski" stil ogoljenih rečenica. Znam da ima dosta pasioniranih čitaoca koji uživaju u lomatanju kroz kompleksnu i pridevima krcatu rečenicu, ali ja zaista nisam jedna od takvih. U tom smislu, lean & mean sintaksa je pravi odmor za oči i melem za dušu, to bar moju, da sad i ne pominjem silne elipse kojima Baker vrlo uspešno održava visokooktanski tempo pripovedanja, nudeći upravo ono što se od ovakve proze primarno zahteva - uskraćivanje predaha sve do samog kraja.
Naravno, sad se već tu postavlja i neizbežno pitanje da li je baš žanrovska hibridizacija jedini način da se horor modernizuje, ali... u krajnjem sabiranju i oduzimanju svega raspoloživog, rekla bih da smo zbog ovakih hibrida svi na dobitku a niko odviše u gubitku, tako da... dobrodošli (opet, po ko zna koji put!) u hororičnu naučnu fantastiku. 8-) :evil:
David Nickle: Eutopia - A Novel of Terrible Optimism
Gotovo da nema ideje ili ideologije u čovekovom posedu koja se ne bi mogla jasnije sagledati (a ujedno i preciznije analizirati) kroz prizme upravo žanrovske književnosti. Horor se tu visoko kotira, to svakako zasluženo.
Eugenika - u svojstvu istorijskog dokaza masovne zloupotrebe primenjivih nauka na čovečanstvo u celini - se čini kao bogom dan poligon za svrhovitu upotrebu vaskolikog alata žanra strepnje, jeze i užasa. Malo elemenata iz asortimana "fantastike natprirodnog" može na ravnoj nozi da se nosi sa neprirodnim grozotama kojima je Čovek obasipao (a i danas obasipa) svog bližnjeg, jer čime su to tačno najcrnje vizije hrišćanskog pakla mogle da zastraše logoraše Aušvica?
Eutopia to shvata, pa zato i sračunato razvlači pred nas ceo špil horora, od lavkraftovske onostrane strave pa do surovo ovozemaljskog rasnog čistunstva, i to u kombinaciji do te mere silovitoj da je to čini dobitnom, i pored izvesnih manjkavosti same izvedbe.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fchizinepub.com%2Fimages%2Fcovers%2Feutopia_cover.jpg&hash=a29f051c9c8db45d0e49c8fce4289f4235f0e89e)
Eutopia se otvara katastrofom koja je u februaru 1911 zadesila stanovnike naselja u Montani; u roku od cigla tri dana, celokupna populacija je podlegla infektivnoj bolesti nalik na kugu. Epidemiju je preživeo jedino sedamnaestogodišnji Jason, naizgled imun na misterioznu bolest, isto kao i njegova tetka Germaine, koja se zatekla na imanju svega par dana nakon tragedije. Germaine je Jasonu predlažila da joj se pridruži na njenom putu za Eliadu, progresivno mesto koje je industrijalac Harper sagradio za svoje radnike, kao neku vrst socijalistički naprednog, gotovo utopijskog eksperimenta ondašnje vizije modernog ljudskog prebivalištva. Eliada je naselje simboličnog imena - to je ime jednog od sinova biblijskog kralja Davida i na hebrejskom znači "onaj nad kojim bdije Bog" - a Jason je gotovo odmah po dolasku otkrio da u Eliadi "božje bdenje" podrazumeva i Eugeniku: društveni i kulturni pokret zasnovan na delikatnoj kombinaciji moderne nauke, ideologije i filozofije, u svojoj ranoj fazi nastanka organizovan od strane isto tako svežeg i novoformiranog Eugenic Record Office, čiji je agent i predstavnik bila upravo njegova tetka.
Jason otkriva da je drugi aktivni predstavnik ERO izvesni doktor Bergstrom, koji, baziran u Eliadi, praktikuje ideologiju u vidu hirurških zahvata na stanovništvu obližnjih planinskih zaseoka. Reč je, naravno, o sterilizaciji; u naporu očuvanja čistote belačke rase, doktor Bergstrom pokušava da posredno eliminiše lokalno klansko stanovništvo koje potiče direktno od ranih naseljenika, i koje u surovim uslovima života neretko ispoljava simptome incestuozne degeneracije.
Paralelno sa tom primenom osnovnih principa eugenike kao nauke o očuvanju rasne superiornosti, ispostavlja se da lokalno stanovništvo trpi još jednu manifestaciju strave, ovaj put natprirodne; reč je o neljudskim stvorenjima koji obitavaju u lokalnim planinama - takozvanim vilenjacima - i koji koriste iste te ljude za sopstveno razmnožavanje. Vilenjaci poseduju hipnotičke sposobnosti kojima potčinjavaju svoje ljudske žrtve nekom vrstom dubokog religioznog zanosa, i, jednom tako omađijane, žrtve se dobrovoljno podvrgavaju osemenjavanju od strane vilenjaka. Pre nastanka Eliade, vilenjaci su polagali jaja uglavnom u uteruse već trudnih žena, obezbeđujući tako svom podmlatku ishranu do one faze u kojoj će biti dovoljno ojačali da nastave samostalan život van tela ljudskog surogat-roditelja, i to "rađanje" vilenjaka se uglavnom dešavalo bez znanja (i bez opasnosti po život) same porodilje. Ali, u nedostatku trudnica usled višegodišnje sterilizacije lokalnih žena od strane doktora Bergstroma, vilenjaci su pribegli polaganju jaja u sve mlađu žensku decu, pa čak i u muškarce. Bez fetusa kao zalihe hrane za larve iz parazitskih jaja, vilenjački podmladak je proždirao unutrašnje organe žrtava u kojima je bio začet, a to je, opet, rezultovalo jačom histerijom među stanovništvom i daleko specifičnijom hipnotičkom kontrolom vilenjaka nad ljudima.
I kako Jason postepeno, korak po korak, otkriva sve užase kojima vilenjaci porobljavaju ljude, paralelno se pomaljaju i užasi kojima i sami ljudi istovremeno obasipaju iste te žrtve. U krajnjoj viziji ljudske tragedije, Jason shvata da će ljudi poput doktora Bergstroma - ljudi vođeni eugeničkim principima genetske čistote i rasne supremacije - pre naći prirodne saveznike upravo među vilenjacima, nego među rasno-nečistom ljudskom sabraćom.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FEutopiaSepiaBanner.jpg&hash=58c7d3d9ba38e72e722a97ec9ed8475f3ae5fa2f)
Odličan spoj realističkih grozota udeljenih iz ruke čoveka (grozota baziranih na uvek tragičnim duhovnim posrnućima korumpiranih ideja, ideala, ideologije pa i same nauke), upregnut je ovde u skladan dvojac sa lavkraftovskom jezom mračnih tajni, nejasnih strepnji i neobjašnjive napetosti, a oličen je ponajbolje upravo u odmerenom izbegavanju eksplicitnog paradiranja motiva koji lako prizivaju stereotipe. Do samog raspleta, velika pažnja je posvećena posrednom izazivanju čitalačke tenzije i nelagode: na svako direktno i pojedinačno saopštavanje stravičnih zbivanja, ostavljen je adekvatan prostor za srazmerno užasniju natprirodnu pretpostavku, a to se pokazuje kao veoma uspešna tehnika koja istovremeno pothranjuje gotovo sve mogućnosti iz osnovne konstrukcije zapleta. Bilo da se motiv "vilenjaka" prihvati kao natprirodno biće ili kao evoluirani parazit - znači, striktno životinja, ma kako egzotična, bez ikakvih primesa natprirodnog - učinak ostaje podjednako snažan i podjednako dobro ukomponiran u sveukupnu idejnu potku zapleta. Eutopia zato prosto cepti od hrabrosti autentične ideje i neobuzdane autorske imagincije. Postavka i karakterizacija su osmišljeni do u tančine, intrigantno razrađeni i ponuđeni u odlično kontrolisanoj erupciji krajnje privlačnog stila, taman dovoljno arhaičnog da oživi privid viktorijanskog okvira sa smene vekova, a ujedno i dovoljno modernog da ostane prijemčiv i privlačan kao tek pomalo uzdržan savremeni žanrovski izraz. Pažljivo konstruisani podzapleti su sračunato upregnuti da nose odlično tempirano obilje različitih tačaka gledišta i paralelnih niti zapleta.
Elementi neljudskog parazita koji koristi ljude za surogat-materice su prilično česti u SFu, a Eutopia kombinira te elemente na način više blizak Tlic parazitima Octavie Butler negoli daleko poznatijem Alien motivu, na primer. Isto tako, motiv smrtonosnog virusa kao biološkog oružja nudi ovom romanu SF bazu na koju se horor nadograđuje više u domenu stila nego motivacije. Svejedno, više je no očigledno da se Nickle daleko udobnije oseća kada zbivanja izlaže u horor maniru, baratajući mogućnostima i pretpostavkama ponuđenim kroz nepouzdane narativne tačke gledišta, i u tom smislu je ta venira horora u kojoj se roman isporučuje zapravo vrlo vešto odabrana. Nickle izbegava žanrovsku eksplicitnost čak i u onim delovima u kojima se gotovo podrazumeva, i to odlično funkcioniše sve do pred sam kraj romana.
Eutopia, A Novel of Terrible Optimism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MON_o7qrWEc#ws)
Ali, mora se priznati kako se u zavšnici autor ipak zatekao nadvladan silnim ambicijama sopstvenog zapleta. Određeni delovi raspleta ne samo da su opterećeni preteranim tumačenjima očiglednog, nego i dobijaju indie šmek koji u velikoj meri odudara od precizne i odlično kontrolisane konstrukcije koja je otvorila roman i s lakoćom ga nosila kroz dobre tri četvrtine. U raspletu je Nickle ipak malko posrnuo pod žanrovskim kanonima koji alavo zahtevaju svoju dozu palpičnosti, pogotovo kad se autor nameri da na preciznu konstrukciju nakalemi sračunato otvoren kraj. Nickle je odabrao upravo taj put, što je bilo i za očekivati - otvoren kraj ne samo da ostavlja mogućnost serijalizacije, nego i dopušta da se pertle raznih podzapleta ostave skroz neuvezane, pa bilo to iz sračunatosti ili nesposobnosti, pitanje je sad. No, pošto je ipak reč o debi romanu, fer je priznati da te manjkavosti ne utiču odviše na opšti utisak koji Eutopia ostavlja, a moj je utisak da Eutopia spada u domen u kom obitavaju upravo romani koji mi nameću silnu želju da sve prijatelje privolim da ih pročitaju. :)
The Passage je sad već kultni žanrovski naslov, neka vrsta žanrovskog fenomena koji je 2010 debitirao na trećem mestu NYT bestseler liste i zadržao se na istoj skoro dva meseca. Iako je The Passage tek prvi deo najavljene trilogije (drugi deo, The Twelve, najavljen je za 2012, a treći, The City of Mirrors, za 2014), roman je pokrenuo lavinu oduševljenih preporuka sa sviju iole značajnih strana, to od Stivena Kinga lično pa do respektabilne mejnstrim kritike, a filmska prava su kupljena još davne 2007me, znači pune tri godine pre objavljivanja same knjige, za ljupku cifru od $1.75 million USD, i to od strane Scott Free Productions.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.goodreads.com%2Fbooks%2F1301902714l%2F9218086.jpg&hash=fe8030d72a8f4600637b6791c07b755f60a8da27)
Dakle, romanu ne fali hajpa, pa ga neću dalje ni hajpovati. Meni je tu ionako daleko bitinija činjenica da The Passage nudi žešći revamp (sic!) dragog nam Vampira, pa već samim time zaslužuje i podrazumeva status obaveznog žanrovskog štiva. U tom kontekstu, hajp postaje manje-više sporedan, iako se ne ograđujemo od obaveze da procenimo da li je (ili, poštenije rečeno - koliko je) zaslužen.
Najpre malo o samom sadržaju: smešten u krajnje blisku budućnost, zaplet kreće od incidenta u bolivijskoj džungli, gde je mala grupa turista došla u kontakt sa neobično agresivnom populacijom slepih miševa. Radilo se o krajnje specifičnoj grupi avanturista, redom u poodmaklim fazama malignih obolenja, kojima je ta šetnja po amazonskoj šumi zapravo bila neka vrsta ispunjenja poslednje želje. Ispostavilo se da su pri napadu slepi miševi ispoljili inteligenciju veću od uobičajenog životinjskog instinkta, i da su turiste zarazili virusom koji ih je, između ostalog, i misteriozno izlečio od svih malignosti, to preko radikalnih transformacija imunološkog sistema. To je bio sasvim dovoljan razlog da se u proučavanje virusa uplete i američka vojska, i to preko tajnog državnog eksperimenta pod nazivom ,,projekt Noah".
Projekt Noah, u tajnoj vojnoj bazi u Koloradu, imao je za cilj rafinisanje virusa za kontrolisanu imunološku primenu, a kao pokusni kunići u tom istraživanju korišteni su osuđenici na smrt iz zatvora širom Amerike, njih 12 ukupno. Iako je svaki zatvorenik pojedinačno zaražen virusom u raznim fazama rafinisanja, fizičke promene koje su sva dvanaestorica pretrpeli bila su relativno slične, a među telesnim deformacijama prednjačili su neobično dugački i tanki zubi, fluorescencija i neutaživa žeđ za krvlju. Ukratko, zatvorenici zaraženi virusom su postali morfološki prepoznatljivi više kao slepi miševi nego ljudi, a njihovo ubijanje zečeva koji su im u te svrhe pribavljani uvelike je prevazilazilo normalne prehrambene potrebe. Konačni proizvod te virulentne transformacije prestavljao je Virala - novu biološku vrstu lišenu svih bazičnih ljudskih osobina, tu naizgled uključujući izgled, inteligenciju i sposobnost komunikacije. Ali, brzo se ispostavilo da virali itekako poseduju inteligenciju, samo ne prepoznatljivo ljudsku, baš kao i sposobnost komunikacije, samo ne prepoznatljivo govorne. Prvi od zatvorenika podvrgnutih eksperimentu, Babcock, razvio je telepatske sposobnosti sa kojima je ubrzo potčinio i kontrolisao svoje ljudske opslužitelje, a to je ubrzo otvorilo prostor za interesantan preokret u kom su čuvari zatvora postali marionete zatočenika. I tako, kada je agent Wolgast - jedan od ljudi zaduženih da pribavljaju zatvorenike za eksperiment - dobio naređenje da za trinaestog opitnog kunića kidnapuje šestogodišnju Amy, ispostavilo da je njegova očinska briga za nesrećno dete nadvladala vojnu disciplinu i odanost projektu, te se drugi deo zapleta naprasno završio potpunim kolapsom eksperimenta i begom dvanaestorice virala, dok je Amy, uz pomoć Wolgasta i nekolicine odanih zaštitnika, sklonjena van dohvata kako njih, tako i same vojske.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51qZkYyWa2L.jpg&hash=274a65ac444e857873469dd68fd9ab2b329af7bd)
Treći deo zapleta se prebacio na postapokaliptične posledice tog eksperimenta, i to pune 93 godine kasnije, time efektivno definišući osnovno težište romana, kojem su prethodne aktivnosti zapravo služile više kao neophodna i značajna uvertira. Taj treći deo zapleta kreće od jedne od malih utvrđenih kolonija kakve su već preostale u svetu u kom se infektivni vampirizam dvanaestorice virala proširio na ceo severnoamerički kontinent, a najverovatnije i na ceo svet: ta mala zajednica je opstajala na ostacima tehnologije koju nikada nije shvatila u potpunosti, i koja ih je skoro ceo vek manje-više uspešno štitila direktnih napada virala. Roman se zato bavi stanjem u koloniji pri kraju tog prvog veka AV (posle-virusa) ere, kad su dotrajali akumulatori ušli u fazu raspadanja i kad su kolonisti odavno zaboravili kako da ih poprave, sve da i imaju neophodne delove, pa im zato nije preostalo ništa drugo no da suoče ostatak sveta van zaštitničkih bedema kolonije. Jedna od prvih ljudskih osoba na koje su naišli je upravo Amy, sada tek tinejdžer, i pored činjenice da je pre 93 godine bila tek šestogodišnja devojčica. Amy je, naime, također Viral, i, iako sa originalnom dvanaestoricom ne deli fizičke osobine, također predstavlja novu vrst naizgled ljudske provicijencije, moćne i gotovo besmrtne. Na sreću kolonista, Amy je na strani ljudi a ne virala i samo njeno postojanje bi moglo biti ključno za ljudski opstanak.
I to je, otprilike, sve što se može reći o romanu a da se ne pređe granica kvarenja čitalačkog uživanja.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.goodreads.com%2Fbooks%2F1289283007l%2F6690798.jpg&hash=d90a3b012175fc38d08b7dd4e1dd1b6616029685)
E sad, baš kao i većina sižea ingenioznih zapleta u žanru fantastike, i ovaj možda trivijalizuje jednu vrlo kompleksnu fantastičku konstrukciju zbog koje se roman uistinu doima kao opčinjavajući. Pored same činjenice da ovde govorim tek o masivnom prvom delu trilogije, reč je o istinski epskom štivu koje daje jasne naznake bavljenja milenijumskom epohom. Naime, delovi romana predstavljeni u vidu dnevnika nose oznake da su arhivirani kao istraživački materijal kojem se studiozno posvetilo ljudsko društvo u godini 1003AV, i time se nudi vremenski okvir kog će trilogija, valjda, eventualno obuhvatiti, mada me ne bi čudilo da i po tom pitanju bude radikalnijih iznenađenja u kasnijim nastavcima. Bilo kako bilo, upravo zbog epske tehnike, roman nudi obilje perspektiva preko kojih uobličava ne samo zbivanja, nego i paralelno konstruiše vrlo detaljno osmišljen objektivni svet, to uglavnom preko reprezentativnih likova. Bez obzira na žanrovske kanone koji zahtevaju naglasak na zbivanjima, Cronin uspeva da ne izgubi iz vida individualnu karakterizaciju, sa svim njeninim precizno ocrtanim emotivnim i duhovnim stanjima. To je iznenađujuće prijatno otkriće, kad ustanovite da su čak i praktično sporedni likovi u romanu definisani ogromnom količinom posredne informacije, pošto žanrovski kanoni praktično zahtevaju tek ovlašno skiciranje sporednih likova. The Passage se vrlo uspešno poigrava tim konkretno očekivanjima, i zbog toga svaka pojedinačna smrt ostavlja jači utisak nego što bi se očekivalo, makar samo zato što ste žanrovski uslovljeni da sa svakim detaljno profilisanim protagonistom idete na "duge staze", do samog kraja zapleta. Ovaj roman nudi obilje takvih iznenađenja, a epska tehnika taj intenzitet dodatno podiže i "vaskrsavanjima" protagonista koju su odavno otpisani kao mrtvi. Ukratko, roman je nepredvidiv, nezadrživ i potpuno neuhvatljiv u drskosti s kojom rekonstruiše obrazac za koji ste mislili da može pružiti samo umereno intrigantna ali nikako spektakularna iznenađenja.
Revamp Vampira je svakako radikalan i vizuelno impresivan, i već na polovini romana postaju jasni razlozi i intrigantne okolnosti oko kupovine filmskih prava. The Passage nudi ikonografiju koja će zasigurno biti dvostruko impresivnija u filmskom nego što je u proznom mediju, a daleko bilo da nije impresivna u romanu. Virali su vizuelno miljama udaljeni od tradicionalnog koncepta Vampira, ali opet, sadrže taman dovoljno vampirskog identiteta da se na njih ne gleda kao na zaseban koncept, nego kao na vrlo smelu varijaciju tradicionalnog. Tamo gde smo mi matoriji odavno smoreni stokerovsko/rajsovskim insistiranjem na Vampirovoj kvazi-ljudskosti ili čak predatorsko-zavodničkoj perverzno-seksi-haha-gricni-me-softli privlačnosti, Cronin ne nudi ama baš ništa što bi se moglo (zlo)upotrebiti za građenje takvog kinki identiteta. Viral je lišen bilo kakvih ljudskih osobina, i ogoljeno je i striktno životinjski posvećen ubijanju ljudi. Nude se intrigantne naznake o viralovoj telepatskoj povezanosti kao nekoj vrsti "krvnog srodstva" među zaraženima koji dele virusnu liniju do jednog od originalne dvanaestorice, ali taj mehanizam je uveden tek na kraju romana, pa je detaljisanje ostavljeno za nastavke. Cronin sračunato barata insinuacijama po pitanju navodnih recidiva ljudskosti, ali u ovom romanu to se uglavnom odnosi na često opisivana ponašanja inficiranih u periodu inkubacije, i to je jedna od temeljitijih značajki koje grade identitete kako samog virala, tako i nove ljudske zajednice: u periodu inkubacije, inficirani se trude da se vrate bližnjima ne bi li ih ovi ubili pre no što se proces metamorfoze završi, a ljudske zajednice počivaju na kodeksu u kom ubijanje inficiranih izvodi najbliži krvni srodnik. U šarmantnom naletu drskosti, Cronin suočava koncepte Virala i tradicionalnog Vampira u jednoj sceni u kojoj protagonisti gledaju Drakulu sa Lugošijem: pri tom stvarno majstorski izvedenom upoređivanju Cronin uspeva da naglasi svu komičnu naivnost tradicionalnog Vampira, istovremeno je koristeći da učvrsti kredibilitet koncepta Virala.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.goodreads.com%2Fbooks%2F1277746223l%2F8514940.jpg&hash=2f27a39c930501e086c206435b0538f0dc6b2b90)
Pomalo je paradoksalno da najveći motivi natprirodnog horora dolaze ne iz domena oko Virala, nego oko Amy. Koncept Virala je u svojoj osnovi striktno naučnofantastičan i bazično je sveden naambiciozni biološki eksperiment koji se otrgao kontroli, tako da se svi ekstravagantniji detalji maltene podrazumevaju kao napor virusa na svoje ljudske domaćine učini što sličnijima originalnom domaćinu u kojem se virus kao parazit najudobnije osećao - u slepom mišu. Amy, s druge strane, je glavni nosilac čisto natprirodnih horor-elemenata, i to pre no što je uopšte došla u kontakt sa eksperimetom. Pre infekcije, Amy poseduje rudimentarne ali nesumnjivo snažne sposobnosti telepatije koje više dolaze do izražaja u kontaktu sa životinjama nego sa ljudima, a nakon infekcije, Amy ne ispoljava morfološke simptome kao ostala dvanaestorica, osim relativno sporednog simptoma fizičke preosetljivosti na dnevno svetlo. Naravno, roman ne zalazi odviše u poreklo njenih impresivnih natprirodnih sposobnosti izvan striktno viralne infekcije, no dobro, valjda se neki kec u rukavu mora ostaviti i za nastavke. :)
Što se same izvedbe tiče, Cronin impresionira i po pitanju stila i po pitanju narativnih sposobnosti, pa se komotno može reći da je poseduje ne samo instinkt nego i zavidan talent za triler/saspens format pripovedanja . Tim pre su uočljive varijacije u izrazu i tonu zbog kojih se roman ponekad doima kao da je pisan "u komadima", i to od strane totalno različitih autora. Dobar deo toga se maltene podrazumeva, s obzirom da Cronin insistira na različitim perspektivama i književnim tehnikama. Roman je zapravo koktel svega i svačega, to u rasponu od dnevnika i intimnog razmišljanja pa sve do neutralnog i naizgled nezainteresovanog sveznajućeg pripovedača, a perspektive ovise o pojedincima koji vladaju raznim stepenima znanja i sposobnosti posrednog tumačenja zbivanja u romanu. The Passage zato silno varira u pojedinim delovima zapleta, dok se paralelno bavi i spoljašnjom stvarnošću i unutrašnjim emotivnim stanjima. Neuobičajeni format koji oscilira od tradicionalne "ozbiljne" naracije pa do ekstravagantnog, maltene "spejs-operskog" insistiranja na tinejdž akciji za divno čudo sasvim fino funkcioniše u ovako glomaznom romanu, makar po pitanju razbijanja monotonije koju bi prosto saopštavanje ovolike količine zbivanja nesumnjivo donelo. I mada meni lično daleko više prija tehnika u prva dva dela zapleta, fer je priznati da i format trećeg dela ima svojih neospornih draži pri čitanju. Reklo bi se da Cronin sračunato tipuje na "za svakog ponešto" format koji funkcioniše kao ah, ah, tako popkulturno hipsterski savvy.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F411ADvsXGgL.jpg&hash=98e334d5d9c7dafbed34e6e4c527679c104b3fb9)
I za kraj: da li je hajp zaslužen i opravdan?
Zaslužen je u velikoj meri, jer u pitanju je idejno obilje kojeg Cronin već u prvom delu trilogije vrlo vešto i postepeno cedi do maksimuma, revitalizujući tako jedan prilično umoran i iscrpljen koncept koji svejedno ima veliko popkulturno značenje i prepoznatljivost čak i daleko izvan striktno žanrovskog domena. Na tržištu odavno uslovljenom da padne u oduševljeni trans na svaku infantilno kozmetičku "inovaciju" po pitanju lika Vampira, ovaj roman idejno odskače koliko i Alpe među mravinjacima.
A da li je opravdan?
Pa, u pitanju je tek prvi deo trilogije. Sam za sebe, ovaj roman nudi platformu na kojoj se mogu izgraditi uistinu zadivljujući koncepti, i mada lično mislim da će sedma umetnost tu imati mesta za daleko veće uzlete negoli skromnija i konzervativnija nam šesta, svejedno verujem da će obe silno profitirati od The Passage trilogije.
Ako bi se organizovalo kakvo glasanje, sigurno bi dao glas Teroru :). Sjajan roman, možda i nešto najbolje od Simonsa.
Pre svega roman koji zalazi duboko u psihu ljudi, stavljajući ih u ekstremne situacije gladi, hladnoće i straha od nepoznatog u arktičkom ledu, Simons lako razbija tanku opnu civilizovanosti u nama. Eskimski mitovi u ovom romanu gotovo su savršeno upotrebljeni.
S druge strane, nisam bio toliko oduševljen mnogo hvaljenim Prolazom. Tehnički je savršen, ali nešto mu fali, možda upravo ta nesavršenost, neka magija koju sam osetio čitajući Utočište, a što ovde nisam. Ne deluje mi uverljivo i magično svet ljudi posle katastrofe u Prolazu. Niti likovi ljudi, njihovi međusobni odnosi i karakteri. Kao da je pisac svu svoju energiju i kreativnost utrošio u prvi deo priče, oko vojnog eksperimenta i Amy, a ostatak je prosto tehnički odradio. Nešto mi fali u ovom romanu.
Potpuno se slažem za tvoju procenu Terora, mada slutim da će ti se Flešbek tu boriti za prvo mesto, jednom kad ga overiš. Nije moćan po pitanju karakterizacije koliko i Teror, ali definitivno ima svojih prednosti koje to nadoknađuju.
Za Prolaz, pa šta ja znam, odolevala sam koliko sam mogla, pošto se grozim serijala koje ne mogu u cugu da overim, ali eto, hajp nadvladao... ali voljna sam da se kladimo u žešći koktel u gej baru da ćeš biti oduvan filmom, jednom kad se pojavi. Prolaz je moćno filmičan, bez obzira što sam svesna da je u pitanju vrlo vešta prozna manipulacija vizuelnom popkulturnom ikonografijom... ali eto, takva sam, "padnem" ja lako na pop-palp, samo ako je iole angažovan... :oops:
Simons je jedan od autora koji me nekad istinski fascinira, a ponekad ume da mi ide i na ganglije. Verovatno bi mi se svideo Flešbek, ako bi uspeo da se izborim sa politikom, Islamskim kalifatom, propašću Amerike i sličnih stvari koje je on i ranije potencirao na ovaj ili onaj način. Svestan sam da pisca ne treba procenjivati prema njegovim političkim stavovima, ali to je nekad teško kada politiku debelo uplete u roman. Koliko mi se recimo svidela tehnika pisanja u Pesmi boginje Kali, toliko me je nervirao njegov odnos prema Indiji, način na koji je prikazao. A opet u Hiperionu me oduševio. Leto noći odlično, a Teror briljantan. Ilion i Olimp, tu je opet počeo svašta ubacivati što mi je išlo na živce. U svakom slučaju, pisac koji ne ostavlja ravnodušnim 8-).
Slažem se da Prolaz ima veliki potencijal za film, apsolutno.
Pa, izgleda da si ti dobrano više zagazio u Simonsov opus nego ja... :) ... a tačno je to za Pesmu boginje Kali, teško mi da zamislim ko bi to hteo Indiju da izbliza turistički overi posle čitanja tog romana. :mrgreen:
A kako te se dojmio prevod Prelaza?
Bio sam se jedno vreme baš navukao na njega... i taman kada je počeo pomalo i da me smara, naletim na Teror :).
Prelaz, mislim da je jako dobar prevod. Uživao sam u čitanju prvog dela, ekspedicije u Amazon, Amy, ,, vampira '' zatvorenih u vojnom objektu, kataklizme... dobro je uradio obrnuvši pomalo uloge, rekao bih : za vampire je dao određeno na nauci zasnovano objašnjenje, a natprirodno sačuvao za Amy. Zapravo bi bilo logičnije obrnuto, ali ovako kako je on postavio mnogo bolje funkcioniše. Što se tiče stila, u tom prvom delu se vidi koliko je jak kao pisac, za prvi deo bi mu dao desetku.
E sad, meni je roman malo pao u onom drugom delu, gde se bavi civilizacijom, odnosno ljudima koji su opstali nakon katastrofe. To je naravno samo moj subjektivni kont. Tehnički je to i dalje odlično, ali fali mi neka energija i kreativnost koju je stvorio u prvom delu. Kao da je previše uloženo u Amy , kao da je zasenila sve druge likove. Svet ljudi i njihovi likovi i karakteri nemaju mi snagu koju sam očekivao. Pravio sam paralele sa Kingovim Utočištem ; King nema takav jezik i stil kao Kronin, ni blizu, ali ima onu neku ,, magiju '' koju ovaj jednostavno, uza svu tehniku i doteranost nema. Kingov svet posle katastrofe je uverljiviji, njegovi likovi su bolji, životniji, bliži običnom čoveku.
No sve je to rasprava o visokom nivou, Prolaz je i dalje za mene odličan roman, samo mislim da je recimo umesto ocene 9 možda mogao dobiti i celih 10.
Film bi svakako voleo pogledati, ali nešto mislim da bi se tu mogla napraviti i dobra serija :).
Bogami, utisci o Prolazu nam se dobrano poklapaju. :)
Nego, reci, da li se u prevodu pominje "Viral" kao termin? Oni vojnici su "vampire" zvali "dracs" u parodiranju filma, ali Kronin tokom celog romana najviše insistira na "Viral" varijanti, pa me zanima kako je to prevedeno.
Nisam sad sto posto siguran, pošto je prošlo baš dosta otkada sam pročitao roman. Sećam se da je priča baš lepo tekla, a čini mi se da je Skrobonja prevodio kod nas. Ako sam dobro shvatio, ovo što je izašlo kod nas nije kraj, biće još nastavaka u budućnosti ?
Da, u pitanju je trilogija, The Twelve je najavljen za 2012, a The City of Mirrors, za 2014.
Načekaćemo se. :(
Dobro je napisan Prolaz, ali me nije privukao - procitala sam pa zaboravila sve sem nekoliko jakih scena. Zanatski je možda i predobar, sve je uklopljeno, povezano, sjajno opisano, ali je preobilan, kao da pisac pokazuje šta sve ume, ali nisam imala osecaj da je celog sebe uneo u bilo šta prikazano. I nervirale su me tužne životne price svih likova, ne može se opisati onoliko neverovatnih trauma iz detinjstva a da ne postanu otužne, ma koliko bile ubedljive pojedinacno uzevši.
E da, Viral su kod nas prevedeni kao virusni a Dracs kao drakci.
:cry: Ja sam, izgleda, previše sklona i naklonjena žanrovskim ekstravagacijama i tu kao da nema pomoći. :cry: :cry: Trebalo bi tu malo mejnstrim proze, makar zbog zdravog balansa...
Za "Viral" sam se nadala da je naglašen u odnosu na "viral", baš kao i "the Many", jer se ipak radi o konceptima. U originalu se dosta pažnje posvećuje upravo tome, recimo:
Quote
Greer held up a hand, cutting her off. "How many, goddamnit?"
Alicia rose. "Not many," she said. "The Many. And they're headed straight for that mountain."
Jasno je da se uvodi nov koncept, da nije više u pitanju prosto "mnoštvo" nego se govori o grupi Virala koji dele virus sa jednim od originalne dvanaestorice. Takav utisak mi je ostavilo i korištenje termina "Viral", pa ga shvatam kao ime nove vrste života na planeti. Ali dobro sad, ne bih da ispadne kako tražim dlaku u jajetu po pitanju prevoda :( ... koji nisam ni overila... :cry:
Bilo je jasno i u prevodu da je rec o novoj vrsti, upravo to Mnoštvo istaknuto je velikim slovom, ali virusni nisu jer se kod nas takva pravopisna pravila za pisanje pripadnika raznih grupa ili vrsta. A u engleskom se možda veliko slovo i precesto koristi, pa tako opet izgubi ulogu posebnog isticanja. Sve zavisi na šta se navikneš, ja zbog posla citam paralelno pa mi ne smetaju razlike, a i ovu sam knjigu pogledala i u prevodu i u originalu, i utisak je isti - svaka cast piscu na veštini, ali kao da mu je dubina izmakla, u smislu emotivnog uvlacenja citaoca (dobro, mene :) ) u taj lepo iskrojen svet.
Dacko, priznajem da se jedan detinjasto naivni deo mene nadao da će se naše razlike u prijemčivosti štiva uspešno svaliti na kojekakve "lost in translation" nijanse... ali zapravo su afiniteti u pitanju, znam ja to... :)
Ukratko, svesna sam svih manipulacija kojima autor barata, to po pitanju žanrovske uslovljenosti svih nas "ovisnika", da tako kažem.
Ali opet, fer je priznati da mi je time dato upravo ono što intimno očekujem, pa ispada da reprezentujem ciljnu grupu za ovakvo štivo, tako da... to mi je to, to sam ja, i tu mi nema uzmaka. :lol:
...a naša cenjena (i draga) Jevtropijevićka nudi informativni škicaj u Kalpu Imperial. :)
http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2011/10/anhelika-gorodiser-kalpa-imperial.html (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2011/10/anhelika-gorodiser-kalpa-imperial.html)
Hvala! Biće to i ovde sutra-prekosutra, pa očekujem jednu lepu teorijsku raspravu o žanrovskoj pripadnosti na neviđeno. :-D
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 12-10-2011, 20:20:12
Ali ako neko nekad bude hteo da mi objasni razliku između žanra i nežanra u oblasti fantastike/fentezija
Ja sam mislio da ce ti nama da objasnis :)
Pa, nisam sigurna da je uvek ima, osim na intuitivnom planu; eto, recimo, svima je jasno da je Džordan žanr a da Kafka nije, ali kad treba da se objasni zašto je tako, malo se pada u podrazumevanje.
Mogu ja uvek da se pozovem na to da tipičan fentezi ima standardan set likova i dva do tri moguća zapleta, ali onda se to ograničava na tolkinijade. Možda bi se moglo učiniti nešto sa autorskom intencijom "ovo je namenjeno žanru, znači - žanr je" i obrnuto, ali iskreno, nije ni to uvek dovoljno. Ima graničnih slučajeva kao što je ova knjiga ili na novom topiku pomenuta Anđela Karter, za koje stvarno ne znam šta da kažem. Mislim, ja Karterovu doživljavam kao mejnstrim fantastičnog pisca pre svega jer sam u tom kontekstu prvi put za nju čula, ali mi je jasno da bi npr. Krvava odaja i druge priče mogle pravo u taj podžanr prepričavanja bajki.
A ako bih potegla literarne pretenzije kao kriterijume razdvajanja, sve mi se čini da bi me banovali u roku od dva minuta. :mrgreen: (kažem pretenzije, ne postignut stepen umetničke vrednosti, da se razumemo.)
Najjednostavnije je posegnuti za kanonima ali za njih treba dovoljno veliki uzorak. Al' onda imamo problem sa "nadrastanjem" i "probijanjem okvira" zanra na konto drugih elemenata u delu. Iskustvo (u pracenju diskusija) mi je pokazalo da se sve svodi na Knightov princip upiranja prsta :( Na stranu to sto mislim da se u ovakvim raspravama mesaju "pravi" i "vestacki" zanrovi te to unosi dodatnu zabunu. Vidi samo koliko navodnika sam upotrebio...
Da bi se uopšte raspravljalo, treba makar za tu raspravu odrediti šta će se tačno podrazumevati pod žanrom, pošto se taj termin u proučavanju književnosti javljaju u raznim značenjima, i češće sa pozitivnim nego sa negativnim prizvukom, kao sinonim za književnu vrstu ili rod, kao i njihove podvrste.
Skoro sve što se piše može se strpati u nekakav žanr, sem što u stara vremena kad je romana bilo malo nisu morali da smišljaju blurbove i podele kako bi knjigu primetila odgovarajuća ciljna grupa. I klasici se mogu posmatrati kroz žanrovske odlike, to je na faksu prolazilo samo tako (kako se u Ani Karenjini Tolstoj realistično obračunava s idejom o večitim ljubavnicima, kako Dostojevski naizmenično koristi i izvrće klišee detektivskog romana itd.), u stvari žanrovske odlike bi bile sve ono što se već utemeljilo u ma kojoj književnoj (filmskoj, stripovskoj) vrsti ili podvrsti, a za pravu umetnost potreban je određen odmak od toga utoliko što umetnosti nema bez originalnosti, ali to ne znači da taj odmak mora biti preveliki i da neko delo ne može biti izuzetno vredno i pored devedeset devet posto već viđenog ako je onaj jedan posto ličnog dovoljno ubedljiv (npr. Besnilo, naravno, ili bilo koja dobra bajka).
I reč žanr ne bi trebalo da podrazumeva nešto negativno, to je prosto klasifikacija romana po temi ili pristupu koju bi čitaoci ili kritičari mogli da upotrebe, a problem je tek kad pisac sedne i kaže: E sad ću da napišem nešto što će se dopasti ljubiteljima Tolkina pa ću zaraditi fine pare (neverovatno, ali to je uspelo sa Mačem od Šanare) ili: Pišem mnogo dobre priče, ali nema tu 'leba, a znam i nešto istorije, pa ću lepo to da uklopim u džinovski roman (Martin, inače ga volim, ali jeste žanrovski pisac u onom negativnijem značenju), ili: Volim i umem da pišem o detinjstvu, ali ako ne ubacim strašnog klovna i ostale gmazove, ko će to kupovati (King) ili: Da ubacim malo muško-ženskog prepucavanja, malo opisa seksa, tajanstvenog ubicu iz prošlosti i hepiend (savremeni ljubavni romani). Znači, problem je kad se vidi tendencioznost, kad se vidi da je nešto pisano zato da bi se dopalo ili prodalo, a ne zato što je pisac prosto morao to da napiše jer on je to što jeste i to uliva i u svoje knjige, dakle, problem je što u tim knjigama zanat nadvlada umetnost. A kako se vidi? Pojma nemam, znate li vi precizno da objasnite zašto neke knjige preporučujete kao bitne i mnogo vam znače, a neke (najčešće upravo žanrovske u negativnom smislu) čitate da se zabavite i opustite? Ja jok, čak još imam problem i s određivanjem šta je mejnstrim a šta nije. Kad uopšte razmišljam o knjigama umesto da ih čitam, uglavnom se sekiram što desetine savremenih dobrih knjiga odlaze u prašnjave delove biblioteka nepročitane i neprimećene jer stalno stižu nove, dok romani ono malo pisaca iz ranijih vekova svake godine inspirišu bar pet-šest novih studija samo u Srbiji, i pronalaze se u njima silne neke vrednosti samo zato što su bili retke zverke (da pomenem samo Milana Narandžića, udav-roman Jakova Ignjatovića). Aaaa, i kako sam sad od onog Jevtrinog posta došla dovde... Dobro, znači nije obavezno da svakom bude jasno da je Džordan žanr a da Kafka nije, pre će biti da je očito da postoje razlike u kvalitetu (mada lično Kafku ne umem da pročitam i ovo sad pišem čisto jer je već uzet kao primer), ali i Kafkini romani pripadaju fantastičnom žanru, samo ne na osnovu istih odlika po kojima se u taj žanr svrstavaju Džordanovi pa zato možemo koristiti podvrste fantastike, koje opet neće odgovoriti na pitanje što nam nešto valja, a što ne. :mrgreen:
Slažem se sa tobom, po običaju, naročito glede Jaše Ignjatovića. :lol: E sad, o Kafki, ja sam njega i Džordana odabrala očito tendenciozno jer eto, Kafka je neosporno ne-fentezi fantastika i neosporno dobar, dok je Džordan... neosporno fentezi.
Da sam još dokonija, sad bih krenula od one Todorovljeve podele fantastičnog pa ukazala na to kako je Kafka pre fantastično u užem smislu, a Džordan izvesno spada u čudesno, odn. tekstove u kojima je natprirodni element unapred dat, svima junacima jasan i razumljiv i u skladu sa zakonima datog fikcionalnog sveta. Ali šipak, jer i Samsu svi nekako prihvataju bez prevelikog iznenađenja i nema nedoumice oko toga da li je njegova bubolikost realno objašnjiva ili nije, pa ne spada strogo u tu Todorovljevu užu kategoriju.
Dalje: kvalitet može da se uzme kao kriterijum ali, ipak, ja ne bih. Nije baš svaki borhesovac-mejnstrimaš po kvalitetu iznad svakog žanrovskog pisca. Može se uzeti u obzir ta tvrdnja da kvalitet transcendira žanr, ali ja s njom uglavnom ne znam šta da radim jer se uvek nađu čitaoci koji smatraju da, recimo, Teri Bruks transcendira žanr svojom veličanstvenošću, a da je Leva ruka tame smarački feministički SF.
Glede Kinga i pisanja o detinjstvu i gmazovima: e, to je čitav jedan drugi problem sa planskim komercijalizovanjem svog pisanja u koji sad ne mogu da ulazim...
I naravno, ovo je sve očajnički pokušaj da se zaustavi srozavanje foruma i da se privuku nazad ovi što su otišli u poslednja dva dana, ako je neko uopšte sumnjao u to. :mrgreen:
Mislis da i oni mogu da se uhvate u vrzino kolo sa nama? Nema veze kada i kako cemo izaci iz njega, vazno je da se zabavljamo dok smo tu :)
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 12-10-2011, 23:16:55
Glede Kinga i pisanja o detinjstvu i gmazovima: e, to je čitav jedan drugi problem sa planskim komercijalizovanjem svog pisanja u koji sad ne mogu da ulazim...
I naravno, ovo je sve očajnički pokušaj da se zaustavi srozavanje foruma i da se privuku nazad ovi što su otišli u poslednja dva dana, ako je neko uopšte sumnjao u to. :mrgreen:
Ali nije trebalo da se slažeš, nego da se raspravljamo i privučemo neopredeljene forumaše na tamnu (svetlu, šarenu, kako god) stranu i zaustavimo, je li, srozavanje. :cry: Koje bi poštenije bilo nazvati lenjošcu - svi volimo da čitamo mudrolije o knjigama, ali koliko se ljudi odvaži ili nađe vremena da nešto i napiše.
I tako ja navijam da ti ipak napišeš nešto o pomenutom problemu glede namerne komercijalizacije, jer me izuzetno zanima, a i možda će doprineti tvom višem cilju tj. povratku izbeglica. :) Moj je sasvim sebičan - volim da čitam ljude koji govore istim jezikom, samo bolje, pa još kad pominju Cvetana... :lol:
Dobro, onda, evo vam malko neslaganja. :mrgreen:
A zapravo nije u pitanju neslaganje, nego više nerazumevanje (stritkno s moje strane), pošto ste vas dve iz esnafa, klasično obrazovane u teoriji književnosti, dok ja nisam, pa me zato zanima sledeće:
Izokola govoreći, status žanrovske književnosti se silno unapredio u zadnjih... pa, recimo odokativno 30 godina, mada tu i nije toliko bitan vremenski raspon. Recimo bolje da se status žanrovske književnosti silno unapredio od vremena u kom se na SF,F&H gledalo na striktno populističku literaturu. Jedna od linija duž koje se taj blaženi progres ispoljio je - po meni, naravno – bila i linija uključivanja, da ne kažem pripajanja marginalne književnosti matici pisane reči, pa se tako javilo razdragano mišeljnje kako je književnost SVE što koristi abecedu. Naravno, suvišno je i napominjati koliko je taj stav mio i drag svima koji SF,F&H čitaju, jer su se sirotani vazda pomalo stideli da u javnosti priznaju kako oni zapravo čitaju sve te sveščice sa infantilno šarenim naslovnicama. Bilo je to krasno i predivno, zaista, ne biti više izopćenik, biti prihvaćen u okrilje matice, biti ravnopravan (ili skoro pa) sa tamo nekim tvrdo koričenim otmenim izdanjima.
Ali, nije baš sve tu tako "vi ar d vorld" ružičasto, opet po meni, naravno. Jedan od glavnih problema je tu ne samo ostao, nego i postao dodatno naglašen. Naime, dok je postojalo književno-teorijsko mnenje da je SF,F&H prepoznatljivo trivijalna književnost i kičast najmanji nazivnik kombinovanja rečiju u manje-više suvislu rečenicu, sami ti žanrovi su izrodili neku vrst teoretičara, makar za ograničenu internu upotrebu analiziranja rečenih žanrova. Možda je malko pretenciozno zvati tu sortu "teoretičarima" ali svako bi ih se moglo nazvati kritičarima, ili barem klasifikatorima, kako to Mića voli da kaže. Dakle, bili su to primarno žanrovski fanovi a tek onda proučavaoci korpusa. Svejedno, njihovo bavljenje korpusom je donelo neka zapažanja, manje-više sistematizovana u neku vrst manje-više primenjivih definicija po pitanju žanrovskih razgraničenja, to kako onih unutrašnjih, o granicama između samih žanrova, tako i vanjskih, o granicama između žanrovske književnosti. Pri tom su ta razgraničenja uočljivo izbegavala kvalitativna definisanja, rađe se bazirajući na korištenju samih motiva i prepoznatljive ikonografije. Što je i logično, opet po meni, jer verujem da se svakom delu može ustanoviti žanrovska pripadnost na prepoznavanju motivacije i ikonografije, bez da se pri tom odviše ulazi u procenu samom kvaliteta njihovog korištenjima. Drugim rečima, lošem romanu je žanrovska pripadnost podjednako lako (ili teško) odrediva taman koliko i dobrom.
Dakle, ukratko rečeno, nismo bili snobovi. :wink:
Ali, jednom kad nas je zvanična književna teorija uzela pod krilo ko izgubljenu ružnu pačad, saznali smo da se kvalitativnoj proceni dela pridaje isto onoliko pažnje koliko i proceni prepoznatljive ikonografije i motivacije. Čak možda i više, ako se uzme u obzir obilato korištenje grepomenutog intuitivnog plana od strane Knj.Teorije. Da sad ne podvlačim ovde kolika je to tragedija samo po sebi, bar za kukavce koji su verovali da je žanrovima oprošteno to plebejsko poreklo samim prihvatanjem od strane matice; ali avaj, ne samo da im nije oprošteno, nego je žanrovima usput i negirana jedina iskupljujuća osobina koja je rečenoj trivijalnosti držala balans: ZABAVNOST. Jer, budimo iskreni, SF,F&H imaju sporazum sa svojim korisnicima koji tu zabavnost podrazumeva maltene kao deo ikonografije. Zanemariti žanrovima tu konkretno kvalitetu znači, po meni, svesti ih na šund, a mejnstrim Knj.Teorija to neretko radi, opet po meni. Ponekad to bavljenje žanrovima od strane zvanične Knj.Teorije doživljavam kao pomalo preobrazovano za podvig u koji se upuštaju, kao kad bi sudije za umetničko klizanje na ledu krenule da teorijski razmatraju hokej na ledu; kao ono, jeste da je ekipa dala gol, ali džaba to kad padaju na tehničkim merilima, prezentaciji i potrebnim elementima. Dok ja, s druge strane, stvarno ne marim ako se ekipa super bodovski kotira u sva tri programa, ako pri tom nije dala gol.
I eto, gde smo sad? :lol: Koliko nam se boduje i da li bi trebalo da se uzima u obzir pri proceni?
PS. sorry zbog font-sajza, meni u ovom novom skinu malo toga ide od ruke... :cry:
Verovatno vam se ovaj post neće dopasti, ali, evo jedne rečenice koju sam prošle noći gotovo sanjao, a onda ustao da bih je zapisao:
Marketing transformiše bavljenje u praksu.
Bila je namenjena jednoj studiji o eksploziji marketinga krajem devedesetih i u prvoj deceniji ovog veka, ali paše i ovde.
Libe:
Pa da odgovorim ovako ukratko dok me ne kidnapuju za posao koji se plaća:
trenutni stav trenutno popularne i upražnjavane knj. teor. jeste da trivijalna književnost ne postoji. Svaka vrsta književnosti je podjednako važna i dragocena. To se forsira, između ostalog, i naglašeno sociološko-kulturološkim pristupom analizi i zanemarivanjem "imanentnog pristupa delu". Ne samo da nema razlike između Džojsa i Džordana, nego ni između Tolkina i Fajsta, na tom planu kritike i teoretisanja.
Kad bih sad smela da strahovito uprostim stvari, rekla bih da se knj. vrednost određuje manje-više prema broju pozitivnih smislova (joj, kako ovo zvuči, ali neka stoji) koje neko delo generiše. Jedan nivo je jezički, i tu ne mislim na kitnjasti stil Ket Valente nego na kreativnu upotrebu jezika u širem smislu. Jedan nivo je ideološki - to je trenutno najpopularnije, bez obzira koje je ideologija fele. Jedan je mimetički - recimo, i kad analiziramo psihologiju zmajeva, to možda nije realizam, ali mi ipak procenjujemo unutrašnju koherentnost i doslednost koju autor pokazuje u poštovanju pravila koje sam priznaje/nameće. I tako dalje. Što više tumačenja delo može da generiše uspešno, utoliko bolje. (Ideologija je ovde šućmurasto područje, bar za mene.)
Naravno, ona osnovna podela na zabavu i pouku i dalje se drži makar u podrumu kolektivne svesti, pri čemu kritičari ipak prednost često daju poučnom, čak i žanrovski-fanovski kritičari, makar toga ne bili svesni. Ljudi se više pale na Martina jer kod njega je sve ozbiljno, kod njega ima krvi, on pokazuje da život nije pesma itd. Naravno da se on više kotira nego neki potencijalni pisac koji bi pisao srećne ljubavne pričice sa roze jednorozima.
I za unutaržanrovsko određivanje žanra: ma slažem se da je neka dinamična i nestabilna definicija lako moguća - ispunjavanje određenog broja motiva, tema itd u nekoj dovoljnoj meri - ali mene zanimaju granični slučajevi, da ne kažem književni biseksualci, :mrgreen: dakle oni koji plivaju u dve struje istovremeno. To jesu najčešće mejnstrimaši koji se okušaju u žanru ili žanrovci koji preuzimaju elemente mejnstrima ili drugih žanrova, ali povremeno naiđe nešto ovako, poput Kalpe, što zaista po mom osećaju nije ni riba ni meso, i zanima me kako bi drugi - recimo, ti - primenili unutaržanrovske klasifikacije na Anhelikin tekst, ali kad ozbiljno uzmu u obzir latinoameričku fantastičnu tradiciju. A to je nešto što, mislim, nijedan od fanovskih prikaza koje sam našla na prvoj strani Gugla nije učinio.
Scallop: Što mi se ne bi dopala? ali nije to samo marketing već i studije kulture ;)
Nažalost, u ovo vreme proždiranja svega u ime promocije prodaje, studije kulture su apsorbovane u marketinške analize mogućnosti definisanja i vezivanja afiniteta publikuma za svoje proizvode. Meni lično odgovara slojevitost u posmatranju književnog dela koju zagovaraš, ali, to jednostavno ne prodaje knjigu i tu mrzim kad moram da se složim sa stavovima koji mi ne prijaju. Segmentiranje tržišta je dovedeno do takve detaljnosti u žanrovskim i podžanrovskim klasifikacijama da čitalac više ne traži savete u književnoj teoriji, kritici ili štagod, već gleda natpise na policama gde knjige stoje i prati prst koji mu ukazuje na blurb.
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 13-10-2011, 11:39:41
I za unutaržanrovsko određivanje žanra: ma slažem se da je neka dinamična i nestabilna definicija lako moguća - ispunjavanje određenog broja motiva, tema itd u nekoj dovoljnoj meri - ali mene zanimaju granični slučajevi, da ne kažem književni biseksualci, :mrgreen: dakle oni koji plivaju u dve struje istovremeno.
:mrgreen:
Elem, sad kad to kažeš, preračunavam se na brzaka i ispada kako zavidan deo romana sa moje "all times best" slite dolazi upravo od takvih devijanata... ali i dalje me zanima koliko je žanr hendikepiran pristupom koji pominješ. A zanimaju me i te razlike između žanra i ne-žanra u oblasti fantastike... ja lično slabo varim fantastiku kao striktno metaforu, a uvek me kopkalo da neko pročeprka po mogućim razlozima.
a za Kalpu; jao, jao, kako sam ja povodljiva. Nabavila sam knjigu ovog momenta, iako ama baš ništa ne znam o latinoameričkoj fantastičnoj tradiciji. No dobro, ne znači valjda da iz neznanja nema spasa... :lol:
E da; ne mogu ništa od Valente da dočitam pa da me na mestu ubiješ! ospice dobijem od kitnjastog joj sitnog veza, iako me neki romani stvarno mame da istrajem.
Nadovezujem se na neki prethodni Libeatin post, mada ovo nije pravi odgovor na njega, nego samo onako piskaram:
Naravno da je zabavnost obavezna – pa to je uslov da knjiga uopšte bude čitana. Klasici književnosti prvo su zabavljali čitaoce pa onda sve drugo, mada im je to mnogo lakše polazilo za rukom kad nisu morali da se takmiče sa video-igrama, internetom i filmom. Nije Don Kihot bio čitan kao alegorija o životu, nego je Servantes bio Teri Pračet svoga doba i ljudi su se glasno smejali uz ono što se danas čita u potpuno drugačijem ključu i ne izaziva skoro nimalo smeha. Drugo je pitanje to šta je kome zabavno, prvih sto knjiga koje pročitate mogu vas oduševiti čak i ako objektivno nisu baš neke, posle hiljadu ili dve apetiti će neumereno porasti i moguće je da će vas tad ludo zabaviti ono što je čitaocu početniku previše komplikovano ili prosto naporno za čitanje, ili ćete potpuno bataliti beletristiku i preći na dokumentarnu prozu ili eseje jer vam se čini da su svi zapleti već viđeni, ili ćete se naći u nekom žanru i uživati čak i u tome što pogađate rasplet. I sve je to dobro i normalno, samo nek se čita. :)
A o književnoj teoriji pojma nemam. Potrudila sam se da zaboravim sve što sam o tome svojevremeno morala da naučim kako bih opet mogla lepo da uživam u čitanju bez ikakvog proučavanja, mada kad mi se neka knjiga dopadne, volim da pročitam i ono što su drugi napisali o njoj, bili oni kritičari, teoretičari ili samo obični čitaoci, moja omiljena vrsta. Sasvim se slučajno pogodilo da se moj stav poklopio s delom onog koji je Jevtropijevićka pomenula (a ja joj verujem) kao trenutni stav knj. teorije, mada ne mislim da je svaka knjiga jednako vredna, nego da iz svake neki idealni čitalac može izvući nešto vredno lično njemu. (Zaglavila sam se u staromodnoj teoriji recepcije, znam.)
Čitalac ne može tražiti savete u knjiž. kritici kakva je nekad bila jer danšnji kritičari nikako ne mogu da isprate sve, a ako i mogu - ko će im verovati, gde će pročitati te njihove kritike. Čak i ako čitaju knjigu na dan i pišu o njima u novinama, šta to znači nekom ko nema sličan ukus ili ko se ne slaže s kritičarevim premisama u ocenjivanju vrednosti dela. A ima i kritičara toliko opsednutih raznom terminologijom da ih ni kolege ne razumeju, pa onda nema ni koristi od njihovih kritika... Opet, amaterska književna kritika nije nikad bila jača, sve ovo što se može naći na blogovima i po forumima može poslužiti kao posrednik između neodlučnog čitaoca i knjige, pa onda možda i nema toliko potrebe za nekom oficijelnom knjiž. kritikom. Naročito stoga što pisci sad lako mogu da pročitaju na netu šta čitaoci misle o knjizi, pa ne mora neko iz vladajuće kritičarske škole da im kaže šta je dobro, šta nije, šta da poprave kako bi im naredno delo bilo više čitano, što je valjda krajni cilj svega, ili prodavano, ako ćemo o Patersonu i ostalim piscima fabričkih proizvoda za čitanje.
O, daleko bilo da verujem kako je svaka knjiga jednako vredna... čak štaviše, tu umem da zastranim verovatno dublje i dalje nego što bi trebalo. :oops: S druge strane, to me skoro uopšte ne smeta ako prepoznam da je knjiga "poštena", da tako kažem, da je svesna sebe i svoje ciljne grupe. Zapravo imam problem samo sa onim knjigama koje me smišljeno i "na kvarnjaka" dosegnu, tu ceo taj džez vrednovanja ulazi u igru. Pre toga ne, zaista, pošto sam odavno u fazi u kojoj lako ostavim ono za šta nemam sklonosti.
A to za zabavnost, recimo da sam uvek imala više sklonosti za žanrovski larpurlartizam nego bilo koji drugi. Tu mi je prag tolerancije daleko manji problem nego u mejnstrim prozi, recimo, i tu lakše podnesem i površnosti i stereotipe. To je valjda ta uslovljenost zbog koje žanrovski fanovi (ili barem ja) imaju malko problema sa objektivnim vrednovanjem nežanrovske proze. Kao da su mi očekivanja postala prevelika kad je mejnstrim u pitanju. Recimo, bacila sam poglede na neke fribi uzorke romana nominiranih za Bukera i ne mogu da ti opišem koliko me se to doima kao pretenciozna smaračina. A opet, za to vreme s guštom čitam stvari za koje bi mi ozbiljniji ispisnici garant konfiskovali cvikere, i stvarno ne znam kako da to sebi objasnim. :cry:
Elem, pošto rasprava o finesama SF,F,H žanrovskih razgraničenja i o finesama Knj.Teorijske procene istih lako uzburka svakog ko je sklon učitavanju i iznalaženju kojekakvih aluzija, uzeću za primer roman iz žanra kog se može secirati i bez obavezne brige za nežna osećanja: uzmimo za primer žanr tehno-trilera. A pošto je neko ovde već pomenuo roman Zero Day (Mark Russinovich) uzeću njega za primer, iako sam ga poodavno čitala i malo toga u njemu našla vredno pamćenja, no ipak, poslužiće, pošto ionako mislim da je taman dovoljno ilustrativan za izvlačenje određenih zaključaka a može i pirat kopija lako da se nabavi.
Dakle, Zero Day se bavi apokaliptičnom pretpostavkom kako bi dobro dizajniran kompjuterski virus mogao da okonča civilizaciju kakvu danas imamo. Taj dobro kamufliran virus bio bi pušten preko interneta da se razmnoži u kompjuterima miliona korisnika i tu bi pritajeno i neotkriveno čekao na komandu koja bi ga aktivirala na globalnom nivou, u tačno određeno vreme, nakon čega bi njegova sinhronizovana aktivacija sabotirala sve one kompjutere o kojima ovisimo u svakodnevnom životu. Avioni bi padali, nuklearne elektrane bi eksplodirale, kompjuterizovane bolničke mašine bi poubijale svoje pacijente pogrešnim lekovima, navigacioni sistemi bi napravili rusvaj sa samonavodećim bojnim oružjem, procesori u sistemima filtracije vode bi zatrovali gradske zalihe, elektrane bi bile smoždene kuršlusima, naftni tankeri bi istresli svoj teret u okeane... i znate već kako taj scenario može da se raširi.
Ideja je dobra, i dobro je prezentovana, tek da se zna.
Glavni protagoniste su Džef i Su (valjda, mrzi me da guglam, a i nisu bitna imena, zaista, bitno je samo da je u pitanju stereotipno uparen dvojac) i njih dvoje nezavisno nailaze na kompjuterski problem za koji ubrzo ustanove da je neka vrsta generalne probe za tu apokalisu u najavi. Sam zaplet je baziran na internacionalnoj, globalnoj skali u kojoj iza virusa stoje Arapi (preciznije i direktnije, dva saudijska brata koji su od hakera naručili taj dizajner-virus), paraplegičar Rus i njegova žena (ona je tu upletena striktno u neznanju, naravno, a on je programer apokaliptičnog virusa), ubica-najamnik Ukrajinac koji prolazi za Engleza, američki obaveštajac koji godinama prodaje tajne jednom od pomenute arapske braće i koji, kad otkrije šemu o virusu, ucenjuje istog za ogromne pare kojim bi se kupilo njegovo ćutanje.
Sve u svemu, da izbegnem spojlere, fer je reći da roman nudi dobre razmere po pitanju akcije, pucnjave, jurnjave, špijunaže i trilera uopšte, i ko voli šoljicu takvog čaja, biće sasvim zadovoljan, ali samo pod uslovom da ima na umu kako ovo nije roman za tamo neke police - ovo vam je roman za dražesne palp sveščice.
E sad, ja sam taj roman sa uživanjem pročitala, što će reći da je interesantan i zabavan, angažovan u domenu poučnosti, dobro osmišljenog zapleta i sasvim fine strukture po pitanju akcionog tempa.
Ali to samo sa striktno žanrovske strane.
Sa Knj.Teorijske strane, ne dvoumim se ni najmanje da bi taj roman bio prepoznat kao šund, a pošto sam ga pročitala, znam i koji bi argumenti podržali tu (pr)ocenu.
Nemam reči da objasnim koliko je je karakterizacija jednodimenzionalna a akteri stereotipni, i to ne stereotipni u smislu potcenjivačke prezentacije etničkog, kulturnog, društvenog i političkog miljea iz kog potiču, nego u smislu da su svi redom kopije jednog izmišljenog obrasca kakav jednostavno ne postoji u stvarnom svetu, nego u holivudskim blokbaster akcionim filmovima. Svi akteri su toliko jedan na drugog nalik, da se doimaju kao makazama iseckani iz jednog poteza u presavijenom papiru: svi se oni jednako ponašaju, jednako reaguju, svi su u stanju da lakoćom skuckaju nekakav kobajagi devijantan plan, kom će neko drugi sa istom lakoćom doakati. Ukratko, neki potezi tih aktera su do te mere šablonski da su mi suze vrcale od smejanja na to što čitam.
Ali.
Za potrebe zapleta romana, oni su savršeno funkcionalni.
Rusinovič je zaplet smestio u domen u kom je savršeno informatino potkovan. Tačno, on naizgled nema blage veze o stvarnim ljudima u stvarnom svetu, ali je u posedu neosporno impresivnog znanja ne samo o kompjuterskim virusima, nego i o kulturi hakera na kojima njegov zaplet počiva. Da, on je svoje protagoniste stereotipno okarakterisao, ali ono što ti protagonisti rade je vrlo detaljno i vrlo smisleno opisano. Preciznije rečeno, Rusinovič se koristi stereotipima samo u određenim delovima konstrukcije, i za to ima sasvim jasne razloge, jer mu je krajnji cilj da postigne ono što je Serđo Leone postigao sa špageti vesternima: rekreiranje sveta ne na bazi stvarnog, nego na bazi nekakve prethodne rekreacije, koja je zapravo sam žanr. Verujem da niko od nas ne veruje da su špageti-vesterni odraz ma kakve realnosti, to bilo američkog divljeg zapada ili normalne karakterizacije ljudi koje su u to doba živeli; špageti-vesterni su stilizacija američkih vestern-filmova koji su i sami bili stilizacija stereotipno tumačene američke istorije iz tog perioda. Mene se takva žanrovska stilizacija doima kao da namerno odustaje od realističkog prikaza stvarnosti, i tu uopšte ne dovodim u pitanje autorske (ne)sposobnosti, nego prihvatam gotov proizvod kao rezultat autorskog umetničkog opredeljenja i žanrovskog kanona.
Možda grešim, ali zaista ne vidim gde to Knj.Teroja nudi ustupke za tu vrst komunikacije između proizvoda i konzumenta. (Istini za volju, uglavnom verujem kako je dobro što ih ne nudi, jer bi se kroz taj luphol lako provukle silne diletantske črčkarije, ali to je već materijal za drugu raspravu, ovde mi je samo bitno da naglasim kako Zero Daz nije diletantska črčkarija.)
Pri čitanju Zero Day, ne stiče se utisak da Rusinovič NE UME da svog Rusa učini malo više ruskijim ili svog Arapina malo više arapskijim; naprotiv, stiče se utisak da on to namerno NE RADI, zato jer to NE ŽELI. A i ne treba mu, ako ćemo pravo, jer to bi u veliko meri potkopalo sam zaplet. Ako imate američkog obaveštajca, sa stažom od recimo najmanje 20 godina, prevejanog špijuna bez skrupula, koji prodaje tajne svoje zemlje upravo najvećim neprijateljima koje je ta zemlja ikada imala, i koji na kraju reši da ucenjuje te teroriste za basnoslovnu cifru, pri tom dobro znajući da oni imaju još manje skrupula i da su više krvoločni od njega - pa, ako vi takvog čoveka karakterizacijom napravite realističnim, kakve su vam onda šanse da ga odvedete u Francusku, u neku mračnu, sporednu uličicu u kojoj će ga ucenjivani Arapin bez po muke smaknuti nožem??? Nikakve, naravno. Ili kad imate mladu Ruskinju koja gleda kako joj je otac sačmarom (ili čime li već) upucan u grudi, pred njenim očima, da li bi ona u nekom svom realističnijem izdanju zaista samo na brzaka i izdaleka overila kako je on definitivno mrtav pa ne mora ni puls da mu opipa, i da li bi zaista odmah sela u automobil sa potpuno nepoznatim ljudima koji su u istoj toj pucnjavi učestvovali??? Naravno da ne bi.
Dakle, to što akteri velikim delom rade u romanu, to su čiste gluposti i uberbedastoće, ako ih promatrate sa književno-teorijskog stanovišta.
Ali sa žanrovskog stanovišta, ovaj tehno-triler akciono-zabavno-poučni roman (koga je navodno čak i Bil Gejts podržao u smislu "korisnosti") se meni kotira sa ocenom 3,5 od 5, pri čemu sa skroz ubeđena da, sa stanovišta ma kako dobronamerne književno-teorijske procene, isti taj Zero Day biva s razlogom procenjen kao čist šund.
I to je to. To je hokej na ledu gol koji je dala ekipa što se smradno loše kotira u tehničkim merilima, prezentaciji i potrebnim elementima.
Ali je ipak gol, i to dobar. :)
Quote from: LiBeat on 16-10-2011, 13:56:12
Dakle, to što akteri velikim delom rade u romanu, to su čiste gluposti i uberbedastoće, ako ih promatrate sa književno-teorijskog stanovišta.
Pa, Libe, tu si napipala čvor: naime, nikad ja ne bih rekla da su ovo gluposti sa knj-teor stanovišta, nego isključivo mana teksta u okvirima koje je sam sebi postavio; ovakvi romani, ma koliko površno i nominalno, učlanjeni su u realističko-mimetičku školu proze, i stoga se od njih ne očekuje dubinsko poniranje u psihu junaka, ali pridržavanje nekih niskih standarda verodostojnosti i motivacije - to da. To što je u pitanju žanr i razbibriga, nema veze. Kad god u ovakvom štivu junak radi nešto jer je to potrebno za zaplet, iako to ide direktno protiv njegove dotadašnje karakterizacije, to je mana koja ubija suspenziju neverice. Mana, dakle, koju će priznati i najzagriženiji fan, a ne samo kržljavi teoretičar. (Recimo, naglo survavanje u imbecilnost Neda Starka samo što me nije odvratilo od daljeg čitanja Martina, a znam da nisam jedina.)
Hm, pa to je sad za diskusiju :). I u realnom životu, značajne istorijske ličnosti prave gluposti i pogrešne procene. Staljin do poslednjeg trenutka nije verovao da će Hitler napasti, iako su trupe koje se gomilaju na granici mogli videti golim okom. Tako da ništa neobično ni da Ned Stark napravi pogrešnu procenu i plati glavom.
No ono što se ovde govorilo za ciljne grupe, to se slažem. Sumraku su ciljna grupa tinejdžeri, preciznije tinejdžerke i to je ok. Ja npr.volim i trilere i kriminalističke romane. Ne očekujem od njih nikakvu duboku filozofiju niti promišljanje o društvenim problemima. Ili ne znam koliko slojeva. Desi se da budem prijatno iznenađen dubinom dela, stilom i lepotom u tom žanru ( npr. roman U šumi od Tane Frenč ) , ali i ako se to ne desi ( što je češće ) neću biti razočaran.
Sad što se tiče biranja šta čitati od fantastike, složio bih se sa Dackom. Postoji internet, blogovi, na kraju krajeva i mnogobrojni forumi i komunikacija između fanova, preporuke...
Quote from: Anomander Rejk on 16-10-2011, 16:24:03
Hm, pa to je sad za diskusiju :) . I u realnom životu, značajne istorijske ličnosti prave gluposti i pogrešne procene. Staljin do poslednjeg trenutka nije verovao da će Hitler napasti, iako su trupe koje se gomilaju na granici mogli videti golim okom. Tako da ništa neobično ni da Ned Stark napravi pogrešnu procenu i plati glavom.
Likovi iz knjiga nisu osobe iz stvarnog života. Likovi iz knjiga su konstrukti - ako ih stvori majstor, delovaće ti "baš kao pravi" - i u njihovom ponašanju mora da postoji unutrašnja logika.
U suprotnom je to loše napisan lik.
Pa kod mnogih autora epske fantastike postoji problem sa ( ne )uspešnom karakterizacijom likova. Kod Martina su nekako najpribližniji stvarnim osoboma, i realnom životu. A u životu nije nimalo redak slučaj da oni čiji je moto ,, poštenje, pravda, čast '' izgube, ili budu nasamareni od lukavih, nečasnih i beskrupuloznih. Ne branim debelog bradonju, niti kažem da nije bilo propusta u karakterizaciji, samo kažem da konačni rezultat nije nerealan i da se ima u vidu i taj aspekt.
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 16-10-2011, 14:47:05
Quote from: LiBeat on 16-10-2011, 13:56:12
Dakle, to što akteri velikim delom rade u romanu, to su čiste gluposti i uberbedastoće, ako ih promatrate sa književno-teorijskog stanovišta.
Pa, Libe, tu si napipala čvor: naime, nikad ja ne bih rekla da su ovo gluposti sa knj-teor stanovišta, nego isključivo mana teksta u okvirima koje je sam sebi postavio; ovakvi romani, ma koliko površno i nominalno, učlanjeni su u realističko-mimetičku školu proze, i stoga se od njih ne očekuje dubinsko poniranje u psihu junaka, ali pridržavanje nekih niskih standarda verodostojnosti i motivacije - to da. To što je u pitanju žanr i razbibriga, nema veze. Kad god u ovakvom štivu junak radi nešto jer je to potrebno za zaplet, iako to ide direktno protiv njegove dotadašnje karakterizacije, to je mana koja ubija suspenziju neverice. Mana, dakle, koju će priznati i najzagriženiji fan, a ne samo kržljavi teoretičar. (Recimo, naglo survavanje u imbecilnost Neda Starka samo što me nije odvratilo od daljeg čitanja Martina, a znam da nisam jedina.)
U vezi s onim delom posta kog sam boldovala: problem je što ja verujem kako upravo u eksiviranju i izvrdavanju ovog odličnog pravila i leži koren te žanrovske specifičnosti u pristupu karakterizaciji...
Po meni, što više ostaviš prozni lik plošnim, nedorečenim i nepreciznim, to ekstravagantnije sa njime možeš manipulisati bez da ugroziš suspenziju neverice!
Primera radi, vi koji pratite fentezi serijale, recite mi koliko vam je proznih likova poznato koji su na početku serijala krenuli kao pozitivci a na kraju zvršili kao negativci, uz sve ona "i obratno" osciliranja između, kao da su u pitanju marionete, a da vam je to ipak bilo sasvim ubedljivo u kontekstu širih zbivanja u samom serijalu?
Po meni, poenta i jeste da žanr stereotipno forsira neku vrst "stem cell" karakterizacije, za razliku od mejnstrima i klasične književnosti. Sa takvim likovima možeš bukvalno svašta da uradiš u kontekstu koji naglasak stavlja na
zbivanja a ne na
likove. Jer eto, zbivanja ipak
menjaju likove, zar ne, i to ti je opravdanje zašto svaki tako definisan lik može u novoj situaciji da bez problema deluje na način koji ide direktno protiv dotadašnje karakterizacije.
E sad, možemo da raspravljamo o tome da li je to linija manjeg otpora, kreirati takve "stem cell" likove koji mogu da se lako preobraze u sve i svašta... po meni, rekla bih da nije, nego je u pitanju naprosto jedan od žanrovskih kanona koji može da bude prilično impresivna alatka u rukama majstora. Nisam čitala Martina ali iz posrednih komentara bih rekla da on jeste jedan od takvih majstora i da se prilično obilno koristi upravo ovakvom vrsti karakterizacije.
Naravno, znam da ti lično imaš sklonosti za žanr, pa bi tvoje procene takve vrsti karakterizacije verovatno uzele u obzir i neke njene najočiglednije prednosti. Ali ne verujem da Knj.Teorija definicijski olakšava tako intuitivno procenjivanje i onim kritičarima koji nemaju niti tvog afiniteta niti generalnog poznavanja žanra.
Uh... pa, vidi. To jako zavisi od vrste književnosti koja se analizira. Recimo, kad se neko teorijski bavi viteškim romanom, ili pesmom o Rolandu, karakterizaciju niti traži niti bi je našao - to su stvari koje mi prvo padaju na pamet jer su likovi na nivou bajke, ono, hrabri vitez, lepa dama, mudri čarobnjak, zli negativac. Ali i za dobar deo dramske književnosti u celini, posebno do poznog devetnaestog veka, posebno u komediji koja se zasniva na stereotipima, psihološka analiza likova mora manje-više da se isisava iz prsta. To što ima genijalnih isisavanja iz prsta ne menja na stvari.
Danas se mejnstrim književnost uglavnom poistovećuje sa jednom vrlo ustajalom vrstom realizma, to je istina. Tu mogu da se nabudže razni pisci od Tonija Parsonsa ili Ljiljane Habjanović-Đurović do... pa do nekih znatno kvalitetnijih. Ali to apsolutno nije jedina vrsta mejnstrim književnosti, a naročito ne najcenjenija, i knj. teorija razvija alatke (mora, hoće) i za analizu pisaca kao što su Pinčon, Nabokov ili Muzil, koji su posvećeni nekim drugim stvarima a ne preslikavanju realnosti. Obaška što se od pada klasične marksističko-lenjinističke teorije podozrivo gleda na preskriptivno teoretisanje.
E, ali književna kritika, i to dnevna književna kritika, i teoretičari koji su bučniji i zavređuju više medijske pažnje, uglavnom i dalje barataju kriterijumima koji knjige mere po dva, tri parametra, i ako izuzmemo ideologiju po izboru, koja strahovito vodi u određivanju vrednosti knjige, glavni su i dalje aristotelovska verovatnoća zapleta i motivacije, plus procena stilsko-jezičkog umeća na dalekom drugom odnosno trećem mestu. A žanrovska književnost od ove vrste koju ti navodiš tu će verovatno neslavno propasti, osim po ovom prvom kriterijumu. Koji je za povoljan prijem često i više nego dovoljan, na moju veliku žalost.
Ne znam da li je ovo dovoljno da se otprilike bar jednom složimo u pogledima... :mrgreen:
Da se složimo? Ja, da se složim sa detetom socijalizma koje čvrsto veruje da je država obavezna nosati u tobolcu svu svoju neproduktivnu kengurčad!?? Nikad!!! :))))
Ostavićemo ovaj strenuous task u klifhangeru, uz nadu za bolje dane...
xwink2
Moj prvi susret sa Lindqvistom.
Mimoišli smo se na priči o vampirima (to uglavnom zbog spojlera u vidu odlične ekranizacije tog romana), i na priči o zombijima (čisto zbog obilja u kom se taj podžanr u zadnje vreme baškari), da bi se najzad sreli na njegovoj... pa eto, uslovno rečeno "priči o duhovima". Ali to je zaista samo najmanji zajednički nazivnik za preciznu žanrovsku alatku kojom roman oblikuje kompleksne teme tragičnog gubitka i mučnog iskupljenja, pri tom usput uspešno dovodeći u pitanje mitove o ljubavi, roditeljstvu, odanosti i odgovornosti, obmani i samoobmani, a ponajviše o nepresušnoj ljudskoj potrebi i sposobnosti da sebe smatra žrtvom ponajviše onda kada je nedvosmisleno nasilnik.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.sfx.co.uk%2Ffiles%2F2010%2F10%2FHarbour_350wide.jpg&hash=f2f15526ef55e0afd4ea5c0e7bf95a9d245fef4b)
Anders i Cecilia su mladi bračni par čija ljubav datira još od detinjstva na rodnom osrtvu Domaro. Svake godine provode leto na ostrvu kod ljudi koji su Andersa odgojili: kod Anna-Grete, Andersove vitalne babe po ocu, i Simona, bivšeg mađioničara, koji sa Anna-Gretom živi u skladnoj (iako nevenčanoj) zajednici više od pola veka. Roman ih zatiče u februaru 2004, dok sa šestogodišnjom ćerkom Majom istražuju Gavasten svetionik na maloj hridini nedaleko Domara, koju zaleđeno more pripoji ostrvu u zimskim mesecima. I upravo tu, u tom bezbrižnom obilasku svetionika okruženog ravnim prostranstvom debelog sloja zaleđene vode, Maja je neobjašnjivo i bez ikakvog traga nestala.
Dve godine kasnije, smožden raspadom braka i sopstvenom alkoholičarskom ovisnošću, Anders se vraća na Domaro u nejasnoj nameri da nekako okonča život koji od Majinog nestanka ionako nema smisla. U nekoj vrsti poslednjeg napora da suoči uistinu neshvatljive okolnosti koje su pratile Majin nestanak, Anders polako otkriva da, i pored odrastanja i života na Domaru, ne zna apsolutno ništa o mučnim tajnama koje ostrvo prate još od maglovito mutnih pradavnih vremena koja su opstala jedino u narodnim predanjima. Ta predanja tvrde kako more oko Domara nije tek puko prostranstvo slane vode, nego nadmoćan i surov entitet koji sa ostrvljanima ima u krvi potpisan ugovor, a u neposredno vreme pre i posle Majinog nestanka, taj ugovor je naizgled doveden u pitanje. I mada je Anders vođen isključivo roditeljskom potrebom da Maju vrati bez obzira na posledice po sebe lično, postepeno otkriva da bi upravo ostrvljani morali da plate cenu tog poduhvata. Nateran da suoči mogućnost biranja između sopstvenog deteta sa jedne strane, i mnoštva dragih i bliskih ljudi sa druge, Anders suočava nemilosrdne jednačine kojima natprirodni entitet mora vrednuje pojedinačni ljudski život.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguin.com.au%2Fcovers%2Fcatalog%2F9781921656675.jpg&hash=5e09ddf080f27be1368f7c117bc7e6c962de6cf9)
Koncept mora kao natprirodnog (i neretko podrazumevajuće zloćudnog) entiteta gotovo je obavezan motiv u tradicijama ljudi čiji opstanak zavisi od mora. Oni po pravilu na more gledaju kao na maćehu koja hrani i održava, ali bez imalo ljubavi, i taj koncept uvelike određuje njihov običajni identitet. Koncept pogodbe sa nemilosrdno moćnim entitetom uglavnom podrazumeva i koncept žrtvovanja, a to po pravilu otvara bolne tačke preispitavanja ljudskosti, podobnosti, nedužnosti i tradicionalnih društvenih vrednosti uopšte. Svaki koncept nagodbe sa Zlom baziran je na prepoznavanju određenih kvaliteta, jer što bi to Zlo dobilo u pogodbi, ako ne upravo te efemerne kvalitete "ljudskosti", koje samo ne poseduje? S druge strane, uslovi koji omogućavaju nagodbu sa Zlom podrazumevaju da će upravo ti kvaliteti biti u određenoj meri kompromitovani - jer nije li upravo ta faličnost u kvalitetima ljudskosti prvi uslov da se takva pogodba uopšte razmatra? Lindqvist majstorski kreira situacije u kojima se tom paradoksu prilazi iz različitih uglova, nudeći time beskrajne prilike da nam iznova definiše pojam licemerstva: žrtvovanje jedinke u korist mnoštva se može tek donekle opravdati u kontekstu bazičnih ljudskih vrednosti, ali... ako usput dokažemo da je jedinka sopstvenim manama zaslužila to žrtvovanje... e, onda takvo opravdanje postaje maltene bogomdano, bar za neutralnu, a time i objektivnu većinu.
A to otvara prostor za seciranje jednog od najbazičnijih društvenih mitova - roditeljske ljubavi. Da li je čovek obavezan na objektivnost čak i u svojstvu roditelja? Da li sva ona silna pravila koja čoveku važe za tuđu decu zaista moraju da važe i za sopstvenu? Ima li pojedinac uopšte prava da kao roditelj odstupi od pravila kojima se revnosno podvrgava u svim ostalim svojim aspektima? Od svih ljudi koji su iskreno pogođeni gubitkom Maje, jedino Anders bira da ostane striktno u ulozi roditelja, i na to bi se možda moglo gledati kao na odgovor koji roman nudi na navedena pitanja. Ali ipak, kao dublji sloj toj naizgled prirodnoj roditeljskoj odluci, Lindqvist lukavo podmeće i krivicu koju Anders oseća dok procenjuje sopstvene roditeljske kvalitete. Anders sebe krivi ne samo zato što je ubeđen da je Maja nestala u trenutku njegove nepažnje, nego i zato što se kaje zbog sopstvenih reakcija koje je hiperaktivna Maja u njemu proizvodila. Nakon nestanka Maje, Anders je ne samo iz sećanja prognao svu njenu problematičnost, nego ju je i idealizovao do te mere da mu naprosto ništa drugo nije preostalo no da se ne pomiri sa gubitkom. Spremnost sa kojom je Anders voljan da se žrtvuje za spas svog deteta prevazilazi normalnu roditeljsku uslovljenost i postaje voljna odluka kojom se traži iskupljenje.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.goodreads.com%2Fbooks%2F1317794092l%2F10807928.jpg&hash=e56ac941f423c139527c3717a4bf4e69728b4746)
Da, da, Lindqvist je zadivljujuće angažovan pred svim tim veštim tkanjem natprirodnih kulisa i maksimalno potencira krajnosti oko kojih vešto obigravamo i koje postrance eskiviramo u pomalo bestežinskom stanju kretanja ribe u moru. Roditeljski mit je svakako fenomen na kom se baziraju mnogi drugi fenomeni koji sačinjavaju čovekov identitet (a pogotovo psihologiju mase), pa je svako seciranje istog po pravilu opčinjavajuće; da nismo biološki i kulturno uslovljeni da bezrezervno volimo i bez obzira na sve mu manjkavosti prednost dajemo sopstvenom podmlatku, veliko je i otvoreno pitanje kako bismo se odnosili prema ljudskom rodu uopšte, a kamoli prema sitnijim društvenim uzorcima istog. Koncepti žrtvovanja su prisutni u svim aspektima tradicionalnog društvenog mentaliteta, od paganskih vidova prinošenja simboličnog mita kojekakvim kapricioznim prirodnim elementima, pa do judeohrišćanske doktrine razapinjanja pojedinca za iskupljenje mnoštva. U tom ustrojstvu, dobrovoljno predati moru ljudsku žrtvu u ime "kupovine" povoljnih uslova za opstanak mnoštva se i ne doima odveć nehumano, pogotovo ako se (u ime opravdanja, naravno) rečena zajednica pri tom povinuje izglasanim parametrima po kojima se žrtve biraju uz striktna vrednovanja o društvenoj podobnosti. Ali... šta ako se ispostavi da vam se dostignuća sopstvenog podmlatka ne kotiraju odveć visoko u tim parametrima? Šta se u tim okolnostima prvo kompromituje, ljubav za ljude ili sopstvena roditeljska privrženost? Lindqvist je to sadržajno obilje ponudio u jedinstvenom stilu isto tako angažovane, neprekidne konverzacije. Roman je sveden na uistinu konstantan dijalog, to kako protagonista međusobno, tako i protagoniste sa samim sobom, sa naratorom, naratora sa čitaocem, sa istorijom, sa mitom, sa stvarnošću taman koliko i sa natprirodnim. Majstorsko baratanje tempom i tempiranjem u velikoj meri se oslanja na bizarnosti kojih u potpunosti postajemo svesni tek nakon što se sa romanom oprostimo. I ne, ne mislim time na bizarnosti od one žanrovske (i od Stivena Kinga već nemilosrdno izraubovane) vrste, sad već svedene na opšta mesta natprirodnog horora koji se bavi motivima opsednutosti malicioznim duhom... mislim na bizarnost tipa eksplicitnih scena supružničke erotske intime u poznom životnom dobu, recimo; jedino neprikosnoveni majstor pera može da se trezveno usudi na tako riskantan karakterizacijski poduhvat. Simonov odnos sa magičnim insektom u kutiji šibica svakako je okosnica najbizarnije podstruje u naraciji, makar samo zato što su tim paktom stečene moći za čije korištenje Simon naprosto nema prilike u svom povučenom i skromnom životu. Tu je i bizarnost neortodoksne ženstvenosti osamdesetogodišnje Anna-Grete, krijumčarke i društveno najbitnije prizme kroz koju se razlažu nijanse istinskih okvira svih mitova kojim se roman bavi; bizarnost lakoće sa kojom se u maloj društvenoj zajednici postaje izopćenik; bizarnost samokažnjavanja kojim se traži iskupljenje i, na kraju, bizarnost samog Lindqvista, koji vas s lakoćom uvede a onda još i lakše provede kroz slojevitost sopstvene fascinacije natprirodnim fenomenima, kao kroz more pod Gavastenskim svetionikom, razdvojeno moćima Spiritusa u kutiji šibica.
Gledano u celini, roman je setno preispitivanje o ljubavi i gubitku, o odgovornosti, strahu i vlastitoj bespomoći pred ogromnošću života.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/315999_267992796572935_100000866510367_782661_37198252_n.jpg)
:mrgreen:
Dakle, oktobar smo priveli kraju onako kako oktobru i priliči - u intimnom druženju sa prozom punom natprirodne strepnje, noktogrizne jeze, i, uopšte, fascinirajuće nelagode koju nam nudi vaskolika prozna prezentacija onostranosti. U brižnom negovanju tog razvratno pronicljivog horizonta, proza o Đavolu tu nekako dođe sine qua non za pošteno uživanje u savremenoj verziji drevnih paganskih praznika. Ali, ali, ne zaboravimo: baš kao što nije zlato sve ono što sija, tako ni Đavo nije uvek nužno ružan arhineprijatelj, pogotovo ako ima dovoljno stila da obuče plavu haljinu i pleše uz džez koji je, to bar svi znaju, treća životna šina.
Drugo, također opšte poznato, pravilo koje ne bi smeli da smetnemo sa uma otprilike glasi: ako ste se već nakanili da stvarate u domenu u kom su vam roditelji ostavili jasno prepoznatljivu ostavštinu, računajte da će vas to osedlati više kao hendikep, nego kao privilegija. Život je kurva, to bar svi dobro znamo. Zato, zaboravimo ovde na časak da je Joe Hill potomak slavnog tandema Stephen & Tabitha King i posvetimo se rađe samom romanu, Horns..
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Flarryfire.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fjoe-hill-horns-art-vinnie-chong.jpg%3Fw%3D450%26amp%3Bh%3D628&hash=4c825b62201ea682ebe0b97508a64e93e472a9b1)
Horns je roman koji nas ovako dočekuje, to od reči do reči: Ignatius Martin Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke the next morning with a headache, put his hands to his temples, and felt something unfamiliar, a pair of knobby pointed protuberances. He was so ill, wet-eyed and weak, he didn't think anything of it at first, was too hungover for thinking or worry. But when he was swaying above the toilet, he glanced at himself in the mirror over the sink and saw he had grown horns while he slept. He lurched in surprise, and for the second time in twelve hours he pissed on his feet.
Dakle, ukazuje nam se ovde bogomdana prilika da iritiramo "KNJiževni" establišment još jednim pretencioznim posezanjem u latinštinu, ovaj put za in medias res frazom. :) Ali to vam jeste TO, dragi moji, jer zaista nema boljeg načina da ukažemo na udicu kojom Joe Hill već u prvom pasusu romana nepovratno kači svoju ciljnu grupu. Jer, vaistinu, ko ostane hladan na ovaj buket ovako brižljivo izabrane pojedinačne reči, taj će ujedno i biti skroz nedohvatljiv za samu udicu uvodnog pasusa, taman kao da siromaj u zaštitne svrhe nosi deminerski komplet, balistički štit, vatrogasno ćebence i pancir prsluče zajedno. Preciznije rečeno, ako vas citirani pasus ozbiljno ne potkači, onda bolje da ni ne čitate dalje od njega.
Ali ako vas potkači, i ako se ipak odlučite da čitate dalje, čeka vas ukratko ovo: Ignatius, ili od milošte Iggy, ili Ig, je tog jutra osvanuo ne samo sa đavoljim roščićima, nego i sa ubitačnom sposobnošću da ljude u svojoj blizini navede da mu bez zadrške povere sve svoje najintimnije misli i primisli. Naravno, tu ne da ima žešćih gadarija, nego zaista ima žestokih gadarija, kao što i sami pretpostavljate, ako ste ikad posvetili iskren pogledčić sopstvenim intimnim razmišljanjima. Da stvar bude gora - a stvar mora biti gora od toga, naravno, jer, ne zaboravite, ipak je ovo roman o Đavolu - Ig je svega godinu dana ranije nepravedno osumnjičen za ubistvo svoje devojke, Merrin. I mada nikada nije bio zakonski nit suđen ni osuđen za taj zločin, izgleda da svi ljudi koji ga poznaju i dalje veruju da je on itekako kriv za silovanje i ubistvo sirote devojke, samo eto, izvukao se zato što nije bilo dokaza. Ig je tako godinu dana svog života proveo u privatnom paklu punom očaja zbog gubitka devojke koju je voleo, i punog užasa zbog saznanja da ga svi ljudi koje je u životu voleo smatraju odgovornim za njenu smrt. Paradoks se, stoga, otvara upravo u tom prvom pasusu romana, kada Ig najzad ponese i te zvanične oznake pakla u kome već godinu dana privatno živi - kada otkrije da su mu izbili rogovi. Paradoks se dalje rascvetava u žanrovsku hrizantemu, dok Ig postepeno otkriva ne samo paklenu pozadinu svih njegovih svetački kamufliranih poznanika, nego i samog ubicu njegove voljene i nikad prežaljene Merrin. Zato nam Maestro Đavo, u predivnom sjaju crvenila paklenske mu iskrenosti, otkriva sve ono što i smo sami oduvek slutili, duboko u koštanoj nam srži; Zlo postoji isključivo u ljudima koji nose kerubinske maske, pa zato ni samom Đavolu ne preostaje ništa drugo do da obuče plavu haljinu i ispravi bar najsitnije od tih ogromnih nepravdi, dok negde u pozadini setno svira džez.[/si
ze]
o](https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_v7Rbt_4NL7o%2FTN0Jz5ea3gI%2FAAAAAAAAAZY%2FZjN7SC1X99Y%2Fs320%2FHorns%252BJoe%252BHill.jpg&hash=5716ac2237651f8ca8e3c41990e40c65b0d2d544)[
E sad, to su bili razlozi zbog kojih je ovaj roman vredan čitanja, a sad reč-dve i o manama. Prva mana je, naravno, podleganje hendikepu nasledstva. Kako, o kako, O KAKO napisati roman o đavolu, a da isti nimalo ne asocira na tatino čeprkanje po onostranom? Pa eto, za početak, možda tako da prosto obrnemo predznak tatinom čeprkanju? Da žrtvujemo vaskoliki zaplet karakterizaciji, jer to je definitivno nešto što ON ne bi uradio? da poniremo u dubine baš tamo gde se ON demonstrativno brčkao u plićaku? da potenciramo ama baš sve ono što je ON izignorisao, da stavimo obrte na najneočekivana mesta? da budemo njegov prepoznatljivo negativan predznak, nadajući se da to donosi ako ne već sam identitet, ono bar jasno uočljivu različitost?
](https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-DGgd0KHHVbY%2FTgNl994ehSI%2FAAAAAAAAAJU%2F1PUJj9Oq0IY%2Fs1600%2F20th-century-ghosts.jpg&hash=1fd8aa97898b75d1166d7d52ea3965de52d45e8c)[
Hm, pa, recimo sve to zajedno i još ponešto pride, jer Đavo zaista lepo izgleda u plavoj haljini, nije da nije.
Joe Hill se zato opredelio za narativnu konstrukciju koja već u prvoj trećini romana otkriva ko je zapravo ubica divne Merrin, pa se u svojim flešbek ostacima roman bavi uglavnom onim "zašto". A u tom bavljenju, Joe Hill se ne samo otkriva, nego i do kosti razgolićuje kao dete svog vremena: ah, ah, sve te današnje progresivne vrednosti i sve te njihove prebolne trnovite krune banalnih stereotipa... jer eto, ako su vam negativci isključivo desničari, homofobi i sociopate, onda vam pozitivci svi redom moraju biti najmanje liberalni hrišćani (njahnjah, sama ta odrednica zahteva kompletan esej, jer je religiozna konstrukcija ovde toliko debilizovana da čoveku trnu zubi pri čitanju), koji se definišu isključivo suprotnim predznakom po svim značajkama već dodeljenim negativcima. Prosto sam se zatekla kako čeznem za bar jednim negativcem, jednim jedinim, ma kako marginalnim, koji je negde uzgred ispoljio makar i minimalne homoseksualne tendencije, ali alas, mi smo izgleda u fazonu ne samo apologije, nego i deifikacije izvesnih svetonazora koji se danas plasiraju kao stereotip progresivnosti.
Fakfak, rekla sam sebi oz osmeh, još tamo od ukakanog Will & Grace sitkoma stenjem pod popkulturnom debilizacijom liberalnih horizonata, pa moram li te retardirane simplifikacije da trpim i van televizijskih imbecilizacija kompleksnih socijalnih kontroverzi?? Nema li mi spasa ni kad isključim tu zlu napravu???
Ali eto, baš onda sam se setila da je ovo ipak roman o Đavolu, i imidž je do te mere podatan za popkulturne manipulacije da danas naprosto nema smisla baviti se ma kakvim originalnim namenama, a još manje smisla ima opovrgavati trenutačne trendove.
Ako ništa drugo, priznajem da prilazak novim stereotipima u ovako striktno abdikacijskom duhu otvara prostor u kom mi čak i sopstveno cerekanje ima neočekivano dubok smisao, jer ipak sam oduvek intimno priželjkivala da Đavo obuče plavu haljinu i zapleše uz Mingusove numere u mojoj glavi.
Kopkalo me da saznam kako bi se Lindqvistova proza kotirala bez predznaka natprirodne fantastike, i eto, svojim romanom Little Star, Lindqvist skoro pa da mi ispuni tu želju. Ali ipak nije, i drago mi je što je tako, pošto venira natprirodnog motiva donekle pomaže da žestinu i mračnost romana zadržimo u iluziji fantastike. Little Star se izbliza zagleda u agresiju razmimoilaženja pojedinca i društvenih normi, ali u ovom slučaju se ne radi o klasičnim negativnim društvenim tenzijama po pitanju političkih, verskih i kulturnih zastranjenja. Horor dimenzija romana počiva na iskonskom strahu čoveka da će jednog dana pogledati u oči svog podmlatka i tamo videti... pa eto, nešto što nimalo ne shvata i čemu ne zna uzrok. Od svih strepnji sa kojima čovek živi, najmorbidnija je svakako strepnja da pod krinkom tupog crnila detetovih zenica tavori budući psihopata bez savesti i sociopata željan krvi, a da će on, roditelj, biti nesposoban da na vreme dešifruje takve signale. Little Star je zato žanrovski pogled u društvenu dimenziju u kojoj su deca sila koju je maltene nemoguće kontrolisati i koje se treba plašiti.
I dobro sad, pre no što se nasmejete na ovakvu izjavu, prisetite se 1999 masakra u Kolumbini i sličnih situacija u kojima su adolescenti posegli za oružjem u znak neslaganja i neprihvatanja društva u kom žive, pa će svaki osmeh tu da relativno brzo zamre.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguin.com.au%2Fcovers%2Fcatalog%2F9781921758577.jpg&hash=9a0d060066ee0dacbb83e7cbd1d5f03bf2737a5e)
Najpre malko o direktnim zbivanjima u samom romanu: Lennart i Laila su postariji bračni par sa prilično tmurnim životom neuspešnih pop zvezda. U svojoj karijeri su možda i uspeli da dođu do same granice gde anonimnost prestaje, ali nisu uspeli u celosti da je pređu, i to breme neuspeha ih definiše više no bilo kakav životni uspeh, ukoliko su ga uopšte i imali. Lennart je zato čovek sklon kućnom zlostavljanju a Laila je obogaljena u jednom izlivu agresije u kom joj je Lennart čekićem odvalio koleno. Kao krunu svojih ličnih neuspeha, Lennart i Laila su isporučili i sina jedinca; gojazni i isto tako agresivni Jerry provodi dane u gledanju horor splašera, nesposoban da zadrži ma kakav posao na duge staze. Životi tog depresivnog gubitničkog trojca nepovratno se menjaju onog dana kada Lennart slučajno iskopa - u lokalnom šumarku, i to u potrazi za gljivama - iz plitkog groba naizgled mrtvo žensko novorođenče. Ispostavi se da novorođenče ipak nije mrtvo, ali isto tako nije ni živo, bar ne u smislu u kom bi novorođenčad trebalo da su živa; osim neprekidne i kristalno jasne E note, novorođenče ne daje nikakav drugi znak normalnog života. Lennart, fasciniran tom vokalnom sposobnošću u kojoj otkriva nepobitan muzički talenat, sakriva novorođenče u podrum, rešen da ga u tajnosti zadrži; Laila, isprva u strahu od Lennartovog čekića a kasnije pod pritiskom materinskog instinkta, mu se pridružuje u tom podvigu. Nekoliko meseci kasnije, Jerry otkriva tajnu roditeljskog podruma i također pristaje na saučesništvo, dajući detetu ime - Theres (reference vuku na Baader - Meinhof, ali priznajem da mi je to ostalo poprilično nejasno, osim ako se radi o Theresi Kintz) i zajedno sa roditeljima pridonosi njenom muzičkom obrazovanju. Trinaestak godina kasnije, taj eksperiment se završava krvoprolićem u kom Theres ubije i raznim alatom otvori najpre Lailinu a onda i Lennartovu lobanju. U neobjašnjivom naletu prepoznavanja srodne duše, Jerry preuzima roditeljsku brigu oko Theres, sve dok mu se ne ukaže prilika da živi svoj život.
U paralelnoj narativnoj liniji, roman nudi drugo žensko dete, ovaj put rođeno u krajnje normalnu i običnu porodicu radničke srednje klase. Uz brižnog oca, rezolutnu i praktičnu majku i dvoje braće, Teresa Svensson je deo maltene porodičnog poster-modela za srećno i stabilno društveno sazrevanje. Svejedno, još od ranog detinjstva Teresa Svensson ispoljava pasivna ali nedovosmisleno asocijalna odstupanja od prepoznatljivih normi za njen uzrast, i vremenom sve više instinktivno uči kako da sopstvene opsesije što bolje prikrije. Teresa zato egzistira uglavnom po internet-forumima, brižljivo gradeći lažnu sliku o sebi u okrilju anonimnosti forumskih nikova. U toj destruktivnoj spirali neuravnoteženosti, Teresa najzad sreće Theres povodom gostovanja na lokalnoj Idol produkciji, i njih dve kreiraju tandem koji preko jednog MySpace klipa iz temelja potresa švedsku pop scenu. Ulaskom u muzički šou-biznis, čak i na tako mala i striktno amaterska vrata, Theres i Teresa dolaze u priliku da ne samo pronađu sebi slične tinejdžerke, nego i preko tog takozvanog "čopora" rafiniraju svoju asocijalnu agresivnost do neslućenih granica, i to je otprilike tačka posle koje bi sinopsis spojlerima kvario čitalačko uživanje.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-bBo-Rcx3n8c%2FTn26ZzjfveI%2FAAAAAAAACr0%2F4bYfTQAhHb8%2Fs400%2Flittlestar-uk.jpg&hash=d0d38087634d7c3fca239d6fcd6e60866ec168f7)
Lindqvistova sklonost da kompleksne dileme provlači kroz prizmu adolescentne percepcije u ovom romanu doseže granice na kojima se linija između autorove namere i čitalačkog utiska skoro nepovratno gubi. I pored maestralnog vođenja zapleta, i pored obilnog, luksuznog nizanja impresivnih delova mozaika, i pored filigranski uobličene karakterizacije, na kraju te fatamorgane niste ništa bliži razumevanju no što ste to bili na početku.
Neprihvatanje ustaljenih društvenih normi od strane adolescenta Lindqvist balansira (a time i uvelike relativizuje) zauzvratnim neprihvatanjem adolescenta od strane zajednice koja insistira upravo na prihvatanju društvenih normi kao na nekoj vrsti dokaza o odrastanju.
I dobro sad, do te tačke se sve lako može pratiti, jer svi smo manje-više upoznati sa klasičnim obrascem "buntovnika bez razloga", čak štaviše, svi smo mi kasnijim obrascem "buntovnika sa razlogom" donekle i uslovljeni da krivicu tražimo uglavnom na strani odraslih. Danas smo nekako više skloni da verujemo kako se psihopate ne rađaju, nego se prave, i to kroz sistematsko zlostavljanje od strane društva, ili bar njegove najosnovnije ćelije, znači porodice. Isto tako, postoji i odavno se neguje pop-kulturna tendencija da se agresivno asocijalno ponašanje glorifikuje, i, mada nas Lindqvist ne odvodi u domen gde suvereno vlada ikonografija tipa Natural Born Killers, njegovo poigravanje sa natprirodnim elementom nudi morbidnost koja je također vrlo privlačna u popkulturnom smislu. Osim početnih okolnosti vezanih za Theres - ili, preciznije rečeno, vezanih za okolnosti i stanje u kom je pronađena kao novorođenče - roman ne nudi dalje elemente natprirodnog. Ali, zauzvat nudi insinuacije koje lako gube veniru natprirodnog, prosto zato što su banalizovane društvenim prihvatanjima: jedna od njih je uverenje da ljudske žrtve u trenutku nasilne smrti oslobađaju životnu energiju, vidljivu kao "crvenkast dim" koji njihove ubice asimiluju kao fizički i mentalni boljitak. Tu mističnu pretpostavku je lako zastupati u svetu u kom većina ljudi prihvata kao dokazivu stvarnost svu mistiku božanskih i đavolskih manifestacija, anđeoskih začeća, zagrobnog života, uskrsnuća mrtvih, stigmate, spiranja greha vodom i parama, rajskog luksuza, paklenog kažnjavanja i tome sličnih uverenja. U takvom kontekstu, granica između "natprirodnog" i "prirodnog" je tako temeljito izgubljena da je nema svrhe tražiti ni zdravim razumom, a kamoli žanrovskim alatom.
Istina, ovaj potonji može da na daleko zanimljiviji i prijemčiviji način predoči i analizira svu snagu i moć psihopata i sociopata u modernom društvu.
Neosporno je da Theres ima jake razloge za poremećenu empatiju - ako je kao novorođenče završila u plastičnoj kesi u plitkom grobu i ako je kasnije odrasla u podrumu, naučena da se plaši ljudi koji će da je otmu i ubiju - fakt ostaje da sa Theres nešto definitivno (i natprirodno) nije bilo u redu i pre toga. S druge strane, ostale tinejdžerke iz čopora su imale sasvim normalne i uobičajene okolnosti u kojima većina ljudi izrasta u zdrave i društveno korisne jedinke. Little Star time zastupa stav da se psihopate ipak rađaju a ne prave, bez obzira na Lindqvistovo proračunato balansiranje izvesnih segmenata modernog društva koji su (odavno i sa pravom) percipirani kao sinonim za korupciju i generalnu negaciju civilizacijskih vrednosti. Van maglovito naznačenog porekla same Theres, ostale tinejdžerke iz čopora ispoljavaju isključivo dijagnostički lako prepoznatljive mentalne poremećaje, te je roman u tom smislu krajnje realističan i duboko uznemiravajući, upravo zbog ozbiljnog pristupa jednom savremenom društvenom fenomenu. I mada ostatak društvene zajednice - oličen makar u roditeljima ovih tinejdžerki - ostaje sračunato van fokusa romana (članovi porodice Svensson jesu detaljizirani, ali to uglavnom kao stereotip nemoći u terapijskom tretiranju psihopata), Lindqvist ipak ostavlja dovoljno prostora da se čitalac poistoveti i sa njima, i to ne samo u tragičnoj završnici. To svakako jeste jedan od jačih aspekata romana.
E sad, kad se sve to zbroji i oduzme, ostaje da se Little Star proceni po sopstvenim zaslugama, bez pozivanja na obilne negativne društvene uticaje na koje se tako izdašno oslanja. I mada je lako prepoznati stilsku i narativnu bonancu smelosti i relevantnosti, na sadržajnom planu roman uspeva da čitaoca ipak ostavi iskreno zabezeknutog, taman da isti promuca "dobro sve to, ali... ". Roman izbliza zagleda u fenomen kojem se češće prilazilo iz ugla glorifikacije negoli istinske analize, i ako je Lindqvist imao nameru da izbegne taj ugao, ostao je upravo na tome, na nameri.
The Silent Land je jedan od onih romana koji brižljivo izbegavaju opredeljenja po pitanjima SF, F & H pripadnosti, pa time lakše šarmiraju poveći deo čitalačkog spektra, to od poklonika striktno žanrovske književnosti, pa sve do odlučnih pobornika najbenignije i najležernije mejnstrim varijante moderne fantastike. Sračunato se služeći najprepoznatljivijim motivima, konvencijama i samopodrazumevajućim horizontima očekivanja, The Silent Land nudi vešto sklopljen mozaik koji snagu crpi više iz pripovedačke veštine autora, negoli iz samog sadržaja.
A taj sadržaj se, ukratko, svodi na sledeće: na zimovanju u Francuskoj, u jednom samostalnom skijaškom izletu, Zoe i Jack nastradaju pod lavinom. Naizgled satima naglavce zatrpana u snegu, Zoe najzad biva spašena od strane požrtvovnog supruga ali ubrzo se ispostavi kako to nije kraj nego zapravo početak svih njihovih nevolja. Pri povratku u hotel, Zoe i Jack otkrivaju da su ostali turisti u međuvremenu očigledno evakuisani, tu uključujući i kompletno hotelsko osoblje, a svi njihovi pokušaji da napuste hotel i spuste se niz planinu do najbližeg naselja završavaju se neobjašnjivim neuspesima koji prevazilaze sva objašnjenja od strane razuma i logike. Nakon nekoliko dana, Zoe i Jack dolaze do zaključka da nešto nije u redu ni sa ostalim zakonitostima svakodnevice; vatra koja danima bukti ne uspeva da sagori par cepanica na kojima se hrani a namirnice ostavljene na stolovima u hotelskoj kuhinji ne pokazuju ni najmanje znake raspadanja. U vreme kada im se u lutanju oko hotela pridruži i Jackov davno umrli pas, Zoe i Jack već opravdano sumnjaju da su vreme i prostor unutar i oko hotela definitivno prestali da budu prepoznatljivo ovozemaljski.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdazedrambling.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fthe-silent-land.jpg%3Fw%3D312%26amp%3Bh%3D500&hash=f5f2e641dabce61562534184e201baf4637db5fe)
Istini za volju, pored nesumnjivo bravurozne pripovedačke tehnike ovog obilno nagrađivanog i priznanjima obasutog autora, priznajem da se mimoilazimo isključivo mojom krivicom; naime, ja zaista nemam odviše sklonosti za nežanrovski pristup žanrovskoj književnosti. Ne sporim da isti ima svoje nemale prednosti (a verovatno i draži, to bar za onaj segment čitalaštva koji voli svoju fantastiku samo kad i ako je makar naizgled mejnstrim "duboka"), no ipak, priznajem da uopšte nisam naklonjena poigravanjima sa bizarnošću koja redovito završe u otvoreno banalnoj završnici. I sad, kad sam već ukazala na bolnu tačku ovog romana, fer je priznati da ovaj rivju nudi daleko više spojlera no što sebi inače dopuštam, jer bolna tačka ovog romana je ponajviše sam epilog, to upravo zato što je jedan od onih "sve si ti to dosad samo snev'o, blago meni" banalnih.
The Silent Land je roman koji naprosto ne nudi dovoljno idejnog obilja koje bi iskupilo taj i takav epilog.
Manipulisanje narativnom stvarnošću kroz nepouzdane percepcije aktera je jedan od jačih aspekata horor žanra ali The Silent Land odbija da koristi konvencionalne horor pristupe psihološkom trileru, insistirajući više na prepoznatljivo esefičnom pristupu analize stvarnosti, identiteta, postojanja, percepcije, a time i same smrti. Konstrukcija zapleta ovog romana je stoga daleko lakše prepoznatljiva u kontekstu filmske umetnosti negoli u domenu književne; direktne asocijacije vuku ponajviše na Jacob's Ladder, a onda i na Session 9, The Machinist, The Sixth Sense i Shutter Island. U tom smislu, The Silent Land po čitanju ostavlja dojam ambicioznog predloška za relativno smarački film čije bi retke vizuelno impresivne scene bile garnirane obilnim (i čitaocu relativno dosadnim, pseudointelektualnim) tokom svesti dvoje aktera koji do besmisla musaju po očiglednim banalnostima, nadajući se (baš kao i čitalac) da će tek epilog uneti smisao u "kako ovo, zašto ono" digresivno ping-pong iscrpljivanje sve očiglednije praznjikave premise. Mnoge intrigantne epizode zapleta - volšebna pojavljivanja gomile turista na recepciji, bizarni telefonski pozivi, tajanstveni opušci i siluete u zasedi - uspešno grade saspens sve do pred finalnu trećinu romana, kad se u čitaocu razbukta strepnja da tako ambiciozan poduhvat jednostavno ne može da se adekvatno ostvari van granica žanra u kom su se svi gorepominjani filmovi sa zavidom lakoćom ostvarili, i da, stoga, najverovatnije a uskoro i sasvim definitivno, srljate ka antiklimaksu jednog poprilično jeftinog cimanja singularne i poprilično trivijalne suze iz potpuno vam suvog oka.
I kad taj banalni epilog najzad okonča svu patnju stvorenu autorovom neskrivenom namerom da osvoji empatiju čitalaca - i to isporučujući upravo ono što ste već trećinu romana slutili i od čega ste kroz dve trećine romana opako strepili - priznajem da tu bude i pomalo olakšanja punog zahvalnosti, makar zato što ste i sami svesni da je tim banalnim činom najzad sve okončano.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2FTheSilentLand.jpg&hash=63797e3ac4ae34f0966041eb3253fc5d6a1fa3c7)
Par dana nakon čitanja, sasvim je moguće da ćete se zapitati šta vas je to nateralo da u čitanju istrajete. Pa eto, odličan uvod, za početak. Zavodljiv stil. Precizna i detaljna karakterizacija. Impresivna postavka, šarmantna bizarnost besprekorno dozirane informacije i neskrivena i neosporiva veština u baratanju motivima kojima ste skloni da i na veresiju poklonite poverenje. U većini slučajeva, taj nepisani, prećutni ali nadasve iskreni i stvarni dogovor o uzajamnom poštovanju horizonata žanrovskog očekivanja o(p)staje na snazi uglavnom zbog dugogodišnje sinhronizacije u skladnom nadopunjavanju beletristike i njenih poklonika. I mada sam ja, upravo zbog tog sklada, uvek bila na sigurnom što se tiče autora kao što su Houellebecq, Ishiguro i Murakami, priznajem da me Graham Joyce tu pomalo nadigrao, no dobro, The Silent Land je taman dovoljno kratak i kompaktan roman da mu s lakoćom oprostim sav gubitak dragocenog mi vremena.
Da li sam u pravu što sam posle prvog pasusa pomislila: "o ne, zar opet zagrobni život i mrtvaci kojima treba cela knjiga da to skapiraju? O dokle??" Molim odgovor uz eventualno spojer upozorenje za osetljive :)
:roll: uhvatio me na kvarnjaka na prvoj trećini, mamumu.
a za prelom druge trećine si ti pomalo kriva, samo da znaš, xtwak , ti i tvoje ideje o toleranciji za nežanrovski pristup obradi koja očigledno vapi za žanrovskim alatom... učinilo mi se da je to dobra prilika da dadnem fer šansu romanu, s obzirom da je stvarno dobro napisan.
za finalnu trećinu ne krivim nikog doli sopstvenu SM žicu u karakteru, plus rešenost da vidim koliko taj baja može da ga odsvira.
Ali je zato REAMDE doživljaj, ali zaista DOŽIVLJAJ, pa ovo nisam ni osetila! :!:
PS. eskivirala sam odgovor zato što si samo polovično u pravu s tom "prvi pasus intuicijom". xwink2
Elem, verovatno nije fer negativno oceniti finalistu za WFA bez detaljisanja zamerki, tim više što i dalje verujem da The Silent Land prednjači, to po mnogim parametrima, od ostalih finalista. Isto tako, slutim kako su te zamerke skroz subjektivne, i ne verujem da ovde ima mnogo ljudi koji bi se sa tim zameranjem složili. Ako išta, prilično sam sigurna da sve manje ljudi favorizuje tradicionalna shvatanja žanrovske fantastike, pa bi ono što ja zameram romanu neko bio sklon da prepozna kao prednost... a povrh toga, detaljisanje podrazumava obilne spojlere, pa je ovo pravi trenutak da na to upozorim i (verovatno jednog jedinog) eventualnog čitatelja... dakle, Melkore, pažnja, slede spojleri!
Striktno govoreći, nije u pitanju "zagrobni život i mrtvaci kojima treba cela knjiga da to skapiraju". S druge strane, jeste upravo to, bar u onoj meri u kojoj može da bude bilo šta - problem sa ovako proizvoljnom fantastikom je upravo u tome što je toliko otvorena za tumačenja da se tu može svašta učitati. U suštini, postavka je toliko proizvoljna da se naproto nameće kao primer jednog pristupa fantastici kojem stvarno nisam naklonjena, pa ga otud lako i diskvalifikujem, iako slutim da možda ne bi trebalo. Meni se tako proizvoljna fantastika svodi na fantazmagoriju koja se povinuje standardima nastalim VAN žanrovske književnosti, i mada nemam ništa protiv toga, zaista, uvek se štrecnem kad mi se obrati unutar žanra.
Ali da objasnim o čemu se radi: ključni momenat romana je Zoe naglavce zatrpana u lavini. Ljudi naglavce zatrpani u snegu su apsolutno bespomoćni, čak i kad su plitko zatrpani, kao što je bila Zoe. Svaki njen napor da se izbavi je rezultovao još dubljim ukopavanjem u sneg, i on a je vrlo brzo postala toga svesna, pa se posvetila naporima da prizove muža da je otkopa. Fantastički elementi stupaju na snagu tek kad je Jack otkopa i kad se vrate u hotel. Ali, koliko god ti elementi očigledno bili iz asortimana natprirodnog - cepanice koje ne sagorevaju, namirnice koje ne trule, način na koji njih dvoje gube fizičke manifestacije života (ne osećaju glad ni žeđ ni hladnoću, sve dok se sami ne prisete da bi trebalo da sve to osete), volšebno pojavljivanje davno mrtvog psa - ti elementi se nude i obrađuju iz striktno realističke perspektive. Svaki motiv koji se može objasniti logikom i razumom, tako je i objašnjen, ma kako nategnuto, dok se ostali motivi otpisuju sračunatom eliminacijom "nepouzdanih svedoka" - Zoe i Jack nemilice diskvalifikuju jedno drugom tačke gledišta, i preko svevidećeg i naizgled neutralnog naratora ih otvoreno otpisuju kao halucinacije. Što roman više odmiče, to se motivi natprirodnog silovitije gomilaju i čitatelj ubrzo izgubi mogućnost (a i volju) za bilo kakvim predviđanjem rezultata, bilo čisto statističkim nagađanjem, ili oslanjanjem na prepoznatljive žanrovske konvencije koje tako isporučeni motivi maltene podrazumevaju. To gomilanje elemenata i motiva uskoro izgradi koncept koji je jednostavno isuviše nadrealno sumanut da bi funkcionisao u ma kako objašnjenoj realnosti, i, to be sure, epilog isporučuje upravo najbanalniji od svih mekgafina, s obzirom na situaciju - sve je to bila halucinacija kojom je naglavce zatrpana Zoe održavala sebe u životu dok je spasioci nisu pronašli. Jack nije bio među njima, jer Jack nije preživeo lavinu.
I dobro sad, naravno da i tako proizvoljna fantastika ima svoju svrhu u sličnim konceptima, naravno da žanr tim i takvim alatom secira psihološka stanja pod krinkom halucinacija, ali opet... sa fantastikom tako proizvoljnom, ni rezultat samog takvog seciranja nije ništa manje proizvoljan. Imam osećaj da bi desetoro ljudi po čitanju ovog romana dalo deset različitih utisaka i tumačenja, što je svakako impresivan rezultat ukoliko se za njim striktno posezalo, ali meni u isto vreme ostaje naprosto isuviše nekoherentan. Sigurno ima svojih draži, a definitivno ima i svoju publiku, to mi je bar očigledno, ali opet... nikako ne mogu da se "zagrejem" za to, čak ni kod Mijevila. Taj nedostatak unutrašnje logike koju očekujem kod fantastike, to gubljenje međuzavisnosti u silovitom gomilanju fantastičnih elemenata, to nasilno guranje nadrealnog koncepta u realnost, to mi jednostavno ne leži. Što ne znači da ne prepoznajem kvalitet stila i naracije, nego prosto, ne vidim svrhu u romanu kojeg epilog ne samo opovrgne, nego i totalno poništi.
Quote from: LiBeat on 26-11-2011, 09:58:37
dakle, Melkore, pažnja, slede spojleri!
Hvala :)
Za sve vas koje zanimaju noviji naslovi, bilo zanr ili mejnstrim, a ne mrzi vas da citate ijekavicu, evo jednog odlicnog bloga koji prati hrvatsku produkciju: http://books-and-lemonade.blogspot.com/ (http://books-and-lemonade.blogspot.com/)
Ne mrzi , meni je ijekavica maternji :). Rune i Duševna muzika, to ima i kod nas. Algoritam je pojeftinio ? Pazario sam nešto od njih na sajmu, ali i dalje obigravam oko trilogije Bejkera i Martinovog Grozničavog sna... negde sam načuo da im ne ide dobro kao ranije, možda će malo popustiti sa cenama ?
Bio je INTERLIBER, sajam knjiga u ZG. Devojka koja piše na tom forumu je rekla neke cene....
http://books-and-lemonade.blogspot.com/2011/11/interliber-2011-kupnja-i-zanovijetanje.html (http://books-and-lemonade.blogspot.com/2011/11/interliber-2011-kupnja-i-zanovijetanje.html)
Najranjiviju tačku tehnološki orijentisanog "tvrdog SFa" najlakše je pronalazila upravo svakodnevica: futurizam napisan pre dvadesetak godina koji nije uzeo u obzir komunikacijsku eksploziju u vidu interneta, SMSa, tvitera i fejsbuka danas nam po pravilu izgleda beznadežno naivan, bez obzira na impresivnost ostalih postavki koje nudi. Da stvar bude gora po savremeni "tvrdi SF", nekada se vremenska zadrška pri takvoj oceni ekstrapolacije merila čitavim decenijama, dok se danas meri tek skromnim godinama, i to uz nesumnjivu nameru da se skrasi u čak i od toga manjoj vremenskoj jedinici. Veliki je izazov pisati savremeni "tvrdiSF", ali, zauzvrat, današnjica nudi jedan od najsurovijih filtera koji aminuje jedino vrhunska dela tvrde naučne fantastike.
Šesnaest godina po nastanku, Distress se deklariše kao jedan od retkih savremenih hardSF romana koji test sadašnjice prolazi u jedinstvenom stilu i uz nadmoćan osmeh.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfreviews.net%2Fegan_distress_uk.jpg&hash=aea10b559142a671d98ab745a93eb3139ea6b448)
Distress se posvetio jednoj od najomiljenijih tema naučnofantastičnog futurizma - strahu od gubitka identiteta. Visoke tehnologije menjaju čovekov okoliš takvom brzinom da postaje sve teže prepoznatljiv od jednog treptaja oka do drugog. A pošto je evolucija uslovila čoveka da mu opstanak ovisi upravo o sposobnosti da maksimalno kontroliše svoju okolinu, razumljiv je nagon da se visokotehnološkom futurizmu priđe uglavnom iz ugla distopičnog nepoverenja. Izgubiti kontrolu nad zbivanjima isto je što i izgubiti kontrolu nad okolinom, a čovek koji nema takvu kontrolu, nema ni pravo da se smatra vrhom bilo kakvog evolutivnog procesa, pa makar i onog najprofanijeg. Čovekov emotivni i intelektualni profil još uvek je evolutivno podešen da mu olakša opstanak u funkciji lovca divljači i sakupljača korenja, kojem je jedina životna svrha da preživi taman dok ne proizvede novu generaciju genetskog nasleđa. Ali u svetu visoke nauke i tehnologije, te evolutivne prednosti naprasno postaju hendikepi zbog kojih čovek na izmenu svog okoliša reaguje isključivo emotivnim krajnostima: strahopoštovanjem ili mržnjom, strahom ili razmetljivošću, ovisnošću ili odbojnošću.
U širem značenju, Distress se bavi "kompleksom Boga" sa malim, zlobnim obrtom: tamo gde je zgroženi biblijski Bog potopom preustrojio (ili bar pokušao da preustroji) korupciju i nesavršenost svojih kreacija, čovek rađe dolazi do zaključka kako su njegove kreacije daleko vrednije negoli on sam, pa stoga zaključuje da preustrojavanje sleduje čoveku, a ne njegovim kreacijama. I koliko god da se taj obrt nekima od nas činio opak, fer je priznati da mu bar ne fali surove logike: biblijski bradonja se svojedobno latio stvaranja inferiornih kopija sopstvenog lika i obličja, dok je čovek oduvek stremio da mu sopstvene kreacije budu maksimalno superiorne. Naravno, jednom kad tako pošteno i bez zadrške pristupite činu stvaranja, gubite pravo na odstupnicu ma kakvog ekvivalenta biblijskog potopa: ako shvatate da su vaše kreacije bolje od vas samih, time prihvatate i da su objektivno vrednije. Stoga, ako se između vas i takvih vaših kreacija vremenom otvori bilo kakav jaz, onda znate, bez sumnje i dileme, da breme inferiornosti leži na vašim plećima. A to znači da, u svrhu smanjivanja tog jaza, morate da radite na sebi i popravljate hendikepe kojima vas je evolucija uslovila da funkcionišete kao prevaziđeni žderači lešina i mašine za rađanje.
Distress u svojoj postavci nalazi da je za finalni obračun sa evolucijom nužno preispitivanje mnogih filozofskih i egzistencijalnih koncepata, i to počev od koncepta "zdravlja" vs "bolesti", a odmah potom i koncepta "humanosti". Distress obznanjuje da vlasnik tih definicija ujedno i ima neprikosnovenu kontrolu nad najvažnijim konceptom, a taj je - "civilizacija". Logično je za pretpostaviti da u tom redefinisanju koncepata upravo nauka ima, ako ne baš striktno poslednju, ono bar poslednju uticajnu reč. U svetlu Klarkove procene da "krajnje visoka tehnologija laicima postaje nerazlučiva od magije", ogroman deo ljudstva na planeti zbog tog uticaja reaguje na nauku samo unutar dimenzije njene frankenštajnosvske primenjivosti. Distress taj deo populacije nudi kao organizovan u takozvane "kultove neznanja", i, fer je ovde priznati, ta percepcija romana je već sad lako prepoznatljiva kao generalni civilizacijski fenomen. Ljudi koji bez ustezanja posežu za kolektivnim strahovima - i dodatno ih pothranjuju sopstvenim paranoidnim fascinacijama, religioznim opsenama i kvazinaučnim, poluprobavljenim poluspoznajama - odavno nam već reprezentuju društveni segment strateški kotiranih psihopata koji, uz ispraznu retoriku i još isprazniju demagogiju, sa užasavajućom lakoćom uslovljavaju svoje neuke i priproste sledbenike. Distress nudi ceo buket u fenomenu psihopatizacije neukih - edeniti, antikosmolozi, PoniznaNauka, NajpreKultura, MističnaRenesansa - sve su to varijante ekstremnog ljudskog neznanja koje se odaje maltene karnevalskom ponašanju "spašavanja sveta", organizujući se u militantne grupacije čiji je cilj ubijanje svakoga ko ima iole značajnu ulogu u političkom, društvenom i naučnom previranju radikalnih ideja.
Izvan te bolno istinite analize mentalnog sklopa savremenog čoveka koji ima neograničen pristup informaciji ali ne i njenom razumevanju, Distress nudi futurizam koji svojom drskom postavkom prosto oduzima dah, punih šesnaest godina kasnije: LGTB fenomen - a posebno ono T u akronimu - je ekstrapolacijom doveden u radikalnu poziciju zvaničnog priznavanja dodatnih 5 polova. (Ne, ovaj put nije u pitanju greška u kucanju, zaista je u pitanju pet novih polova, pored ova sirota i neevoluirana dva u kojima se danas koprcamo, i to ne samo u kozmetičkom smislu.) Svejedno, ono što najviše pleni pažnju je konačna manifestacija pominjanog kompleksa Boga, to u vidu genetski radikalno modifikovanog čovekovog postojanja: Ned Landers je hodajuća nezavisna biosfera, sposoban da preživi u uslovima koji prevazilaze bilo kakvu eventualnost osim direktnog udara bojeve glave. Ned ima simbiote u krvi koji proizvode neograničene količine kiseonika i bez disanja, ima stem ćelije koje u koštanoj srži proizvode DNA sa radikalno izmenjenim bazama, ima nezavistan viralni imunitet zbog kog je u stanju da preživi neograničeno vreme jedući najčistiju formu SIDE ili ebole (a kad smo već kod jedenja, Ned Landers može da opstane ceo svoj vek hraneći se automobilskim gumama, pod uslovom da ih isecka u komade dovoljno sitne za gutanje), pa je Ned Landers, stoga, novi Amiš - nova vrsta autonomnog života u srcu globalno integrisane civilizacije, novo carstvo na zemlji, nadčovek koji ljudsku kožu nosi tek kao skafander unutar kog je neranjiv za sve osim direktno-na-metu ispaljene atomske bombe. Pošto mu kromosomi u spermi također nose izmenjene DNA baze, Ned Landers je ujedno i novi bog, otac sopstvenih replika, ali ne i Bog, Kreator kreacija; u slučaju Neda Landersa, Bog je nauka.
Futurizam Distressa je ravnomerno prezentovan kroz mirijadu civilizacijskih aspekata, a to je podvig kojim se žanrovska proza razdvajala, u kvalitativnom smislu, na remek-dela i... pa, na sve ostalo. U tvrdom SFu, ta granica je oduvek bila preciznija i surovija negoli u ostalom Sf domenu, pa su i kompromisi tu bili ako ne učestaliji, ono bar nemilosrdnije uočljivi. Futurizam visoke tehnologije je po pravilu teže komunicirao sa laicima negoli futurizam "mekih" struja u SFu, i kompromisi kojima se komunikacija olakšavala neretko su banalizovali i samu temu i pristup temi jednako. Stvarni svet visokih nauka, pogotovo matematičke i kvantne fizike, podrazumeva komunikaciju koja ne trpi kompromise, a centralni motiv Distressa je upravo TOE, Theory of Everything, i to u maniru sklonom Wheelerovom participantskom ključu, koji u Eganovom tumačenju ne nudi čak ni simbolično razdvajanje fizike od metafizike. Koncept je težak za shvatanje a još teži za prihvatanje, i njegovo postepeno razotkrivanje ujedno nudi i tonu razmevanja za postojanje i opstajanje fenomena kultova neznanja. Distress se zato fokusira na konferenciju fizičara u 2055, koju prati fama da će iznedriti TOE u tumačenju mlade južnoafričke fizičarke, čiji su dotadašnji radovi u tom smeru najavili ne samo matematičku mogućnost TOE, nego i mogućnost da TOE, jednom matematički definisan, može da obznani kraj sveukupnog postojanja. Paranoični trip koji u Distressu forsira kult Antrokosmologičara je već imao benigniju prezentaciju u globalnoj The Large Hadron Collider histeriji, tako da mehanizam psihilogije mase kojeg Egan nudi odiše ne samo maksimalnom uverljivošću, nego i nedvojbenom iskrenošću.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfreviews.net%2Fegan_distress.jpg&hash=f24aec0af10c542bc40a1150d795e8a407e5b756)
I naravno, unutar svega toga imamo i "distress" - novu i neobjašnjivu pandemiju koja se ne povinuje ma kakvom poznatom obrascu prepoznavanja, pa stoga ni klasifikacije - bolest za koju se ne zna da li je organska ili ne, da li je virusna ili bakterijska, da li je infektivna ili ne, da li se prenosi vodom ili vazduhom... a sve ono što se o njoj zna je mučno i deprimirajuće: "distress" svoje žrtve baca u psihološki užas koji se manifestuje neizdrživim nivoom straha i očaja, bez iznimke završava u smrti obolelog, i raste stopom od 30% mesečno, bez vidljive veze u načinu rasprostiranja. Drugim rečima, niko nije imun i niko nije siguran. Na mestu gde se fizika i metafizika deklarišu kao dve strane istog novčića, Distress nudi stvarnost u kojoj je kraj svega ujedno i početak kompletnije egzistencije, a ono što smo do sada smatrali početkom, tek treba biti opravdano, prizivanjem u postojanje. U tom kontekstu, koncept visoke nauke zahteva više slepog verovanja negoli svi koncepti laičkih praznoverica sa kojima od pamtiveka živimo, dok preispituje i redefiniše koncepte Kreatora i Kreacije na način koji skoro da ne ostavlja mesta njihovom razlikovanju, a kamoli odvajanju.
Perin overio Murakamijev 1Q84. (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2011/12/ovo-je-za-mene-definitivno-jedan-od.html)
xjap
Iskren da budem, toliko toga se može reći za ovaj roman, ja nisam maltene ni površinu zagrebao. Ono što me odbilo i što je izazvalo u meni želju da što brže prikažem ovo delo jeste samo razočarenje u nj.
Ali zato će Joko Ogavine tri novele, objavljene u izdavačkoj kući Tanesi, biti nahvaljene na sav glas, so stay tuned, folks! xcheers
Ja koliko sam se oduševio prvim romanom koji sam pročitao od tog autora, ( Igraj, igraj, igraj ) toliko mi je nakon još tri pročitana romana oduševljenje splasnulo, a posebno me razočarala Okorela zemlja čuda i Kraj sveta.
Igraj... mi se jako svideo zato što je tu nekako pronašao dobru meru svega, i mnogo bolje je ušao u likove, posebno devojčice Juki. Međutim, kako sam čitao njegova sledeća dela, bilo je kao da čitam jednu te istu knjigu. Isti recept- otuđen, usamljen junak+ neobična, tajanstvena mlada dama... otuđeni kapitalistički svet... neki otklon od realnosti... i čak i za moj ukus, previše sladunjavosti i patetike. Okorela zemlja čuda mi je bespotrebno razvučena, prerano se skonta šta je zapravo onaj drugi svet... nekako sam se zasitio njegovih knjiga, mislim na poduže vreme.
Sad ću od japanaca naći nešto surovo, perverzno i nasilno :).
Riju Murakami: U Miso supi ili Joko Ozava: Bazen.
U, dobra je Ozava. :)
Elem, nabavila sam čudo jedno kratke japanske superkul e-proze, taman dobro dođe za predah između romana, baci mi na mejl listu svega što imaš, pa da se tu trampom nadopunimo... :wink:
Poslao mail :)
Elem, posto je muka ziva kopipejstovati na ovom forumu cak i u idealnim uslovima, evo ga link za moj rivju fenomenalnog REAMDE (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/01/neal-stephenson-reamde.html) :!:
Super je to knjiga, zaista, po hajpu mi je pomalo kao Enderova Igra, kad se pojavila. REAMDE je skoro pa fenomenalan predlozak za mini seriju, nesto u fazonu hakerskih Sons of Anarchy... :mrgreen:
Stvarno deluje dobro za mini-seriju. :!:
Nego, "futuristička verzija legalnog opstanka 'child labour' kontroverze" - u kom smislu futuristička, kad takav način zarade postoji već godinama, i to organizovano, plus su oni koji na taj način zarađuju organizovani kao prosjaci, oni do besvesti igraju, a onaj koji ih je organizovao uzima najveći deo love i njima daje neku sitninu?
pa, to "futuristicka" je vise u smislu mog hronicnog nepoznavanja cinjenice da takva konkretno kupoprodaja vec postoji u gejmerskom svetu, to kao prvo.
Kao drugo, to sto u REAMDE rade timovi tinejdz-hakera, to nije organizovano ni od koga do od njih samih, znaci, nema tu labour brokera, nema posrednika koji na njihovom radu zaradjuje, znaci, sav profit ostaje njima, oni bukvalno rade za sebe, a sama aktivnost je na granici ilegale na kojoj oni opstaju samo zato sto znaju zakone i eskiviraju ih. Isto tako, oni se igranjem u T'Rain ne bave iz zabave, iako mogu ako to zele - oni to rade striktno zbog zarade.
Okej sad, ja bas i ne znam mnogo o tome, mene cak ni WOW ne zanima a kamoli ista drugo, pa stvarno nisam znala da se u gejming svetu vec stvara takav tinejdz-haker-butleg.
Aha, okej. Pa, onda je razlika između REAMDE i onoga što već postoji (a po tom pitanju) samo to što te tinejdžere niko ne organizuje nego rade za sebe, ovo ostalo je isto, naročito to da se ne igra iz zabave nego zbog zarade, pošto se "igranje" sastoji u tome da na stotine hiljada puta prelaziš jedno te isto i sakupljaš keš i drangulije iz igre.
Postoji još jedna varijacija na temu, a to su browser-based igre, u kojima su po tome zloglasni Mijanmarci (i Malezijci se bave time, ali su oni manje upadljivi i znatno manje pričaju o sebi). Naime, otvori on gomilu naloga u igri (protivzakonito, smeš da imaš samo jedan, al' se to određuje preko IP adrese, a u kompletnom Mijanmaru postoje 3-4 IP adrese), jedan mu je glavni a ostalim skuplja pojačanja za taj glavni nalog, i kad taj nalog ojača, proda ga nekom za pravi keš (takođe nezakonito, ali i jako teško za hvatanje). Tu je već, koliko znam, u pitanju mlađarija koja radi za sebe, nemaju gazdu koji ih organizuje i kupi kajmak.
Još jedno pitanje, pošto pominješ hakere: pravi li REAMDE razliku između gejmera i hakera? Ili je tu, kao u filmu Hakeri, to jedno isto?
Pa, to donekle zvuci kao gold farmeri iz Reamde, s tim sto oni ne prodaju svoje tako ojacane naloge, nego bukvalno kopaju zlato iz tla ili kradu, otimaju, pljackaju od ostalih naloga, posto je jedna od glavnih T'Rain aktivnosti otkrivanje zlata kao iz doba americke zlatne groznice. E sad, posto je svakom igracu nalog direktno vezan za bankovni racun, on moze da kroz igru (imaju menjacnice i otkupljivace zlata) da to svoje sakupljeno virtuelno zlato pretvori u stvarnu valutu, koja se pojavi na njegovom bankovnom racunu. U tome kanda je i bila svrha igre, posto je pranje novca bio jedan od primarnih motiva oko kojih je igra oblikovana.
Ako je taj film Hakeri onaj sa Angelinom i njenim prvim muzem, onda ima dosta slicnosti sa romanom, posto Reamde enkriptuje sve fajlove na kompjuteru igraca, ali Marlon i ekipa ne kradu informaciju koju je Reamde enkriptovao, niti ta informacija ikad napusti vlasnikov kompjuter, niti je Marlonova ekipa kasnije ikome prodaje ili ista slicno... jednom kad se ucena plati, Marlon da sifru za dekripciju Reamde i to je to, tu se staje. Zato Ivanov jednostavno nije mogao da poveruje u to, nego je bio ubedjen da je njegov info ukraden i da ce ga neko kasnije sa tim da ucenjuje...
Jeste, to je taj film.
Roman zvuči podjednako naivno, no, to ne mora da bude mana, to je ta vrsta simpatične zabave. :)
Za Reamde se ne može reći da je naivan samo zato što jednim svojim aspektom izdaleka asocira na film Hakers. U konkretnom Reamde slučaju, roman je po svojoj sofisticiranosti bliži Malom Bratu od Doktorova nego bilo čemu što je prevedeno od savremene žanrovske SF proze, kad se već ne oslanjamo na Enderovu igru.
Aaa, to je mene onda priča o Hakerima povukla da pogrešno shvatim. :lol:
Ali ti si povukla priču o Hakerima (valjda zato što je to jedini film o hakerima koji ti je poznat), a ne ona tebe.
Heh, ne, filmova o hakerima sam se nagledala, Hakeri je samo jedan od njih koji mi je pao na pamet; nego će biti da sam bukvalno shvatila tvoju rečenicu da Hakeri imaju dosta sličnosti sa romanom Reamde, a ti si mislila samo na taj jedan aspekt.
My bad.
Ma nije to nikakav bad, ali ti kanda imaš posvemašnju sklonost ka jednodimenzionalnosti... odgovorila sam na pitanje, ali da nisi pitala, ne bih nikada dovela to dvoje u ikakvu vezu, jer veze ni nema sem što se u oba dela radi o hakerima.
Ali preciznije rečeno, teško je govoriti iz tog ugla ma kakvoj naivnosti u Reamde. Kad tinejdžeri smisle i sprovedu u delo akciju koja ih obogati za 2 miliona dolara, ne bi ih se baš moglo nazvati naivnima. A ako misliš na samu izvedbu romana, pa eto, pomenula sam neoteniju, ali ne u smislu "naivnosti", nego u smislu sprecifične percepcije i svetonazora mladih, koji se jasno odvaja od percepcije i svetonazora u starijih ljudi. Ali ne bih ga nazvala niti naivnim, niti inferiornim, nego prosto suštinski drugačijim. Mladi imaju drugačije prioritete i drugačije procenjuju sebe ivet oko sebe, to je sve.
Ehm, pročitao sedam od dvadeset Mekdonaldovih priča iz Knjige izgubljenih snova, pa evo nekog kratkog prikaza.
RESTORAN IZGUBLJENIH SNOVA- Tema sa gubitkom snova je zaista interesantna, ali mi je pripovedanje u ovoj priči totalno psihodelično... valjda je to jedan od onih kiber-sajber pank stilova koji ja nikako ne mogu pohvatati šta, ko, gde, kuda,
kako. Ocena : 7
PRAVAC KILIMANDŽARO- Ovo je odlično. Vanzemaljski entitet koji preuzima i preoblikuje zemaljsku floru i faunu. Prikaz je dat zaista impresivno, a kroz sve to provlači se i lepa emotivna priča. Ambijent afričkog trećeg sveta i tehnologija budućnosti daje priči izvrstan šmek. Ocena : 10
LEGITIMNE METE- Takođe odlična priča. IRA u sf ambijentu. Odnos ljudi i tuđina dat je kroz probleme emocija i seksualnosti, različite rase bića, jel, drugačije shvataju i ulogu i mesto seksualnosti. Ocena : 9
NOVE AVANTURE BARONA MINHAUZENA: ZALIVSKI RAT- Duhovita i vrlo maštovita priča, o manipulacijama i lažima novog svetskog poretka. Nema više junaka, rat se dobija tehnologijom i informacijama. Ocena : 8
VREMENSKI VRT : VILINSKA PRIČA- Jedna solidna priča na vilinsku temu, vrt koji je kapija drugih svetova. Zanimljivo i drži pažnju, ali opet ništa spektakularno, što već nisam i ranije čitao u raznim oblicima. Ocena : 7
PLAVI MOTEL-Ova priča mi vuče na nešto hororično, ali od svih koje sam pročitao, ostavila mi je najbleđi utisak. Čini mi se
da mu sf okruženje mnogo bolje leži. Ocena : 7-
KRALJ JUTRA KRALJICA DANA- Keltska mitologija i vilinske legende sjajno uklopljene sa psihologijom i probuđenom seksualnošću, od početka do kraja priča ima čaroban, sanjalački ton. Ocena : 10
Elem, evo samo linka, jer kopipejst smara za par reci i o Black Hills... (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/02/dan-simmons-black-hills.html) uf. Bilo je na par mesta i par momenata, onako... no, izbegli smo to, naravno, sve fino i uredno, ali ipak bi vredelo napomenuti da oni sa meksim senzibilitetom imaju papirne maramice pri ruci, za svaki slucaj.
Za Distrust that Particular Flavor sad malo bolje razumem hajp, mada je i onaj prvi uzdrzani rivju takodjer bio itekako u pravu... Gibson je subjektivan kako samo Gibson subjektivan biti moze, ali svejedno sve to ima neku vremeplovsku vrstu drazi, pogotovo kad se vidi da je celni covek kiberpanka u dusi uvek pomalo bio ako ne bas striktno tehnofob, onda tu negde blizu. :lol: Oprema malko jeste "over the top" - svaki esejcic ima kao neku malu prezentaciju, pa na momente sve deluje nekako... puno samoljublja. Ali samo na momente, ne uvek. Inace je okej, mada vise zbog te period timeline vrednosti, negoli neke Gibsonove pronicljivosti po pitanju futurizma ili ista slicno... enivejz, onako, fin kuriozitet i ne mnogo vise od toga.
Za raju koja voli Weird :) :
The Weird and the Real - "The weird reminds us that reality is unimaginable." (http://weirdfictionreview.com/2012/02/the-weird-and-the-real-by-brian-conn/)
Wrestling with the politics of Ken MacLeod's new novel,
Intrusion, in which a dystopia is illustrated by a woman's resistance to taking a magic pill to pre-emptively fix any genetic defects in her unborn child. Nic Clarke for SFX (http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/03/02/intrusion-by-ken-macleod-book-review/):
As a portrait of benign tyranny,
Intrusion is chillingly effective (and morbidly entertaining), not least because so many of this future state's dystopian elements are rooted in inarguable Good Things. It takes a seriously determined – and seriously cold-blooded – libertarian ideologue to argue in favour of, say, parents' right to condemn their children to suffer and die of preventable diseases. Where to draw the line between private life and public good is not a debate unique to our time, or to dystopian fiction, but the technology of MacLeod's world enables him to present the issues more starkly. Here, women are not just subject to stern government health warnings – and social disapproval – about how they use their bodies during pregnancy; they are now "encouraged" to wear sensor rings that allow their local health centre to monitor every molecule they encounter. This is a society being slowly smothered by the systems and safeguards it demanded at the ballot box, and the hobby-horses of its favourite newspapers. In The Guardian, Gwyneth Jones detects (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/09/intrusion-ken-macleod-review) a lack of equivalence:
Intrusion is a book of contrasts: Hugh's relative freedom, his physical confidence; Hope's confinement, and her helpless predicament. The problem for the reader may be that Hope's "half" is sometimes heavy going, but there's a palpable sense of relief and joy when we leave her dismal world for the wide skies of Lewis, and the unlikely boy's own adventure Hugh has been holding in reserve. His contribution, his genetic contribution indeed, certainly livens things up. But Hope is the loser. No matter what the future holds, and no matter what the outcome of a skirmish with the forces of oppression, she will be defined, just as she was in London, as a child-bearer. Hugh, the disappointed heir of Progress, may wait with satisfaction for those legendary barbarians to arrive, and sweep away a rotten civilisation. For Hope, in the most chilling twist in this desolate little story, there is only the irony of her final decision on that fatal "fix".
And at Crooked Timber, Henry Farrell delves (http://crookedtimber.org/2012/03/06/nudge-science-fiction-i-ken-macleods-intrusion/) into the political philosophy:
Libertarian paternalism hence reinforces, and is reinforced by, traditional state paternalism. Actual libertarian paternalists might object that this is unfair – after all they are not themselves arguing that people ought to be positively compelled to do this or that. But I think that MacLeod has the right of it here. Libertarian paternalism, if it is implemented, is likely both sometimes to foreshadow or underpin direct compulsion, and also to support various private forms of social pressure. When behaviors become established as the norm, they make other behaviors that seem deviant, or risky, more likely to be singled out e.g. by insurance companies as reflecting unsafe lifestyles. And the combination of habit and intolerant neighbors can be extraordinarily powerful forces for social compliance. It's clear by the end of the book that people could get away with a lot more, if they only broke the habits of conformity. While the book has an obvious libertarian reading, it's not an uncomplicated one. The state makes things substantially worse, but non-state forms of private coercion are nearly equally important.
O da, Intrusion je na tapetu za april (btw, hvala na vrućem linku :) ) i to ponajviše zbog ovakvih rivjua. Ići će u paketu sa još dve knjige koje kontempliraju distopičnu budućnost za žene, ili bolje rečeno - strah žene od za nju specifično distopične budućnosti: Velvet Dogma i When She Woke. Ova potonja mi je još nekako i najzanimljivija u tom trojcu, naravno, pošto nudi žensku perspektivu (nadam se, ne i pismo) pa će dobro doći za upoređivanje ko tu kome jamu kopa... :lol:
Dakle, 7th Sigma. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41MlzXVDOTL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=e3b38d7e60aaa75b4e1961b801b4324362c0d96b)
Kimble je jedanaestogodišnji dečak, beskućnik bez roditelja, očvrsnut iskustvom života na ulici i u velikoj meri preozbiljan za svoje godine. Ruth je aikido Sensei u poodmaklom životnom dobu, rešena da krene od životne nule i otvori svoj dojo, školu za istočnjačke borilačke veštine. Taj neobični par se sreće pod neobičnim okolnostima na samom početku romana; Učitelj i Učenik skladno postaju tim koji ne samo opstaje nego i prosperira u surovim uslovima futurističkog života na Teritoriji.
Teritorija se sastoji od povelikog delo Meksika i SAD i njene su neslužbene granice ustanovljene pojavom mehaničkih insekata koji se "hrane" isključivo metalom. Leteći insekti sa raznobojnim silikonskim krilima su po svakom merilu roboti čija je jedina funkcija da pronađu metal i sa njime naprave sopstvene kopije. Teritorija je tako bačena u ponovljeno kameno doba u kom se populacija robot-insekata namnožila do neslućenih razmera. Hranjeni metalom od bodljikave žice pa do telefonskih kablova, od automobila do čeličnih konstrukcija u zgradama i pod zemljom, preko aviona i industrijskih mašina sve do metalne rude u tlu, robot-insekti su opremljeni da svaku prepreku do metala uklone, pa su tako i vrlo brzo pronašli hranu i u ljudima (Kimbleov otac je evakusan sa Teritorije kad mu je ugrađen pejsmejker). Robot-insekte može da uništi jedino voda, pa se zato Teritorija prostire samo po terenu lišenom kiše i površinskih voda.
Kimble i Ruth biraju život na Teritoriji, ostavljajući van nje, u tom normalnom i invazijom nedotaknutom svetu, svoje pređašnje živote; Ruth ostavlja muža posle razvoda, a Kimble ostavlja svog zlostavljanju sklonog oca sa pejsmejkerom i policiju koja ga traži kao odbeglog maloletnika. Roman ih prati kroz neodređen broj godina u kojima Kim odrasta i sazreva a Ruth iznova nalazi životni smisao i sreću.
E sad, 7th Sigma je pisan u prijemčivo modernizovanom maniru pikarskog romana, i od samog se početka digresivno baškari u veštoj i zabavnoj multižanrovskoj formi, baveći se svime pomalo i ničim posebno. Pozivanja na Kiplingovog Kima su i više no očigledna, sa odabranim citatima na početku svakog od tri dela knjige i sa neskrivenim naglaskom na Kimovo odrastanje i na njegovu nepokolebljivu karakternu odanost ka istini i pravičnosti. S tako čvrstim fokusom na pustolovine glavnog lika, bilo je i za očekivati da će mnogo toga ostalog eventualno pasti u zapećak, pa su tako česti rivjui koji lamentiraju nad činjenicom da su intrigantni žanrovski motivi (p)ostali više egzotični dekor na kulisama nego neophodni zamajci samog zapleta. To je, barem donekle, istina: mi ne saznajemo ama baš ništa o poreklu i nastanku samih robot-insekata - čak ni sami likovi u romanu ne pokazuju odviše interesovanja za taj fenomen, van onih bazičnih i čisto praktičnih saznanja po pitanju kako ih izbeći ili uništiti - a i ostali domišljati žanrovski motivi kao da na kraju ostaju ili nedovoljno iskorišteni ili insinuacijama svedeni na žanrovska opšta mesta.
S druge strane, ta neukomponovanost i neiskorištenost ikonografije upravo i jeste razlog što sam roman vrlo malo gubi preko tih naizgled podbačaja u domenu žanrovske motivacije. 7th Sigma ima sasvim zdravo težište u svom dobrostivom i blago humorističnom prikazivanju odrastanja jednog društvenog gubitnika, ponuđenog u šarmantno paradoksalnoj retro verziji modernog Haklberi Fina. Kimble svoje pustolovine doživljava u isto tako paradoksalnoj Teritoriji, koja nudi obilje sofisticirane, visoke tehnologiju u nekakvom kvazi-postapokaličnom formatu novog kamenog doba. Taj kontrast je do te mere impresivan da sa lakoćom prevazilazi sve pominjane žanrovske naizgled podbačaje, pa otud i ponavljam to "naizgled", pošto se podbačaj u suštini odnosi samo na ona očekivanja koja su uslovljena najformulaičnijim žanrovskim konvencijama. 7th Sigma je zato vrlo dinamičan roman koji najviše nudi čitaocima sklonim i drugim književnim tradicijama, van striktno žanrovskih. Ta kombinacija je i više no uspešna, bar meni; priča o beskućniku i lutalici koji od ništavnosti odraste u zdrav i celokupan identitet svakako ima topline i šarma kakvog je uvek nudila klasična književnost kada je pisala o deci i za decu, dok joj isprepleteni žanrovski motivi obezbeđuju savremenost i relevantnost kakvu donosi upravo moderna žanrovska književost. Taj pomalo kontroverzni spoj tradicija i stilova nudi jedan zaista osvežavajući šarm koji s lakoćom razbija formulaičnost onog malko populističkijeg žanrovskog domena, to po pitanju forme i sadržaja ujedno.
Teritorija u 7th Sigma je, dakle, lišena sve tehnologije bazirane na metalu, pa je tako lišena mnogih tehnoloških pomagala, od igle do telefona, i to preko običnog noža, lopate ili šerpe. Paradoks leži u činjenici da Teritorija nije lišena one sofisticirane tehnologije koja se ne bazira na metalu, pa tako umesto telefona ima heliograf, umesto klasičnih pušaka ima plastične koje ispaljuju jednako ubitačne porcelanske projektile, umesto metalnih sudova ima one od keramike i vatrostalnog stakla a noževe od porcelana i poludragog kamenja. Dakle, kameno doba je tu skroz relativno u svojoj ultra modernoj retro varijanti. Ako je uslov za plauzibilnost tog urnebesno zabavnog novuma kupljen ignorisanjem izvesnih žanrovskih konvencija po pitanju motivacije - tim još bolje. Čak i da se jeste precizno reklo i još preciznije objasnilo da li su robot-insekti poreklom sa ovog ili nekog drugog sveta, da li su rezultat naše ili tuđe tehnologije, svet u 7th Sigma bi i dalje bio ovakav kakav jeste - savršeno zabavan i impresivno uverljiv.
Perin se najzad smorio mojim silnim cimanjima za rukav i pribeležio par reči o Fabrici osa. :lol:
http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/03/ian-benks-fabrika-osa.html (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/03/ian-benks-fabrika-osa.html)
Sad malo da budem kvariigra... meni je ta knjiga bila ne samo prvo nego i poslednje suočavanje sa Benksom. Posle sam razmišljala da li da mu odbijem infantilne morbidarije na nezrelost i pružim drugu šansu, makar u SF inkarnaciji - ali nisam. Nikad. Ko što nisam ni Niku Kejvu. :oops:
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 06-04-2012, 10:58:11
Nikad. Ko što nisam ni Niku Kejvu. :oops:
:? :? :?
:cry: :cry: :cry:
Čekaj, ti si čitao "I magarica ugleda anđela"? I dopalo ti se?!
A... ti si mislila na prozu. :oops: Mislio sam da misliš na muziku.
Ne, nisam čitao ništa od Pećinkovog pisanija.
Quote from: LiBeat on 06-04-2012, 10:29:22
Perin se najzad smorio mojim silnim cimanjima za rukav i pribeležio par reči o Fabrici osa. :lol:
Wasp Factory je bila knjiga koju sam dobio od drugarice, arhitekte, koja je otišla da gastarbajtuje u Englesku
i, znajući za moje interesovanje za fantastiku, prvi put kad je došla na letnje ferije, negde 85-86 donela mi je knjigu za koju je čula da je po svemu posebna.
I bila je. Bar za mene. Drago mi je da je i posle 25. godina ova knjiga ova zadržala tu uverljivost i izdržala proveru vremena.
Ako bih samo mogao da dodam nešto na perionov dobar prikaz, to je da mi se ova knjiga odlično nadovezala na jednu drugu knjigu koja na svoj način predstavlja
pomak u engleskoj prozi sredine osamdesetih godina - Betonski vrt (The Cement Garden), Ijana Mekjuana, koja je kod nas objavljena 1984. godine u
zagrebačkoj ediciji "Znanje".
Quote from: Father Jape on 06-04-2012, 12:25:09
A... ti si mislila na prozu. :oops: Mislio sam da misliš na muziku.
Ne, nisam čitao ništa od Pećinkovog pisanija.
Njegove pesme makar idu uz lepu muziku pa može da se zanemari infantilna morbidarija tekstova...
@Mića: Mićo?!
Molim?
Ništa, i dalje me iznenađujete, to je odlično. :mrgreen:
Ni meni se to ništa nije dopalo, bila mi je skroz površna, manipulativna i besmislena knjiga -- ono ni taj Mekjuen mi ništa bolji nije bio. Uzeo sam kasnije da čitam Canal Dreams od ovog prvog, to je ipak bilo bolje, kolko se sećam. A interesantno da još ljudi čije mišljenje ima neku težinu misli da je to dobra knjiga, eno ga M. John Harrison je stavio u top 10...ne shvatam...
Quote from: LiBeat on 06-04-2012, 10:29:22
Perin se najzad smorio mojim silnim cimanjima za rukav i pribeležio par reči o Fabrici osa. :lol:
http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/03/ian-benks-fabrika-osa.html (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com/2012/03/ian-benks-fabrika-osa.html)
Ma, Perin je postao lenj u poslednje vreme, tako reci :lol:
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 06-04-2012, 12:31:09
Ako bih samo mogao da dodam nešto na perionov dobar prikaz, to je da mi se ova knjiga odlično nadovezala na jednu drugu knjigu koja na svoj način predstavlja
pomak u engleskoj prozi sredine osamdesetih godina - Betonski vrt (The Cement Garden), Ijana Mekjuana, koja je kod nas objavljena 1984. godine u
zagrebačkoj ediciji "Znanje".
BETNOSKI VRT ima i u izdanju PAIDEIA(e?). Drago mi je da ti se sviđa prikaz....Samo, imao sam problema da ne spojlerujem taj tvist pri kraju, a svrbeli su me prsti, ono baš :lol:
Odmah da vas utešim: The Leftovers nije roman o traženju Boga, i nije eshatološki u ma kakvom tradicionalnom shvatanju te reči. The Leftovers nije čak ni religiozni roman, sem u nekakvom najširem smislu koji podrazumeva da čovek koji traži boga uglavnom nađe sebe, i obratno. Ali premisa romana jeste striktno biblijska, a izvedba neguje dobru, staru tradiciju putovanja na mračnu stranu čovekove psihe i duha, nudeći seciranje običnog čoveka u ekstremnim okolnostima, čeprkajući po najdubljim i najintimnijim strahovanjima koja tavore u mračnim prazninama bitisanja.
Tom Perrotta je poznat po svom angažmanu društvenog hroničara i njegovi romani se uglavnom bave seciranjem mehanizma hipokrizije i socijalne teskobe savremene niže i srednje građanske klase. Dva su mu romana ekranizovana, Election (1999) i Little Children (2006) pa i to pomaže u sticanju nekakve najšire predstave o čemu to Perrotta govori i koji način bira da nam to kaže. Ipak, vredi napomenuti da je The Leftovers, za razliku od Perrottinih ostalih romana, potuno lišen ma kakvog humora i ironije, a zauzvrat je krcat seciranjem čovekove potrebe za posezanjem u samokažnjavanje svake vrste, pa je zato mračan i teskoban od naslova pa do kraja, dakle - striktno u skladu sa sudbinom koju je judeohrišćansko božanstvo namenilo biću koje je stvorilo po sopstvenom obličju, i to isključivo u svrhu sopstvenog štovanja.
The Leftovers uzima za premisu biblijski fenomen, i tu se svako njegovo bavljenje istom završava. A sama premisa je odlično izabrana, jer teško da postoje kontroverzniji biblijski stihovi od "jedan uzet, drugi ostavljen" kompleta: radi se, naravno, o Uznesenju, starozavetnom proročanstvu o turbulentnom periodu koje će prethoditi Hristovom konačnom dolasku. U grčkom delu starozavetne Biblije reference na Uznesenje su brojne, ako već ne i sadržajne; o fenomenu govore i Ivan i Luka i Matej i Petar a pominje se i u hebrejsko-aramejskom delu (pogotovo mračni Ezekijel) na dovoljno mesta da stvori jasan koncept o periodu koji će neposredno prethoditi Sudnjem Danu. Nije čak ni neophodno da budete vernik da bi se koncept prigrlio; naprotiv, reklo bi se da su upravo ateisti daleko više fascinirani Strašnim Sudom i Armagedonom uopšte. U svakom slučaju, koncept Kraja Svega je do to mere urastao u istorijsko i kulturno tkivo civilizovanog sveta da se mnogima čini kako njegovo potpunije objašnjenje i ne zahteva dublju biblijsku podršku, nego da su tu dovoljna i odokativna i intuitivna tumačenja.
"Ko u taj dan bude na krovu, a stvari mu u kući, neka ne silazi da ih uzme! I ko bude u polju, neka se ne vraća nazad! Setite se žene Lotove! Ko god se trudi da sačuva svoj život, izgubiće ga, a ko god ga izgubi, sačuvaće ga. Kažem vam, te će noći biti dvojica u jednom krevetu: jedan će se uzeti, a drugi će ostati napušten. Dve će mleti na istom žrvnju: jedna će se uzeti, a druga će ostati napuštena." Luka, 17:30-35.
"Zato imaj na umu ono što si primio i ono što si čuo! Drži se toga i pokaj se! Jer ako se ne probudiš, doći ću kao lopov i nećeš znati u koji čas ću doći na tebe." Otkrivenje, 3:3
Dakle, biblijske reference nude zastrašujuću opciju: u prvom talasu, uzeće se samo probrani, dok će ostali biti napušteni i prepušteni sebi da to vreme od prvog uzimanja do konačnog suda ispune u skladu sa božjim pravilima. Niko ne zna koliki je to vremenski period u pitanju; možda se radi tek o satima, a možda su u pitanju i mnoge godine.
The Leftovers govori o tim napuštenima, onima koji su preživeli prvi odabir i ostali napušteni i prepušteni sebi.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41g9%252BAbZrkL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=30bcb31ce16ce3d4362df8a6da00df63a6ec154d)
14 decembra se dogodio prvi Čin: neki su uzeti, neki nisu. Širom sveta, milioni ljudi su naprosto prestali da postoje - jednog trena su bili tu, svima vidljivi, a već idućeg trena naprosto su nestali, ostavljajući za sobom čaše u padu i poluizgovorene reči. Niko od preostalih nije istinski video njihov nestanak; izgledalo je da su svi oni u toj presudnoj sekundi svrnuli pogled na nevažne stvari, čak i u slučajima najitimnijih kontakata. I ako je taj nestanak bio u skladu sa biblijskim proročanstvom, mehanizam samog odabiranja nije to bio ali zaista nimalo: među milionima nestalih bilo je hrišćana i muslimana i budista, vernika i ateista, hetero- i homoseksualaca, starih i mladih, dužnih i nedužnih jednako.
Tri godine kasnije, mali grad Mejplton sabira utiske, pokušavajući da unese smisao u tako očigledno neshvatljivu situaciju. Za te tri godine, niko nije uspeo da isprovrti ma kakvo pravilo, ma kakvu generalnu povezanost sa zbivanjima tog kobnog 14tog decembra: Kevin, gradonačelnih Mejpltona, nije izgubio niti jednog člana porodice 14 decembra, ali je ostao bez žene i sina u te tri godine koje su usledile, izgubivši ih radikalnim kvazi-hrišćanskim kultovima od kojih je jedva nekako uspeo da spasi ćerku. Nora je kobnog 14tog decembra izgubila čitavu porodicu - muža i dvoje male dece. Njihova veza je očajnički pokušaj dvoje osakaćenih ljudi da nadoknade amputirane delove sopstvene duše; Kevin se grčevito bori za sebe i za druge, trudeći se da povrati život vredan življenja, dok se Nora lomi u limbu ekstremnih krajnosti, prožeta ogromnim osećajem krivice što uopšte i pokušava da prevaziđe taj kobni 14ti decembar. Rasuti kao mravi sa poplavljenim mravinjakom, stanovnci Mejpltona očajnički traže priliku da budu korisni, i to više drugima nego sebi, spremniji da svoja dobročinstva poklone potpunim strancima negoli svojim bližnjima, koji ih najviše trebaju.
Roman ne nudi klasičnu motivaciju, bez obzira na očigledne mogućnosti koje bi se mogle pretpostaviti iz premise; nije u pitanju niti alternativna istorija niti žanrovska fantastika u bilo kom obliku. Ako išta, The Leftovers premisu koristi striktno kao prizmu kroz koju razlaže tu skoro mundanu čovekovu potrebu da sebi protumači zbivanja nad kojima nema moć ni da ih shvati a kamoli kontroliše, i da nekako ispuni ogromnu i mračnu prazninu za koju sluti da ispunjava glavninu njegovog bića. Odmičući se od prirodnih kataklizmi, Perrotta nudi apsurd kao finalnu tačku slamanja koja naprosto ne ostavlja očiglednu mogućnost povratka na staro. U svetu tako temeljito ranjenih duša, Perrotta nudi galeriju precizno izvajanih likova, od kojih svaki postaje brižljivo odabran predstavnik svog tipa: prepušteni sami sebi, bez neprijatelja na kog bi mogli svaliti krivicu za svoj gubitak, stanovnici Mejpltona svoj strah i očaj okreću na sebe i svoje bližnje. Perrotta svaku pojedinačnu metamorfozu prikazuje hirurškom preciznošću čoveka koji pod mikroskopom prati fazu za fazom jedne užasavajuće mutacije u kojoj duhovno obogaljeni ljudi postaju monstrumi, hraneći se patnjom svojih bližnjih, u nadi da će tako olakšati sopstvenu.
U duhu proze koja nam subverzivno otkriva slepe tačke našeg vidokruga - to znajući da smo savladali veštinu izbegavanja svega što nam sreću kvari - i koja se uporno nama bavi čak i kad zna da ne donosimo bog zna kakve radosti ni sebi ni bogovima koje smo izmislili - sretni vam eshatološki praznici. :)
Kindle spamovan:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-amazon-kindle-spam-idUSTRE75F68620110616 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-amazon-kindle-spam-idUSTRE75F68620110616)
Jun 16, 2011???
Juče sam naišla na link.
Ken MacLeod: Intrusion
Hope živi u budućnosti svega generaciju udaljenoj od sadašnjice, u "toplom ratu" koji je modelisan uglavnom po onom "hladnom", koga danas jedva da se i sećamo. "Topli rat" je nešto malko savremenija verzija današnjeg nam "rata protiv terorizma", makar utoliko što su i vaskoliki teroristi evoluirali do globalno jedinstvenog fronta pod imenom NAXAL. Njihova isprva ideološki jaka platforma ubrzo se rastočila u čist nihilizam, po svrsi i intenzitetu vrlo sličnom onome koga su, nekad davno, tako impresivno upražnjavali "spaljivači gradova", dok nisu sasvim zatrli milenijum jaku bronzanu civilizaciju. U svetu u kom su čak i vaskoliki fundamentalisti temeljito inficirani defetizmom, Hope ima sreću da živi u zemlji prvog sveta, koja odlučno ide u susret perfektnom društvenom uređenju.
Hope je trudna po drugi put. Sin joj je rođen četiri godine ranije, i u međuvremenu je medicinska tehnologija izbacila na tržište vakcinu koja u ranom životu fetusa ispravlja sve one gadne genetske mutacije koje rezultuju još gadnijim i neizlečivim bolestima. U vreme svoje prve trudnoće, Hope je izbegla vakcinu zato što je bila još uvek eksperimentalna i deljena strikno na volunterskoj osnovi; četiri godine kasnije, efikasnost vakcine je dokazana na milionskim ogledima i zato se svim ženama snažno preporučuje. Čak štaviše, u toku je izglasavanje zakona kojim će vakcina postati obavezna, i to iz ugla dobrobiti majke i deteta. Žene su se, naime, već godinama borile da im država obezbedi tu i slične dobrobiti, i država je, naravno, ekstatično srećna što najzad može tu želju da im i ispuni.
Iz nekog čak i njoj neshvatljivog razloga, Hope odbija da primi vakcinu. Društvene strukture kojima je dužnost da se staraju o dobrobiti žene i nerođenog deteta isprva su šokirane a onda i užasnute tom odlukom. Hope uskoro otkriva da su joj i bliski prijatelji šokirani i užasnuti: pa zar nije najsvetija roditeljska dužnost da obezbedi maksimum blagostanja sopstvenom porodu? A zdravlje je tu svakako prioritetno blagostanje koje je, za razliku od onog materijalnog, potpuno besplatno, pa time i sasvim pristupačno svakom roditelju.
Dani prolaze a Hope i dalje odbija vakcinu. Pominjana užasnutost i šokiranost glatko prelaze u fazu prisile: isprva su to benigna prijateljska uveravanja, ali ubrzo postaju otvoreno agresivna i bazirana na pretnjama. Ako odbije vakcinu, Hope rizikuje da bude zakonski proglašena nepodobnom roditeljkom koja očigledno ne mari za dobrobit svog deteta, a ako bude tako proglašena, izgubiće oboje dece socijalnim službama.
Odbijajući sva usput ponuđena spasenja koja bi je svela na lažova i licemera, Hope se odlučuje na očajničko bekstvo. Njen muž, koji također ne razume njen stav ali koji podržava njeno pravo da ga ipak donese, sakriva porodicu na jedino mesto na koje može da pobegne - na rodno ostvo Lewis. Hope uskoro otkriva kako upravo to njeno protivljenje vakcini može da i njenom drugom detetu obezbedi redak dar koji njen muž i sin već genetski dele, ali ne i ona.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.sfx.co.uk%2Ffiles%2F2012%2F03%2Fintrusion350wide.jpg&hash=6e41acc2215f4680992f508f91db1478b0cccf9f)
Taman kad pomislite da ste se najzad uspešno izborili sa svim racionalnim strahovima koji su iznikli iz detinjaste akluofobije, dočekaju vas distopije, da vam život iznova učine zanimljivijim i lepšim. Istina živa: čim završite sa čitanjem poslednje strane dobre distopije, učini vam se da napolju sunce sija i ptice cvrkuću i svaki vam poznati i svakodnevni đavo naprasno izgubi svoje silne rogove. Taj prvi utisak po čitanju neizostavno donosi silno olakšanje - saznanje da svet u kom živite nije ni izbliza tako gadan i opak kakav bi mogao da bude. Drugi utisak se slegne nakon svega par minuta i obznani da vas od distopije u romanu deli samo samo malecki, gotovo nezametan korak. Tu već nastaje problem koji neretko rezultuje dodatnom fobijom.
Ruku na srce, nisam baš u toku sa najsavremenijom definicijom demokratije kao društveno-kulturno-političkog uređenja, ali jedna izreka Isaka Asimova tu i dalje odnosi šnjur, bar što se mene lično tiče: "Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way trough our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
I to je to - to je ta najdistopičnija od svih distopija. To je mrak koji nam donose ne zabludele ideologije ili zatucani teokratizmi, nego... pa eto, mi sami sebi, gašenjem jedne po jedne sveće razuma, u pretpostavci da glupost ima, i mora da ima, jednako pravo glasa kao i mudrost. Taj vrhunski egalitarizam pretpostavke da su svi ljudi isti, sa jednakim pravima i jednakim pravom glasa, glasanja i oglašavanja - to političkog, društvenog, glasačkog i vaskolikog im ostalog - donosi totalitarni režim koji se naprosto ne može srušiti, za razliku od onih koje su nam do sada donosili diktatori, ideološki i teokratski fundamentalisti, vojne hunte i slična politička flora i fauna. A Intrusion taj totalitarizam nudi na način zbog kojeg danas ozbiljno razmatram čak i diktaturu nasurovije vojne hunte kao sasvim prihvatljiviju opciju.
Intrusion nudi posredna i krajnje ozbiljna razmatranja načina na koji sistem menja predznak kritici i na kraju je isporučuje kao sopstvenu propagandu. Hope je drastično obespravljena žena, ali ona nije postala obespravljena tako što su joj ukinuta bilo koja prava koje su njene prethodnice uživale. Naprotiv, Hope je obespravljena procesom dodavanja prava, prava koje su izvojevale današnje smušene kvazi-feministkinje koje ni same ne znaju šta (ako uopše i išta) zapravo žele. Prvu trećinu romana, Hope se bori da povrati za nju luksuzne privilegije koje žene danas uživaju - pravo na posao koji obavljaju i muškarci. Hope te poslove ne može da dobije, pošto su negativno procenjeni kroz prizmu "zakona o sigurnosti žene na radnom mestu". Pogađate već, izglasavanje tog zakona izvojevale su upravo žene, a kao rezltat te vojne, Hope živi u svetu u kojem je manje od 20% žena zaposleno, jer eto, 80% radnih mesta nije prošlo kroz iglene uši dotičnog zakona. Hope zato "radi iz kuće", nekakav mundani poslić u informatičkom domenu, za isto tako mundane pare. Lišena prava da odlučuje o sopstvenoj sudbini striktno na temelju sopstvenog neznanja, Hope je istim tim temeljom lišena čak i sitne nihilističke utehe o spoznaji skore budućnosti koju njen suprug i sin dele čisto na bazi svoje genetske privilegije. U epilogu romana, Hope je bespomoćna taman koliko i ja, dok čitam ovaj roman o njoj.
Intrusion koristi opšteprisutnu (a po meni i apsolutno tačnu) tezu da savremeni feminizam prevazilazi svoju upotrebnu korist i presipa se iz borbe za ravnopravnost u borbu za privilegije, i to još pride krajnje nesuvisle. U demokratskom ustrojstvu u kom političari vrlo rado koriste prirodno oformljenje ciljne grupe glasača, taj intenzivni osećaj "manjinskog identiteta" biva vrlo vešto i vrlo uspešno manipulisan. U tom smislu, Intrusion je izuzetno provokativan roman koji nudi profil davnih uzroka striktno kroz razlaganje trenutačnih posledica, a to je model koji neretko bude prezahtevan za već pominjanu demokratsku većinu.
Bilo kako bilo, u pitanju je odlična distopija koja zaslužuje ravnopravno mesto među klasicima na koje se direktno i indirektno poziva.
E sad, na nešto malko ležerniju forumsku notu: overila sam Black Mirror po prepurukama - hvala, hvala :) - i tačno je da odlično komplementira ovu distopiju. Gledano u celini, mislim. Ali kad je reč o zasebnim delovima, moram da prijavim vrlo interesantan utisak koji mi je ostao po gledanju.
Naime, deo 15 mil kredita mi je kanda štrčao malo, i kad sam zagrebala dublje po utisku, ispostavilo se da mi je jedino taj deo nekako... pa eto, stilizovan do granica karikaturalne krajnosti. Kopkalo me da provalim zašto je to tako (ili bar da provalim zašto me to toliko smeta), i - ne lezi vraže! Ispostavilo se da baš u tom delu vidim karikaturu kritike, za razliku od ostala dva dela, koji mi nekako ostaju u domenu ozbiljnosti, i pored sve stilizacije. Nekako sam reagovala... negativno na 15 mil kredita. Dojmilo me se to kao upravo lažnjak, kao kvazi-kritika koja nema svrhu doli da negovano i nežno desenzitira primaoca, kao da je u pitanju nekakva vakcina na pravu kritiku kakvu ostala dva dela nude. I tu negde i nabasam na podatak da je ko-scenaristkinja zapravo bila angažovana na Xfaktoru, pa je dobila nogu nakon neke frke sa jednim od sudija, pa je ovaj scenario neka vrst vraćanja duga i tako to... nisam išla u detalje, nisam htela spojlere, ali u svakom slučaju, to je tačno leglo ko kec na mog cenera, jer pitanje je kakav bi njen scenario bio da je ostala u xfaktoru. ako shvatate što hoću da kažem. :evil:
Libe, u poslednjih cirka godinu dana primetila sam da se umereno često pojavljuju neke distopije usredsređene na trudnice, ali pošto slabo čitam to je zasnovano pre svega na ovim tvojim prikazima, npr. klinka koja je osuđena da umre ako rodi i ona varijanta sa ženama pretvorenim u srećne bebi-mašine. Ne znam koliko je to inače čest distopijski motiv, ali sve ovo nabrojano meni strašno vuče na (zlo)upotrebu nekih opšteženskih strahova (šta ako umrem na porođaju, šta ako beba bude falična, šta ako mi mozak ispari od materinstva) sa kojom sam se u ovako radikalnim verzijama ranije uglavnom sretala u hororu...
^^прилично се слажем са тобом, мене је та прича по свом промашају подсетила на филм horrible bosses (има јако добра гулова критика (http://ljudska_splacina.com/2011/09/horrible-bosses-2011.html) филма иако му је дао непримерено високу оцену)
Jevtro, uz ono što republikanci rade i pokušavaju da rade po Americi, priče o trudnoćama i ženski strahovi su jezivo aktuelni.
Pa dobro, ali makar ovaj je Škot, ne mora se brinuti zbog republikanaca u SAD... sad se pitam kako bi izgledala neka norveška ili holandska distopija. :)
Quote from: дејан on 18-04-2012, 14:39:56
^^прилично се слажем са тобом, мене је та прича по свом промашају подсетила на филм horrible bosses (има јако добра гулова критика (http://ljudska_splacina.com/2011/09/horrible-bosses-2011.html) филма иако му је дао непримерено високу оцену)
bas tako, sad kad pominjes taj film... doduse, iz rivjua se vidi da ghoul ima investiciju da ga takav film razgali malko vise nego sto je mene razgalio. :lol:
Quote from: Jevtropijevićka on 18-04-2012, 14:38:08
Libe, u poslednjih cirka godinu dana primetila sam da se umereno često pojavljuju neke distopije usredsređene na trudnice, ali pošto slabo čitam to je zasnovano pre svega na ovim tvojim prikazima, npr. klinka koja je osuđena da umre ako rodi i ona varijanta sa ženama pretvorenim u srećne bebi-mašine. Ne znam koliko je to inače čest distopijski motiv, ali sve ovo nabrojano meni strašno vuče na (zlo)upotrebu nekih opšteženskih strahova (šta ako umrem na porođaju, šta ako beba bude falična, šta ako mi mozak ispari od materinstva) sa kojom sam se u ovako radikalnim verzijama ranije uglavnom sretala u hororu...
pa vidi, to je maltene i najnormalnija zenska preokupacija, tako da je moja prva reakcija na kontroverzu u romanu bila isto pomalo sok i neverica - mislim, eto, ja bih na njenom mestu taj fix sigurno uzela. ali kad vidis reakciju na odluku da Hope fix ne uzme, i kada vidis licemerje koje sistem ostavlja kao izlaz (prihvataju se odbijanaj fixa na religioznoj osnovi, tako da je Hope mogla da se iz toga izvuce pod krinkom prava na veroispovest) ostane ti da se zapitas da li su neke od tzv. "zenskih odlika" zaista stvarne ili samo konstrukti. istto tako, vrlo je kontroverzna ideja o zenskom aktivizmu per se, ali detaljisanje o tome bi znanto spojlovalo roman, posto je meni upravo taj aspekt daleko impresivniji nego sam zaplet. ali okej, roman je sveze izasao, za mesec-dva ce garant biti vise govora o njemu, a i overice ga ovde svi oni kojima je stalo.
Uh, ovo je nešto... stvarno... nemam reči. 8)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fc323254.r54.cf1.rackcdn.com%2F1337639745.jpg&hash=7e91af69c675fe8cb0f7d00f8910bcbbc9168895)
http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?type&id=652&fulltext=1&media (http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?type&id=652&fulltext=1&media)
Je si li čitala njegov "The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village"?
Dobio sam tu knjigu neposredno pošto je objavljena i bio potpuno... fale mi reči da opišem iskustvo...
Kad se setim kako sam se osećao kad sam čitao Dilejnija te davne 1989, dođe mi da
Spinradove biografske ispovesti čitam kao omladisku literaturu...
Nisam. Ono sto sam o knjizi posredno saznala nabedilo me kako ce liberal u meni skroz da ustukne pred takvim Dilejnijem... ali dobro, ionako sam uvek smatrala da ga i ne bi trebalo citati pre cetrdesete, bar ne ono sto je napisao posle mu cetrdesete :wink: ... eto, ako prezivim paukovo gnezdo, pozabavicu se i time.
Nova StarShipSofa nudi intervju sa jednim od mojih omiljenih pisaca - Peter Watts.
http://www.starshipsofa.com/2012/06/27/starshipsofa-no-244-peter-watts/ (http://www.starshipsofa.com/2012/06/27/starshipsofa-no-244-peter-watts/)
Ne znam kud sa ovom vesti... :( :( :(
Gabriel García Márquez's writing career ended by dementiaBrother of Nobel prize-winning Colombian writer says side-effects of cancer treatment have accelerated his decline.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FObserver%2FColumnist%2FColumnists%2F2012%2F7%2F7%2F1341690234343%2FGabriel-Garcia-Marquez-008.jpg&hash=7c9ff6198916ccce31f86aa58ac8f6ebaae94513)
The Nobel prizewinning author Gabriel García Márquez is suffering from senile dementia and can no longer write, his brother has revealed.
Jaime García Márquez told students in Cartagena, Colombia (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/colombia), that his older brother, affectionately know as Gabo, calls him on the telephone to ask basic questions.
"He has problems with his memory. Sometimes I cry because I feel like I'm losing him," he said.
The 85-year-old Colombian writer won the Nobel prize in 1982 and is best known for novels including One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera and Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
He has fought a long battle against lymphatic cancer which he contracted in 1999 and it is believed that the cancer treatment has accelerated his mental decline.
"Dementia runs in our family and he's now suffering the ravages prematurely due to the cancer that put him almost on the verge of death," said Jaime. "Chemotherapy saved his life, but it also destroyed many neurons, many defences and cells, and accelerated the process. But he still has the humour, joy and enthusiasm that he has always had."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/07/gabriel-garcia-marquez-career-dementia (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/07/gabriel-garcia-marquez-career-dementia)
rivju novog romana Adama Bakera, nesto kao prikvel vrlo dobrom Outpostu:
Juggernaut
(2012) Adam Baker, Hodder and Stoughton, £12.99, pbk, 401pp, ISBN 978-1-444-70907-0
I'm not happy with Adam Baker, really not happy at all and the reason why is that I had an idea for a zombie novel set in a desert years ago, but didn't really do anything with it except let it bubble away on the back burner and now he comes out with
Juggernaut, a prequel to his novel
Outpost, although they are both fairly stand-alone books, and can be enjoyed separately, even if
Juggernaut tells us why things got into such dire straits in
Outpost.
To be fair, my intended novel involved a more supernatural basis for the zombie menace while Baker's novel has echoes of two movies - George Romero's
Night of the Living Dead, and
Three Kings starring George Clooney. If you know that latter film, then you can probably guess the plot of
Juggernaut. Yes, you got it, it is 2005 and seven mercenaries are looking for Saddam Hussein's gold. The dictator has been captured, but things are still fairly chaotic in Iraq which gives ex-special forces soldier, Lucy Whyte, and her mercenary band the perfect opportunity to go treasure hunting and check out the old temple in a hidden valley in the middle of the desert where the bullion has supposedly been hidden. It couldn't be simpler, just hire a couple of helicopters and enlist the help of a POW from the Republican Guards whose comrades have all died – ker-ching, and just try on the way to ignore all the rumours about exactly, how all those Iraqi soldiers did die?
Unknown to our disparate, and intense band, the area they are heading for is the crash site of a Russian space station called Spektr (what was I saying about echoes of the Romero film that changed the zombie landscape forever?) and unfortunately the station contained a bio-weapon which has contaminated the surrounding area and the fallen Republican Guards, who are quickly reanimated due to the presence of Lucy and her crew.
Given that premise,
Juggernaut lives up to its title, delivering an almost unstoppable rollercoaster ride of action, adventure, mayhem and horror, with a liberal dosing of black humour to spice things up, or relieve the tension in places. Baker doesn't let his knowledge of extreme desert conditions nor his knowledge of 'tech' and weaponry get in the way of spinning a thrilling yarn through the use of lean, mean prose that is light on the jarring info-dumps. Sadly the chapters are un-numbered but as a reluctant reader I'm happy to report that in keeping with the narrative drive they are reasonably short and interspersed with the odd map, or "for your eyes only" type memos. This could be Andy McNab meets
The Walking Dead. Although there could be some criticisms made about the characters being a tad on the stereotypical side – are we talking another film here, namely
Predator? But I suppose it is difficult to keep seven major characters up in the air, especially in such a fast-moving plot where there fate really isn't in doubt, although suffice to say that Baker has excelled himself again with a strong, well-rounded female character, just as in
Outpost. There are also some subplots involving manipulative CIA agents and mysterious corporations, but I won't mention
Resident Evil – ouch, just did.
But do not let my flippancy put you off, Adam Baker has come up with a novel that pushes all the buttons and does what it says on the rusty, blood-splattered tin. The only other writer I think that is coming close to this sort of fiction is Jonathan Maberry with his Joe Ledger series of books, the first of which was
Patient Zero (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/patient_zero.html) which mined similar territory – soldiers and bioterrorism – but Baker's offering is a more believable, grittier affair than Maberry's G.I. Joe-like novel. However, I wouldn't be surprised, if like Maberry, Baker's novel is optioned for the big screen, just like mine could have been, damm.
Ian Hunter
http://www.concatenation.org/frev/baker_juggernaut.html (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/baker_juggernaut.html)
i rivju prvog dela Ortogonal Trilogije:
The Clockwork Rocket
(2011) Greg Egan, Gollancz, £14.99, trdpbk, 362pp, ISBN 978-0-575-09512-0
On an alien world Yalda lives on a farm and would have been destined for a life of rural simplicity were it not for her burning curiosity. Why do the stars look the way they do? What were the hurlers flying through the sky? Why do metal springs get heavier when relaxed? Yalda wants to know why the universe works the way it does. Despite discrimination and social taboos, Yalda gets the chance to study astronomy. However Yalda's world is threatened by the hurlers, for if one struck then that would be then end of the planet. Yet the number of hurlers in the night sky is increasing and so it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes.
There is one possible gamble they can take. If they can build a spaceship they may be able to travel very fast and close to the speed of light. The consequence of this will be that time on the ship will speed up and so while the ship could be in space for years or even decades, hardly any time will have passed on their home world. During this time the crew will research the hurlers problem and, hopefully, devise a solution.
Now before you go and say that all this is back-to-front – that time would travel slowly on the ship travelling near the speed of light and not quickly – you need to know that this novel is not set in our universe but a different one. Indeed it did cross my mind that this novel might have been set inside the Schwarzschild radius orbiting a super-massive black hole. Inside black holes are not meant to be part of our universe and in them the laws of physics break down. If this were so then Egan would be building on the premise underpinning
Incandescence (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/incaegan.html), whose splinter orbited a neutron star. If Yalda's world was inside a black hole then there is a chance that her ship might encounter others from our Universe. However here I am speculating wildly and the premise that Yalda's universe is different to our own is sufficiently rich a concept to keep SF readers entertained without my second-guessing Egan.
It has to be said that you really do have to be into hard SF and possibly physics in order to enjoy
The Clockwork Rocket as the book is littered with info dumps that include many graphs and diagrams. Clearly Greg Egan has gone to a lot of trouble to create this alternate Universe and he is sharing the innards of his construction with us. Of course, as Egan points out in the book's afterward, his construction is not perfect but then in the real world we have already had generations of physicist trying to sort out the physics of our universe without managing to unify all the forces: we have no antigravity drive (yet).
As with the physics Yalda's species biology is also very alien.
Now, Greg Egan is known as a master of hard SF and his novels
Quarrantine (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/quarantine_egan.html) and
Permutation City (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/permutation_city_egan.html) have both become minor SF classics. However unlike his previous novels this really is an SF novel mixed up with an exposition in universe-building with the story itself blatantly a vehicle for exploring the physics and biology of Yalda's space-time continuum and species respectively. There is nothing wrong in this. Granted it is different to traditional story-tellingbut then ground-breaking works are by their nature different. The question is whether or not this novel will attract a large number of readers. To be honest I simply do not know, but one thing of which I am assured is that this novel's set-up will be discussed for many years within SF circles.
Jonathan Cowie
http://www.concatenation.org/frev/egan_clockwork_rocket.html (http://www.concatenation.org/frev/egan_clockwork_rocket.html)
... na malko sentimentalnu notu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsingularityhub.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F07%2Fphoto-4.jpg&hash=3ce710e7e804ed6ac2a185d380df14b8041e0306)
Science Fiction: it has been a muse of geeks, techies and scientists for decades. Many of the technologies we explore on Singularity Hub were first imagined and explored in SF (star trek tricorders, the WWW, robot cars, etc), driving technologists to make them real, which in turn inspires a new round of SF. In thinking about predicting and solving global grand challenges, the storytelling and worldbuilding of SF has much to contribute. Singularity University's (SU) 1st ever Science Fiction panel took place on July 17th. As a prelude, here's an interview with Vernor Vingebelow, as well as the full footage of his talk about groupminds at SU on June 25, 2012.
Hugo Award-winning science fiction writer Vernor Vinge maintains science fiction is merely a form of scenario based planning about the future of mankind. Vinge, a retired San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, coined the term "the Singularity" roughly 30 years ago in reference to a time of vastly accelerating technological change. I had a chance to sit down with Vinge and ask him about the Singularity, accelerating technology, and more. Check out the video below:
In outlining various paths to a technological Singularity, Vinge believes scenario based planning is incredibly important when outcomes are uncertain. It gives you a system of symptoms to watch for, so you can plan responses for different sets of symptoms. If you are doing scenario based planning, having a science fiction writer as a loose canon in your next meeting may shake up the committee in a positive way.
Vinge's scenarios for how humanity could get to a tech singularity are as follows:
1. Pure Artificial Intelligence: The advent of an intelligent superhuman computer.
2. Intelligence Amplification: Take a natural mind, interface it with a computer and make it smarter (popular science fiction author David Brin calls the computer a neo-neo cortex; the machine part allows us to be smart, and the human part provides us with the component we're good at: wanting things).
3. Computer Networks + Humanity: A phenomenon he calls "groupmind" or social networking, where we achieve superhuman intelligence (at least a functional sort – proceeding at a more robust rate than the others) through coordinated group efforts. An example of this would be Wikipedia.
4. Digital Gaia: A world with ubiquitous microprocessors able to communicate with their neighbors: if every physical object knew what it was, where it was, and could communicate with any other device, the result could be one where the world itself wakes up and becomes its own database.
5. Biomedical improvements in human intelligence lead to better memory and other changes.
Vinge spends the majority of his lecture at Singularity University detailing the taxonomy of groupminds – their qualities in size, origin, focus, hardware/software, longevity, interaction, sociology, design, and implications for his other paths to the singularity. He also talks about outliers – societal makers vs. breakers.
Vinge advises large institutions to understand that when they look at participants in groupminds they are looking at an intellectual resource that dwarfs anything we'd seen in the 20th century. There's a real chance groupminds will prove worthy competitors, adversaries, and counterparts to social organizations and corporations in many situations . The downsides are that a groupmind may suppress slow thoughtful thinking about problems and may outsource morality. Vinge's lecture also veers into the philosophical with his thoughts on identity and an individual's desire for global self-awareness.
Vinge ends his talk on an optimistic note by saying "a post-scarcity economy is not a post-singularity idea: the reach of the mind will always exceed its grasp." He predicts that even if we continue to experience technological unemployment, "bright sparks of human level intuition, creativity, and insight" will remain. "We'll always be able to think of projects that are beyond what we can presently do." Vinge believes with technology it's possible to become or create creatures that surpass humans in every aspect of intelligence – and perhaps only an extreme physical catastrophe can stop this change.
If science fiction is essentially a scenario, its enormous advantage over other types of scenario based planning is that it can inspire action in its readers, especially when those readers are specialists. If the story emotionally engages the reader, the credentials of the writer do not matter. The specialist (reader) is the one who does the heavy lifting, turning the author's broad brushstrokes into something that exists in the real world. This is the underappreciated characteristic of science fiction – its ability to move the scientific community to reach across the parameters of possibility.
Still want more Vinge? Below you can see a video of Vernor Vinge's entire lecture recently delivered at Singularity University's Graduate Summer Program:
http://singularityhub.com/2012/07/17/sh-interviews-vernor-vinge-how-will-we-get-to-the-technological-singularity/ (http://singularityhub.com/2012/07/17/sh-interviews-vernor-vinge-how-will-we-get-to-the-technological-singularity/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51eo5wTT3BL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=ef75d54187c8df3da14e3e8d2c6a65af1bf6be02)
Krasnia je jedna od onih državica koje su u post-SSSR periodu osvanule nezavisne u čoporu entiteta poput Uzbekistana, Kurdistana, Turkmenistana i Kirdistana. Krasnia je, naravno, fiktivna država koju MacLeod predstavlja delićima opštepoznate istorije ostalih "-stana", sve zajedno sa njenim fiktivnim misliocima, revolucionarima i sa tragičnom istorijom pod ruskom strahovladom. Na početku romana, Krasnia vrije novom revolucijom, predstavljenom isto tako generičkim opštepoznatim nijansama za koje svi znaju da postoje, ali se niko i ne trudi konkretno da ih precizira - ili su u pitanju porođajni grčevi specifične demokratije mutirane na bazi diktatorskog i jednopartijskog političkog režima, ili su u pitanju ekonomske trzavice nepravične raspodele komunistički akumulisanog bogatstva, ili su u pitanju socijalne i kulturne metamorfoze društva koje traži načina da imitira zapadnjačku demokratsku progresivnost u uslovima krajnje izolovane srednjeazijske kulture gotovo feudalnog mentaliteta.
U Krasnia slučaju, reč je o svemu tome pomalo, pa i to dodaje kredibilitetu premise.
Lucy Stone radi kao programer video-igara i vezana je za Krasniu pomalo bizarnim spletom okolnosti: njena majka Amanda i baba po majci Eugenija su rodom iz Krasnie a sama Lucy ni ne zna pouzdano ko joj je otac, da li izvesni staljinistički funkcioner ili izvesni post-komunistički revolucionar, s tim što su obojica aktivni i u ovoj, aktuelnoj krasnijskoj revoluciji. Lucy je u program svoje video-igre unela teren i tradiciju Krasnie, što iz sopstvenog mutnog prisećanja, što iz knjige koju je upravo Amanda napisala i koju je osim Lucy pročitao prilično zanemarljiv broj ljudi. Ali to obilje Krasnia podataka koje je igra ponudila ostavilo je dojam da iza njih stoji ekspert po mnogim Krasnia pitanjima, i Lucy se zato uskoro zatiče vrbovana sa sviju špijunskih strana, od CIA pa do njene lokalne krasnijske postKGB NKVD varijante. Polaskana novootkrivenom sopstvenom vrednošću i iskreno zainteresovana da rasvetli neke bizarne događaje iz detinjstva (tu uključujući i dilemu oko očinstva), Lucy se vrtoglavo baca u avanturu, postepeno otkrivajući kako je bizarnost njenog detinjstva tek beznačajni deo straobalne bizarnosti koja dovodi u pitanje celokupnu stvarnost.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41h5Gj58TyL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=b4afbbb309b5be231ac59c1055985683e212d503)
Neobičan roman, zaista. Zaplet je obilan do granice haotičnosti, u često korištenom maniru žanrovskih osvrtanja na istorijsko-političke kuriozitete. Iskreno, teško je reći koliko se tu koriste stvarna zbivanja (pa makar nam bila ponuđena i sa daškom revizionizma) a koliko je sve to čista fikcija: Berjožkin, Ježov, Arbatov i Klebov su možda stvarni a možda izmišljeni, iako su njihove sudbine u staljinističkim čistkama bile sasvim redovna pojava. No svejedno, pošto ovo ipak nije ideja niti blizu redu veličine Grobnice za Borisa Davidoviča, niti su njeni konkretni podzapleti opravdani ikakvom sličnom potrebom za suočavanjem bolne istorije, pa zato smatram da je bolje takav sadržaj prihvatiti kao čisto ornamentalan. Moguće je da je MacLoad fasciniran tim za njega egzotičnim komunističkim kuriozitetima, pa se samo zbog toga i latio istih, ali u suštini, za nas nesrećnike koji o tome znamo dovoljno da uočimo kome je i zašto to danas egzotično - slabo je sve to ukomponovano. Efekat koji je time postignut ne samo da je mlak i neopravdan, nego je i pomalo konfuzan u svojoj nameri: MacLeodova Krasnia možda nekome i može biti specifična u toj i takvoj egzotici, ali sigurno nije dovoljno specifična da je vidimo i kao neophodnu samom raspletu. Ono što je MacLeod na kraju isporučio ima vrlo malo veze sa tom i takvom postavkom i moglo je funkcionisati na bilo kojoj istorijsko-političkoj kulisi, bilo istinitoj ili proizvoljnoj.
Konačna i do samog kraja sakrivana premisa romana priziva u sećanje filmove poput Dark City i 13th Floor, s tim što se oni baškare u svim prednostima koji nudi vizuelni medij kada obrađuje alternativnu realnost, što The Restoration Game ipak ne uspeva da nadoknadi svojom pomalo zbrzanom završnicom; ideja o programerskoj varijanti Sinaja je svakako impresivna ali ostaje narativno neiskorištena pa stoga i poprilično dekorativna. U nekom čvršćem kontekstu, sam taj element bi možda i briljirao kao centralni deo ikonografije, ali ovde je tako sporadično ponuđen i obrađen da se doima kao naprosto potraćen potencijal.
MacLeod je krajnje proračunato odabrao koncept koji redovito opako udara na nerve svakog iskrenog ljubitelja žanra, i to tako što mu uskraćuje očekivani i uporno nudi neočekivani. The Restoration Game kreće i velikim delom traje kao prevashodno hibrid krimi i špijunskog romana, što nije samo po sebi mana, naravno, daleko bilo, ali kad prevalite tri četvrtine romana u tom maniru, prosto morate da se zapitate KAD i KAKO to roman misli da isporuči sve što obećava po pitanju SFa.
A sama obećanja su nedvosmislena, bez obzira na svu suptilnost. Stvarnost koju The Restoration Game nudi krije sitne hendikepe koji nikad nisu dovoljno jaki ili brojni da ih prepoznate kao alternativnu realnost, ali su ipak dovoljno impresivni da dovedu u pitanje saglasnost oko realnosti. Svet u kom Lucy živi je taman dovoljno faličan da ne bude svet koga ste svesni, iako definitivno znate da to nije svet alternativan vašem, a otud i samopodrazumevajuće obećanje da će se faličnost opravdati. I opravdala se ona na kraju, naravno, ali u jednom prilično zahtevnom maniru koji nije uvek i svakome lako prihvatljiv. Osetite se pomalo kao da vam je roman kroz svoje tri četvrtine mahao silno lepom šargarepom pred nosem, a vi ste tek na kraju uspeli da je malko i gricnete, i to em vrlo skromno, em isuviše dockan.
hm-hmmmm.... ko moze odoleti knjizi koja upozorava na "adult content"??? :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41ez64KSUdL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-66%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=6d2428bfd52120a7e118daa50656647931229403)
This short story is set in 2507
".........rather like the bees in a beehive all Top 600 citizens existed purely to ensure the welfare and survival of The City. Total 24-hour surveillance ensured that corruption could not occur.
Today's decisions would determine the immediate future of The City and its citizens.........."
Warning - Contains Adult Content Show More (http://www.amazon.com/A-day-life-Earth-ebook/dp/B007GL4A8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342150550&sr=8-1&keywords=a+day+in+the+life+of+earth#) Show Less (http://www.amazon.com/A-day-life-Earth-ebook/dp/B007GL4A8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342150550&sr=8-1&keywords=a+day+in+the+life+of+earth#)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsite.com%2Fgrc%2F1208%2Fna.jpg&hash=47c3488eca13b9cd0271664af7ffe453a92752d4)
...
One unsettling touchstone moment occurred when I realized that perhaps the most powerful and thought-provoking story in the book -- at least to me -- was "And I Awake and Found me Here on the Cold Hill's Side" by James Tiptree, Jr., posthumous winner of this year's Solstice Award. This story from 1972 is the epitome of 70s disturbing social science fiction, extrapolating what man's inbred desire for genetic diversity might cause when there are extraterrestrial aliens among us. It is more powerful today than it was when I was 20, and did not recognize the literary allusion of the title taken from the John Keats poem about love with a fairy woman.
...
A review by D. Douglas Fratz (dfratz@prodigy.net?subject=Nebula Awards Showcase 2012)
http://www.sfsite.com/07b/na372.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/07b/na372.htm)
Intervju s John Joseph Adamsom.
Quote
OK: Barnes & Noble called you "the reigning king of the anthology world." What's the secret of your kingship? In other words, what makes one editor better than another?
JJA: I can't claim I know what the secret is, but I think that at least part of the reason my anthologies have been successful is that I think my taste appeals to a broad demographic and yet my choices are discerning enough that my anthologies tend to be critically-acclaimed; it's a tricky thing to balance, and I'm not sure it's something you can learn or develop—I'm just lucky that my inherent ideas about what makes good sf and fantasy are in agreement with what a large percentage of the reading public thinks too.
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/07/guest-interview-prolific-editor-john-joseph-adams-on-science-fiction-anthologies-and-the-future-of-printed-and-digital-books-and-magazines/#more-58284 (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/07/guest-interview-prolific-editor-john-joseph-adams-on-science-fiction-anthologies-and-the-future-of-printed-and-digital-books-and-magazines/#more-58284)
Evo rivjua Hjugo nominacija By Paul Weimer (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/author/paulweimer/) |
Carolyn Ives GilmanThe Ice Owl
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars3.gif&hash=37dd279eac4f95c399b3cc85eddc6a361b8b434f)
In Carolyn Ives Gilman's The Ice Owl, set in her The Twenty Planets universe, we are introduced to the prickly Thorn, young inhabitant of an world and universe where travel between planets is possible at lightspeed, but ansibles make communication much faster. The story focuses on her and her fellow members of the underclass, the strata of society who migrate or are forced to move from one world to another. The story explores the consequences of remembering and honoring history, especially tragic events, as well as asymmetric relationships between adults and young adults. Its a decently crafted story in an interesting universe I want to know more about, even if this story did not particularly resonate strongly with me.
Kij JohnsonThe Man Who Bridged the Mist (http://www.asimovs.com/2011_10-11/exc_story1.shtml)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars3p5.gif&hash=e675be7b323efc3b8c9171b520a038582d970e6b)
Kij Johnson's The Man Who Bridged the Mist is a character focused story about Kit Meinem of Atyar the architect who would be the first to bridge a wide spot in a world where the deadly mists that span this crossing and indeed bisect the empire mean that ferry folk have a lucrative, but extremely hazardous profession. And a bridge would change that forever.
Johnson brings strong literary fiction techniques and style to the piece. Admittedly, the genre nature of the piece is slight enough that it could be read as fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction, or in the polder, the borderlands between genre and non-genre pieces. I wasn't entirely sold on the political aspects of the worldbuilding of the world the story presents, however.
Mary Robinette KowalKiss Me Twice (http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/i-am-43-today-have-a-novella-as-a-party-favor/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars4p5.gif&hash=b1a21cf2e300a07758070759ef431462a25329df)
Kiss Me Twice, by Mary Robinette Kowal is on the surface a police procedural and mystery where the partner of the human cop is the artificial intelligence of the police station. The story starts off as an ostensible milk run of a case for an inexperienced officer being nannied by the police station artificial intelligence (who appears to him in the form of Mae West). However, this soon gets complicated and twisted by a bold gambit where the AI herself is kidnapped, leaving a backup in her place. And there is still a crime to solve...
Digging a little deeper, the story explores issues of identity, self-awareness, volition and much more. I don't know if the universe of Kiss Me Twice is the same as her Hugo Award winning story "For Want of a Nail", but while both stories involve issues surrounding an AI, Kiss Me Twice explores issues of AI identity from a different viewpoint. Kiss Me Twice keeps her playful, joyful writing style and this was the most fun (and my favorite) of the five stories.
Ken LiuThe Man Who Ended History: A Documentary (http://kenliu.name/binary/liu_the_man_who_ended_history.pdf)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars4.gif&hash=eab9ab1218f6b1da143b6dc22a30b57a3675e63b)
Ken Liu brings us The Man Who Ended History. A new time travel technique that allows one-time appearances into history is first used by its inventor to explore the circumstances and provide catharsis for the victims of a Japanese medical experiment facility at Pingfang in China during WWII. Every bit as horrific as Nazi experiments and camps, but far less known, the story explores that tragic historical event and place, and in addition brings to the fore questions of what history is and what and who it is for.
I found the story moving, heart-aching and touching, invoking real, tragic, overlooked history I had never heard of to provide an emotional impact that extends from the writing itself into reality.
Catherynne M. ValenteSilently and Very Fast (http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/valente_10_11/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars4.gif&hash=eab9ab1218f6b1da143b6dc22a30b57a3675e63b)
Silently and Very Fast, by Catherynne M. Valente is the story of an AI developed to be the companion of the scions of a family while within the family estate. Over time, as the family develops, grows and changes, the AI, too, undergoes development, die-back and growth in concert. I found the use of myth and mythological themes, resonances and language, a hallmark of the author's writing, to be haunting and memorable.
Taken as a set, I found many parallels and connections between the five stories. Both Gilman's story and Liu's tale deal with the consequences of history, upon survivors and upon those who would dig it up. Kiss me Twice and Silently and Very Fast are very different takes on Artificial Intelligence, the former wrapping issues of A.I. into police procedural, and the latter taking a long, future historical view of an A.I.'s growth and development, shading it into mythology and legend.
Similarly, that looking forward and the permanence and impermanence of constructs, be they social or man-made, connects the Kij Johnson story with Valente's. Kiss me Twice and The Man Who Ended History both invoked thoughts and comparisons to Asimov, the R Daneel Olivaw for the former, and Asimov's take on the use of Time Travel to process and deal with history both personal and public in his story "The Dead Past".
Even without reading the sixth nominee, Deadline, it is clear that this is a strong ballot of stories to choose from. Whether you vote or not, I strongly recommend that you give the stories a try. While novellas and short stories may not be the economic wellspring and heart-spring of the genre community, I still think that in most ways, they are crucibles of innovation, of technique, of theme, of ideas, and of authors themselves.
Elem, da iskoristim još sveže utiske prekjučerašnje grandiozne ceremonije otvaranja Olimpijade i da kažem reč-dve o prvencu Teda Kosmatke - The Games. Pogađate, naravno, naslov se referiše upravo na Olimpijadu, i to jednu specifičnu, u vrlo nam bliskoj budućnosti, preko koje Kosmatka vrlo uspešno secira društvenjačku evoluciju u maniru do te mere uverljivom da je postavku teško prepoznati kao fantastičnu, bez obzira na svu očiglednost futurističkog mehanizma kojim Kosmatka tako impresivno barata.
Oslanjajući se na uverljiv koncept kako svaki naš potez neminovno uslovljava druge da reaguju, Kosmatka nudi obilje materijala iz kojeg lako možete složiti model koji najviše odgovara vašem svetonazoru, bez da se odviše upuštate u traženje famoznog "uzroka svih posledica". Kosmatka opisuje posledice koje su očigledno imale bezbroj uzroka, uredno složenih u fino kazualističko tkanje u kojem se ama baš ništa ne može osporiti, jer daleko smo čudnijim i bizarnijim zbivanjima već bili očevici, pa je zato lako za pretpostaviti da nam budućnost leži upravo u tom pravcu. Na stranu sad sama Olimpijada, ali - da li je zaista bilo ijednog slavnog i novčano obilnog sportskog događanja kojeg nisu ispratile kojekakva kvarna otkrića o dopinzima i drogama, steroidima i kojekakvim specijalnim spido gaćama koje više obaraju rekorde negoli onaj ko ih nosi? Nije ni bog zna kakvo otkriće da novčane investicije u ParaOlimpijade proizvode više tehnoloških pomagala negoli mnoga istraživanja iza kojih stoje profitu manje nastrojeni striktno medicinarski porivi, pa je relativno lako baviti se ekstrapolacijama tih konkretno startnih pozicija. Kosmatka radi upravo to, i ne bavi se odviše jalovom kontemplacijom ko je i kako sve to započeo, pošto bi se to i u stvarnom svetu svelo na tupava palanačka kvazifilozofiranja o kvazidilemi šta je zapravo starije, kokoš ili jaje. Ne, ne, Kosmatka je isuviše zreo autor za takve zamke, pa se zato i ne bavi pitanjima ko je sve to počeo, njega zanima kuda sve to zapravo vodi i odvodi, a ta destinacija je - genetska manipulacija.
Dakle, The Games se ponajviše bavi tom idućom fazom sportskog dopinga: čak i osrednje talentovan hermafrodit će u kategoriji ženskog takmičenja skočiti više, trčati brže i baciti disk dalje od najboljeg ženskog takmičara, a ako ga zbog toga mrko pogledate, na vas će se sručiti lavina pravedničkog gneva polno-rodnih mahinatora sa debelim investicijama po pitanju rezultata. I mnogi će se sportovi zbog tog dranja poklopiti ušima, makar zbog mira u kući, ali Olimpijada... pa eto, Olimpijada je zbivanje posebnog i singularnog reda veličine čiji uticaj premašuje sportske okvire i zadire duboko u društvenjačko tkivo civilizacije, jer poznato je da čak i zaraćene strane zakopaju ratnu sekiru i pritule huškačku retoriku upravo zbog Olimpijade. Stoga se Kosmatka bavi Olimpijadom kao lučonošom društvenog razuma: ne, ne možete prisliti sve zemlje ovog sveta da se uzdrže od genetskog prčkanja po svojim olimpijskim kandidatima, ne možete ih prisiliti da se uzdrže od unapređivanja plivača skrivenim škrgama i kožicama između prstiju... pa kad je već tako, kad su već toliko namerili da upravo u Olimpijadi nalaze poligon za svoja genetska istraživanja, onda... onda im dajte posebnu disciplinu, zvanu Gladijator, u kojoj će moći da učestvuju upravo genetski manipulisana stvorenja, i to uz dva striktno pridržavana uslova: prvi je da će sve takmičarske nacije u ostale discipline slati samo zdrava i prava prirodno talentovana ljudska bića a drugi je da će u disciplini Gladijatora moći da se takmiče samo genetski manipulisana stvorenja bez ijednog ljudskog gena. Drugim rečima, Olimpijski Komitet je dao ultimatum svojim članicama da puste ljude na miru i eksperimentišu isključivo sa životinjama.
Kao rezultat ultimatuma, disciplina Gladijator je došla u centar investicione pažnje, dok su ostale discipline ostavljene u zapećku minornog interesovanja. Ogromne pare se slivaju u rupu bez dna zvanu Gladijator i pobeda u toj olimpijskoj disciplini nije više samo pitanje prestiža, nego i najprofitabilnija investicija u svetu.
Tu negde kreće zaplet romana i oslanja se na dva glavna lika: Evan Chandler i Silas Williams. Evan je jedan od onih specifično autističnih ljudi koji je još u ranom detinjstvu prepoznat kao društveno beskorisna jedinka sa nemerljivim intelektualnim potencijalnom koji je dolazio do izražaja jedino u domenu kompjuterskog programiranja, dok je Silas briljantni genetičar, primarno u domenu dizajna. Ukratko, Silas je dizanirao koncept nepobedivog Gladijatora a Evanu je dato da osmisli kompjuterski program koji bi taj dizajn proveo u stvarnost. Naravno, zaplet romana se ravnomerno oslanja i na sitni problem koji je rezultirao iz činjenice da su i Evan i Silas briljantni geniji u svom domenu, pa je stoga i Gladijator kojeg su stvorili imao sve karakteristike svojih kreatora, dodatno armirane primarnom omaškom koju počine svi ljudi kad streme ka savršenstvu: Gladijator je posedovao inteligenciju kojoj nekako baš i nije bilo dovoljno da svoje trajanje završi u olimpijskoj areni borbe do smrti.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.goodreads.com%2Fbooks%2F1333577683l%2F12139963.jpg&hash=87243a12bef601f7001ccb7cf8f45683fe6ff59f)
Odlično odmeren kontrast tehnofilije vs tehnofobije pravi od ovog romana napet tehnotriler koji sa lakoćom vraća genetičke monstruoznosti pod okrilje žanra koji ih je i porodio - u okrilje SFa. U maniru upozoravajućeg tehnofobskog tona kakav se lansirao još sa Frankenštajnovim stvorenjem, The Games osvežava temu čovekove nesposobnosti da sopstvene tehnološke sposobnosti drži pod razumnom kontrolom, stavljajući sve to u okvir upornog preispitivanja etike i morala iza čovekovih odluka da se u neke podvige upusti ne zbog konkretne nužnosti, nego prosto zato što je to u njegovoj moći. Tanušna linija opravdanja između opšte prihvatljivosti jednog poteza u domenu medicinske potrebe i osporavanja istog tog poteza u domenu kozmetike za Kosmatku je bila dovoljno širok teren da na njemu sagradi vrlo zabavnu i provokativnu konstrukciju koja očas posla razotkrije duboko usađeno licemerje kojim smo premazali izmišljene i lažne dileme, samo da ne bi odveć razbijali glavu oko stvarnih.
Impresivan prvenac autora čije ime svakako vredi zapamtiti - Ted Kosmatka.
Books You Should Have Read in 2011-2012
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/08/books-you-should-have-read-in-2011-2012/ (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/08/books-you-should-have-read-in-2011-2012/)
... e pa da se time pozabavimo. xnerd
Following is the list of books that A.T. noted as being mentioned by the panelists.
- Alastair Reynolds – Blue Remembered Earth
- Ayize Jama-Everett – The Liminal People
- Bruce Sterling – Gothic High-Tech
- Charles Stross – The Apocalypse Codex
- Ernest Cline – Ready Player One
- F Paul Wilson – Nightworld
- Francis Spufford – Red Plenty
- Geoff Ryman – Paradise Tales
- George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, ed. – Down these Strange Streets
- Greg Egan – The Clockwork Rocket
- Haruki Murakami – 1Q84
- Heartless – Gail Carriger
- Holly Black & Ellen Kushner, ed. – Welcome to Bordertown
- Iain Banks – Stonemouth
- Ian McDonald – Planesrunner
- J M McDermott – When We Were Executioners
- James S. A. Corey – Caliban's War
- Jason Heller – Taft 2012
- Jim Butcher – Ghost Story
- Jo Walton – Among Others
- John Joseph Adams, ed. – Other Worlds than These
- John Love – Faith
- John Scalzi – Fuzzy Nation and Red Shirts
- Jonathan L. Howard – Johannes Cabal the Detective
- Kage Baker – The Best of Kage Baker
- Kameron Hurley – God's War
- Kameron Hurley – Infidel
- Kendare Blake – Anna Dressed in Blood
- Kim Newman – The Hound of the D'Urbervilles
- Kim Stanley Robinson – 2312
- Laird Barron – The Croning
- Laura Anne Gilman – Pack of Lies
- Lauren Beukes – Zoo City
- Laurie R. King – The Pirate King
- Margaret Atwood – In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination
- Mark Lawrence – Prince of Thorns
- Martha Wells – The Serpent Sea
- Michael Swanwick – Dancing with Bears
- N.K. Jemisin – The Kingdom of Gods
- N.K. Jemisin – The Killing Moon
- Neal Stephenson – Reamde
- Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, and Mark Teppo, ed. – The Mongoliad
- Pip Ballantine – Phoenix Rising
- Rachel Caine – Bite Club
- Ransom Riggs – Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
- Rob Ziegler – Seed
- Rose Lemberg. ed. – The Moment of Change
- Ross Lockhart, ed. – The Book of Cthulhu
- Rudy Rucker – Jim and the Flims
- Seanan McGuire – Discount Armageddon
- Stina Leicht – And Blue Skies from Pain
- Stina Leicht – Of Blood and Honey
- Terry Bisson – Any Day Now
- Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter – The Long Earth
- Will McIntosh – Soft Apocalypse
BONUS: Forthcoming Books of Interest
- Iain M. Banks – Hydrogen Sonata
- Mark Teppo – Earth Thirst
- Robin Maxwell – Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan
... kanda je ovaj entuzijasta malko pobrkao godine izdanja, Zoo City je 2010.
28. decembra. To je tu negde.
Pa jeste da su naizgled u pitanju svega dani i sati, ali zbog toga je i ušla u konkrurenciju za nagrade koje sleduju naslovima objavljenim u 2010, pa ne bi sad valjalo pustiti je da na dve stolice sedi, jer to će onda biti rusvaj kad se i drugim knjigama to prohte. Treba tu čvrsta ruka, znaš... :mrgreen:
Pa kada izdaju (namerno) knjige oko božića i nove godine.
Vide li kako je Brin nahvalio svoju knjigu?
Quote from: Gaff on 05-08-2012, 11:40:50
Pa kada izdaju (namerno) knjige oko božića i nove godine.
Da, da, knjige koje se štampaju krajem decembra imaju ogromne prednosti, ogromne - em se kupuju na neviđeno i sebi i drugima za decembarske poklone, em ulaze u kategoriju nagrada za tu godinu, em se na glasačkim listama bolje kotiraju od onih knjiga koje su objavljene na početku godine i time pomalo izvetrele iz sećanja... velika je to prednost, nema šta.
A Brin... Existence uporno odbija me zgrabi, već treći put iščitavam Aficionado i treći put otkrivam da za to ipak nisam aficionado... :cry:
Pokušaj s Glory Season. Zna Brin da bude odličan.
ehhhh, a sad malko traceraja jedne od mojih najdrazih blogerki, Abigail Nussbaum (http://www.blogger.com/profile/08562462228380637583) :
A bit surprised that this hasn't had more play: in an interview (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=34164) with
Empire last week, Neil Marshall--who directed the penultimate episode of the second season of
Game of Thrones, "Blackwater"--has this to say on the subject of the show's use of nudity:
The weirdest part was when you have one of the exec producers leaning over your shoulder, going, "You can go full frontal, you know. This is television, you can do whatever you want! And do it! I urge you to do it!" So I was like, "Okay, well, you're the boss."
This particular exec took me to one side and said, "Look, I represent the pervert side of the audience, okay? Everybody else is the serious drama side. I represent the perv side of the audience, and I'm saying I want full frontal nudity in this scene." So you go ahead and do it.
(The original quote is in a podcast. Here are two (http://screencrush.com/game-of-thrones-nudity/) text (http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/06/neil-marshall-explains-why-game-of-thrones-has-so-much-nudity) reports, both of which seem quite cheerful about HBO courting the pervert demographic.)
Of course, this isn't really a surprise. No one who watches
Game of Thrones can have imagined that titillation was not at least a partial motivation for its copious scenes of nudity and sex. And given the unattributed quote from a one-time director, a grain of salt might not be entirely out of order as well. But it is something to have people involved with the show saying this--that young women are being asked to strip naked and simulate sex for the benefit of perverts. If someone could explain the difference between that and soft-core porn, I would be very grateful.
SF futurizam je svet za sebe. Ako vam se taj svet dopada, knjige koje se ozbiljno bave SF futurizmom biće vam značajne taman koliko i srodne duše sa kojima se možete raspravljati do sudnjeg dana u podne, a najnovija knjiga KS Robinsona, 2312, mi je baš u tom rangu značaja. A da stvar bude još i gora, 2312 je i vrlo arogantna knjiga koja uvek iznova dovodi u pitanje čak i one stavove koje ste prethodno prihvatili, makar i uz nešto malo gunđanja.
2312 nudi detaljnije obrise moguće budućnosti koja je već predstavljena u Mars trilogiji: Swan Er Hong je rođena u koloniji na Merkuru a Fitz Wahram je rođen na koloniji na Titanu i na jednom nivou ovo je priča o njima, ispričana onako kako se već pričaju priče o srodnim dušama. Ali na mnogo drugih nivoa 2312, ta priča je samo šećerasta glazura na gorkoj piluli, i namenjena je ljudima koji nisu dovoljno perverzni da uživaju u samokažnjavanju žvakanja aspirina: Swan Er Hong ima 135 godina i nije žena, baš kao što ni Fitz Wahram nije muškarac. Odnosno, Swan jeste žena, ali je ujedno i muškarac, baš kao što je i Fitz Wahram muškarac sa maternicom. I ne, ne radi se ni o kakvoj anomaliji danas nam poznatoj kao hermafroditizam, nego o zdravoj i funkcionalnoj ginandromorfiji kao rezultatu genetske manipulacije u svrhu produžavanja životnog veka. u 2312, najstarije ljudsko biće ima 210 zemaljskih godina i ne pokazuje nikakve očigledne znake dotrajalosti, a to je upravo i onaj nivo na kom 2312 najbolje funkcioniše i na kom ima najviše uticaja.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51QTAfpy5AL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=810ce9c1787611fcaf5e4f785c128a72487538f7)
U kontekstu žanrovskih paradigmi, 2312 se priklanja post-kiberpank poimanju stvarnosti kroz direktna suočavanja sa modernim tehnologijama (kloniranje, genetska modifikacija, VR, AI, nanotehnologija), i to u svrhu redefinisanja različitosti, pa time i samog identiteta. Dok je pre-kiberpank paradigma imala čvrste racionalizacije ljudskosti kao hetero-identiteta sa kojim se čovek poistovećivao milenijumima, kiberpank je uspeo da tu paradigmu temeljito dovede u pitanje, ali ne i da je razbije ili poništi: kiberpank je ponudio samo alternativu, i to u vidu sopstvene marginalizacije. Sa kiberpankom smo dobili polusvet koji je bio taman dovoljno kiborgizovan da se jasno odvoji od normativa "ljudske vrste", ali bez otvorene namere da se u taj ostatak ikako asimiluje, a kamoli da ga subverzivno učini sličnim sebi. 2312 nudi post-kiberpank paradigmu koja se ni malo ne smatra marginalizovanom.
Naravno, da bi bili "nešto", nije dovoljno da sami sebe za to smatrate: da bi bili "nešto", potreban je konsenzus koji će vas tako videti, prepoznati i prihvatiti. U pre-kiberpank paradigmi, taj konsenzus je nudila prosta većina, pa se može reći da je kiberpank kiborgizacija bila u istoj meri prepoznata kao marginalna od strane "normalne" većine, koliko i od strane kiborgizovanog polusveta samog. Dakle, bio je u pitanju nekakav konsenzus da sticanjem interfejsa za VR čovek gubi (ili, u kiberpank slučaju, da se svesno odriče) jednog dela ljudskosti, koja je prezentovano uglavnom u telu, ili "mesu", kako se na to kiberpank prezrivo referiše. U 2312 slučaju, takvog konsenzusa nema. Zapravo, može se reći da nikakvog konsenzusa nema. Uopšte.
Ako se modernom tehnologijom uklone osnove tradicionalnog ljuskog identiteta, bilo da su genetske ili kulturološke (rod/pol, rasa/etnicitet, religija/nacionalnost, i sva ona društena i politička (samo)opredeljenja na kojima baziramo identitet) prirode, šta nam onda ostaje kao baza za grupisanja bilo koje vrste? Skoro pa ništa, osim nekih čisto ideoloških smernica, zbog kojih bi eventualno mogli da završimo u nekakvoj grupaciji sebi-realtivno-sličnih istomišljenika. U uslovima takve hiper-individualnosti, "većina" kao takva naprosto prestaje da postoji, a sa njenim gubitkom prestaje da postoji i "marginalizacija" kakvu danas znamo.
Koliko god da je pre-kiberpank paradigma ležala na temeljima "globalnog" i "kolektivnog" (setite se samo svih onih žanrovskih vizija "ujedinjenih vlada Zemlje", makar i modelisanih na labavom fazonu "Ujedinjenih Nacija"), kiberpank se sa tom konkretno paradigmom razišao ne njenim razbijanjem, nego naprosto njenim ignorisanjem: u polusvetu kiberpanka niko ne obraća pažnju na regularne državne institucije, jer u njemu glavnu reč ionako nose multinacionalne korporcije, kapitalistički amoral i individualni akti kršenja pravila, čak i kad su tako nelegalni u svojoj suštini. Bez obzira na svo svoje samoljubivo otpadništvo, kiberpank je bio otpadnik samo zbog konsenzusa većine, naspram koje je mogao da zadrži svoju značajnu marginalnost. Ali jednom kad te većine nestane, ni samo otpadništvo više nema značaja.
Post-kiberpank paradigma nema nikakvih temelja da na njima učvrsti koncepte "globalnog" i "kolektivnog", sve da to i hoće: diversifikacija se svela na dijaspore kojima za identitet uopšte nije neophodan konsenzus, pošto su bazirani na čisto tehnološkoj samodovoljnosti. U trenutku kada svaki čovek postane individua sama sebi dovoljna, samo-za-sebe-ostrvo, koju mu to motivacije preostaju da na njima izgradi makar i enklavu, a kamoli kolektiv?
Odgovor je, naravno - ideološke.
E sad. Ideologije cvatu zato što se hrane čovekovom obespravljenosti. A jednom kad te obespravljenosti nestane... pa, onda nam ostaje i preostaje jedino - transhumanizam. :evil:
Eto koliko je to opasna rant&rejv knjiga, ta 2312... njeno čitanje je tek prva trećina ogromnog problema, a ostale dve trećine su nešto sa čime se lomite kasnije, i to u etapama, i to u kranje bleskastom maniru leptira fasciniranog voštanom svećom.
Swan i Fitz su odlično ponuđeni kao predstavnici različitosti: Swan rođena na koloniji ekstremno blizu Suncu, Fitz na koloniji maksimalno udaljenoj od Sunca; Swan je umetnica koja u industrijsko teraformiranje unosi estetske kanone, Fitz je diplomata i krajnje trezven političar; Swan je nesposobna (ili možda samo nevoljna) da održi bliski odnos čak i sa jedinim biološkim detetom, dok je Fitz deo petočlanog braka i roditelj u obe varijante; Swan je ekstremno kiborgizovana (kvantum kompjuter implant, sijaset bioloških, pa čak i ksenomorf implant), Fitz je prirodno ružan u doba ekstremno pristupačne bio-kozmetike; Swan je temperamentna i ishitrena do granice brzopletosti, Fitz je introspektivan do granice autizma... u nekom krajnje pojednostavljenom gledanju na bračne veze, Fitz bi mogao biti konzervativna protivteža (ponekad preteranom) samopouzdanju sa kojim Swan suočava izazove. U tom smislu, preko Swana i Fitza se prezentuju i dve osnovne čovekove težnje i strepnje: progresivna Swan i konzervativni Fitz se nadopunjuju makar utoliko što Swan mora da isproba i pokuša sve što je u njenoj moći, dok Fitz uglavnom sanira posledice.
2312 Dijaspora koja se proteže sunčevim sistemom nudi isto tako bizaran sklop krajnosti čovekovih filozofija i mentaliteta, to od krajnjeg defetizma pa do krajnje preteranog optimizma. Naravno, defetistički kraj te duge je na samoj Zemlji, koja je baš u onom stanju kakvog već danas predviđaju analize rasta pregrevanja i otapanja polarne ledene mase. S druge strane, kolonisti Dijaspore svojim mentalitetom i filozofijom uvelike odražavaju sopstvenu okolinu: rođeni u klaustrofobičnim, samodovoljnim gradovima-kolonijama, oni naprosto ne žele da budu deo bilo kakvog velikog kolektiva, pa čak ni neke krajnje labave političke alijanse kao što je Mondragon. U 2312, "balkanizacija" predstavlja mentalitet enklava rasutih u dijaspori, koje insistiranje na sopstvenim specifičnostima u velikoj meri opravdavaju (ili bolje, kamufliraju) nekim vidom kvazi-patriotizma za sopstvene gradove-kolonije.
U neku ruku, pretpostavka ekspanzije ljudske vrste u 2312 nije nerealna sa tehnološke tačke gledišta, ali je svejedno na momente vrlo smela i teško prihvatljiva zbog svoje radikalnosti. Robinson naizgled hladno razmatra raspad Zemlje, dok insistira kako je čoveku lakše teraformirati asteroide i mesece negoli opraviti uništenu rodnu planetu. U tehnološki izuzetno potkovanom kontekstu 2312 ta dilema je ekspertno predstavljena i obrazložena, ali opet, malko štreca ta lakoća kojom 2312 pretpostavlja da će čovek tako lako odustati i od rodne planete i od tradicionalnog ljudskog tela. Ne kažem da mi to izgelda neverovatno samo po sebi, ali ipak, po pitanju skale i radikalnosti transhumanističke platforme, šokira me da KSR to smatra sasvim mogućim u kontekstu tako bliske budućnosti.
i još jedna kontroverza sa kojom se 2012 postrance dodiruje:
The future of sex. Samuel R. Delany on working all that stuff out for yourself
In the worlds Samuel R. Delany describes and creates, a sense of community is to be found chiefly in marginalized social spaces – here people are supportive of each other, free from sexual judgment or racial prejudice, and polyamorous. Delany's latest novel, Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cpeiuAAACAAJ&dq=Through+the+Valley+of+the+Nest+of+Spiders&source=bl&ots=kEdzslu_-K&sig=GkuKB5HYmPlsFth9BO2oCe3SW5M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NNojULzUNJGKhQftsYGYAQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA), continues his lifelong struggle against ready-made assumptions.
http://www.opendemocracy.net/james-warner/future-of-sex-samuel-r-delaney-on-working-all-that-stuff-out-for-yourself (http://www.opendemocracy.net/james-warner/future-of-sex-samuel-r-delaney-on-working-all-that-stuff-out-for-yourself)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0441020712.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=1fb7a136a866b757614f660b742eb33104fd2c56)
John DeNardo na Goodreadsu:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Geoffrey and Sunday Akinya, trying to protect the reputation of their family business (and space empire), follow the clues left behind by their grandmother to discover something wonderful.
PROS: Grand ideas; likable characters; interesting world building; good ending.
CONS: At times, it seems like a connect-the-dots mystery.
BOTTOM LINE: The start of promising (and hopeful!) new series.
Blue Remembered Earth is the first in a new series by Alastair Reynolds, an author whose name has become synonymous with Big Idea science fiction. Despite being set a mere (by usual standards) one hundred fifty years in the future, Blue Remembered Earth upholds that tradition quite nicely; and it also maintains the author's reputation as a top-notch world builder.
Here, Africa is a world superpower and one of its most powerful families, the Akinyas, have a stronghold on all matters related to space travel, forming the beginnings of a space empire. Mankind has not yet traveled outside the solar system, but there are settlements on the Moon and Mars. Society is so widely monitored that crime is all but eradicated. Technology has advanced to the point where everyone has chips in their skulls that allow them to communicate (via "chinging" to another location, or sometimes in a physical gollum) or invoke augmented reality displays with any kind of information they wish to visualize. Even artificial intelligence has been achieved, although these "artilects" are forbidden since they are not completely understood.
The focus of the story revolves around the Akinya family; specifically, Geoffrey Akinya and his sister, Sunday, both of whom have chosen not to partake in the politics of the family business, though they do enjoy the family perks. Geoffrey has dedicated his life to the study of African elephants and hopes to one day communicate with them, mind-to-mind. Sunday, an artist, lives on the Moon in one of the few places that is not part of the otherwise prevalent panoptic society. It is in this Descrutinized Zone on the Moon, in fact, where the beginning of the book's central mystery takes off. The mystery concerns Geoffrey's and Sunday's grandmother, Eunice Akinya, whose death just prior to the beginning of the novel sparks a series of events that not only pull Geoffrey and Sunday back into family politics (and on the bad side of their antagonistic cousins, Lucas and Hector), but more importantly, lead to events that could change the fate of humanity.
These are the stakes one would come to expect in a Reynolds novel, and readers familiar with Reynolds' work won't be disappointed. As usual, high stakes are accompanied by cool ideas and likable characters. The chinging ability, for example leads to some page-turning scenes, including one that can only be described as Robot Wars on steroids. There's also the existence of a self-sufficient community of machines run amok on Mars (the location of more page-turning scenes). The book depicts some interesting applications of augmented reality, the most prevalent being the simulated posthumous personality of Eunice herself. Then there's the depiction of space travel, which is realistic, refreshingly optimistic, and the basis for future books in the series.
If the book suffers, it's only from a slightly off-kilter balance of mystery vs. wonder. The thrust of the narrative for much of the book is the series of clues that lead Geoffrey and Sunday from one scene to the next. It seemed much like a game of connect-the-dots, the focus of which took away from the cooler science fictional aspects of the story. To be fair, though, the story needed to progress in such a manner if it were to ultimately drive the story to final plot reveal...once that leaves readers feeling like it is not so much an ending as it is a beginning.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F08%2Fbsbb-badge-1.jpg&hash=675b219b31b64303bb582eca7390753a27e8783d)
Raise your hand if you're a book blogger.
Raise your hand if you've ever purchased a book because of a review you read on a book review blog.
Raise your hand if you're a bookseller and a customer has asked for a certain title because they read about it on a book blog.
If your hand is raised, Bookstore Bookblogger Connection (http://bookstorebloggerconxn.com/) is for you.
Created by two book-aholics, Bookstore Bookblogger Connection (http://bookstorebloggerconxn.com/) was born out of an interest in connecting the brick-and-mortar bookstores we so dearly love with the book bloggers who daily convince us to buy another book.
FBI pratio Reja Bredberija jer su kontali da je komunista:
http://delfi.rs/ves1281/delfi_vesti_fbi_pratio_reja_bredberija_zbog_sumnje_da_je_komunisticki_simpatizer.html (http://delfi.rs/ves1281/delfi_vesti_fbi_pratio_reja_bredberija_zbog_sumnje_da_je_komunisticki_simpatizer.html)
Filming the Unfilmable
In the late 70s, Ridley Scott, hot off the success of
Alien, met with Harlan Ellison to discuss the challenges of turning Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel
Dune into a movie. Ellison assured Scott it couldn't be done for a variety of reasons, notably the impossibility off translating a sprawling epic like Herbert's full of complex ideas and themes, into two hours of watchable cinema. As he recounts on page 224 of
Harlan Ellison's Watching, he informed Scott, "It's just
King of Kings with sandworms." Perhaps Scott believed him, because he abandoned the project for another science fiction movie,
Bladerunner, from Philip K. Dick's
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?... which, ironically, also had a string of directors (Martin Scorsese among them) who simply failed to find the proper way to adapt it.
None of this surprises those interested in the history of cinema. Unrealized adaptations of great novels clutter soundstages across the globe. Often the movies in question seldom rise from development hell because of budgetary concerns (see Orson Welles's planned retelling of Joseph Conrad's
Heart of Darkness for RKO Pictures) or because artistic ambitions exceed studio of filmmaker grasp (Terry Gilliam, perhaps sensing the Herculean task needed for a successful cinematic reinterpretation, ultimately passed on Alan Moore's
Watchmen). Some cannot overcome the structural challenges (as screenwriters working on shelved film versions of Arthur C. Clarke's
Childhood's End and Alfred Bester's
The Stars My Destination found), while others lose the actors initially attached to the projects. (For which we occasionally should be grateful; would anybody really want to have seen Scott direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in Richard Matheson's
I Am Legend?) True, in several cases (
Dune,
Watchmen,
I Am Legend) the project moved into production, but in most cases lacked the spark that drove the original subject matter.
Then there are those books that, because of their very structure, or for their insular nature, or other reasons, simply never would make good movies in the first place. For example, I doubt anybody would, or indeed could, reimagine Barry Malzberg's
Beyond Apollo or
Galaxies for a multiplex or even art-house audience. While I love Norman Spinrad's
Child of Fortune, it works in part because of Lingo, the language spoken by its characters, and the verbal pyrotechnics therein, and seems an unlikely candidate for adaptation (which I also could say of Samuel R. Delany's
Dhalgren, John Clute's
Appleseed, and M. John Harrison's
Light). Even novels as seemingly straightforward as Frederik Pohl's
Man Plus and John Crowley's
Engine Summer face an uphill battle in attempting to bring them to the screen, not least of which because both play games with points of view. And on and on. Some books, I convince myself, are simply untranslatable.
And then I think of David Cronenberg, and I wonder if, perhaps, I'm too hasty with my assessment. Genre fans know Cronenberg. (If they don't, then I despair for them.) Launching his career with odd, uncompromising horror movies like
They Came from Within and
Rabid in the 70s, he went on to make odd movies with unusual sf content like
The Brood and
Videodrome, springboards for his conceptual philosophy of the New Flesh. When I came across his work in high school, he seemed like a perfect fit: his vision of the human body in transformation offered me a compelling visual companion to the artwork complimenting the fiction in
Omni and the works of writers such as Richard Kadrey, Michael Blumlein, Pat Cadigan, and John Shirley. I may not have always understood it, and often I've seen a particular Cronenberg movie only once (I'll likely never watch
The Fly again -- not because I didn't like it, but because the images are so scored into my brain that I'll never need to revisit them). Even better, he seemed to have a kind of intellectual bent that far too many other genre filmmakers lacked. Sure, John Carpenter's
Escape from New York pulled out all the visual stops, but only budget separated it from most other B-movie fare. Cronenberg's
Scanners, on the other hand, possessed a good deal of subtext, from the next stages of human evolution to the perils of corporate power.
So when I heard, in 1990, that he was filming an adaptation of William S. Burroughs's
Naked Lunch, I responded by enthusiastically at what he might bring to life -- so much of what he had done previously seemed heavily influenced by Burroughs anyway -- yet still wondered how he possibly could make it work. For all of the novel's brilliance, it unfolds like a jagged kaleidoscope, images and events occurring seemingly without cause or effect, and the subject matter, jammed to its Mugwump gills with addiction, homosexuality, and perverse monsters, felt too extreme for most mainstream audiences. Maybe he could make it work, I thought, but I didn't see how.
Cronenberg, of course, delivered. True, he simply excised many of the novel's passages, but in doing so also added a plot that made a certain degree of sense, characters with which one could, if not like, at least identify, and a villainous plot to prey on the addictions of the United States. The movie's blend of 50s noir, esoteric creatures (the living typewriters turned out to be, by turns, charming and disturbing), and descent into madness pulled off the impossible: filmed an unfilmable novel, and did so brilliantly. It surprised almost everyone. Even more surprising was his ability to do it again in 1996, this time with J.G. Ballard's
Crash, and then again with Patrick McGrath's
Spider in 2002. Neither of the books had anything in common, except that they dealt with ideas and themes that would make them challenging adaptations. And yet, inexplicably, Cronenberg managed the incredible feat of creating compelling movies from both novels. Granted, critics appeared to receive both coolly, and both disappointed at the box office, but Cronenberg deserved credit for facing the difficulties of making these movies head on and unflinchingly. For all of their faults, both are difficult to forget.
I don't remember when I first heard that Cronenberg planned to adapt Don DeLillo's
Cosmopolis to the screen. Though I respected and admired Cronenberg's work a great deal, something in me rebelled at turning DeLillo's short novel to the screen. The prospect of transforming it into a feature film, at least on paper, made more sense than attempting to do so with
Underworld,
The Names, or
White Noise (
Cosmopolis is shorter than all of them), yet I couldn't see how Cronenberg (who wrote the screenplay) could take DeLillo's oblique characters, obtuse ideas, and dense (in the worst sense of the word) philosophy and possibly make it work. Still, I told myself, this is Cronenberg. He can do it. Alas, he couldn't.
Though Cronenberg works well with actors, his story of vain billionaire Eric Packer (Robert Pattison) suffers from characters who speak in enigmas. They make observations about the world that sound like caffeine-addled college students who have absorbed their Introduction to Postmodernism without actually understanding it. Though Packer has sex at least twice during the movie, it all seems perfunctory and, surprisingly for a Cronenberg movie, oddly lacking in eroticism. Packer holds meetings in his car with a number of random individuals, but they all seem as interesting as a philosophy professor's notes after they've been shuffled. The entire book (and the movie) might have been modeled on James Joyce's
Ulysses, but it represented the worst in meandering art-house fare. It felt like
Slacker for the one percent, and only seemed to prove that even the most slender tales can defeat an excellent filmmaker. None of which, of course, deterred my admiration for Cronenberg, or convinced me that he has lost any of his gifts. True, he adapted an unfilmable that should have stayed that way, but that doesn't mean he, or someone else, won't be able to find the right approach for something even more difficult. Perhaps Cronenberg will tackle Philip K. Dick at some point. Or perhaps Ridley Scott will solve the riddle of how to recast Joe Haldeman's
The Forever War as compelling cinema. They've done it before. No doubt they can do it again.
Copyright © 2012 Derek Johnson (derek.a.johnson@gmail.com?subject=Watching the Future)
http://www.sfsite.com/columns/derek375.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/columns/derek375.htm)
http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek (http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek)
Svaki obrazovani čove mora pročitati 110 knjiga, a gore na linku je lista. Međutim, masa tipografskih grešaka, kao i naziva pisaca i njihovih dela....Fino sam se nasmejao :)
Publishers to Pay $69M in eBook Pricing Settlement(via Galleycat)
QuoteAccording to the terms of the deal, consumers who bought an eBook from any of the "Agency Five" publishers during April 1, 2010 until May 21, 2012 will receive compensation.
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/harpercollins-hachette-simon-schuster-to-pay-69m-in-ebook-pricing-settlement_b56803 (http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/harpercollins-hachette-simon-schuster-to-pay-69m-in-ebook-pricing-settlement_b56803)
Quote from: Perin on 04-09-2012, 17:44:17
http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek (http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek)
Svaki obrazovani čove mora pročitati 110 knjiga, a gore na linku je lista. Međutim, masa tipografskih grešaka, kao i naziva pisaca i njihovih dela....Fino sam se nasmejao :)
... a kad kliknem na link u tvom postu, dobijem samo ovo:
Quote
Oops! This link appears to be broken.
(da se nisu postideli? :?: )
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51Avm0R97xL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=567758cb8d500a86d69d02defc3c07de294e12c0)
David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas
Elem, hajp oko najnovijeg projekta Vačovski tima nekako me ubedio da će film ponuditi interpretaciju u doslovnijem značenju te reči nego što inače podrazumevam kad su u pitanju ekranizacije, pa sam pročitala roman tek da to preduhitrim. Naravno, ne mislim ovim da potcenjujem film, ima dosta primera da su upravo filmske interpretacije bile bolje od romana koji im je poslužio kao predložak (LA Confidential je jedan od takvih svetlih primera), ali ipak, u takvim slučajevima se pre može govoriti o dva nezavisna autorska dela negoli o ekranizaciji samog romana. U Cloud Atlas slučaju to je maltene neminovno, jer je ovaj roman toliko uslovljen medijem u kom je nastao da mi se čini jednostavno neprevodiv u bilo koji drugi. A pošto je hajp oko filma izbacio toliko spojlera samog romana - čini mi se daleko više nego što će ga sam film ispojlerisati - skoro da se ne treba po tom pitanju više ustezati.
Cloud Atlas u sebi sadrži šest romana, spojenih u mozaik preko superiorno izvedene lajtmotiv finese koja je već sam po sebi užitak za čitanje, zato što romanu daje dimenziju u kojoj čitalac aktivno učestvuje, dešifrujući insinuacije i sklapajući delove u celinu tempom koji mu odgovara. U te svrhe, prva polovina romana nudi izluđujuće intrigantnu postavku u kojoj se svaki segment naprasno završava na vrhuncu svog ionako izluđujuće intrigantnog zapleta, da bi se tek u šestom segmentu radnja prelomila, metodično se vraćajući nezavršenim segmentima i zatvarajući ih u savršenu celinu, jednog po jednog, sve do poslednjeg sa kojim je roman zapravo otvoren.
Prvi segment je The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing, u kom se detaljiše Ewingovo 1850 putovanje jedrenjakom Prophetess do kolonija u Pacifiku. Ewan je dete svog vremena i njegova dnevnička zapažanja razgolićuju kolonističku hipokriziju do nivoa na kom samo štivo postaje gotovo bolno za čitanje. Jedna od centralnih tema kojoj se Ewan u dnevniku bavi je animozitet urođeničkih plemena Maori i Moriori, koji belački kolonizatori sa velikom veštinom potpiruje u sopstvene beskrupulozne svrhe. Paralelno sa tim zapažanjima, dnevnik otkriva kako samog Ewana progresivno savladava misteriozna bolest koju je njegov lekar Henry Goose dijagnstički prepoznao kao tropskog parazita u Ewanovom mozgu. Segment se završava u pola rečenice, ostavljajući čitaoca u nedoumici da li je sam Ewan u tom neobjašnjivom prekidu došao do poslednjeg od svojih očigledno odbrojanih udaha.
Drugi segment se bavi pismima koje je R.F. Frobisher slao svom intimnom prijatelju i ljubavniku Rufusu Sixsmithu, to iz okoline Bruža, 1931 godine. Iz pisama se da naslutiti da je i Frobisheru i Sixmithu tek dvadeset i neka i da je ovaj potonji fizičar kojeg nesumnjivo čeka blistava karijera. Frobisher je pak muzičar bez perspektive, razbaštinjen od osvetoljubivog oca i zaposlen kao sekretar kod nekad slavnog a sad sifilisom dotučenog kompozitora Ayrsa. Pisma su dirljiva u iskrenosti kojom Frobisher detaljiše svoju ubrzo nemoguću poziciju u ljubavnom trouglu između Azrsove žene i kćerke, a u paralelnom zapažanju stvarnosti saznajemo da je upravo Frobisher čitao onaj prvi segment, Ewingov dnevnik, i da je njegov iznenadni prekid opravdan činjenicom da je ta knjiga (!) u nečijem besu iscepana na pola, pa zato Frobisher moli Sixsmitha da nabavi i pošalje čitavu knjigu. Frobisher, naime, shvata i iz tako osakaćenog dnevnika ono što je promaklo samom Ewingu - da ga njegov sopstveni doktor namerno truje. I tu se ovaj segment završava.
Treći segment prati mladu novinarku Luisu Rez, koja pokušava da u redakciji beznačajnih lokalnih novina doraste reputaciji koju je za sobom ostavio njen otac, neustrašivi i nagradama ovenčani reporter i borac za istinu. Luisa pukim slučajem nailazi na čoveka koji je u centru kontroverze oko nuklearnog postrojenja kompanije Seabord i koji je jedan od autora i potpisnika zvaničnog izveštaja koji bi taj nuklearni reaktor zauvek razmontirao. Taj čovek je - eminentni fizičar imenom Rufus Sixsmith. Naravno, kompanija Seabord nema skrupula i mnogi će tu izginuti od ruke plaćenog ubice, siroti Sixsmith među prvima, a segment nas napušta upravo u trenutku kad se Luisa survava automobilom u more.
Četvrti segment prati naizmenično urnebesne i gorke životne peripetije jednog postarijeg, beznačajnog izdavača imenom Timothy Cavendish, i od njih nam je najznačajnija upravo ona o kojoj se najmanje zbori: jedan od rukopisa u njegovom posedu zove se isto kao i prethodni segment. Grizemo nokte ali uzalud: Cavendish nas napušta u situaciji u kojoj nije ni jasno da li je doživeo i preživeo svoj sutrašnji dan.
Peti segment odlazi u korejsku distopičnu budućnost u kojoj zatičemo Sonmi-451, klonirano ljudsko biće sa unapred određenim životnim vekom od 12 godina, i to provedenih u ropskom radu i drogama nametnutom bezumlju. Ali Sonmi-451 uspeva da prevaziđe oba hendikepa, mada ne na način na koji smo to isprva mislili. Njena tragična priča se sliva u poslednji,
šesti segment, koji nudi obrise daleke postapokaliptične budućnosti u kojoj je upravo uspomena na Sonmi-451 opstala u vidu oralnih predanja sa religioznim tonovima, i to na istom onom mestu na kom je i Adam Ewing započeo svoj dnevnik.
Nakon tog prelomnog segmenta, Cloud Atlas nas vraća istim putem kojim smo i došli, i, besprekorno se nastavljajući na sečene delove, zatvara jednu po jednu celinu, sa posebnim naglaskom na lajtmotive kojim je mozaik roman tako obilno protkan.
Ukratko, Cloud Atlas je satkan od stila i jezika taman koliko i od svojih zapleta, tema i ideja, a to se jednostavno ne može netaknuto preneti u bilo koji drugi medijum. Najbolje čemu se nadam je relativno nezavisna ali ipak bar donekle kompatibilna vizija kojom bi nam Vačovski tim mogao preneti bar deo ugođaja a time i istinskog i dubokog užitka koji ovaj roman nudi.
Quote from: LiBeat on 05-09-2012, 08:48:07
Quote from: Perin on 04-09-2012, 17:44:17
http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek (http://knjizevnost.org/vijesti/4783-110-knjiga-koje-mora-proitati-svaki-obrazovani-ovek)
Svaki obrazovani čove mora pročitati 110 knjiga, a gore na linku je lista. Međutim, masa tipografskih grešaka, kao i naziva pisaca i njihovih dela....Fino sam se nasmejao :)
... a kad kliknem na link u tvom postu, dobijem samo ovo: Quote
Oops! This link appears to be broken.
(da se nisu postideli? :?: )
Tek sad videh. Izgleda da se jesu postideli, jer nema više linka ni na fejsu :D
A evo kako Norman u svojoj Asimov's kolumni ocenjuje Kosmatkine The Games:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asimovs.com%2F2012_10-11%2Fimages%2FTheGames.jpg&hash=15dae794023325ed9929b4801488021e3b3a9951)
THE GAMES
by Ted Kosmatka,
Del Rey,
$25.00
978-0345526618
The Games opens with a short prologue from the point of view of Evan, a seemingly autistic-cum-dyslexic young boy with certain vague mental prowesses being tested and evaluated and eventually taken from his mother for specialized institutionalized upbringing. Then the novel proceeds to Part I, Chapter One, Distant Thunder: what appears to be, and in a certain sense is, the build-up to a fairly conventional monster movie in prose fictional clothing.
"They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their wombs fashion deceit," Kosmatka quotes from the Bible.
Yes, they do.
In this near future, a Gladiator competition has become the feature attraction of the Olympic Games. Nations use advanced recombinant genetic synthesis technology to create monsters as their champions. These things really are monsters and forthrightly intended as such, and the more powerful, bloodthirsty, vicious, and hideous, the better. The only rule is that no human DNA may be included in their genomes. They are quite literally evil incarnate, genetically programmed to have no other motivations but to feed and to kill.
The Gladiator Competition is literally a process of elimination, a protoplasmic demolition derby. Bout by bout, these National Monsters fight to the death until two of them reach the final and fight to the death for the Gold Medal, after which the winner is slaughtered.
The lead male viewpoint protagonist is Silas Williams, the scientist in charge of creating and preparing the American Gladiator for the latest Olympic Games. The lead female protagonist and viewpoint character is Vidonia Joao, the xenobiologist called in when the American Monster proves far more uncontrollably monstrous than bargained for. The heavy viewpoint nemesis is Stephen Baskov, the ruthless head of the US Olympic Commission.
The threadbare excuse for creating these monster Gladiators to battle to the death in a latter day Roman arena is that it advances the genetic technology needed to create them, which serves the cause of medical advances. Actually, of course, it's really about national chauvinism, like World Cup soccer, and corporate greed.
But hey, these monsters are just mindless protoplasmic killing machines, unable to reproduce, the sole survivor done away with after winning the Gold Medal. So who gives a damn, no problem, right?
Well, of course, wrong. You pretty much know early on that Williams & Co. are going to create an uber-monster that's going to be more than the best-laid plans of mice and men can handle, that it's going to escape and do a Godzilla act, that Silas and Vidonia are going to become an item during their perilous quest to destroy it before it can destroy humanity, and so forth, and that doesn't turn out to be exactly wrong.
However. . . .
While these bare bones of the plot line may be all too familiar, and while the characters may seem a bit generic, Ted Kosmatka is first-rate and quite sophisticated when it comes to the genetic engineering and science involved. And the science itself is not only central to the action of the story but also to its characterological aspects, and in the end to a surprising and suddenly much deeper moral and philosophical epiphany and turnaround at the denouement that I am going to find difficult to discuss without giving away too much.
But I'll give it a try.
Gladiators are synthesized by copying genetic sequences from various savage beasties as computer data, resequencing the DNA to produce the desired monster, and then cranking out the genome that will produce the desired phenome on a chromosome synthesizer, a process not all that far advanced from real cutting edge technology today.
The American monsters have been winning the Gladiator Gold since the competition was added to the Olympics because they have been designed with the aid of the world's most advanced supercomputer.
Evan Chandler, the boy from the prologue, now a grossly fat, socially isolated, geekily brilliant, but emotionally frustrated and depressed adult, is the human interface with this computer, via a virtual reality communion with it that is not exactly elucidated by Kosmatka with the admirable scientific and literary clarity of the genetics and biology.
Evan bears a hateful grudge against humanity in general, of which he does not quite believe himself a part, and lacks anything that might be deemed a moral sense. So he somehow creates a sort of alter ego—or rather alter id—virtual child within a virtual reality within the supercomputer who grows stepwise into a kind of god of the machine, in turn becoming the creator of the reality within it, all-powerful, but not all-knowing, omnipotent within its own realm, but not omniscient, and, like his human "father" only more so, lacking not only a moral sensibility, but the very concept of morality itself.
Evan, the pathetic moral monster, creates an all-powerful but amoral personality for the supercomputer. And the god in the machine when called upon to create the ultimate Gladiator pumps out a genome sequence that is not a recombination of any that have ever existed before, but an entirely synthetic sequence that when run through the chromosome synthesizer produces the ultimate Gladiator as a champion not only of the United States but of Evan's inchoate vengeance against humanity.
This monster is overwhelmingly powerful physically, and of course it escapes. Against the Olympic rules, it is all too capable of reproduction. It is intelligent enough to speak. But it has only three motivations, or, better ,call them tropisms—kill, eat, reproduce.
So a morally crippled human creates an amoral virtual god that creates an ultimate monster possessed of intelligence and sufficient sentient awareness of its surround to plan an escape, execute it, hide its "eggs" in order to reproduce, but probably lacks self-aware consciousness and certainly the moral dimension of "soul."
And this is where I had better leave the telling of his tale to Ted Kosmatka. Because he is going to spring two very major surprises on the reader who follows it to the end, one a piece of stone-cold literary bravery that ends the personal stories in a brutal but ruthlessly logical and realistic manner, and the other a contrastingly tender moral turnaround from a quite unexpected source that unexpectedly touches the heart.
It might not be going too far to say that Kosmatka is hard case enough not to be so enamored of pleasing expectant readers with the compulsory sappy happy ending for heroes and heroines as to shy away from dramatic tragedy, but not such a hard case as to be incapable of leaving them with the possibility of scorn for the Us and sympathetic understanding for the Other when that is where the story leads.
Ken MacLeod does something like the latter in The Night Sessions, and something like the former in both that novel and The Restoration Game, only even more so. MacLeod really is a hard case, and I mean that as a compliment.
He is also a fully matured major writer of politically sophisticated and hard-nosed science fiction, more politically sophisticated, educated, and non-ideologically hard-nosed than any other science fiction writer I can think of, uh, myself included. How I could have failed to learn this before now is either a question of my dereliction of duty or the uh, quiet way this Scotsman has been published in the United States, and probably both.
And I'm not committing political incorrectness by mentioning that he is a card-carrying Scotsman. Because MacLeod, in these two novels at least, makes no bones about being a localvore, since both these books are rooted one way or another in his home town of Edinburgh, though both of them range as far afield as New Zealand, the business end of a Space Elevator, and the former Soviet Empire, not to mention a virtual Roman Mars, and always with a kind of medium-boiled logical realism.
http://www.asimovs.com/2012_10-11/onbooks.shtml (http://www.asimovs.com/2012_10-11/onbooks.shtml)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1931520801.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=93ba9e85e8692242e496878d3a038a7df7abd735)
Kij Johnson doesn't so much write science fiction/fantasy as
metafiction, but whatever she's doing,
At The Mouth Of The River Of Bees is a treasury of story-telling by an award-winning author. Now that she's also accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Fiction Writing at the University of Kansas English Department, there will be ample opportunity to define her "fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality...Metafiction explore
a theory of writing fiction through the practice of writing fiction (http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina/novels/history/metafiction.htm)." Honey-dripping reviews should swarm to this book as in its title story, though I think
Story Kit is the key to the hive, echoed in
The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change and
The Cat Who Walked A Thousand Miles:"Everyone had their own stories, and the stories of their families and ancestors. There were adventures and love stories, or tricks and jokes and funny things that had happened, or disasters. Everyone wanted to tell their stories, and to know where they fit in their own fudokis." [medieval Japanese = diaries/records] "She was not that different." (195)
Story Kit helpfully begins with a guide to identify Johnson's tales among the list of "Six story types, from Damon Knight":
- The story of resolution. The protagonist has a problem and solves it or doesn't.
- The story of explanation.
- The trick ending.
- A decision is made. Whether it is acted upon is irrelevant.
- The protagonist solves a puzzle.
- The story of revelation. Something hidden is revealed to the protagonist, or to the reader. (131)
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/09/guest-post-l-s-bassen-reviews-at-the-mouth-of-the-river-of-bees-by-kij-johnson/#more-61468 (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/09/guest-post-l-s-bassen-reviews-at-the-mouth-of-the-river-of-bees-by-kij-johnson/#more-61468)
Dakle, Ekaterina Sedia i njen Heart of Iron.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft2.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcQWg-HDp-9X8WetRT2tIaLT1MW0WLpgdMFh0sEsPKoemeUttVVLww&hash=81ebc24eab72c74a42e1a9adc0933bc5930f57a4)
Odmah da priznam kako nisam naročit ljubitelj parahronizma kakav se inače zatiče u stimpanku, i to je glavni razlog što sam se sa Ekaterinom Sediom mimoilazila sve do ovog, njenog četvrtog po redu romana. Da Heart of Iron nije ušao u uži krug za Sidewise nagradu, verovatno bi se to preventivno mimoilaženje nastavilo još neko vreme, ali, na našu uzajamnu sreću i zadovoljstvo, Heart of Iron je samo umereno stimpank, i to uglavnom u dekorativnom i prilično nenametljivom maniru, što mu silno pridonosi po pitanju egzotičnosti a ne oduzima odviše po pitanju smislenosti.
Druga njegova nesumnjiva vrlina leži u autentičnoj ruskoj vizuri poznate nam Viktorijane, koja je u romanu taman dovoljno izvitoperila klasičnu istoriju da nam je ponudi kao alternativnu, ali ne i neprepoznatljivu. Dimenzije te alternative date su preko prilično vešto izvedene manipulacije biografskim podacima, ili bolje rečeno, mene se cela ta konstrukcija doima kao prilično vešta istorijska manipulacija uglavnom zato što mi detalji o ruskom autokrati i nisu bog zna kako velik deo opšteg obrazovanja. Roman podržava realnost utoliko što nudi negativnu procenu Nikolaja I, predstavljajući ga uglavnom kao šovinistu i ksenofoba, što se donekle popudara i sa prilično mutnim recidivom mog marksistički intoniranog ranog formalnog obrazovanja, tako da sam tu konkretno dimenziju alternative našla sasvim ubedljivom i vrlo lako prihvatljivom. Na moju sreću, za uživanje u istorijskim nijansama koje Sedia nudi nije mi ni trebalo više od toga.
Treći i najimpresivniji adut romana leži u pažljivo odabranom i odlično prezentovanom uglu gledanja glavnog protagoniste, šesnaestogodišnje ruske plemkinje rođene u doba silnog istorijskog gravitasa decembarske revolucije. I mada se roman na Dekabriste skoro da i ne oslanja po pitanju samog zapleta, njihov kontroverzni momenat sukoba starog i novog odlično prikazuje upravo glavni protagonista romana, hrabra Aleksandra Saša Trubetskaja.
Saša živi pod tutorstvom svoje tetke Eugenije Menšove, usedelice i krajnje neortodoksne plemkinje koja je od oca nasledila imanje i titulu grofice. Eugenija je proto-feministkinja čiji stavovi i postupci perfektno dočaravaju svetonazor umerenog i odmerenog napora obespravljenih da se izbore za svoja prava u svetu, bez da ga tom borbom istovremeno i sravne sa zemljom. Jedna od njenih metoda borbe je i ubeđivanje Cara da se ženama zakonski obezbede neke od privilegija koje muškarci uživaju, obrazovanje tu navedeno kao prva i najglavnija od svih stavki. Saša tako postaje član male grupe prve generacije St. Petersburških devojaka kojima je dozvoljeno da steknu univerzitetsko znanje i titulu, pri tom suočavajući svu hipokriziju duboko usađenih društvenih predrasuda. Uz podršku svoje nepokolebljive i uticajne tetke, Saša se smelo upušta u niz avantura menjanja sebe i sveta oko sebe, dok se bori i najzad zasluženo stiče sasvim nov i emancipiran identitet.
Heart of Iron je šarmantna priča o odrastanju i hrabrosti, a Sedia je nudi sofisticiranim manirom odličnog pisca koji ima oštro oko za ljudske slabosti i vrline jednako. Ruska melanholija kojom proza odiše daje romanu sračunat pikarski ton, a odabrani elementi fantastike elegantno pomažu da se na svetlo dana izvuku uvek relevantne teme rasizma i generalnih društvenih i političkih obespravljenosti. Urbana legenda o Spring-heeled Jacku se prilično dobro uklapa sa stimpankičnim bizarnostima cepelina i parnih podmornica, bez narušavanja unutrašnje logike zapleta koji se doima jednako značajan i relevantan i pored sve svoje vernovski opčaravajuće anahrone egzotike. Sve u svemu, Heart of Iron nudi obilje razloga da se na prozu Ekaterine Sedie ubuduće ozbiljnije osvrnem.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsite.com%2Fgrc%2F1209%2Fni.jpg&hash=c5c55c2383052810a721492566293a956208cee7)
Subterfuge, misdirection, false assumptions and misplaced suspicions are the building blocks of many a good murder mystery, and in The Night Sessions, Ken MacLeod uses them all to great effect. This is a novel that constantly leads its characters, and its readers, down one path, only to have the story twist away in a new direction. By the end, what begins as a murder mystery with some political overtones has become, for everyone involved, much, much more. After decades of Faith Wars, environmental catastrophes and economic collapses, the world has once again achieved some measure of stability and security. One surprising result of the bad years has been a world-wide rejection of all, and especially fundamentalist, organized religion. In the United States there is a constitutional amendment disavowing any connection between religion and government. In Great Britain, churches and religious groups are simply ignored, given no place in cultural or political society. The results so far have been positive, social turmoil has subsided and the world is building again. That building includes two space elevators, and a flourishing commerce in orbit. That's the background when a Catholic bishop is assassinated in Scotland. Detective Inspector Adam Ferguson is among the first on the case, and with his investigation The Night Sessions begins the first of its many twists and turns. A first reaction is that anti-religious terrorists are probably to blame, but there are also rival factions, some perhaps violent, among Scotland's religious believers. Those believers turn out to be not quite as few as authorities had thought, and their existence is a major factor in Ferguson's investigation. For the science fiction reader, another wild card is thrown into the mix when we learn that Detective Ferguson has a robot partner, one who is distrusted by many in the human populace. Any resemblance between Skulk and R. Daneel Olivaw ends right there, however. Instead, the role of robots in the wars and the attempt to re-integrate a killing machine into regular society becomes a metaphor for returning war veterans, and their plight is another theme running through the novel, one with further implications as to just who exactly is targeting religious figures and why. It all leaves the detective and his partner one or two steps behind events throughout the entire story, with consequences that are not only devastating for the characters, but play entirely against the expectations readers bring to a novel that combines elements of science fiction, murder mystery, and political thriller. In form and presentation, The Night Sessions is a police procedural set in a near-future Scotland, a combination of science fiction and mystery with deep roots in SF. It's the near-future historical assumptions; the turning against religion, and the existence of artificial intelligences that began as weapons, that take the story in unexpected directions, leaving the characters to wonder if they actually understand the world they live in, and the reader to wonder just how much the assumptions we bring to a story determine how we expect it to end. Copyright © 2012 by Greg L. Johnson (greg@sfsite.com?subject=The Night Sessions)
Reviewer Greg L Johnson is happy that robots aren't pitching at his friendly neighborhood ballpark. Why reviewer Greg L Johnson enjoys having his expectations confounded remains a mystery. Greg's reviews have appeared in publications ranging from The Minneapolis Star-Tribune to the The New York Review of Science Fiction (http://www.nyrsf.com/)
. http://www.sfsite.com/09b/ni376.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/09b/ni376.htm)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsite.com%2Fgrc%2F1209%2Fpi.jpg&hash=d9f23f8d792416920aa62fb1030ed12a43a51627)
I am certain that John Clute knows more about science fiction and fantasy literature than almost any of the rest of us, and that he may have written more words on the subject than anyone else over the past 50 years. His knowledge is both broad, spanning the breadth of the field's many subgenre, and deep, extending back to the earliest roots of the literature. Much of his vast wordage of commentary on the genre can be found in the various editions of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction that he wrote with Peter Nicholls and many others (whose Third Edition is now being compiled at www.sf-encyclopedia.com (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/)
) as well as The Encyclopedia of Fantasy (written with John Grant) and Science Fiction: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. He has also written many hundreds of book reviews published in the British magazine Interzone, the British journal Foundation, and numerous other magazines and journals (both print and on-line), and numerous introductions to various volumes of fiction. (He even writes fiction occasionally, including the science fiction novel, Appleseed, just to prove he can do it.) He has won numerous awards for his nonfiction over the years, culminating this year with the Solstice Award from the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. I think that it fair to say that no other science fiction commentator has been more central to the discourse of literary criticism in our field. Pardon This Intrusion is Clute's seventh collection of commentary on the field. It is an eclectic collection of material reaching back to the 80s, but has its main focus on his 21st century writings about the evolution of the genre over the past century. Its title is a reference to the first words spoken by Frankenstein's Monster in the seminal 19th century novel by Mary Shelley, words which Clute argues provides a touchstone of meaning. Pardon This Intrusion includes 47 essays and talks, several of which have not been published previously. Clute's writing in this volume is complex and nuanced, and like much of his work, requires a concentrated effort to be understood even among those of us who have been engaged in the field almost as long as he has. I am also certain that John Clute knows more words than most of the rest of us, and he uses a vast number of them in his commentary. Clute adds to the vast and often redundant vocabulary of the English language the lengthy lexicon of academic literary criticism, and even that is not enough -- he also adds his own unique critical terminology as necessary to explicate his concepts. Two examples of this also can be found in the title to this volume. Fantastika is Clute's term for the broad genre that spans science fiction, fantasy, horror, and all of the various subgenres of fantastic literature. The World Storm is the vast planetary crisis -- political, moral, intellectual, economic, environmental and social -- in which we have become embroiled over the past century. Clute makes a complex case that Fantastika has become the primary literature relevant to addressing the issues mankind now faces. I was considering providing in this review a quoted passage to give a feel for his prose style, but I have concluded that any Clute out of context cannot be considered representative. Reading this volume elicits in me some of the same feelings I get in my primary career as a scientist when I read the work of the greatest experts in a given field. When I make a concerted effort to read a book on relativity or quantum theory, I often attain that eureka! moment when it all makes sense, only to discover days or weeks later that I cannot quite remember what it was that I understood. I found the same experience with Clute's Frankenstein and World Storm essays, among others here. In short, Pardon This Intrusion is not light and easy reading. But it is worth the effort. Aside from his encyclopedic work, which is often very straight forward and readable, Clute does not make an effort to assure that his complex commentary can be easily understood by those less knowledgeable in the field. Although Clute never has engaged in the pointed diatribes and feuds so common in SF, one does get the feeling occasionally that he disdains anyone unable to aspire to his erudite level of discourse. I have at times found this subtle tendency both amusing and, in a way, endearing. I have been fortunate enough over the years to have been publishing my book reviews in some of the same venues as Clute, most notably the Sci-Fi Channel's on-line Science Fiction Weekly and its later SciFi Wire incarnation, and therefore had a front row seat in the latter days of SciFi Wire a few years ago when Scott Edelman was slowly losing his battle to keep science fiction literature a focus in a site becoming more and more sci-fi media oriented. (Now, with the latest reincarnation, Blastr, the battle is essentially lost.) Clute's final SciFi Wire columns were book reviews of—shall we say -- Clutian complexity. With each new review, readers posted stronger and more numerous diatribes of the nature of "what the hell is this guy trying to say here?" Clute's only response was to make his next column even more intricate and erudite until at the end even I had trouble following his prose, with each sentence and paragraph seemingly taking minutes to parse. It was an amusingly subtle but effective repudiation, I thought, of all things anti-intellectual in the genre. So this book might not be the best choice for many science fiction fans, but for those willing to work at attaining a deeper and more profound understanding of our literary field, it is worth perusing. Clute has dedicated his life work to the field of SF, fantasy and horror -- to Fantastika -- and all of us in the field should be profoundly grateful that he has done so. Copyright © 2012 D. Douglas Fratz (dfratz@prodigy.net?subject=Pardon This Intrusion: Fantastika in the World Storm)
D. Douglas Fratz has more than forty years experience as editor and publisher of literary review magazines in the science fiction and fantasy field, and author of commentary and critiques on science fiction and fantasy literature and media. http://www.sfsite.com/09b/pi376.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/09b/pi376.htm)
Lavie Tidhar on The Lonely Business of Self-Promotion
The Lonely Business of Self-Promotion
Writing is a lonely business. Promotion is the opposite. Everyone wants to get the word out. Buy my book! Please Share! Please Like! Please RT!
It occurs to me that your chances of being heard are better if you think not only of yourself (as hard as that may be!). Helping others gains you, in pure Capitalist terms, social capital. What Ed McBain called the "favour bank" in his 87th Precinct novels. Therefore, paradoxically, the best way to help yourself is to help others.
As editor of the World SF Blog (http://worldsf.wordpress.com/), I get a fair amount of PR "spam". Why do I call it spam? Because, in the four years of running the blog, I have never – not once – received a PR e-mail remotely relevant to the blog.
The e-mails I get are not interested in international SF, or in promoting the works of other writers, or in engaging in a meaningful way in dialogue. What they want (and they are uniformly British or American writers or their publishers – the very people we do not cover in the World SF Blog, for the very simple reason they have enough other avenues to promote in) – is to sell their books. These writers and their PR people never look up my name (hint: it's up there on the left of the page when you open up the blog). They do not read the submission guidelines. They simply fire off an e-mail, as they no doubt do for hundreds of blogs, in the hopes someone pays them attention.
The truth is, books succeed not by tweeting or guest-blogging or having Facebook fan pages. And most books don't have money for marketing behind them. Most books still succeed by that old-fashioned way – word of mouth. Some very good books never sell. Some very bad books become best-sellers – but those best-sellers, in turn, pay for all the other books.
Writers should not think of PR as a shouting match. Your time is better spent writing new books, instead. What you should think of is how you can contribute to the wider world (I won't say community) around you. How can you help other people whose work you admire? How can you contribute to a meaningful conversation about art, about writing, about the excitement of what it is you and thousands of others are doing around the world?
One reason I am writing this guest-post now is for promotion. But what am I promoting? I have little desire to promote myself. I mean, I like to talk about myself. Who doesn't? As my friend N. inevitably says at some point when we meet up for a drink – 'Are we talking about you again, then?' and that puts me in my place. No. What I want to promote is my writers – the twenty-six awesome writers in The Apex Book of World SF 2 (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008S696TE/sfsi0c-20), and the sixteen no less awesome writers in The Apex Book of World SF (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002YQ2X2G/sfsi0c-20), and all the ones I want to include in a future volume and all the ones I may never get a chance to publish. Because I want to rave about them all! Because I want people to sit up and pay attention to what is being done in China, or South Africa, or Cuba or the Philippines, because I think it's exciting, and I think it's vital, to hear new voices, and different perspectives. Because that makes for good literature, and literature is always in dialogue.
Dialogue.
Think about that, and think how you can best achieve your goals. Will me-me-me-ing really help you, in the long run? Would potential readers really appreciate you shouting your wares across the Internet, like a vendor on a market stall? I personally am growing tired with each new RT or Like request. What I do instead is look at that writer. What have they done to promote someone else's work, in their turn? Who have they been retweeting? Are they in dialogue with me, or do they see me merely as a wallet at the end of a phone line?
Do something nice today. Promote someone else's work. Do it, if you must, for the social capital. Or do it simply because it's the right thing to do. But do it, mostly, because you're excited about someone's work – the way I'm excited about my writers – and you want to share it with the world.
And if you do that – then someone else may well do the same for you.
SEED je još jedan u nizu odličnih debi romana koji smelo i raskalašeno nude detaljno razrađenu eko-distopiju bliske budućnosti. Naše svakodnevne preokupacije klimatskim promenama i ekološkim katastrofama postojano se prelivaju u žanr, i on se trenutno sve više fokusira na futurizam sa sve učestalijom tehnofobskom perspektivom. Izgleda da nam interesi postaju sve kratkoročniji a žanrovski horizonti sve bliži sadašnjem trenutku i trenutačnoj strepnji: naš okoliš posustaje daleko brže i drastičnije nego što optimizam po pitanju svemirske ekspanzije to može da sanira, a žanr na to reaguje mračnim i gorkim eko-distopijama.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ysO9Y2JwL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=873769f7256ebf4afbf1cb3d1f153e372d5ad32c)
SEED se bavi budućnošću svega stotinjak godina udaljenom, ali drastično izmenjenom i u tako kratkom periodu: klimatske promene donele su globalnu glad, a glad je zauzvrat obezbedila društveno rasulo i potpuno bezakonje. Glavnina stanovništva neprestano migrira sa jedne strane zemlje na drugu, u potrazi za plodnom zemljom i manje ćudljivim klimatskim uslovima u kojima se može iskamčiti brza žetva. Jedino seme koje daje obilan prinos je genetski modifikovano i unapređeno do skoro neprepoznavanja a proizvodi ga Satori, grad-korporacija koja produkcijom semena održava na životu surovo desetkovanu populaciju.
Ali Satori je nešto više i od grada i od korporacije: Satori je živi grad, kupola od krvi, mesa i kostiju. Nastao na ruševinama Denvera, Satori je čudo bioinžinjeringa, tkivo koje diše i jede, koje se od zime štiti krznom a leti se linja i znoji - ukratko, Satori je živo biće koje opslužuju njena sopstvena deca, klonirani dvonošci čiji su genetski materijal oblikovali Dizajneri, baš kao i seme voća i povrća kojim Satori hrani desetkovane, bolesne i sve više bespotrebne ljude. Dizajneri su, baš kao i većina klonirane deca Satorija, pravljeni u parovima - jednojajčani blizanci koji su ujedno i braća i ljubavnici, i čija je svrha i cilj pronalaženje načina da pribave zdrava tela za Očeve, ljudske kreatore Satorija, koje sam grad održava u životu u nekoj vrsti sopstvene materice. Kreatori Satorija žele besmrtnost, ali jedino pod uslovom da trajanje nastave u sopstvenom podmlađenom i izlečenom telu.
Raskalašena imaginacija kojom Zeigler oblikuje svet u romanu perfektno je nadopunjena svedenim, britkim i prikladno profanim izrazom koji štivu daje odličan šmek relevantnosti i ubedljivosti. To je možda prednost kojom roman odnosi prevagu nad novijim romanima koji se ne samo bave sličnom tematikom, nego i u velikoj meri dele svet koji su obradom teme konstruisali. SEED se bez imalo kompromisa bavi svojim distopičnim ekstrapolacijama i ne gubi vreme u moralizacijama, nego se umesto toga posvećuje svojim zapletima koji su po svojoj prirodi uglavnom puni akcije. Rezultat je napeto štivo bez imalo praznog hoda, bazirano na situacijama taman koliko i na likovima. Odlično pogođen tempo pripovedanja i vešto preplitanje triju zapleta maksimalno favorizuju svu originalnost obrade kojom je Zeigler prišao svojoj eko-distopiji, jer je već od prvog poglavlja jasno da SEED naprsto kipti originalnošću.
Dodatni bonus romanu je njegova direktnost po pitanju žanrovske orjentacije: SEED je roman koji se nimalo ne stidi svog naučnofantastičnog porekla i ne poseže za bilo kakvim kompromisima koji bi tu pripadnost kamuflirali. Humanoidna deca Satorija nose u sebi više životinjskih nego ljudskih gena a Dizajneri obiluju emocijama koje su po svojoj prirodi više bazirane na životinjskim instinktima nego na ljudskoj produhovljenosti, pa ipak, roman se opredeljuje za natuknice i insinuacije, rađe nego za otvoreno proglašavanje neminovne apokalipse. Kao i svako pravo žanrovsko dete, SEED dopušta budućnost u kojoj ništa nije do kraja izgubljeno niti određeno, a čovekova evolucija je čak i kroz genetske modifikacije u suštini jednaka onoj prirodnoj, sazdana od surovosti i lepote jednako.
za sve ljubitelje zombija u urnebesnoj varijanti, izasao je nastavak John Dies at the End i zove se This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously Dude, Don't Touch It.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0312546343.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=4da2069cc68e4354dbfa90f2c803869c18d51409)
By Nick Sharps (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/author/nicksharps/) |
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012
SYNOPSIS: Unlikely heroes Dave and John unwittingly bring about the "zombie" apocalypse. Faced with an impending doom of a ridiculous nature the two must get to the bottom of the mystery and save the world.
MY RATING:(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Fstars5.gif&hash=e14607b0f920b08aa93f8ffc5a0a52c16a26f79e)
MY REVIEW
PROS: Side-splitting laughs, nail-biting horror, heroes worth cheering for, and a homemade triple barrel shotgun.
CONS: It ends.
VERDICT: Kevin Smith's Clerks meets H.P. Lovecraft in this exceptional thriller that makes zombies relevant again.
Some time has passed since the events of John Dies at the End. Dave is happily dating Amy and undergoing court-ordered therapy for shooting a pizza deliveryman with a crossbow. John is mooching off others and peeing off of water towers. Molly the dog is eating what ever food Dave drops on the floor. Life is never good in [Undisclosed] but for the moment it is relatively peaceful. That is, until Dave and John become pawns in a sinister science experiment set in motion by the Shadow Men. As the result of gross incompetence and a lack of foresight these two white-trash monster hunters unleash havoc upon the world. Despite a penchant for making mistakes it falls upon Dave and John to wrong the rights and fight evil.
John Dies at the End by David Wong (pseudonym of Jason Pargin, Senior Editor and columnist for Cracked.com) was the best book I read in 2010. On my list of favorite books of all time it is near the top. By the time I encountered it there were already a legion of diehard fans and talk of a film adaption by Don Coscarelli, the director of Bubba Ho-Tep. So I was late to the party but I sought to remedy that with the sequel, This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously Dude, Don't Touch It. I was honored to receive an ARC that I promptly read cover to cover.
At its essence This Book is Full of Spiders reads like a 400 page Cracked.com article with a plot. This is said with the utmost awe and respect. Cracked.com is a site that frequently supplies some of the funniest (and scariest) material available on the Internet. Wong (let's call him Wong so as not to dilute the magic) has taken his experience with the website and wields it as a weapon of mass amusement. Initially the concept of comedy and horror blended into one book seems preposterous. It's like putting peanut butter and pickles on the same sandwich. Separately peanut butter and pickles are great foods but combining them is a wee bit sacrilegious. Not so with a comedy/horror mash-up. These two genres make perfect companions.
The R-rated college humor is an ideal foil to the mind-numbing dread. It doesn't hurt that Wong is a professional comedic writer. I wanted to see how far into the book I could get before I crossed a page that did not have me laughing. It took 25 pages before I met such a page. This Book is Full of Spiders is primed with guffaws. From the dialogue to the descriptions, lines are delivered with faultless timing and wit. Wong never has to reach for comedy, it flows naturally with nary a stumble.
Wong has taken zombies (well, they're not really zombies but for lack of a better word) and made them scary again. More importantly, however, Wong has made them relevant again. At the risk of sounding like a complete and utter hipster, I was into zombies before they were cool. In the time since then zombies have experienced a colossal boost in popularity. You can't swing a crowbar without hitting a movie, book, or videogame featuring zombies. The market is saturated to the point of bursting with undead and the last thing I wanted was to read another zombie apocalypse.
The thing is, Wong is too crafty to just write a traditional zombie apocalypse. This Book is Full of Spiders examines all the ways in which our geeky zombie apocalypse fantasies probably wouldn't happen as imagined. It is a sobering thought to say the least. Wong also observes the origins of "zombie" mythology but the real kicker comes with the realization that it is human paranoia, rather than zombies, that is the real monster. Wong couldn't possibly have planned for this book to come out only months after the "bath salt zombie" media frenzy (unless he is secretly responsible) but it adds a whole extra layer of significance. Thinking back it is eerie how similar the public reaction was when compared to how this story unfolds. Wong made some accurate predictions or he is an evil genius of some sort. My money is on the latter. This assessment of our society's addiction to crisis and the prevalence of zombies in pop-culture make This Book is Full of Spiders the most pertinent story of the genre since George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
Dave and John are professional screw-ups of the highest degree but I challenge you to find more endearing characters. These are two unlikely heroes with an aversion to responsibility but are thrust into the role of saviors of humanity after taking the magical drug, Soy Sauce. Dave is the more mature of the duo (though this is measured in minute increments) and always the voice of reason (sort of). John on the other hand is reckless to the core and just the sort of friend you want backing you in a brawl. As great as Dave is there is just no beating John. He may not top a list of responsible role models but he is the patron saint of giving evil the finger. This time around Amy, Dave's girlfriend, gets a bigger piece of the action. It would have been easy to relegate Amy to a supporting role but Wong writes her as a strong character that is every bit as capable as her male cohorts, if not more so. The relationship between the noticeably damaged Dave and sweet as sunshine Amy is charming in no small measure. All three characters get a POV (as well as brief but hilarious excursion from the perspective of the dog Molly) and each one is developed and distinctive.
This Book is Full of Spiders is a tighter, more concentrated read than John Dies at the End. As great as John Dies at the End is there were times that it became difficult to follow with the way it jumped around. The sequel does not suffer the same shortcoming. This Book is Full of Spiders is a single large event rather than the series of related smaller events that is John Dies at the End. There are still time and narrative shifts but the general arc remains uncluttered and coherent. There is a touch less absurdity to be found this go around however. Some are bound to find this a drawback but because of the focused nature of the story I can't fault Wong.
I can only see the cult following growing with the release of the sequel. David Wong (Jason Pargin) is a fantastic author with a supernatural talent for humor.If you want a poignant, laugh-out-loud funny, disturbing, ridiculous, self-aware, socially relevant horror novel than This Book is Full of Spiders is the one and only book for you.
Pročitao sam sve što si napisala o 2312. Deluje zanimljivo. Ono što me plaši jeste debljina knjige...
Da l' da se toga hvatam... Da li je to zaokruženo delo ili deo nekakve buduće pentalogije...
Roman je i samostalan i zaokružen, nema naznaka ni za kakve nastavke, a bogami ne vidim za njih niti mesta, osim ako KSR odluči da sa istim likovima isforsira novi zaplet, što ne verujem. Isto tako, u širem smislu to jeste univerz Mars trilogije, ali 2312 se ne oslanja na samu trilogiju osim u krajnje sporednim detaljima kad se ovlaš pominje ili kolonistička istorija ili sama politika marsijanske vlade, što mu više dođe kao neki kuriozitet koji je malko jasniji onima koji su čitali Mars ali uopšte nije neophodan. Inače, što se stila tiče, 2312 je stilski razbašureniji od Marsa, malko ekstravagantniji kad je o smenjivanju POVa reč, ali i pored toga ostaje prilično linearan i direktan i lak za praćenje.
Hvala. Mislim da ću ga uzeti...
Elem, sad se već nakupilo dovoljno materijala da poredim i premerim mlade snage modernog SFa čisto na njegovim prvencima objavljenim u ovoj deceniji, pošto je sasvim moguće da će neke od njih (naravno, to se ne odnosi na Mehaničku devojku, ali na taj roman se osvrćem kao prvi u nizu) zaobići ne samo nominacije za značajnije žanrovske nagrade, nego i sam hajp koji zaslužuju. Nije to ništa strašno, zapravo se to dalo i očekivati, jer žanrovska produkcija je ogromna a mehanizmi iza nominacija su poprilično inertni i sasvim je očekivano da u njima veću prednost imaju neka aktivnija i duže prisutna imena. Ali samo zato što je to očekivano, ne znači da je i pravedno, bar meni: čini mi se da trenutne nominacije favorizuju autore kojima je ta posvemašnja "prisutnost" jedini kvalitet u skorije vreme. No dobro, sve će to doći na svoje, eventualno.
Debi romani koji me ovde zanimaju dele taman dovoljno zajedničkih karakteristika da oforme nešto više od trenda koji se uobičajeno prepozna kad god je u pitanju eksploatacija trenutačne egzotike u žanrovima fantastike. Jedan od takvih trenutačno egzotičnih pravaca u fantastici ima lako prepoznatljive etno-folklor tonove, i svakako je zanimljiv sam po sebi, makar zato što je itekako zapažen u nominacijama za žanrovske nagrade: Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), Karen Lord (Redemption in Indigo) i Lauren Beukes (Zoo City) tu prednjače, i lepo je videti da žene nose primat u nekom trendu, i to je već tema za prvu kontroverzu, čim se suoči sa rezultatom ovog konkretno premeravanja, u kom šnjur sa lakoćom nose i odnose muškarci.
Debi romani koji me ovde zanimaju su The Windup Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi), The Games (Ted Kosmatka), Soft Apocalypse (Will McIntosh) i Seed (Robert Zeigler).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51CGcjNWkwL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=7318c3d05f1b929b72a8f966f2393228cc001ba0)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61mAGVec6aL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=6142160dbd6f04dc0655fd80c742380712f22f27)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51umNxYrrdL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=b78b6fa8d097a2809a170d17786d9bbfdfc23e09)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51KcFR%252BgF3L._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=bfe2aa0bf12ffdaa41e43a9622bed66220a7e03a)
(Naravno, prva nesrazmera u odmeravanju sa navedenih autoricama biće upravo po pitanju autorskog iskustva, ali to i nije toliko bitno za ono najglavnije poređivanje trendova, pošto su tu razlike ionako primarno žanrovske.)
Glavne tematske značajke muških debi romana bi se mogle svesti pod ekstrapolacijski futurizam, transhumanizam i eko-distopije. Koliko god ova 4 romana bila različita u svojim nijansama obrade ovih tema, toliko su i zapanjujuće slična po pitanju svetonazora svojih autora, a upravo to i jeste onaj najbitniji zajednički nazivnik koji njihove romane izdvaja u podskup koji je ipak nešto više od pukog trenda. Sva četvorica se bave striktnom ekstrapolacijom, znači da formiraju svoje pogodbene svetove na bazi prilično predvidive eskalacije zatečenog stanja; sva četvorica nude futurizam u striktno distopijskim okvirima, znači da predviđaju da će nam budućnost biti znatno gora od sadašnjosti, bar po merilima kojima se danas služimo; sva četvorica se slažu da je ekološka katastrofa neminovna, znači da smatraju kako današnje društvene i političke aktivnosti po pitanju izbegavanja mogućih katastrofa neće uroditi željenim plodom; sva četvorica nude transhumanističke platforme kao polaznu tačku pogodbenih svetova, znači da smatraju kako današnje kontroverze imaju samo jedan ishod, što milom što silom; sva četvorica dopuštaju mogućnost da se tehnološki prevrat zbiva uglavnom nesankcionisan od strane zvaničnih društvenih i političkih struktura, znači da dopuštaju mogućnost ilegalnog prevrata, što je već samo po sebi kiberpankovska premisa društvenjačke apokalipse u kojoj je neuka i nesposobna većina osuđena na propast uglavnom zato što ne uspeva da održi korak sa najsofisticiranijom vrhuškom sopstvene tehnologije. (Ili, bolje rečeno, zato što ne uspeva da kontroliše i predupredi njene zloupotrebe.)
Ali prva i možda najznačajnija zajednička odskočna daska za ova 4 romana je svakako njihova nepokolebljivo žanrovska vizura, koja im omogućava da te duboke kontroverze plasiraju kroz onu vrst zapleta koji se daleko komotnije osećaju u populističkom delu žanra, onome koji ne insistira odviše na moralizacijama tipa ko je to bio za sve kriv i šta je to trebalo da se uradi pa da se takav pogodbeni svet spreči. Paradoks je da upravo u tome i leži njegova ozbiljnost i uverljivost, pošto takvo stanje stvari uglavnom i jeste najbliže surovom realizmu: koliko god mi hteli da verujemo da su uzroci ma kakve apokalipse singularni, oni to nikada nisu. Za tragedije globalnih razmera nikada ne postoji singularni krivac, one su poglavito rezultat mnogobrojnih negativnih aktivnosti i još brojnije pasivne pragmatičnosti. U tom smislu, ova 4 romana predstavljaju vrlo realističnu distopiju u kojoj su za predočene katastrofe svi krivi u adekvatnim srazmerima, a oni koji za sve to ispaštaju ionako nemaju nikakve koristi od bilo kakvog prepoznavanja i proglašavanja te krivice. Samo po sebi, to je ogromna mudrost kojoj svakako treba odati priznanje u bilo kom debi romanu.
Dakle, futurizam u ova 4 romana je striktno ekstrapolacijski, što će reći da ne počiva na striktno fantastičnoj premisi, nego prosto intenzivira zatečeno stanje današnjice, a zaplet je u sva 4 romana ponajviše oslonjen na genetski inžinjering. The Games i Soft Apocalypse su tu žanrovski umereniji, i njihovi pogodbeni svetovi nude prilično umerenu skalu manipulacije sa genetskim materijalom, makar utoliko što je ili striktno ilegalna (Soft Apocalypse), ili relativno kontrolisana od strane zvaničnih struktura da ne dopre do glavnine populacije (The Games). The Windup Girl i Seed su tu daleko više raskalašeni u žanrovskom smislu, pošto oba nude jasno distancirane humanoide kojima je uskraćeno prvo da budu prepoznati kao ljudska bića. Ali u sva 4 slučaja pogodbeni svet se ne oslanja na nedostižan tehnološki nivo koji bi podrazumevao bilo kakav prepoznatljiv fantastični element: kloniranje je danas već uveliko deo prakse, a ni sama genetska modifikacija odavno već nije u domenu isključivo teorije: od tog nivoa pa do Emiko u The Windup Girl i do Advokata u Seedu deli nas samo mali korak koji u sebi naizgled i nema jaku primesu fantastike. Dilema je zato premeštena na striktno moralni i etički teren - da li smemo da uradimo ono što očigledno možemo?
The Windup Girl i Seed odgovaraju na to pitanje koristeći liniju manjeg otpora, liniju u kojoj je odgovor pozitivan ali ujedno i ilegalan. U neku ruku, to i nije novina, poštonas podseća na relativno izraubovani koncept "ludog naučnika u podrumu", kojemu je sama tehnološka premoć bila dovoljno opravdanje da zaobiđe sve moralne i etičke dileme po pitanju društvene prihvatljivosti znanja kojim raspolaže. U tom smislu, Seed ima malu prednost nad Windup Girl a i nad The Games, makar zato što se u njemu moralni izbori ne opravdavaju samo ekonomskim profitom, kakav je čak i u žanru već odavno prepoznat kao dostojan samo samo gnušanja i ničeg više. The Windup Girl ne nudi moralna opravdanja za stvaranje Emiko i ostalih humanoida - njihova svrha i funkcija je da budu robovi-radnici i seksualni objekti i ništa više od toga, ali Dizajneri i Advokati u Seedu imaju funkciju koja je zahtevnija, svrhovitija i čija je svrha da obezbedi neku vrst dostignuća koje bi, makar u teoriji, ipak bilo korisno za ljudsku vrstu u celini, baš kao što je frankenštajnovskom naporu data ta pretenzija. The Games nudi bioinžinjering upregnut u brutalno kapitalističke svrhe profita i zabave, a Soft Apocalypse nudi još i ponajmanje optimizma po tom pitanju: glavnina napora uloženog u bioinžinjering usmerena je na čistu (samo)destrukciju očajne i pobesnele ljudske vrste i ništa više.
Naravno, tu je reč samo o zapletima koje ovi romani nude, a oni su već prepoznati kako prilično populistički po svojoj prirodi. Ali worldbuilding u sva 4 romana nudi znatno sofisticiranije konstrukcije nego što bi tako jednostavni zapleti u suštini potraživali, tako da se doimaju više namenjene samim dilemama koje sami autori proračunato nude kroz svoje zaplete: šta mi to zapravo očekujemo od budućnosti i, još važnije, šta mi to smatramo da zaslužujemo. U suštini, to su moralne dileme koje razmatraju šta smatramo ispravnim a šta pogrešnim, koji su to izbori čije bi nas posledice najviše zadovoljile, kojim se to putem stiže do blagostanja na pojedinačnom i globalnom nivou, i ono najvažnije, šta mi to od budućnosti očekujemo i šta to smatramo da nam ona duguje. Svaki pojedinačni roman kroz zaplet nudi priliku da se lociraju problemi koje valja prevazići, da se prepoznaju neprijatni izbori koje je nužno napraviti, da se na to reaguje odmerenom akcijom i da se, na kraju, preuzme odgovornost za posledice te akcije. U istom dahu, sva 4 romana pokazuju da nismo odviše uspešni ni na jednom od tih koraka, ali, paradoksalno, niti jedan od 4 romana ne tvrdi da smo i na jednom od ta četiri koraka očigledno pogrešili. Naprosto, čovečanstvo kao celina ima daleko veći problem sa preciznom procenom šta to zapravo želi od svoje budućnosti, negoli što ima problem sa odlukama i akcijama koje preduzima u naporu da do toga dođe. Ili bolje rečeno, oni koji znaju šta bi se moralo učiniti za prosperitet vrste nisu voljni da se sami oko toga potrude niti znaju ko bi to zapravo trebalo da uradi, a oni koje ne mrzi da aktivno deluju uglavnom imaju kratkoročne i sebične interese. A pošto se to prepoznaje kao značajka naše vrste otkako postoji sama civilizacija, distopije su generalno postavljale klasično pitanje zašto bi se od budućnosti uopšte očekivalo nešto drugo, ako se već ima u vidu da se te karakteristike čoveka nisu promenile? Ova 4 romana subverzivno izvrću to pitanje da bude samo sebi odgovor: ako smo uvek takvi bili, a danas smo ovde gde jesmo a i dobro nam ide, onda... u čemu je onda tačno naš problem? :mrgreen:
U čemu je tačno naš problem sa genetskom manipulacijom? Zašto nam ona služi kao bauk na kome se grade distopije?
Prvo što pada na pamet je prastari argument "normalnog" vs. "nenormalnog", ali, gde je tačno granica između to dvoje? Granica je, naravno, podložna promenama, fluidna i ne uvek lako prepoznatljiva čak ni za stručna lica koja nad time agoniziraju po dužnosti. U svakodnevnom životu, granica "normale" po pitanju čovekove fizičke i psihičke augmentacije znatno je pomerena od, recimo, stanja stvari u 19tom veku, da sad i ne zalazimo u mračni srednji vek: implanti, prostetici, pejsmejkeri, hirurške promene pola i kozmetičke operacije su svakako znatno van granice koja je u ono doba označavala normalu, pa ipak, teško da bi ih se danas tako moglo sortirati. Bioinžinjering je samo logičan nastavak te dileme, a a podozrenje sa kojim ga danas merkamo ukorenjeno je u naš bazični strah sa kojim dočekujemo i prihvaćamo svaku radikalnu izmenu zatečenog stanja. Za žanrovske potrebe, fluidnost granice je hrana za imaginaciju, a dilema oko bioinžinjeringa je samo novija varijanta još uvek neistrošene dileme oko kiborgizacije: kad to tačno čovek gubi ljudskost u procesu kiborgizacije? Žanr i dalje glođe tu sve manje sočnu kosku a rezultati te aktivnosti doveli su neke pretpostavke čak i do granice opšte prihvatljivosti još tamo sa Mekafri i njenim Brodom koji je pevao. Za očekivati je da će savremeni SF probavljati ideju transhumanizma sa istim entuzijazmom sa kojim probavlja kiborgizaciju, a u međuvremenu, sasvim je moguće da će ga stvarnost laganim hodom dostići a možda čak i prestići, usput ležerno odvajajući trivijalnosti od realnih prospekata. Ali do tada, žanrovska proza ima ceo taj teren za sebe, a on jeste kontroverzan baš koliko je i širok, dok svojim angažovanim scenarijima procenjuje i kritikuje i upozorava na tehnologije u povoju.
Pošto su ova 4 romana angažovana na transhumanističkoj platformi, red je primetiti da pojam transitory human podrazumeva fizičko i mentalno evolutivno unapređenje koje kompletira čoveka sa njegovim najsofisticiranijim tehnologijama, a to znači da je logičan nastavak upravo one evolucije koju je žanrovski prepoznao kiberpank. Biopank u ova 4 romana samo upotpunjuje ideju koja je lansirana sa Moli u Neuromanseru, s tim što može i da se dodatno poigrava sa pominjanom granicom prirodnog vs. neprirodnog utoliko što mehanički dodaci kiberpank ikonografije tu maltene mogu i da otpadnu kao... prevaziđeni. Heh. Svejedno, uz pomoć biomaterija i bioelektronike sasvim je lako zaturiti žanrovsku granicu koja razdvaja genetski modifikovano ljudsko biće od kiborga ili androida, a kad se uz to još pridoda i AI motiv, onda je bauk istinski kompletan.
AI motiv iz The Games je neka vrst prelaznog oblika između virtuelnih svetova u kojima funkcionišu Kejs iz Neuromansera i Dizajneri iz Seeda, s tim da očiglednu prednost odnose Dizajneri, koji uživaju sve kiborške privilegije bez žrtvovanja tela tehnološkom metalu. Bauk koji AI predstavlja podjednako je nedefinisan i više leži u domenu gotovo praznovernih predrasuda nego u racionalizovanom strahu od... čega, zapravo? U kom to domenu bi inteligentan kompjuter mogao da postane opasnost za ljudsku vrstu u celini? U kom to tačno momentu hiper-inteligentna mašina posrće pod kompleksom boga i stiče malicioznu prirodu koja joj nalaže da skuje masterplan i okrene se protiv čoveka? Ideja je svakako naivna, pa čak i detinjasta u svojoj suštini, ali ipak, upravo ta bizarna kombinacija genetski modifikovanog čoveka i AI sve češće služi da predstavi transhumanizam kao konačnu opasnost koja uglavnom služi da nam markira granicu između prirodnog i neprirodnog.
Oduvek je bilo naivno pretpostaviti da će ljudska vrsta zadržati fizičke i mentalne karakteristike svojih pra-predaka, ali ipak, žanr je dugo vremena nudio futurizme u kojima je čovek ostajao suštinski neizmenjen. Evolutivni napredak koji je žanr nudio nudio se uglavnom u mentalnom domenu, ali ni tu se nije ulazilo u transhumanističke finese, pa su čovek i njegova veštačka inteligencija ostali striktno razdvojeni. Futurizam Artura Klarka podrazumevao je da će čoveku od velike važnosti biti superkompjuter, ali samo pod miškom i u kokpitu broda kojim on jezdi svemirom u trodelnom odelu i kravati fosilizovane mode kasnih šezdesetih godina dvadesetog veka. U tom i takvom futurizmu, čovekov psihički i fizički profil je bio simpfliciran i neuzdrman čak i ondašnjim društvenim i političkim previranjima, a kamoli tehnološkim: to je bio i čovekov identitet i standard lepote ujedno. U poređenju sa njime, ova četiri romana nude čoveka koji bi u takvim standardima komotno mogao biti prepoznat kao biće sa druge planete.
Lančbrejk. :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ggQGts2zL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-64%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=4d3d00a6126d13ae9468e36c4a556655e8de5f57)
Tako to već biva kad đavo ne da mira, pa se poklekne pred iskušenjem da se gvirne u saradnju Stivena Kinga i njegovog prozno talentovanog sina, to u jednom skromnoj (u svakom bogovetnom smislu te reči) novelici In the Tall Grass. Pompezno objavljena, pre par dana, kao samostalan naslov, novelica ima jedva četrdesetak strana, dok je ostatak izdanja popunjen isečkom iz Kingovog razvikanog nastavka za Shining: Doctor Sleep.
I ajde sad, fer je priznati da to ipak nije bog zna kakva patnja, s obzirom da govorimo o svega četrdesetak strana, a ispostavilo se da su isporučile i sasvim neočekivan benefit: iako kratka, novelica nudi isti mehanizam koji se vidi i u ostalim Kingovim romanima, samo što je ovde daleko upečatljiviji, pošto ga u romanima lako maskiraju Kingove stotine i stotine strana narativnog praznog hoda. A mehanizam je prost koliko i efikasan: trivijalna situacija se obilato začini proizvoljnim bizarnostima, i onda se njena tako propisano stvorena egzotičnost crpi sa svih strana i svih mogućih uglova, sve do momenta u kom je i nama sasvim očigledno da se nema dalje kud, nakon čega stupa na scenu najproizvoljniji izlaz, pa se i njega filuje grotesknim bizarnostima i – to je to.
In the Tall Grass ima dvoje glavnih protagonista i samo dve scene: Cal i Becky, brat i sestra, u prvoj sceni se voze automobilom dok ne začuju dete kako izgubljeno zapomaže iz visoke trave duž autoputa. U drugoj sceni, Cal i Becky krenu u potragu za tim detetom u travi i... vrlo brzo shvate da su upali na teren na kom ne važe zakoni fizike kakve inače znamo.
Istini za volju, to važi i za Kingovo prozno ceđenje suve drenovine, zbog kakvog sam sebi obećala će Duma Key biti poslednji pročitani Kingov roman, pa kako mi bude. In the Tall Grass ne samo da mi ne uzdrmava tu odluku, nego je i dodatni argument u njenu korist. Scena "Cal & Backy u kolima" nam servira dubok istorijat brata i sestre: Becky ima 19 godina, Cal je 18 meseci stariji i toliko su bliski da ih zovu 'irskim blizancima'. Saznajemo čak i razlog za njihovo putovanje: Becky je u šestom mesecu trudnoće i zajedno sa Calom će odlučiti da li da dete zadrži ili ga da na usvajanje, dok njihova 8 godina stara Mazda rutom 400 ne stigne do scene broj dva.
U sceni broj dva dočeka ih izubijani Datsun na parkingu i dečije zapomaganje iz visoke trave pored autoputa. Becky i Cal krenu u potragu za detetom ali... trava je znatno višlja od njih oboje, i jednom kad se slučajno razdvoje, naprosto nisu više u stanju da se nađu. Izgubljeno dete i dalje zapomaže, pridružuju mu i glasovi roditelja, a Cal shvata da bez obzira u kom se pravcu kretao, sve više se udaljuje od autoputa i sve više zalazi u teren obrastao visokom travom. A onda nastaje kamerni užas kakav se već može i očekivati u kingovskoj natprirodnoj fantastici, predvidiv do banalnosti.
E sad, bez obzira na prepoznato klišeiziran, šablonski, by-the-numbers narativ, In the Tall Grass ipak nije nezanimljiva, daleko bilo. Pomalo nalik na omiljeni džank fud burger, sve i ako ste ga jeli stotinu puta, i sve i ako znate da će mu ukus biti potpuno isti bez obzira na džoint u kom ga kupujete i bez obzira ko ga pravio – opet je vam ukusan. Čak štaviše, budete ga željni čim ga omirišete, sve sa njegovim nezdravim sastojcima. In the Tall Grass je više Kingov nego Hilov što se radnje tiče, ali da nije Hila, ovo bi garant ispao roman od par stotina strana, tako da... nije baš da Hil ne ostavlja svog pečata, i hvala mu na tome. Ali iskreno, niko neće biti na gubitku ako zaobiđe In the Tall Grass.
Ima on dosta recepata koje cedi, ali nekako uvek uspeva da te prikuje za stranice i da prosto ne možeš da ih ostaviš :).
Recimo u Under the Dome, ima već dosta puta korišten motiv ljudi u ekstremnoj situaciji, u zatvorenom prostoru ( Isijanje-hotel, Izmaglica-supermarket, Kudžo-automobil, itd ). Likovi su klasika, predvidivi skroz : lokalni moćnik iz sjene, nesposobni gradonačelnik, lokalna radodajka, heroj iz rata malo više predstavljen kao dobrica nego muškarčina, hrabra novinarka-kliše do klišea. Naravno kad žurka počne, lokalne dangube i siledžije postaju policajci, kreće i religiozno ludilo, i sve već xy puta viđeno i predvidljivo.
Sve sam to uvideo, i opet sam uhvatio sebe kako sam progutao 700 strana, žaleći što nema više.
Od prve strane me je kupio, od ,, tame koja čeka i ljude i mrmote'', pa do poslednje.
Nemam neko ni racionalno ni kritičko objašnjenje, jednostavno čovek poseduje neku magiju u pisanju, zna kako da dopre do čitaoca-čak i u onim delima gde ti mane prosto iskaču pred oči, i to ume da upakuje u nešto što ne možeš da ostaviš.
Barem kad sam ja u pitanju, mislim da mi on nikad neće dosaditi.
Da se nadovežem malo na Anomandera i radnja se vrlo verovatno dešava u Mejnu.
Ne, ovo se zbiva u Kanzasu, valjda čisto igrrarije radi... Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. :lol:
Ali sve to ustranu, ovo je stvarno čitanja vredno, makar samo zato što je receptura svedena na skeleton i lako se može videti (a bogami i predvideti) svaki pojedinačni korak. U pitanju je zapravo klasična tročinka, s tim što je zadnji čin epilog koji nema direktne veze sa originalnim akterima, nego samo naglašava cikličnost: novi auto, sa novom ekipom, staje pored Mazde u kojoj su se Cal & Becky dovezli zato što čuju Becky kako zapomaže iz visoke trave pored puta. Dakle, vraćanje na početak.
Što se tiče prve scene, sa Cal & Becky u automobilu, to je klasična kingovska manipulacija biografskim podacima u svrhu karakterizacije, i tu se pominje samo ono što likovima pravi portrete kakvi su Kingu potrebni za radnju. U ovom slučaju, naglasak je bio na bliskosti između njih dvoje, i ti kao čitalac već možeš da naslutiš da će se sam zaplet itekako oslanjati na ekstremne situacije bazirane upravo na snazi te veze, nekako u smislu da li će ta bliskost između Cal & Becky biti ultradokazana ili skroz dovedena u pitanje.
Ali druga scena je pravi dragulj za analizu recepture, jer je to ona vrst postavke koja autoru limituje poteze taman do onog stepena u kom ti kao čitalac možeš da se igraš predviđanja – šta će King sad da uradi? Okej, Cal & Becky su ušli u travu, ne uspevaju da nađu to izgubljeno dete, njegov glas odzvanja uokolo kao da sumanutom brzinom trči u krugu oko njih, čas levo čas desno. Naravno, oni mu svo vreme govore da stoji mirno, da se ne pomera, a on svo vreme tvrdi da se zaista i ne pomera - i to je taj prvi nagoveštaj Kingove fantastike koja te je već istrenirala da iz opcija na raspolaganju izabereš upravo iracionalni rezultat, dakle, da veruješ da dete govori istinu, iako se protivi svakoj logici. Sledeći logičan potez koji očekuješ je da će Cal & Becky i sami biti razdvojeni i da će se uzalud tražiti, isto kao što su tražili izgubljenog dečaka, i naravno, upravo to se i desi. I tu je opet limitovan broj autorskih poteza: trava ipak nije toliko visoka za Cala & Becky, oni mogu da se vide ako istovremeno skoče uvis. Koji dalje potez? Pa naravno, Becky je trudna, i ne može da skače. Ali Cal može, pa... kako ga sprečiti da nađe Becky? Pa, tako što se uvodi kao smetnja dečakov otac, čije iracionalno ponašanje odaje ubilačke namere i Cal & Becky se odjednom više ne pokušavaju pronaći, nego se trude da umaknu ludom Rossu. Ludi Ross nema nikakvih problema da nađe Becky u travi, baš kao što ni dečak više nema nikakvih problema da pronađe Cala. I šta sad Calu preostaje? Da uništi travu, to ne može, iako je pokušao da je zapali, a znamo već da je toliko blizak sa Becky da neće prezati ni od čega da je nađe i spase od ludog Rossa - dakle, Cal se obraća dečaku za pomoć, i dečak ga odvodi do... hm... nekakvog magičnog kamena... koji... uh, daje nekakvu natprirodnu moć onome ko ga dotakne dlanom, i onda, Cal odjednom može da se orjentiše u travi dovoljno da pronađe Becky, ali nju je već ludi Ross pretukao i izgubila je bebu, i na samrti je, i Cal je spašava tako što je hrani komadima nekog mesa... jelte, pogađate već...
Sve u svemu, ovako u sižeu, može se slobodno reći da je to gomila proizvoljnih bizarnosti i generalnih baljezgarija, ali... jednom obrađene Kingovom recepturom, one sasvim okej funkcionišu, pogotovo u ovako kratkoj formi. Kad god naracija naleti na finalni zamor materijala, King je osveži nekim novim momentom – ili iracionalni motiv, kao što je taj magični kamen, ili bizarni, groteskni motiv kao što je to jedenje bebe – i to naraciji dadne erg ili dva da odmigolji do idućeg zamora materijala, i tako sve do kraja. Mislim, eto, u ovom slučaju rezultat nije bog zna kako impresivan, ali u slučajevima kad je materijal bio idejno bogatiji, imali smo neke od odličnih romana, zato je King ono što jeste, to mu se jednostavno ne može osporiti.
Lepo xjap
Weston Ochse: Blaze of Glory, Douglas Clegg: Coming of Age
Oktobar je bio mesec horora, kako priliči i dolikuje, i za to se pobrinuo The Halloween Horror Bundle, koji je ponudio osam aktuelnijih horor naslova za vrlu razumnu cenu. I naravno, kako to već bude sa kupovinom na veliko, našlo se tu za svakog ponešto, mada priznajem da sam tu našla ipak malko manje nego što sam se nadala. Sve u svemu, ovogodišnju Noć Veštica su mi uglavnom zadovoljavajuće garnirala dva naslova iz HHB paketa: Weston Ochse, sa njegovim ultrapalpičnim i na momente zdravo urnebesnim Blaze of Glory, i Douglas Clegg sa tri novelete objedinjene pod naslovom Coming of Age.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41VANYAn6fL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-52%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=d218ed886fe26e764312e9f817b3a012f68fafc0)
Blaze of Glory ima prilično zanimljivu istoriju koja uvelike objašnjava njegovu raskalašenu i na momente zdravo urnebesnu filmičnost - Weston Ochse je po svojoj prilično zapaženoj ranijoj noveleti Once upon the End napravio scenario za B Monster Movie na tragu Tremorsa. Scenario je doživeo tragikomičnu sudbinu koju Ochse skoro pa dirljivo saopštava u pogovoru za roman, što je već samo po sebi zanimljiv tračeraj iz, kako to sam Ochse naziva, "secretive cloak-and-dagger nature of the individual production companies", u ovom slučaju predstavljenom kompanijom Amen Ra (Wesley Snipes). Tragična sudbina tog scenarija rezultovala je ovim romanom, a sam Ochse tvrdi da je usput i poneo kući nekoliko vrednih zapažanja po pitanju šta ne raditi i i čemu ne pričati u drobilici holivudske mašinerije.
Blaze of Glory u svom apokaliptičnom setingu nudi paletu urnebesnih protagonista - đubretara, prodavca polovnih automobila, prostitutke, babe ovisne o kraku - koji proživljavaju smak sveta za koji su zaslužni... pa eto, vrlo zubati crvi, u raznim oblicima i dimenzijama, od ogromnih koji gutaju solitere, pa do krajnje sićušnih, koji jedu ljude, i to bez njihovog znanja. Za pristojnu horor-komediju skoro pa da i ne treba više od toga, a ako i zatreba, Blaze of Glory nudi i dodatne biseri retkih načina kojima se ljudi mogu crvima suprostaviti: dovoljno je pomenuti samo slanu vodu i temu iz filma Rocky pa da se dimenzije urnebesa u ovom romanu donekle naslute.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstorybundle.com%2Fsystem%2Fbook_covers%2F23%2Fprofile%2FComing_of_Age_Cover.jpg%3F1350276069&hash=dea75f8253bcfee807dd18d25067db5412a412c1)
Coming of Age Douglasa Clegga je odabran da udari kontru silnoj parodiji horora kakvu je obezbedio Blaze of Glory, ali alas, izgleda da je to lakše očekivati negoli i dobiti. Clegg je svakako jedan od horor pisaca od kojih se nešto takvo moglo očekivati, još tamo od njegove I Am Infinite; I Contain Multitudes ali, istini za volju, Coming of Age to dokazuje samo u odličnoj prvoj noveleti Purity. Cleggov opus sve više preplavljuju žanrovske parodije u formatu teen angst natprirodnih bezvezarija i to variranje kvaliteta Cleggove proze ostaće mi večita misterija, baš koliko i njegovo insistiranje na pristupima koji mu maltene obećavaju infantilnu inferiornost. Moguće da je u pitanju podilaženje publici iz čisto ekonomskih razloga, i nije da nemam razumevanja, ali ipak! postoje i limiti za ugađanja autoru od strane publike, i ja se opasno bližim svome, jer otkrivam da mi postaje sve napornije pamtiti i ceniti Clegga po impresivnim ali i vrlo retkim blistanjima u domenu psihološkog horora.
Kim Lakin - Smith: Cyber Circus
Ovaj zadivljujuće raskošan roman nudi vrst fantastike čija mi definicija i posle ponovnog čitanja jednako izmiče: delikatna mešavina prepoznatljivih elemenata SFa i weirda proizvela je leguru do te mere izdašnu da ju je teško i opisati, a kamoli imenovati. Čak i samo prepričavanje sadržaja postaje poduhvat nezahvalan koliko i neadekvatan, i to do te mere da i sama sa negodovanjem ispraćam slična sažimanja u rivjuima.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51o4OMPMKYL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-59%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=07238be30ac71649e6150497bb1f7e1b66dcbe12)
U nekoj nedefinisano postapokaliptičnoj budućnosti, Cyber Circus je stimpankični cepelin u kom mala grupa biomorfa krstari opustošenom i unakaženom Zemljom, zabavljajući njeno retko i isto tako unakaženo stanovništvo cirkuskim atrakcijama. Herb je vlasnik Cyber Circusa a ujedno i vlasnik svakog pojedinog člana ekipe biomorfa, to u neo-robovlasničkom smislu te reči: Nim je prostitutka čija je koža genetski modifikovana da svetli u skladu sa njenim raspoloženjem, Hellequin je HawkEye, kiborg, bivši vojnik tehnološki "unapređen" teleskopskim okom i osakaćenim emocijama, Pig Heart je vlasnik svinjskog srca i adekvatnog imunog sistema koji ga je eventualno pretvorio više u svinju nego čoveka, Rust je više vučica nego ljudsko biće, dok je hermafrodit Lulu verovatno jedini član ekipe sa devijacijom proizašlom iz čistog hira prirode. Pored njih, Cyber Circus obiluje nakaznostima svake vrste, to kako u ljudi tako i u životinja, pa opet... u svetu tako temeljito razorenom, ekipa Cyber Circusa nas se sve više doima kao ne samo poslednji ostatak ljudskosti, nego i krajnji bastion čovečnosti. Ostatak tog razorenog sveta više nego efikasno predstavlja D'angelus, svodnik i trgovac robljem, i njegova horda surovih i arogantnih plaćenika čija je pripadnost ljudskoj vrsti striktno nominalna, i pored genetske celokupnosti.
Uza sve groteskne bizarnosti koje članovi Cyber Circusa prezentuju svojim telesnim i intelektualnim mutilacijama, Kim Lakin - Smith uspeva da preko njih ponudi snažno i dirljivo samoposmatranje kakvo se inače nalazi u stradanjima koja prate obespravljene prozne gubitnike. Njihova neprestana borba sa životinjskim i mehaničkim delovima sopstvenog tela i psihe odvija se naspram prašnjave i jednolične pozadine postapokaliptično samrtnog sveta, time efikasno uklanjajući svaku pomisao na bolju budućnost koju bi pozitivan ishod takve borbe doneo: lako je stremiti ka dobroti kada znamo da ona donosi nagradu, ali kako stremiti ka dobroti čija je "nagrada" ista kao i ona koju nudi zlo? Taj naizgled paradoks nudi dodatnu dimenziju čovečnosti koju Lakin - Smith provlači kroz svoje prozno tkanje: unutrašnje i vanjske borbe kroz koje članovi Cyber Circusa krvare neretko imaju isti, tragični ishod.
Pored egzotičnog i izdašnog sveta koji je Lakin - Smith kreirala, i pored visokooktanskih akcija koje se u romanu nižu skoro bez predaha, lako je zapostaviti te finije detalje zbog kojih se roman ne povinuje uobičajenim klasifikacijama trenutačnog prepoznavanja krajnjih dometa. Cyber Circus je otud nenametljiv do granice understatementa, i tek znatno kasnije po čitanju zablista u punom sjaju svog dostignuća, zahtevajući od vas da mu se ponovo vratite, što je ujedno i najveći kompliment koji se prozi uopšte može dati: odlična proza, pribeležena majstorskom rukom.
The Road to Hell, Paved With Telemarketers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/books/damned-by-chuck-palahniuk-review.html?_r=0
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgraphics8.nytimes.com%2Fimages%2F2011%2F10%2F20%2Farts%2Fjp-book%2Fjp-book-articleInline.jpg&hash=53de4a9d4c35a6bcc5a5d72efe1a838434c02e15)
By any definition of the word "decency" it's been a long time sinceChuck Palahniuk (http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/p/chuck_palahniuk/index.html) wrote a decent book. His lurid recent efforts, from"Snuff" (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/books/review/Ellmann-t.html?ref=chuckpalahniuk) (pornography) to "Tell-All" (movie-star gossip) to "Pygmy" (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/books/review/Salvatore-t.html?ref=chuckpalahniuk)(broken English from teenage foreign terrorists), have tried the patience of even his most die-hard fans. These books have been skimpy and tired enough to suggest that this "Fight Club" author has had all the fight drained out of him. But he shows new signs of life in "Damned," a book full of tastelessly hilarious gallows humor about a teenage girl in hell.
Chris Beckett: Dark Eden
Dark Eden je planeta bez sunca i meseca, krcata egzotičnom faunom što leti, puzi i pliva, i florom što svetli i pumpa kipteće sokove i paru u hladni i mračni vazduh. U tom Mračnom Raju ima i ljudi, i to tačno 226 žena, 156 muškaraca i 150 dece mlađe od petnaest godina: zna se ne samo njihov tačan broj, nego i poreklo, jer svi su oni nastali od jedne žene i jednog mučkarca - Tommy i Angela, dvoje astronauta koji su pre 162 godine prisilno sleteli na mračnu planetu su drevni praroditelji svakog ljudskog bića u Mračnom Raju. Život te velike ljudske Porodice je skroman i tegoban, opterećen nakaznostima incesta, surovošću opstanka među krvoločnim predatorima i mutnim predanjima o magičnoj Zemlji sa koje su njihovi praroditelji potekli. Ljudi u Mračnom Raju opstaju u grčevitoj nadi da će ta ista Zemlje opet poslati moćnu letelicu, ovaj put da ih pokupi i vrati u okrilje zemaljskog svetla i toplote.
U toj i takvoj mučnoj rajskoj idili, mladi John Redlantern traži svoje mesto u Porodici i ne nalazi ga. Hrane je sve manje i sve se teže nalazi a Porodica raste iz dana u dan. Prirodni matrijahat, koji je uspostavila ponajviše činjenica da svako dete zna ko mu je majka ali ne i ko mu je otac, uslovio je Porodicu da sve te godine provede na istom proplanku, onom koji je pramajka Angela označila krugom od belog kamenja i za koji je obećala da će biti mesto sletanja spasilačke letelice sa Zemlje. Ali hrane je iz dana u dan sve manje a John Redlantern sve više veruje kako bi upravo pramajka Angela ohrabrila svako nastojanje da njena deca napuste privremeni logor i istraže ostatak mračne planete, prisvajajući ga tako kao sopstveni svet. Naravno, većina ljudi je protiv takvog poduhvata i John Redlantern ubrzo shvata kako borba za novo u svetu neretko podrazumeva i ubijanje starog, i ta kobna spoznaja unosi zmiju u mitski raj iskonske nedužnosti, sve iako mračan pod rasutim zvezdama.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi256.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh163%2FAllan-Poe%2Fdark-eden-by-chris-beckett.jpg&hash=f62a083ea6d1f33365ec19e80ebe966e4dc28c17)
Teško je odlučiti koji to pojedinačni kvalitet odlučuje da vam neka proza priraste za srce, što bi se reklo: možda je to u ovom slučaju ispovedna forma kojom vam protagonisti romana saopštavaju svoje najintimnije želje i strahove, možda je u pitanju dirljivost njihove borbe da sačuvaju iskonsku nedužnost u uslovima u kojima je više hendikep nego vrlina, a možda je u pitanju naprosto ona prastara alegorija kojom se svetovne spoznaje predstavljaju kao zmije u duhovnom Raju i sa kojom su bezbrojne generacije pre nas ljubomorno čuvale svoj paćenički status quo, iskreno verujući da đavo kojeg dobro poznajemo po pravilu ima manje i rogove i očnjake negoli onaj koji nas vreba sa onu stranu horizonta zbivanja i znanja. Dark Eden je dirljiva ispovest upravo o tom gubitku Raja u čoveku i čoveka u Raju, i ta najklasičnija od svih priča sa lakoćom pronađe put do čitalačkog srca.
Planeta Dark Eden je daleko od Raja kakvog inače zamišljamo: mračna, hladna i surova, ta planeta zasigurno nije namenjena ljudima pa zato i nema samilosti za bilo kakve ljudske slabosti. Ali opet, Dark Eden je prepun lepote kakvu jedino ljudi mogu da cene u punom sjaju njene egzotičnosti: ogromno drveće koje pulsira vrelinom i fluorescentne biljke i životinje koje nude jedinu svetlost u apsolutnom mraku bez sunca i meseca nude mračnu čarobnost koja bi bila potpuno izgubljena da nema upravo ljudi koji joj se jedini mogu iskreno diviti. Tako uslovljeni jedni na druge, živi svet Dark Edena i ljudi se najzad pronalaze na pola puta, uzajamno žrtvujući sve ono što do data smatrali neprikosnoveno svetim.
Beckett nudi vanzemaljsku scenografiju u jednom skroz prihvatljivo naturalizovanom maniru - sva flora i fauna ima prepoznatljiva zemaljska imena čija deskriptivnost u velikoj meri smanjuje jaz između nezemaljskog ambijenta i vrlo nam poznatih intelektualnih i duhovnih dilema. Nesumnjivo svestan svojih zanatskih mana, Beckett uspeva da upravo na njima sagradi šarm romana, nudeći ispovesti svojih protagonista isključivo u maniru dnevničkih zapisa, pri tom koristeći upravo jezik kao najglavnijeg protagonistu koji otkriva sve ono što sami likovi možda i ne žele da otkriju ili priznaju. Šarmantan u svojoj proračunatoj naivnosti, Beckett uspeva da sa velikom dozom optimizma i dobronamernosti secira bolnu i dirljivu činjenicu da je gotovo nemoguće doneti u svet nešto istinski hrabro i novo, a da se pritom ne ubije ili makar smrtno osakati sve ono staro što ga je i porodilo.
:shock: :-? :-? :cry: :evil:
E-readers reading your reading: A serious invasion of privacy?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FBOOKS%2FPix%2Fpictures%2F2012%2F12%2F5%2F1354725643726%2FKindle-010.jpg&hash=139edb52cf72dedd6697494e3c040c713d0a0a4b)
In the light of a feature I wrote this summer, about how our e-readers can track our reading habits (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/04/big-ereader-is-watching-you) – complete, I'm ashamed to say, with the obligatory Orwell references – I thought I'd point anyone who's interested in the direction of this new report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/11/e-reader-privacy-chart-2012-update).
It's the organisation's latest guide to e-reader privacy policies, including Amazon's Kindle (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/kindle), Kobo and Sony (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/sony), and it finds that "in nearly all cases, reading ebooks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/ebooks) means giving up more privacy than browsing through a physical bookstore or library, or reading a paper book in your own home".
There's a handy chart (https://www.eff.org/pages/reader-privacy-chart-2012), detailing privacy policies for nine different e-reading options; my own choice, the Kobo, "seems to have the capability to keep track of book searches because it indicates that it shares those searches with third parties", while the Kindle "logs data on products viewed and/or searched for on the device, and associates info with Amazon account".
This is information that I'm glad I know, but about which I'm afraid I can't get all that exercised. To be honest, anyone looking at what I bookmark and make notes on would be totally bemused – I often am, myself, when I look back. I feel there are bigger things to worry about than whether Kobo knows what page of Fifty Shades (no, not really) I'm currently on, or if the Amazon lot are astonished to see that not only has my husband got all the paper editions of the George RR Martin books, but he's just bought them all as ebooks as well as they were "too heavy to carry to work". And if, in the sheer deluge of books out there, it means these companies can better point me towards things I might like, then I'm not complaining. (At the moment Amazon is recommending I buy five books I can actually see, at this second, on my shelves, and which I'm sure I've already bought from them. Yes, I liked them - but it seems a bit of a waste... )
But anyway. Useful information from the EFF, which we should all be armed with, whatever we want to do with it. Here it is again (https://www.eff.org/pages/reader-privacy-chart-2012). Have a read - and let me know if you think I should be more fussed ...
Pročitao sam da će Skrobonja raditi i prevod nastavka Kroninovog Prolaza-Dvanaestorice.
Je li to neko možda čitao na engleskom, ustvari je li to izašlo već u svetu ili još ne ?
Izašlo je, izašlo, ali mene se nije baš dojmilo pa sam to i batalila tamo negde na petini, iako sam nakon čitanja Prolaza imala poprilično volje za nastavkom. U pitanju je vešto napisan šund koji je kanibalistički samom sebi dovoljan, žvače i prežvakuje sopstvene viškove i manje-više uspešno pravi od njih nešto nalik narativu ali ipak mu megalomanija dođe glave pa se nekako vidi i providi da tu i nema bog zna koliko idejnog materijala nego se sve svodi na veštinu kukičanja. E sad, nekom to dosadi pre, nekom posle, a meni je dosadilo na samom početku Dvanaestorice i ne verujem da ću se tome vraćati. Čekaću ekranizaciju. :mrgreen:
Tobias S. Buckell: Arctic Rising
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51AdMDWqatL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=fc55dd4b4d94bd68e81493699ebfcb6acec78eb6)
Za ovo nedelo se neću ni truditi da sumarizujem radnju, nego ću blago maliciozno adaptirati sinopsis koji nudi amazon:
Polarne kape su gotovo potpuno otopljene i svetom vlada sveopšta trka za eksploatacijom naftnih zaliha na tom sad iznenada lako pristupačnom terenu. Primat tu nosi Gaia korporacija - u pokušaju da teraformira nove klimatske uslove, Gaia stvara super-uber-oružje koje ima moć da celu planetu... ma, znate već i sami kakva je moć u pitanju, to je plot iz asortimana svakog naprednijeg desetogodišnjaka. Pilotkinja Anica Duncan se tako obrela u zaveri koju vode vojne i komercijalne mračne senke iz abortiranih predložaka za Džejms Bond scenarija i u njenoj je moći, naravno, jelte, da odredi sudbinu sveta. I tako to.
E sad, ovo je jedan od onih romana koje inače uopšte ne dočitam, čim namirišem o čemu se radi, ali prevagnule su neke okolnosti zbog kojih sam ustrajala. Kao prvo, Tobias se em silno zahvaljuje nekim autorima čija imena bar meni podrazumevaju izvesnu preporuku (Karl Schroeder i Paolo Bacigalupi), em se u romanu bavi specifičnom temom koja mi po pravilu saopštava da autor ima ne samo fine ideološke instinkte, nego i angažovan stav koji je uvek dobrodošao ljubiteljima bliskog futurizma. Naravno, sve to sam saznala iz blurba, ali ipak, bože moj, od nečega se mora početi, a zvučna imena i sadržajan blurb su mi uglavnom bile dobre osnova za početak, to bar procentualno gledano.
Alas, Arctic Rising je iznimka od tog i takvog pravila koje me inače dobro služi, a pročitala sam ga uglavnom zato što sam htela sam da celovitije sagledam što me to tačno smeta, pošto takvu prozu uglavnom instinktivno izbegavam, pa nikad i nemam bog zna kako konkretnu primedbu. A ovaj roman je ne samo odličan kao primer (makar zato što je vrlo čitljiv), nego mi je i prilično reprezentativan za jedan deo novije produkcije koji kao da se specijalizovao u proizvodnji dobro upakovanog i fino ispoliranog šunda. Sad je već ta proizvodnja postala i formulaična, postoje sasvim vidljive komponente koje maltene garantiraju finalni izgled proizvoda, i prva od njih tu bi bila nekakav skroz karakterističan adolescentski pogled na stvarnost.
Kao prvo, Arctic Rising je prepun simplifikacija. Gotovo da i nema aspekta u tom romanu za koji bi se moglo reći da ima poštenu dubinu. Od same aktivne karakterizacije - koja se doima izuzetno plošnom ne zbog samog manjka informacije, nego zbog proizvoljnosti kojom autor uokolo mlatara nesrećnim likovima - pa do njegove nesuvisle potrebe da nam pasivno, preko naratora, didaktički sumarizuje karakterne osobine protagonista. Isto tako, zbog velikog broja skoro pa bespotrebno ekstravagantnih poteza protagonista, cela radnja se na momente doima kao čista improvizacija, čak i onda kada to uopšte nije, pa se protagonisti doimaju preopterećeni nekom potpuno infantilnom teatralnosti kojom ih Tobias trzavo vodi kroz scene, kao da su glumci u kabuki teatru. Dobar deo svega toga bi inače bio posledica diletantizma autora, ali problem je što se Arctic Rising u celini ne doima diletantskim delom, naprotiv, Tobias sasvim solidno barata zanatskim delom izvedbe. Rečenu patnju uzrokuje čisto idejni deo.
Kao drugo, Arctic Rising je zapravo parazit SF žanra, i kao takav spada u nekakav famozni žanr za sebe i sebi slične prozne mimike koji imitiraju žanrovske kanone iz čisto mejnstrimaški komercijalnih razloga. Naravno da se, po logici stvari, svaki futurizam automatski prepoznaje kao SF kanon, ali se sama tema ne može smatrati žanrovskom ako joj se pristupa na potpuno nežanrovski način, koji mi je u svojoj suštini prepoznatljiv upravo kao egzibicionistička alatka mejnstrima. Još gore od toga, Tobias temi ne samo da pristupa nežanrovski, nego je i ostavlja sasvim neiskorištenu, a time i nerelevantnu. Da, u futurizmu koji Arctic Rising nudi polarne kape su otopljene, ali to ni najmanje ne utiče na samu priču u kojoj se protagonisti jure mopedima i čamcima i avionima u sasvim savremenom maniru i okruženju. To što Arctic Rising preko naratora tvrdi da se nalazi voda baš tamo gde je, kao, u ovo naše vreme bio samo led, to nema ni najmanje veze sa samom pričom. Isto tako, Tobias krajnje proizvoljno nabacuje u konstrukciju geopolitičke kontroverze za koje didaktički tvrdi da su posledica klimatskog zagrevanja, ali one niti čine koherentnu celinu sa samom radnjom, niti su prepoznatljiv deo novuma (kojeg u biti ionako nema), niti imaju makar i najmanjeg uticaja na zaplet, niti ih Tobias iole analizira, a kamoli pokušava na njih adekvatno odgovoriti.
I to je, recimo, krvna slika žanrovskog parazita koji se prepoznaje kao SF na bazi automatizma, baš kao što bi svaki uradak sa samomislećim robotom bio SF, pa makar sve ostalo bilo doslovno prepisano iz Abbott & Costello skeča. Skoro da mi ponestaju reči da opišem prezir koji takva proza proizvodi u meni. Najgore od svega, ždere me fakt da Tobias sasvim pristojno vlada zanatskim delom izvedbe, verovatno zbog dobrostivog uticaja onih imena kojima se tako srdačno zahvaljuje, svestan da upravo to zahvaljivanje vredi trostruku težinu u komercijalnom zlatu. Ali idejno gledano, ovaj roman je mrtav i hladan i beo, samo se niko nije latio truda da mu to i otvoreno saopšti.
Slični problemi kao i sa Egzekutorkom, samo izraženiji, sudeći po tvom prikazu.
Znači, roman za preskakanje?
Quote from: angel011 on 22-01-2013, 17:54:16
Znači, roman za preskakanje?
Kako za koga. :lol:
Malo o proslogodisnjim knjigama u sirem krugu nominacija za poznatije zanrovske nagrade:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51APYl1QMjL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=7f5349ec95aead9c4e46ed949c938fc75cc36942)
HE'S BACK.
AND HE'S THE BIGGEST THING IN POLITICS.
He is the perfect presidential candidate. Conservatives love his hard-hitting Republican résumé. Liberals love his peaceful, progressive practicality. The media can't get enough of his larger-than-life personality. And all the American people love that he's an honest, hard-working man who tells it like it is.
There's just one problem. He is William Howard Taft . . . and he was already president a hundred years ago. So what on earth is he doing alive and well and considering a running mate in 2012?
A most extraordinary satire, Jason Heller's debut novel follows the strange new life of a presidential Rip Van Winkle: a man who never even wanted the White House in the first place, yet finds himself hurtling toward it once more—this time, through the media-fueled madness of 21st-century America. Show more (http://www.amazon.com/Taft-2012-Novel-Jason-Heller/dp/1594745501#)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41VzlIpeEkL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-65%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=6a8762b2095e27968e7e769d3cc90324c0790625)
It is Earth's distant future and space exploration is boring; no aliens, no new physics, not even mischevious gods, in fact no sign of intelligent life has ever been found. That is all about to change. Follow Jack and Hope as they find a mysterious power source on a distant planet, which takes them on a journey to a world they never thought existed, and into a future they had only ever had nightmares about. Show more (http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Merchant-Tale-Batharok-ebook/dp/B008BKT5JS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342972694&sr=8-1&keywords=batharok#) Show less (http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Merchant-Tale-Batharok-ebook/dp/B008BKT5JS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342972694&sr=8-1&keywords=batharok#)
i van proze:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51SEN%252B1OsHL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=1116a3d8db5efb1f4c5329f804b56b6baa21ba24)
Named One of the "Best Books of 2012" by the Editors of The Huffington Post Many people throughout the world "inhabit" imaginary worlds communally and persistently, parsing Harry Potter and exploring online universes. These activities might seem irresponsibly escapist, but history tells another story. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, when Sherlock Holmes became the world's first "virtual reality" character, readers began to colonize imaginary worlds, debating serious issues and viewing reality in provisional, "as if" terms rather than through essentialist, "just so" perspectives. From Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos and Tolkien's Middle-earth to the World of Warcraft and Second Life, As If provides a cultural history that reveals how we can remain enchanted but not deluded in an age where fantasy and reality increasingly intertwine. Show more (http://www.amazon.com/As-If-Enchantment-Literary-PreHistory/dp/0195343174/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355714691&sr=8-1&keywords=saler+as+if#) Show less (http://www.amazon.com/As-If-Enchantment-Literary-PreHistory/dp/0195343174/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355714691&sr=8-1&keywords=saler+as+if#)
New Kim Stanley Robinson book has been announced and it will be called Shaman : A novel of the Ice Age! The book will be published on 3rd September 2013 by Orbit and the synopsis sounds really interesting.
An award-winning and bestselling SF writer, Kim Stanley Robinson is widely acknowledged as one of the most exciting and visionary writers in the field. His latest novel, 2312, imagined how we would be living 300 years from now. Now, with his new novel, he turns from our future to our past - to the paleolithic era, and an extraordinary moment in humanity's development. An emotionally powerful and richly detailed portrayal of life 20,000 years ago, it is a novel that will appeal both to his existing fans and a whole new mainstream readership.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stainlesssteeldroppings.com%2Fimages%2F2013%2F01%2Fedgofinf.jpg&hash=9c96ce8552f2c1dad3d8c65dcfc29e52da2d0169)
I usually don't link to reviews or commentary on my books here, but there have been three really nice reviews of Edge of Infinity (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1781080569/notfrocoostr-20)that I want to mention. Carl V. Anderson has just reviewed the book (http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/the-edge-of-infinity-jonathan-strahan-ed) on his blog, Stainless Steel Droppings, calling it one of the best science fiction anthologies he has ever read, Lois Tilton at Locus Online (http://www.locusmag.com/) called is "a superior anthology" in her review (http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2012/10/lois-tilton-reviews-short-fiction-early-october-3/#edge), and late last year long-time friend of Coode Street Paul Weimer gave it a very strong review (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/10/book-review-edge-of-infinity-edited-by-jonathan-strahan/) at SF Signal. I'm delighted they all enjoyed the book as much as they did.
You can read Elizabeth Bear's terrific short story "The Deeps of the Sky (http://io9.com/5971160/sky+mining-is-dangerous-enough-but-when-a-deep-storm-comes-its-suicide)" from Edge of Infinity (http://www.solarisbooks.com/titles/title_details/edge_of_infinity) over at io9.com (http://www.io9.com/). It's available from, as they say, all good bookstores (including Stefen's Books, if you want a signed copy!).
I'm also delighted to be working on a third "Infinity" book, Reach for Infinity, for my great friends at Solaris Books (http://www.solarisbooks.com/). Where Engineering Infinity (http://www.solarisbooks.com/titles/title_details/engineering_infinity) was a pure hard SF book looking out in the universe around us, and Edge of Infinity (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1781080569/notfrocoostr-20) covered the time when we have spread out through the Solar System, Reach for Infinity will be about mankind's first steps out into the Solar System around us. I think it should be something special. It's due out in mid-2014 and will post more information on it here as we get closer to the time of publication.
http://www.jonathanstrahan.com.au/wp/ (http://www.jonathanstrahan.com.au/wp/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F517tkWFcgiL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=43040b1bf401b02dffa2bc7dd08c7f6600b98e31)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/161696085X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/161696085X/sfsi0c-20)
From the jungles of Tarzan to outer space and beyond, the apes in these remarkable tales boldly go where humans dare not. Provocative and fantastical, this clever anthology delves into the cultural fascination with—and dread of—humanity's simian cousins. In "Evil Robot Monkey," a disgruntled chimp receives an implant that makes him more cunning than his cohort and humans alike; and a murder mystery unravels with the discovery of a hair that does not appear quite human in the classic Poe tale, "Murders in the Rue Morgue." Merging steampunk with slapstick, "The Ape-Box Affair" has a not-so-ordinary orangutan landing on Earth in a spherical flying ship—where he is promptly mistaken for an alien; and Joe R. Lansdale has King Kong setting a terrible example with booze and Barbie dolls in "Godzilla's Twelve-Step Program." Intertwining beloved classics with inventive new writings, this collection explores the lighter and darker sides of these furry primates and holds a mirror to man's deepest anxieties and desires.
vN by Madeline Ashby
http://vectoreditors.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/vn-by-madeline-ashby/ (http://vectoreditors.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/vn-by-madeline-ashby/)
vN: The First Machine Dynasty by Madeline Ashby (Angry Robot, 2012)
Reviewed by Andy Sawyer
The robots in Canadian author Madeline Ashby's novel are self-replicating artificial humanoids designed by a "global mega-church" as post-Rapture "helpmeets" for those humans left behind after the ascension of the just. Why, it's not clear – though given what we learn about how these robots are conditioned to engage with humanity, something beautifully ironic and poignant could have emerged. That is not what we get but vN is an interesting though flawed work.
Amy is one such construction, the daughter of robot Charlotte and flesh-human Jack. vN robots like Amy and her mother eat special robo-food and are fitted with a "failsafe" – a kind of First Law which not only prevents them from harming humans but actually causes them to shut down if violence is observed. On Amy's graduation from kindergarten, her grandmother Portia turns up and attacks Charlotte. Amy eats her in her furious attempt to defend her mother but Portia somehow survives as a consciousness linked to Amy's. Fleeing, Amy encounters Javier, a "serial iterator" who has given birth (vN reproduction is not gendered and vNs exist in networks of identical clades) to a dozen unauthorised copies of himself and becomes involved in a rather hazy political plot. The revelation that in her the failsafe has broken down is key: each side, human and vN, sees her as a potential weapon to be used or destroyed.
The novel only takes us so far and like many sf futures, vN suffers from something of a lack of focus. The robot-world is well evoked, with vN vagrants living off junk and tensions between vNs and humans. There has been a violent quake on the USA's West Coast and, somewhere, a (semi?)-autonomous city-state of Mecha exists as a possible sanctuary. But is this culture all world-wide? Does every country in the world "have" vN humanoids? All this may be explored in subsequent volumes but some generic flattening undermines the interesting things Ashby is doing with the "robot" icon.
Still, there are fascinating things here in what is implied about families here – notably the relationship between Amy and her artificial-humanoid mother and human father and between her and Portia, the predatory grandmother. There's also a skilful creepiness. It's clear that these robots are – as 'real' robots may well be – used as sex toys. The term helpmeet does not necessarily have (in its original Biblical context) a sexual implication but it certainly derives this as a term for marriage partners and equally certainly New Eden Ministries, Inc. means this. The ungrown "child" vNs are of course tempting for those whose interests lie that way. The development of the ability in Amy's clade to overcome their failsafes is ingeniously linked to her family history and the darker side of desire for robot sextoys that will do whatever you want.
There is, though, a lot about the nature of love (not all sexual) in the novel: obsessive love, the kind of love that may be simply exploitative. And here the most interesting figure may be Jack, Amy's father: "Charlotte didn't do drama... now he suspected he'd find human women too warm, too loud, too mobile." Or, on the same page, "at one point [Amy] and Charlotte would be indistinguishable. Jack worried about that sometimes. What if one day, years from now, he kissed the wrong one as she walked through the door?"
This review originally appeared in Vector #271. vN has been shortlisted for the 2012 Golden Tentacle Award (http://www.thekitschies.com/golden-tentacle.html) for debut novel that best fits the criteria of progressive, intelligent and entertaining. The winners of this award and the rest of The Kitschies (http://www.thekitschies.com/) will be announced on Tuesday, 26 February 2013.
(potpuna mi misterija hajp oko ove knjige.)
Amazon is currently having a promotion where you can get first part of the Bitterwood Trilogy by James Maxey, Bitterwood for free.
We're not sure for how long this promotion will last so do hurry up.
Get your copy here:
Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XKNWRC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003XKNWRC&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming00-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51KuBsHAEPL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-52%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=21578b27c5de1b4a54620a5e1590741fafd5df88)
[/size][/font][/size]
Synopsis:
Dragons rule the world, united under the powerful dragon king Albekizan. Humans have been subdued for centuries, existing only as slaves, pets, and prey. Yet one man, the mysterious Bitterwood, strikes at dragons from the shadows, fighting a long, lonely war of resistance. When Bitterwood is blamed for the death of Albekizan's beloved son, Bodiel, the king launches a full scale campaign to rid the world of the legendary dragon-slayer—even if he must kill all of mankind to do so.
Bitterwood, Kindle Edition, has been revised and updated from the original paperback release.
With the new Canongate Books catalogue, cover art for the upcoming book by Jonathan Grimwood, The Last Banquet has been unveiled and it looks fantastic. The Last Banquet will be released on 4th July, 2013 and frankly, we can't wait.
Order your copy here:
Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857868799/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0857868799&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51bs-Q7IkKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg&hash=05d63218d0f260ca0c79f973c853949a0b107b38)
Synopsis:
Jean-Marie Charles d'Aumout is many things. Orphan, soldier, diplomat, spy, lover. And chef. This is his story. We meet Jean-Marie d'Aumout as a penniless orphan eating beetles by the side of a road. His fate is changed after an unlikely encounter finds him patronage and he is sent to military academy. Despite his frugal roots, and thanks to wit and courage in great measure, he grows up to become a diplomat and spy. Rising through the ranks of eighteenth-century French society, he feasts with lords, ladies and eventually kings, at the Palace of Versailles itself. Passion, political intrigue and international adventure abound in Jean-Marie's life, yet his drive stems from a single obsession: the pursuit of the perfect taste. Three-Snake Bouillabaisse, Pickled Wolf's Heart and Flamingo Tongue are just some of the delicacies he devours on his journey toward the ultimate feast. But beyond the palace walls, revolution is in the air and the country is clamouring with hunger of a different kind.
In episode 177 of the SF Signal Podcast, Patrick Hester (http://www.atfmb.com/) and Jaym Gates gather panelists to talk about the past, present and future of Cyberpunk.
This week's panel:
- Cat Rambo (http://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/)
- Jaym Gates (http://jaymgates.com/)
- David Jarvis (Gunmetal Games) (http://www.gunmetalgames.com/)
- Interface Zero 2.0: Full Metal Cyberpunk Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/821979583/interface-zero-20-full-metal-cyberpunk)
- Patrick Hester (http://www.atfmb.com/)
© 2013 SFSignal.com
Featuring original music by John Anealio (http://scifisongs.blogspot.com/)
Download The SF Signal Podcast (Episode 177) (http://www.box.com/shared/static/p145pvacaapqcxweky2u.mp3)
Advice/Articles
- Tor.com (Irene Gallo) on Art History Through Sci Fi Colored Glasses (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/art-history-through-sci-fi-colored-glasses).
- Fantasy Faction (Cheryl Morgan) on Women to Watch Out For in 2013 (http://fantasy-faction.com/2012/women-to-watch-out-for-in-2013).
- The Book Smuggler (Rachel Hartman) Guest Post (http://thebooksmugglers.com/2012/12/smugglivus-2012-guest-author-rachel-hartman.html).
- Innsmouth Free Press (Paula R. Stiles) on What's So Great About Sword and Planet? (http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/blog/?p=19971)
- Smart Pop Books (Ellen Steiber) on The Divine Cat (http://www.smartpopbooks.com/the-divine-cat/).
- Wired (David Axe) on This Scientist Wants Tomorrow's Troops to Be Mutant-Powered (http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/andrew-herr/all/).
- John Joseph Adams on Hugo Awards Nomination Period Opens Jan. 1 + Free Stuff for Worldcon Members (http://www.johnjosephadams.com/2012/12/hugo-awards-nomination-period-now-open-free-stuff-for-worldcon-members/).
- Black Gate (David E. Harris) on Another Arbitrary Top 10 List: Fantasy Films (http://www.blackgate.com/2012/12/26/another-arbitrary-top-10-list-fantasy-films/).
- WhatCulture! (Shaun Munro) on 10 Best Movie Villains of 2012 (http://whatculture.com/film/10-best-movie-villains-of-2012.php).
- io9 (Charlie Jane Anders) on The 12 Most Epic Action Heroes of Science Fiction and Fantasy (http://io9.com/5971199/the-12-most-epic-action-heroes-ever-created).
- Ed Kurtz on The Best Damn Books of 2012 (http://edkurtzbleeds.wordpress.com/2012/12/25/the-best-damn-books-of-2012/).
- BookRiot (Nicole Perrin) on Genre Kryptonite: Books You've Never Heard of By Authors You Have (http://bookriot.com/2012/12/26/best-of-book-riot-genre-kryptonite-books-youve-never-heard-of-by-authors-you-have/).
- BookRiot (Kim Ukura) on Genre 2013 Calendars for Book Nerds (http://bookriot.com/2012/12/26/best-of-book-riot-2013-calendars-for-book-nerds/).
- BookRiot (Rebecca Joines) on Book Riot Readers' Top 50 Favorite Novels (http://bookriot.com/2012/12/26/best-of-book-riot-book-riot-readers-top-50-favorite-novels/).
- Kirkus Reviews (John DeNardo) on Warhammer 40K in a Nutshell (http://www.kirkusreviews.com/blog/science-fiction-and-fantasy/warhammer-40k-nutshell/).
50 Essential Science Fiction Books(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fjourney-centre-earth-verne.jpg&hash=fd11f56e19fceac61458365e1f9447c7246fba7b) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Jules+Verne&pics=on&tn=A+Journey+to+the+of+the+Earth)
A Journey to the Center of the Earth (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Jules+Verne&pics=on&tn=A+Journey+to+the+of+the+Earth)
by Jules Verne (1864)
Famous adventure tale that practically launched the genre in 1864.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fwar-worlds-hg-wells.jpg&hash=a446e5ebb756f79cbad48647242ba05dcba63f37) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Wells&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=War+NOT+Zombies&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=War+of+the+Worlds&x=0&y=0)
The War of the Worlds (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Wells&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=War+NOT+Zombies&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=War+of+the+Worlds&x=0&y=0)
by H.G. Wells (1898)
The Martians come to England. A famous example of invasion literature from 1898.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fbrave-new-world-huxley.jpg&hash=0c868bb26cc75ff91bf5fcbb04ab7849e52d2a4e) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Aldous+Huxley&bi=0&bx=off&dj=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Brave+New+World&x=73&y=6)
Brave New World (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Aldous+Huxley&bi=0&bx=off&dj=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Brave+New+World&x=73&y=6)
by Aldous Huxley (1932)
Set in 2540, this novel imagines a radically different future. So good, it's taught in schools.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fwhen-worlds-collide-balmer-.jpg&hash=b737daa5d1820b182bed319efefcff7bdeded6bc) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Wylie+Balmer&pics=on&tn=When+Worlds+Collide)
When Worlds Collide (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Wylie+Balmer&pics=on&tn=When+Worlds+Collide) by Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie (1933)
Earth must be evacuated because another planet is on a collision course. (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fodd-john-olaf-stapledon.jpg&hash=e152d7906d116bd5b8b4bbf63d975006310a6788) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Olaf+Stapledon&pics=on&tn=Odd+John)
Odd John (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Olaf+Stapledon&pics=on&tn=Odd+John)
by Olaf Stapledon (1935)
A superhuman novel where supernormal abilities lead to conflict.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fnineteen-eighty-four-orwell.jpg&hash=a813bbc68f14fa941f02f81158d8063ba67eed94) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=George+Orwell&pics=on&tn=Nineteen+Eighty-Four)
Nineteen Eighty-Four (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=George+Orwell&pics=on&tn=Nineteen+Eighty-Four) by George Orwell (1949)
Social sci-fi from the era of Soviet growth where a nasty political system defines the plot.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2Fpost-apocalyptic%2Fearth-abides-stewart2.jpg&hash=0d626b89b12c2cc0746375f612ea2206d861b032) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=George+R.+Stewart&pics=on&tn=Earth+Abides)
Earth Abides (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=George+R.+Stewart&pics=on&tn=Earth+Abides)
by George R. Stewart (1949)
Written shortly after Hiroshima, this post-apocalyptic novel imagines the rebuilding process.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Ffoundation-isaac-asimov.jpg&hash=9bada7e5c62e3a75fd6ec4166090d212c1d29d59) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Isaac+Asimov&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Foundation+NOT+empire+NOT+prelude+NOT+empire+NOT+second+NOT+forward+NOT+edge+NOT+earth&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Foundation&x=0&y=0)
Foundation (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Isaac+Asimov&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Foundation+NOT+empire+NOT+prelude+NOT+empire+NOT+second+NOT+forward+NOT+edge+NOT+earth&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Foundation&x=0&y=0)
by Isaac Asimov (1951)
The original novel in a pioneering series. An immense plot that I cannot sum up in a sentence.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fillustrated-man-bradbury.jpg&hash=f23dc9046f3189ea9c610491f198cffec9c712ca) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Ray+Bradbury&pics=on&tn=The+Illustrated+Man)
The Illustrated Man (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Ray+Bradbury&pics=on&tn=The+Illustrated+Man)
by Ray Bradbury (1951)
18 masterful and highly imaginative short stories from one of the genre's masters.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fdemolished-man-alfred-beste.jpg&hash=847b1c7bfb2d8e5decfba3f9d855cbfa657f6220) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Alfred+Bester&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=The+Demolished+Man&x=0&y=0)
The Demolished Man (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Alfred+Bester&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=The+Demolished+Man&x=0&y=0)
by Alfred Bester (1953)
First Hugo winner. A science fiction detective novel featuring telepathy.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fring-around-sun-simak.jpg&hash=1a433b58080f79867c3950ac3bb19b12e65300b9) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Clifford+D.+Simak&sts=t&tn=Ring+Around+the+Sun)
Ring Around the Sun (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Clifford+D.+Simak&sts=t&tn=Ring+Around+the+Sun)
by Clifford D. Simak (1953)
Clever invasion novel from the 1950s where aliens introduce devices to disrupt Earth's economy.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fmissin-gravity-clement.jpg&hash=79ea20d42fc15dd88557035a6341cc77ccf06758) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Hal+Clement&pics=on&tn=Mission+of+Gravity)
Mission of Gravity (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Hal+Clement&pics=on&tn=Mission+of+Gravity)
by Hal Clement (1954)
A world-building novel on a planet with variable surface gravity. Insect-like locals, human explorers.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Flong-tomorrow-leigh-bracket.jpg&hash=0989af31c4c0260f9b29fd2e231b293f96018f13) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Leigh+Brackett&pics=on&tn=The+Long+Tomorrow)
The Long Tomorrow (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Leigh+Brackett&pics=on&tn=The+Long+Tomorrow)
by Leigh Brackett (1955)
Following a nuclear war, religious sects create an anti-technology society.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fchrysalids-john-wyndham.jpg&hash=a9d3534cfefbb230aedea36bdfadb159f08acfef) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=John+Wyndham&pics=on&tn=The+Chrysalids)
The Chrysalids (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=John+Wyndham&pics=on&tn=The+Chrysalids)
by John Wyndham (1955)
Set way in the future in a fundamentalist society. Telepathy makes people different.http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?anJohn+Christopher&bi0&bxon&ds30&picson&recentlyaddedall&sortby17&tnThe+Death+of+Grass+or+No+Blade+of+Grass&x69&y9' (http://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/'%5Burl=http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?anJohn+Christopher&bi0&bxon&ds30&picson&recentlyaddedall&sortby17&tnThe+Death+of+Grass+or+No+Blade+of+Grass&x69&y9')](https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fdeath-grass-john-christophe.jpg&hash=44fdeb699ce3ef95cfd1a8141926cd073836a7e5)[/url]
The Death of Grass or No Blade of Grass (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=John+Christopher&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=%22The+Death+of+Grass%22+or+%22No+Blade+of+Grass%22&x=69&y=9)
by John Christopher (1956)
A virus kills off all strains of grasses & causes a famine. England descends into anarchy.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fstarship-troopers-heinlein.jpg&hash=f7f423f8129cb617e7d07d4f340c58ba3a70e52e) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Robert+Heinlein&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Starship+Troopers&x=50&y=11)
Starship Troopers (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Robert+Heinlein&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Starship+Troopers&x=50&y=11)
by Robert Heinlein (1959)
Fine example of military science fiction from the late 1950s. A war against bugs.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fsirens-titan-vonnegut.jpg&hash=5ee642a2654848386b89e7fe8463f0549d48e1db) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Kurt+Vonnegut&pics=on&tn=The+Sirens+of+Titan)
The Sirens of Titan (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Kurt+Vonnegut&pics=on&tn=The+Sirens+of+Titan)
by Kurt Vonnegut (1959)
Douglas Adams described it as a "tour de force" – a novel set amid a Martian invasion of Earth.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Falas-babylon-pat-frank.jpg&hash=8aa46cdace38e13c664a7702ada3ddc8ebb809d0) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Pat+Frank&pics=on&tn=Alas,+Babylon)
Alas, Babylon (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Pat+Frank&pics=on&tn=Alas%2C+Babylon)
by Pat Frank (1959)
Frank imagines the effects of nuclear war on a small town in Florida.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fcanticle-leibowitz-miller.jpg&hash=e2fdbbd70f91c349b4ef7e381d7287ba2b525eb7) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=miller&ph=2&pics=on&tn=canticle)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=miller&ph=2&pics=on&tn=canticle)
by Walter M. Miller (1960)
Post-apocalyptic science fiction where monks are trying to preserve vital books and humanity.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fvenus-plus-x-sturgeon.jpg&hash=cb378e3283193760b95a59aed7cb33fd6550f08a) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?pics=on&tn=Venus+Plus+X)
Venus Plus X (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?pics=on&tn=Venus+Plus+X)
by Theodore Sturgeon (1960)
20th century Charlie Johns wakes in a future filled with overpopulation, bigotry, and no gender.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fsolaris-stanislaw-lem.jpg&hash=d92256769878f72a27579e1269d707f329f5032e) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Stanislaw+Lem&pics=on&sortby=17&tn=Solaris&x=0&y=0)
Solaris (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Stanislaw+Lem&pics=on&sortby=17&tn=Solaris&x=0&y=0)
by Stanislaw Lem (1961)
Humans study a planet while the planet studies them. A novel about miscommunication.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fdrowned-world-ballard.jpg&hash=83abeb48a96035e93e45b2c9d6b5c35b66389cba) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=J.G.+Ballard&pics=on&tn=The+Drowned+World)
The Drowned World (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=J.G.+Ballard&pics=on&tn=The+Drowned+World)
by J.G. Ballard (1962)
The ice-caps melt and the world floods. Set in 2145, the protagonist has adapted rather well.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fhothouse-brian-aldiss.jpg&hash=edeab0d17f49532a0dd7458fee5d27b5834f61a6) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Brian+Aldiss&pics=on&tn=Hothouse)
Hothouse (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Brian+Aldiss&pics=on&tn=Hothouse)
by Brian Aldiss (1962)
An ecological-themed novel set in the far future with fantasy elements.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fwrinkle-time-madeleine-leng.jpg&hash=96a4dbe75f6db63396b39d26780d5205171c0e51) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Madeleine+L'Engle&pics=on&tn=A+Wrinkle+in+the+Time)
A Wrinkle in Time (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Madeleine+L%92Engle&pics=on&tn=A+Wrinkle+in+the+Time)
by Madeleine L'Engle (1962)
Children's fiction, with fantasy elements, where a government scientist goes missing.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2Fother-worlds%2Fdune-frank-herbert.jpg&hash=ac078a0e5537662506918712f147a041b1e98a13) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Frank+Herbert&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Dune+NOT+children+NOT+messiah+NOT+chapter+NOT+god+NOT+chapterhouse+NOT+heretics&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Dune&x=93&y=17)
Dune (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Frank+Herbert&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Dune+NOT+children+NOT+messiah+NOT+chapter+NOT+god+NOT+chapterhouse+NOT+heretics&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Dune&x=93&y=17)
by Frank Herbert (1965)
This novel has sold 12 million copies so can't be bad. Spice before the Spice Girls.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fmake-room-harry-harrison.jpg&hash=8c86ca3236f2ab9ea70e1d4f8667e885f21d2107) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Harry+Harrison&pics=on&tn=Make+Room!+Make+Room)
Make Room! Make Room! (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Harry+Harrison&pics=on&tn=Make+Room!+Make+Room)
by Harry Harrison (1966)
Set in 1999, a novel about over-population. Basis for the movie, Soylent Green.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Flogans-run-johnson.jpg&hash=08db10f6fbea4a68886f6423d9ea94617196eeef) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Nolan+Johnson&sts=t&tn=Logan's+Run)
Logan's Run (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Nolan+Johnson&sts=t&tn=Logan%27s+Run)
by William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson (1967)
Age-themed science fiction. Everyone is killed off at 21 but there are "runners."(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fdo-androids-dream-dick.jpg&hash=90e0d5e36cfa999a635401f21f059a30ee7ec71a) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?pics=on&tn=Do+Androids+Dream+of+Electric+Sheep?)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?pics=on&tn=Do+Androids+Dream+of+Electric+Sheep%3F)
by Philip K. Dick (1968)
A bounty hunter tracks down escaped androids in a post-apocalyptic future.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fleft-hand-darkness-le-guin.jpg&hash=b3c397b649a32a8ec423c56ed1c2243f5a8f7db3) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Ursula+K.+Le+Guin&pics=on&tn=The+Left+Hand+of+Darkness)
The Left Hand of Darkness (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Ursula+K.+Le+Guin&pics=on&tn=The+Left+Hand+of+Darkness)
by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)
Le Guin is prolific and a must-read for everyone. This book details an imagined universe.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fbehold-man-michael-moorcock.jpg&hash=21ff086b247d59ad106ab4889e975ef0c5682e4b) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Michael+Moorcock&pics=on&tn=Behold+the+Man)
Behold the Man (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Michael+Moorcock&pics=on&tn=Behold+the+Man)
by Michael Moorcock (1969)
A time travel story where a man goes from 1970 back to AD 28 to meet Jesus.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fringworld-larry-niven.jpg&hash=4b7dbc3eb3d9ddac637414332f25306432ebaf37) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Larry+Niven&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Ringworld+NOT+engineers+NOT+throne+NOT+children&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Ringworld&x=76&y=7)
Ringworld (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Larry+Niven&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Ringworld+NOT+engineers+NOT+throne+NOT+children&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Ringworld&x=76&y=7)
by Larry Niven (1970)
From the golden era of the early 1970s. Set in 2850 in a radically different universe.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Frendezvous-rama-clarke.jpg&hash=7777533fe75ddad5ffeada4afc5780d9d8222a5f) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Arthur+C+Clarke&pics=on&tn=Rendezvous+with+Rama)
Rendezvous with Rama (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Arthur+C+Clarke&pics=on&tn=Rendezvous+with+Rama)
by Arthur C. Clarke (1972)
A classic set in the 22nd century, an alien starship enters the solar system. (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Froadside-picnic-strugatsky.jpg&hash=f2f1d563fdd446d2d2d961818c8cfa10a3dd0a4a) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=Roadside+Picnic+/+Tale+of+the+Troika)
Roadside Picnic / Tale of the Troika (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=Roadside+Picnic+/+Tale+of+the+Troika)
by Boris & Arkady Strugatsky (1972)
Roadside Picnic is a classic alien-encounter story from Russia's most important sci-fi writers. (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Ffemale-man-joanna-russ.jpg&hash=1528b2db4611779eacb44750ea2f4bcf37f5bfa5) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Joanna+Russ&tn=Female+Man)
The Female Man (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Joanna+Russ&tn=Female+Man)
by Joanna Russ (1975)
A novel following the lives of four women in parallel worlds. Feminist sci-fi.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fman-plus-pohl.jpg&hash=0723d7d7f604c69aa05799858e906733e286a879) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Frederik+Pohl&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Man+Plus+not+magazine&x=98&y=11)
Man Plus (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Frederik+Pohl&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Man+Plus+not+magazine&x=98&y=11)
by Frederik Pohl (1976)
Cyborg (where man & machine combine) science fiction as humans attempt to colonise Mars.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fstand-stephen-king.jpg&hash=2e31c50a8fdf894b7bb6d1b082f62bc0cc927d4e) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Stephen+King&pics=on&tn=The+Stand)
The Stand (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Stephen+King&pics=on&tn=The+Stand)
by Stephen King (1978)
Apocalyptic novel where a virus kills off most people and it is nightmarish for survivors. (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2Fother-worlds%2Fhitchhikers-guide-galaxy-douglas-adams.jpg&hash=5737facd60e3656d6ca52565851cdbb18e2e5f49) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Adams&pics=on&tn=The+Hitchhiker's+Guide+To+The+Galaxy)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Adams&pics=on&tn=The+Hitchhiker%27s+Guide+To+The+Galaxy)
by Douglas Adams (1979)
A radio series. Adams introduced a huge and much-needed dose of humor into the genre.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fnor-crystal-tears-foster.jpg&hash=e836ffe0e8c1ca1e1d8571c22ac745bd093f1892) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Alan+Dean+Foster&tn=Nor+Crystal+Tears)
Nor Crystal Tears (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Alan+Dean+Foster&tn=Nor+Crystal+Tears)
by Alan Dean Foster (1982)
Imagines the Humanx Commonwealth where humans exist alongside aliens.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fenders-game-card.jpg&hash=55dbb0f6f9f6e76ae637a6bbeb8b42fedb3bcb3d) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Orson+Scott+Card&pics=on&tn=Ender's+Game)
Ender's Game (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Orson+Scott+Card&pics=on&tn=Ender%27s+Game)
by Orson Scott Card (1985)
Violent futuristic sci-fi where the Earth is threatened by an ant-like species.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fconsider-phlebas-banks.jpg&hash=39d4058613d8253dae9bb5d9e5a8d78356123dc2) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Iain+M.+Banks&sts=t&tn=Consider+Phlebas)
Consider Phlebas (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Iain+M.+Banks&sts=t&tn=Consider+Phlebas)
by Iain M. Banks (1987)
Pure space opera. First in the Culture series, this novel features a sprawling space war between species.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Ffalling-free-bujold.jpg&hash=8e33f1ad846fd4957ec43d89db6145756b2280a3) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Lois+McMaster+Bujold&tn=Falling+Free)
Falling Free (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Lois+McMaster+Bujold&tn=Falling+Free)
by Lois McMaster Bujold (1988)
Quaddies are genetically modified humans used as slaves. They become obsolete and face a grim end.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fhyperion-dan-simmons.jpg&hash=adcf34a03da0e02abddbf19f939296b78273d560) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Dan+Simmons&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Hyperion+NOT+Fall&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Hyperion&x=46&y=16)
Hyperion (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Dan+Simmons&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&kn=Hyperion+NOT+Fall&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&tn=Hyperion&x=46&y=16)
by Dan Simmons (1989)
A complicated story-within-a-story novel with humanity spread across the galaxy.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fred-mars-robinson.jpg&hash=31483dd087cc6b9004fd86321da8db3ba6c80352) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Kim+Stanley+Robinson&pics=on&tn=Red+Mars)
Red Mars (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Kim+Stanley+Robinson&pics=on&tn=Red+Mars)
by Kim Stanley Robinson (1993)
First in a readable trilogy imagining the colonisation of Mars.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fribofunk-filippo.jpg&hash=bb6bbff71d1c2e9a2f8be72aeee46951eb7adb40) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Paul+Di+Filippo&sts=t&tn=Ribofunk)
Ribofunk (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Paul+Di+Filippo&sts=t&tn=Ribofunk)
by Paul Di Filippo (1996)
Biopunk short story collection – a spin-off from cyberpunk featuring biotechnology.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fcryptonomicon-neal-stephens.jpg&hash=01220dce9bda0b398a130e51b3712895a712edce) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Neal+Stephenson&pics=on&tn=Cryptonomicon)
Cryptonomicon (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Neal+Stephenson&pics=on&tn=Cryptonomicon)
by Neal Stephenson (1999)
Historical science fiction adored by Geeks for its technology themes.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fuglies-westerfield.jpg&hash=3f0ccc3d56774de8a4b4acf9d098def0bafdc986) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Scott+Westerfeld&pics=on&tn=Uglies)
Uglies (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Scott+Westerfeld&pics=on&tn=Uglies)
by Scott Westerfeld (2005)
A novel based on cosmetic surgery for teenagers. Modern science fiction on a modern issue.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fold-mans-war-scalzi.jpg&hash=8efb2c6f5575059de08af773bb5de203458c0a35) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=John+Scalzi&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Old+Man+War+Not+Zoe&x=72&y=3)
Old Man's War (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=John+Scalzi&bi=0&bx=on&ds=30&pics=on&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=Old+Man+War+Not+Zoe&x=72&y=3)
by John Scalzi (2005)
Scalzi's debut saw humans fighting aliens Heinlein-style except old people pull the trigger.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Flittle-brother-cory-doctoro.jpg&hash=2f8d18ea7fc0148c6f6ccef85e0bc1e84aeff934) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Cory+Doctorow&tn=Little+Brother)
Little Brother (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Cory+Doctorow&tn=Little+Brother)
by Cory Doctorow (2007)
Modern cyberpunk in post-9/11 era. Teenage hackers battle Homeland Security over civil rights.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fnovelty-nineteen-chris-ware.jpg&hash=b630cff75061ced5fc03dd2c8d4344a254fbc5eb) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Chris+Ware&sts=t&tn=Novelty+Library+19)
Acme Novelty Library #19 (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=Chris+Ware&sts=t&tn=Novelty+Library+19)
by Chris Ware (2008)
Post-modern plot in a graphic novel. A sci-fi writer & his girlfriend are the last humans on Earth.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F50-essential-science-fiction-books%2Fembassytown-china-mieville.jpg&hash=9b195e03ac03936b27d9d678294110fab6871504) (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=China+Mi%C3%A9ville&sts=t&tn=Embassytown)
Embassytown (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=China+Mi%E9ville&sts=t&tn=Embassytown)
by China Miéville (2011)
Set in a small town on a distant planet, this 2011 novel depicts interaction between aliens & humans.
Opisi stoje pored pogrešnih knjiga, od početka su spušteni za jedan naslov.
uh, da. ali nemam vise mogucnost edita, pa zato evo link do pregledne strane sa koje je lista i preuzeta:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/features/50-essential-science-fiction-books.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-U130110-b00-invadeAM-121224GN-_-01cta&abersp=1 (http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/features/50-essential-science-fiction-books.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-U130110-b00-invadeAM-121224GN-_-01cta&abersp=1)
Prva februarska Eclipse Online prica: "Sanctuary" (http://www.nightshadebooks.com/2013/02/04/sanctuary-by-susan-palwick/) by Susan Palwick.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nightshadebooks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F01%2FEclipseFebruary2013_SusanPalwick-199x300.jpg&hash=d5b504b60719e11948971414c4ebe3ca0601cdce)
Nova knjiga Lauren Beukes
The Shining Girls (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0316216852/sfsi0c-20) ima ne samo drugacije korice za svako trziste, nego i pomalo razlicit sinopsis.
Quote
U.S. Synopsis
The Time Traveler's Wife meets The Girl With the
Dragon Tattoo in this story of a time-traveling serial killer who is
impossible to trace–until one of his victims survives.
In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on
to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls: bright
young women, burning with potential. He stalks them through their lives across
different eras until, in 1989, one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and
starts hunting him back.
Working with an ex-homicide reporter who is falling for her, Kirby has to
unravel an impossible mystery.
THE SHINING GIRLS is a masterful twist on the classic serial
killer tale: a violent quantum leap featuring a memorable and appealing girl in
pursuit of a deadly criminal.
U.K. Synopsis
The girl who wouldn't die, hunting a killer who shouldn't exist... A terrifying
and original serial-killer thriller from award-winning author, Lauren
Beukes.
"It's not my fault. It's yours. You shouldn't shine. You shouldn't make me do
this."
Chicago 1931. Harper Curtis, a violent drifter, stumbles on a house with a
secret as shocking as his own twisted nature – it opens onto other times. He
uses it to stalk his carefully chosen 'shining girls' through the decades – and
cut the spark out of them.
He's the perfect killer. Unstoppable. Untraceable. He thinks...
Chicago, 1992. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Tell that
to Kirby Mazrachi, whose life was shattered after a brutal attempt to murder
her. Still struggling to find her attacker, her only ally is Dan, an ex-homicide
reporter who covered her case and now might be falling in love with her.
As Kirby investigates, she finds the other girls – the ones who didn't make
it. The evidence is ... impossible. But for a girl who should be dead, impossible
doesn't mean it didn't happen...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316216852.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=a8ab73ea9e5dbddfb86df88080333a19694c2d24)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0007464568.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=a34626f5f10a79d9dcb97247a8799f5883bfefe3)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheShiningGirls-ZA.jpg&hash=c375a6ec39f28619b205d3486c025a553e5ba042)
(treca naslovnica je samo za juznoafricko trziste.)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857662937.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=5503bd9b2e169680cc574dba42b2a319e53bbe0b)
By Paul Weimer (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/author/paulweimer/) |
Monday, February 18th, 2013
REVIEW SUMMARY: Ramez Naam presents an interesting world and characters 30 years hence strongly grounded in the real life research and speculation he was hitherto best known for.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: In the mid 21st century, a powerful combination of nanotech, software and drugs threatens to catapult its creator into forbidden realms of transhumanism.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Interesting premise and extrapolation of technology and social developments of same.
CONS: Some of the thriller elements feel a bit over-the-top. Some first novel clunkiness in narrative.
BOTTOM LINE: An interesting and intriguing fiction debut from a non fiction pioneer in bio-technological issues.
In the America of 2040, the major domestic threat has evolved far away from garden-variety terrorism; mind control software, technology and drugs are the newest front that a descendant branch of the Department of Homeland Security, the Emergent Risks Directorate, is concerned with. Drugs and technology like DWITY (Do What I Tell You) and mind-linking software are absolutely forbidden and dealt with in harsh and severe ways (clearly paralleling our own War on Terror). It's unfortunate that Kaden Lane, a brilliant PhD-student specializing in mind-machine communication, has developed and deployed an upgraded, reverse-engineered version of a Mind-linking technology called Nexus. And even more unfortunate that the ERD gets wind of his technology and takes measures to neutralize the perceived threat. Instead of dropping him into a deep, dark hole, however, the ERD has a better use for Kaden. He is far from the only person pursuing interdicted research, and just might useful as a stalking horse at a conference in Bangkok on the very subject. However, Kaden's research and identity make him a tempting target for others in turn. The future of not only Kaden and his friends, but humanity and post-humanity itself, may be in the making.
Ramez Naam, known for his non fiction explorations of transhuman and posthuman possibilities in More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement (for which he won an H.G. Wells award), explores some of those possibilities in the future world of his debut novel, Nexus. The dense, technical science may put off some readers. The extrapolated technology and concepts used here are detailed and can be fascinating and enthralling. The author's passion, knowledge and experience come to bear in imagining the several varieties of technology seen running around his vision of the world in 2040. From clone-soldiers, to the workings and flaws of Nexus itself, to small details like the titles of the seminars Kaden attends in Bangkok, the author goes into fabulous and rich technical detail. Readers who aren't ready to get immersed in a lot of technical jargon and high level concepts are going to be extremely put off by the amount of material and the style in which is is presented. Nexus is portrayed and even described as a computer OS, and so lines of text in the narrative come across as literal lines of code. This sort of technical detail can be ill-fitting, especially in the midst of important narrative. There is a definite suggestion of "want to put cool stuff in" overload syndrome in Nexus.
There are two major viewpoint characters (and a couple of more minor ones). Kaden is naive and idealistic. Sam is an ERD agent whose backstory, loyalties and personality are something only gradually revealed and unfolded through the narrative. In some ways, she's a stronger and clearer character than the protagonist. A revealed Bad Incident in her backstory bordered on cliche. However, like Kaden, she has a strong character arc and grows and changes credibly and appreciably in the crucible of events. The other minor characters, POV and otherwise, are somewhat less complex but provide good parallax on events.
The ethical and social dilemmas explored are another highlight. The author never gives us the "right answer", and its easy to see how the naive optimism of Kaden, the hard nosed nature of Chinese transhumanism researcher Su-Yong Shu, and the ERD itself, afraid of a world where transhumans and posthumans come to be. All three viewpoints are given fair play, both to the plot and how they are exposed to the reader. The reader is left to come to their own conclusions as to who is in the right.
The major downside of the novel is really tied to a classic debut author weakness; overloaded inclusion of what the author loves (as mentioned above). Some of the thriller elements, while cool and exciting, really do go over the top and slide out of the zone of plausibility. They do not become truly cartoonish, but at times one is left wishing for something a little more toned down and as firmly grounded as the rest of the novel seems to be. When the action doesn't go over the top, the thriller elements are very well done and fit in nicely with the scientific extrapolations. The narrative and flow feel like they need some polish.
Nexus is an extremely strong, intriguing and interesting fiction debut.
Biblionaut ima genijalan eksperimentalni SF uradak: http://t.co/5ViQGpup (http://t.co/5ViQGpup)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F414xbdAO7jL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=3f7f5b78e4da2a7150b8485c01e278a8d435f2e8)
Na sto sam muka sa ovim romanom... :(
Lord je sa svojim prvencem Redemption in Indigo već najavila svoju sklonost zapažanja nijansi u društvenim, kulturološkim ili bolje rečeno međuljudskim trzavicama i sukobima, i ovaj roman to dokazuje kao njenu glavnu preokupaciju. Ali format nije najsrećnije izabran, makar utoliko što mi je taj retro šmek u prvim asocijacijama prizvao Ursulu i Oktaviju, a to ne samo da ovom romanu nimalo nije pomoglo, nego ga je i vulgarno svelo na prost saj-faj čik-lit. S druge strane, ovo je roman koji je zapravo njen prvnac, isti onaj roman za čiji je sinopsis dobila nagradu koja ju je finansijski dovoljno obezbedila da joj olakša završavanje Indiga, tako da... kao prvenac, ovo je sasvim solidan roman. Ali kao ispunjavanje očekivanja koje je Indigo ostavio, ovaj roman je skoro pa podbačaj.
Ako se na roman gleda kao na striktno saj-faj epik, utisci su solidni, iako tu nema ama baš ničeg novog, ničeg izvan tog by the numbers šablona u kom vam se sve početne pretpostavke ispunjavaju u tačno određeno vreme i na tačno određenom mestu. S druge strane, primetan je napor da se fokus usmeri na nama alternativne kompleksnosti političkih, kulturnih, društvenih i seksualnih kontrovezi u maniru u kom je recimo Oktavija briljirala. Ali Lord jednostavno nema dovoljno snage da ponudi likove koji bi nam uveljivo bili pojedinci-što-predstavljaju-tip, niti ima ideje kako da sa njima kreira zaplet koji bi ponudio dovoljno luksuznu pozornicu da se predstavljanja tih kontroverzi ispolje u punom sjaju. Neću čak ni da kažem kako je u pitanju traćenje potencijala, jer nisam baš sigurna kakvog se tu potencijala uopšte i moglo straćiti, bilo u idejnom ili u tematskom smislu, jer koje pobogu svrhe ima prilaziti baš TOJ temi, i to u baš tako retro ključu, nakon što su onakve žanrovske face teren temeljito kultivisale u žestokom veni, vidi, vici maniru? Šta se pa to posle njih i moglo uraditi, sem nekakvu čik-lit drugorazrednu kopiju svima dobro poznatog originala. A ako se ovim romanom negde i ućarilo, to je onda svakako na zanatskom delu terena, jer konstrukcija je na mahove i više nego solidna a naracija duhovita i pronicljiva, samo... i pored svega toga, roman ostaje u domenu stilske vežbe koju možda i nije trebalo ponuditi baš onoj publici koja je svoja očekivanja formirala na Indigu.
When Keith Brooke is concerned Lord of Stone is probably the one that got away. If we understood Keith correctly, Lord of Stone was supposed to be his fourth Gollancz book for Keith but since Gollancz at that time went through such turmoil, the book was left behind and didn't come out until 2001 (1997 if you count online edition - Keith is one of the pioneer of e-publishing). Such was life that even people who really like Keith's writing (like us) haven't been able to track it down until recently. However, being hard to find is not something a book like Lord of Stone should be. Behind the dystopian setting where world and numberless innocents are caught in the middle of the civil war, Brooke went one step further and delivered a powerful work in which the main protagonist Bligh must come to terms with becoming, well basically, one of the deities. Brooke is an excellent writer who knows how to describe unease and meaninglessness of everyday life under war. It's world where no one really knows why or what are they doing but are nevertheless just pushing forward at the front lines because someone said that they should do so.
There are glimpses of hope here and there in terms of love affair between Bligh and Madeleine but this is not that kind of book. Real as always, Brooke's Lord of Stone is gritty, clever and thought provoking. Well recommended!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51gJ5-PKayL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-64%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=476beaa4824d68d95b2ee79ee9a6fc70b6ac7e05)
Planetary Destruction by Asteroid, Meteor and Comet (http://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/read-all-about-it-planetary-destruction-asteroid-m/)
- The central idea of Larry Niven's 1973's novel Protector is that humans evolved from the juvenile stage of an alien species know as the Pak, a species whose adult members are compelled to act as protectors for the younger ones. In Protector, which is only a small part of Niven's vast Known Space future history (http://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/sf-signal-do-you-know-your-future-history-part-2/), an asteroid is used as part of a diabolical plan of genocide on the planet Mars...all for the purpose of making a safe, new home for Pak descendants.
-
- Closer to home is the impending planetary destruction of Earth itself in Lucifer's Hammer (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/larry-jerry-pournelle-niven/lucifers-hammer/), a 1977 novel by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven. The first half of the novel plays out like a smart disaster film, following multiple characters as they deal with the impending collision of an asteroid. Despite finding out that the asteroid is actually a gaseous comet, the destruction is no less severe and the second half of the novel shows what life might be like for survivors of the apocalypse.
-
- Earth has to deal with a whole swarm of asteroids and meteors in Gregory Benford's and William Rotsler's 1980 sf disaster novel, Shiva Descending. A mass of celestial objects 50,000 miles across heads toward Earth, unavoidably causing anarchy and untold damage through countless strikes with the planet's surface. But even that's not the worst of it, because inside that mass of comets is a huge, 30 billion-ton comet that signals the end of all life on Earth.
-
- Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven (who apparently both love asteroids) teamed up again in 1985 for Footfall (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/larry-jerry-pournelle-niven/footfall/), a story about the earthly arrival of hostile, elephant-like aliens. During their attack on Earth, the aliens throw asteroids at the planet to cause massive amounts of devastation and present humans a simple choice: surrender or be destroyed.
-
- In Moonfall (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jack-mcdevitt/moonfall/) by Jack McDevitt (1998), the danger is not from a rocky asteroid but from a comet composed of ice and gas. That spells bad news for the recently completed American Moonbase. Even more alarming: If the comet hits the moon, the resulting chunks of moon debris could impact the Earth, causing an extinction-level event.
-
- Science Fiction Grand Master (http://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/science-fiction-and-fantasy-grand-masters-part-2/) Arthur C. Clarke also wrote an asteroid-themed story. 1993's The Hammer of God (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/arthur-c-clarke/the-hammer-of-god/) takes place in the year 2110, when technology has solved most of mankind's troubles. But not all of them: A massive, species-threatening asteroid is discovered by an amateur astronomer on Mars. The best attempt to thwart the asteroid, named Kali, is to launch a space mission to use nuclear weapons to divert the asteroid's path enough so that it completely misses the Earth. But the mission itself is the target of extremists who welcome Kali as a sign from God.
-
- Speaking of Science Fiction Grand Masters, Jack Williamson's 2001 novel Terraforming Earth (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jack-williamson/terraforming-earth/) (2001), starts its generations-long story with a meteor crashing into the Earth, nearly exterminating all human life. However, a small group of survivors manages to leave the planet and establish a base on the Moon. Their descendants watch the once-livable planet from above in the hopes that one day it will become livable again.
-
Event: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0oKEWGOzEc#ws)
xlove5
nista njenog jos nisam citala ali srescemo se nas dve na ovim zmajevima, slutim.
Verujem da je najcrnja kritika autora kad mu se knjiga batali nepročitana ili još gore - nedočitana. U sistemu vrednosti u kom se i najgori šund uredno dočita makar da se kasnije kritički cepa uzduž i popreko, nepročitane i nedočitane knjige kao da po difoltu potonu u znatno dublji krug pakla, a otvoreno je pitanje koliko je to fer. Ako ništa drugo, onda makar zato što šund svoju bezvrednost ravnomerno raspoređuje od naslova pa sve do zadnjeg znaka interpunkcije, dok te nesrećne, nedočitane knjige nude povod bataljenju na neretko solidnom proznom materijalu, a ponekad i znatno više od toga. U ovom duboko seksističkom svetu žanrovskog čitalaštva, pandan tom tragičnom fenomenu našao bi se u lepoj devojci koja iznedri zrelu aknu posred obraza ili nedajbože, na vrh svog delikatno oblikovanog nosa. Stoga možda i nije slučajno da su baš žene napisale oba naslova koje sam bez svojevremene griže savesti batalila. Ali bilo tu danas nekakve griže savesti ili ne, svejedno me kopka da li je to bio bitan ili nebitan faktor.
Te dve knjige su "vN" Madeline Ashby i "The Best of All Possible Worlds", Karen Lord.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51aCu14haoL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=249be0c4b7d62b26d2edfb473321a001988103ef)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F414xbdAO7jL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=3f7f5b78e4da2a7150b8485c01e278a8d435f2e8)
Oba naslova su debi romani, što je dodatni razlog za moju grižu savesti, i oba romana su više no očigledno dobro osmišljena, pažljivo konstruisana i nedvosmisleno žanrovski posvećena, tako da ovde definitivno nije reč o nekakvim žanrovskim parazitima koji podilaze kupovnoj moći SF geta, nego o ženama koje svesno traže svoj književni izraz upravo unutar žanrovskih kanona. A pošto to već jeste dovoljan materijal za grižu savesti kod svakog poštenog žanroljupca, rešila sam da, kud već ne mogu da preko konkretnih falinki pređem (a ne mogu, džaba trud), onda je valjda jedino fer da to sebi makar donekle objasnim.
"vN" polazi od atraktivne i solidno osmišljene premise samoreplicirajućeg humanoida, dakle androida, po svim žanrovskim pravilima i zakonima. Amy je dakle dete predškolskog uzrasta, ali ne ljudsko dete, nego vN android. Njen otac Jack je punokrvno ljudsko biće a majka Charlotte je vN android i Amy je "plod" te njihove ljubavi i bračne veze, koja je u romanu vrlo dirljivo i sa mnogo takta opisana. Zapravo, karakterizacija bračnog para je skoro pa besprekorna i znalački je ponuđena preko sitnih i naizgled uzgrednih opaski, recimo, kad Jack razmišlja kako će njegova kćer Amy jednog dana toliko ličiti na njegovu ženu da će verovatno doći u situaciju da poljubi kćer, sve misleći da ljubi ženu. Ta mala i uzgredna opaska otvara vrata u teren toliko ogroman i toliko pun značaja, da vam naprosto oduzme dah što na nju tako nonšalantno nailazite. Ili kad se majka Charlotte bori za društveni status svog deteta u obdaništu za ljudsku decu, pri čemu nepoverljivim majkama potencira sve prednosti njenog veštački materinskog produkta, navodeći kako njihova ljudska deca od njenog deteta bar neće fasovati nikakve imunološke probleme tipa vodenih kozica i sličnih detinjih muka. Ukratko, karakterizacija u prvih 50 strana nudi istinske bisere koji ukazuju na iskreno i duboko i svestrano promišljanje koncepta kojemu se ne može negirati visok stepen imaginacije i autorske inovacije koja je po pravilu sledi. Otud roman brzo i lako sraste sa svojim čitaocem, saopštavajući mu priču o androidu koji ostaje na nivou deteta samo zbog proračunate brige svojih roditelja, koji mu uskraćuju hranu (! patnje koje tako surova kontrola proizvodi su ogromne, kako u deteta, tako i u roditelja, i to je krajnje dirljivo opisano) i tako ga provlače kroz očigledno klasične nivoe odrastanja kroz koje prolaze i ljudska deca.
A onda krene zaplet i u zapletu krenu isto tako detaljne intrige između ljudi i vN androida, i u srcu jedne takve intrige ta naša mala i ljupka vM Amy u jednoj prilično eksplozivnoj sceni pojede... svoju vN babu. I tu se pojavio taj momenat koji je svojom proizvoljnošću razbucao u paramparčard svu tu lepo smišljenu i kranje delikatnu pogodbu koju je jedan naizgled SF roman do tada pravio sa svojim entuzijastičnim čitaocem. Jer eto, ja zaista imam silnih problema da zamislim dete predškolskog uzrasta, u svemu nalik na prosečnu ljudsku devojčicu, kako u par hitrih trenutaka proguta masu odrasle osobe. U tom konkretno momentu Ashby zahteva da pređem preko jedne krajnje iracionalne postavke koju ja, kao racionalni ljubitelj jednog nadasve racionalnog žanra, naprosto ne mogu da probavim, uz svu dobru volju. I tako smo se tu razišle, nas dve, i mada sam uložila napor da overim daljih stotinjak i kusur strana, u njima sam našla uglavnom ono što sam i slutila da će tamo biti - galimatijas naizgled zdravorazumskih rečenica koje saopštavaju krajnje iracionalne proizvoljnosti, a sve to pod krinkom nekakve "fantastike". Mda.
Kod Karen Lord je situacija bila donekle drugačija, ali samo po pitanjima same izvedbe. "The Best of All Possible Worlds" nudi skasku smeštenu u neodređeno udaljen futurizam, na nekakvim neodređeno udaljim planetama i sistemima, u kojima cvatu nekakve neodređeno humanoidne rase, sa poreklom tek zaobilazno insinuiranim na pradavnu i maglovitu Zemlju. Sadiri su tu bili najnapredniji ogranak tog humanoidnog razgranavanja, sve dok im idiličnu matičnu planetu nisu uništili... ne sećam se više ko imenom, a nije ni bitno, bitno je samo da su oni bili nekakva parnjačka humanoidna rasa koja je rascopala planetu tih nesrećnih Sadira iz nekakvih krajnje maglovitih povoda i na još maglovitiji način. Jedini preživeli Sadiri su bili upravo ona nekolicina koja se u tom momentu zatekla na drugim planetama i sistemima, i, naravno, bili su to uglavnom naučni profesionalci, dakle, uglavnom muškarci. Na njihova je pleća, dakle, pala tegobna dužnost da nastave svoju rasu i civilizaciju, i da u te svrhe diljem naseljenih planeta i sistema traže i iznađu ženske primerke drugih humanoidnih ogranaka.
Da, da, sličnost sa "Levom rukom Tame" vrišti sa svih proplanaka i obronaka prvih pedesetak strana romana. Sadiri su ripof Karhide čak i u onim domenima gde je to ne samo beskorisno, nego i krajnje kontraproduktivno. U ovom romanu, glavni Sadiri neženja se zove Dllenahkh i mada neguje aspiracije da bude glavom i bradom naš voljeni Estraven, Lord ga svojom nemuštom karakterizacijom svodi tek na karikaturu trekerskog Spoka, koji svoje traženje soulmejta za upražnjavanje opstanaka svoje vrste uspešno obavlja već u prvih deset strana romana, samo što toga uopšte nije svestan, iako mi, tugaljivo žanrovsko čitalaštvo, odveć bolno jesmo.
Toliko o bilo kakvoj Sadiri superiornosti u rukama Karen Lord.
Najtragičnije od svega, Karen Lord se već dokazala da je prerasla ovakve početničke ćorsokake u kakve autori sami sebe uteraju jedino kroz preterano entuzijastične fanfikšn omaže prozi koja ih je oblikovala. Njene ambicije su očigledno bile da povuče nekakvu labavu paralelu sa cunamijem 2004, ali koliko god da je to bila pažnje vredna ambicija, njeni rezultati u ovom romanu ispadaju više no skromni, i stoga je njegovo objavljivanje više nego trapavo tempirano, kud već ne i sasvim bespotrebno, a možda čak i sasvim štetno. Ovo je rukopis koji bi neka zrelija osoba zauvek ostavila neobjavljen, bar dok god je u ovakvom stanju. Jer, ako objavite dva romana, i od ta dva prvi po redu vas predstavi kao izrazito intrigantnog autora a drugi kao izrazito mediokritetnog, treba li da nagađamo koji će ostaviti trajniji utisak?
Šta li to pokreće ljude da rade to što rade? Pare? Slava? Brzopleto potpisani ugovori sa izdavačima?
Ne znam ali nije ni važno. Više me zanima šta to pokreće očigledno obrazovane i žanrovski potkovane žene da tako ovisnički posežu za iracionalnom fantastikom, kao da je u pitanju nekakav comfort junk food?
Odgovor je i sam iracionalan, ali time ne gubi ništa na svojoj tačnosti, nažalost: slutim da te žene neguju sklonost ka YA literaturi, ili još gore, ka dečjoj književnosti, a to im obezbeđuje visok stpen tolerancije ka iracionalnim elementima žanrovske fantastike.
Otud i moja silna strepnja svaki put kad posegnem za naslovom koji je potpisala žena a koji pretenduje na SF žanr.
U zadnjih deceniju ili više, ja jednostavno ne mogu da se prisetim niti jednog dobrog SF naslova koji je potpisala žena a da ista nije iz generacije stare garde. O tome vredi produmati malko ozbiljnije.
Hugh Howey: Wool... (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324678604578340752088305668.html#)
via The Wall Street Journal
1.
| Octavia E.
| Butler
| Parable of the Talents
|
2
| Mary
| Gentle
| Ash: A Secret History
|
3
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Bold as Love
|
4
| Justina
| Robson
| Mappa Mundi
|
5
| Connie
| Willis
| Passage
|
6
| Elizabeth
| Moon
| Speed of Dark
|
7
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Midnight Lamp
|
8
| Tricia
| Sullivan
| Maul
|
9
| Audrey
| Niffenegger
| The Time Traveler's Wife
|
10
| Liz
| Williams
| Banner of Souls
|
11
| Lydia
| Millet
| Oh Pure and Radiant Hearth
|
12
| Sarah
| Hall
| The Carhullan Army
|
13
| Sheri
| Tepper
| The Margarets
|
14
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Spirit
|
15
| Lauren
| Beukes
| Zoo City
|
16
| Tricia
| Sullivan
| Lightborn
|
17
| Sheri
| Tepper
| The Waters Rising
|
18
| Jane
| Rogers
| The Testament of Jessie Lamb
|
19
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Castles Made of sand
|
20
| Justina
| Robson
| Natural History
|
21
| Susanna
| Clarke
| Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel
|
22
| Justina
| Robson
| Living Next Door to the God of Love
|
23
| Liz
| Williams
| Darkland
|
24
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| Lavinia
|
25
| Kim
| Lakin - Smith
| Cyber Circus
|
26
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| The Curse of Chalion
|
27
| Naomi
| Novik
| His Mayesty's Dragon
|
28
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| Paladin of Souls
|
29
| Cherie
| Priest
| Boneshaker
|
30
| Catherynne
| Valente
| Palimpsest
|
31
| Connie
| Willis
| Blackout / All Clear
|
32
| Mira
| Grant
| Feed
|
33
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| Cryoburn
|
34
| N.K.
| Jemisin
| The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
|
35
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| A Civil Campaign
|
36
| Kathleen Ann
| Goonan
| Crescent City Rhapsody
|
37
| Catherine
| Asaro
| The Quantum Rose
|
38
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Tower at Stony Wood
|
39
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| The Other Wind
|
40
| Kelley
| Eskridge
| Solitaire
|
41
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| Diplomatic Immunity
|
42
| Kathleen Ann
| Goonan
| Light Music
|
43
| Carol
| Emshwiller
| The Mount
|
44
| Jo
| Walton
| Farthing
|
45
| Ellen
| Kushner
| The Privilege of the Sword
|
46
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| Powers
|
47
| Laura Anne
| Gilman
| Flesh and Fire
|
48
| Mary Robinette
| Kowal
| Shades of Milk and Honey
|
49
| Nnedi
| Okorafor
| Who Fears Death
|
50
| M.K.
| Hobson
| The Native Star
|
51
| Paula
| Volsky
| The Grand Ellipse
|
52
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Ombria in Shadow
|
53
| Jo
| Walton
| Tooth and Claw
|
54
| K.J.
| Bishop
| The Etched City
|
55
| Kij
| Johnson
| Fudoki
|
56
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Od Magic
|
57
| Catherynne
| Valente
| The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden
|
58
| Emma
| Bull
| Territory
|
59
| Margo
| Lanagan
| Tender Morsels
|
60
| Kage
| Baker
| The House of the Stag
|
61
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| The Red Tree
|
62
| Kit
| Whitfield
| In Great Watres
|
63
| Karen
| Lord
| Redemption in Indigo
|
64
| Sheri
| Tepper
| The Fresco
|
65
| C.J.
| Cherryh
| Hammerfall
|
66
| Nancy
| Kress
| Probability Sun
|
67
| Maureen F.
| McHugh
| Nekropolis
|
68
| Nancy
| Kress
| Probability Space
|
69
| Sheri
| Tepper
| The Visitor
|
70
| Kay
| Kenyon
| The Braided World
|
71
| Syne
| Mitchell
| The Changeling Plaque
|
72
| Sheri
| Tepper
| The Companions
|
73
| Linda
| Nagata
| Memory
|
74
| Amy
| Thomson
| Storyteller
|
75
| Louise
| Marley
| The Child Goddess
|
76
| Karen
| Traviss
| City of Pearl
|
77
| Karen
| Traviss
| The World Before
|
78
| Barbara
| Sapergia
| Dry
|
79
| Kathleen Ann
| Goonan
| In the War Times
|
80
| Rebecca
| Ore
| Time's Child
|
81
| Nancy
| Kress
| Steal Across the Sky
|
82
| Margaret
| Atwood
| The Year of the Flood
|
83
| Janine Ellen
| Young
| The Bridge
|
84
| Maggie
| Thomas
| Broken Time
|
85
| Liz
| Williams
| The Ghost Sister
|
86
| Julie E.
| Czerneda
| In the Company of Others
|
87
| Liz
| Williams
| Empire of Bones
|
88
| Kay
| Kenyon
| Maximum Ice
|
89
| Karol
| Emshwiller
| Report to the Men's Club
|
90
| Karin
| Lovachee
| Warchild
|
91
| Jane
| Jensen
| Dante's Equation
|
92
| Ann
| Tonsor Zeddies
| Steel Helix
|
93
| M.M.
| Buckner
| Hiperthought
|
94
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Life
|
95
| Eileen
| Gunn
| Stable Strategies
|
96
| Lyda
| Morehouse
| Apocalyose Array
|
97
| M.M.
| Buckner
| War Surf
|
98
| Karin
| Lovachee
| Cagebird
|
99
| Justina
| Robson
| Silver Screen
|
Quote from: Gaff on 11-03-2013, 20:38:09
Hugh Howey: Wool... (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324678604578340752088305668.html#)
via The Wall Street Journal
ah, u kakvom li samo fascinantno modernom dobu zivimo... nadam se samo da vredi citanja. xwink2
100
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| Catalyst
|
101
| Andrea
| Hairston
| Mindscape
|
102
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Carnival
|
103
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Undertow
|
104
| Karin
| Traviss
| Ally
|
105
| Karin
| Traviss
| Judge
|
106
| C.L.
| Anderson
| Bitter Angels
|
107
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Chill
|
108
| Sara
| Creasy
| Song of Scarabeus
|
109
| Severna
| Park
| The Annunciate
|
110
| Joan
| Givner
| Half Known Lives
|
111
| Larissa
| Lai
| Salt Fish Girl
|
112
| Karen Joy
| Fowler
| What I Didn't See
|
113
| Kim
| Antieau
| Coyote Cowgirl
|
114
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| A Fistful od Sky
|
115
| Nancy
| Farmer
| The Sea of Trolls
|
116
| Aimee
| Bender
| Willful Creatures
|
117
| Karen
| Traviss
| Matriarch
|
118
| Betsy
| James
| Listening at the Gate
|
119
| Karen
| Russell
| St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
|
120
| Kelly
| Eskridge
| Dangerous Space
|
121
| Nnedi
| Okorafor
| The Shadow Speaker
|
122
| Laurie J.
| Marks
| Water Logic
|
123
| Nisi
| Shawl
| Filter House
|
124
| Ekaterina
| Sedia
| The Alchemy of Stone
|
125
| Jenny
| Davidson
| The Explosionist
|
126
| Jo
| Walton
| Lifelode
|
127
| Dubravka
| Ugresic
| Baba Yaga laid an Egg
|
128
| Amanda
| Downum
| The Bone Palace
|
129
| Jillian Marie
| Weise
| The Colony
|
130
| Karin
| Sperring
| Living with Gosts
|
131
| Alice
| Sebold
| The Lovely Bones
|
132
| P.D.
| Cacek
| The Wind Caller
|
133
| Charlee
| Jacob
| Dread in the Beast
|
134
| Sarah
| Langan
| The Missing
|
135
| Erika
| Mailman
| The Witch's Trinity
|
136
| Diana
| Barron
| Phantom Feast
|
137
| D.G.K.
| Goldberg
| Skating on the Edge
|
138
| Tina
| Jens
| The Blues Ain't Nothing
|
139
| Alexandra
| Sokoloff
| The Harrowing
|
140
| Mary
| SanGiovanni
| The Hollower
|
141
| Lisa
| Mannetti
| The Gentling Box
|
142
| Sarah
| Langan
| Audrey's Door
|
143
| Linda
| Watanabe McFerrin
| Dead Love
|
144
| Lisa
| Morton
| Castle of Los Angeles
|
145
| Gemma
| Files
| A Book of Tonques
|
146
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| The Telling
|
147
| Nancy
| Kress
| Probability Moon
|
148
| Susan R.
| Matthews
| Colony Fleet
|
149
| Melissa
| Scott
| The Jazz
|
150
| Rebecca
| Ore
| Outlaw School
|
151
| C.J.
| Cherryh
| Fortress of Dragons
|
152
| Laurell K.
| Hamilton
| A Kiss of Shadows
|
153
| Tanith
| Lee
| White as Snow
|
154
| Elizabeth
| Haydon
| Prophecy
|
155
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and Goblet ofFire
|
156
| P.D.
| Cacek
| Canyons
|
157
| Katherine
| Kurtz
| King Kelson's Bride
|
158
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| Year of the Griffin
|
159
| Barbara
| Hambly
| Knight of the Demon Queen
|
160
| Juliet
| Marillier
| Daughter of the Forest
|
161
| Jo
| Walton
| The King's Peace
|
162
| Mindy L.
| Klasky
| The Glasswright's Apprentice
|
163
| Laurell K.
| Winter
| Growing Wings
|
164
| Connie
| Willis
| Passage
|
165
| C.J.
| Cherryh
| Defender
|
166
| Pat
| Cadigan
| Dervish is Digital
|
167
| Linda
| Nagata
| Limit of Vision
|
168
| Susan R.
| Matthews
| Angel of Destruction
|
169
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| Past the Size of Dreaming
|
170
| Jacqueline
| Carey
| Kushiel's Dart
|
171
| Charlaine
| Harris
| Dead Until Dark
|
172
| Sarah A.
| Hoyt
| Ill meet by Moonlight
|
173
| Donna
| McMahon
| Dance Of Knives
|
174
| Suzanne
| Alles Blom
| Inca
|
175
| Linda
| Morehouse
| Archangel Protocol
|
176
| Rebecca
| Lickiss
| Eccentric Circles
|
177
| Jane
| Alison
| The Love-Artist
|
178
| Karen
| Michalson
| Enemy Glory
|
179
| Jessica
| Rydill
| Children of the Shaman
|
180
| Jacqueline
| Carey
| Kushiel's Chosen
|
181
| | Kushner & Sherman
| The Fall of the Kings
|
182
| Lisa
| Goldstein
| The Alchemist's Door
|
183
| Tanith
| Lee
| A Bed of Earth
|
184
| Cecilia
| Dart-Thornton
| The Lady of Sorrows
|
185
| Diane
| Duane
| A Wizard Alone
|
186
| Nancy
| Farmer
| The House of the Scorpion
|
187
| Cornelia
| Funke
| The Thief Lord
|
188
| Tamora
| Pierce
| Protector of the Small: Lady Knight
|
189
| Isabel
| Allende
| City of the Beasts
|
190
| Naomi
| Kritzer
| Fires of the Faithful
|
191
| Lisa
| Lerner
| Just like Beauty
|
192
| Pauline
| Alama
| The Eye of Night
|
193
| Elizabeth
| Moon
| The Speed of Dark
|
194
| Nancy
| Kress
| Nothing Human
|
195
| Liz
| Williams
| The Poison Master
|
196
| Rosemary
| Kirsten
| The Lost Steersman
|
197
| Mary
| Gentle
| 1610: A Sundial in a Grave
|
198
| Kage
| Barker
| The Anvil of the World
|
199
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| In the Forests of Serre
|
200
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| The Merlin Conspiracy
|
201
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| A Stir of Bones
|
202
| Cornelia
| Funke
| Inkhearth
|
203
| Tamora
| Pierce
| Tricker's Choice
|
204
| Joan
| Aiken
| Midwinter Nightingale
|
205
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
|
206
| Mary
| Hofman
| Stravaganza: City of Stars
|
207
| Caitlin R.
| Sweet
| A Telling of Stars
|
208
| Elizabeth
| Gilligan
| Magic's Silken Snare
|
209
| Nancy
| Kress
| Crucible
|
210
| Rosemary
| Kirsten
| The Language of Power
|
211
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Life
|
212
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Alphabet of Thorn
|
213
| Elizabeth
| Hand
| Mortal Love
|
214
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| Murder of Angels
|
215
| Cecilia
| Holland
| The Witches' Kitchen
|
216
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| Gifts
|
217
| Isabel
| Allende
| Kingdom of the Golden Dragon
|
218
| N.M.
| Browne
| Basilisk
|
219
| Jennifer
| Stevenson
| Trash Sex Magic
|
220
| Tamara
| Siler Jones
| Ghosts in the Snow
|
221
| Leslie
| What
| Olympic Games
|
222
| Sarah
| Micklem
| Firethorn
|
223
| Catherynne M.
| Valente
| The Labyrinth
|
224
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| The Hallowed Hunt
|
225
| Octavia E.
| Butler
| Fledgling
|
226
| Liz
| Williams
| Snake Agent
|
227
| Carol
| Emshwiller
| Mister Boots
|
228
| Cornelia
| Funke
| Inkspell
|
229
| Holly
| Black
| Valiant
|
230
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| Conrad's Fate
|
231
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
|
232
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Hammered/Scardown/Worldwired
|
233
| Sarah
| Monette
| Melusine
|
234
| Maria
| Snyder
| Poison Study
|
235
| Nnedi
| Okorafor
| Zarah the Windseeker
|
236
| Justina
| Robson
| Keeping it Real
|
237
| Mary
| Rosenblum
| Horizons
|
238
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Solstice Wood
|
239
| Liz
| Williams
| The Demon and the City
|
240
| Sarah
| Monette
| The Virtu
|
241
| Mary
| Gentle
| Ilario: The Lion's Eye
|
242
| Naomi
| Novik
| Temeraire
|
243
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| Voices
|
244
| Justine
| Larbaleister
| Magic Lessons
|
245
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| Spirits That Walk in Shadow
|
246
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| The Pinhoe Egg
|
247
| Ellen
| Klages
| The Green Glass Sea
|
248
| Holly
| Phillips
| The Burning Girl
|
249
| Jo
| Walton
| Ha'penny
|
250
| Kage
| Barger
| The Sons of Heaven
|
251
| Susan
| Palwick
| Shelter
|
252
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Whiskey and Water
|
253
| Ekaterina
| Sedia
| The Secret History of Moscow
|
254
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| Daughter of Hounds
|
255
| Justine
| Larbaleister
| Magic's Child
|
256
| Holly
| Black
| Ironside
|
257
| Kathleen
| Duey
| Skin Hunger
|
258
| Shannon
| Hale
| Book of a Thousand Days
|
259
| Frances
| Hardinge
| Verdigris Deep
|
260
| Elizabeth
| Knox
| The Dreamquake
|
261
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
|
262
| Ysabeu
| Wilce
| Flora Segunda
|
263
| Cassandra
| Clare
| City of Bones
|
264
| Melissa
| Marr
| Wicked Lovely
|
265
| Lane
| Robins
| Maledicte
|
266
| Jo
| Walton
| Half a Crown
|
267
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Bell at Sealy Head
|
268
| Holly
| Phillips
| The Engine's Child
|
269
| Cecilia
| Holland
| Varanger
|
270
| Justine
| Larbaleister
| How to Ditch your Fairy
|
271
| Ysabeu
| Wilce
| Flora's Dare
|
272
| Suzanne
| Collins
| The Hunger Games
|
273
| Cassandra
| Clare
| City of Ashes
|
274
| Melissa
| Marr
| Ink Exchange
|
275
| Jo
| Graham
| Black Ships
|
276
| Kristin
| Cashore
| Graceling
|
277
| Kage
| Baker
| The Empress of Mars
|
278
| Cecilia
| Holland
| The High City
|
279
| Kage
| Baker
| The Hotel Under the Sand
|
280
| Justine
| Larbaleister
| Liar
|
281
| Suzanne
| Collins
| Catching Fire
|
282
| Libba
| Bray
| Going Bovine
|
283
| Kathleen
| Duey
| Sacred Scars
|
284
| Frances
| Hardinge
| Gullstruck Island (The Lost Conspiracy)
|
285
| Gail
| Carriger
| Soulless
|
286
| Malinda
| Mo
| Ash
|
287
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Chill
|
288
| Mira
| Grant
| Feed
|
289
| Johanna
| Sinisalo
| Birdbrain
|
290
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Bards of Bone Plain
|
291
| Catherynne M.
| Valente
| The Habitation of the Blessed
|
292
| Kage
| Barker
| The Bird of the River
|
293
| Gail
| Carriger
| Changeless
|
294
| Ekaterina
| Sedia
| The House of the Discarded Dreams
|
295
| Cecilia
| Holland
| Kings of the North
|
296
| Sarah
| Pinborough
| A Matter of Blood
|
297
| Suzanne
| Collins
| Mockingjay
|
298
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| Enchanted Glass
|
299
| Holly
| Black
| White Cat
|
300
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| Tresholds
|
301
| Kate
| Milford
| The Boneshaker
|
302
| Amelia
| Beamer
| The Loving Dead
|
303
| Brenna
| Yovanoff
| The Replacement
|
Elem, lepa i skoro zaokružena brojčica od 300 naslova, verovatno mi je promakao poneki duplikat, makar po pitanju pojedinačnih naslova serijala i tako to već. Ali pošto je u pitanju samo prva faza risirča, nije to za sada bog zna kakav problem.
Dakle, u pitanju su žanrovski naslovi iz pera žena, i to od 2000 naovamo. Naravno, nije u pitanju celokupna produkcija, tako nešto je skoro pa sasvim neizvodljivo u domenu mojih skromnih napora, pa sam kao kriterijum uzela najpoznatije žanrovske nagrade, znači Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, WFA, John W. Campbell, Arthur C. Clarke, James Tiptree Jr. i Locus, i to samo one naslove koji su bili zvanični finalisti, znači - uži izbor, posebna pominjanja i taj rad. A pošto će lista biti osnov za svakoraznu statistiku (tu uključivši i onu koja dobrano zadire u domen krštenja jaradi u maj oun prajvat Ajdaho :roll: ), fer je da se lista okači i na forum. (Da preventivu po pitanju notorne rasejanosti i večitog gubljenja fajlova sad i ne pominjem. :lol: )
Prva i jedna od očiglednijih statistika mogla bi se baviti evidentnom sklonosti žena da umesto krsnog imena koriste nekakve inicijale: J.K. Rowling, N.M. Browne, C.L. Anderson, P.D. Cacek, D.G.K. Goldberg, C.J. Cherryh, N.K. Jemisin, M.K. Hobson, K.J. Bishop, M.M. Buckner i famozni pseudonim K.J. Parker, kojeg nisam ni uključila na ovu listu pošto ne mogu sa sigurnošću da utvrdim da li se iza njega krije muškarac ili žena. Ako je nekad i bila prednost da autor upravo ovakvim izborom imena prikrije pol i time stekne nekakvu prednost u prodaji i marketingu, danas u vreme gugla to je postao skoro pa jalov napor (osim za famoznog K.J. Parkera), tako da mi nije najjasnija svrha svega toga.
Probaj da uradiš podelu po žanrovima (ako je moguće)
Probaj da vidiš koliko je samostalnih dela, a koliko ima delova serijala, trilogija, itd.
da, podela po zanrovima je iduci obavezan korak.
naravno, mene ovde prevashodno zanima da izdvojim jedan zanr, SF, kao osnovu za ono sto mi je na umu, dok ce ostatak ovih naslova biti sortiran po striktno prodajnoj i/ili nominovanoj klasifikaciji.
Sistem eliminicaije je svakako najracionalniji pristup koji nam je na raspolaganju kod ovakvih poduhvata, a fakt da se kod njega mozemo ispomagati tudjim dostignucima vraca Z u zabavu. xnerd
dakle, sledenaslovi koji zvanicno spadaju u vaskoliki Fentezi (to bez iole nitpikovanja po pitanju dalje i dublje podzanrovske pripadnosti) usaglasnosti sa Lokusovim nominacijama za najbolji Fentezi roman:
| F | 2 | Mary | Gentle | Ash: A Secret History | 2001 |
| F |
3[/t][/t]
Gwineth Jones Bold as Love 2002 7[/t]
Gwineth Jones Midnight Lamp 2004 15[/t]
Lauren Beukes Zoo City 2011 19[/t]
Gwineth Jones Castles Made of sand 2002 24[/t]
Ursula LeGuin Lavinia 2009 26[/t]
Lois McMaster - Bujold The Curse of Chalion 2002 28[/t]
Lois McMaster - Bujold Paladin of Souls 2004 30[/t]
Catherynne M. Valente Palimpsest 2010 38[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip The Tower at Stony Wood 2002 39[/t]
Ursula LeGuin The Other Wind 2003 45[/t]
Ellen Kushner The Privilege of the Sword 2007 49[/t]
Nnedi Okorafor Who Fears Death 2011 51[/t]
Paula Volsky The Grand Ellipse 2002 52[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip Ombria in Shadow 2003 58[/t]
Emma Bull Territory 2008 61[/t]
Caitlin R. Kiernan The Red Tree 2010 63[/t]
Karen Lord Redemption in Indigo 2011 65[/t]
C.J. Cherryh Hammerfall 2002 114[/t]
Nina Kiriki Hoffman A Fistful od Sky 2004 124[/t]
Ekaterina Sedia The Alchemy of Stone 2009 126[/t]
Jo Walton Lifelode 2010 142[/t]
Sarah Langan Audrey's Door 2010 151[/t]
C.J. Cherryh Fortress of Dragons 2001 152[/t]
Laurell K. Hamilton A Kiss of Shadows 2001 153[/t]
Tanith Lee White as Snow 2001 154[/t]
Elizabeth Haydon Prophecy 2001 155[/t]
J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and Goblet ofFire 2001 156[/t]
P.D. Cacek Canyons 2001 157[/t]
Katherine Kurtz King Kelson's Bride 2001 158[/t]
Diana Wynne Jones Year of the Griffin 2001 159[/t]
Barbara Hambly Knight of the Demon Queen 2001 169[/t]
Nina Kiriki Hoffman Past the Size of Dreaming 2002 170[/t]
Jacqueline Carey Kushiel's Dart 2002 171[/t]
Charlaine Harris Dead Until Dark 2002 180[/t]
Jacqueline Carey Kushiel's Chosen 2003 181[/t]
Kushner & Sherman The Fall of the Kings 2003 182[/t]
Lisa Goldstein The Alchemist's Door 2003 183[/t]
Tanith Lee A Bed of Earth 2003 184[/t]
Cecilia Dart-Thornton The Lady of Sorrows 2003 197[/t]
Mary Gentle 1610: A Sundial in a Grave 2004 198[/t]
Kage Barker The Anvil of the World 2004 199[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip In the Forests of Serre 2004 205[/t]
J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix 2004 212[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip Alphabet of Thorn 2005 213[/t]
Elizabeth Hand Mortal Love 2005 214[/t]
Caitlin R. Kiernan Murder of Angels 2005 215[/t]
Cecilia Holland The Witches' Kitchen 2005 231[/t]
J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 2006 238[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip Solstice Wood 2007 239[/t]
Liz Williams The Demon and the City 2007 240[/t]
Sarah Monette The Virtu 2007 241[/t]
Mary Gentle Ilario: The Lion's Eye 2007 252[/t]
Elizabeth Bear Whiskey and Water 2008 253[/t]
Ekaterina Sedia The Secret History of Moscow 2008 254[/t]
Caitlin R. Kiernan Daughter of Hounds 2008 267[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip The Bell at Sealy Head 2009 268[/t]
Holly Phillips The Engine's Child 2009 269[/t]
Cecilia Holland Varanger 2009 278[/t]
Cecilia Holland The High City 2010 290[/t]
Patricia A. McKillip The Bards of Bone Plain 2011 291[/t]
Catherynne M. Valente The Habitation of the Blessed 2011 292[/t]
Kage Barker The Bird of the River 2011 293[/t]
Gail Carriger Changeless 2011
odvratno.
vasa imbecilna politika po pitanju edita normalnih postova rezultuje sejfhejvenom za ludake.
kao i sve ostale vase aktvnosti, kad smo vec kod toga.
zakk, daj stvarno unoramali editovanje postova. Juce sam popizdeo sto nisam mogao da promenim nesto.
Ako vec ne mozes da se izboris sa nekima, onda ih banuj, a nemoj da nas sve maltretirate...
+1
K. J. Parker je žensko, ako ti nešto znači.
Hej, znači mi itekako, više no što pretpostavljaš, htela bih da maksmalno smanjim tehnikalije koje mi ograničavaju liste koje su ionako skromne kad je o pouzdanoj statistici reč, s obzirom da gledam na period od svega desetak godina. Recimo, zbog tih i takvih tehnikalija ispala mi je sa liste i K.W. Jeter, i već to znatno utiče na procenat po pitanju tih i takvih skoro pa pseudonima, tako da mi svako ime zaista mnogo znači.
Ali šibni mi ovde molim te i link koji vodi to izvora te tvoje informacije, jer to mi je uslov za korištenje infoa.
Elem, da probamo malo da sredimo listu:
najpre 64 naslova iz Locusove nominacije za najbolji fentezi roman:
F
| 2
| Mary
| Gentle
| Ash: A Secret History
|
F
| 3
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Bold as Love
|
F
| 7
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Midnight Lamp
|
F
| 15
| Lauren
| Beukes
| Zoo City
|
F
| 19
| Gwineth
| Jones
| Castles Made of sand
|
F
| 24
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| Lavinia
|
F
| 26
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| The Curse of Chalion
|
F
| 28
| Lois
| McMaster - Bujold
| Paladin of Souls
|
F
| 30
| Catherynne M.
| Valente
| Palimpsest
|
F
| 38
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Tower at Stony Wood
|
F
| 39
| Ursula
| LeGuin
| The Other Wind
|
F
| 45
| Ellen
| Kushner
| The Privilege of the Sword
|
F
| 49
| Nnedi
| Okorafor
| Who Fears Death
|
F
| 51
| Paula
| Volsky
| The Grand Ellipse
|
F
| 52
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Ombria in Shadow
|
F
| 58
| Emma
| Bull
| Territory
|
F
| 61
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| The Red Tree
|
F
| 63
| Karen
| Lord
| Redemption in Indigo
|
F
| 65
| C.J.
| Cherryh
| Hammerfall
|
F
| 114
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| A Fistful od Sky
|
F
| 124
| Ekaterina
| Sedia
| The Alchemy of Stone
|
F
| 126
| Jo
| Walton
| Lifelode
|
F
| 142
| Sarah
| Langan
| Audrey's Door
|
F
| 151
| C.J.
| Cherryh
| Fortress of Dragons
|
F
| 152
| Laurell K.
| Hamilton
| A Kiss of Shadows
|
F
| 153
| Tanith
| Lee
| White as Snow
|
F
| 154
| Elizabeth
| Haydon
| Prophecy
|
F
| 155
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and Goblet ofFire
|
F
| 156
| P.D.
| Cacek
| Canyons
|
F
| 157
| Katherine
| Kurtz
| King Kelson's Bride
|
F
| 158
| Diana
| Wynne Jones
| Year of the Griffin
|
F
| 159
| Barbara
| Hambly
| Knight of the Demon Queen
|
F
| 169
| Nina
| Kiriki Hoffman
| Past the Size of Dreaming
|
F
| 170
| Jacqueline
| Carey
| Kushiel's Dart
|
F
| 171
| Charlaine
| Harris
| Dead Until Dark
|
F
| 180
| Jacqueline
| Carey
| Kushiel's Chosen
|
F
| 181
| | Kushner & Sherman
| The Fall of the Kings
|
F
| 182
| Lisa
| Goldstein
| The Alchemist's Door
|
F
| 183
| Tanith
| Lee
| A Bed of Earth
|
F
| 184
| Cecilia
| Dart-Thornton
| The Lady of Sorrows
|
F
| 197
| Mary
| Gentle
| 1610: A Sundial in a Grave
|
F
| 198
| Kage
| Barker
| The Anvil of the World
|
F
| 199
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| In the Forests of Serre
|
F
| 205
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
|
F
| 212
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Alphabet of Thorn
|
F
| 213
| Elizabeth
| Hand
| Mortal Love
|
F
| 214
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| Murder of Angels
|
F
| 215
| Cecelia
| Holland
| The Witches' Kitchen
|
F
| 231
| J.K.
| Rowling
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
|
F
| 238
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| Solstice Wood
|
F
| 239
| Liz
| Williams
| The Demon and the City
|
F
| 240
| Sarah
| Monette
| The Virtu
|
F
| 241
| Mary
| Gentle
| Ilario: The Lion's Eye
|
F
| 252
| Elizabeth
| Bear
| Whiskey and Water
|
F
| 253
| Ekaterina
| Sedia
| The Secret History of Moscow
|
F
| 254
| Caitlin R.
| Kiernan
| Daughter of Hounds
|
F
| 267
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Bell at Sealy Head
|
F
| 268
| Holly
| Phillips
| The Engine's Child
|
F
| 269
| Cecelia
| Holland
| Varanger
|
F
| 278
| Cecelia
| Holland
| The High City
|
F
| 290
| Patricia A.
| McKillip
| The Bards of Bone Plain
|
F
| 291
| Catherynne M.
| Valente
| The Habitation of the Blessed
|
F
| 292
| Kage
| Barker
| The Bird of the River
|
F
| 293
| Gail
| Carriger
| Changeless
|
Quote from: LiBeat on 17-03-2013, 09:38:33
Hej, znači mi itekako, više no što pretpostavljaš, htela bih da maksmalno smanjim tehnikalije koje mi ograničavaju liste koje su ionako skromne kad je o pouzdanoj statistici reč, s obzirom da gledam na period od svega desetak godina. Recimo, zbog tih i takvih tehnikalija ispala mi je sa liste i K.W. Jeter, i već to znatno utiče na procenat po pitanju tih i takvih skoro pa pseudonima, tako da mi svako ime zaista mnogo znači.
Ali šibni mi ovde molim te i link koji vodi to izvora te tvoje informacije, jer to mi je uslov za korištenje infoa.
Nemam hard evidence na koji mogu da te uputim. Ono što pouzdano znam jeste da su glasine da je Parker muško veoma skorašnje. Sa druge strane, pročitao sam dva ili tri romana objavljena pod ovim pseudonimom, a pročitao sam baš mnogo fantastike iz ženskog pera - i ni u jednom trenutku nisam pomislio da čitam muškog autora. Sad, možemo da pričamo o razlikama između muškaraca i žena u epskoj fantastici, o tome da li ih ima ili nema, ali neki romani imaju specifičan "ukus" i nikada mi se nije desilo da taj ukus osetim kod muškaraca. I obratno, naravno.
hm. hvala ali ne mogu ja taj i takav info da koristim,nego samo pouzdane i lako proverljive fakte...
Pa dobro. Ne teram te. :)
pa ne teras, ali... cini mi se da malko olako nudis informaciju koja je sasvim neproverena i skroz neutemeljena u faktima. pazi, ne smeta to mene licno, da se razumemo, ali to ti je skroz najpouzdaniji nacin da covek ispadne glup u drustvu. zato takav info zaobilazim u sirokom luku.
Gledam neke knjige, pa da pitam najupućenije da li su čitali...
Andri Snear Magnason - LoveStar
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.andrimagnason.com%2Fwp-en%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2008%2F11%2FScreen-shot-2012-10-10-at-14.55.08-330x480.png&hash=c00a90d43273b46893bce9a32900187112324243)
Mike McCormack - Notes from a Coma
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecoffinfactory.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F03%2Fnotesfromacoma-200x300.jpg&hash=cdea63d958c08e6b16e9231b921792a6bc1ec782)
Hugh Howey - Wool
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61DtnZk57qL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=c866f88d24344d980a277940e830275b32d61afc)
Takođe, je li neko čitao novi roman onog Finca čudnog imena - The Fractal Prince?
Ili Angelmaker - Nika Harkaveja?
Ili Half-made World Feliksa Gilmana?
Ili ovo?
richard e gropp bad glass
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1344619095l%2F13367165.jpg&hash=e7256be2298f691ad84bfe8a81c8f1f5427e150e)
Cit'o ja Harkaveja i Gilmana. Gilman je western new weird, izuzetno mi se dopao, ali imaj na umu da postoji i sledeca knjiga koja je neka vrsta nastavka...ili tako necega, gori je od Vulfa po tom pitanju. Harkavej pati od sindroma drugog romana, svidja mi se i on, ali bih razumeo ljude sa porivom da knjigu gnevno izbace kroz prozor. Za coveka koji ima toliko slobodnog vremena poput tebe preporucio bih ti da ga preskocis. A mogu da ti dam obe, jal elektronski, jal u HCu pa ih ti visokoobdareno prelistaj. A i Finca imam, samo ne citam dok ne zavrsi, posto je ocigledno serijal.
Gilmanov Half-Made World je jako dobar! Iskreno, bojim se da će nastavak da me razočara.
Imam istu strepnju u vezi s Rajaniemijevim Fractal Prince-om. Mada ga podosta hvale...
I ja strepim od Ransom City-ja, zato sam nedavno procitao prva dva romana kao psihicku pripremu. :) Valja.
ajao, pa Mica ima da nam skrajne u dark fentezi sa ovim Bad Glass... :?:
a Wool bi zapravo mogao da pozitivno iznenadi, mada je pisan malko isuvise stritvajz za moj ukus, ali ne u losem smislu, nego onako, pomalo... pank. Pre svega desetak godina Wool bi me najverovatnije totalno raspametio.
Quote from: LiBeat on 19-03-2013, 08:23:16
a Wool bi zapravo mogao da pozitivno iznenadi, mada je pisan malko isuvise stritvajz za moj ukus, ali ne u losem smislu, nego onako, pomalo... pank. Pre svega desetak godina Wool bi me najverovatnije totalno raspametio.
Ja ću da sačekam film. Nije da se Ridley Scott - skorije - nešto pretrgo praveći dobre filmove...
Ne kazem da cu da citam, samo sam bio u nekoj dobro opremljenoj knjizari u Hagu (valjda ce da me puste nazad), pa sam malo vrsljao i gledao sta lici na dobro...
Kupio sam The Drowning Girl, to svi kazete da je dobro, kupio sam Oxford Guide to Science Fiction, kupio sam onu ciglu od Weird na popustu i Moxieland tvoje zemljakinje takodje na popustu.
Nego, posto ovih dana nesmiljeno guglam :twisted: , evo nekih tidbitsa koji su stvarno vredni forumskog bukmarka. Ko stvoreno za ljude koji rejduju knjizare u potrazi za opskurnim zanrovskim naslovima, kao nas dragi Mica. xremyb
Na primer -
"The Ultimate Guide to Modern Writers of Fantastic Literature: 1990-Now" -> (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pIWbMZsKi4uXDMKwVbgBTSg&gid=0)
Evo kako naći savršenu knjigu za sebe (http://www.bestinfographics.co/find-the-perfect-book-for-you-to-read-infographic/)
via Best Infographics
Kako bih se tek snašao bez prijatelja... :)
eh, eto vidiš... ja na svakom Gaffovom linku zaglavim uglavnom sat ili dva, pa znam kako ti je. :lol:
nego, da se vratimo brbljanju o romanima koji su nam se jako, jako, onako bašbaš dopali:
najpre Sean Ferrell - Man in the Empty Suit
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41syI2DGcIL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX240_SY320_CR%2C0%2C0%2C240%2C320_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=5327d4d6383d8aff26774ccfb3361dc49c2bcdb9)
Ovaj odličan roman o vremeplovu i njegovim paradoksima startuje sa bezimenim vremeplovcem koji je u svom burnom i haotičnom vremeplovnom životu uspostavio konstantu koje se pomalo grčevito drži: svake godine, na dan svog rođendana, Vremeplovac odlazi na žurku u jedan hotel, u vreme/mesto tačno sto godina od svog rođenja. Na toj žurci bude otprilike sedamdesetak ljudi i - svi su lično i personalno ON. :-D
Svake godine, za tu priliku, on se brižljivo trudi oko svoje garderobe, e da bi lakše mogao da na prvi pogled razlikuje različite faze SEBE: jedne godine nosi skupoceno trodelno odelo, i tog konkretno sebe prepoznaje kao Odelo; druge godine nosi drečavi džemper boje limuna i tog sebe prepoznaje kao Žutog. Svaka pojedinačna od tih sedamdeset verzija Vremeplovca tako je jasno identificirana sa onim što nosi, jer, odelo itekako može da "čini čoveka", zar ne? Bar donekle.
U vreme kada Vremeplovac otvara roman u funkciji naratora, on nosi skupo Odelo i ima 39 godina. Na žurci sa lakoćom prepoznaje sve svoje verzije koje su mlađe od njega, pošto se odlično seća kako je žurci prisustvovao u njihovom telu/odelu, ali niti zna niti prepoznaje svoje verzije koje su očigledno starije od 39 godina, i koje ga, reklo bi se, ne vole odviše. Te kobne 39te žurke, Vremeplovac se lakomisleno odlučuje da izbegne sitni incident koji mu je pokvario pijačno raspoloženje - naime, u pozno doba te konkretno 39te noći, Vremeplovac se sapleo na komilu neopranih tanjira na podu, pao i slomio nos. Bol je, naravno, bila užasna čak i u memorijskoj varijanti a kamoli u onoj krvavostvarnoj, pa se Vremeplovac razumljivo odlučio da te nesrećne tanjire... pa eto, pažljivo zaobiđe. I ostane nepovređen. U tom trenutku, kad je prvi paradoks tako aktiviran, narator je bio uveren da isti neće proizvesti bog zna kakvu tragediju i da će ostati samo njegov privatni, intimni događaj: ali, skoro odmah posle tog izbegavanja tanjira, narator se zatekako kako se seća svog pada i bola koji je usledio, ali kako u isto vreme više nema opipljivu kvrgu slomljenog nosa. I dok je tako razmišljao o toj zanimljivosti, sedamdeset ljudi oko njega je sve više i više postalo neprepoznatljivo i ofucano i očigledno nezainteresovano po pitanju sopstvene garderobe. A kad je među njima pronađen i leš obučen u isto (samo očigledno ofucano) odelo kao i naš 39togodišnji narator, i kad se broj originalnih zvanica žurke neobjašnjivo umnožio do besmisla, kada su se među njima pojavile i verzije Vremeplovca mlađe od šest godina, narator je shvatio da mu ne preostaje ništa drugo do da pronađe svog ubicu, ako želi da dočeka svoj sledeći rođendan.
Pretpostavljam da svaki brižljivo razrađeni vremenski paradoks zvuči pomalo smušeno u sinopsisu, ali ovaj je zaista delikatno razrađen, krajnje brižljivo osmišljen, i veoma, veoma impresivno predočen. Koliko god ta urnebesna postavka o žurci sa sedamdeset verzija samog sebe nekome zvučala kamerno i klaustrofobično, Ferrell je sa lakoćom razvija u obilan i napet zaplet čiji horizonti uvelike premašuju samu "who dunnit" skoro pa krimi konstrukciju. Ferrell iskusno izbegava detaljisanja po pitanju šireg ambijenta, ali daje dovoljno natuknica i insinuacija da pretpostavimo postapokaliptični milje od one "mekše", bezratno-entropijske vrste, koja prvenstveno asocira na ekološki fijasko. Grad u kom Vremeplovac pravi žurku je bezmalo nenastanjen, pun oronulih zdanja koja ipak još uvek imaju poneku lako prepoznatljivu civilizacijsku ostavštinu, recimo, nešto malo tečne vode ili električne struje. Ferrell ne zadire odviše u uzroke tog tužnog stanja pa se o njima i malo zna, ali to i takvo stanje činjenica ostaje apsolutno uverljivo, gledano kroz prizmu vremenskog paradoksa na kom počiva zaplet. Naime, ako Vremeplovac traži način da izmeni sled događaja koji ga prerano košta glave, nema nikakvog razloga da se od tog njegovog napora ne ovajdi i ostatak maglovito umirućeg sveta u kome on još uvek živi.
Ferrell nudi odličan stil, čvrst i samouvereno precizan, naracija je odmerena i gusto pakovana hranjivom informacijom kao energy bar :mrgreen: , nepogrešivo koncentrisana na bitan materijal i lišena praznog hoda. 2010 je Ferrel izbacio prvenac Numb i to je svakako naslov koga ću overiti, tek da proverim da li je u pitanju slučajnost ili zaista imamo posla sa žanrovskim maestrom.
U svakom slučaju, preporuka za sve ljubitelje dobbrog, starog vremeplovnog SFa.
Ricky L. Brown: Finding Women in Science Fiction (http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2013/03/finding-women-in-science-fiction/)
via Amazing Stories
jesssssss!!!
luvju, gafče na tafče, ti si moj heroj! xremyb
doduše, (uzdah + malko splasnuto oduševljenje) tu ima odveć generalija za neku veću moju korist... ali ako, krećemo se u pravom pravcu, a to uvek vredi podržati! xbigok
@ Libeat: Nisam link stavio zbog tebe, pa valjda je jasno da ovo nije dovoljno detaljno za neku ozbiljnu raspravu (kao i većina tekstova na ovom novom Amazing Stories-u, koji me nimalo nije oduševio i sve čekam da preraste u nešto ozbiljnije, al' cvrc, kanda, od toga, al' to je sad druga priča). Nego onako, izdaleka se uklapa u temu.
I, molim te, ne upoređuj me s grahom, jer "grah" na ovom forumu vuče za/sa sobom određeni apendiks.
mnjah, okej onda, totalno maj bed, nije prvina ionako, a pride sam još i neispavana, odoh bolje da požderem nekakav džank fud sa kvazipilećim sastojcima i da razmišljam o... grahu, pasulju, fažolu i tako već tome. :lol:
PS. i apendiksima. Razmišljaću i o apendiksima. upravo mi savetuju da uklonim moj a to znači tri nedelje bolovanja i totalno sranje na poslu koje ću da nasledim od nekom dobronamernog kuradžije koji će da za taj poduhvat čak dobije i povišicu. dakle, dosta danas od mene, idem da se bacim u... vodeno nešto. :cry: :cry: :(
Joj. Drž' se, Libe. :(
hvala Edži ali nije to bog zna kakva frka, zapravo se lomim na dilemi da li da zgrabim tih bogomdanih dvaest dana kao godišnji, s obzirom da sve godišnje spiskam u gorem haosu nego što mi je ovaj radni. :wink:
Inače, imam sve uporniju daydreming sekvencu o doživotnoj robiji, ali za neki istisnki trivijalan krajm koji bi obezbedio minimum sikjuriti prizon sa obavezna 3 obroka dnevno i da osuđenik ceo dan ne radi ama baš ništa nego da čita samo ono što mu se čita... i eto, one's punishment is another's heaven. :lol: :lol:
Die erste deutsche Steampunkanthologie: Von feuer und Dampf (http://scifiportal.eu/steampunk/)
via Europa SF
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31AmST23gYL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click-small%2CTopRight%2C12%2C-30_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=a4436e00323b13761caf38b3333f7ae12208176c)
Ne dešava mi se često da me žanrovski roman sveže u čvor onako kako me The Yiddish Policemen's Union svezao, ali opet, to se od žanra slabo i očekuje, čak i onda kada se fokusirate na njegov ozbiljniji, da ne kažem književniji segment. I ne kažem sad da The Yiddish Policemen's Union nije žanrovska književnost - itekako jeste, i to u više žanrova istovremeno - ali ako kažem da jeste samo žanr, onda to svakako kažem tonom sa kojim bih rekla i da je Ferari samo automobil a Beluga kavijar samo namaz za tostovani hleb. I tu sad ne pomaže ni fakt da se roman sasvim svrhovito služi žanrovskim klišeima i tropima i da je lako prepoznatljiv i kao paralelna istorija baš i kao tvrdi detektivski roman - činjenica ostaje da The Yiddish Policemen's Union jeste sve to, ali ujedno jeste i nešto drugo, nešto što može lako da izmakne u svojoj podtekstualnoj ogromnosti. Nešto što može lako da te sveže u čvor, nakon što te pri čitanju učini manjim od makovog zrna.
U briljantno složenoj fantastičnoj premisi paralelne istorije (ni sad nisam sigurna da li je tu ispravnije reći paralelna ili alternativna istorija), The Yiddish Policemen's Union se odmiče od poznatog nam sveta još za vreme WW2: umesto današnjeg Izraela, koji je uništen skoro odmah po osnivanju, Chabon nudi svet u kom je napravljena jevrejska enklava u Aljasci. Ostatak jevrejske istorije i tragedije je manje-više očuvan u celosti, s tim što mu je sama ideja o polarnoj dijaspori dodala dimenziju za koju je ponekad istinski teško proceniti koliko je u pitanju fakt a koliko fikcija. A da stvar bude kompleksnija, čak i ta polarna Obećana Zemlja suočava pretnju smaknuća, ostavljajući Chabona da slobodno razlaže i iznova sklapa mit o Jevrejinu Lutalici, o narodu bez zemlje i čoveku bez doma koji bi i u svojoj naskromnijoj varijanti bio njegov dvorac. Ta ogromna scena je postavljena na zapanjujućem minimumu detalja, a pošto se hrani na veoma veštoj manipulaciji poznate nam dnevnopolitičke informacije, na čitaocu ostaje da se rve sa prepoznavanjem samih obrisa te tvorevine, pa ko dokle stigne, to u procentima gledano.
Na platformi tog i takvog alternativnog sveta, odvija se skoro pa klasična detektivska priča: Meyer Landsman je policajac predstavljen na klišeu čendlerovskog stanja poodmaklog raspada. Razveden od žene u koju je i dalje beznadežno zaljubljen, suočen sa svom ispraznosti sopstvenog bitisanja, Landsman živi u jeftinom hotelu i svaku noć zaspiva utapajući svoju tugu u alkoholu, sve do jutra u kom ga upravnik hotela obavesti da je u susednoj sobi pronašao leš brutalno ubijenog gosta. To ubistvo postaje otelotvorena manifestacija Landsmanove intimne spoznaje o sopstvenoj beskorisnosti - brutalno ubistvo se desilo svega par metara od komatizovanog policijskog detektiva, koji je u alkoholnoj izmaglici prospavao svaki znak i zvuk pokojnikove samrtne borbe. A pošto je Sitka grad u kom svako poznaje svakoga i svako o svakome sve zna, Lansmanu je iz samog tog čina postalo očigledno kako su ga to nepoznate ubice procenile - kao beskorisnu pijanduru od koje ne treba strepiti ni pri izvođenju najgoreg od svih zločina. Dosledan detektivskom motivu kapi koja preliva čašu, Landsman grčevito skuplja poslednje ostatke samopoštovanja i prilazi ubistvu kao ličnoj uvredi, investirajući se u istragu duž linija moralnog iskupljenja. Rešen da taj poslednji čin u svojstvu policijskog detektiva pretvori u labudovu pesmu svog promašenog života, Landsman beskompromisno istražuje sudbinu nepoznatog leša i pri tom otkriva obrise tragedije dovoljno ogromne da prekrije daleko više od sudbine nekolicine ljudi ili čak čitavog jednog naroda.
I upravo je to otkrivanje raznoraznih obrisa u The Yiddish Policemen's Union izvor oduševljenja i malodušnosti jednako: oduševljenja što ste u stanju da rasklapate tu izuzetnu proznu tvorevinu kao origami hrizantemu, a malodušnosti što usput naslućujete i mogućnost da i niste baš dorasli tom činu, koliko god da vam usput zadovoljstva pružao. Što je više angažujete, to se sama konstrukcija sve više nadnosi nad vama, stavljajući vas u perspektivu u kojoj sami sebi sve više i više patuljasto izgledate, sve dok se solidno ne ustalite na već pominjanoj dimenziji makovog zrna. Ushićenje kojim ispratite uspešno razlaganje dvostrukih značenja u prvom pasusu koji vam ih ponudi, ujedno će markirati i rađanje crva sumnje da Chabon saopštava tok misli čijem dešifriranju možda ipak niste dorasli. Jer eto, jednom kad otkrijete iskaz koji ima dvostruko značenje, otkrijete i da to dodatno značenje zahteva izvesan skok u razumevanju, skok do tačno određenog mesta do kog može da stigne samo onaj ko je u stanju da dešifruje sam iskaz. Upravo u tom momentu otkrivate da ste zasenjeni ogromnošću konstrukcije u koju su taj i njemu slični iskazi tako zbijeno upakovani. Tog momenta se zapitate da li osim ta dva značenja iskaz ne krije možda i treći, koji vam izmiče? i da li su i svi ostali iskazi impregnirani višestrukim značenjima? i da li su sva meandriranja zapravo samo meandriranja, ili su samo plod vašeg polu-razumevanja? i da li su sve misteriozne jasnoće u iskazima zaista jasne, ili se rikošetiraju na značenja koja vam uporno izmiču, samo zato što niste dovoljno programirani da razumete kod preko kojeg vam se saopštavaju? a i ti iskazi koje ste do tada dešifrovali, kako su oni tačno konstruisani? ako priđete tekstu u očekivanju linearne komunikacije a onda se zateknete katapultirani na neku potpuno neočekivanu konotaciju, ko može da vas uveri da ste zapravo razumeli tu bizarnu putanju kojom ste do razumevanja katapultirani?
Pa eto... niko. I stoga ćete se uvek iznova vraćati na sve misteriozne jasnoće za koje sad slutite da u sebi najverovatnije kriju mnogo više od onoga što vam je očigledno. I čitaćete roman najmanje dvaput duže no što bi čitali bilo kakav žanrovski roman o propalom detektivu koji se nada iskupljenju kroz ispravljanje singularne nepravde u vidu brutalnog ubistva. I kad ga najzad pročitate, i kad saznate ko je i zašto izvršio ubistvo, nećete baš mnogo biti voljni da o svemu tome razglabate. Umesto toga, zatvorićete knjigu sa strahopoštovanjem i čendlerovski tvrdim obećanjem da ćete joj se vratiti za dve ili tri godine, kad malo sazrete i postanete makar malo obrazovaniji za navigaciju okeanima ozbiljne književnosti, svesni činjenice da santa leda nad nivoom vode pokazuje samo desetak procenata količine prostora kog zapravo zauzima.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.risingshadow.net%2Flibrary_link%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F30778.jpg&hash=947e148f90fd587fbca07395d071e13ba1d09b4d)
Michael Swanwick: Dancing with Bears
Michael Swanwick je jedan od SF pisaca na čijim sam noveletama odrasla, pa zato i ne krijem da mi je i dandanas jedan od favorita u čiju se prozu i na neviđeno mogu pouzdati. Ali njegov najnoviji roman Dancing with Bears je sa lakoćom nadmašio i najveća moja očekivanja, nudeći postapokaliptični posthumanizam u verziji urnebesnoj i dirljivoj istovremeno, verziji koja zbog svog suptilnog humora i dobrostivog svetonazora sa lakoćom prevazilazi uobičajene granice parodije.
Likovi u romanu su nam već odavno predstavljeni kao "prevaranti sa Stilom", to u nekolicini ranijih priča objavljenih u zbirci The Dog Said Bow-Wow: Aubrey Darger, čovjek skoro pa nalik nama (makar samo po svojoj hroničnoj depresivnosti :) ) i Sir Blackthorpe Ravensciarn de Plus Precieux, ili kako se sam predstavlja - Sir Plus. Naravno, to Sir Plus je vrlo brzo postalo "Surplus", a Surplus je... pa eto, pas. Ali ne bilo kakav pas, nego čistokrvni američki lisičar genetski modifikovan u vrlo, vrlo estetski privlačno ljusko obličje. Već u ranijim pričama Darger i Surplus su najavili svoje putešestvije u neofeudalnu Bizantiju, sa namerom da moskovskog Vojvodu olakšaju za legendarno blago zakopano duboko ispod ruševina Kremlja. Ali sad najzad otkrivamo da je postapokaliptična Rusija ujedno i posthumanistička noćna mora: sve te sofisticirane i brižljivo isplanirane lukavosti sa kojima su Darger i Surplus planirali da, u lopovski-džentlmenskom Arsen Lupin stilu, sebi pribave bogatstvo dostojno umirovljenja, suočiće se sa brutalnom silom ruskog posthumanističkog plemstva. A ta sila nam je svima lako prepoznatljiva upravo zbog svojih čekističkih manira i staljinističkog svetonazora. I mada je Darger na kraju našao basnosnovno blago duboko ispod ruševina Kremlja - nije veliki spojler ako sada otkrijem da je u pitanju bila biblioteka - istovremeno ga je izgubio u vatri i rasulu, i time je sva njegova brižljivo satkana konstrukcija postala uzaludna i nerodna, ostavljajući ga skoro pa tamo otkud je i krenuo, mada sa jednom vrlo važnom prednošću.
Swanwickov futurizam me fascinira ponajviše zbog silne energije koja izvire iz njegovih skoro pa šizofreno duhovitih postapokaliptičkih krajnosti. Recimo, AI su se otele ljudskoj kontroli i planiraju kompletno uništenje ljudske vrste, ali taj konkretno prevrat planiraju uglavnom duž linije sračunatog političkog prevrata; kad se najzad pokrenu sa svojim genocidnim namerama, naše mašine će imati silan respekt ne za naše kreativne sposobnosti koje su ih iznedrile, nego jedino za naše makijavelističko politikanstvo. Isto tako, kad ljudska rasa duboko ogrezne u posthumanističke kontroverze (u romanu je skoro jedino Darger prepoznatljiv kao čovek), naći će se bez boljeg transporta od nosiljke u snažnim rukama nandertalaca. Te urnebesne krajnosti sa lakoćom održavaju visoku tenziju romana koji se čita kao najdublji eskapizam i najpronicljivija satira ujedno.
Uvertira kojom je Swanwick oprezno najavio čitaocima da u njegovom ekstremno maštovitom futurizmu ne bi trebalo pronalaziti ma kakve negativne konotacije naspram Moskve koju on veoma voli, nije mi bila ni najmanje potrebna, pošto njegovo iskreno čovjekoljublje izvire iz svakog napisanog slova i iz svake ponuđene scene. Povremeno hihotanje koje ovaj roman daruje svom čitaocu je dražesno toplo i sjetno i iskreno i dirljivo i, zbog svega toga, beskrajno šarmantno u svojoj lekovitosti. Swanwick piše o postapokalipsi toliko opsjednutoj vlastitom prošlošću da su se svi njeni heroji, periodi i parole naprosto morali stopiti u posthumanističke himere kao što su Baba Jaga ili Tzar (ha!) Lenjin. Skoro da nema strmije ljudske stramputice od one koju stvara kolektivna svijest bazirana na pogrešno upamćenoj i još pogrešnije protumačenoj istoriji, i to je materijal od kojeg se mogu napisati genijalni romani, a ovo mi je jedan od upravo takvih.
:evil: :evil: :evil:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi48.tinypic.com%2F2lj0uv5.jpg&hash=89e3fab7bf1bfc34af2ca9576a3ba0653df5c97e)
Zbogom Suki! (http://gollanczdarkfantasy.tumblr.com/farewellsookie)
via Gollanz
Ubiše juče Hugh Howey-jev post. (http://www.tobiasbuckell.com/2013/04/12/dont-punch-down/)
via Tobias Buckell
Lukavac je taj Tobajas, od vrlo proračunate vrste.
Nego, izgleda da nekakve podvodne ideološke turbulencije skoro pa nežno ljuljaju žanrovski brodić; istina, malko su više vidljive u onom visočijem delu šeste umetnosti, a pošto je žanrovski okrajak ionako populističkiji u svakom bogovetnom smislu, tako su mu i dotične turbulencije srazmerno manje artikulisane. Prašina koja se ovih dana diže oko David Mamet afer(ic)e mogla bi imati svoj pandan u žanrovskom segmentu kroz eventualnu Dan Simons aferu, samo kad bi neko smatrao da je populistička književnost vredna truda i vremena da se neko oko nje bakće.
Nekako se potrefilo da je Mamet izgubio podršku do tada mu odanih renomiranih levičarskih kritičara taman u vreme kad je završio svoju lični i privatni u-turn od one pomalo ideološke vrste. Neki misle da je u pitanju slučajnost po svim tačkama dnevnog reda - da se Mamet dočekuje na nož kritike ne zbog sticanja konzervativnog svetonazora, nego zbog pada u kvalitetu materijala kojeg isporučuje, a to je univerzalna kritičarska pokuda koju je uvek bilo teže osporiti negoli dokazati, tako da bi verovatno isto tako funkcionisala i kod Simonsa. Što se mene tiče, ja uopšte ne primećujem pad kvaliteta u Simonsovom autputu, što će reći da mislim kako nije očigledno niti napredovao niti nazadovao. Naprosto, takav je kakav je i inače bio. Ali je interesantno primetiti kako su žanrovske nominacije došle i prošle bez Simonsa. Što ne znači da su iste bile bog zna na kakvom nivou - naprotiv, većina nominovanih naslova bili su uglavnom stimpankično spejsoperični proizvodi sa vrlo malo ili češće nimalo supstance.
E sad, pošto su Mametu našli da je premator, da ga je pregazilo vreme, da mu nije preostalo ništa relevantno da saopšti savremenoj publici, pitanje je da li bi se isto to moglo reći i za Simonsa. Teror mu nije bila bog zna kakva plaforma za displej svetonazora, pa niti Black Hills, ali Flashback itekako jeste (što je obilato i iskoristio), ali su zato oba romana prilično impresivno urađena, i na idejnom i na književnom planu, dok se Flaschback doima srazmerno skromnije. Svejedno, zanimljivo je da su sva tri naslova prošla ispod nominacijskih radara, što je možda slučajnost, a opet - teško da jeste, kad se radi o renomiranom imenu. Tri romana za tri godine... pa, čovek bi očekivao da će bar jedan da zalomi nešto. I dobro sad, nije to bog zna kakva tragedija, ali fakt ostaje da su i Teror i Black Hills među boljim Simonsovim delima (svakako bolji od Drooda), recimo, pa je tako pomalo paradoksalno da su mu neka ranija (i slabija) bolje skorirala i u nominacijama i u nagradama. Ovako, ko baci pogled na nominacije u zadnjih par godina, pomislio bi da Simons uopšte ne postoji.
Flashback je svojevremeno izazvao orkan u šoljici mlake vode, neku vrst canned scream reakcije u kojoj su se mnogi našli lično uvređeni konzervativnim svetonazorom romana. Ta aktivnost nije trajala dugo prosto zato što je bila plasirana u domenu istomišljenika, pa nije bilo niti jednog jedinog suprotnog glasa koji bi od tih i takvih deklaracija napravio išta nalik stvarnoj kontroverzi, recimo kroz plasiranje suprotne tačke gledišta. Iza svih takvih pravoverničkih "rivjua", nanizao bi se tred od pedesetak postova čiste podrške i saglasnosti, tako da je cela afera vrlo brzo zamrla, za razliku od Mungejta, recimo. Ne znam koliko je ta afera koštala svoju vlasnicu, to bar tržišno gledano, ali verujem da će se to videti na sledećem naslovu koji Munova izbaci, prilično sam ubeđena da će ga mnogi naći kvalitativno drastično "ispod" Brzine mraka. Opet, možda ni to nije bog zna kakva tragedija, bar nam pisaca ne fali, a ni naslova, hvala bogu, ali svejedno, čovek prosto poželi da tu i tamo pročita prozu sa kojom se možda i neće složiti, ali će barem biti dovoljno provokativna da dozvoli makar i malu mogućnost da savremeni žanr ne pišu samo brain-dead liberali, nego i neke misleće jedinke. Pa makar bile i u krivu.
(Miodraže, ovo je kanda u tvoj generalno levičarski smer upućeno... xfrog )
24 Wonderfully Bonkers Werner Herzog Quotes (http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/24-wonderfully-bonkers-werner-herzog-quotes/)
Ovaj roman Ursule Poznanski je 2011 dobio nemačku nagradu za omladinsku književnost i nakon toga žari i pali internacionalno: do sada je preveden na više od dvadeset jezika, a to je svakako uspeh poštovanja vredan. A ono što je najlepše od svega - pošteno ga je zaslužio, u ovo današnje sivkasto doba sa pedeset nijansi sumraka i gladnih igara.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51LEPnsEEfL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX225_SY300_CR%2C0%2C0%2C225%2C300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=c6e245304d67c6883ceed708c93ac3edae22244f)
Erebos je MMORPG sa veoma neobičnim pravilima igre: Erebos se ne može niti kupiti, niti pozajmiti, niti ukrasti, nego samo dobiti na poklon od nekog aktivnog igrača, i to samo onda kada mu to sama igra naredi. Erebos zahteva da se logujete pod pravim imenom, da se u igru uključujete samo na svom kompjuteru, i to dok ste sami i u potpunosti neometani, i da nikada i ni sa kime ne raspravljate o samom Erebosu. Jednom kad se uključite i aktivirate, otkrićete da igra zna skoro sve o vama, čak i neke najprivatnije stvari za koje smatrate da ih nikada nikome niste poverili. Isto tako, otkrićete da je Erebos ne samo sveznajući, nego i živ: Erebos sa svojm igračima komunicira preko sopstvenih avatara i svaka vaša akcija proizvešće unikatnu reakciju Erebosa, a svako vaše pitanje će se ne samo u potpunosti razumeti, nego i u celosti precizno odgovoriti.
Van tog impresivnog aspekta, Erebos je MMORPG kao i svaka druga: pred vašeg avatara se postavljaju zadaci manje-više klasični za sve slične kompjuterske igre. Srednjevekovno-starogrčki šmek Erebosa nudi vam priliku da budete elf, vampir, gnom ili patuljak, i da mačevima i kopljima i strelama i noževima ubijate zmajeve, trolove i ostale mitske kreature, to sve u cilju osvajanja zlata, nivoa, i finalne nagrade u vidu ulaska u Uži Krug petorice najsposobnijih i najhrabrijih ratnika Erebosa.
Igra je zarazna do te mere da od svojih igrača pravi teške ovisnike već u ranoj etapi sticanja imena i karakteristika vlastitog avatara. Nick Dunmore, srednješkolac kojem se posrećilo da dobije na poklon disk sa kopijom Erebosa otkriva to na najdirektniji mogući način - odmah po učlanjenju u Erebos, Nick otkriva kako su svi njegovi dotadašnji interesi i hobiji naprasno izgubili svoju draž. Ostao mu je samo Erebos.
Vrlo brzo se ispostavlja da je Erebos daleko više od onlajn kompjuterske igrice: Erebos svojim takmičarima dodeljuje zadatke koji se moraju rešiti u stvarnom svetu, zadaci čije uspešno izvršenje rezultuje dragocenim nagradama u Erebosu. Ali uskoro ti zadaci sve više vrlo zlonamerno upliću Nicka u nejasne praktične šale sa prijateljima i poznanicima, a Erebos nekako uvek nepogrešivo zna da li je zadatak u stvarnom svetu uspešno ispunjen ili ne, i shodno tome nagrađuje ili kažnjava avatar vlasnika. I naravno, kada Nick odbije da u potpunosti izvrši zadatak za koji zna da bi sasvim sigurno rezultovao smrću jednog od učitelja u njegovoj školi, Erebos ga za kaznu potpuno izbacuje iz igre.
Nick je isprva potpuno slomljen gubitkom igre koja mu je toliko značila i pokušava na sve načine da se u nju vrati. Ali Erebos je nemilosrdan, i niko od aktivnih igrača se ne usuđuje da mu pomogne. Delimično frustriran zbog izbacivanja iz igre o kojoj je toliko postao ovisan a delimično postiđen zbog nekih aktivnosti u kojima je zbog Erebosa svojevremeno učestvovao, Nick odlučuje da sa nekolicinom prijatelja otkrije šta to Erebos zapravo namerava da postigne sa zadacima koje tako beskupulozno postavlja svojim igračima. Odgovori na ta pitanja ubrzo stižu i otkrivaju veoma sofisticirane kriminalne namere koje Nicku ujedno i nude šansu da se iskupi za sva (ne)dela u kojima je donekle nehotično i u neznanju sudelovao.
Ovaj dobro tempiran i ubedljiv triler sa lakoćom uspeva da ostane unutar granica koje omladinskoj književnosti po logici pripadaju. Likovi u romanu su stvarni i uverljivi a njihovo sazrevanje po pitanjima praktičnih i moralnih dilema je veoma pošteno i iskreno prikazano. Nakon što je izbačen iz Erebosa, Nick ispoljava simptome veoma nalik onima koje ispoljavaju ovisnici kada im se uskrati droga, a griža savesti se javlja tek kasnije, tek kada se ta ovisnička kriza donekle prebrodi. Taj realizam daje romanu relevantnost kakvoj se uvek nadamo kod popkulturne književnosti, i upravo to i jeste njegova najimpresivnija dimenzija - egzistencijalni problemi i duboke moralne dileme koje ih prate, stavljeni u pristupačne savremene okvire, dobijaju vrednost koja odnosi prevagu u onom famoznom odmeravanju snaga gde se poučno i zabavno nadmeću za primat. I najlepše od svega - u ovom konkretno formatu, oni najbolje komuniciraju sa upravo onom publikom sa kojom najviše i vredi komunicirati.
Ooohhh, kakva romančina! :-D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbookyurt.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F07%2Ffragment-197x300.jpg&hash=163f9411dd8b579efa67e09e64ac5fa4a4495442)
Warren Fahy je rođen u Holivudu, što će reći da mu je svakorazna ekstravagancija majčino melko i hleb nasušni, pa je otud i ovaj roman neka vrst revije najekstravagantnijih podžanrova naučne fantastike: imamo tu Fantastična putovanja, Prvi kontakt, Izgubljene civilizacije, Paralelnu Istoriju i još par strujica i podstrujica kakvim je SF bio ponajviše sklon u svom Zlatnom dobu a bogami i malko pre toga.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfreviews.net%2Flarge_covers%2Ffragment.jpg&hash=ca3778051312fc833f0cd787222c019f9109aa83)
Dakle, roman se otvara jednom stvarno slađanom epizodicom iz 1791: H.M.S. Retribution u lovu na pobunjenički H.M.S. Bounty. Kapetan H.M.S. Retribution, Ambrose Spencer Henders naišao je na nemapirano ostrvo u sred Pacifika. Pošto je pristup ostrvu bio skoro nemoguć zbog podvodnih hridina, kapetan Henders je poslao čamac sa trojicom posade i buradima za svežu vodu. I našli su vodu, nije da nisu, ali su pritom našli i nešto... pa eto, veliko i zubato.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.warrenfahy.com%2Fimages%2Ffragment_more11.jpg&hash=2a02598b4a4472e91afee1ab20dedac9a42b8f58)
Dva veka kasnije, reality show Sealife se snima na istoimenom brodu: posada je krcata naučnicima koje je primamio finansijski aspekt šoubiznis, ali među njima je i Nell, koja je u Sealife avanturi videla upravo priliku da nekako stigne što je moguće bliže ostrvu Henders. Jer da, ostrvo je dobilo ime po nesrećnom kapetanu koji ga je ubacio na mapu, ali je i dalje ostalo netaknuto, kapetan se pobrinuo da naglasi kako na ostrvu nema ništa, kako je u pitanju opasna hridina bez vode i bez ikakve flore i faune. Kapetan Henders se dobro pazio da u svom dnevniku ne ostavi ništa išta što bi ljude ikako zaintrigiralo da se ostrvu približe, a Nell je, kao biolog, bila upravo time i zaintrigirana. I kad su Nell i nekolicina iz Sealife ekipe najzad dobili priliku da provere tačnost dnevničkih zapisa kapetana Hendersa, na ostrvu ih je dočekalo... hm, pa, recimo samo - iznenađenje.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_2bAF64IYhZ0%2FTGBTV1UbdiI%2FAAAAAAAAAtM%2F51J0zxaER0I%2Fs320%2Fdiskant.jpg&hash=709a2f0001083f86b6acd8cd0f8533693af2d9a5)
Fahy je Vern/Chrichton kombinacija, pa još uz to i na spidu. Polazeći od pretpostavke da je Australija u svom skromnom period izolacije iznedrila obilje evolutivnih ekstravagancija, Fahy svoje ostrvo stavlja u izolaciju više od dvadeset puta ranije, kad je život na planeti bio striktno na nivou zglavkara. Rezultat je opčinjavajući, najbliže rečeno. A unikatni način pripovedanja pravi od romana još jednu dobitnu kombinaciju, ovog puta hibrid između na momente šundastog eskapiste i izuzetno naučno potkovanog prirodoslovca. Rezultat je, šta drugo reći, do – fenomenalno zabavan. Obilje neverovatno agresivnih vrsta koju se nalaze na ostrvu Henders prikladno je skicirano, i to na način koji romanu daje poseban šmek. I da ne duljim, evo par ilustracija u ime preporuke, a ja odoh da se bacim na nastavak Fragmenta, koji je zapravo samo nastavak avantura naših junaka, ljudskih i neljudskih jednako, a ne samog zapleta, koji je u Fragmentu odlično i veoma optimistično zaokružen.
( ostatak ilustracija imate na http://www.warrenfahy.com (http://www.warrenfahy.com) )
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.warrenfahy.com%2Fimages%2Fetching04_spiger.jpg&hash=f1c9cfbd3bb297a425bc8bb7d997e2d7f66b684b)
A-ha! xuzi
Wikipedia's Sexism Toward Female Novelists
I JUST noticed something strange on Wikipedia. It appears that gradually, over time, editors have begun the process of moving women, one by one, alphabetically, from the "American Novelists" category to the "American Women Novelists" subcategory. So far, female authors whose last names begin with A or B have been most affected, although many others have, too.
The intention appears to be to create a list of "American Novelists" on Wikipedia that is made up almost entirely of men. The category lists 3,837 authors, and the first few hundred of them are mainly men. The explanation at the top of the page is that the list of "American Novelists" is too long (http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/opinion/novel.jpg), and therefore the novelists have to be put in subcategories whenever possible.
Too bad there isn't a subcategory for "American Men Novelists."
People who go to Wikipedia to get ideas for whom to hire, or honor, or read, and look at that list of "American Novelists" for inspiration, might not even notice that the first page of it includes far more men than women. They might simply use that list without thinking twice about it. It's probably small, easily fixable things like this that make it harder and slower for women to gain equality in the literary world.
Here's the page on American Novelists, if you're curious to take a look:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_novelists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_novelists)
And here's the page on American Women Novelists:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_women_novelists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_women_novelists)
I looked up a few female novelists. You can see the categories they're in at the bottom of their pages. It appears that many female novelists, like Harper Lee, Anne Rice, Amy Tan, Donna Tartt and some 300 others, have been relegated to the ranks of "American Women Novelists" only, and no longer appear in the category "American Novelists." If you look back in the "history" of these women's pages, you can see that they used to appear in the category "American Novelists," but that they were recently bumped down. Male novelists on Wikipedia, however — no matter how small or obscure they are — all get to be in the category "American Novelists." It seems as though no one noticed.
I did more investigating and found other familiar names that had been switched from the "American Novelists" to the "American Women Novelists" category: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ayn Rand, Ann Beattie, Djuna Barnes, Emily Barton, Jennifer Belle, Aimee Bender, Amy Bloom, Judy Blume, Alice Adams, Louisa May Alcott, V. C. Andrews, Mary Higgins Clark — and, upsetting to me: myself.
Some lucky female novelists, mostly the ones who are further down in the alphabet, haven't been gotten to yet and are still in the big category "American Novelists." Some are in both categories. But probably not for long.
I also noticed that Edwidge Danticat was plucked from "Haitian Novelists" and dumped into "Haitian Women Novelists." So it seems, at least, that women from different countries are treated the same. It's just too bad they're not treated the same as men.
I belong to an e-mail group of published female writers called WOM (it stands for Word of Mouth). Some of the members are extremely well known. On Tuesday morning, when I made my discovery of this sexism on Wikipedia, I sent them an e-mail about it. I have since then been deluged with scandalized responses from these female authors. Word is spreading at a phenomenal rate, on Facebook and elsewhere. Already, changes are being made to the category "American Novelists." A couple of female authors have started appearing on the first page, when yesterday there were only men.
Wikipedia is created and edited by its users. Hopefully, those users are starting to get the point. Amanda Filipacchi is the author (http://www.amandafilipacchi.com/) of the novels "Nude Men," "Vapor" and "Love Creeps." She is finishing a new novel.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/wikipedias-sexism-toward-female-novelists.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/wikipedias-sexism-toward-female-novelists.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0))
The story seed for Prophet of Bones popped into my head while I was working as a lab tech in a research facility. For me, my best stories seem to come to me as a combination of two ideas that somehow get mixed together in my brain and come out as a strange, new beast.
I'd recently been reading about the controversy surrounding the archaeological find on the island of Flores—the so-called hobbit specimens, Homo floresiensis. There was a lot of argument about what these tiny bones actually represented. Were they just pathological modern humans, or were they a new species? This find was incredibly exciting to me. It was so strange and unexpected. I remember one scientist saying in an interview that he'd have been less surprised at finding aliens than finding the bones they dug up from the bottom of that pit. I read everything I could find on these bones, and I gradually developed my own opinions about where they might fit among the phalanx of existing archeological specimens.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51xsWJppbSL.jpg&hash=8ea8c048af83f306e312372bb63da7067dc25692) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805096175/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805096175&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming00-20)
Around that same time I actually got into a discussion with a friend of mine who happened to believe in young earth creationism. Like me, he'd had a religious background while growing up, and I realized that although we hung out together a lot, it was in some ways as if we inhabited two different worlds, side by side. In his world, the Earth was 5,800 years old. In my world, the Earth was ancient beyond ancient. Yet there we were, eating lunch across the same table from each other. I came up with the idea for the story when I asked myself what I'd be like living in his world. If I had this same fascination with anthropology and genetics. If I had the same obsession for bones. It hit me like a bolt of lightning then, an idea so big that I had to write it. A world that granted young earth creationists their argument. A world where creationists had the scientific dating on their side. I mean, it could have happened that way, right? I mean, not from our perspective looking back, but from a much earlier perspective looking forward, it could have all unfolded that way. All those early tests on the age of the Earth might have come back young. So I decided to write that. But there is this catch. Nothing else gets to change. All the same bones are in the ground. All the same fossils, right down to Homo floresiensis on that tiny island in Indonesia. They're all still there, and scientists are still digging them up—only now there is no evolution to explain them. To me, that is a far more disturbing world than the one in which we now live. The story became a kind of thought experiment. In a world without evolution, you have to search for other explanations for what you find. Other reasons for those bones to exists, and the answer might not be something you expect.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51RLVVr4GIL.jpg&hash=18a201838a567cca33cdd963641cb9e1c5a71bea) (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1405910305/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1405910305&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21)
The best part about writing a book that relates to a subject matter that you're generally obsessed with is that it gives you all kinds of latitude to spend your days on fun stuff like research instead of hard stuff like writing. People ask you why you're wasting your whole day reading books, and anthropology studies, and science blogs, and you can say, "Research!" Of course, I'd been doing a lot of that before I started writing the book, but now I finally had a valid excuse for it.
People ask me about the mice at the beginning of the book, and the truth is that I spent years breeding mice, and some of what I learned is what fueled my later interest in science. I'd decided to set the story partially in a research lab because I was working in a research lab at the time I was writing, and it just seemed to fit the story well. They say to write what you know, so between my first and second book, I seem to have created my own little sub-genre of "lab-rat in trouble." My third book, which I'm working on now, continues this theme. Grisham writes about lawyers. Other authors write about cops, or doctors, or vampires. I write about lab guys. I can't seem to help it.
Ted Kosmatka
Official Website (http://www.tedkosmatka.com/)
Order Prophet of Bones here:
Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805096175/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805096175&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming00-20) | Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1405910305/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1405910305&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21)
Pandemonijum.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.warrenfahy.com%2Fimages%2Fpandemonium_hardbackx.jpg&hash=e6307007a92be5635cbb8cdbd88ad1309c14587e)
hmhm.
Ne, nije ni do kolena Fragmentu. Ali dobro, to je sad već u pitanju fenomen prevelikih očekivanja, više nego bilo šta drugo. Objektivno govoreći, Fahy je osrednji pisac sa vrlo dobrom idejom, i ta kombinacija može uspešno da ga provuče kroz prvi tom, ali za drugi je već potrebno malko više... nečega. A štagod to bilo, Fahy ga baš i nema, ili bar ne u izobilju, tako da Pandemonijum skorira upola manje, iako pritiska iste one formulaične dugmiće na kojima je Fragment tako fino odsvirao to što je imao.
Pandemonijum nudi isto tako izolovan ekosistem, ali ovog puta duboko u podzemlju Urala. Maksim Dragolovič, ruski neomafiozo, kupuje u Kaziristanu nekadašnji mokri san druga Staljina - Pobedograd, nedovršeni podzemni polis koji je trebalo da obezbedi preživljavanje komunističke elite u eventualnosti nuklearng rata. Razlozi zbog kojih je gradnja Pobedograda prekinuta postali su u međuvremenu neka vrst urbane legende, pa Maksim nije odviše obraćao pažnju na te neverovatne glasine. Ali jednom kad je kupio podzemnu građevinu, i kad je pokušao da dovrši ono što su gulagovi zatvorenici svojevremeno započeli, otkrio je da te urbane glasine i nisu bile sasvim netačne, usprkos svoj neverovatnosti. Nakon velikih žrtava u građevinskom ljudstvu, Maksim je shvatio da prepreka završetku radova na Pobedogradu leži u neobičnom podzemnom jezeru zvanom Pandemonijum. Ili tačnije, u njegovoj neobičnoj fauni, koja naizgled liči na faunu Hendersovog ostrva iz Fragmenta. Maksim se, naravno, postarao da pribavi upravo naučnike koji su imali direktna iskustva sa ostrvom Henders i oni, na čelu sa Nell, otkrivaju fascinantnu pozadinu još jednog paleobiološkog ekosistema.
Ali ovaj, alas, nije toliko intrigantan, makar samo zato što se ne oslanja na prepoznatljiva evolucijska pravila na kojima je svet Hendersa tako cvetao. No ipak, fer je priznati da su ova romana sasvim dobrodošla prinova u podžanru kojeg je Crichton lansirao u visoku orbitu.
Dobro sad, nije mi običaj da ovde prijavljujem svoju nadasve retku pročitanu nefantastiku, ali ajde sad, krimić je panja za sve ljude dobre volje, a ovaj krimić se bašbaš željno iščekivao, ionako. A i vredi svoju težinu u dolarima, bez obzira na sve dlake u jajetu, jer bože moj! sve je to protein, zdravo i hranjivo i prirodno, smažeš dlaku-dve i da ne vidiš, a i da vidiš, pa šta, nema veze ako ne smeta. :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41561dOF-VL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=11218f62e61dfa171d91e222a62eed59c53e641c)
Ali ajde da se zadržimo na dobrim stvarima: policijski krimić, detektivski čak, i to sa malko noar šmeka i sa taman onoliko popkulturnih referenci koliko čoveku treba da se oseti trendi, in, on the top of the crime things.
Ovo vam je, dragi moji, Wire, a kud ćete bolju preporuku. :-|
Okej, ne baš samo srce Wire, ali svakako jeste neki njen reprezentativniji komadić prepoznatljive fizionomije, recimo seksi Meknolti osmejak, i to iz pete mu sezone, onako fino začinjen svetovnim naborima zrelog čoveka koji je svašta video, svašta uradio i ništa ga više ne može istinski šokirati, nego tek onako mlako, površinski, da ne kažem privremeno i epizodno.
Warren Ellis ne krije da crpi iz Žice. Naprotiv, Warren Ellis to speluje za one sa jetinijim ulaznicama:
[show direct message conversation]
D MACHENV: CALL ME ON A CLEAN PHONE RIGHT NOW
D WESTO911: clean phone? what am i stringer fucking bell?
hah! :-D Vrisak!
Dalje od toga, Ellis donekle ripofuje i samu karakterizaciju, ali samo skin-deep plitko i površno, tek koliko je neophodno za na-prvu-loptu poistovećivanje.
Jer, Tallow nije McNulty, iako posduje tu karakterističnu (samo)destruktivnu crtu koja svojom čistom strastvenošću sa lakoćom konvertuje bezosećajnost zakona u čistu strast vigilantizma.
Isto tako, među njegovim saradnicima Scarly nije Kima Greggs, iako je lezbejka sa vrlo specifičnim bračnim problemima, a ni Bat nije niti Lester niti Prez, iako ne oskudeva sa karakteristikama koje su nekako bile pomalo reprezentativne za obojicu.
Ali najbolje od svega - premisa da se odjednom pronađe velika količina vatrenog oružja sa kojim su izvršena ubistva i da sam taj čin aktivira velik broj nerešenih ubistava je svakako najdirektnija moguća asocijacija na ono famozno otkrivanje leševa u napuštenim kućama.
Doduše, tu negde konkretne sličnosti prestaju, mada roman uspeva da na njih asocira od samog početka pa do kraja.
Ellisova ideja naizgled ostaje unutar domena šizoidnih psihopata na koje su nas već navukli Ellroy i Harris, tako da tu i nema bog zna kakvog šoka koji bi zahtevao silnu suspenziju neverice, to bar ne do samog kraja. Opet, to što je kraj otvoren za neke primedbe, to bi opet moglo da bude samo do mene, makar samo zato što ovaj konkretno roman ne može ni pod periferno razno da se ugura u horor žanr, na način na koji su se svi tematski slični romani ugurali. S druge strane, ponekad mi se činilo da ovde upravo toga nedostaje, tog uzgrednog ali bitnog začina koji je od Harrisovih romana pravio štivo dvaput vrednije čitanja no što bi inače bilo. Ovako, u striktno racionalnoj izvedbi, roman uvelike podseća na izvesno delo prezimenjaka, što u ovom kontekstu uopšte nie kompliment, pošto je više no očigledno da Bret Easton to mnogo bolje radi.
Sve u svemu, dobar i napet krimić, prava uživancija za čitanje.
It is well past time for any new comments on Paul Kincaid's "The Widening Gyre (http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?id=904&fulltext=1)" or Jonathan McCalmont's response to such, "Cowardice, Laziness and Irony: How Science Fiction Lost the Future (http://ruthlessculture.com/2012/10/03/cowardice-laziness-and-irony-how-science-fiction-lost-the-future/)." However, I've been reading one of Damon Knight's collections of criticism,
In Search of Wonder, and came across the following gems. They come back-to-back-to-back in a chapter on Anthologies, discussing the first three Judith Merrill
S-F, the Year's Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy anthologies. (Pardon the typos, as these excerpts are all transcribed, not pasted.) Starting with 1955:
Readers of Miss Merril's previous anthologies already know that her taste is unfaltering [...] Taken altogether, the eighteen stories (and the eighty honorable mentions in the back of the book) give an intriguing picture of science fiction, 1955. The spread of subjects is rather small: there are six space stories, three about robots or androids, two each about psi phenomena and supermen, and a scattering of others: but no cataclysm stories, no dangerous inventions, no time travel. The range of periods is correspondingly small: one story takes place in the past, the rest either in the present or the comparatively near future.
[...] the one thing that most of these stories have in common is their tragic mood. Miss Merril worked hard to keep this from overbalancing the collection I know–one of the year's best but most dismal stories had to be jettisoned on that account–and yet all but seven of the stories
[out of eighteen] that were finally chosen give a dominant impression of sadness [...]
I have the feeling that in spite of itself, science fiction is pulling in its horns. In these stories, we are visited three times by beings from else-where, but our own far traveling is limited to wistful glimpses of distant worlds [...] The flow of technological marvels has dried up. Of the eleven stories which make some use of the familiar "world of tomorrow" background, only one–Asimov's–explores the consequences of a new invention; the rest merely postulate the usual equipment, spaceships, robots or what have you, and go on from there.
In the space stories, the sense of destination is lacking. Sturgeon's "Bulkhead" takes place in a spaceship, but it might just as well have been a psychoanalyst's broom closet. Gone is the exuberance with which, in the thirties, writers peopled far planets with fascinatingly cockeyed life forms. Modern astronomy is no doubt partly responsible for this, but certainly there has been a change of mood among the writers, too. There was a lightheartedness in the way prewar writers used to destroy the Earth by solar flares, invasions, earthquakes or inundation; but stories like "The Hoofer" [Walter M. Miller] and "The Cave of Night" [James Gunn] seem to suggest a feeling that nothing so fortunate is likely to happen.
I am far from wishing to suggest that all this is evidence of the desperate plight of our times: to the contrary, science fiction was never more romantic and outward-looking that in the Depression years. What it does prove, if anything, is the desperate (and traditional) plight of writers.
Then for the same anthology covering 1956:
It may be that science fiction, which looks so flourishing, is coming to the end of its cycle. I crib this notion from Walter Kerr, who thinks our disillusionment with technological progress has already doomed out present theater, with its naturalistic conventions and its preoccupation with ideas drawn from science.
Maybe the same thing is happening to science fiction. Of the fifteen stories in this collection, three are upbeat in tone [...] The rest range from mild, almost cheerful pessimism [...] to the unrelieved gloom of my own "Stranger Station."
Knight defends his own gloominess thus:
(I have been writing gloomy stories for years, in a reaction against the silly convention that ruled in the magazines when I was a pup, that all stories must have happy endings. But I think a convention of gloom is just as silly as the other one, and you may expect me to turn optimist just as soon as I can retool for it.)
But that doesn't stop him from going on:
The point is not so much that the people in these stories come to sticky ends; I'm used to that. But never before have the futures imagined by sf writers seemed to me so thoroughly dismal.
A little of this goes perhaps a longer way that we have been realizing. All right, our confidence in the future has slipped a little, for good reasons, in the last decade; all right, science fiction is among other things a literature of escape and of protest: but surely we don't have to bang the same drum all the time.
Then we move on to the 1959 volume:
More and more during the last ten years, the field has come to be dominated by writers who are interested in s.f. chiefly as a convenient vehicle.
Hardened old addicts have been watching this change a little dubiously. In style, depth of character, and other literary values, the new work is superior (that is to say, the top tenth of it–the remainder, according to Sturgeon's Rule, is, was and will be crud). But what we used to regard as the essential thing in s.f.–the technical idea, rigorously and imaginatively worked out–is almost as passe as the pure deductive element in the mystery novel.
This is dramatically shown by the contents of Judith Merril's fourth annual SF, the Year's Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy. The thirteen s.f. and fantasy stories are of high quality; but there is not one new s.f. idea in the book, unless you count Avram Davidson's madly ingenious notion about the life-cycle of the bisexual bicycle.
[...] As I noted earlier, "Casey Agonistes" by Richard M. McKenna, and "Space-Time for Springers" by Fritz Leiber, seem to me the strongest stories in the book. Both are pure fantasy. Almost invariably, where an s.f. gimmick appears in the other stories, it does so with an air of intrusion, and the story is weakened by it.
What we are calling "s.f.," it seems to me, is at an awkward transitional stage. Either that, or (more hopefully), the field has drifted as far as it can go in the direction of indifference to science, and in the next few years we can expect a resurgence of space stories written by people who can tell the moons from the comets.
Compare this with Kincaid in 2012:
THE OVERWHELMING SENSE ONE GETS, working through so many stories that are presented as the very best that science fiction and fantasy have to offer, is exhaustion. Not so much physical exhaustion (though it is more tiring than reading a bunch of short stories really has any right to be); it is more as though the genres of the fantastic themselves have reached a state of exhaustion.
And McCalmont:
I think that science fiction has lost interest in the world and fallen out of step with the times resulting in the emergence of a narcissistic and inward-looking literature devoid of both relevance and vitality.
Consider that the years 1955-1959 were only 10-15 years before landing on the moon, and that Judith Merril's later anthologies are now considered to be critical to the development of the New Wave.
Having done the year's best review circuit myself, I can empathize with the feeling of exhaustion and despair it can engender in the reviewer, especially in Paul's case when he had to review three at once. I once had to review two for one column (http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2008/08/years_bests_edi.shtml), and afterwards the editor apologized and promised that I could review novels for the rest of the year.
Still, if 10 years after Knight had his despair we landed on the Moon and started the New Wave (the period on which Kincaid and McCalmont look back nostalgically, as Knight looks nostalgically on the thirties), then I expect great things from NASA and SFWA no later than 2025.
P.S. In Search of Wonder is a book that the late Charles N. Brown more-or-less forced me to buy at the 2008 WorldCon in Denver. I caught up to him in the dealer's room as he was heading back to the Locus table. He, in his power scooter then, quickly veered over to the NESFA (http://www.nesfa.org/) table and started handing me book after book that I "needed to read." I'm unashamed that I bought them all, and just I'm sorry that it took me until 2013 to start reading this Knight collection. It really is great and sheds a lot of perspective on sf literature (and debates about the same) over the years.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/s480x480/393027_334175210042303_820736515_n.jpg)
:-D
Re: Machine gun
Ti si prva koja se javila pozitivnim utiskom o tom romanu. Oto, Phuzzy, Dolinka... razočarani.
Doći će valjda i to na red za čitanje -_-
Da se razumemo, imam ja zamerki, i to poprilično. Konstrukcija može malko da te uhvati na prepad, recimo, vrlo brzo se otkriva ko je Lovac i posle toga njegov POV je paralelni tok romana, pa se tu otvara malko više no što bi možda trebalo. Isto tako, dosta samog zapleta je skoro pa ornamentalno, dobro stoji i lepo izgleda ali ništa konkretno ne radi, cela ta postavka kako je Tallow došao do Lovca je skoro incidentalna, a i rano se u romanu dešava, pa to skine jedan deo suspensa na koji maltene računaš, onaj whodunnit deo. Pa onda Ellis ima čudan manir zaskakanja, bože mi prosti, tempo je takav da ti on ponudi odgovore na pitanja i pre no što ih sebi postaviš, sve je pod njegovom kontrolom i ti samo kliziš kud je njega volja, ko bob na ledu. Pa ta neiskorištenost motiva, mislim, dvesta komada vatrenog oružja, dvesta, pa neki još i sa silnom ljubavlju preuređeni, pa to je dvesta komada ubistava, a Ellis ofrlje štrpne par intrigantnih (da sad ne spojlujem), pa ni to ne sjuri do kraja. Pa ta neujednačenost Lovca, vamo čovek hodajuća halucinacija, a tamo metodičan i sistematičan i praktičan, i zuji to malo u ušima, ali ajde, puštaš do kraja, sve misliš da je dobar mamac i tako to... Pa te Ellis onda pomalo i izradi, jelda, eventualno, ne da ti to maltene obećano, i osetiš se izmanipulisano, nije da nije, ali opet... zakk, ništa ti to meni nije ozbiljno zasmetalo, ništa, šta da ti kažem, slistila sam roman u cugu. Šibnuću mu četvorku na gudridsu, makar što me tako lako i pošteno izradio, računam da i to valjda nešto vredi...
The Defining Science Fiction Books of the 1990s (http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/the-defining-science-fiction-books-of-the-1990s/) 1950s (https://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/the-defining-science-fiction-books-of-1950s/) – 1960s (https://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/the-defining-science-fiction-books-of-the-1960s/) – 1970s (https://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/the-defining-science-fiction-books-of-the-1970s/) – 1980s (https://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/the-defining-science-fiction-books-of-the-1980s/)
The 1990s was the last decade of the century and the millennium, and although science fiction has been around for centuries, it feels like the genre blossomed in the second half of the 20th century. By the last decade it feels fantasy flavored SF had overtaken hard science fiction in popular appeal, but many of the most successful science fiction books of the 1990s were about space travel. Vernor Vinge, Iain M. Banks, Dan Simmons, and Peter F. Hamilton began paving the way for the New Space Opera of the 2000s. Ben Bova, Greg Bear and Kim Stanley Robinson used NASA's recent knowledge of the solar system to build new visions of interplanetary colonization. And more than ever, science fiction is concerned with the post-human future.
SF writers of 1990s represents the centennial descendants of H. G. Wells, and his genre originating novels
The Time Machine (1895) and
War of the Worlds (1898). Where Wells explored the impact of Darwinism, 1990s science fiction writers were inspired by NASA interplanetary probes, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the many breakthroughs in contemporary cosmology. It's quite amazing, but in the 1990s, both the scientific universe and science fictional universes are tremendously bigger than the objective reality of the 1950s and its science fictional universes. Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke loom large in our history, but modern science fiction writers stand on their shoulders and see much further than they ever imagined.
Yet, I would claim by the 1990s that it was obvious that science fiction had forked in its evolution. On one hand, we still have a branch of science fiction inspired by science, but on the other hand, it's all too obvious that the larger branch of science fiction is inspired by older science fiction. New sub-genres like Military SF, seemed descended from 1959's
Starship Troopers by Heinlein, and isn't the sub-genre of galactic empire romances descended from Asimov's Foundation stories? NASA will never be able to send a probe to either of these universes. Whereas, Kim Stanley Robinson and Michael Flynn are practically begging NASA to use their books as blueprints for its future budgets.
A handful of writers dominated the decade with their series books. Lois McMaster Bujold, Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson and Vernor Vinge, all won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards as well as getting many nominations, and winning other genre awards.
Kim Stanley Robinson set the standard for hard science fiction with his decade spanning Mars trilogy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_trilogy). He won two Hugos and one Nebula by writing about a realistic colonization of the Red planet.
Lois McMaster Bujold had so many award winning books in the 1990s that picking the best is impossible.
The Vor Game,
Barrayar,
Mirror Dance,
Cetaganda,
Memory, Komarr and
A Civil Campaign are probably getting even more readers today than in the 1990s. The Vorkosigan Saga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga) just keeps on growing. And fans debate whether new readers should follow publication order (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vorkosigan_Saga#Listing_by_date_of_first_publication) or internal chronological order (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vorkosigan_Saga#In_internal_chronological_order).
Connie Willis won five Hugos and three Nebulas in the 1990s, with
The Doomsday Book winning both. Willis has carved out a much loved series based on time travel and history, blending two genres together, and like Bujold, Willis keeps expanding her series today.
Vernor Vinge picked up two Hugos and two Nebula nominations for
A Fire Upon the Deep and
A Deepness in the Sky, proving that fans still love a good space opera.
Some people have asked me how I make up these lists of memorable science fiction books. The first one, about the 1950s, was more from personal memory, but eventually I discovered various resources I used for the later decades. I start with Internet Speculative Fiction Database (http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi). I use its advanced search and look up novels, language and type. I only worry about books in English. I go down their listings looking for books I remember reading or reading about. I can right click on any title to bring up it's bibliographic record which includes how often it was reprinted and whether or not it won any awards. Most valuable is whether the book made the Locus Poll that year. That's the first indicator how popular a book was with the fans during the year it came out.
I also study various best of lists to discern long term popularity. I look for books that get picked time and again. This is how I create the short list called the Best Remembered books. The longer Defining Books list are those books which got particular notice during the year they came out. Most of these have been frequently reprinted and are often on some of the best SF of all time lists. I avoided fantasy novels unless they won or were nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, or other SF award.
Best of Book Lists
- The Classics of Science Fiction By Year (http://classics.jameswallaceharris.com/ByYear.php)
- Top 100 Sci-Fi Books (http://scifilists.sffjazz.com/lists_books_rank1.html)
- Next 100 Sci-Fi Books (http://scifilists.sffjazz.com/lists_books_rank2.html)
- NPR Top 100 SF/F Books (http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books)
- Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Fiction:_The_100_Best_Novels) (David Pringle pre-1985)
- Locus Best SF Novels of All-Time (https://www.worldswithoutend.com/lists_locus_bestsf.asp) (pre-1990)
- ISFDB Top Books by Year (http://www.isfdb.org/topnyear.html)
- All the Lists at Worlds Without End (https://www.worldswithoutend.com/lists.asp)
The Best Remembered Science Fiction Books of the 1990s
- The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons (1990)
- Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick (1991)
- A Fire Upon the Deep/A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
- Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992)
- The Doomsday Book/To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
- The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993)
- Parable of the Sower/Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (1994)
- The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson (1995)
- A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (1996)
- The Sparrow/Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
- The Vor Game/Barrayar/Mirror Dance/A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Defining Science Fiction Books of the 1990s
JWH – 5/2/13
Korisno!
Pročitala samo 14 sa spiska. :cry:
E, sad, malo su fejk te suze pred forumskom javnosti kada se uzme u obzir da je ta ista javnost (u to sam sto posto siguran) u proseku procitala mnogo manji broj od toga -- inkluding majself, dakle:
1990
Pacific Edge by Kim Stanley Robinson *****
The Quiet Pools by Michael P. Kube-McDowell ***
1991
A Woman of the Iron People by Eleanor Arnason tbrp
King of Morning, Queen of Day by Ian McDonald ***
Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick ****1/2
1992
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh *****
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson *****
1993
Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress ****
Nightside the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe ****
Virtual Light by William Gibson ****
1994
Beggars & Choosers by Nancy Kress ***
Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling ****
1995
1996
Holy Fire by Bruce Sterling tbrp
1997
Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson *****
1998
Mission Child by Maureen F. McHugh tbrp
1999
1990
Earth by David Brin
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1991
All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
1992
Jumper by Steven Gould
Mars by Ben Bova
1993
Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Moving Mars by Greg Bear
On Basilisk Station by David Weber
Virtual Light by William Gibson
1994
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1995
Brightness Reef by David Brin
Chaga by Ian McDonald
Sailing Bright Eternity by Gregory Benford
1996
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold
Endymion by Dan Simmons
Memory Lois McMaster Bujold
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
1997
A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
1998
Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson
1999
A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
i da dodam da je potpuno licemerno što je Martin na ovom spisku.
Ne znam bas koliko je korisno, tj. smisleno. Prodje se kroz spisak nominovanih i nagradjivanih romana i izvuce se kao neki zakljucak iz toga? Takvih spiskova ima na netu i vise no sto nam treba. I topik "Nagrade" bi, tako, mogao da se izdvoji kao mesto gde se mogu naci "definisuce" knjige u poslednjih par godina. Pokazalo se da vreme jeste najstroziji sudija i nagrade coveku mogu samo da posluze kao upute za citanje. 13 godina posle ocigledno je da su mnogi romani sa ovog spiska potpuno nebitni u sirem kontekstu fantasticne knjizevnosti (zanrovskog SFa cak) i spisak bi mogao mirne duse bar da se prepolovi.
(33, inace 8) bar mislim)
Quote from: Melkor on 10-05-2013, 13:19:36
Ne znam bas koliko je korisno, tj. smisleno. Prodje se kroz spisak nominovanih i nagradjivanih romana i izvuce se kao neki zakljucak iz toga? Takvih spiskova ima na netu i vise no sto nam treba. I topik "Nagrade" bi, tako, mogao da se izdvoji kao mesto gde se mogu naci "definisuce" knjige u poslednjih par godina. Pokazalo se da vreme jeste najstroziji sudija i nagrade coveku mogu samo da posluze kao upute za citanje. 13 godina posle ocigledno je da su mnogi romani sa ovog spiska potpuno nebitni u sirem kontekstu fantasticne knjizevnosti (zanrovskog SFa cak) i spisak bi mogao mirne duse bar da se prepolovi.
(33, inace 8) bar mislim)
Pretekao si me za jednu. :-D
Edit: I potpuno sam saglasan sa tvojim stavom.
@Melkor: znaš, mene baš ta dekada intrigira u ovom smislu, verovatno zato što mi je lično ostala pomalo konfuzna i slabo definisana, za razliku od dekada koje su joj prethodile i usledile. Moj SF skor na ovoj listi je prilično mizeran, a povrh toga, nije ni bio savremen, neke od naslova sam pročitala tek u sledećoj dekadi. I to je valjda jedan od najjačih razloga zašto su mi 90te ostale nekakva zona sumraka: pre njih, čitala sam selektivno, po sklonostima, uglavnom zlatno doba i kiberpank, a posle njih sam čitala uglavnom po preporukama, jer tad je već bila era elektronske knjige, sajtova i onlajn rivjuistike i tako to. Ali u 90tim sam bila prepuštena uglavnom sama sebi, pa je tu dominirao uglavnom komercijalni horor, valjda zato što je bio najpristupačniji u to doba. Zato me ove liste uvek pomalo uhvate u raskoraku, ne mogu baš precizno da se setim da li su ti današnji naj-izbori iz produkcije 90tih i onda bili ovako očigledni, to bez da se gledaju nagrade i uže nominacije. Znam da bar meni nisu bili očigledni, ja imam uglavnom slabo mišljenje o tadašnjoj SF produkciji, ali polako dolazim do zaključka da je za to kriva uglavnom moja pogrešna procena, pošto se onomad iscrpnija informacija o žanrovskoj produkciji uglavnom mogla naći u žanrovskim magazinima, i to isključivo u papirnatoj varijanti. Sve u svemu, ostala mi je to intrigantna dekada, nešto kao sušni period neposredno pre poplave internet piraterije.
Dalje, zanimljivo mi je da i danas teško nalazim pošteno urađene pirate iz te dekade, bar kad su u pitanju manje komercijalna i poznata imena: ti pirati su uglavnom falični i felerični, pa ih ni ne skidam više a kamoli čitam. Danas mi je lakše da nađem perfektan pirat bilo kog broja magazina iz zlatnog doba nego, recimo, Trišu Salivan. Njen Maul sam čekala i čekala i ništa, pirati ga ignorišu, bog zna zašto. Na kraju sam ga kupila i eto, on konkretno vredi svojih para ali to baš i nije bio slučaj sa ostalim knjigama koje sam kupila na neviđeno, bez prethodnog overavanja pirata. Trenutno imam listu od nekih stotinjak naslova koji me zanimaju a koje ne mogu da nađem u pirat verziji, i paradoks je da su sve to naslovi iz užih nominacija za poznate žanrovske nagrade, ali naprosto, imena nisu dovoljno zvučna ni komercijalna, pa i interesovanje pirata izostaje. Slutim da zasigurno polovina te moje liste nije vredna čitanja a time ni kupovine, pa nekako uvek bacim pogled na ovakve liste, mada znam da nisu bog zna kako pouzdane, ali opet... kad je o žanru reč, šta je pa pouzdano? :)
Hm, 25 komada, nije lose, pogotovo s obzirom da sve slabije citam na engleskom i da martina dosad nisam ni pipnuo :)
1990
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
The Difference Engine by Gibson and Sterling
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
King of Morning, Queen of Day by Ian McDonald
The Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
1992
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
Jumper by Steven Gould
Mars by Ben Bova
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
1993
Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress
Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Nightside the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe
Virtual Light by William Gibson
1994
1995
Brightness Reef by David Brin
Chaga by Ian McDonald
Legacy by Greg Bear
Sailing Bright Eternity by Gregory Benford
1996
Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Endymion by Dan Simmons
1997
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
1998
1999
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
:mrgreen:
Science fiction novels for economists
(http://noahpinionblog.blogspot.ca/2013/05/science-fiction-for-economists.html)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffc05.deviantart.net%2Ffs20%2Fi%2F2007%2F282%2F7%2Fe%2FScrapyard___Tiphares_by_Desdinova84.jpg&hash=f1f585ade7c69c03237d668c8b1cf3a7aa80d404)
LM, dakle, ah zo, imamo za sada suverenog kandidata za knjigu godine! :!:
Da je Vudi Alen ikada osetio potrebu da se izražava kroz primarno prozu, ovo je vrsta romana kakvoj bi svakako stremio. Kažem samo stremio a ne i napisao :twisted: , pošto je za moj groš Vudijev humor odveć vulgaran u hiperintelektualiziranju trivijalnih mu opsesija, no dobro, to nema mnogo veze sa ovim, ionako. Jer ovom je pak momku to samo pošlo za rukom, nego k tomu još i bez vidljivog truda. Oh myyyy, rekao bi Takei i bio skroz u pravu :mrgreen: .
Ned Beauman je 2010 izbacio prvenca Boxer, Beetle, a sad, u nežnom dobu od ciglih dvadeset i osam godinica, proizvodi roman kakav bi ponudio najmanje dvostruko stariji i trostruko iskusniji neurotično žovijalni cinik.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51cYz%252BbuUpL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX342_SY445_CR%2C0%2C0%2C342%2C445_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=1fe2a4a29fd2e94727b6cb6089dc0d5638adeabe)
Glavni lik romana, Egon Loeser (hah!) startuje svoj životopis u Berlinu Vajmarske republike, i to u nekoj vrsti polusveta umetničke elite. Tačnije rečeo, Egon pripada onom maltene klasičnom podskupu tog polusveta, podskupu kojeg sačinjavaju odveć ambiciozni a očigledno nenadareni diletanti, što uporno gravitiraju ka kafanama, pozorištima i generalno noćnom životu kojeg vode upravo ti popularni umetnici-boemi, te tako sebi stvaraju kvazi-imidž kvazi-karijere hobnobovanja sa istima. Egon je lako prepoznatljiv po tom pitanju, skoro pa kao entitet za poster: bavi se mišlju da piše roman, iako godinama nije napisao niti jedne jedine rečenice, niti ima blagu predstavu o čemu bi uopšte i pisao, osim neke maglovite i opsesivne premise o tragičnom incidentu sa Teleport mašinom kojom je Adriano Lavićini u doba Luja 14tog sravnio sa zemljom pozorište na dan boga premijere. A kako njemu bliski ostali članovi berlinske diletantske bratije izbacuju minorna prozna delca koja se čitaju u uskom krugu ljudi uglavnom zato što nude tračeraje o stvarnim osobama, Egon dolazi do zaključka da prepreka rađanju njegovog romana leži u činjenici da on sam nije dovoljno seksualno aktivan, pa shodno tome i nema dovoljno intimnih tračeraja sa kojima bi mogao da ispuni jezgro svoje pisanije. Ta frustracija odmah postaje Egonova primarna opsesija a objekat opsesije postaje Adele Hitler, osamnaestogodišnja nećaka izvesnog Adolfa, promiskuitetna devojka koja je intimno upoznala naizgled ceo Berlin, i koja izgleda jedino Egonov krevet uporno obilazi. Što je, naravno, u Egona smesta proizvelo opsesivnu reakciju koju on sam sebi prepoznaje i tumači kao iskrenu i bezuslovnu zaljubljenost. I kad Adele napusti Berlin i ode u Pariz a kasnije i u Los Anđeles, Egon je prati, krcat paukovom strpljivošću i psećom odanošću, rešen da će upravo ona biti žena njegovog života, makar samo zato što je tako teško osvojiva.
Naravno, ništa u Egonovom životu nije tako linearno i jednostavno kao što bi se moglo pretpostaviti iz njegove opsednutosti tom najbitnijom od svih njegovih opsesija. Egon oscilira između apsolutne posvećenosti sopstvenoj seksualnoj frustraciji i apsolutne nezainteresiranosti za svet oko sebe, to jednako u Berlinu kao i u Los Anđelesu. Egonova apolitičnost je od one bezvremene i standardno autistične vrste koju poseduju samo oni ljudi koji žive isključivo u svetu unutar sopstvenih slepoočica, tako da je upravo Egon otelotvorenje Teleport mašine u čijem centru sedi čovek apsolutno nedodirnut godinama i dekadama najtrubulentnijih zbivanja u ljuskoj istoriji. Tokom čitavog romana, Egon egzistira u samom centru zbivanja i srcu političkog, društvenog i kulturnog orkana koji je temeljito izmenio lice i sadržaj celokupnog sveta, pa ipak, Egon kroz njega prolazi sasvim nedodirnut i neizmenjen, na distanci koju može da ima samo čovek koji zbivanja ko sebe promatra kroz mali prozor teleport čaure sopstvenog bitisanja.
The Teleportation Accident je dosegao širi izbor za 2012 Booker Prize, ali naravno, taj skoro pa mijevilovski proizvoljan fantastični aspekt romana je svakako teško probavljiv za mejnstrim crevo, a ujedno je i isuviše metaforičan, to bar gledano kroz striktno žanrovsku prizmu, tako da... njegovi aduti leže uglavnom u besprekornom stilu, elegantnoj elokvenciji, impresivnoj narativnoj ekonomiji, savršenom dizajnu pojedinca koji predstavlja prepoznatljiv tip, maestralnom skiciranju pronicljive i sadržajne groteske bez i jedne mrvice posezanja za karikaturom i suptilnom, produhovljenom humoru koji proizilazi iz duhovne miopije protagoniste.
Malo li je? :-D gaddem magnificent štivo!
Joe Hill reads from NOS4R2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdfEdK95KoE#ws)
nego, evo malecke kontroverze: kopirajt u svemiru... :lol:
The Economist explains How does copyright work in space?
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/05/economist-explains-12?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/how_does_copyright_work_in_space (http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/05/economist-explains-12?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/how_does_copyright_work_in_space)_
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.economist.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Ffull-width%2Fimages%2F2013%2F05%2Fblogs%2Feconomist-explains%2F20130518_blp507.jpg&hash=2ece5e0153352d1a5e920506ce5c8d7f5575215b)
CHRIS HADFIELD has captured the world's heart, judging by the 14m YouTube views of his free-fall rendition (http://youtu.be/KaOC9danxNo) of David Bowie's "Space Oddity", recorded on the International Space Station (ISS). The Canadian astronaut's clear voice and capable guitar-playing were complemented by his facility in moving around in the microgravity of low-earth orbit. But when the man fell to Earth in a neat and safe descent a few days ago, after a five-month stay in orbit, should he have been greeted by copyright police? Commander Hadfield was only 250 miles (400 km) up, so he was still subject to terrestrial intellectual-property regimes, which would have applied even if he had flown the "100,000 miles" mentioned in the song's lyrics, or millions of kilometres to Mars. His five-minute video had the potential to create a tangled web of intellectual-property issues. How does copyright work in space?
The song "Space Oddity" is under copyright protection in most countries, and the rights to it belong to Mr Bowie. But compulsory-licensing rights (http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/01/digital-music-rights) in many nations mean that any composition that has been released to the public (free or commercially) as an audio recording may be recorded again and sold by others for a statutorily defined fee, although it must be substantively the same music and lyrics as the original. But with the ISS circling the globe, which jurisdiction was Commander Hadfield in when he recorded the song and video? Moreover, compulsory-licensing rights for covers of existing songs do not include permission for broadcast or video distribution. Commander Hadfield's song was loaded onto YouTube, which delivers video on demand to users in many countries around the world. The first time the video was streamed in each country constituted publication in that country, and with it the potential for copyright infringement under local laws. Commander Hadfield could have made matters even more complicated by broadcasting live as he sang to an assembled audience of fellow astronauts for an onboard public performance while floating from segment to segment of the ISS.
That is because the space station consists of multiple modules and other pieces (called "elements") under the registration of (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/International_Space_Station/International_Space_Station_legal_framework) the United States, the European Space Agency (ESA) consortium, Russia and Japan. The agreement governing the ISS makes it clear (in Article 5) that the applicable laws, including those governing IP rights, depend on which part of it an astronaut is in. This is most relevant when astronauts conduct science or write accounts of their work, whether for public or private parties, although equally true during their off hours. The audio and video seem to have been recorded entirely in the Destiny module, owned by America's space agency, NASA, and the Cupola, which previously owned by the ESA (and would thus have been governed by European law) but was transferred to NASA in 2005. The video was transmitted to Canada (probably through ground stations around the globe), where Mr Bowie's former bandmate Emm Gryner added a piano accompaniment and others edited and produced the final product. But recording a private performance does not violate any laws; a violation only occurs if the material is publicly distributed. Had the song been broadcast from space, Mr Bowie's lawyers would have been entitled to seek redress in Canadian and American courts, in addition to any objections they might have raised based on YouTube views elsewhere. If Commander Hadfield's employer, the Canadian Space Agency (http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/expedition34-35/default.asp), had been deemed to authorise the recording, transmission and distribution of the song while he was on the clock, Commander Hadfield might be off the hook for damages. But he would also, under Canadian copyright and employment rules, retain ownership in the work unless he had specifically assigned it to the CSA.
In this particular case the matter is straightforward because Commander Hadfield had obtained permission to record and distribute the song, and production and distribution was entirely terrestrial. Commander Hadfield and his son Evan spent several months hammering out details with Mr Bowie's representatives, and with NASA, Russia's space agency ROSCOSMOS and the CSA. The copyright issue may seem trivial, but the emergence of privately funded rocket launches, space tourism and space exploration hold the potential for more substantive disputes. If an astronaut were to travel to the Moon, an asteroid or Mars on a privately funded spacecraft, the situation would become knottier still, because the United Nations Outer Space Treaty of 1967 applies to countries, not companies or private individuals. J.A.L. Sterling, a London-based expert on international copyright law, anticipated all this in a 2008 paper, "Space Copyright Law: the new dimension (http://www.qmipri.org/documents/Sterling_SpaceCopyrightTreaty.pdf)", in which he lists dozens more potentially problematic scenarios that could arise, some seemingly risible at first. He asks what would have happened if, on a moon landing broadcast live by NASA across the world, two astronauts were overcome by emotion and burst into song—one covered by copyright. NASA might still be engaged in litigation 40 years later. More prosaically and immediately plausibly, Sterling considers space travellers who put copyrighted material from Earth on a server reachable from space, or engage in rights-violating "public performances" for crewmates. If the first person to walk on Mars decides to launch into "A Whole New World" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ1Rb9hC4JY#), the rights will need to have been cleared with Disney first.
Treći roman Lauren Beukes će joj svakako pribaviti horde poštovalaca i van fantastike, pošto je The Shining Girls ponajprije napet i odlično vođen psiho-triler kojem fantastični element tek dodaje ekstra tvist: Beukes svog serijskog ubicu nudi kao vremeplovca, i to sasvim doslovno. E sad, ja sam veliki skeptik po pitanju krosovera fantastike i krimića, meni to spajanje često izgleda pomalo nepotrebno a u većini primera i beskorisno, nešto kao uporno mućkanje ulja i vode, da bi se na kraju, i to uz mnogo truda, dobilo nit' ulje nit' voda koja ničemu ne služi a uz to još i ne radi. Ali u ovom slučaju bar, nema mjesta takvoj strepnji.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1367464868l%2F17877447.jpg&hash=a3fc9567f6e76716871b72e62ed758499f91cdcc)
Harper je homicidalni psihopata. Harper živi u Kući čija se vrata otvaraju u vreme koje Haper poželi. Harpera fasciniraju devojčice pretpubertetskog uzrasta ali Harper nije pedofil: Harper se trudi da pretpostavi u kakve će žene one izrasti i da li će zadržati taj nedefinirani karakterni kvalitet kojim su ga i privukle. Otud Harper devojčicama daje na poklon igračku i obećanje da će se ponovo sresti, za nekih desetak godina. Naravno, to će biti desetak godina za devojčicu ali svega dan ili dva za samog Harpera, koji će odmah po povratku u Kuću otvoriti vrata u vreme deset godina nakon tog susreta, i krenuti u potragu za istom tom devojčicom koja će tada biti već mlada žena u ranim dvadesetim godinama.
A kad je najzad nađe, Harper će je ubiti na vrlo specifičan način: Harper će joj obavezno rasporiti stomak i razvući iznutrice, jer se Harper smatra haruspeksom. Na svakoj sceni ubistva, Harper ostavi nekakav token svog pregalaštva sa drugom žrtvom - suvenir iz drugog doba, uglavnom budućnosti. A onda Harper naiđe na Kirby Mazrachi i njenog odanog psa i zbivanja se otmu kontroli, čak i u haotičnoj konstrukciji vremenskog paradoksa.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwkrq.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F01%2Fshininggirls-240x300.jpg&hash=2367f4e0cd9805282fba5bd30a789580d4a58caa)
Lauren Beukes zna da iznenadi, a to se mora prepoznati kao odlika majstora, kako god da se samo iznenađenje na kraju prihvatilo. Malo toga iz njenih prethodnih romana ostaje kao referenca za svedeni i brutalni The Shining Girls. U mnogim domenima je očigledno da se radi o napretku - samo tempiranje je perfektno, na primer. Iako je roman skroz epizodičan po svojoj konstrukciji (svako poglavlje je iz drugog vremenskog perioda), konačni utisak je prilično linearan i iznenađujuće lak za praćenje, a tempiranje po pitanju otkrivanja samog zapleta je zadivljujuće sinhronizovano kroz ogroman raspon vremena i likova. Isto tako, uverljivost samog detektivskog saspensa je očaravajuća, sa svim onim obaveznim ćorsokacima neshvaćenih dokaza i nesklopljenih delova slagalice, jer istini za volju, tako to i jeste u stvarnom životu, bar za nas koji smo žanrovskim prohtevima odavno prerasli 'Herkul Poaro' rasplete. Ali najveći paradoks kojim me roman oduševio leži u činjenici da mu je upravo fantastični element ponajviše osigurao uvjerljivost: ovo je osvježenje i dobrodošla promena od svih onih serijskih ubica-psihopata kod kojih se sama mentalna neuravnoteženost koristi kao jedino i isključivo opravdanje za ekstremnu bizarnost samih ubistava, jer vremeplov je u ovom romanu otvorio zaista ogromno polje kriminalističke podloge koju slični romani inače ne nude.
Velika preporuka svim ljubiteljima hibrida SF/krimić, i neka vas ne zavara fakt da je ovaj roman potpisala žena, pošto je proza brutalna i stilski i sadržajno.
Hot Book 'The Shining Girls' Acquired by MRC, DiCaprio's Appian Way (Exclusive)
MRC and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way are teaming up to adapt The Shining Girls, written by Lauren Beukes and generating buzz as one of this summer's must-reads.our editor recommends(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Fthumbnail_tiny_58x58%2F2012%2F07%2Fleonardo_dicaprio_a_p.jpg&hash=2862daac66f5cdc14a1870cc9e8fba5119312eea)Canadian Dennis Lehane Screen Adaptation Lands at Appian Way (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fthemes%2Fthr%2Fimages%2Felements%2Ficon_red_darrow.png&hash=b7b4714e2a610cbecde3684621093b2fd6a4187d) (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadian-dennis-lehane-screen-adaptation-359902)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Fthumbnail_tiny_58x58%2F2013%2F05%2Fharvey_weinstein_leonardo_dicaprio_virgin_galactic_split_h_2013.jpg&hash=aa0ebe58f6c55f75cbbf2c8191a54170d8ea7bc6)Cannes: Bidder Pays $1.5 Million for Trip to Space with Leonardo DiCaprio(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fthemes%2Fthr%2Fimages%2Felements%2Ficon_red_darrow.png&hash=b7b4714e2a610cbecde3684621093b2fd6a4187d) (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-bidder-pays-15-million-555908)The two companies, however, are not aiming for a feature adaptation but rather intend to develop the project for television.
MRC has picked up the rights with Appian executive producing. John Ridley, vp production at the shingle, identified the book and brought it to MRC. The project marks a rare but splashy foray into TV for Appian, which previously made the environmental reality show Greensburg.
Shining Girls doesn't come out until June 4, but it's already generating praise for its mix of historical fiction, gritty crime and sci-fi, including a favorable early review in The New York Times and strong buzz from librarians and booksellers who read early galley copies.
The novel tells the story of a serial killer named Harper Curtis who discovers a house in Depression-era Chicago that allows him to time travel through the decades. To keep traveling, he must kill "shining girls," girls burning bright with talent and potential.
One of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and teams up with an ex-homicide reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times in order to bring the killer to justice.
Recent Novels That Use Time Travel to Great Effect
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/recent-novels-use-time-travel-great-effect/#continue_reading_post (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/recent-novels-use-time-travel-great-effect/#continue_reading_post)
Time travel is an old trope—Charles Dickens used it in 1843's A Christmas Carol (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol-2/)and, more famously for science fiction, H.G. Wells popularized it in 1895 with The Time Machine (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/h-g-wells-3/the-time-machine/). You would think that by now it would be out of fashion. Not so. Time travel is still used to good effect, as this look at recent science fiction novels demonstrates.
The Beautiful Land (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/alan-averill/beautiful-land-averill/) by Alan Averill
The initial hook of Alan Averill's The Beautiful Land is that there exist multiple, parallel timelines. They are similar, but in each one, the events have unfolded in such a way as to make them different in some way. The protagonist, Takahiro O'Leary, is hired to explorer these timelines by the Axon Corporation. Tak returns from one of these exploration trips with information that will maximize company profits by changing the past, present and future of our world. However, doing so means that the love of Tak's life, Samira, an Iraq War veteran suffering from PTSD, will cease to exist. Tak decides to be proactive and use a time travel device he discovered in another timeline to escape with Samira into another timeline. That's not as cut-and-dried as it would seem, however, because the inventor of that time travel device had other plans for it; namely, to find the timeline he calls the Beautiful Land and, once found, destroy all other timelines. Tak realizes that, in order to save himself and Samira, he must save multiple worlds.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1367464868l%2F17877447.jpg&hash=a3fc9567f6e76716871b72e62ed758499f91cdcc)
What happens when the power of time travel falls into the hands of a serial killer? That's the premise behind The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, a haunting thriller that uses time travel to create a harrowing atmosphere in which the hunter becomes the hunted. Harper Curtis is the serial killer who stumbles upon time's doorway in a Depression-era Chicago. Harper uses his newfound ability to travel to different years and commit his heinous crimes. It's the perfect way to commit a crime: How can you find a killer who has the perfect alibi of not being there? After a series of successful kills, Curtis targets Kirby Mazrachi, one of the young girls he perceives as "Shining." However, Kirby survives Curtis' attack, physically if not emotionally, and she becomes determined to find her would-be killer. She gets a job at the Chicago Sun Times, working with the reporter who covered her attack. Together they begin unraveling the clues of Curtis' crimes and discovering the truth behind them.
(https://d1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net/blog/lead_art/man_empty_suit_JPG_210x1000_q85.JPG)
If you had the ability to travel through time, you could see all of human history and any historical figure whenever you wanted. But, admit it, wouldn't you travel backward and forward in time to visit your younger and older selves? Maybe impart some words of wisdom or learn how to avoid some impending mistakes? The main character of Sean Ferrell's Man in the Empty Suit is a time traveler who not only visits himself in time, but also parties with these versions of himself. Every year, he travels to an abandoned hotel in New York City (the city in which he was born) in the year 2071 (100 years after he was born) to celebrate his birthday with all of his former and future selves. However, things are about to get less celebratory for the 39-year-old version of the traveler when he finds his 40-year-old self dead with a gunshot wound to the head. How can there be older versions of himself at the party if he was shot dead at 40? The Elders aren't talking; it's up to the 39-year-old version to find out, and he has only one year to do so or else they are all goners.
(https://d3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net/files/2013/06/04/unburning_alexandria.JPG)
Unburning Alexandria is the sequel to Paul Levinson's well-plotted time travel adventure The Plot to Save Socrates, which introduced graduate student Sierra Waters and saw her travel back in time to (1) learn the true identity of Heron of Alexandria, and (2) to save the philosopher Socrates from his tragic appointment with a cup of hemlock. Now she's determined to alter history yet again by saving one of the greatest sources of knowledge of all time, the ancient Library of Alexandria, from the fatal fire that destroyed it. In her trip to the past, Sierra will encounter old friends and other historical figures like Hypatia, Cleopatra's sister Arsinoe, Ptolemy the astronomer, and St. Augustine. A lot of time hopping can sometimes become confusing, but Levinson's stories are intricately plotted and avoid the tricky Gordian knots of paradoxes with skill and fun.
http://flavorwire.com/395158/30-of-the-most-beautiful-sci-fi-book-covers-ever-made/30 (http://flavorwire.com/395158/30-of-the-most-beautiful-sci-fi-book-covers-ever-made/30)
Obituary I was on holiday in the Mediterranean, finishing the third book in Jack Vance's Cadwal Chronicles trilogy, when I heard of his death at the age of 96. Vance hadn't written any major works for a few years, but readers and writers of science fiction will be nonetheless poorer for his passing on 26 May, 2013.
The first Vance novel I read was Lyonesse, back in 1984 and before it became better known as Suldrun's Garden, the first instalment of the Lyonesse trilogy. It was the author's 1983 take on high fantasy, a sub-genre back then undergoing one of its periodic revivals in popularity. I'd read Tolkien, of course, and a fair few of his more recent followers, David Eddings and Terry Brooks among them, but none of their worlds quite came so magically to life for me the way Vance's Lyonesse did.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fregmedia.co.uk%2F2013%2F06%2F05%2Fjackvance.jpg&hash=6188ca43ca9e8480ce38c35c652259d4e7051923)J
Jack Vance in the 1980s
Source: David M Alexander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jack_Vance_Boat_Skipper.jpg)
It's one the least clichéd, certainly the most colourful, most sensual fantasy series ever written. It's packed with magic and mischief, crazy cultures and fantastic fashions, and populated with characters driven by any of a thousand motivations. It has the dreamy quality of a fairy tale, yet the same hard edge of historical context that makes The Lord of the Rings the trilogy it is. Unlike Tolkien's work, it feels populated by real beings not Anglo-Saxon archetypes or spectral horrors.
Think Blackadder meets Middle Earth.
And, years before Game of Thrones, there's a lot of sex, much of it vigorous and... unusual.
Lyonesse - aka The Elder Isles - itself is a large archipelago off the south-west coast of Britain, though it's a land that owes more to the islands of the southern Mediterranean than the storm-tossed eastern Atlantic. Lyonesse is ten per cent south-west Ireland, ten per cent rural England, 20 per cent Sardinia, 60 per cent Peloponesian Greece. If you've read Lyonesse, you can't travel to any of those places, especially if you step off the beaten track a little, without Vance's Inn at Twitten's Corner, the Tantrevalles Forest, the Troice countryside, or the Dahaut estuary springing to mind.
Vance was a native of California, grew up in San Francisco, and eventually settled in Oakland. He and his wife Norma, who passed away in 2008, travelled far and wide, particularly in Europe and Central Asia, and he lined the roof of his own-built home with Kashmiri wooden carvings; it's a traveller's eagerness to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes - Vance's fiction is big on food - of foreign lands that most colours his work.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fregmedia.co.uk%2F2013%2F06%2F05%2Flyonesse.jpg&hash=fa04da92aa792d26007ed9b125d5835e60220336)
Not merely the medieval setting of the three Lyonesse novels - Suldrun's Garden, The Green Pearl and Madouc - but the space-travelling milieu of Vance's Gaean Reach stories and his other sci-fi worlds are all rich in cultural detail and idiosyncrasy not just incident.
If there's a weakness in Vance's fiction, it's that many of his principal characters tend to similarity. Lyonesse's Aillas of Troicinet, the Cadwal Chronicles' Glawen Clattuc, the Planet of Adventure tetralogy's Adam Reith, the Demon Princes series' Kirth Gersen, Maske: Thaery's Jubal Droad, Emphyrio's Ghyl Tarvoke - there's not a great deal of separation between them - heroes all, resourceful, intelligent and decisive, slightly standoffish, relying more on smarts than muscles.
His female leads are likewise cut from a similar cloth: whether it's Wayness Tamm or the ill-fated Secily Veder of the Cadwal Chronicles, Tatzel from The Green Pearl or Jean Parlier from Abercrombie Station and Cholwell's Chickens - novellas later combined into a single book, Monsters in Orbit (think what zero gravity might do for your waistline) - they are attractive, feisty, well-proportioned young women. Vance liked the ladies, though he rarely descends into crude stereotypes, and his female characters come in all shapes and sizes, and can be as mean, manipulative and self-obsessed as the men.
If Vance is a tad weak on heroes and heroines, his incidental characters take up the slack: from Lyonesse's scheming sorcerers, Machiavellian kings, surly inn-keepers, lordly fops, deviant knights and sexually predacious trolls to the failure-prone smooth-tongued rogue Cugel, who features in two of Vance's four Dying Earth books - set on a temporally far distant Earth where technology and magic really have become indistinguishable, and only echoes of current geography remain.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fregmedia.co.uk%2F2013%2F05%2F01%2Fsf_4.jpg&hash=64dc72569fc12ee88444ad1d5a44de3fca437306)
And all speak in Vance's baroque, mordant language. If the Coen Brothers made sci-fi or fantasy movies, their films would sound a lot like Vance's dialogue. Raising Arizona's "Edwina's insides were a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase" wouldn't sound out of place coming, not from Nick Cage's H.I. McDunnough, but from any number of Vance protagonists.
Little of Vance's work is overtly comedic - 1976's Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy-esque Maske:Thaery is perhaps a notable exception - but you can't keep the smile off your face reading any of the others - the deadpan humour and the rococo language always prompt a chuckle.
Not that Vance couldn't do serious: his 1969 novel Emphyrio is a case in point. It's the story of a young man driven to take action against a constrained but not repressive social structure - lords literally above, the masses below. Protagonist Ghyl Tarvoke is no earnest social reformer; his rebellion is mundane and motivated by the inspiring example of the long-dead peoples' hero.
Here, Vance's prose is less curlicued than it can be, allowing the story to be told directly, without the ornamented style that a more literary writer may apply. But Emphyrio is no less moving or lacking in insight. It's about many things: how we change our outlook as we grow from childhood to adulthood; our relationship with our parents; and oppression in many subtle forms, such as the economic circumstances society imposes upon us, and the weight of history - Brits should understand that - especially when history and legend diverge. It also looks at the pros and cons of the welfare state versus free enterprise, how heroes are as human as we are, and a lot more besides.
More to the point, it's also a cracking yarn.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fregmedia.co.uk%2F2013%2F06%2F05%2Fdyingearth.jpg&hash=f29474286f712154baffa4cf61e49d3d5a0e78da)
Like most sci-fi and fantasy writers of his era, Vance began writing in the 1940s when science fiction was all about tall stories. He'd managed to avoid combat in the Second World War thanks to his poor eyesight - from the 1980s onwards he was all but blind, writing with the help of specially written software - but served in the merchant navy after memorising the sight test letters. He'd already worked as a Pearl Harbor shipyard electrician before the war, and as a rigger in the conflict's early months, and would enjoy boats and sailing for the rest of his life.
Unsurprisingly, his early work was short stories sold to the growing number of monthly story magazines, among them Thrilling Wonder Stories, Galaxy and Astounding. Many commissions followed, and like many writers, Vance adopted an array of pseudonyms in order to get more work. In the 1950s, he would branch out of science fiction into crime fiction, penning novels under his real name, John Holbrook Vance.
Vance pulled together many of his connected short stories into novels, but during the 1960s he focussed more on full-length works, the early ones first published in serial form. The late 1960s saw the publication of the Planet of Adventure quartet - one part of which, Servants of the Wankh, prompted so many giggles on this side of the Atlantic that Vance changed the name to Wannek when it was republished in the new century.
Indeed, the Vance Integral Edition project, established by fans upset by so many of Vance's books going out of print - the short stories by then only available in exceedingly rare 1990s hardback editions - allowed the author to make good changes imposed by magazine editors and to make corrections of his own
.(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fregmedia.co.uk%2F2013%2F06%2F05%2Faraminta.jpg&hash=b922f229f973ba1819b8a3e2dea5ffc3e83540cd)
The 44-volume VIE, always intended to be produced in a limited print run, is now unavailable itself, but it lives on in the ebooks published in the UK by Orion's SF Gateway (http://www.sfgateway.com/authors/v/vance-jack/) imprint and in the States by the Spatterlight Press (http://www.jackvance.com/).
Vance was lauded by the sci-fi community with Hugo Awards in 1963 and 1967 for, respectively, his novellas The Dragon Masters and The Last Castle, which was also granted a 1966 Nebula Award. Madouc won him a World Fantasy Award in 1990. Seven years later, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America made him its fourteenth Grand Master - he'd already won a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, in 1984. And in 2001 he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. ®
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51hiLZDx1SL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX342_SY445_CR%2C0%2C0%2C342%2C445_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=167eb6a7bcd4d95cc8ac1b8544a11787b126853f)
Pošto je do dodele Shirley Jackson Award ostalo tek mesec dana, stigao je na red i Koji Suzuki i njegov Edge. Računam, ako je roman ušao u užu nominaciju preko faca kao što su Ellen Datlow, Laird Barron, Liz Hand, S.T. Joshi, Peter Straub, Ann VanderMeer – onda se svakako mora overiti, iako smatram da će tu Kiernanova lako da pokupi i šlag i trešnjicu pride. I mada se mene The Drowning Girl nije baš nešto naročito dojmio, teško da će ga Edge žešće ugrozi kao favorita za nagradu. Da stvar bude gora, Edge nudi odličnu vrst horora (to onaj omiljeni mi hibrid sa SFom, i to u tolikoj meri da su ga na amazonu krstili "kvantnim hororom" :lol: ), pa tu bez dileme odnosi prevagu nad Kiernanovom, ali ima podosta mana koje nije lako oprostiti kada se o nagradama radi. Digresivan ponekad preko svake mere, Suzuki tera junakinju da stalno prelazi iz sećanja u razmišljanja i obratno, i to u pomalo frustrirajućim dozama, komadić ovde i mrvicu tamo, sa svakim novim akterom izvlače se i svakorazna zbivanja iz prošlosti, pa je prva trećina romana pomalo gomila narativnog nesklada u kom se intrigantna zbivanja u stvarnom vremenu do te mere filaju reminiscencijama da čoveku prosto dođe da zajauče ajde više, obavi to, pa da pređemo na real-time zaplet.
Drugi veliki problem romana najverovatnije ide u velikoj meri na dušu prevodioca, zapravo para Nieh i Lloyd-Davies: njihov u najblažu ruku čudan izbor pojedinih rečiju rezultuje stvarno širokim dijapazonom čitalačke iritacije, to od odvlačenja pažnje zbog benignog štrčanja nekih izraza, pa sve do očigledno promašenih rečiju koje naprosto ubiju rečenicu svojim nepripadanjem u istu. Ne znam kakvu reputaciju imaju Nieh i Lloyd-Davies ali nekako ih neću baš pamtiti po dobru... :(
FORGOTTEN BOOK: EARTHMAN'S BURDEN by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson, 1957By Scott A. Cupp (http://missionsunknown.com/author/scottcupp/), on May 23rd, 2013FORGOTTEN BOOK: EARTHMAN'S BURDEN (http://www.amazon.com/Earthmans-Burden-Poul-Anderson/dp/0380479931?SubscriptionId=AKIAJXW2PBXRLLKEIN7Q&tag=missionsunknown-20) by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson, 1957
This is the 137th in my series of Forgotten Books.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmissionsunknown.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F05%2FEarthmans_burden-hc-1st.jpg&hash=3310b49d5099e7415ed65d149e3c51eb6ed08725) (http://missionsunknown.com/2013/05/forgotten-book-earthmans-burden-by-poul-anderson-and-gordon-r-dickson-1957/earthmans_burden-hc-1st/)Hoka! If you recognize that word you know what fun is. If not, I envy you. Great humorous science fiction is hard to come by. Particularly since humor is very subjective. I do not like the films of a number of the new comedians, but most particularly, I do not like Adam Sandler. I know this is a personal fault, but I have no desire to fix it. Others I can tolerate to some degree like Will Ferrell, but Sandler, NO! Not gonna happen. Perhaps one day that will change. But then pigs may fly also.
Back to the Hoka. "The Sheriff of Canyon Gulch" (the first Hoka story) takes place on the planet Toka where two species of sentient being exist, the reptilian Slissii and the Hoka who appear to be small golden furred rotund teddy bears. Mankind generally found itself attracted to the Hoka and a plan was made to help bring them up to galactic standards to attain full membership in the Interbeing League. Young spaceman Alexander Jones finds himself stranded on the planet in the middle of a B movie western thriller. The Hoka, it seems, have trouble separating fact and fiction and someone has inadvertently left a pile of pulp fiction on the planet. Every other young Hoka is named Tex or the Kid and they have gunfights in the street at high noon each day. Of course, no one is killed because that is not in the Hoka's makeup. They embrace every possible idea fully and believe it has always been that way, even if it changed only yesterday. Not so the Slissii! They can and will kill. And they would love to be rid of the teddy bears that share their planet. Jones, in a drunken mood from highly potent Hoka liquor, helps the cowboy Hokas defeat the Indians and finds himself as Plenipotentiary to Toka for the Interbeing League.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmissionsunknown.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F05%2FEarthmansBurden1970-250.jpg&hash=aaa37fbf8295227ff3191293f9885997dd8f9af3) (http://missionsunknown.com/2013/05/forgotten-book-earthmans-burden-by-poul-anderson-and-gordon-r-dickson-1957/earthmansburden1970-250/)Other adventures follow as the Hokas embrace other facets of human history. In "Don Jones" they discover opera, more specifically, Mozart's Don Giovanni, and they cast Jones, much against his will, as the title character, referring to his amorous activities constantly and whenever it is most embarrassing, i.e. in front of his bosses. They later embrace space opera in "In Hoka Signo Vinces", Sherlock Holmes in "The Adventure of the Misplaced Hound", pirate adventures in "Yo Ho Hoka!" and the Foreign Legion in "The Tiddly Wink Warriors".
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmissionsunknown.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F05%2FSound-and-the-Furry.jpg&hash=808265bf671cc7281c32196ac6c8cfde27eb9b09) (http://missionsunknown.com/2013/05/forgotten-book-earthmans-burden-by-poul-anderson-and-gordon-r-dickson-1957/sound-and-the-furry/)Each story gets more absurd and a fun time can be had by all in reading there. There were two more Hoka books after this one HOKA! (four long novellas including the wonderful "Joy in Mudville" wherein the Hoka's embrace baseball, "Casey at the Bat" and Interbeing League play) and STAR PRINCE CHARLIE (http://www.amazon.com/Star-prince-Charlie-Poul-Anderson/dp/0399204431?SubscriptionId=AKIAJXW2PBXRLLKEIN7Q&tag=missionsunknown-20), a novel. All the Hoka stories can be found in a Science Fiction Book Club entry entitled THE SOUND AND THE FURRY: THE COMPLETE HOKA STORIES (http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Furry-Complete-Hoka-Stories/dp/0739416839?SubscriptionId=AKIAJXW2PBXRLLKEIN7Q&tag=missionsunknown-20) which is quite worth the effort of finding a copy.
There are five or six copies on the web that I found for under $20 (with several under $10) as well as numerous copies of the individual titles. EARTHMAN'S BURDEN (http://www.amazon.com/Earthmans-Burden-Poul-Anderson/dp/0380479931?SubscriptionId=AKIAJXW2PBXRLLKEIN7Q&tag=missionsunknown-20) has had multiple paperback editions so there are copies around.
These are worth your time and energy unless you have a different since of humor from me. Your mileage may vary.
Series organizer Patti Abbott hosts more Friday Forgotten Book reviews (http://pattinase.blogspot.com/) at her own blog, and posts a complete list of participating blogs.
Pop Culture Facts You Probably Didn't Know Were Created by Science Fiction Writers (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/pop-culture-facts-you-probably-didnt-know-were-cre/#continue_reading_post)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FBooks%2FPix%2Fpictures%2F2013%2F6%2F10%2F1370881282094%2FIain-Banks-in-2007-010.jpg&hash=26ffa75d78a7b302d00fbd2e5541d931691733ae)
Iain Banks: A science fiction star first and foremost (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jun/10/iain-banks-ken-macleod-science-fiction)
Iain M Banks led the 'British boom' of 1990s science fiction on the strength of a simple virtue: optimism. His mentor Ken MacLeod remembers a boundless creative mind whose place in SF is assured
najzad, knjiga koju je bilo gotovo nemoguce naci:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41AO2vfslxL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=995514dd03a9d2de48d76e617f8f7807eb31232d)
Release date: June 18, 2013 | Series: Neversink A vicious and brilliant satire of human vanity from the author of the classic bestseller The Group.
Long out of print, Mary McCarthy's second novel is a bitingly funny satire set in the early years of the Cold War about a group of writers, editors, and intellectuals who retreat to rural New England to found a hilltop utopia. With this group loosely divided into two factions---purists, led by the libertarian editor Macdougal Macdermott, and the realists, skeptics led by the smug Will Taub---the situation is ripe not only for disaster but for comedy, as reality clashes with their dreams of a perfect society.
Though written as a roman à clef, McCarthy barely disguised her characters, including using her former lover Philip Rahv, founder of Partisan Review, as the model for Will Taub. As a result, the novel caused an absolute explosion of outrage among the literary elite of the day, who clearly recognized themselves among her all-too-accurate portraits. Rahv threatened a lawsuit to stop publication. Diana Trilling, Lionel Trilling's wife, called McCarthy a "thug." McCarthy's friend Dwight McDonald (Macdougal Macdermott) called it "vicious, malicious, and nasty."
Never one to shy away from controversy, McCarthy's portrait of her generation had indeed drawn blood. But the brilliance of the novel has outlasted its first detonation and can now be enjoyed for its aphoritic, fearless dissection of the vanities of human endeavor.
In an added bonus, the renowned essayist Vivian Gornick details in a moving introduction the importance of McCarthy's intellectual and artistic bravery, and how she influenced a generation of young writers and thinkers. Show more (http://www.amazon.com/Oasis-Novel-Neversink-Mary-McCarthy/dp/1612192289/ref=sr_1_772?s=books&ie=UTF8&tag=upcoming00-20&qid=1371382318&sr=1-772#)
Ooohh, evo vesti koja mi je ulepšala ne samo dan nego i cela mi mizerna dva selidbena meseca! Ellen Ullman je sa svojim prvencem The Bug iz pepela izvukla moju ranu kiberpankovsku fascinaciju kompjuterskim programerima i bogami evo i dandanas vučem nešto malo recidiva tog oduševljenja, valjda zato što mi se čini da je sa vremenom esnaf postao sofisticiraniji a moje neznanje dublje i kompletnije, pa me taj magični zanat svejedno lako fascinira.
I eto, deset godina kasnije, Ellen ima novi roman... :!: Life. Is. Truly. Beautiful.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51dMh6iYSJL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX342_SY445_CR%2C0%2C0%2C342%2C445_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=00f502201f7da52f273907043f7e0ff56016789c)
Publication Date: 4 July 2013 A professor is on leave from his post-a leave that may have been forced upon him. It is 1974, a time when free love and psychedelic ecstasy have given way to drug violence and serial killings. Through the thin office walls, the professor overhears the sessions of a therapist and a patient, and without knowing the patient's name or face he comes to know the details of her life, her family, her lovers. He inserts himself into her search for her "mysterious origins": a deeply troubling journey through displaced- persons camps, stolen children, and hidden pasts. Ellen Ullman was a computer programmer when very few women worked in the field. This experience led to her 1997 memoir Close the Machine: Technophilia and its Discontents - a cult classic in the US - and also informed her acclaimed debut novel The Bug. Ullman is a regular contributor to a number of American magazines and lives in San Francisco. Ullman was adopted and is bisexual: the experience of both ties into certain themes in By Blood.
"Delicious and intriguing" Daily Telegraph
"A literary inquiry into identity and legacy ... A gripping mystery ... The storytelling is compelling and propulsive ... Ullman is also a careful stylist" Los Angeles Times Show More (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1908968486/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1908968486&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21#)
(https://d1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net/files/2013/06/25/anthem.JPG)
A Brief History of the Dystopian Novel (http://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/brief-history-dystopian-novel/)
Elem, dakle, nekada davno, davno, još tamo na početku dvadesetog stoljeća, počeci digitalnog univerza su definisani od strane male i probrane grupe vrsnih matematičara, fizičara i inžinjera, finansiranih, naravno, sa primarnim ciljem da unaprede nuklearno naoružanje. Što oni i jesu uradili, i to pošteno i sa dubokom zahvalnošću, pogotovo oni pojedinci koje je USA izvukla iz Starog Sveta jedva sekund pre no što su nacisti uključili kotlovnice krematorijuma. Bila je to neka vrst žetve intelekta kakvoj nije bilo ravne u pisanoj istoriji, pa su otud i njeni rezultati jednako unikatni.
U vremenskom rasponu od eksplozije u Novom Meksiku 1945 pa do eksplozije na Bikinijima osam i po godina kasnije, John von Neumann je našao dovoljno razloga za famoznu opasku: "I am thinking about something much more important than bombs. I am thinking about computers." Von Neumann je uspeo da Turingov jednodimenzionalni model komputacije implementira u univerzalnu dvodimenzionalnu matricu kakva je u osnovi i svih današnjih kompjutera, a onda su se, u trećoj fazi i jedva dve decenije kasnije, pojavili kojekakvi gikovi i nerdovi koji su oblikovali trodimezionalni kiberprostor u kom svi mi danas obitavamo.
Ellen Ullman je prisustvovala tom lansiranju kiberprostora u nerdosferu, ali ne kao svedok koji se slučajno zatekao na mestu i u vremenu gde sofisticirana tehnologija naprasno pronalazi svoju uličnu upotrebu: Ellen Ullman je bila inžinjer sa sedamnaest godina akreditiva u svetu kojeg su oblikovali kompjuterski programeri čiji je životni vek bio jedva nešto duži od njenog akademskog. Otud i njena sveprisutna i pomalo dirljiva kontemplacija nad karijernim raskorakom u kojem se zatekla - eminentan stručnjak sa zavidnim akademskim akreditivima, stavljen da nadgleda programere koji se po pravilu nisu uspjeli izboriti ni sa srednjom školom, i čiji je ionako siromašan vokabular bio sastavljen isključivo od pojmova koje su sami imenovali, pošto su jedino oni i imalipotrebu za njima. Neko drugi bi na njenom mestu (neko pametniji, kako sama Ellen priznaje :lol: ) rađe napustio čitavu akademsku karijeru negoli se lomatao po takvim situacijama, ali Ellen Ullman je u svakom pogledu ekstraordinarna žena: ne samo da nije odustala, nego je i savladala čitav taj šabeng od apsolutne nule, krenuvši najprije od samog žargona, pa debagovanja softvera pre lansiranja, pa samog programiranja, pa onda i svega ostalog. Njena autobiografska dokumentacija ostala je zato jedinstvena upravo zbog njene unikatne pozicije: Ellen Ullman je najautsajderski insajder ikada, ona je strano tijelo u centru tkiva koje ga uporno ne prihvata a usput još upornije i bezuspješnije odbacuje, što je vjerovatno veoma nalik odnosu koji ima školjka sa biserom. I okej sad, možda ta paralela i jeste malko over the top, ali opet, neosporno je da dokumentacija te ere iz pera Ellen Ullman ima znatnu prednost nad onom iz pera, recimo, Billa Gatesa ili Paula Allena, jer priznajmo, ti konkretno ubergikovi i meganerdovi su ionako pokupili sav šnjur, to od patenata pa do ogromnih para, tako da već sama ta činjenica nudi određeni kontekst kojeg se oni sami ne bi mogli nikada ratosiljati, sve i da hoće. (A ne vjerujem da hoće, ionako. :twisted: )
Povrh i osim toga, Ellen Ullman fasciniraju upravo one stvari koji bi i inače fascinirale ljude sa strane, nas koji smo prostorno i vremenski beznadežno odmaknuti od epicentra u kojem se Ullman svojevremeno zatekla: nas ne zanima toliko sam tehnički aspekt te lansirajuće nerdosfere, nas daleko više zanima njen ljudski aspekt. Nas zanimaju programeri, a ne sam program, kojim se i sami danas služimo i za koji vjerujemo da ga zapravo znamo. (Što je fascinantna zabluda, ali opet, sve zablude po pravilu i jesu fascinantne, inače ne bi bile tako... zabludne. :roll: ) Prvi od tih "ljudskih" aspekata je sam prevrat, odnosno, ta ulična (svakodnevna, mundana, za-zabavu-upotrebljiva i za-trivije-korisna) upotreba do tada veoma sofisticirane tehnologije čija je isključiva svrha bila da potamani ne samo što je moguće više ljudskih bića, nego i njihove mukotrpno sagrađene društvene i industrijske infrastrukture. Drugi "ljudski" aspekt je taj neobičan, neočekivan i sasvim neplaniran odnos koji je slobodno ljudsko biće sagradilo sa svojom mašinom, i koji je bio prvi lako prepoznatljiv iskorak ka transhumanizmu, svakako mali za svakog opisanog pojedinca, ali ogroman za ljudsku vrstu u totalu.
Ellen Ullman nam ne precizira najosnovnije značajke koje su omogućile oba navedena aspekta: Ellen Ullman naprosto iskreno i ultra-verno opisuje sve bitne karakteristike nekih ljudi koje je imala prilike upoznati, i dopušta čitaocu da na tim karakteristikama sebi sagradi model pojedinca koji predstavlja tip. A sama činjenica da se pri tome koristi jezikom i stilom visoko obrazovane, duboko pronicljive i široko tolerantne osobe koja je širom otvorenih očiju ispratila svitanje nove zore i ostala nadasve oprezna i beskompromisno kritična prema fenomenu, to i pored ogromne zadivljenosti koju je u njoj proizveo - pa, eto, o je vrlina kakva se teško nalazi među pragmatičnim dvonošcima koji trenutno dominiraju planetom. I mada su njene esejističke predstave tog svitanja daleko informativno preciznije i narativno ekonomičnije, njen roman The Bug nudi ono što terijske analize malo kad nalaze za shodno - nudi rukom crtan portret ljudi koji su stvarali istoriju bez da su toga sami bili svjesni: nudi fotografije ljudi koji su danas odavno već prah i pepeo, to u svakom bogovetnom doslovnom i prenesenom značenju.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41EIbREPSnL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=0b19d22832039d261cdf10580b75c103f11a4c8a)
A great science fiction story shouldn't be concerned with predicting technological advances, but with exploring the forces that give rise to technology, and its effect on individual and mass psychology. Great sci-fi can also disguise dominant power, whether that of governments or corporations, into characters or fictional groups and satirize and critique them. The following ten stories do one of those two things, and several others besides.
Just to address one thing straight away: one of your favorite science fiction stories dealing, whether directly or indirectly, with surveillance is bound to be left off this list. And 1984's a given, so it's not here.
At any rate, the following books deal in their own unique way with surveillance. Some address the surveillance head-on, while others speculate on inter-personal intelligence gathering, or consider the subject in more oblique ways. Still others distill surveillance down to its essence: as just one face of a much larger, all-encompassing system of control, that proceeds from the top of the pyramid down to its base.
Roger Zelazny, Lord of Light
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F66526139f9442b19ab80f79a827488c3.jpg&hash=bffeacae32954ee329ac4ca1ba5a83c89f46ab05)
Human beings have traveled through a generation ship, the Star of India, to a far-flung, Earth-like planet. Equipped with incredibly advanced technology, they have set themselves up as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Anticipating William Gibson's interest in implants and other types modifications, the humans have altered their minds and bodies. They've also mastered mind transfer—the ability to technologically migrate one's mind to a new body.
But there's a catch: the elite religious bureaucrats scan minds for individual karma, which determines soul's new body. It is a rather terrifying, existential form of surveillance. Into this world a Buddha-like figure, Sam (an original Star of India crew member), comes to bring enlightenment and technology to the masses.
John Brunner, Shockwave Rider
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F2c26d31bcb389a92f3af3afecefcc9db.jpg&hash=460bd393a6e972eb94420cbfa39f2c8f82a30a1a)
John Brunner is probably the least well-known of the authors here, but he is absolutely essential and groundbreaking in so many ways. In fact, I almost don't want to share him, but keep his work all to myself and fellow Brunner devotees. Brunner first made big waves in 1968 with his Hugo Award-winning masterpiece of speculative fiction, Stand On Zanzibar, a novel that explores amongst other things future technology, terrorism, corporatism, radical religion, overpopulation, genetic engineering and, the West's favorite pastime, nation-building.
He followed that up in 1969 with The Jagged Orbit, a trippy piece of dystopian fiction about technology and racial unrest in the western United States. Then Brunner unleashed his absolutely phenomenal The Sheep Look Up, which sprawls like Zanzibar, but maintains a tighter thematic focus on future environmental devastation (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/if-fracking-crazy-northern-colorado-wants-to-secede-i-say-let-it) and the radical response to it. With Shockwave Rider (1975), Brunner completed his dystopian, proto-cyberpunk tetralogy.
Shockwave Rider centers on one Nick Haflinger, who was part of the government program Tarnover, which trains gifted children to further the interests of the state. Haflinger, skilled in the world of data, escapes to become something of a shape-shifting, or persona-adopting, hacker on the run from the government.
In his escape, he steals a personal ID code created for individuals who want to live outside a vast network of data surveillance. And, like Julian Assange (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/julian-assange-has-been-inside-for-a-year) and Edward Snowden (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/edward-snowden-doesnt-exist-is-a-gay-alien-and-other-conspiracy-theories), Haflinger is intent on spilling state secrets with a self-replicating computer virus, which is called a "worm" in the novel. A proto-Tor service called Hearing Aid also makes an appearance in Shockwave Rider.
Alfred Bester, The Demolished Man
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2Fd736e993272395b0d86cd7c958b08a4e.jpg&hash=77798ae05401d23b914566820748739b916ca6f5)
Another proto-cyberpunk novelist, or, more accurately, a sentinel of New Wave SF, Alfred Bester is known for his novels The Stars, My Destination and The Demolished Man. The latter takes place in the 24th century, in a world where telepaths, or "Espers" as they are called in the novel, occupy various societal strata.
Curiously, they're ranked according to how powerful they are. Class 3 Espers can hear thoughts that occur in real time. Class 2 Espers can penetrate or surveill inner thoughts, while Class 1s (the most powerful) can do all of the above, and also know the mindsets, motivations and urges of people before they take action. Call it a form of superhuman data mining.
Naturally, Class 1 Espers occupy the highest strata of society, from corporate CEOs to government leaders and medical professionals, etc. Bester didn't set out to write an anti-surveillance allegory, of course, but it certainly is worth reading this bookin the wake of internet privacy violations.
Yevgeny Zamyatin, We
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F3689c8a0984bb01bf0de5d9396179bc3.jpg&hash=3ba7d05184decbd6f18453ed3fbd05ff2a8dd5ac)
We was the speculative template for Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984. The novel's DNA is all over modern speculative fiction in one form or another. Yevgeny Zamyatin, a Russian living in exile from Soviet control, achieves a sublime poetic brilliance with We.
In its pages, Zamyatin tells the story of D-503, chief engineer of the spaceship Integral, and his life in One State. The Bureau of Guardians (One State's secret police) keep watch on all citizens by way of clear glass apartments. Everything can be observed. Everyone in turn can be a voyeur.
While Zamyatin's surveillance mechanism might seem primitive or even laughable in this technological, hyper-connected age, our use of mobile devices, laptops and desktops in connecting to the internet creates a panopticon that is as clear as One State's glass homes.
William S. Burroughs, The Nova Trilogy
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2Fa78a459cb198b3c6b88ec4fdb6a30e30.jpg&hash=9543e146fc45589cd79a35a3079dd6bfe4fb5708)
Deriving a plot or sub-plots from William S. Burroughs (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/why-william-gibson-invented-cyberspace)' work is an exhausting process. But, at the core, a lot of Burroughs' work is science fiction, as well as deeply inspired by spy novels. With his Cut-up or Nova Trilogy—The Soft Machine, The Ticket That Exploded, and The Nova Express—Burroughs reached the apogee of cut-up incomprehensibility. With Burroughs, as with Thomas Pynchon (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/is-edward-snowden-thomas-pynchon)'s work, its best to simply let the words and ideas wash over you.
It was with The Nova Trilogy that Burroughs (often called a founding father of both cyberpunk and cyberspace) communicated one of his great ideas: the Reality Studio. While not strictly about surveillance, the trilogy is about systems of control—multiple systems. The goal being to fight the masters behind it, who know our thoughts and program them, and retake the Reality Studio.
Grant Morrison, The Invisibles
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F71660b972cf667b1edb0b36b5357949d.jpg&hash=c3d1666e4765d7a4aaffbc5e508a58523d1ae510)
Writer Grant Morrison might best be described as the William S. Burroughs or Robert Anton Wilson (http://www.rawilson.com/home.html) of comics. His work often deals with the occult, Discordianism, psychedelics, and trippy, technological systems of control and paranoia. The Invisibles follows a ragtag group of anarchist radicals (okay, "terrorists") called The Invisible College as they fight the Archons of the Outer Church, humanity's extra-terrestrial masters. The Outer Church are Earth's global watchmen, hellbent on social engineering. They don't need an internet to keep watch to shape the world to their liking.
Morrison doesn't use The Invisibles to confront surveillance head-on. He doesn't need to—the Outer Church present an even more powerful system of control than internet surveillance could ever afford national governments. The psionic aliens are watching.
Neal Stephenson, "Spew"
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F7892b979bd0b75bbaf26499638c3aa55.jpg&hash=43b9ee45909071a9e3ed4e494cd437e07cd8ebf7)
Written in 1994 and published in Wired, Neal Stephenson's SPEW (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.10/spew_pr.html) is pure cyberpunk. Or, rather, Stephenson's brand of it. Written in epistolary form, the character Stark, a Profile Auditor (basicallly a market researcher), communicates with a female hacker who is able to navigate the SPEW freely. Imagine the SPEW as the internet plus all other forms of data aggregated in a megolithic stream.
The SPEW (which features a virtual reality visualization of its data stream, the Demosphere) has a built-in backdoor that allows corporate and state surveillance. Stark is a cog in this surveillance wheel.
"Profile Auditors can do this because data security on the Spew is a joke," writes Stark. "It was deliberately made a joke by the Government so that they, and we, and anyone else with a Radio Shack charge card and a trade school diploma, can snoop on anyone."
Echoes of our current wired world?
JG Ballard, Super-Cannes
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2Fbef24d5974d815abd5ed270fa47ac493.jpg&hash=6ba2fa4dfec63bf83a889450b3e869fc72226a99)
The British New Wave SF author JG Ballard always had a thing for gated, isolated communities. The surreal, psychogeographical landscape, which would later be termed "Ballardian (http://www.ballardian.com/)," is there in its early form in Vermilion Sands short story collection, but also in later works like High-Rise.
This architecture of space and mind reaches its apogee with Super-Cannes. The novel is set in Eden-Olympia, a high-tech business park near the French Riveria—a place where capitalist elites can dedicate themselves to nothing but work and excellence, all under the watchful eye of surveillance cameras and a private security force.
A microcosm of our current world? Sure. Minus the mooching plebes.
Robert Sheckley, "Watchbird"
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F68361cfb6a968a4c4aa4b94d8fb4ea8c.jpg&hash=ead9c9e16b7bff5fd482cb4f7367ebced54fdb24)
If any story anticipated the all-seeing eye of the drone, it is Robert Sheckley's "Watchbird (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29579/29579-h/29579-h.htm)." The story begins with a meeting of seven "watchbird" manufacturers. They've just learned that the President of the United States has segmented the country into seven watchbird zones, with each company getting a monopoly therein. Every city and town within these zones will be equipped with watchbirds to prevent murder. Problem is, they have the capability of becoming pseudo-sentient, which causes one of the watchbird manufacturers to second guess the entire effort.
Shockley's prescience here is shocking. The US more than little resembles the world in "Watchbird," with various drone manufacturers all vying to get their equipment flying along borders and in cities.
Stanislaw Lem, Memoirs Found In a Bathtub
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets2.motherboard.tv%2Fcontent-images%2Fcontentimage%2Fno-slug%2F944de4a3ffc6885f7171ca9702ddd1a7.jpg&hash=134bc97d5d34fd28c7a7b5e4469163a456b22e52)
This isn't so much a novel about surveillance as it is satire of the paranoia that state watchmen experience. It takes place in the third Pentagon, built into a mountain. There are no masses here. No one for Big Brother to watch apart from itself, the bureaucrats in the Pentagon. Many of the officials in Lem's novel may or may not be spies, double agents or even triple agents.
This book makes the list because it lays bare the truth of espionage and surveillance: that once this becomes the operating principle of any society, the watchmen (and everyone else) descend into a looking glass world of crippling, absurdist and ultimately false paranoia, where everyone is an enemy and nobody is safe.
http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/10-great-science-fiction-stories-involving-surveillance (http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/10-great-science-fiction-stories-involving-surveillance)
The Incredible Space Art of Russian Magazine Tekhnika Molodezhi
When the space race raged in the 1950s, fantastical visions of the future of travel were everywhere. Magazines like Popular Mechanics (http://www.tested.com/art/43726-sci_fi-art-propaganda-across-cultures/) ran speculative articles about the rockets and space stations that would take civilization to the stars, and the accompanying artwork blurred the line between fiction and plausible reality. This art had a real affect on the space race in both the United States and Soviet Union; where Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, and Disney's Tomorrowland set the tone for the US space program, the Soviet Union's most influential art may have come from the magazine Tekhnika Molodezhi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekhnika_Molodezhi).(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.tested.com%2Fphotos%2F2013%2F07%2F05%2F55-49714-russian_3-1373064651.jpg&hash=fb035e0c7666ea8f32f270213173f211a7686fe8) (http://files.tested.com/photos/2013/07/05/49714-russian_3.jpg)Tekhnika Molodezhi, or Technology for the Youth, was first published in Russia in 1933. Throughout World War II, its covers (http://www.tested.com/science/space/456677-gallery-art-tekhnika-molodezhi/) would often depict the weapons and technologies of war. Then things changed. With the war over, the magazine began to mirror Popular Mechanics, depicting deep sea exploration, gyrocopters and rocket cars, space capsules and lunar missions.
http://www.tested.com/science/space/456670-incredible-space-art-russian-magazine-tekhnika-molodezhi/ (http://www.tested.com/science/space/456670-incredible-space-art-russian-magazine-tekhnika-molodezhi/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51hiLZDx1SL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=b1e4f977bb74bc0842441b66e8f965c72444fa55)
Edge je roman kojem je ingeniozna premisa trebala biti najjači aspekt, a ispalo je da ga je upravo ona ponajviše zakopala & u crnu zemlju sabila. Naravno, to roman nije sprečilo da pokupi skorašnju Shirley Jackson Award, ali ta činjenica ne čini roman boljim, daleko bilo, nego samo pokazuje koliko su standardi za horor nagrade i dalje... hm, budimo učtivi i recimo samo - diskutabilni.
U potrazi za vanžanrovskim motivima koji bi mogli osvježiti (nekome samo naizgled!) iscrpljene žanrovske postavke, Edge poseže za ništa manje do kvantnim SFom, nemilice grabeći motive iz prepoznatljivog idejnog asortimana i nabijajući ih u prolog zbog kojeg su neki rivjuisti već krstili roman kao "kvantni horor". A to šakom i kapom grabljenje izgleda otprilike ovako:
U septembru 2011, Hans Ziemssen sa suprugom krstari po kalifornijskoj ruti 166. Pustinjski pejzaž dozvoljava besprekornu vidljivost kilometrima uokolo, i možete samo zamisliti Hansovu zapanjenost kada naiđe na napušteni automobil sa još toplim motorom i razbacanim inventarom koji ukazuje na skorašnje prisustvo najmanje četvoročlane porodice. Hans uzalud gleda na sve strane ali ne nalazi ni najmanjeg traga koji bi ukazao kuda su to putnici iz napuštenog automobila nestali. I dok tako razbija glavu nad misterijom, ustanovljava da je upravo u tom trenutku i njegov automobil postao decidirano prazan - da mu je supruga volšebno izvetrila iz sedišta u kojem je do malopre bila vezana još uvek zakopčanim pojasem. U maniru široko priznatih majstora saspensa, Suzuki tako u prologu ostavlja našeg zbunjenog i nadasve nesretnog Hansa, da mu se nikada više ne vrati.
Sledi rez na drugi misteriozni nestanak: četvoročlana porodica Fujimura je volšebno isparila u vazduh jednog jutra i stariji brat nesretnog oca te porodice Fujimura nemilice je ukazivao na činjenicu da su iza njihovog nestanka ostali samo nedovršeni mundani jutarnji zadaci - neko od njih je nestao u sred spravljanja doručka, neko u sred kupanja u kadi. Mi, već trenirani iskustvom nesretnog Hansa, sad već donekle i znamo kako ta misterija izgleda, tako da su njena mnoga detaljisanja uglavnom prekomerna, izlišna i na momente zdravo dosadna. Mi već čekamo rasplet, pošto shvatamo da će sam zaplet biti uglavnom repetitivno iznošenje originalnog modela iz prologa, ali ne, ne, Suzuki ima u planu još sličnih (da ne kažem potpuno istih) gudiza, u istom "šaka-kapa" maniru, pa se ređaju slični incidenti koji nemaju ama baš nikakvu svrhu niti razlog niti uticaj na skasku, nego postoje samo da čitaocu kroz nozdrve uguraju sve ono što mu je već kristalno jasno otkako je u prologu sreo nesretnog Hansa.
Dalje, tvdi Edge, superkumpjuteri su pri izračunavanju matematičke vrednosti Pi sinhronizovano naišli na nepregledan niz nula, to baš nakon petstotog decimalnog mesta. A još dalje, neki tamo astronomi su ustvrdili da su najmanje dve ili tri zvezde nestale i to ne u tamo nekim banalnim supernova eksplozijama, nego naprosto u "puf-i sad me više nema" duboko naučnom maniru. NASA, naravno, to pokušava da sve zataška, tvrdeći da je njen JWST u orbiti pod remontom, ali ne lezi vraže, videli su sve to i drugi astronomi širom sveta, pa tako i nema nikakve zabune - bio je to upravo puf, kako bi to sami astrofizičari u svom žargonu rekli.
I dobro sad, tu već shvatite sa kime i sa čime imate posla, ali paradoksalno, to se ispostavi kao sasvim pristojna motivacija za dalje čitanje. Neki đavo vas naprosto tera da okusite svu širinu tog spektakla, svu dubinu te nesvesti, i, uopšte, svu dimenziju tog besmisla koji vam tekst tako straobalno raskriljuje pred umornim i pomalo suznim očima.
Sledi populistički dajdžest nekih renomiranih naučnih teorija i dela (koje će Suzuki isto tako uredno navesti u bibliografiji), dajdžest koji će vas do suza nasmejati i istovremeno probuditi u vama skoro nekontrolisanu zavist prema čoveku koji tako hrabro ogoljuje svu svoju bedastoću (ne, ne pada mi na pamet adekvatnija reč), sluteći da će mu za to neko negde zapravo dati nagradu. Dajdžest nalik onima kojima seoski popovi artikulišu svoju nadasve specifičnu interpretaciju Darvinove teorije evolucije vrsta, recimo, i 'nuff said sad o tome. Rečeni dajdžest je obilno garniran sličnim ekstraktom japanske kulture i istorije, čiji napor da reprezentuje zemlju veoma liči na uspeh sa kojim "havajska" pica sa ananasom reprezentuje talijansko kulinarstvo. A ako se ispostavi da nekome sve to nije dosta, tu su i ekstrakti o drevnim južnoameričkim civilizacijama nad kakvim bi i sam fon Deniken pohotno stenjao u ekstazi zavidnog sladostrašća. I još pride mnogočega, naravno, ali tu smo već zahvalni prirodnoj selektivnosti kojom se ljudski mozak brani od informativnog preopterećenja, tako da se većina njih milosrdno izgubi čim isključite čitač nakon brisanja knjige.
Nakon tog ekstraordinarno opsesivnog trpanja raznolike i uglavnom beskorisne informacije kojoj je cilj da stvori privid višedimenzionalnosti samog zapleta, na scenu stupa glavni lik odgovoran za rasplet. Ili se bar čitalac tome naivno nada, optimističan kakav već jeste pri čitanju nagrađenih žanrovskih romana. Na scenu stupa Saeko Kuriyama, novinarka kojoj je po zadatku dopalo da istraži misteriozni nestanak porodice Fujimura. Svi žanrovski trenirani čitaoci iskusiće tu moj nalet silovite nade u zdrav razum, jer po žanrovskoj konvenciji lik novinara obećava sistematsko istraživanje, analizu, procjenu činjenica i, eventualno, finalno objašnjenje početne misterije. Unutar konvencije žanrovske motivacije, novinar nam tu dođe kao nešto blaža, nekonvencinalnija verzija detektiva, i po svojoj prirodi taj motiv obećava nam ne samo neutaživu žeđ za istinom nego i beskompromisnu potjeru za istom. Uvođenje novinara kao glavnog lika čitaocu obećava ako već ne samo iznalaženje smisla u haosu, a ono bar bespoštedno traženje smisla, stoga, ko tu uspe - uspe, a ko ne... pa, taj će se barem doslovno
satrti u rečenom traženju. To je, dakle, ta nepisana pogodba koju imamo sa proznim novinarima u žanru, ali alas, Suzuki ima isuviše problema u sopstvenom razmišljanju da bi bio u stanju prozno nam dočarati išta slično.
Malo bi bilo reći da Saeko Kuriyama ima psiho-fizičke probleme. Bliže je istini reći da Saeko Kuriyama nema ništa drugo OSIM toga, i to uglavnom zato što Suzuki naprosto ne zna kako karakterizacija proznog lika zapravo funkcioniše, to van ekstremih deskriptivnih značajki. Saeko je tako sazdana od gomile krajnosti koje je, tako zbijene na gomilu, predstavljaju kao primarno grotesku, a tek nakon toga pobuđuju dublje sentimente, i to samo kod onih čitalaca koji su u stanju da preko rečene groteske pređu, uz to sačuvavši dovoljno interesovanja za sam nesretni lik. Saeko vuče traume zbog skorašnjeg razvoda za koji naprosto ne možete da krivite njenog supruga, iako o njemu skoro ništa ne znate, sem da nije uradio ništa što normalan čovek inače ne bi uradio, kad ga se životno upari sa osobom kao što je Saeko. Dalje, Saeko ima opipljivu kvrgu u dojci, za koju uporno ne traži lekarsku pomoć jer se boji loše vesti, recimo, boji se da je u pitanju, nedajbože, rak. Mene reči naprosto izdaju nad tom i takvom postavkom, pa bolje da dalje o tome i ne govorim, sem da uzgred napomenem kako zaista ne poznajem ženu koju bi u takvoj situaciji na taj način reagovala. Dalje, Saeko se smatra odgovornom za smrt majke, koja je umrla na porođaju od krajnje nejasnih komplikacija. Dalje, Saeko je izgubila oca ciglih osamnaest godina kasnije, i to u incidentu veoma nalik incidentima na kojima Suzuki gradi zaplet, ali izgleda da to niko ne zna, pa joj otud i daju taj konkretno novinarski zadatak. Dalje, Saeko je pre izvesnog broja godina gotovo silovana od strane mladića čiji su joj roditelji bili neka neka vrst surogata očinstva-majčinstva, a pri tom su bili i pravi, izistinski detektivi. Ukratko rečeno, Saeko je komplet najgorih trauma koje se nekome mogu u životu dogoditi i, shodno tome, Saeko u romanu ne rasvetljuje ama baš ništa, naprotiv, ona preko tih svojih obilnih hendikepa samo zamagljuje čak i ono što bi u drugačijim okolnostima bilo relativno jednostavno i jasno.
Pored te karakterizacije, Suzuki ni sa ostalim likovima ne prolazi ništa bolje: on jednostavno nije u stanju da konstruiše lik bez da posegne za krajnostima koje sačinjavaju primarno karikaturu, ako već ne i grotesku. No dobro, njemu ionako ne treba više od toga, jer sve što Suzuki ima u planu svodi se ionako na najjeftiniju moguću mistiku, i to od one najtrivijalnije vrste za koju se smatra da je opravdana najnižim nazivnikom žanrovske konvencije. Kad mlaka ljubavna vezica između Saeko i jednog od kolega ne odvede nikuda, Suzuki je prekine krajnje proizvoljnim aktom vanbračne griže savesti: jednom kad napipa kvrgu u njenoj dojci, ljubavnik se priseti da kod kuće i sam ima suprugu sa rakom dojke, i to je kraj te od samog početka neuverljive romanse. I kad medijum iz ekipe ne uspe da iz prvog pokušaja uspostavi suvislu konverzaciju sa duhovima koji bi mogli objasniti misteriozne nestanke ljudi, Suzuki odluči da je sasvim logično da rečenu nesrećnicu zavitla sa stene u more, jer šta sa njom dalje da radi, pobogu, kome pa treba medijum koji ne uspeva da komunicira sa duhovima?? I kad se najzad kobajagi otkrije da ljudi nestaju uglavnom u regionima duž tektonskih raspuklina, Suzuki naprosto ne zna kud dalje nego da za sve okrivi... pa eto, koga drugog nego glavom i bradom matematiku, i te njene gaddem iracionalne brojeve, među njima ponajviše gaddem konstantu Pi, koja je, naravno, nekako za sve kvantum-apokalipse kriva, ali Suzuki baš ne zna kako je to sirota matematika za sve kriva, a ako on ne zna, pa, onda ni njegovi čitaoci ne moraju to da znaju, jer bože moj, ipak je ovo samo tamo neki horor, i sasvim se podrazumeva da sam taj fakt daje dovoljno slobode da se lupeta na trista strana redom pa još i dobije nagrada za to lupetanje.
Da sumiram: Edge nije samo nehotična parodija žanrova, Edge je nesvesna parodija RAZUMA. Samim time, roman je beskrajno zabavan u svojoj neplaniranoj dimenziji čisto logičkog užasa - to dirljivo konfuzno, patetično nesuvislo i teatralno neartikulisano poimanje stvarnosti koje izvire iz pera autora nudi nekakvu nezdravu fascinaciju kakvu inače iskusite dok gledate ljude koji rade sve ono što vi samtrate da nikada ne bi: da se skinu do gola i mokre na javnim mestima krcatim slučajnim prolaznicima, na primer. Ili da glasno prde u liftu prepunom ljudi, recimo. Te konkretno aktivnosti su meni prilično veran ekvivalent književnog dometa ovog romana, ali opet, nije domet taj koji me fascinira, nego sklop svesti koja ga proizvodi. Ili, bolje rečeno, sklop nesvesti koji podrazumeva apsolutni nedostatak samosvesti, zadužene da kod dvonožnih sisara proizvede stid zbog sopstvene inferiornosti.
I, šta reći, možda upravo to i jeste ona najvažnija komponenta na kojoj se gradi proizvod oficijelno klasificiran kao "umetnički". A ako je zaista tako, onda je Suzuki svakako jedan od najvećih žanrovskih umetnika koje sam čitala u poslednjih pet-šest godina.
Za kraj vas ostavljam sa jednim reprezentativnim odlomkom, mada, istinu govoreći, teško da u romanu ima odlomka koji nije reprezenttivan, ali eto, ovaj će adekvatno poslužiti svrsi, a ako ne posluži, pa, onda nikakve svrhe nije ni bilo.
Quote
He was attempting to lighten the atmosphere by telling tall tales that normal people could enjoy, but Saeko couldn't help wondering what it was that had got him so caught up in his thoughts earlier.
'So, what's got you so preoccupied anyway?' Presumably it was something fascinating enough to make him completely forget himself.
Isogai's expression changed immediately. Saeko got the impression that whatever it was, it was pretty important. 'Actually I find it a little hard to believe. Apparently, the value of Pi has changed.'
Pi. Saeko knew the basics; it was a number that continued randomly and infinitely beyond the decimal point, never revealing a pattern.
3.1415926535897932384626433832795028
Had he meant that some new discovery had been made about the number?
'A colleague of mine called Cyril Burt, good friend, actually, was given a report by another mutual friend I used to work with at the facility, Gary. He researches number theory at Stanford.
'Just three or four days ago he was running some generic tests on some new computers they were having installed. One of the tests was to have the computer calculate the value of Pi to 500 billion digits. It's a relatively standard computing test to check for errors in logic. We already know the value of Pi to a trillion digits, so it's easy to tell if the calculation goes wrong on the way.
'Now, the value of Pi is such that no matter how long we were to run a computer, we would never be able to finish the calculation. Pi is an irrational number and can't be represented as a fraction. Each number below the decimal point will be a number from 0 to 9, and at no point will anything resembling a numeric pattern appear. This has already been proven using mathematic theory.
'Anyway, Gary had set up the computer to sound an alarm if the calculation didn't produce the expected numbers. As I said, a simple test to check the computer's processing ability.' Isogai paused for a moment, eyes unfocused as though he were lost in thought.
'So the alarm sounded?' Saeko prompted.
'Exactly.'
'Meaning, a pattern emerged?'
Isogai shook his head, looking genuinely disturbed. 'As I said, I find it hard to believe, but after a certain point, the numbers stopped. The computer just produced a succession of zeros.'
Saeko recalled part of her father's writing - he had also written about Pi:
Irrational numbers continue ad infinitum as a chaotic concatenation of numerals with no point of destination. Imagine if I were to suddenly find a repeating pattern in a number that had heretofore been defined as irrational!
'That must have been pretty terrifying for Gary.'
'Terrifying, yes?That's exactly what it was. He wasn't afraid at first because he didn't believe the results for a moment. I guess he swore at the computer for coming up with an error and set about reinitializing the test.
'But he couldn't find any errors in the program. He called on some friends to help. Pretty standard researcher thing, always trying to remain objective. He wanted a second opinion, probably thought he was just missing something obvious.'
'But they didn't find anything either, right?'
Isogai smiled a little, looking pleasantly surprised that Saeko was following the conversation. 'Do you want to see it? I've got the data from the test in my laptop.'
Isogai stopped suddenly and pulled his laptop out from his shoulder bag. He sat on the edge of one of the steps and booted up the computer. Saeko sat next to him and watched as a succession of numbers appeared on the computer's display. The stream of numbers quickly filled the screen. At a certain point, the numbers became a succession of zeros.
053944282039301274816381585303964399254702016727593285743666441109625663373000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Beyond the decimal point, some numbers reached a point where they became periodic, endlessly repeating a given digit or set of digits. For example, 17 divided by 7 yielded 2.428571428571428571. The 428571 pattern repeated endlessly. Numbers that terminated in a repeating decimal pattern were classified as rational. By contrast, numbers such as Pi or the root of 2 were defined as irrational since their decimal representation went on forever without ever terminating in a pattern. Yet, the number on the screen devolved into a clear pattern, a never-ending line of zeros.
Saeko scanned through the numbers on the screen. As she did so, she couldn't shake the feeling that the dividing zone between the random numbers and the succession of zeros represented an abyss, something beyond the realm of her comprehension. It seemed like a dividing line between life and death. The random numbers were life, dynamic and vibrant. In contrast, the procession of zeros brought to mind a frozen world where all forms of life were precluded by a boundless emptiness. The random numbers were full of color and variety, the zeros monotone and dull.
Is it an omen?
She felt awe, sensing a will that pervaded the universe. If it was the will of a god, though, what was this saying? Was it a positive message? Or a warning? Saeko couldn't believe that it was the former. She felt morbidly certain that this was not a good sign for the universe.
'Is it possible that the random numbers return later?' Perhaps it was just some astounding coincidence. Perhaps things just returned to normal.
'They thought of that and pushed the computer to continue the calculation. The zeros just went on and on, and the random strings of numbers never recurred. That was when they started to really worry.
'It wasn't a problem with the machine. They had professionals check it and nothing was found. When the results of the objectivity tests came back, confirming that the pattern of zeros was real, Cyril said he started to shake.
'It's happened everywhere, this is universal. Computers all over the planet are coming up with the same result once they hit 500 billion digits. The same pattern of zeros.'
So computers throughout the world were coming up with the result after exactly the same number of decimal points. Saeko tried to gauge the implications, yet each time found herself returning to the same basic question. Wasn't Pi just a value? Did the change have any impact for the everyday world?
But she knew better than to ask. From all that her father had taught her about math and physics, she already knew the answer. Pi was fundamental in a number of equations used to describe various phenomena of the universe. If the value changed, then it necessarily followed that there would be real-world impact. When numbers went awry, when mathematic theorems failed, it was nothing less than a sign of a collapse in the laws of physics. But even with that understanding, it didn't quite feel real. She had no yardstick; there were no precedents to help her contextualize it.
A chill crawled up her spine as she slowly became cognizant of the ominous threat. The revelation was so massive that it was simply impossible to process it all at once. Bit by bit, her physical reactions began to catch up with the information her mind had already processed, and she felt the hairs on her arms begin to stand on edge as fear began to penetrate the core of her consciousness.
Isogai closed the lid of his laptop and put it back in his bag, and they resumed climbing the steps. For a while neither spoke, concentrating only on the task of walking. A gust of wind blew across the path, strangely warm for the time of year. The wind died down as suddenly as it came, leaving the branches still and quiet.
:shock:
xrofl
Za preskakanje, onda?
Nego, što se ovog tiče:
Quote from: LiBeat on 20-07-2013, 13:58:53
Dalje, Saeko ima opipljivu kvrgu u dojci, za koju uporno ne traži lekarsku pomoć jer se boji loše vesti, recimo, boji se da je u pitanju, nedajbože, rak. Mene reči naprosto izdaju nad tom i takvom postavkom, pa bolje da dalje o tome i ne govorim, sem da uzgred napomenem kako zaista ne poznajem ženu koju bi u takvoj situaciji na taj način reagovala.
Ja znam takve. Ne konkretno za rak dojke, ali za karakteristične znake ovog ili onog raka, da. To jest, znala sam takve.
Pa vidi, ponekad loša knjiga može da ti pozitivno utiče na vidike taman koliko i dobra, a u tom smislu Edge ima neku vrednost. Recimo, da se zaključiti da je Suzuki duboko fasciniran stvarima koje ne shvata u potpunosti, što ga tera da o njima razmišlja i tumači ih na način koji nema baš odviše zdravorazumske kvalitete, ali zato ima na pretek svake druge, što ponekad proizvodi... recimo, vrlo zanimljive (s)misaone koncepte. :lol: A to može biti zanimljivo u literaturi, nije da nije. Da se Suzuki držao onog više iracionalnog, da ne kažem apsurdnog domena fantastike, njegove ideje i postavke bi svakako bile interesantne ljudima sa sličnim sklonostima. Na žalost, Suzuki je više privučen prirodnim fenomenima i "tvrdim" naukama a tu njegove faličnosti baš onako, dolaze do izražaja, na nimalo pozitivan način. Da stvar bude gora, Suzuki ima i nesavladivu potrebu da "prosvetljuje", da "otkriva" drugima ono što sam smatra ingenioznim dosetkama, pa se otud i bavi toliko dajdžestima teorija za čije je ispravno shvatanje potrebno veoma specijalizovano i iscrpno znanje. Suzuki je neka vrst filozofa-laika, koji je čvrsto uveren da mu za razumevanje kompleksnih naučnih postavki i teorija nije potrebno nikakvo formalno i specijalizovano obrazovanje, nego mu je dovoljna bogomdana pronicljivost, za koju očigledno smatra da je njega favorizovala više no ostale ljude. Naravno da je tok takve svesti vrlo interesantan posmatraču, pogotovo kad se ovako razuzdano razmaše, bez ikakvih kočnica koje većina ljudi uglavnom koristi kad iznose svoja mišljenja o fenomenima sa kojima nisu dovoljno upoznati. To me kod njega i fascinira, ta apsolutna samouverenost i očigledno nehajanje za mogućnost da to što govori zapravo nema niti smisla niti razuma. A najsmešnije od svega - ništa od tih njegovih divljih pretpostavki koje nudi preko dajdžesta zapravo ima svrhe i potrebe u samom zapletu a još manje u raspletu knjige, to je potpuno beskorisan narativni višak koji je Suzuki naprosto morao da ugura u knjigu jer mu je stalo da to nekome kaže. Tako da Edge ispada nekakva platforma za skoro pa terapeutsko izlaganje nekih njegovih vrlo smušenih i zbunjenih misaonik koncepata. Dok nije odneo nagradu (sa onakvim imenima u žiriju, hej!) bilo mi sve to pomalo dirljivo, na način na koji mi bleskakste stvari ponekad mogu da budu, ali posle me sve to malko iziritiralo, pa otud i ovako hejterski rivju. :lol: Mene Kiernanova nije oduvala sa nogu, to sam rekla, ali u kontekstu nominacija, žena je proizvela roman najmanje 4 reda veličine bolji od ovog, to u svakom domenu, od idejnog do zanatskog i preko pola tuceta između. Mislim da me i to dodatno iznerviralo, i eto.
Što se ovog drugog tiče, ja zaista ne poznajem osobu koja bi u takvoj situaciji slično reagirala. Ako išta, poznajem dovoljno žena koje se nalaze u onoj drugoj krajnosti, pa u sličnim situacijama reaguju kao krajnji alarmisti i hipohondrijaci, plašeći se najgoreg za svaku sitnicu. Pretpostavljam da su obe krajnosti podjednako otklonjene od onoga što volimo da smatramo za "normalu", ali svejedno, ako imamo prozni lik čiji je profil koncipiran kao samostalan i obrazovan, onda takvo ponašanje ostavlja utisak nedoslednosti u karakterizaciji.
Quote from: LiBeat on 21-07-2013, 09:04:19
Tako da Edge ispada nekakva platforma za skoro pa terapeutsko izlaganje nekih njegovih vrlo smušenih i zbunjenih misaonik koncepata. Dok nije odneo nagradu (sa onakvim imenima u žiriju, hej!) bilo mi sve to pomalo dirljivo, na način na koji mi bleskakste stvari ponekad mogu da budu, ali posle me sve to malko iziritiralo, pa otud i ovako hejterski rivju. :lol:
Meni samo čudna ona pitanja na fejsu u grupi: da li će ovo remek delo biti prevedeno kod nas (wtf, jesi li ti možda pročitao prikaz uopšte?) i sa kojim japanskim klasikom bi se moglo to remek delo uporediti (wtf, jesi li ti možda pročitao prikaz uopšte?).
Hoću da kažem, čitajući prikaz, nisam stekao utisak da je to remek delo, čak štaviše :)
Perine, to je SOatlas1980, on tako priča :)
heh... ja inače ne poznajem te momke, pa nisam bila sigurna da li su ozbiljni ili u tim pitanjima ima oveća doza ironije. :mrgreen:
ps. zakk u međuvremenu objasnio. :lol:
Rosemary's Daughtersby David Nickle
One evening many years ago, author and playwright Ira Levin paid a visit to his friend Rosemary Clooney. It was during her pregnancy, in the apartment she shared with her husband Jose Ferrer in the Dakota Building in New York City. As legend would have it, Ferrer was a lousy husband, and Levin worried about Rosemary both in the marriage and in that gloomy old building. He went away and set to work on a new novel, about a woman also called Rosemary married to a down-on-his-luck actor in a building very much like the Dakota.
The novel departs from Clooney's depressingly mundane reality, as Rosemary Woodhouse's husband Guy sells her uterus to a pack of Satanists living upstairs. And as they wait for their little Dark Lord to gestate, the course of a difficult pregnancy turns into the nightmarish horror show of Rosemary's Baby — arguably one of the most influential and powerful horror novels of the 20th century.
Reportedly, Levin was dismayed by the most obvious influence of the book, in creating a genre of horror fiction that preyed on what he regarded the superstitious impulses of the reading public. But he ought to have been more pleased with the other big influence: the introduction of feminist themes into horror fiction. In particular, into horror fiction written by men.
It's an interesting, and interestingly popular, subset of a genre that can be anything but feminist. One of the frequent complaints about modern horror films is that they often treat women as simple victims, lasciviously oppressed and violated, and very often killed. In the original King Kong, Fay Wray is little more than a rape victim. In The Cat People, Simone Simon's Serbian shape-changer is a creature whose womanly desires and fallibility turn her into a killer. The dead sorority sisters in the endless slasher movies of the 1980s are legion — all implicitly executed for simply enjoying their sexuality.
But Rosemary's daughters are a different breed. It would be wrong to call them properly feminist — because they're not really stories informed by the core experience of their authors. Rather, they're stories written by male novelists, using the tools they've got to understand, as best they can, the experience of their sisters and wives and daughters.
They don't always get it right. But they take an honest stab at it.
In Rosemary's Baby, Levin asks us to study the vulnerability of women who enter into marriage and embark on a life of child-rearing. As Rosemary's pregnancy progresses, she finds herself having less and less agency in her own life and care — much as was the case for most women with children in 1960s America. Levin went as far as acknowledging, and illustrating, the horror of that disempowerment. But in the end, the best he could offer was an expression of lurid despair.
William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist was also concerned with women — in particular, with the anxieties and vulnerabilities that he saw as intrinsic to women-led households in the early 1970s, when Vatican 2 denied the "wisdom" of the old religious patriarchy and a demon might slip in through the gaps to steal away your child. It would be wrong to call a novel feminist, in which that demon finally succumbs at the hand of one of the priests of that Old Time Religion. But as previously stated — they didn't always get it right.
What they did was observe the changing world of gender roles, with as much empathy and as little condescension as they could.
Stephen King's debut novel was the story of Carrie White, a young girl whose abuse at the hands of her zealously conservative mother combined with her first menstruation unleashed latent telekinetic powers that literally destroyed the oppressive, patriarchal society around her. King, interestingly, depicted that patriarchy most brutally enforced by the women: specifically, Carrie's mother, and the mean girls who set up the Prom Night prank that leads to the pyrotechnic conclusion.
King has been an enthusiastic, if imperfect, bearer of the flame in this little sub-category throughout his very prolific career. His novel The Shining takes a powerful look at domestic abuse borne of substance abuse, and ultimately delivers a kind of victory to Wendy Torrance, who escapes both the evils of the Overlook Hotel and the immediate threat of her abusive husband. But it's a victory delivered by men — the momentary mercy and regret of her husband, the 'Shining' powers of her son Danny, the sacrifice of Dick Hallorann, the hotel's psychic custodian.
But there are others: Rose Madder, Dolores Clayborne, Gerald's Game... to an extent, It and The Stand. They all take that stab at understanding and illuminating the human condition, as experienced by the double-X chromosome.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00BATWOCC.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL500_.jpg&hash=0a0473c2ce0926c923427394e83b0276d186f0b8) (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00BATWOCC/sfsi0c-20)When I was putting together my latest novel, The 'Geisters, I paid less attention to King, and more to Levin. Initially, my novel of a woman haunted by a poltergeist, and pursued by men with a dangerously carnal interest in that poltergeist, was to be informed by another great Levin feminist-horror novel: The Stepford Wives.
That one's barely a novel at all — it's a tiny thing, really a novella. But Levin's slim tale has become in its way an even more prevalent meme than Rosemary's Baby: the story of a community of men, irritated by the rising tide of feminism in the early '70s, who respond with a horrible utopianism: a world in which real women, with their needs and desires and ambitions, are replaced by the servile sexual objects that these men had always desired.
It's a powerful meme, and like the horror at the heart of Rosemary's Baby, it's fundamentally hopeless. From his time and place, that's how Levin evidently saw the future for women in North American society. To paraphrase George Orwell, the likely future of feminist aspiration is a black-polished Oxford shoe, stomping on a woman's face — forever.
It's tempting to dismiss that assessment as dated. But to do so would be naive. Lawmakers in North Carolina and Texas are waging an all-out war of oppression on women as I type this. In Dubai, Norwegian designer Marte Deborah has barely escaped imprisonment for the crime of having sex out of marriage, for simply having reported an allegation that she'd been raped in that country. Patriarchy may sometimes seem to be dissolving into history — but like the monster in a horror novel, it always seems to return, its powers undiminished.
When I wrote about The 'Geisters on John Scalzi's blog (http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/06/26/the-big-idea-david-nickle/) in June, I described it as Rosemary's Baby, where the part of Rosemary Woodhouse is played by Carrie White. My protagonist Ann LeSage has to take a lot of shit from some very bad men. But she has within herself the capacity to give it back, with interest.
In that sense, I hope that my addition to this continuum is if not a statement of naive hope, at least something of a battle cry.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51YwkzwYlgL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX342_SY445_CR%2C0%2C0%2C342%2C445_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=a721883e6fc2f1560487073bb6ead1209dae813f)
Going through The Quarry, Iain Banks' final novel, was such a bittersweet experience. For the last 15 years I've spent my reading life safe in the knowledge that there is, without a doubt, a new Iain Banks novel somewhere not too far ahead. I've liked both his incarnations so it was with huge trepidation that I've opened this short book. It was so sad knowing that this might be the last new pages that I'll ever read from one of my favourite writers. Luckily, The Quarry is just as you'd expect it to be - funny, outrageous and clever.
Much has been said about the fact that in a cruel twist of fate, one of the main protagonists in The Quarry is dying from cancer. Life does imitate art in the worst possible sense. However, Guy, who only has months to live, has a son, autistic math genius Kit, who is the real star of the book. Kit lives with Guy in a dilapidated house in Bewford, situated near a quarry. Similar to Guy, the house itself is falling apart and will be destroyed in the near future to make way for quarry expansion. Similar to Guy, the house itself is filled with memories and one of these is the long lost video tape which might or might not be a sex tape made between friends once they were together at college. All of them come together for one last time to Guy's place, willing to say goodbye to their friend and, if possible, find the missing videotape. These events unfurl through the eyes of Kit, who is autistic and completely lovable character. Everyone is slightly worried about how Kit will manage once Guy is gone but somehow as the story progresses and you discover how lives of each and every character is flawed, you start to feel like Kit will manage just fine. At one point, search for the missing video tape turns into a huge clear out and almost everything Guy and Kit own is thrown into a huge bonfire. For me, this bonfire is the centrepiece of the novel, signifying what really matters in life - not materialistic things that we accumulate but just the fact that we're happy to be alive.
Now, Iain plotted the whole story and wrote about half of the book before he found out about the cancer but in his last filmed interview with the BBC, Iain mentioned that some of the Guy's rants were written in the hospital just after he found out about the prognosis. These definitely feel like vintage Ian letting it all out. Ian was a character larger than life and you would really appreciate this truly when attending one of his readings. As such The Quarry is the perfect ending. A lovely tale that is, perhaps, a bit rough around the edges but is a worthy full stop to both an extraordinary life and illustrious career.
Order "The Quarry" here:
Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316281867/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316281867&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming00-20) | Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1408703947/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1408703947&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21)
Kaže Benford na efebu:
Quote
GENES MATTER?
[/size]I got a request from a Rothberg Institute for my DNA, since they want to "attempt to uncover common genetic variants among individuals who have demonstrated high level mathematical reasoning and abstract thought." among "500 of the best American theoretical physicists and mathematicians." I gave them the saliva and look forward to the reports in a few years. But really...seriously?! I don't think their staff analysis is right. Come now!
nije baš da to sad spada u "živimo SF" kategoriju, ali ima neke male primese reafirmacije njegove izvesne proto varijante, bar kad se radi o pretpostavkama eugenike i tome sličnih struja mišljenja, pa malko strepnje i zebnje skoro da je sasvim na mestu.
... a ni malko cinizma ne bi tu bilo na odmet, jer primećujem da je Benford ipak pristao na test, i pored svih ograda i deklarisane rezervisanosti. :twisted:
Set in the midst of polluted streets of Victorian London, this moody debut by Adam McOmber has all you would expect from a Gothic novel - oppressing and brooding atmosphere, a strange mystery at it's heart and a brilliant detective looking to solve it.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61EfJ7a7vYL.jpg&hash=d1ca046cc23bcddb2a6c6eb2f7e37ddd593975be)
The basic premise is quite original as well. Story revolves around Jane Silverlake who lives on the family estate that is slowly falling to ruin. Jane lives with her father and has a secret. She can literary feel and see the souls of man-made objects around her and this strange gift makes her rather lonely. Her only friends are her neighbors Madeline and Nathan. However, as they grow up, both Madeline and Jane fall in love with Nathan but unfortunately Nathan is obsessed with cult led by Ariston Day. Ariston Day is one strange character and he actively participates with his followers in dream manipulation, trying to discover Empyrean, hidden world. However, year later Nathan disappears and together with the legendary French Inspector Vidocq, Jane uses her talent to unfurl the events and discover the truth. However, as thing progress, story becomes increasingly strange furthering the overall experience that you're reading a true Gothic tale in vein of HP Lovecraft or Edgar Allan Poe. However, despite the carefully crafted mythology, the place where The White Forest truly shines is the characterization. Jane is an unlikely heroine, but one to which most of the readers will instantly like. The boyish obsession Nathan holds over Empyrean will also feel frighteningly real for everyone who obsessively wished for something once in his life.The White Forest is brimming with rich and vibrant imagery, and when you combine that with such accomplished writing, you get something really special. I enjoyed it immensely and literary stormed through it in two days. For his debut novel, Adam McOmber has created something really extraordinary and I can't recommend it enough for readers who are looking for something completely off the beaten track.
Order "The White Forest" here:Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451664265/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1451664265&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming00-2) | Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1451664265/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1451664265&linkCode=as2&tag=upcoming4me-21)
I dobro sad, nagomilale se dobre knjige pa da ih i pribeležim, dok su utisci još sveži. :) Najpre Ellen Ullman i njezin By Blood.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51yghqzoxEL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=26072cfd7adcb934d93e7879644df144f9795c42)
Ne, By Blood nije nikakva fantastika, ali, na neki uvrnuti način, roman je do te mere očaravajući i zapanjujući i toliko je suptilno strateški kodiran da proizvodi reakciju kakvu nam inače baš fantastika obećava. A povrh toga, roman svoju temu obrađuje na način koji upravo žanrovska fantastika najviše voli, pa ko tome da odoli?
A tema je, naravno, besmrtna i egzistencijalna - identitet. Muke sa njime, muke bez njega, patnje da se stekne, ili, još gore, patnje da se izbegne, to bar onaj najlakši i najteži ujedno - identitet po krvi. A pored i povrh toga - kao da to nije dosta - roman posredno govori i o vrlini eskapizma, ili barem procenjuje da li je sposobnost eskapizma vrlina per se, to bar u meri u kojoj se kvalitativno može izmeriti da li je ( i koliko) život lakši onim ljudima koji tu sposobnost imaju.
Naravno, kao i sve što Ullman napiše, i ovo je slojevito, mračno, opsesivno, brutalno, kodirano i nadasve vrlo, vrlo psihološki potkovano, što znači da najbolje komunicira sa čitaocem koji se sa tim zahtevima može da nosi, pa otud i smatram da roman skoro pa obavezno štivo za Vladu, samo ako uspe da ga na sat-dva odvoji od igrica. :mrgreen:
Elem, pošto ovo uopšte nije roman koji počiva na zapletu (mada je sam zaplet priča za sebe, i to od one vrste koja čoveku skrvi led), sledi nešto malo spojlera, tek koliko je potrebno da se eventualno nadvladaju čari tog opijuma za narod, tojest tih kaksezovu... erm... kompjuterskih igrica (jezušmarijo, pupupu! :-? ). Dakle, By Blood nudi tri aktera u životnoj drami (hmhm, tri!), od kojih su dva bezimena (da, zaista, krsna imena nisu potrebna za identitet), a onaj treći sa punim imenom i prezimenom je - psihijatar, Dr. Dora Schussler. Ona je kotva trougla kojeg osim nje čine Pacijent i Slušač. Vreme je neposredno posle Niksona i Vijetnamskog rata, znači za vreme Forda. Mesto je... mesto je priča za sebe.
Slušač je univerzitetski profesor koji je suspendovan i pod istragom za neki nejasni (pa otid i mračni) seksualni incident sa nekim od svojih studenata. Bežeći od skandala, profesor se sklanja u drugi grad, iznajmljuje jeftini stan i isto tako jeftini ured (kafkijanski sobičak, zapravo) u jednoj višespratnici, sve u nadi da će nekako pribaviti klijente za privatna podučavanja, tek da finansijski skrpi kraj sa krajem dok se istraga ne završi. Sudbina je htela da njegov ured deli samo tanki zid od ordinacije Dore Schussler, pa profesor tako sasvim nehotično i bez zle namere postaje Slušač, osoba koja iz prikrajka prisustvuje intimnim razgovorima Dr. Schussler i njenih pacijenata. A onda se pojavljuje Ona, pacijent sa velikim P, mlada žena čija duboka privatna tragedija uspeva da Slušaču zaseni njegovu, za koju je do tada mislio da je unikatno najveća na svetu. Ona, Pacijent, je usvojena još kao beba. Njeni roditelji odbijaju da o tom usvajanju uopšte govore, ali Pacijent duboko oseća da jednostavno nije deo te idilične, protestantske familije koju čine, Otac, Majka i Sestra, tako različiti od Pacijenta, i po izgledu i po svetonazoru i po svim vaskolikim stremljenjima koji čine čoveka. Oh da, Pacijent je i lezbejka. Toliko o osećaju krivice.
Dr. Schussler navodi Pacijenta da suoči roditelje i da iščupa iz njih istinu o svom usvajanju, ma kako se oni opirali. Dr. Schussler smatra da je Pacijentu neophodno da sazna svoj krvni identitet, ne bi li tim saznanjem lakše izmirila, ili barem izbalansirala svoj društveni, kulturni, religiozni, poslovni i seksualni. Slušač, prisluškivanjem uhvaćen u kovitlac duhovnih potreba Pacijenta, odluči da joj u tome pomogne: to je tako... ljudski, tako puno zdravog altruizma, pomoći bližnjemu svome, makar samo zato da kroz tu pomoć bolje osećamo, i makar na trenutak zaboravimo svoje probleme, zar ne? Naravno. Slušač istražuje Pacijentkinje korene sa daleko većim uspehom nego što to njoj samoj polazi za rukom, pošto on i dalje ima profesorski status koji mu omogućava da dopre do informacije do koje sam Pacijent nikada ne bi mogao. I tako Slušač otkriva i na tanjutru servira Pacijentu njegov krvni identitet. Identitet ratnog siročeta. Jevrejskog ratnog siročeta. Produkt silovanja i mučenja. Iz koncentracionog kampa.
Ako je Pacijent imao krize identiteta pre dolaska Dr. Schussleru i pre Slušačeve pomoći, ta kriza nije bila ništa u poređenju sa onom koja se kasnije razvila. E, tu negde sledi i pravi zaplet, a ovo do sada pomenuto može slobodno da se okvalifikuje kao uvertira, ili da budemo vulgarni - kao predigra.
Ellen Ullman je najjača savremena žena-pisac za koju znam, to u svoj limitiranosti sopstvenog neznanja. Nema spisateljice koja može da se meri da prodornošću seciranja kakvog Ullman ispoljava, bilo da piše od specifičnom autizmu ljudi koji najiskrenije komuniciraju jedino kroz svedenu preciznost kompjuterskog jezika (The Bug), bilo da govori o ljudima koji jednostavno nisu sposobni za ma kako sitan eskapizam, ma kako benigno izbegavanje čeprkanja po mračnim dubinama sopstvenog bića i bitisanja. Za takve ljude jednostavno nema bekstva niti azila, njihova potreba za autovivisekcijom (nadam se da ova reč zapravo postoji, pošto zaista ne znam za bolju :oops: ) jeste kamen temeljac njihovog duhovnog identiteta, iako razumom oni možda i slute da je čovek ipak nešto više od pukog (i zbrčkanog) zbira genetskog nasleđa.
Enivejz, ovo nije štivo za eskapiste po opredeljenju, ali jeste štivo za svakog koga zanima mračna strana mesa za koje smo doživotno vezani i od kojeg nema bekstva, sem u domenu duha. Što je eskapizam, naravno - za nekog nedostižan raj, a za nekog samo pakao samoobmane. By Blood će nekog možda i naterati da se postroji.
Dovrših i Cowl, najzad, zaturila mi se knjiga skroz, a bez razloga, totalno je opičeno štivo u pitanju, to za one koji vole... hm, pa eto, sulud i opičen sajfaj :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F518qqZEDyaL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=4f26a483e43a71bb595231cc2b49099af62eea2b)
onda, naravno, Patrick Lee trilogija:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51GSaYjTckL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=b18f30c5f85cdb27040ce99dbf006e7a448d2946)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51W7f5oIgIL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=e330d68c4a20aedb7066ad57d00f8ff1e484ab1b)
...i, trenutno sam na trećini finalnog naslova:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51tjcLj7%252B9L._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=a025692d3fff74cfa54b58b8643bc9ea33d4b28a)
!Sto mu gromova! :lol: :lol: odličan je Patrik, baš odličan! Ali pošto je trilogija od one strašno koherentne vrste, konačni utisak zahteva kompletiranje svih triju naslova, tako da...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51wd5hBTGGL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=80ef7835874a2ae7f2b5e3ce9d48cc6b838e53a7)
ohoh, kako je ovo dobro! :!: ne znam zašto, ali mene svojevremeno Lindina trilogija The Bohr Maker nije dotakla ama nimalo, iako mi biotech jeste slaba strana, ali LOV je remek-delo, to najozbiljnije tvrdim. Ali otom-potom. :lol:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51HkjTwJ8bL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=adc92b594dc086fce4bde9dc6db3f07cb111cb37)
Laird i ja imamo skroz čudan relejšenšip, ali što je taj čovek stilista... ma prosto nemam reči. Svaka njegova završnica me temeljito i do koske razočara - nikad, ali baš nikad mi taj čovek nije pružio ono što tražim - pa opet, uopšte nisam u stanju da ne uzmem idući njegov naslov. Jedan od retkih pisaca čije sam sve knjige kupila, a to je vrlo, vrlo unikatan odnos, skoro pa intiman. Neverovatan pisac.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41QVD-7y4gL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=a2f7ddb13ee16131e81509edc1d596ff87af03b8)
ne znam šta mi bi... :oops: zapravo znam, knjiga bila za džaba a on kasnije folouapov ao na fbiju, no svejedno, taj romn nije ni upola loš no što bi se reklo na prvi pogled, mada ima roza-proza tendencije.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51AP3MgArdL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_.jpg&hash=7707c5c96eb16a419f7d9a2a56f5e5819920ef9e)
najzad i ovo dovrših... u životu mi se nije desilo da na neku knjigu tako reagujem: dva paralelna natativna toka, jedan sam intenzivno mrzila do poslednjeg znaka interpunkcije, a drugi isto tako intenzivno obožavala.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51aoS4jNsBL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-52%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=e781abdea78a13893789a39e5f210ca977ce027d)
a ovo je pravi dragulj. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.barnesandnoble.com%2FpImages%2Fbn-review%2F2013%2F0716%2FBreadAndWine_AF.jpg&hash=6a1206763b3ab03c92f94e5b81f5a532233b0845)
Tell All By Robert Christgau (http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/contributor/user-id/9)
I've been reading a lot of memoirs lately, for two reasons. The first is the glut of rockbooks written by boomer musicians with time on their hands for boomer fans with memories deteriorating. The second is that I'm writing a memoir of my own, and always immerse in work that might clarify the project at hand. Ed Sanders's Fug You (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fug-you-ed-sanders/1103236131?ean=9780306818882) fits both bills: the Missouri-born poet, publisher, classics major, and peace creep who led the band that provides his title lived within blocks of me in the East Village for the entirety of the high '60s, and I knew him slightly. Originally published in 1988 and reissued twice since, Samuel R. Delany's The Motion of Light in Water (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-motion-of-light-in-water-samuel-r-delany/1116746763?ean=9780816645244) is a less obvious case. But science fiction meistersinger Delany, author of Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, Triton, the beloved Dhalgren, and many others, is like me a product of the New York public school system, born in April 1942, and was also a Lower East Sider for much of the '60s. In his 1979 memoir/"essay" Heavenly Breakfast, he recounts his six 1967-68 months in a 2nd Street commune with the never-recorded band that provides his title. The Motion of Light in Water reaches back earlier. Although never more acute than when revisiting the Bronx High School of Science, its main event is Delany's four-plus years, summer 1961 to autumn 1965, in "squalid" apartments on 5th and then 6th between B and C with his wife, the poet and Bronx Science graduate Marilyn Hacker.
Two things about memoirs often annoy me: they go on too much about the nature of memory and there's not enough sex in them. Memory is indeed unreliable; memory does oft support alternate, nay, contradictory narratives; memory speaks loud and ineffable to our mortal selves' longing for an immortality that would drive us nuts if it proved our fate. Got it. As for sex, it's not because I like pornography, which I do, and which performs its arousal function quite well with no outside help. Nor is it because I'm nosy, which I am, and aren't you? It's because in my experience sex and the love that generally comes with it‑-a big qualification, I know, but even memoirists who've had a lot more loveless sex than I have either include sex in their primary love relationships or should explain why they don't -- plays a determinative role in most lives. Trying to avoid this evasion in my own book, I soon came up against the logic of discretion -- however ready I may be to give up my own privacy, I don't have the right to demand that of anyone else. Nevertheless, it's a formal problem that cries out for a solution.
Rereading two classics I've long admired -- Malcolm Cowley's Exile's Return and Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki -- I was struck by how thoroughly both authors ignored their wives, but those were troubled relationships in more circumspect times. Less acceptable is how few of the contemporary memoirs I've downed recently do justice to the power of sexual fulfillment and domestic partnership. Christopher Hitchens's Hitch-22, for instance, profiles so many bigshots I think I'll just can my Mick Jagger story altogether, but never reveals when or why he married either of his wives, the second of whom helped him through quite a lot as I understand it. Major exceptions are Richard Hell's tell-all (http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/Richard-Hell-The-Thrill-Seeking-Years/ba-p/10073), David Carr's scabrous The Night of the Gun (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-of-the-gun-david-carr/1012533813?ean=9781416541530), and Joyce Johnson's Minor Characters (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/minor-characters-joyce-johnson/1111518251?ean=9780140283570), which counterposes her affair with Jack Kerouac against auxiliary relationships I found just as interesting. And of these, only the supposedly titillating Hell provides much sexual detail.
Since the '60s Fugs may have been the raunchiest rock group ever -- Sanders's "Slum Goddess" intro began, "She's lying down in viscid, skooshy strands of cherry Jell-O, buttocks popping in arpeggios of lust . . . " -- one might expect Sanders to be like Hell, but no. He cheerfully describes the lost 16-mm footage he shot of couples copulating on the floor of the "secret location" where he mimeographed Fuck You / A Magazine of the Arts -- a chip-on-shoulder poetry outlet that once designated itself "the magazine of street-fucking" -- and in the Allen Street apartment where he gave away speed to speed the filming of the never-seen Amphetamine Head: A Study of Power in America. He recalls many occasions musical and political when he implored his public to "grope for peace." But does he himself grope once in the pages of his "Informal History of the Peace Eye Bookstore, the Fuck You Press, the Fugs, and Counterculture in the Lower East Side"? He does not.
With no access to the real dirt, I'm certain that sometimes he was just kidding, as when a police sergeant who hates him on principle fails to find "the Ankh symbol tattooed on his penis" and "the first 53 hieroglyphs of Akh-en-Aten's Hymn to the Sun Disk on his nuts" even though both delights were attested to in his pornrag. I'm also certain that in later years, after the successfully revived Fugs had recorded an extraordinary 12-minute suite on polymorphism, mortality, and mating for life called "Dreams of Sexual Perfection," he had second thoughts about the band's sexy bits, just as Fug You regrets the needle imagery he fooled with. And I note that a special hero of the memoir is his wife of 52 years, Miriam. Three times she talks him down from bad trips, and though she appears seldom elsewhere, Sanders's last paragraph begins: "The 1960s had ended, and Miriam and I were still together. We had survived the Revolution. I was very grateful for that."
A pack rat taught by Allen Ginsberg "to clip articles. I mean oodles of articles," Sanders holds his meditations on memory down to a prefatory pledge to settle no scores; after all, "I was sometimes imperfect in my behavior toward others, tending at times toward arrogance and egotistical smugness." His approach is flatly factual, based on his archive and broken down into hunks of a page or a paragraph rather than flowing narratively or developing thematically (and illustrated with the "glyphs" he used to draw freehand on mimeo stencils). Expedient though this method might seem, I loved the bite-sized pieces myself -- as with pistachios, there's a just-one-more effect. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of Sanders's longtime bond with Andy Warhol. A radical pacifist turned rabble-rousing anarcho-utopian who's now a "European-style social democrat," he also admired JFK and RFK. Having helped found the Yippies, he was appalled to hear Jerry Rubin call RFK's assassination "good news" because it meant the absurdist politicos could proceed with their Chicago plans. That was a turning point. But it didn't stop him from immersing in Chicago or testifying in Rubin's defense.
As regards memory, Delany is Sanders's opposite -- from its title on, The Motion of Light in Water is bound up in instability, stepping aside to undermine its own reliability with disquisitions on "parallel narrative" that come naturally to a creator of imaginary worlds who's immersed in structuralism and its brainspawn since the '60s. He's Sanders's thrice-dislocated opposite in other things too -- homosexual (although polymorphous enough to sleep with women and marry one), African-American (although middle-class and light enough to pass), and acutely dyslexic (although he too has studied Greek). And as regards sex, well, he leaves Sanders behind. As a lifelong erotic adventurer who believes sex is always "personally difficult" and usually "socially difficult," of course Delany writes about it. The Motion of Light in Water is full of explicit encounters, most of them gay and what some would call impersonal, a characterization Delany vehemently denies, but warmest and also hottest in a menage he and his wife share with a rough-hewn male friend. Around when Sanders was introducing "Slum Goddess" in 1968, Delaney followed the nine science fiction novels and novellas he'd then published with Ace Books by concocting the semiotic, arousing child-and-death-porn minisaga Equinox.
Although I myself value the Fugs' legacy not much less than, say, the Byrds', history will probably rank Delany's art higher than Sanders's. But he's never made much of a living writing -- long an academic without B.A., he teaches because he needs the money -- and although each man proved himself a titan before the high '60s even began, they were very different status-wise back then. Where the Peace Eye Bookstore was a community center, the Fugs the first indie-rock band to breach the Billboard album chart, and Sanders's unflinching 1971 Charles Manson report The Family a bestseller, Delany's feat of selling his first novel at 19 left him neither rich nor famous, and for most of the '60s he got by busking in folk clubs and buckling down to straight jobs. From their different vantages, both writers recount everyday kindnesses and heroic shows of mutual support that seem more historically significant in retrospect than the counterculture's inevitable destruction by war creeps zeroing in on its weaknesses, and both praise rent control, a left-populist leftover that succored hungry artists as watered-down rent stabilization would not. Still, it's Delany who has the kinder and lower-rent tale to tell.
At its core The Motion of Light in Water is the story of two young artists who marry long before they're ready -- Hacker gets pregnant, then miscarries -- and try to love each other in an open relationship that even a doctrinaire monogamist like me finds emotionally credible. It's a book about no lock on the street door, about reading Middlemarch in a day to forget how scared you are, about the man doing the housework, about sexism in jeans design and the book trade, about the endlessly courteous W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman coming to dinner, about how many truckers you can suck in a night, about visiting your wife's lover's much nicer place, about shutting down an argument by talking literature, about stolen goods and health crises and the rat on the sink and friends dropping by to mess up your night or your life, about not being able to stand her another day and hanging in for four years because you love this now-blocked poet so much you quote her published and unpublished work 25 times (and it's all good too). It's exceptionally novelistic and more evocative than Fug You. I only got to East 9th Street six months before Delany left Marilyn -- with whom he later had a daughter -- and flew to Europe. But the marginal life he celebrates feels like the East Village I moved to.
By 1967, many things had changed, for me and the neighborhood, and I expect I would have been unconvinced by a visit to the commune Delany reconstructs from his notebooks in Heavenly Breakfast. But though some may find this benevolent microcosm harder to believe than Triton, I feel enriched to have encountered it. Delany has said that one incontrovertible social benefit of literature is that it teaches compassion, and compassion, often for human beings most readers would do their best to ignore, rises to the surface of almost everything he writes. In yet another memoir -- the charming, sexually explicit Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale of New York (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bread-wine-samuel-r-delany/1114704222?ean=9781606996324), illustrated by Delany's friend Mia Wolff, first published in 1997, and now reissued by Fantagraphics with illuminating addenda -- Delany tells how he got together with the love of his life, a homeless bookseller with whom he's now lived for 22 years. Three of its 44 pages are devoted to how filthy Dennis was when Delany brought him to the Skyline Hotel the first time they had sex -- the innermost of his three pairs of socks had decayed to oozy shreds on his feet. Yet Dennis -- like Sonny and Bob, nice guys some would dismiss as rough trade who play major roles in The Motion of Light in Water -- comes alive as both sex object and autonomous subject. He's a good man and an appealing love partner. I hope I can write as well about the women I've loved. It's part of the job.
Polako ga "otkrivaju"... :)
Reci ti što hoćeš ali on jeste silni kulturni i svakakvi drugi šok. Ni sama nisam načisto da li je svo to njegovo šokiranje dovoljno opravdano, imam utisak da se poenta mogla efikasnije doseći upravo sa manje takve konkretno provokacije, bar kada govorimo o Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders. Najsmešnije od svega, eksplicitni seks je tu još i najmanji problem - sve to sa pedofilijom, incestom, koprofagijom i svim ostalim alternativnim erotskim egzibicijama nakon izvesnog broja ponavljanja eventualno izgubi glavninu svog šok-efekta. Ali tek tada vidiš da tu ostaje sasvim dovoljno pitanja koja baš i nisu adekvatno odgovorena, bar za nekoga van tog ekstremno alternativnog lajfstajla. Mislim, u čemu je poenta identificirati sa tako selektivnim i relativno minornim delom ličnosti kao što je najkonkretnija seksualna preferenca? Ispada da kad ih strejt establišment maliciozno svodi pod taj minimalni zajednički nazivnik, onda je to šovinizam i homofobija, a kad sami sebe svode na isti taj nazivnik, onda je to lično oslobođenje, epifanija, ekstremna sloboda ličnosti i već u tom smeru. I nije da to ne razumem, čovek je čudna zverka i svaki ular mu postaje maltene nakit kad ga sam na sebe stavi, ali objektivno gledano, meni se čini da je nesrećnik jednako zaularen, ovako i onako. Kako god - imam ozbiljnih problema sa Dilejnijem. :(
Završio sa čitanjem Kroninove Dvanaestorice, pa evo malo da sumiram utiske.
Dvanestorica nipošto nisu loš roman, niti ćete tokom njegovog čitanja zevati od dosade ili proklinjati sebe što ste dali pare. Naprotiv, zanimljiv je i dinmamičan i tera vas stalno na još i još čitanja. Međutim ukoliko ste nakon Prolaza ( a posebno prvog dela Prolaza) očekivali mnogo više, nešto sjajno i briljantno, onda ćete ostati nezadovoljni, da ne kažem razočarani.
Dvanestorica počinju kao neki postapokaliptični zombi roman ( doduše ovde su vampiri mesto zombija) ; virusni na sve strane, pratimo sudbine nekoliko likova koji se probijaju na razna odredišta ; takav pristup uz izgrađen Kroninov stil daje dinamiku priču ali istovremeno dovodi i do niza problema. Na neke likove tokom knjige Kronin kao da zaboravi, pa se pitamo zašto su uopšte i pokazani na početku. Neki drugi se pak, nasilno dovode u vezu. Najviše mi je smetalo, po meni potpuno izveštačeno ubacivanje Lajle, bivše Volgastove supruge u priču sa virusnima. Neubedljivo mi deluje i stvar sa dobricom među virusnima, Karterom. Odnos Ejmi i Volgasta koji je Kronin sjajno prikazao u Prolazu, sa suptilnim finesama i pun topline i emocija, sada je prerastao u pomalo patetičnu ,,volimo se svi u sutonu idemo u raj'' priču. Prosto imam utisak da je priča iz Prolaza strašan potencijal, strašan, ali koji jednostavno nije najbolje iskorišten. Kao da je svu svoju kreativnost i stvaralačku magiju Kronin istrošio u prvom delu Prolaza : razvoj bolesti, virusni, sveštenica, odnos Ejmi i Volgasta-sjajno, briljantno, puno tajanstva i misterija. Sve pre same apokalipse napisano je za čistu desetku. Svet postapokalipse, međutim...kao nastavci epske fantastike, svelo se na čiste tehnikalije i odrađivanje. Šteta, jer je ovo moglo biti nešto baš briljantno.
Ako bih ocenjivao po knjigama, od jedan do deset :
Prolaz ( prvi deo )- 10
Prolaz ( drugi deo)- 7
Dvanaestorica - 7-
Ukupna ocena za ceo serijal do sada : 8
ti si vrlo dobrostiv čitalac, Anomandere. :) ja sam od 12 odustala još na prvoj trećini, učinilo mi se da je to postaje upravo ona vrst trilogija od kojih zazirem: udica dobre ideje u prvom delu, prazan hod u drugom i dve trećine trećeg, i eventualno, ako nam se posreći, okej završnica. Ali ima dosta ljudi koji se slažu sa tvojom procenom drugog dela, tako da... ko zna. ali i dalje slutim da će na kraju trilogija isporučiti taman dovoljno idejnog materijala za samo jedan pošten roman.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e2019aff1f0fe9970b-200wi&hash=1f4fbf388eb6a616add2ea688483c9e2502df344) (http://thecarnivoreproject.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8345295c269e2019aff1f0fe9970b-popup)
Hark, a taille!
The Red Knight (2012) is Miles Cameron's debut novel. The titular Red Knight is a young (20ish) mercenary commander. He's mysterious, and known even to his friends as "captain". Still, he's good at his job and his men ('lances, men-at-arms and archers') are all glad to follow him into battle. The captain's latest gig is garrison duty: taking very good money to defend a remote Abbey against possible incursions from monsters of the Wild. The Wild doesn't scare the captain, nor his men - they've faced beasties before. In fact, if there's a problem with the job, it is the tempting presence of so many lovely novices...
Or, er, not.
It turns out that the Red Knight isn't facing a few monsters, he's facing a lot of them. The critters are all united under the rule of a fell sorcerer. Boglins, irks, wyverns, daemons, bears, trolls and more have all stopped their long-standing tradition of in-fighting and turned into an army. It has been over a generation since the last major incursion of the Wild, and humanity may have forgotten exactly how nasty this sort of war can be.
Tis a storie noble and uh, prithee tis ripe for plucking!
SIEGEPORN. I'm a sucker for it. And, lest the 'murder mystery' setup of the first few chapters of The Red Knight fool you, this book is a blow-by-blow account of a big ol' siege. Lots of knights come to a castle. Lots of monsters come to a castle. SMACKDOWN. The monsters try things, the humans try things. There are big war machines and little war machines and daring midnight raids and trench combat and tunnelling and sneaky patrols and magical whoopsmacking and pretty much all possible forms of combat that could take place between Point A (in the castle) and Point B (not in the castle). This is a book that doesn't shy from action, and Mr. Cameron tells a fight scene extremely well.
As well as being a personal weakness, siegeporn also provides an extremely convenient narrative platform. First, you've got everyone in a tight space: your characters are under pressure, they're thrown together; this gives permission to unnaturally accelerate the character development - romance, revenge, etc. Second, there's a natural clock: everything has to resolve before a) reinforcements arrive or b) you run out of food. Third, everyone has a clear objective. And it isn't just "win", although that provides the basic structure of "two competing sides". Some people want to win more than they want to live, others the reverse. Some folks have empathy for the opponent; some are downright treasonous. Having an obvious us-and-them situation is something the reader can immediately recognise, which allows the author to layer in additional moral complexity as they see fit...
Continue reading "Underground Reading: The Red Knight by Miles Cameron" » (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2013/09/underground-reading-the-red-knight-by-miles-cameron.html#more)
Today's recommendations are by
James Knapp (http://www.james-knapp.com/). James Knapp's first novel,
State of Decay was a Philip K. Dick award nominee, and won the 2010 Compton Crook Award. He's since completed the
Revivors trilogy and written the first novel of a new series,
Burn Zone, under the pseudonym James K. Decker.
Here are James' picks!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031612818X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=74706691c331bafbbab33f2588f67de95eb5162b) (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/031612818X/sfsi0c-20) (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0451464753.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=46dd9b69fe63f25ea26d0615612e6d2ac5474441) (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451464753/sfsi0c-20) (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1937007243.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=b3e92aa84562c8ece6b72f8b4759e5f2da15dc30) (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1937007243/sfsi0c-20)
- First up is T.C. McCarthy (http://tcmccarthy.com/), author of the Subterrene War trilogy which includes Germline, Exogene, and Chimera (Germline won the 2012 Compton Crook Award). He weaves stories of very broken people in very dangerous environments, and he does it all with a poetic flair that really stuck with me. It's much more than just futuristic war. A struggle over rare earth elements has come to a head under the mountains of Kazakhstan, where soldiers sealed in suits of armor fight in tunnels under tons of rock. In Germline, an embedded reporter quickly is forced to turn soldier, and the way it changes him so completely makes for compelling reading. McCarthy explores the human psyche, what we're willing to do in order to survive, and the effects that the horrors of war can inflict on us. He introduces genetically engineered soldiers, but explores the ethics of that (or lack thereof), and the mindset such soldiers might have, or be forced to have. He wraps it all in a great series of novels, and he does it all believably and memorably. His short story "Somewhere it Snows" proves that he's equally good at exploring other worlds, too, and I sincerely hope that he does. Writers like him are the type that we want to stick around, and so I'm recommending him to anyone who likes hard science fiction – even if military fiction isn't usually your thing, give him a try.
- Next is Alex Hughes (http://www.ahugheswriter.com/), author of the Mindspace series, which so far includes Clean, and Sharp. I'm a big fan of science fiction and also noir, and her work has strong elements of both. I likened Clean to a fun blend of Blade Runner and Chinatown, but that doesn't truly do it justice. Her vision of a future Atlanta feels real, a hot, steamy place where a talented but damaged telepath named Adam uses his abilities to help track down criminals. The handling of 'mindspace', the sort of psychic residue left behind by people, is something I'd like to see a lot more of. Telepaths are able to perceive it, almost like an additional sense, and can use it to sort of look into the past. Adam struggles with an addiction that Hughes handles perfectly, a fight that occurs day to day, minute to minute. I'm really hoping this series turns into a long running thing.
- Lastly, although I don't read a lot of fantasy, I want to give a shout out to fantasy author Myke Cole (http://mykecole.com/) whose work I was introduced to at Balticon (his debut novel Control Point won the 2013 Compton Crook Award, and the second novel in the series, Fortress Frontier, is out now) – he writes Military Fantasy so it's a mixture of bullets and spell slinging. His real-life military experience brings a lot to the table, and really pushes his work from just guns and explosions into a much broader examination of what it means to be in the armed forces. You'll learn a lot of military jargon, and my fantasy-loving friends assure me that his magic system is top notch.
I realize that two of the authors on this list have won awards for their work. Have they been recognized? Yes. Have they gotten the recognition they deserve? Not in my book – not yet. I'd like to see all three on the best sellers list, so give them all a read. You won't be sorry.
Samuel Delany & Mia Wolff discuss Bread & Wine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R643Sd5cS30#)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765335018.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1bbb39d6b0a59618ce4490a6bf2e0833f14c87d3)
James Gunn (http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/bio.htm) is a Grand Master of Science Fiction, one of its best historians and proponents, and is a gentleman and a scholar. He's been writing science fiction for 64 years, and has been a science fiction scholar for 54 years. I only spoke with him a couple of times briefly at Worldcon, but he was gracious and very forthcoming. At 90 years of age, Jim was energetic, articulate, polite and had time for everyone. And his memory and clarity of mind rivals the sharpest.
Jim started reading pulps like Doc Savage magazine (who doesn't like Doc (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011/02/who_is_doc_savage/)?), and a set of Tarzan novels found in the back of his parents' closet. He absorbed all the magazines he could at Andy's used magazine store. He has memories of his Uncle John taking him (at 14 years old) and his brother to see H.G. Wells speak; Jim doesn't recall what Wells talked about, but recalls that he was "short and dumpy, and spoke in a high voice." He and his brother tried to get close enough to touch and talk to his hero, but were unable to.
His first science fiction story was called "Paradox" – it was rejected by Astounding (John Campbell) and Amazing but eventually sold to Thrilling Wonder Stories for $80. The late Frederik Pohl was Gunn's agent; they first met in person at the 10th Worldcon in Chicago in 1952. Gunn sold nine of his first ten stories, but he took two years. With his wartime savings running out, he turned to Kansas University.
As a science fiction scholar, Professor Gunn founded the Center for the Study of Science Fiction as Kansas University (http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/index.html). His scholarly works include the series of six Road to Science Fiction anthologies and Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction (for which he won the Hugo for Best Non-Fiction Book in 1983). He also wrote a book of science fiction criticism, Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History Of Science Fiction, which won a special award from the 1976 World SF Convention (there were no Hugos for non-fiction at that time). He is the only person to be president of both the Science Fiction Writers Association (1971-1972) and the Science Fiction Research Association.
James Gunn was recognized with the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement in 2007.
His latest novel, Transcendental, is as ambitious and optimistic as his novels from decades ago. In this interview (partially in person, mostly via email), Professor Gunn discusses his past, science fiction's past, his new novel, and how Science Fiction can save the world.
(There is a link below to also skip over the parts about Transcendental, for those who wish to read the interview but want to avoid any spoilers.)
Read the rest of this entry (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/09/interview-james-gunn-talks-about-transcendental-the-history-of-science-fiction-and-how-it-can-save-the-world/#more-81968)
The idea of "The Wonder Timeline" is to highlight selected stories throughout SF&F history (all 100 years of it). Every "Year in SF&F" page contains reviews of stories, collections, original anthologies and novels published in that year in the certain month. This way we'll gradually fill out reviews for thousands of stories listed on our site, as well as enjoy a fun perspective on the genre.
http://www.scifi.darkroastedblend.com/2008/01/wonder-timeline-sf-retrospective.html#Time_2000s (http://www.scifi.darkroastedblend.com/2008/01/wonder-timeline-sf-retrospective.html#Time_2000s)
Stari, dobri Hal Duncan... :mrgreen:
You Got Your Privilege in My Face
The Privilege of Authors
My first thought on reading this article in Strange Horizons (http://strangehorizons.com/2013/20130909/renay-c.shtml) is, I have to say, a fairly simple thought: I can't say I'm impressed with claiming the right to ship/slash my characters in ways I find fetishising/problematic and vetoing my engagement. Clearly from the "Go, you!" comments, a number of readers don't have anything approaching that thought, oblivious to the ramifications for a sodomite in a principle which theoretically extends to outright straightironing, and all the more oblivious to the authorial privilege it's actually asserting rather than rejecting, for the authors of appropriative work and amateur critique who are apparently to be treated as special snowflakes, protected from the responses of their sources and subjects. All those poor little straight white authors who need protected from the Authoritay of us faggot authors who might, heaven forfend, gently point out that having X fuck Y in that way (or insisting that the work is Wrong because that's not how it happens) is Epic GayFail, an Othering fantasy promulgating the stereotypes at the heart of the gaybashing that leads to... you know... gay kids blowing their own heads off. http://notesfromthegeekshow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/you-got-your-privilege-in-my-face.html (http://notesfromthegeekshow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/you-got-your-privilege-in-my-face.html)
Five science fiction novels for people who hate SF
The genre's denser stories can seem rebarbative to 'general readers', but these books tell immediately relevant, compelling tales
Science fiction (http://www.theguardian.com/books/fiction) is all around us, from clandestine electronic surveillance (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/nsa) to robots taking our jobs (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/14/kevin-drum-on-why-the-robots-will-rise-up-and-take-all-our-jobs/), from death-dealing drones in the skies of Pakistan (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/29/senior-talibans-killed-us-drone-pakistan) right through to the second industrial revolution unleashed by 3D printing (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/3d-printing). It's more than a century since writers began charting the technological dream of human civilisation we now live in, but some readers are still put off by a writer who reaches into the future, a novel with a spaceship on the cover.
Like any enduring cultural experiment, science fiction (http://www.theguardian.com/books/science-fiction) has evolved its own codes, its own logic. Some of the genre's most intense and visionary work talks in a shared language of concepts that can be hard for the uninitiated to penetrate – works Samuel Delaney's Dhalgren (http://www.themillions.com/2010/06/difficult-books-dhalgren-by-samuel-r-delany.html) or James Tiptree Jr's Ten Thousand Light Years From Home (http://cloggie.org/books2/2011/10/10000-light-years-from-home-james-tiptree-jr/), for instance, would be a forbidding place to start. But if you want to catch up with the literature of our shared future then where can you begin?
It would be hard to find a better starting point than Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow (http://www.marydoriarussell.net/books/the-sparrow/). Mankind receives a signal from space, music from the alien world Rakhat. The first to respond are not governments or even corporations, but the Jesuit missionary order, who send a private expedition in a hollowed out asteroid to make contact. The novel is told in retrospect through the eyes of the only surviving crew member, priest Emilio Sandoz. If this scenario sounds at all oddball to you, please put those feelings aside. The story of the first encounter between humankind and alien life that Russell creates is both devastating and an awe-inspiring treatise on man's relationship to our universe.
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson (http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/books/pattern.asp) is quickly becoming historical fiction. It so astutely pinpointed the emerging trends in technology in 2003 that a decade on from its publication it reads more like a documentary record than a work of SF. Cayce Pollard is a 30-something hipster immersed in the new media world of global corporate brands, who finds herself drawn in to a dangerous conspiracy as she tries to track down a mysterious set of video clips on the internet. Gibson's seventh novel pre-empted the YouTube revolution by mere months, and is still required reading for anyone trying to understand the fractured reality of our media-saturated world today.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/mar/25/left-hand-darkness-ursula-guin) is among the first major works of feminist SF, alongside Marge Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time (http://www.redpepper.org.uk/classic-book-woman-on-the-edge-of-time-a-utopia-of-resistance/) and Joanna Russ's The Female Man (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/12/joanna-russ-obituary). I could in fact have included any of Le Guin's novels in this list, but The Left Hand of Darkness arguably marks the point where SF came into its true political strength. Genly Ai is an envoy sent to the planet of Winter to petition for its entry to the Ekumen. But Winter is a world unlike any other, its inhabitants neither male nor female. The construction of identity – of gender, race and class – is at the heart all of today's political and social struggles. Le Guin's genius was to show how SF could be a powerful tool for dissecting and reconstructing those identities.
The Player of Games by Iain M Banks (http://www.iain-banks.net/uk/the-player-of-games/) takes at least a little inspiration from the masterworks of Le Guin. The Culture is a galaxy-spanning civilisation that lives in perfect utopia. Nothing amuses the humans and computer Minds who run the Culture more than messing around with less evolved, more barbaric civilisations. Jernau Gergeh is the Culture's greatest game player, dispatched on a mission to the Empire of Azad, a brutal set of distant planets whose political system is structured around the game of Azad itself. The strength of Banks's writing is as much in its wit and bombast as its smart political thinking, but readers will find plenty of big ideas to get their teeth into.
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F McHugh (http://sfmistressworks.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/china-mountain-zhang-maureen-f-mchugh-2/) is perhaps the most mundane of my five picks here. Rafael Zhang is mixed Chinese and Puerto Rican, living in a near future where China has become the political and technological global super-power. Zhang is also gay, a cause of major problems as he tries to advance in a conservative world. The young man's attempts to qualify as an engineer are continually frustrated by a world of social hierarchies, oppressive government and rapacious corporations reaching into the lives of individuals. China Mountain Zhang is a reminder that for all its galaxy-spanning ambition, sometimes SF gives us as accurate description of the present day as anything you can find in the mainstream.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/jun/28/science-fiction-novels-hate-sf (http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/jun/28/science-fiction-novels-hate-sf)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316098078.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=169b59617c2088b585100147103a6caeeb9b8975)
DeNardo pročitao i kaže sledeće:
REVIEW SUMMARY: A coming-of-age tale set in Earth's paleolithic period.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Following apprentice shaman Loon,Shaman is the ambitious story of a young man's journey from boyhood to adulthood, with all the associated love, heartbreak, and adventure you'd expect.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Incredibly detailed; an immersive experience.
CONS: Slow pacing; characters do not feel real until about halfway through the book.
BOTTOM LINE: A slow but creative trip into the past that's worth the required investment.
Where most speculative fiction explores the what if's of the present and future, Kim Stanley Robinson's Shaman takes a step back...30,000 years into the past. Winters are cold, summers are late and short, Neanderthals share the land with early humans, and the cycles of life go ever on. There's a joke about Canada in there somewhere, I'm sure...
Things start with Loon, the apprentice shaman, being sent naked into the wild for 2 weeks to complete his wander, one of the steps to becoming a shaman. We spend a lot of time in Loon's head, sharing his thoughts, his dreams, his bitterness about being stuck in the cold, the sense of adventure he feels at knowing he's going to survive his wander and return to his tribe victorious. The wander itself seems a pretty clear metaphor for growing up; you start out naked and without any of the tools you need to survive, and as you go, you get better and stronger and wiser.
But for all the time spent with Loon in the first chunk of the book, he feels very incomplete, very shallow. He doesn't demonstrate much personality. The one thing I'm sure of is that he has sex on his mind a lot, but considering he's a 12-year-old male, that doesn't exactly make him stand out. He's not quite a blank slate, but he doesn't feel much like a person either. Many of the characters (perhaps intentionally) feel like this through a large portion of the book; they are a representation of a child's view compared to an adult's view. If so, kudos to the author for that subtlety, but I think it might go unappreciated by many readers.
Once we get considerably further into the novel and see a larger cast of characters, things start to come together. About the first half of the book is very "a year in the life of," making the daily and seasonal lives of Loon's tribe members known — the hunt for food, the starvation months of winter, the desperation as winter ends but the abundance of summer has yet to begin. Robinson expresses this quite well, and has really put the effort and research into making the tribe a believable society. After the rhythms of life have been established, we move to much more action-oriented territory, with Loon falling in love, getting married, and subsequently having his wife kidnapped. He makes the decision to go after her and steal her back, and is himself kidnapped by the same northern tribe.
The last half of the book goes much faster than the first half, and the events are definitely page-turners: Loon gets kidnapped; Loon nearly dies of cold and starvation; Loon escapes with his wife; and the interaction between Neanderthal and human. Where the first half of the book felt largely like set-up, the second half takes you on a grand adventure and is well worth the slow beginning. Characters have had the time to be developed and fleshed out, and you can really feel the ever-present tension and excitement of the situation.
Patience is definitely required when reading this book since, as I said, things don't really seem to get started until halfway through. There's a lot of essential set-up, but at least it's shown rather than just told. And there's a real poetry to Robinson's writing that makes sitting through the first half more bearable. It's an investment, and in the end it's a worthwhile investment: a trip into the past and some of the early stages of human society, filled with imagination and creativity. An anthropological treat, to be sure!
ho! vest godine! ili barem njenog finalnog kvartala :!:
Kaze on na blogu:
Quote
You may have noticed that I haven't been around much lately. That's about to
get worse (or better, I suppose, depending on your perspective).
In order to make its August release date, Tor needs the definitive
publisher-ready version of Echopraxia by the end of this month. I'm
expecting to get editorial feedback Any Day Now; depending on how much my
submitted draft sucked, the rewrite may take all or some of the time between now
and October 1. And even before said feedback arrives, my hands are full
just working on the Notes & References and the Acknowledgments, both of
which I've barely started.
a naslovnicu mu potpisuje Richard Anderson! lovlibejbi! :-D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staffersbookreview.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F09%2Fechopraxia-peter-watts-richard-anderson.jpg&hash=f0cbb37422073827c413e49aef37266b8af00956)
Classic Cyberpunk SF Novels: Reviews
sve sa ove liste stvarno spada u obavezno stivo:
http://www.scifi.darkroastedblend.com/2013/01/classic-cyberpunk-sf-novels-reviews.html (http://www.scifi.darkroastedblend.com/2013/01/classic-cyberpunk-sf-novels-reviews.html)
Snatchers, impostors and imitators from BEYOND!
Pods, or no pods, these creatures will gladly invade your privacy to the point of sharing your brain and eating your grandma for breakfast. Read (watch the movies, too) and shudder at the pulp adventures highlighted below, full of sleek writing and even sleeker alien psychology.
---------------------------------------------- (http://www.scifi.darkroastedblend.com/2009/03/body-snatchers-and-other-alien-pods.html)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Flh3.ggpht.com%2F_hVOW2U7K4-M%2FSb81owSIeXI%2FAAAAAAAA8S0%2FwZy6Nrm2SDc%2Fs640%2Fertywerthdfgfc.jpg&hash=ec1f2158a49e02b72779dedd527ce2b21ddfd6e1)
Elem, vreme da se malko zgrnu naslovi na gomilu :) :
Atopia Chronicles: Brothers Blind (Mather Matthew)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net%2Fbooks%2F1338487742l%2F14743152.jpg&hash=d7f97c4971a39b59879d46b575c2f6872fabb082)
Dakle, pošto je Atopija konstruisana da joj svi delovi startuju u istom odredištu, pa tako ni redosled čitanja delova nije bitan, krenula sam sa Brothers Blind. MM je prolifičan pisac, Atopija je fino osmišljena kao transhumanistička post-apokalipsa, stil je dosta prijemčiv, tema i naracija sasvim pristojne za ovakvu vrst 'internet instalment' pisanja, mada sam ja izgleda malko prerasla te tinejdž-angst konstrukcije, tako da... "solidno" je reč koja najadekvatnije opisuje rečeno iskustvo.
Warm Up (V.E. Schwab)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net%2Fbooks%2F1375025858l%2F18248613.jpg&hash=f59633b11dcb3cfe6ae1311ceabfa00fe5ae5e98)
Pošto je u pitanju bila besplatna Torova promocija, overila sam tu noveletu više kao kvalifikaciju za njen roman Vicious, koji kupi pristojne rivjue. Pristojan weird i solidne narativne sposobnosti, ali ništa spektakularno.
Resurrection, Inc (Kevin J Anderson)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net%2Fbooks%2F1190488611l%2F1930216.jpg&hash=2dece594be62f2e55f70a4a0fadc2e3861390384)
Još jedan debi roman duž generalnijih smernica transhumanističke distopije, dobro osmišljen futurizam u kom ljudske leševe čeka frankenštajnovski mračna posmrtna sudbina oživljavanja u krajnje prljave svrhe. Fina karakterizacija i dobro konstruisana osnova zapleta, sa intrigantnim neo-Satanističkim kult-motivom koji je mogao objasniti doleko više, samo da je roman pre objavljivanja pročešljala neka veštija urednička ruka. Ovako, ostao je malko rasplinut u limbu neznanja kom žanru da se privoli, i mada se upinje u štrpkanju od-svega-po-malo, nekako mu to i nije baš dosta da preboli tu tipično debitantsku krize identiteta. Šteta, moglo se na ovome postići daleko više.
I, najzad, jedan - skoro pa fenomenalan debi roman:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net%2Fbooks%2F1353005464l%2F16151558.jpg&hash=dbf054bc5d33ab3928329e679f6090c36e0a1766)
Odlično konstruisana distopija na tragu mračnog futurizma iz Cloud Atlas o Sonmi451, detaljna i suptilna i zaista veoma, veoma uverljiva. Anne Charnock ima sve potrebne kvalitete za sjajnog autora, ima zreo književni izraz, zdrav svetonazor i urođenu suptilnost sa understatement stremljenjima, a to je zaista pravo osveženje. Roman se bez po muke probio u moj uži izbor za knjigu godine.
Jonathan L. Howard on The Appeal of Lovecraftian Horror
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00CQY9F6S.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=20b99df9b9c59aba354c41addcdb60591b7c46ed)
The Appeal of Lovecraftian Horror
By Jonathan L. Howard
Monsters, done well, are scary. Hordes of monsters, done properly, can be scarier.
Organised hordes of monsters, done sensibly, can be scariest.
This, I think, is part of the attraction of Lovecraftian Horror in general, and the Cthulhu Mythos (you will note the use of capitals there, to impress you with the seriousness of the matter) in particular. There are vast, unknowable numbers of horrors ranged out there just beyond the dusk, and their organisation and goals are alien and beyond the comprehension of we poor mortals. All that matters to us when we have the poor fortune to encounter such creatures is that we tend to come off worst, physically, mentally, psychically.
Even if such an encounter is glancing enough not to destroy the human protagonist, it serves to shine a dim, flickering light into things Man Was (very literally) Not Meant To Know, both because humanity's knowledge of them is a nuisance and a bother to the non-human agencies behind them, and because the human mind tends to shatter dramatically or sag and deform uncomfortably under the weight of such knowledge.
Here, then, is one of the great draws of Lovecraftian Horror – it is about secrets, and people adore secrets. They don't even especially mind not knowing the main secret as long as a few peripheral secrets are revealed. For example,
- Old man Crispin who lives by the toll road has been dead a while, and that man you see on the porch is actually a hundred and fifty pounds of closely packed alien fungus wearing his face.
- The Brunton Expedition isn't missing; it just found exactly what the Brunton family has been looking for since 1685.
- Those dead mathematicians were clever enough to understand the Ensel Equation, but not clever enough to stop reading it when they felt the dimensions shift inside their own medullae, nor are they as dead as they now appear.
I just made these up, but I think you could reasonably spin an intriguing story off from each. Each story might more or less reach a conclusion that explains the immediate mystery, but none would approach the true heart of it, which simply put, is
what kind of a universe do we live in that can permit such horrors in passing? These plots may lead to vast disruption on Earth, but the ramifications of them are cosmic in nature. We are nothing: blinded by the static; minds destroyed by the whispers between the stars. The only difference between us and bacteria is that a bacterium never deludes itself as to its importance.
Conspiracies feature prominently, from the goings on behind the surly front of the Whately family in "The Dunwich Horror" to the ghastly machinations of "evil-looking foreigners" (to quote the reflexively xenophobic Lovecraft) in "The Horror at Red Hook." Conspiracies are a lot of fun – I have hatched a few in my time working on adventure games – and catnip to the inquisitive mind. For conspiracies represent a puzzle with a workable solution, even if in Lovecraft the innermost solution lies beyond the limits of human comprehension. If we could but penetrate the mystery then we would touch the face of a god.
But, it would be a god that doesn't tolerate being poked in the face by uppity humanity, and which often reacts with predictably hilarious results. "Hilarious" is used here in its most inaccurate sense.
None of which makes the presence of the secret any less exciting.
In these terms, the nucleus of Lovecraftian Horror is not perhaps what usually leaps to mind. It isn't really about Deep Ones and Cthonians, Night Gaunts and Mi-Go. It isn't even about Cthulhu. It's about the sense that there is something behind the facade, something terrible and ancient that isn't evil nearly so much as splendidly unconcerned with us as rational creatures. To it, we are at worst a nuisance. At best, cattle.
In many respects, for example,
The X-Files was Lovecraftian Horror in all but name. Behind the patina of daily life lurked the intrigues of at least one huge conspiracy, scattering discordances across our mundane lives like water thrown from a tyre. Strange sciences, freakish mutations, agents of secret masters – human and not. These trappings could be from
The X-Files or from Lovecraft. Indeed, there are role-playing games such as
Delta Green and, to an extent,
Night's Dark Agents that directly and unapologetically pitch government agents against eldritch horrors.
For a more overt case, take John Carpenter's film
In The Mouth of Madness, an entirely Lovecraftian narrative with almost nothing in the way of explicit Lovecraftian references. Reality is a construct, we are disposable puppets that those outside manipulate to gain entry.
Thus, it is a bleak, hopeless cosmology, wherein understanding even a fragment of the greater truth will cinder the mind and invite the attentions of dread entities.
Naturally, I dabble in it for giggles. It's the only sane thing to do.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baenebooks.com%2Fimages%2FProduct%2Fmedium%2F9781451639414.jpg&hash=d340e1f9bb6260d05c77c5a5a060c8686b80086f)
In Space No One Can Hear You Scream
edited by Hank Davis
Published 10/15/2013 - Baen Books
HE UNIVERSE MAY NOT BE A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD . . .
"The oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown," the grand master of horror, H.P. Lovecraft, once wrote. And the greatest unknown is the vast universe, shrouded in eternal cosmic night. What things might be on other planets—or in the dark gulfs between the stars?
Giving very unsettling answers to that question are such writers as Arthur C. Clarke, George R. R. Martin, Theodore Sturgeon, Tony Daniel, Robert Sheckley, James. H. Schmitz, Clark Ashton Smith, Neal Asher, Sarah A. Hoyt, and more, all equally masters of science fiction and of terror.
One might hope that in the void beyond the earth will be found friendly aliens, benevolent and possibly wiser than humanity, but don't be surprised if other worlds have unpleasant surprises in store for future visitors. And in vacuum, no one will be able to hear your screams—as if it would do any good if they could . . .
REVIEW SUMMARY: This week's Short Fiction Friday features two selections of science fiction with a sinister vibe, the opening story from Peter Watts' forthcoming collection, Beyond the Rift, and a story from the recently released anthology In Space No One Can Hear You Scream.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Strong prose in the Watts' story; engaging young character in Daniel's tale; fun takes on the alien-as-parasite trope.
CONS: Final line in one story is potentially offensive and may color what is an otherwise good story.
BOTTOM LINE: An alternate viewpoint of John Carpenter's The Thing makes for a page-turning read and Tony Daniel's story, chosen at random, provides a nice comparison as each story examines the idea of aliens assimilating mankind for their own reasons. One story looks at things from the alien point of view while the other shows the tenacity of a young lady to remain fully human. Both were enjoyable and worth checking out as further examples of science fiction with a frightful edge.
"The Things" by Peter Watts
An alien awakens in Antarctica only to realize that the crash which stranded it here happened a long time ago. Its attempts to take "communion" with the creatures it discovers is met with hostility. With violence that threatens its existence, the being does what it must to survive.
Peter Watts' highly lauded short story is a look at John Carpenter's The Thing from the point of view of the alien. The film itself is based on a John W. Campbell story, "Who Goes There?". The initial confusion of the protagonist is shared with the reader as the story begins from a place where it is not entirely apparent what is going on and as things come into focus the reader's expectations of and reactions to the alien undergo a metamorphosis. Watts' story has a palpable sense of fear and dread that lies just under the surface, keeping the pacing tight without distracting from the connections the reader is supposed to be making with the protagonist. It is easy to see why Watt's story has been nominated for and won several awards. Stories and films like The Thing are entertaining but also commonplace in that there are many examples of aliens being treated as monsters meant only for destruction, whereas "The Things" gives readers a chance to see past the initial, very understandably human, reaction of violence to the intentions of the alien and how it is interpreting the things it is experiencing. What was a very strong story was derailed for this reader by the last line of the story, one that references an all-too-common topic that is often mishandled in science fiction. It is a line that makes an impact, and certainly a shocking one, but left this reader with a bad taste in his mouth.
"The Things" made its first appearance in Clarkesworld magazine and is also available as an audio podcast here.
John DeNardo has done a much more thorough and informed review of the story here.
"Frog Water" by Tony Daniel
By contrast, Tony Daniel's short also looks at a parasitic alien race only instead of the action occurring on Earth, the scene of his story takes place on an alien craft returning to its home world after harvesting a young pre-teen girl for eventual assimilation. Megan was ten years old when she went to bed and dreamed of a bright light, only to wake up inside an alien craft in the custody of a slug-like alien named Aleria who is slowly preparing Megan to become a part of her. Though Megan sees herself as nothing but a pet, Aleria sees her as a daughter, to the point of wanting to be called "Mother". The reader sees the events unfolding through the eyes of Megan, and Daniel does a nice job of capturing the pre-adolescent voice and personality. Having first experienced the young teen heroine in science fiction through the work of Robert A. Heinlein ("The Menace From Earth" and Podkayne of Mars in particular) it is hard not to compare similar stories. Daniel's tale holds up nicely and Megan proves to be an entertaining and resourceful heroine who demonstrates that you just shouldn't pick on Earthlings, even if they appear to be merely children.
I enjoyed "Frog Water" very much and recommend giving it a read. The "fright" of this story lies largely in the idea of a person being taken somewhere against their will, in addition to the equally frightening idea of losing one's identity by being assimilated into another entity.
Halloween is one of the best holidays out there. It's a perfect excuse to curl up with a hot beverage of your choice and read a spooky novel. Perhaps you break out some H.P. Lovecraft to get your yearly quota of monsters or maybe you grab a classic like Dracula or The Hound of the Baskervilles. What if I told you there was the perfect Halloween book out there that combined all these things and more?Let me introduce you to the best Halloween book you've never read.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0380771411.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=760d2933c2ea251b93e1c350bcb2eef4708e0e86)
Every October I re-read Roger Zelazny's outstanding yet forgotten book, A Night In the Lonesome October (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380771411/sfsi0c-20). Zelazny was a science fiction legend known for his Books of Amber series and his Hugo award-winning standalone novel Lord of Light. He earned a Nebula nomination for A Night In the Lonesome October in 1994. It's one of Zelazny's best works and it's been sadly forgotten and out of print for many years.
The novel is a science fiction lover's dream and the perfect book for Halloween. Told in thirty-one chapters — one for each day of October, plus an introduction — the novel is written from the point of view of Snuff, a smart guard dog that belongs to a gentleman named Jack who has a predisposition for knives and dark alleys. They live in a quiet home in the country where various things are kept trapped in mirrors and steamer trunks. The neighborhood is full of colorful characters such as a crazy woman with a black cat, a mad scientist who always seems to have storm clouds over his home, a Transylvanian noble, a mad Russian monk and a detective who wears a deerstalker hat.
Yes, friends, Jack the Ripper lives in the London countryside with a witch, Doctor Frankenstein, Dracula, Rasputin and Sherlock Holmes. What's even better is that these well-known characters have familiars; clever animals that share information about their game they're playing. A game of life and death. Every few decades a full moon rises on Halloween and the veil between this world and others become thin and porous. This unlikely cast of characters have come together in October to summon (or prevent the summoning) of the Old Ones. The Elder Gods. Cthulhu and Nytharlohotep and Shub-Naggorth.
It is the most meta work of science fiction in the history of literature. Lovecraft and Stoker and Shelly, oh my! Where else can you see the Wolf Man hanging out with Jack the Ripper while they gossip about Sherlock Holmes? How often have you wished that Dracula could fight Lovecraftian horrors?
The novel starts innocently enough. A man and his dog wander London, collecting items they need for Halloween with a sacred knife. The game slowly unwinds as the October moon waxes and wanes. Characters slowly reveal their affiliations and what magic items they control (such as the sacred knife, a magic bowl and a small icon painted by Abdul Alhazred). The name "elder gods" aren't even mentioned until the middle of October. There are tantalizing hints and tidbits littered in the novel as you get glimpses of people you know and love from history and fiction. Zelazny picked some of the most iconic characters to populate his novel and he pulls it off with aplomb. It's a wildly original and captivating story, told with a charm only Roger Zelazny possessed.
Besides being stuffed full of amazing characters, the story is also deeply funny and surprisingly terrifying. You're purposefully kept in the dark about the affiliations of the players. Could Crazy Jill the witch be trying to stop the elder gods while Doctor Frankenstein is trying to summon them? It's suspenseful and dramatic and yet told with such gentle care.
Zelazny's writing talents shine in A Night in the Lonesome October. His descriptions, while short, are evocative and he juggles all the competing legends, mythologies and stories easily. It's an absolute delight to see some of the most iconic monsters of literature and history roam freely in such a deliciously demented story. Zelazny really did his research and each character feels authentic. The Lovecraftian mythos is spot on as well, and there are fun Easter eggs for devoted fans to chuckle over such as a cat visiting the city of Ulthar in a dream.
If you're a fan of H.P. Lovecraft or classic literary monsters, this book is sure to please. It's become my October tradition to read one chapter a day and discover if the world is saved from the gibbering mad Old Ones. It's woefully out of print, but many libraries have it in their collections and copies can be found on eBay, Amazon or Alibris. Get your hands on it before Halloween or else it might be too late! You never know when the closers will fail and Cthulhu will wake up.
Kesselova odlicna analiza Enderove igre, i sad prilicno aktuelna zbog filma:
Creating the Innocent Killer:
Ender's Game, Intention, and Morality (http://www4.ncsu.edu/~tenshi/Killer_000.htm)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsite.com%2Fgrc%2F1311%2Fee.jpg&hash=c390479a0d1f441bce9ceb152a24d6d07b738af0)
http://www.sfsite.com/11a/ee403.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/11a/ee403.htm)
It's been fifteen hundred years since The Quiet War, and the evening's empires, as Bob Dylan put it, "have returned into sand." The once solar-system encompassing civilization has fractured and decayed, leaving a multitude of smaller communities living amongst the ruins. Gajananvihari Pilot, better known as Hari, and his family are scavengers, roaming the system for salvaged technology and supplies. It's a pretty good life until their ship is attacked and stolen, leaving Hari, marooned, as the only known survivor. Hari is left with a thirst for revenge and the need to find out who did it and why. He's also got one item salvaged from his escape, the head of Dr. Gagarian, an eccentric researcher who was a passenger on Pabuji's Gift. The head, it turns out, contains technology that a lot of people would like to get their hands on. Hari's quest leads him from the outer reaches of the solar system to the inner asteroid belt, eventually all the way to Earth. In the process, he meets lost relatives, finds unlikely allies and friends, confronts unexpected enemies, and grows up. That's plenty of story for any novel, and Paul McAuley places it in a setting that is both decaying, and, from our perspective, full of wonders. For the characters, life in the solar system is akin to Europe after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, with pockets of civilization and relative prosperity separated by lengthy and dangerous travel. It's a far cry from the beginnings of a solar system wide civilization depicted in The Quiet War and Gardens of the Sun, and from the cultural struggles going on in distant Fomalhaut in In The Mouth of the Whale, yet McAuley provides enough of an historical background to tie them all together. The life of genetic engineer Sri Hong-Owen is one of the connecting threads in the novels and, in a way, influences every character in Evening's Empires, though it is separated from the other novels by vast distances in time and space. The novels are also connected in their depictions of societies in a state of flux, where the possibility of sudden and violent change looms large, and the desire to confront past wrongs often leads to new, and bigger, problems. Hari's adventure in Evening's Empires recapitulates the themes of the entire series on a personal level, to the extent that his motivations lead him to places that he couldn't have expected, but now can no longer avoid. And that's not all bad. One final note for the meta-readers among us. The sections of Evening's Empires are titled after science fictions of the past, such as "Childhood's End" and "Marooned Off Vesta." Have fun deciding just how much each section does, and does not resemble and/or pay tribute to its famous predecessor. Copyright © 2013 by Greg L. Johnson (greg@sfsite.com?subject=Evening's Empires)
Darko Macan je svojevremeno ustvrdio da danas knjige više ne utiču ni na koga, pa čak ni na druge knjige, zato što danas rukopise oblikuje isključivo film.
Naravno, od tog njegovog "danas" je proteklo desetak i kusur godina i stanje na hrvatskoj žanrovskoj sceni je sada znatno drugačije, ali postoje indikacije da je sam fenomen preživeo i otputovao malko južnije. Više no jedan kompetentan kritičar ukazao je na uticaj ne samo filma, nego i stripa na domaće mlade autore, i mada se pri tome uglavnom raspravljalo o Laguninim autorima, moguće je da je fenomen uočljiv u van domena ove konkretno uzdavačke kuće. (A kad smo već kod Lagune, da uzgred napomenem kako sve više dolazim do zaključka da su jedino Lagunina izdanja vredna kupovine, to kako po kvalitetu proze tako i po profesionalnosti izdavača. Ovim ne tvrdim da je Laguna odlična izdavačka kuća, nego naprosto konstatujem da je po navedenim tačkama daleko najbolja od sviju onih čija sam izdanja imala prilike da čitam.)
Elem, da se vratimo uticajima, književnim i inim: nije nemoguće prepoznati u knjizi uticaje koji su formirali njenog autora, i meni lično je to oduvek bio jedan od pratećih vidova zabave pri čitanju.
U srećnijim okolnostima (čitaj, u boljim knjigama), taj aspekt dodatne komunikacije sa knjigom u velikom meri obogaćuje celokupni utisak koji knjiga na mene ostavlja - bilo kroz očigledne omaže ili kroz suptilniju intertektualnost, takva knjiga sa mnom komunicira na nivou koji prevazilazi direktna saopštavanja zapleta i neretko mi ponudi onaj dragoceni osećaj pripadanja, deljenja nekakve zajedničke istorije. Osećaj je najlakše opisati kao dobrostivo oduševljenje, kao kad u razgovoru sa potpunim strancem iznenada i slučajno dođete do otkrića da delite nekog pradavnog krvnog srodnika: to je nekako apsolutno predivan i neopisivo ispunjujući osećaj koji vam se retko zalomi u stvarnom životu, ali blagostivo često u književnosti. Vrlo je moguće da sam pristrasna i skučena u interesovanjima, ali oduvek sam na taj osećaj češće nailazila u žanru negoli van njega, pa otud valjda i potiču moje sklonosti i interesovanja, a ta konkretno igrarija sa tekstom je u velikoj meri i razlog zašto često opstanem u čitanju očigledno slabo kvalitetne proze.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.superknjizara.hr%2Fphoto%2Fknjige%2Fm_89125.jpg&hash=8b3a98b62380048524d10cd897269f5e82b04c92)
Roman "Zovite ju Zemlja" (u daljem tekstu ZjZ) Ivana Lutza svakako ne nudi mnogo razloga za čitanje. Reč je o očigledno amaterskom i beznadežno naivnom uratku koji ponajpre fascinira svojom vanvremenski anahronom koncepcijom. Da nije relevantne informacije u vidu blarba na koricama, ja ne bih imala ni najblažu predodžbu kad je ova knjiga datirana niti ko ju je napisao; ovo je ladno mogao biti jedan od onih rukopisa koje Mića iznalazi po buvljacima, objavljen tridesetih ili šezdesetih godina prošlog veka, napisan od strane domaćeg ili stranog autora jednako, bilo kao roman prvenac ili kao četvrti u nizu roman prolifičnog ali nenačitanog entuzijaste.
Naravno, ta anahronost nema nikakve veze sa samom temom: odlazak sa matične planete i kolonizacija nove možda i jeste tema stara koliko i sam žanr SFa, ali to ne znači da se njome i dandanas ne bavimo - pogledajte samo Beckettov "Mračni raj" i oduševljenje koje je proizveo u žanru, mislim da je to već samo po sebi argument u korist tvrdnje da nema zastarelih žanrovskih tema, zastarele su samo nemušte i naivne obrade istih. A da stvar bude još očiglednija, i "Mračni raj" se opredeljuje za koncept koji izbegava savremene zahteve tehničke potkovanosti, nudeći priču iz ugla deklarisano neukih naratora koji imaju automatska opravdanja za sve nedostatke relevantne informacije. U mnogim žanrovskim aspektima, "Mračni raj" je također vanvremenski anahron roman, ali razlika je što je kod njega to odluka i otvorena namera pisca, dok je u slučaju ZjZ-a to iskučivo posledica autorske književne nesposobnosti i imaginativne skučenosti.
No, da se ne razacujemo sa neartikulisanim utiscima, red je da se pozabavimo poštenijom analizom:
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Krajnje si nepravedna prema "mojim" piscima sa buvljaka.
Vladimir Velmar Janković je Čehov za Ivana Lutza...
Mladen St. Đuričić možda nije Dostojevski za Ivana Lutza, ali je barem Alekasndar Grin...
ZjZ se otvara scenom poslednjih priprema oko... pa eto, lansiranja velikog broda koji će u sebi poneti 1270 ljudi na potragu za planetom podesnom za kolonizaciju. Sama ceremonija tog lansiranja odvija na svemirskoj stanici Esper, gde Administrator (u stalnoj pratnji svog časnika Turka) i Predsednik (u nekakvim "posebno ulaštenim električnim kolicima") puše cigarete i igraju šah, dok nam uslužno prepričavaju detalje o svemu, a ujedno ni o čemu konkretnom.
Karakterizacija u ovom romanu je do te mere plošna, a njeno didaktički nametljivo saopštavanje do te mere ograničeno i nemušto, da niko od pomenutih aktera nema više od jedne osobine ili karakteristike, pri čemu ih mnogi pomenuti dele, otežavajući tako razlikovanje pomenutih pojedinaca:
"Na slici (zidu), stajao je mladi časnik, sav prošaran ožiljcima kraj očiju i velikom, tek zaraslom, brazdom na čelu." (16)
Odmah pored tog časnika, sam kapetan broda Pollard se opisuje kao "ne previše visok, oko 175 centimetara, svijetle puti i oštrog pogleda. Ožiljci ispod oka podsjećali su na dane borbi Dolje, a svježe ukopana brazda na čelu, posljedica naglog otvaranja hidrauličnog poklopca u D-sektoru, bila je još samo jedno obilježje golemog iskustva koje je posjedovao". (17)
Dakle, na dve uzastopne strane imamo dva izdvojena aktera sa ožiljcima, i to baš oko očiju i baš na čelu. Da stvar bude gora, ako je kapetan broda zaradio brazdu na čelu tako što ga je mlatnuo hidraulični poklopac, ne znam baš zašto bi to trebalo da mu se priznaje kao kvalifikacija, ali dobro, za časnika ne znamo da li je i on tim svojim ožiljcima ikako kvalifikovan, mada, samim tim što se pominje i izdvaja iz gomile, rekla bih da jeste. U prethodnom pasusu već nam je rečeno da "Pollard, s druge strane, nije komplicirao, te je znao bespogovorno izvršavati zapovijedi, improvizirati ako je bilo potrebno i nije se libio riskirati u težim situacijama. Bio je idealan čovjek za kapetana Zeda.", tako da su kapetanske kompetencije time relativno pokrivene.
Administrator je, s druge strane, opisan u duetu sa svojim ličnim časnikom po imenu Turk: "Administrator je hodao brzo, dok je Turk, prateći njegov hod, gotovo posrtao pri svakom koraku." (6)
Dakle, tu imamo naglašenu hijerarhiju fizičkih osobina koje autor nudi u reprezentciju intelektualnih, pošto nameće logiku da časnik posrće tamo gde Administrator "hoda brzo", iako po nekoj normalnijoj logici, mlađi čovek nema razloga da posrće tamo gde ni stariji neće, osim ako se time ne implicira da je u pitanju čist fizički hendikep kod samog časnika. Isto tako, u tom hodu, Administrator će "provući ruku kroz sijedu kosu", potapšaće istog tog časnika "očinski, nekoliko puta", položiće ruku na rame Predsjedniku, i, uopšte, ponašaće se kao karikatura izuzetno papirnatog i bespotrebnog protagoniste iskorištenog tek da nam u klišeiziranim i gotovo besmislenim izjavama objasni stvari koje se ili podrazumevaju ili su očigledne zbog podjednako klišeiziranih recitacija ostalih aktera, dok će Turk ostati upamćen samo zato što liči na grotesku duhovnog grbavca koji posrće dok sedi čovek pored njega brzo hoda.
Ta nenamerna komičnost koja se dosledno provlači kroz čitavu karakterizaciju zapravo čini štivo uvelike čitljivijim, prosto zato što se tokom vizualizacije tih naivnih i pompeznih scena svo vreme cerekate i protiv svoje volje.
Predsjednik se tu malo izdvaja iz gomile zato što je u pomenutim kolicima: "Stigavši do kraja prostora ograđenog žutom, niskom, pletenom ogradom, Predsjednik zastane, okrene se i pozdravi sve prisutne u hali. Prijeđe na malu platformu koja se spustila za koji milimetar pod njegovom težinom, a mala vratašca provuku kromirane šipke okomito, praveći pri tom ogradicu visoku nekoliko desetaka centimetara."
Autor naprosto nema vokabular kojim bi adekvatno izrazio to što je zamislio, a imaginativno siromaštvo oličeno u pomanjkanju tog adekvatnog izraza čine tekst ne samo nemuštim i neuverljivim, nego i potpuno nezanimljivim, kao što pokazuje nastavak rečenog pasusa: "Platforma zakoči metalnim klinovima Predsjednikova kolica i hidraulika zazviždi najavljujući podizanje. Ugodnom brzinom krene prema gore - okrenut prema cijeloj posadi Espera. Na pet-šest metara visine, zastane, a iza njega, na velikom metalnom zidu Stanice, pojavi se - malo manji od zida - odraz projektirane slike." (16)
Što se samog broda tiče, dakle, te poslednje nade za opstanak čovečanstva, o njemu znamo sledeće: ime mu je ZX00, a Administrator po tom pitanju kaže sledeće: "Ha, ne znam, ali inženjer koji ga je projektirao morao je smisliti nešto bolje... ipak je Grdosija sve što će ostati... ovako... - zamišljeno otpuhne dim." (8)
Dakle, to je brod koji je projektirao i imenovao jedan jedini inžinjer.
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 23-11-2013, 11:35:25
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Krajnje si nepravedna prema "mojim" piscima sa buvljaka.
Nisam, nisam, ja bih itekako volela da se dočepam tih primeraka, nego eto, ta konkretno tvoja aktivnost se pokazala praktična u svrhe ilustracije, to je sve. :)
inače, provela sam neočekivano prijatno jutro u druženju sa prve 23 strane ovog romana ali sad ću da stanem jer predosećam migrenu, tako da... nastavićemo kasnije. ;)
Znam. Šalim se. Ipak, u neverovatnom nastupu filantropije, rešio sam da se odvojim od jednog primerka SREĆE A.D. i pošaljem ga u South Africa.
Ovde u Srbiji nema gotovo niko ko bi cenio da to pročita, pa, reko', da bar nekom učinim plezir...
Pošalji mi adresu na pm i posavetuj koji je najbolji način da ga sigurno dobiješ (da se negde ne izgubi)...
PS: nedavno sam na buvljaku nabavio bolje očuvan primerak, sa sve posvetom pisca, scallopu u inat... :)
hah, "neverovatni nastup filantropije" :-D
ako te išta definiše, to je onda postojanost u filantropiji... što ne znači da nemaš drugih "neverovatnih" mana, ali nalazim da sa njima ipak mogu udobno da živim, jer eto, ljubav je vazda bila slepa.
Nego, da se vratim na ZjZ, koja zaista vredi svu svoju težinu u evrima. :mrgreen:
dakle, da se vratimo na svemirski brod, Jedrenjak, Grdosiju, ZX00, Zed - čedo jednog jedinog inžinjera.
"Ambasador provuče ruku kroz sijedu kosu ne spuštajući pogled sa usidrenog broda. Zavuče ruku u hlače i prinese ustima tanku, dugačku cigaru. Turk automatski izvuče upaljač i škljucne. Uvukavši prvi dim, Administrator duboko uzdahne.
- ZX00. Kakvo ime za ovaj stroj? - kiselo se nasmije.
- Mislim da je trebalo da se zove Zeus ili Odisej, ali odustali su - primjeti Turk." (7)
"Predsjednik u kolicima pogleda brod-grdosiju na drugom kraju hale. Kroz otvore na visokim zidovima nazirao se spremnik jedara. Cijelom je dužinom Stanice zaklanjao otvoreni prostor na suprotnom kraju. Visina Grdosije nije se mogla procijeniti s mjesta gdje je Predsjednik sjedio, ali po položaju kabinskih prozora, dalo se naslutiti da je znatno viši od 76 metara. Administrator također okrene glavu u tom smjeru.
- Nisam mogao niti pretpostaviti njegovu veličinu - tihim glasom punim oduševljenja progovori Predsjednik.
- Da, velk momak - potvrdi Administrator. (10)
Predsjednik odmjeri usidreni Jedrenjak na suprotnom kraju stanice i pogled mu zastane na monitoru koji je snimao cijelog Grdosiju izvana. Mogao je razabrati njegovu pravu veličinu, jer vidjevši ga iz šatla, nije mogao u tako kratkom vremenu prepoznati sve njegove konture. Dvostruko, možda i trostruko veći od Svemirske stanice Esper, bljeskao je u crnom svemiru poput božićne jelke. Otvori kroz koje je dopirala svjetlost konstantno su mijenjali boju, a iza debelih prozora kabina moglo se vidjeti komešanje." (14)
pored toga što ovaj citirani tekst vrvi lektorskim, korektorskim, uredničkim i logičkim propustima, najuočljiviji nedostatak je ipak u domenu samog izraza i jezika. Tako ubitačna smesa naivne deskriptivnosti, pogrešno odabranih reči i trivijalnih a suštinski i nepodesnih poredbi može se naći uglavnom u tekstovima nenačitanih adolescenata, ali kod odraslih taj konkretno izraz ukazuje na eklatantan nedostatak ma kakvog sluha, da samu nadarenost sad i ne pominjem. A kako je sluh osnova svetonazora, neretko je upravo to razlog vanvremenskom "izmeštenju" ne samo teksta, nego i samog svetonazora.
"Uz nekoliko taktova mikrofonije, glas kapetana očistio se i postao onako hrapav i autoritativan kakav je bio i u stvarnosti.
- Gospodine Predsjedniče! Gospodo! Moja posada i ja spremni smo krenuti. Svi sustavi rade optimalno i svaki putnik je obaviješten o polasku. Na sve tri palube svatko zna što mu je činiti. Želim napomenuti kako ćemo moja posada i ja svim svojim bićem težiti ispuniti misiju stavljenu pred nas. Zed će pronaći svoje odredište, u to budite sigurni.
Prijemnom halom razlio se pljesak odobravanja. Pollard nije bio rječit, ali bio je jasan i precizan poput infarkta."
Teško mi je poverovati da je ovo objavljeno godine Gospodnje 2013, ali sasvim mi je jasno zašto ovaj roman nije uspeo da nađe izdavača u Hrvatskoj.
No dobro, svaka knjiga eventualno nađe kupca a bogami i čitaoca, pa tako i ova, eto, ima mene. :)
Sad, sto se tice jednog jedinog inzinjera kao THE planera, the vehikel se jos moze shvatiti kao produkt first step-a uobicajenog top-down postupka. Ostalo je urnebesno zabavan trash. Steta sto se nije nasao izdavac.
Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk
Quote... Ivan Lutz je poslao svoj tekst preko e-mail-a, i ja sam ga, moram reći, progutao u jednom dahu. Uredničke primedbe su bile minimalne, i ticale su se uglavnom sporednih stvari u tekstu. Ivan nije samo odličan pisac, on je i fizičar, veoma obrazovan i potkovan. Ništa ne piše napamet, sve pažljivo prouči, i onda pušta svojoj mašti na volju, a to je ono što najviše manjka kod današnjih mladih pisaca. Roman Zovite ju zemlja ima, čini mi se, sve što jedan dobar sf roman i treba da ima: izuzetno je zanimljiv i dinamičan, pun neočekivanih obrta, a u svom konačnom razrešenju filozofičan. Sa nestrpljenjem očekujem da vidim kako će srpska publika reagovati na Ivanov prvenac, a sudeći po prvim reakcijama, SF fanovi su veoma zainteresovani. ...
Roman hrvatskog autora Ivana Lutza objavila Čarobna knjiga iz Srbije (http://inverzija.net/?p=6734)
Žanr trpi zato što mladi autori nemaju nikakvu šansu (http://www.popboks.com/article/29919)
Dve moguće budućnosti (http://www.popboks.com/article/29973)
Istorijski događaj za srpsku fantastiku (http://www.carobnaknjiga.rs/dani-carobne-knjige-nedelja-ponedaljak)
Quote... This is a first novel of this young author, and it is written well, above the average for books published in Croatia (not limited onli to sci - fi). ...
Customer Reviews (http://www.amazon.com/Zovite-ju-zemlja-Ivan-Lutz/dp/B00ERSS6K2)
izitpanjovim tragovima, antitalenat stopedesetosmi.
Naravno, unutar granica iracionalne fantastike, teško je argumentovano osporiti postavku u kojoj je interstelarna svemirska letelica čedo jednog jedinog inžinjera, prosto zato što je unutar granica iracionalne fantastike nemoguće argumentovano osporiti bilo šta. Ali iracionalna fantastika je žanrovska alatka kojom se kompetentni autori svrhovito koriste, dok onim nekompetentnima služi uglavnom kao azil za neznanje. Danas je gotovo nemoguće izbeći - dakle: nemoguće izbeći - relevantnu sf ikonografiju interstelarnih letelica, dovoljno je 5 minuta guglanja da čovek izvuče preko stotinu fotki i ilustracija tog konkretno fenomena. To je, zajedno sa dinosaurima, danas deo opšteg znanja prosečnog osmogodišnjaka, i ne verujem da bi čak i njih bilo koja od tih letelica asocirala na božićnu jelku.
Ali nije to potpun razlog za ovo uvijanje suvog drena; razlog leži u činjenici da pomenute 23 strane čine narativnu celinu prologa, dok je ostatak romana datiran 2500 godina kasnije. Dakle, sva korisnost koju prolog zapravo nudi i koju ćete nakon prologa trebati je - sam brod.
No dobro, tekst je već prepoznato nemušt, pa stoga i komunicira nepreciznu (a neretko i kontradiktornu) informaciju, a to dalje rezultuje utiskom haotične celine kojoj je pri čitanju neophodno prevođenje i tumačenje, znači - treba tu bogami i dobrano učitavati šta je pisac trebao da kaže, a nije. Domaća žanrovska scena se već dovoljno istrenirala u tom poduhvatu, tako da u njoj skoro svaki čitalac zapravo polaže neku vrst autorskog prava na pročitanu prozu. Otud su mi kolegijalni rivjui domaće proze beskrajno zabavni za čitanje, pošto sve ono što ti i takvi rivjuisti tvrde da su navodno "pročitali" definitivno nije sam autor svojeručno stavio u knjigu. Zanimljiv je to fenomen, a ujedno je i velik deo uzroka zašto se neki mladi i perspektivni pisci nisu zanatski unapredili; koja vajda od tog konkretno truda, kad znaš da će ti vajni "čitaoci" ionako u prozi "pročitati" sve i samo ono čega tamo nema, tako da... praktičnije im je posezati za dvosmislicama i višeznačnim besmislicama, i pustiti "čitaoce" da se nadmeću u disciplini.
No dobro, opet, knjige treba voleti i sa njima se družiti, nisu tu knjige ništa krive, books don't kill people, people kill people.
Pošto nemušta proza po difoltu podrazumeva problem u komunikaciji - a on dalje podrazumeva problem u razumevanju - skroz zeznuto komentarisati takve uratke, i to po pravilu izbegavam, pošto su šizofrene psihoze zarazne bolesti, ma šta neki drugi o njima mislili. Povrh toga, tumačiti somnabulije je jalova a opasna rabota, jer tu ni sam Gospod (a nekmoli autor) ne znade šta se zapravo htelo reći, ako išta.
Ali vredi napomenuti da se na uzorku prvih 50tak strana da zaključiti kako ovaj roman definitivno ne spada u takve apsurdno-iracionalne uratke, jer ovo je ipak napisao čovek očigledno racionalan, budan i trezan: problemi romana su uglavnom u vokabularu, a nakon toga i u idejnom i zanatskom domenu.
Elem, dakle, strašno, strašno: čiča Simons je najzad došao do kraja (ili, možda je bolje reći - do vrha) svoje 5-6-7godišnje namere da frustrira i antagonizira čak i svoje dugogodišnje hard-kor obožavaoce! Ta nesrećna gomila će bez sumnje prepoznati u The Abominable ili podignut srednjak ili okrenuta leđa, a oni najvatreniji garant oboje, i najverovatnije će doživeti ovaj roman kao ličnu uvredu! Jer, ova gromada od romana, ova planinčina od teksta, ovaj Everest od marketinške misreprezentacije nije ništa od onoga što je najavljeno da će biti, a to što jeste... pa, bojim se da će se to malo kome svideti.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51YqHJS1cML._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2fbf36b8b023557597f1e70a6135441edd8b09b1)
Kao prvo, The Abominable nije "natprirodni" triler. Čak se i ono "triler" može silno dovesti u pitanje, mada, tehnički govoreći, jeste nekakav triler, samo što se sva njegova trilovitost brutalno udavila & zakopala u snežnohladnoj lavini mnogočega ostalog.
Kao drugo, The Abominable nije horror, nikakav, nit natrprirodni a bogami još manje bilo kakav prirodni, mada, ruku na srce, tu je marketinška misdirekcija ionako više bila plod uobrazilje samih fanova, koje je ponela i zanela Simonsova horror-reputacija + obilate aluzije na odlični The Teror.
Kao treće, The Abominable nije ni žanr, iako povremeno koketira sa više njih, a bogami nije ni mejnstrim, ili ga bar menjstrim neće takvoga videti, jer je odveć... pa, eto... špekulativan. Tako da... bog dobri zna gde će i kako ova sirota romančuga eventualno završiti.
A dok se svi izređaju da ga bar jednom mrko pogledaju zato što nije sve ono što se najavljivalo da će biti, neko (ovde najverovatnije samo ja :mrgreen:) će ga možda i gotiviti zbog onoga što jeste, a to je – oblina smesa veoma uverljive karakterizacije, prhko delikatne avanture, masivne zloupotrebe istorijskih činjenica, krajnje dekadentnog mekgafina i - last but not least – poslovično vešte manipulantske "ovo je zapravo rukopis očevica, a ja sam tu samo editor koji zajedno sa svojom rođenom ženom garantuje za istinitost" naracije.
Malo li je?
A ako jeste, tu je uvek beskrajno uporno (ali meni nikad, ama ni na sekund dosadno) detaljisanje svega, ali ama baš svega vezanog za planinarenje & alpinizam, od krampona i karabinera do šatora, ranaca, užadi i vreća za spavanje. A kako je radnja romana smeštena u 1925tu, to znači da se do besvesti detaljiše ne samo ondašnja oprema, nego i podvizi ondašnjih ekspedicija na Everest, i to ponaviše onaj tragični Mallory/Irvine pokušaj da se osvoji vrh. A kako je to jedna od velikih fascinacija mog detinjstva, ja sam, eto, krajnje pristrasan i zbog toga najverovatnije skoro pa beskorisan rivjuista kojemu je čiča Simons napisao knjigu baš po meri, a uz to još i obilnu.
I eto, šta reći nego - dok nekom ne smrkne, drugom ne osvane. :lol:
Čiča Simons je izgleda odlučio da u opusu ima dovoljno kvalitetnih romana da zadovolje poklonike mnogih žanrova, pa se pod mlade šezdesetpetogodišnje dane okrenuo isključivo samom sebi i svojim prohtevima, pišući samo ono što se isključivo samom njemu sviđa, naizgled ne hajući odviše ko će u tome da ga čitalački sledi.
My man! :)
Hrvati su preveli The Shining Girls Lauren Beukes. Danas kupio u Zagrebu..
da, da, javili mi mejlom za Djevojke koje sjaje, superknjižara je moj dobar drug... :) prijatno iznenđenje i još prijatnija ažurnost. Vidi samo blarbove:
Quote
,,Izvanredno. Knjiga o dvoboju dva sjajno realizirana lika. Nevjerojatno postignuće." Independent
,,Nova vrsta trilera. Mračna, nesmiljena i napeta priča o ubojstvima u iskrivljenom vremenu. Priča koja sjaji." Matt Haig
,,Domišljata priča, pametna proza." Stephen King
,,Vrlo pametno, sasvim originalno, potpuno silovito." William Gibson
uživaćeš skroz. :)
nego, ako se opet zalomiš tamo u idućih nedelju-dve-tri, gvirni pa proveri za mene ovu knjigu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.superknjizara.hr%2Fphoto%2Fknjige%2Fm_24152.jpg&hash=f19a1fea9f76ca9e779595f2e5e900933cd62fe6)
ovo mi izgleda deo kao Joe Kurtz trilogije, ali ne mogu da pohvatam koji je roman tačno u pitanju, a po broju strana rekla bih da je definitivno samo jedan. Najverovatnije je prvi, Hardcase, ali ne bih da naručujem pre no što zasigurno utvrdim, a plus me zanima da li je i ostatak trilogije preveden.
hmhph, ovo teško da ću čitati, ali vi koji ste pratite momka, eto, možda će vas zanimati:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51E8S%252BUfVCL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=ade9683b03a7f4a25b52d7a624833c4a6c9b3a4c)
Miriam is on the road again, having transitioned from "thief" to "killer".Hired by a wealthy businessman, she heads down to Florida to practice the one thing she's good at, but in her vision she sees him die by another's hand and on the wall written in blood is a message just for Miriam. She's expected...
odvratno, vidim sad u prethodnom postu svoj treći po redu imbecilni tipfeler večeras, izgleda da mi je tardisov art-direktor (muahaha) skinuo edit-time na ciglih 00.06 sekundi, to najverovatnije iz čiste milošte inaklonosti, taman da mi vreme za edit istekne barem ceo milisekund pre no što mi se post učita... no dobro, svako dete zdušno voli svoju zvečku, i eto, ignorisaćemo, pa ko koga nadživi...
nego, jedna zanimljiva knjiga u najavi:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51gg2Lvsr1L._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-65%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=386b278f5b03d8f9afcd85db573d6769aaa8334e)
We are very happy to showcase cover art and synopsis for the new book by Mikhail Elizarov, The Librarian. The book is scheduled to come out on 24th April, 2014. [/font]
[/color]
An epic full of video game-like battles, Russian landscapes and old babushkas, who fight with scythes
As the introduction to this book will tell you, the books of Gromov, obscure and long forgotten propaganda author of the Soviet era, have such effect on their readers that they suddenly enjoy supernatural powers. Understandably, these readers need to keep accessing these books at all costs and gather into groups around book-bearers, or as they're called, librarians. Alexei, until now a loser, comes to collect an uncle's inheritance and unexpectedly becomes a librarian. He tells his story.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51IO9YCWlGL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=00344dabfa05e05a50e367cd1f83a3ec4476f67f)
How do you write female characters with agency? What did J.R.R. Tolkien learn from Attila the Hun? What is it like to be a dragon? Is science fiction stuck in a rut? The Internet has the answers. Speculative Fiction 2012 collects over fifty articles from some of the top bloggers and authors in science fiction and fantasy, including over two dozen reviews. Contributors include Joe Abercrombie, Daniel Abraham, Niall Alexander, Kate Elliott, N. K. Jemisin, Aidan Moher, Abigail Nussbaum, Christopher Priest, Adam Roberts, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Sam Sykes and Lavie Tidhar.
Need more convincing? Here are just a few of my own favourite quotes from Speculative Fiction 2012...
"I feel that by limiting feminist expression to strong female characters only, we are shortchanging ourselves. If male characters are allowed to be strong, weak, broken, insane, anti-heroes – why can't we have a range of female characters likewise? I think that writing women in a non-stereotyping way, as people with desires, weaknesses, strengths – is feminist. I want portrayals of women that are as vivid and varied as portrayals of men." - Rose Lemberg
"[Miéville] has created one genuine masterpiece, The City and the City, and several works of importance, chief amongst them Perdido Street Station, which represented nothing less than a paradigm-shift in commercial fantasy fiction but – like Neuromancer in its turn – could not turn its numerous imitators into anything but moderately talented hacks." - Lavie Tidhar
"It's funny because whenever you challenge somebody to look around at the people in their lives who don't fit dominant expectations of what men and women should be doing, they come up with hundreds of examples. But ask them to construct fictional worlds that contain that same kind of fluidity between gender roles, and it all goes to hell." - Kameron Hurley
"The overwhelming sense one gets, working through so many stories that are presented as the very best that science fiction and fantasy have to offer, is exhaustion." - Paul Kincaid
"I may transgress against the rules of SF because there are many things that I do not know about science fiction. I did not grow up surrounded and soaked in its language." - Rochita Loenen-Ruiz
"Imagine a female point of view character is going along about her protagonist adventure, seeing things from her perspective of the world as written in third person. She hears, sees, considers, and makes decisions and reacts based on her view of the world and what she is aware of and encounters. Abruptly, a description is dropped into the text of her secondary sexual characteristics usually in the form of soft-focus Playboy-Magazine-style sexualized kitten-bunny-I-would-fuck-her-in-a-heartbeat lustrous-eyes-and-nipples phrases. Her breasts have just become omniscient breasts." - Kate Elliott
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-chU17F5yQpI%2FUpi-s4X6o2I%2FAAAAAAAAEWQ%2FVrZoapkDL08%2Fs400%2FBurning-book-001.jpg&hash=0b1406e792a5979b478c7be047ce4223855c707f)
Losing Our Literary History
.
If you want to be terrified by cultural ignorance, you have only to go to YouTube, where an activist went to four major universities with a camera and asked random students what the Holocaust was, what nation Adolph Hitler led, and whether they could define genocide. One after another, bright and involved students failed to come anywhere near the truth. (You can find the film here; the questioning begins at 2:22 and I found I couldn't stand to watch very much of it.)
I mention that in order to put this post into perspective. I'm about to lament how a working knowledge of the history of science fiction and/or fantasy, which used to be common in both genres, has become a rare and endangered thing. But I don't want to overstate my case. Compared to well-educated young people smiling in embarrassment and saying, "Gee, I ought to know this," or "1800?" when asked when the Holocaust occurred, this is small potatoes indeed.
Still.
Over on Facebook, somebody reported attending a panel of fantasy novelists at Comic Con where a reader asked if any of them were influenced by Lord Dunsany. None of the writers had ever heard of him.
Once upon a time -- long, long ago in the 1970s -- all science fiction writers and most fans knew the history of the SF genre inside-out. Lester Del Rey's terrible (and astonishingly sexist; but it would have been a terrible story even if somehow the sexism could've been magicked out of it) "Helen O'Loy" had been read everybody -- because it was a significant work in the evolution of the genre.
Fantasy fans and writers had an even easier time of it, because there was so little classic fantasy back then. You read the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series as they were reissued under the editorship of Lin Carter, E. R. Eddison's books, the Gormenghast trilogy, maybe the Conan books, a handful of others and you were done.
At the time I sold my first story, I had read pretty much every important work of science fiction and fantasy ever written. As had pretty much every writer before me.
Today that's not possible. Amid the great avalanche of genre being published every year are enough genuinely good books to keep even the most voracious reader satisfied, without having to dip into the past. But it would be a mistake.
I'm not going to mourn the passage of a more innocent time: Believe me, we would have loved to have all these new books available back then. But ask yourself this . . .
Who's more likely to come up with something brilliantly unexpected: writer who've fed their brains with a steady diet of contemporary fantasy and SF or those who've read Dunsany, Mirrlees, and the other great outliers, and thus has an idea of exactly how strange and varied fantasy can be?
http://floggingbabel.blogspot.com/2013/11/losing-our-literary-history.html (http://floggingbabel.blogspot.com/2013/11/losing-our-literary-history.html)
Best Bets for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Books—December 2013
(https://d1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net/blog/lead_art/something_more_night_JPG_210x1000_q85.JPG)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51iE0dCwYSL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=65268fde578080b6fefa58cf0fc729628bf5c9e7)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51rqCTCDv4L._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-67%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=840880f199a095dee4ae03d9408acc600aa86d98)
I jos ponesto ovde: (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/best-bets-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-booksdece/#continue_reading_post)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41IMnRUBfQL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=b2029d041f49ad45c982bc3cd56c5bcce2c9c304)
Najpre generalije: ovo je roman koji je odneo Pulicera 2013, napisao ga je čovek koji je univerzitetski profesor (engleski na Stanfordu) i pokupio je iskrene ovacije gde god se pojavio, a to nije mala stvar. Roman je brilijantno napisana fikcija i predstavlja kolaž mukotrpno satkan od svedočanstava retkih prebega iz DPRK, propagandnog materijala KCNA i vrlo odmerene ekstrapolacije ideološkog sadizma ruskog i kineskog komunizma, garniranog sa sitnim uplivima u pedantne koreografije državnog terora Kube, Haitija, Zimbabvea, centralnoameričkih hunti i njima već slično egzotičkih Petrijevih tanjirića masovne psihopatizacije kvaziinetligentnog dvonošca na ovoj nesrećnoj planeti. Prepričati sadržaj ovog romana značilo bi insinuirati fantastiku, u meri u kojoj tuđa drževna opresija može da nam zaliči na fanstastiku, recimo duž linija 1984te. Naravno, to je daleko od istine. I mada The Orphan Master's Son jeste fikcija, u njemu ima realizma isto koliko i u Gulagu, što dalje znači da nikakav sinopsis ne mogu da ponudim, jer to mi se čini kao krajnja subverzija glavne svrhe ovog romana.
Čitam ga još od početka oktobra i nebrojeno puta sam sumnjala da ću ga ikada dočitati. Ne verujem da sam ijednom pročitala više od dvadesetak strana odjednom; to je toliko potresna knjiga da proizvodi fizički bol pri čitanju, bukvalno je bilo trenutaka kada sam verovala da mi ne gine nekakva fizička manifestacija duhovnog stanja u koje me knjiga baca, da mi sledi otpadanje noktiju ili u najmanju ruku krvoliptanje iz nosa i ušiju. Sećam se da mi je Gulag proizveo tek približno sličnu reakciju, i to ne na prvo čitanje - bila sam tad isuviše mlada da u potpunosti shvavim šta to zapravo čitam. Možda nije pošteno da se ova knjiga poredi sa Gulagom, jer ako ništa drugo, Gulag je za mene oduvek bio tek svedočanstvo preživelog - u vreme kad sam ja čitala Gulag Solženjicin je bio živ i relativno zdrav i to je bila činjenica koja je uvelike uticala na dimenzije mog shvatanja štiva koje čitam. Ovde takve dimenzije nema, ovaj roman je mrak u još crnjem mraku ambisa potpune tame, i ždere me spoznaja da nešto jednostavno nije u redu sa svetom u kom bilo ko može da čita ovaj roman u dvorištu punom juke i begonija uz neskafe i tiramisu a da se pod njim zemlja ne otvori u raspuklini aramgedona.
Da svar bude gora, baš u to vreme to vreme, sa sviju strana matriksa virtuelne informacije čuje se kako Severna Koreja sistematski delituje stare internet vesti u kojima se pominje Jang Song Thaek, dok u isto vreme, na drugim krajevima planete, neki drugi ljudi padaju u afektiranu nesvest oko skoro pa imaginarnih socijalnih nepravdi i eto, to je dodatni razlog zašto stvarno nisam mogla da pređem više od desetak strana odjednom. Bilo je momenata u kojima sam htela da knjigu zapravo delitujem, da se ni slučajno ne spotaknem o njen leprozan ajkon koji preti mom malom svetu žanrovskog palpa i kineskom zidu oko njega, ali sadizam je zarazna bolest, i eto.
Sam roman je zaista maestralno napisan, naracija je čisto savršenstvo koju nosi najefikasniji mogući dijapazon POVA, to od intimno dnevničkog prvog lica pa sve do nebuloznih propagandnih saopštavanja preko javnih razglasa. Kao i sve knjige koje zauvek menjaju svog čitaoca, to u ma kako malom procentu, ni sad nisam načisto da li bih je ponovo čitala, da me neko može da transportuje nazad u septembar. Veovatno ne bih, iako je sa lakoćom zasenila sve knjige koje sam pročitala u zadnjih... pa ne znam, desetak godina najmanje. Ovo je knjiga koja obavezno menja svog čitaoca ali zaista nisam sigurna da li je to promena na bolje: sećam se da sam sinoć pročitala nekoliko imbecilnih antiameričkih komentara glede politike DPRKa, i isključila sam komp uz neverovatno duboku i srdačnu želju da boga zapravo ima, makar samo na kratko, samo da transportuje autora tog konkretno komentara pravo u DPRK, tek da okusi malo to o čemu priča.
Elem, sad već možemo da se polako osvrnemo na godinu i, bogami, bila je stvarno dobra za SF, a ne verujem ni da su ostali žanrovi tu manje profitirali. Od mnogih dešavanja vrednih pažnje među prvima je svakako završetak Oryx and Crake trilogije Margaret Atwood, tačno deset godina nakon objavljivanja prvog dela.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51fmLUFodhL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=903b24f4980a647fab85374677bc5eebcdef871b)
Priznajem da malko strepim kada mejnstrim face svrnu u žanr, to mi uvek nekako rezultira u krajnostima - to ili bude fijasko čiste eksploatacije, ili remek-delo koje sa lakoćom zaseni čak i najbolje žanrovske uratke. I dobro sad, ovo potonje bi trebalo da obraduje svakog poštenog ljubitelja dobre proze, ali žanrovci su vazda bili malko pristrasni po tom pitanju, i koliko god im je drago da neko "zvučno" ime svrati u žanr, toliko im i pomalo smeta ako pri tome odviše razgoli indie dimenziju koja je, šta da se radi, oduvek bila u srži žanrovske produkcije.
Čim se Oryx and Crake pojavio, bilo je malo sumnje da će pribaviti mesto u vrhu SF trilogija ikad. To ne samo zbog izuzetno atraktivne i savremene teme - ekiloška katastrofa uparena sa biološkom distopijom, nošenom na GMO krilima skoro otvoreno tehnofobske varijacije na prastaru temu čovekovog srljanja u samouništenje - nego zbog besprekorne ekstrapolacije trenutnih fenomena i preokupacija, zbog kojih je Oryx and Crake bio uznemiravajuće realističan čak i u najfantastičnijim delovima svoje teške i mračne premise. I kako to već ponekad ide na ruku remek-delima, izlazak knjige su ispratili fenomeni koji su u velikoj meri doprineli njenoj uverljivosti: ptičji grip i SARS su samo podvukli teze kojima je Oryx and Crake ne samo definisao apokalipsu, njego i njen metodičan i pedantan sled razvoja.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51mA4iivKmL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=1be929d5eb2dca72d8355e381169fb1a44a50a29)
I mada se Oryx and Crake završio najbrutalnijim klifhangerom kakvog samo najsuroviji pisci mogu da smisle, u isto vreme je bio i dovoljno zaokružen kao celina da dovede u pitanje i sam nastavak, a kamoli treći deo sage. Ali kad je 6 godina kasnije objavljen The Year of the Flood, čak su i pristrasni skeptici poput mene morali da priznaju kako je u pitanju vrhunsko štivo, na svakom bogovetnom planu superiorno čak i onim trilogijama koje su pri samom vrhu bilo koje sentimentalne naj-liste makar i najzadrtijeg žanrovskog ovisnika: Margaret Atwood u obe knjige nudi ama baš sve aspekte u čistim desetkama, to od neobuzdane imaginacije, preko besprekorne ekstrapolacije pa sve do neosporne relevantnosti sa savremenim preokupacijama tog konkretno vremena. A o književnim kvalitetima, naravno, ne treba ni govoriti, to se toliko podrazumeva.
I opet je The Year of the Flood surovo završen na klifhangeru, iako je i njegova zaokruženost i kompaktnost dovodila u pitanje potrebu za nastavcima. Ali tad je već bilo jasno da Atwood delove trilogije ne kalemi linearno, nego ih koristi za ekspanziju osnovnog Oryx and Crake zapleta.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51NIWWHiVlL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=144015f2ae2331ee03f22b7b72592e236b0f8980)
Maddaddam je finalni deo trilogije i, baš kao i ostala dva dela, ima svoje specifičnosti u naraciji i stilu jednako: tamo gde je The Year of the Flood narativno koristio propovedi i himne Božjih baštovana, Maddaddam koristi primitivnu usmenu bajku i time upotpunjuje biblijski format saopštavanja istorije među generacijama. Isto tako, i dalje se razotkrivaju identiteti učesnika u apokalipsi, uz veoma vešto tkanje njihovih međusobnih odnosa; skoro ništa od svega toga se nije dalo nasluti u prethodnim naslovima, tako da ta zapanjujuća svežina rašomona i dalje nosi zaplet kao da je reč o potpuno novim zbivanjima, a ne samo o drugim tačkama gledišta. I eto kako to već biva sa mejnstrim majstorima koji svrnu u žanr da natrljaju indie nos vrhušci: Atwoodova bira jedan od nastarijih i najizraubovanijih motiva - motiv ludog naučnika koji u skoro potpunoj tajnosti iskonstruiše apokalipsu - i koristi ga kao prizmu kroz koju raščlanjuje mnoge suptilnosti naših trenutno najsavremenijih apokaliptičnih bauka - ekološke katastrofe i genetske manipulacije.
i definitivno najbolja antologija 2013:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F517Qxe5efCL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=c09031616ef4c430a9a4b5f1b54c9ee1cb08d641)
... što ne znači da su ostale bile loše, daleko bilo - to pogotovo vrlo dobre Dozois/Martin kooperacije u "Dangerous Women" i "Old Mars", a također i "After: 19 stories" Datlow/Windling - ali ova konkretno antologija odnosi šnjur prosto zato što ja tu naprosto ne vidim niti jednu jedinu prosečnu priču, sve su mi ekstra i straobalno odlične. Paula je naprosto prevazišla samu sebe i pored klasično zvučnih imena (Doktorow, Okorafor, Baker, Beukes, Gould, Sterling, Shirley, Bacigalupi, Morden) moj apsolutni favorit je priča "Horses" do sad mi nepoznate Livia Llewellyn, a posle toga "The Adjudicator" iz pera Brian Evenson, a to već samo po sebi daje na znanje da se radi o zaista odličnom izboru, kad vam potpuni anonimusi zasene uratke faca ovog kalibra.
A i inače se može reći da su postapokaliptične priče ove godine stvarno odlično iznenađenje (i to ne mislim samo na natologije), pošto su najzad uspele da dokažu ono što odavno slutim, a to je da dobra SF prezentacija postapokalipse može da zaseni i najbolje horor uratke kad god joj se prohte. Paula tu prednjači po senzibilitetu, pošto tek nekolicina priča nudi tračke iracionalne fantastike, a i to por strogom supervizijom autorske lucidnosti, tako da je ovde reč o zaista vrhu današnjeg apokaliptičnog SFa u kraćoj formi. Maestralan izbor sad već oprobanog i dokazanog uredničkog maestra - Paule Guran.
Što se zbirki tiče, tu je trka izluđujuće izjednačena između ova dva naslova:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41eaJjrHtYL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-64%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=0d7bdfe10905aaa0c1c0ac158e78514ea3bd095d)[si(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51pk6ceN%252BpL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-67%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=561dc1e78d0299886513d18cc4db421698e5f8c1)
Watts je tu poslovično odličan, čak i njegova varijacija na film "The Thing" me se ovde istinski doima, iako me nije bog zna kako impresionirala kad se pojavila, usprkos nagradama. Pomalo bizarna varijanta tačke gledišta vanzemaljskog monstruma ima svog čara, mada i dalje smatram da funkcioniše samo kod ljudi koji su ne samo gledali film, nego i zapamtili doslovno svaku scenu, sa svim detaljima. Ako joj se oprosti taj hendikep (mislim to, da nije bog zna kako funkcionalna kao stand alone tekst), mora se priznati da ima dimenziju koja impresionira. Ali kičma zbirke je svakako "A word for Heathens", vrlo uspešno seciranje one strane ljudskog karaktera koja je izgleda zadužena za šizofrene halucijacije i religioznost jednako.
Norman Lock je priča za sebe, i ovo je moj prvi susret sa njime - prvi od brojnih, u to sam sigurna. Već prva priča je varijacija na "Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", i to ne varijacija koliko nastavak samog zapleta: vrlo morbidno i vrlo, vrlo Stivensovski ne samo u jeziku nego i u stilu. Na moje oduševljenje, i ostatak zbirke je ispoštovao taj manir, otud se i sam naslov odmah zapatio pri vrhu naj-liste i ništa ga nije moglo uzdrmati sa pozicije. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51k%252BLckbkSL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=e0a5c0904e56f0d525ad0d1a0859c7235042bb64)
The new novel from Simon Ings is a story that balances on the knife blade of a new technology. Augmented Reality uses computing power to overlay a digital imagined reality over the real world. Whether it be adverts or imagined buildings and imagined people with Augmented Reality the world is no longer as it appears to you, it is as it is imagined by someone else. Ings takes the satire and mordant satirical view of J.G. Ballard and propels it into the 21st century. Two friends are working at the cutting edge of this technology and when they are offered backing to take the idea and make it into the next global entertainment they realise that wolves hunt in this imagined world. And the wolves might be them. A story about technology becomes a personal quest into a changed world and the pursuit of a secret from the past. A secret about a missing mother, a secret that could hide a murder. This is no dry analysis of how a technology might change us, it is a terrifying thriller, a picture of a dark tomorrow that is just around the corner. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057511973X/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F515s1mROSoL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=a64d64eca8838809272156864c0ce739f360ae28)
In a future, long-declining America, society is strictly stratified by class. Long-abandoned urban neighborhoods have been repurposed as highwalled, self-contained labor colonies. And the members of the labor class—descendants of those brought over en masse many years earlier from environmentally ruined provincial China—find purpose and identity in their work to provide pristine produce and fish to the small, elite, satellite charter villages that ring the labor settlement.In this world lives Fan, a female fish-tank diver, who leaves her home in the B-Mor settlement (once known as Baltimore), when the man she loves mysteriously disappears. Fan's journey to find him takes her out of the safety of B-Mor, through the anarchic Open Counties, where crime is rampant with scant governmental oversight, and to a faraway charter village, in a quest that will soon become legend to those she left behind.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51eY9bgfMdL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=47986216074c74f3f8a4819e5bb8877127f37d4c)
As any reader of Jo Walton's Among Others might guess, Walton is both an inveterate reader of SF and fantasy, and a chronic re-reader of books. In 2008, then-new science-fiction mega-site Tor.com asked Walton to blog regularly about her re-reading—about all kinds of older fantasy and SF, ranging from acknowledged classics, to guilty pleasures, to forgotten oddities and gems. These posts have consistently been among the most popular features of Tor.com. Now this volumes presents a selection of the best of them, ranging from short essays to long reassessments of some of the field's most ambitious series.
Over 130 essays in all, What Makes This Book So Great is an immensely readable, engaging collection of provocative, opinionated thoughts about past and present-day fantasy and science fiction, from one of our best writers.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51bw6wjlGNL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=a52b95d326270dcf0d96fb41eb6eb2e491b4f170)
On the planet Ilmatar, under a roof of ice a kilometer thick, a team of deep-sea diving scientists investigates the blind alien race that lives below. The Terran explorers have made an uneasy truce with the Sholen, their first extraterrestrial contact: so long as they don't disturb the Ilmataran habitat, they're free to conduct their missions in peace.But when Henri Kerlerec, media personality and reckless adventurer, ends up sliced open by curious Ilmatarans, tensions between Terran and Sholen erupt, leading to a diplomatic disaster that threatens to escalate to war.Against the backdrop of deep-sea guerrilla conflict, a new age of human exploration begins as alien cultures collide. Both sides seek the aid of the newly enlightened Ilmatarans. But what this struggle means for the natives—and the future of human exploration—is anything but certain, in A Darkling Sea by James Cambias.
"A stunning debut! Alien races to rival Larry Niven, world-building to rival Hal Clement, and lots of rip-roaring adventure. James Cambias will be one of the century's major names in hard science fiction."—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Red Planet Blues
"Fast-paced, pure quill hard science fiction.... Cambias delivers adroit plot pivots that keep the suspense coming."—Gregory Benford, Nebula Award-winning author of Timescape"This is great fun—traditional science fiction but with today's science. And I love the aliens."—Jo Walton, Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author of Among Others (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765336278/sfsi0c-20)
"The best story about an alien race and its environment that I've read in a long time. Cambias is in the same league as Hal Clement."—Vernor Vinge, Hugo Award-winning author of A Fire Upon the Deep (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765336278/sfsi0c-20)
"Cambias's exploration of truly alien politics is fast, fun, and packed with characters you'll cheer for. It's exciting to welcome an exuberant new voice to the ranks of hard science fiction!"
—Karl Schroeder, author of Ventus
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765336278/sfsi0c-20)
"A compelling read."
—Michael Flynn, author of On the Razor's Edge (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765336278/sfsi0c-20)
"A fascinating exploration of alien lives at the extreme edges of an alien world."—Brenda Cooper, award-winning author of The Silver Ship and the Sea
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765336278/sfsi0c-20)
moj neosporni favorit među debi romanima 2013:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51lYeMJXAZL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-70%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=864d4d99535a32c915095cfd8b7b9b61ae3005f8)
Distopija na maglovitom tragu Sonmi~451, ali zadivljujuće vešto ispripovedana, i sasvim u skladu sa umerenim engleskim ekstrapolacijama o crnjaku koji čeka radničku klasu u korporativnoj budućnosti metropola.
Jayna je genetski augmenotvana da briljira u karijeri, ali ta augmentacija ne podrazumeva nikakve očigledne psiho-fizičke super-sposobnosti: Jayna je genetski "obrađena" na tako suptilnom nivou da se ne razlikuje od ostalih ljudi gotovo ni po čemu osim po olafaktornim specifičnostima - Jayna ima vanredno slaba čula mirisa i okusa. Taj sitni genetski tvik omogućio je ljudima poput Jayne da briljiraju u karijeri prosto zato što nisu podložni izvesnim distrakcijama koje su ljudima uglavnom osnovna merila kvaliteta života. Jayna ne mari odviše za okus hrane ili pića, njen život je spartanski jednostavan i sastoji se samo od rada i spavanja, a njen genetski hendikep uslovljava i njenu nesposobnost da se intimno zainteresuje za drugo ljudsko biće. Ali Jayna je dovoljno inteligentna da shvati svoju nekompletnost i njen život se uskoro pretvara u nesavladiv poriv da prevaziđe svoj hendikep.
Doktorow je u rivjuu za MacLeodov Intrusion naveo kako je reč o "benevolentnom diktatoršipu tehnokratije", i to je ideja vodilja i ovog romana, otud je distopija koju nudi vrlo uverljiva a na momente čak i prihvatljiva, sa nekog racionalnijeg stanovišta. Greg Egan je još pre dve decenije zaključio kako bi ogroman broj ljudi svojevoljno izabrao slične hendikepe, ili bolje rečeno kako ih zapravo već odavno svojevoljno bira, u prozac-nation obliku bega od zahtevne radne i životne stvarnosti. U Eganovoj verziji, reč je o hirurškoj intervenciji koju biraju svesni i savesni ljudi, ali svejedno, od toga pa do genetske manipulacije je prilično mali tehnološki (a još manji prozni) korak. Anne Charnock uspeva da izuzetno suptilno - za razliku od MacLeoda, naprimer, koji je po tom pitanju suptilan koliko i macola - predoči razloge i potrebe koje u savremenom čoveku stvaraju želju da što manje oseća, i na tom nivou, skoro je ravnopravna sa Eganom. Ne verujem da joj mogu dati veći kompliment od toga. Odličan roman, ubedljivo najjači debi utisak 2013.
Mnogo je to meni neki high concept. Umrtvili su joj čula ukusa i mirisa, ali šta ćemo s ostalim čulima? Šta je sprečava da uživa u svim oblicima umetnosti, u sportu i ostalim adrenalinskim aktivnostima, poput kockanja? Osoba će tražiti zadovoljštinu zato što joj je zadovoljština potrebna, a ne zato što joj je dostupna čulima ukusa i mirisa. Ako vam treba čovek-mašina onda čoveku ubijte potrebu za zadovoljštinom. Pitanje je kako to izvesti, a ne pretvoriti čoveka u egzistencijalističkog zombija.
Naravno, nije to tako jednostavno, to je samo bazična premisa. Postoje tu još mnogi faktori, od neuralnih implanata pa sve do rigoroznog odgoja, znači radi se o veoma kompleksnom konceptu za čije objašnjenje je potrebna knjiga, tojest ova knjiga. :) Ja bih mogla sa detaljisanjima samo da je upropastim sa spojlerima.
Isto tako, nije tačno da Jayna nema čula mirisa i okusa, poenta je u tome kako njen mozak interpretira te senzorne informacije, i dalje, kakve reakcije to proizvodi. Pojednostavljeno govoreći, ako tebi određena supstanca - uzmimo na primer čokoladu - ne proizvodi osećaj fizičkog boljitka, onda ti na tu supstancu jednostavno ne reaguješ kao ostali ljudi, tebi se ona čini jednako ukusna koliko i spanać, recimo. Fakt da imaš ostala čula, neće uticati na taj konkretno tvoj biohemijski hendikep, pogotovo ako si još od ranog detinjstva odgojem uslovljen da u hrani vidiš samo neophodno gorivo a ne estetski ili fizički doživljaj. Isto tako, ako si odgojen da tu svoju specifičnost ne doživljavaš kao hendikep nego kao vrlinu koja ima svoje prednosti...
Ali u pravu si što se tiče te opaske o zadovoljštini i zašto je čovek traži, na tome upravo i počiva zaplet, u pitanju je svojevrsna studija kako ljudi suočavaju hendikepe i na koje se sve načine dovijaju da ih zaobiđu, ako već nije u njihovoj moći da ih eliminišu. Prednost ove premise je u tome što savršeno ilustruje situacije u kojima je to dovijanje isključivo kognitivno, znači posledica isključivo intelektualne i svesne namere zrelog čoveka, rađe nego samo instinktivno posezanje za senzornim preopterećenjem.
Inače, ovo jeste debi roman, ali Anne Charnock je vrlo potkovana u pisanju (novinarka po profesiji), a naučna premisa je vrlo potkovana i vrlo detaljisana. Osnovna tema kojom se bavi (osnovna opsesija, bolje rečeno) je upravo ta fina razlika između čoveka i mašine, pa se roman upravo i bavi hajlajtom koji navodiš - granicom koja deli zdravo i funkcionalno ljudsko biće od egzistencijalističkog zombija.
prije će biti obrnuto, ako vam treba čovjek-mašina podstičite njegovo zadovoljstvo što više
upravo za moderno doba je karakteristična ideja da se ljudski um razvija kroz potpunu upotrebu ljudskih čula, npr mislim da je Kondijak u pitanju, koji je tvrdio da ljudsko biće nastaje tako što brdu gline pridodate sve čulne organe, i to brdo će postati misleći čovjek samom upotrebom tih čula
s druge strane, Srednji vijek je potiskivao neke čulne osjećaje na uštrb drugih, i uopšte ta ideja potiskivanja je srednjevijekovna, orvelovska, budistička, aristokratska, asketska, sve suprotstavljeno onome što se stvarno dešava
ko je pogodio budućnost, Vrli novi svijet ili 1984?
štaviše, to potiskivanje nazivamo ''fašističkim''. Dakle, riba otkriva toplu vodu, koliko vidim, a Doktorow pravi salatu sa ''benevolentnom diktaturom'' (kada je upravo benevolentnost to što je diktatorsko), i to još ''diktaturom tehnokratije'', kao da postoji neka demokratska tehnokratija.
Knjiga se onda čini i dobar kandidat za čitaonicu.
jel to još postoji? 8-)
Quote from: mac on 02-01-2014, 16:13:43
Knjiga se onda čini i dobar kandidat za čitaonicu.
Nažalost, premalo je ljudi a prekoviše interesnih sfera za bilo kakve non-profit zezancije... :(
Ali knjiga je zanimljiva i u širem smislu, recimo da dobro ilustruje trenutne razlike između UK i US distopija, između ostalog. UK distopije ne samo da više počivaju na ekstrapolaciji, nego i ilustruju onaj fini momenat u životu današnjih demokratija kog se može prepoznati i kao prilično subverzivnog - taj regulatorski deo demokratije u kom se donose društvene odluke na način koji namerno zaobilazi glasačku većinu. I mada se za same te odluke ne može reći da su maliciozne u svojoj prirodi (naprotiv, neke su očigledno benevolentne, duž linija koje Meho zastupa, a to su da demokratija mora da brine i o manjinskim pravima za koja se ne može očekivati da će biti prioritet glasačkoj većini), ali ostaje činjenica da je ipak u pitanju društvena manipulacija, znači subverzija sistema. To nije vidljivo samo u prozi, i Black Mirror se bavi upravo takvim premisama, mada uz jače primese fantastike, pa otud i zahteva malko jaču suspenziju neverice.
Elem, od premise da je olfaktorni hendikep jedna od najnepremostivijih barijera koje dele zdravo ljudsko biće od egzistencijalističkog zombija, dolazimo do druge najnepremostivije barijere za sličnu karakterizaciju, a to je koncept individualnosti.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51fUBInXszL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=13d06f728e03fbc24bbbfd6fd062f5ce88e5c640)
Bilo bi stvarno nekorektno ne pomenuti ovaj odličan debi roman koji se bavi problemima identiteta kroz analizu emotivnih hendikepa humanoidnog tela, pa to još kroz prizmu podela i karakteristika pola-roda: teško da se može smisliti ambiciozniji koncept, pa je otud i red da se pomene, iako mene nije impresionirao dovoljno da roman završim. Ali priznajem da su u pitanju sasvim pristrasni parametri, pošto sam ja izgleda sasvim prerasla space-opera format, čak i kad dolazi iz pera neosporno genijalnih autora kao što je pokojni Banks.
Reč je o radikalno futurističkom konceptu koji nudi ljudsku vrstu rasprostranjenu širom galaksije, to u nebrojenim i prilično agresivnim varijantama i kulturama. Najinteresantniji (a verovatno i glavni, na duge staze)protagonista knjige, Breq, je svojevremeno bila neka vrst ratnog zarobljenika kojem je svo originalno sećenje bilo izbrisano od strane AI kontrolora. Iz zapleta se da zaključiti kako je to standardna praksa u ratovima, da se ratni zarobljenici zombifikuju oduzimanjem sećanja, a potom i koriste kao najradikalniji vojni aset, nešto u fazonu janjičara, a to je koncept sa kojim smo prilično dobro upoznati. Prava drama počinje tek kasnije, kada se Braq otpusti iz tog ropstva pod AI kontrolom, i kada otkrije da više jednostavno nije u stanju da živi bez njega.
Odlična premisa i isto tako dobra postavka, ali malko odviše slaba u izvedbi da me zadrži u čitanju. Informacijsko preopterećenje je jednostavno bilo isuviše agresivno da mi dopusti uživanje u zapletu, tako da sam to batalila. Ali ko voli space-opera koncept zasigurno će uživati u ovako ambicioznom i (tvrde renomirani poznavaoci žanra) konceptualno hrabrom prvom delu serijala.
a što se žanrovskih naslovnica tiče, Justin Landen izdvaja najimpresivnije u 2013:
http://www.staffersbookreview.com/2013/12/2013-juice-box-awards-best-cover-of-the-year.html#more-4163 (http://www.staffersbookreview.com/2013/12/2013-juice-box-awards-best-cover-of-the-year.html#more-4163)
Ova za Ljubav -80 je najbolja...
Nije mu ni roman loš (pri kraju sam i sa njime i sa KSRovim Shamanom), ali 2013 ima stvarno jaku konkurenciju, tako da je još uvek otvoreno pitanje da li će se izboriti za mesto na mojoj naj-5 listi. :)
Da, da, krajnje je vreme došlo, i moram priznati kako su mi najjači kandidati na listi najboljih 2013 romana uglavnom tek periferno SF, i to sa naglaskom na iracionalnu fantastiku. Life is a bitch.
Bez nekog naročitog redosleda, ređam ih ovako:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41syI2DGcIL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=470f9c23c90d6003d30c670e2dd5728218279909)
odličan roman o vremeplovcu zarobljenom u paradoksu, ispričan sa lepo odmerenom dozom saspensa. Pošto sam već pominjala roman na ovom topiku, ne bih da se ponavljam, sem da ga preporučim za čitanje.
I, kao da to nije dosta vremeplova, još jedan takav roman se probio u top 5:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1367464868l%2F17877447.jpg&hash=a3fc9567f6e76716871b72e62ed758499f91cdcc)
Lauren je znatno odmakla od prethodnih romana u zanatskom smislu, iako meni lično kao da malko nedostaje njena čupava i dlakava indie imaginacija kakvu je ponudila u Zoo City. Ali ne može se osporiti fakt da je ovaj roman skoro pa besprekoran u egzekuciji, mada je mene lično finale dovelo na sam rub iritacije. A pošto sam i taj roman pominjala, nema potrebe za ponavljanjem, samo za preporukom.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51NIWWHiVlL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=144015f2ae2331ee03f22b7b72592e236b0f8980)
šta reći osim - maestru se mora odati počast, pa makar bila i reč o finalu trilogije. To je ujedno i ocena cele trilogije, pošto nalazim na su prethodni naslovi još maestralniji, ako je to uopšte moguće. Izuzetno štivo.
i da, da, da, glomazna knjižurina na tragu Plemena spiljskog medveda, nimalo žanrovski prepoznatljiva ali neverovatno podatna pri čitnaju, usprkos vrlo tromom zapletu prve polovine ili do tu negde.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F416cWeNTBPL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-65%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=a7bc0ea3ad91266b4137a2cf20a7d4ce5d063d98)
a za peto mesto se još bacaju kockice... :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41P3DxP5IWL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=b18bf9a564efadd3194aa6288391f68ed9134f1a)
Teffi was among the finest, most popular Russian writers of the twentieth century, yet she remains woefully unknown outside Russia. Pushkin Press's forthcoming volume of Teffi's short stories finally introduces this wonderful writer to English-language readers all over the world. The selection has been drawn from the complete body of Teffi's prose, ranging from work early in her career up to her last stories. The chosen stories are examples of her finest writing, and representative of its variety. Her pitch-perfect prose is sharply observed and replete with irony, but deeply humane.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31pUTKMcmmL._SY445_.jpg&hash=1156d584e1daa781bedeb6987b339059a41568f8)
Summer 2011. Berlin. Adolf Hitler wakes up on a patch of ground, alive and well. Things have changed - no Eva Braun, no Nazi party, no war. Hitler barely recognises his beloved Fatherland, filled with immigrants and run by a woman. People certainly recognise him, though - as a brilliant, satirical impersonator who refuses to break character. The unthinkable, the inevitable, happens, and the ranting Hitler takes off, goes viral, becomes a YouTube star, gets his own TV show, becomes someone who people listen to. All while he's still trying to convince people that yes, it really is him, and yes, he really means it.
Look Who's Back is a black and brilliant satire of modern media-bloated society, seen through the eyes of the Führer himself. Adolf is by turns repellent, sympathetic and hilarious, but always fascinating. Look Who's Back is outrageously clever, outrageously funny - and outrageously plausible.
sta nas to zanimljivog ceka u 2014:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0804138842.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=004bb5849508f06bcb00b7229ac2941a15b0459c)
Monica Byrne: The Girl in the Road
The Girl in the Road is the debut novel of author and playwright Monica Byrne, a Clarion graduate with a masters in Geochemistry from MIT. I haven't read her work previously, but, based on the early buzz, I think this is a book that a lot of people will know of by year's end. In the future, a young woman leaves India to travel The Trail: a silver bridge across the ocean toward Ethiopia. In another time, a young refugee girl travels east across Saharan Africa in a truck, also toward Ethiopia. I don't have much more detail on the parallel journeys of the protagonists and how those threads will intertwine, but looking at her writing resume I have every reason to expect well-developed and evocative prose, and a richly-drawn world.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0307907961.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=8174b9e8d1f9bc7d7e7a3d30ad1fa3a942429544)
Wu Ming-Yi: The Man With the Compound Eyes: A Novel
This is the first novel translated into English by Taiwanese author Wu Ming-Yi. I am drawn to speculative fiction from other cultures because the different perspectives and traditions are often a fresh change from the themes and styles I am so familiar with. I go to speculative fiction for the strange and unfamiliar, and there is an extra layer of that when I read something written by an author whose native language I do not speak. Wu holds a Ph.D., teaches creative writing, and this is his fourth novel, so I am confident that the writing will be solid from a craft standpoint. The story itself concerns a mythical island, a vortex of sea-borne trash, a tsunami, and two people from different cultures brought together in the midst of environmental tragedy. Reviews suggest strong world-building and strange, lovely imagery.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0374104093.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=266b136fa07803f7e521fb830be33998197680e1)
Jeff Vandermeer: Annihilation
Annihilation is the first book of award-winning author and editor Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach Trilogy, all three volumes of which will be published in 2014. In Annihilation, a portion of the United States has been cut off from the world, taken over by some alien force. Eleven teams have been sent to explore the anomaly, and all but the first have been lost. Annihilation follows the twelfth expedition to the contaminated landscape of Area X, where they will encounter forces beyond human comprehension. From the snippets I've seen, I expect a chilling story with emotional resonance. Vandermeer has a marvelous sense of the strange and grotesque, and I anticipate that his unique voice will be in full form. This will be a world as rich and terrible as Ambergris, and as unique.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0385348991.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=82674cdca8df23ffecae357afd7928917a297282)
Adam Sternbergh: Shovel Ready
NYT Magazine Culture Editor Adam Sternbergh's debut novel is a futuristic hard-boiled thriller about a garbage man turned hit-man in the ruins of New York. Spademan is a classic noir killer with a code of honor, now stalking the radioactive streets of the poor and the virtual reality paradises of the wealthy. This one has been getting a lot of national coverage, and Sternbergh's style is described as lean and gritty, with a dark, razor-sharp wit. A film is in development with Warner Brothers. A solid bet.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0399167498.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=1dd269276d680de6027d45e873f8b858b095bc73)
Thomas Sweterlitsch: Tomorrow and Tomorrow
I'm having trouble finding out a great deal about this debut novel, which is surprising since it is due for release in four countries and movie studios are apparently engaged in a bidding war for the rights well before publication. (Sony won.) The author has a Master's Degree in Literary and Cultural Theory and has worked at the Carnegie Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for many years, so I would expect a very literate and thought-provoking text. Tomorrow and Tomorrow takes place ten years after a catastrophe has reduced the city of Pittsburgh to ash. Survivor John Dominic Blaxton cannot move beyond his grief and haunts an interactive digital reconstruction of the city called The Archive. Psychologically trapped in this virtual past, he uncovers a coverup that will lead to a trip through the code of The Archive and the ruin of the city itself. It's hard to judge from the few descriptions available, but blurbs that invoke Raymond Chandler and William Gibson have my interest piqued.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0385537654.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=e8f9ef113b15022714f527e646d81cf986634df2)
Alena Graedon: The Word Exchange: A Novel
Graedon's debut novel is billed as "a literary adventure for book lovers, a dystopian thriller about the digital age and a love story set in a world threatened by the disappearance of language." In a world in which physical print is at the cusp of extinction, a virulent "word flu" spreads, degrading the spoken word as well. The main character Anana, working on the final print edition of the North American Dictionary of the English Language, is spurred by the disappearance of her father to investigate secret societies and corrupt corporate powers in a literary thriller infused with thoughts about the nature of language and the written word. The author has an MFA from Columbia and worked at PEN America Center before leaving to complete her novel on fellowship, so this should be an interesting and informed work. Low profile, but they had me at "a fiendishly clever dystopian novel for the digital age."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0804137145.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=278e8a9b2a9dc0540f4f4a95bd529f6f87cbc08f)
Kenneth Calhoun: Black Moon: A Novel
In Black Moon, civilization is grinding to and end, but not from one of the usual suspects. In this case, pandemic insomnia has resulted in the slow mental breakdown of nearly everyone, creating utter chaos. It's an interesting concept, with sleep and dreaming the only resource that matters in a dying world. This will be a different kind of apocalypse, and I'm looking forward to exploring it.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheFutureeEmbodied.jpg&hash=9b66e82bb3f82bfe358698664827e5e79c0a69cf)
The Future Embodied: The Future of Human Evolution, edited by Jason Andrew and Mae Empson. This collection will explore the impact of technology on the body.
I na kirkusu, (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/read-them-now-watch-them-later-science-fiction-2/)jos jedna gomila otkupljenih prava za ekranizacije:
(https://d1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net/blog/lead_art/Woo.l_JPG_210x1000_q85.JPG)
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/006/202/402/2/9780062024022.jpg)
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/142/315/719/9/9781423157199.jpg)
The joy of literary destruction: Writers who broke all the rules
The pantheon of literature is full of authors who gleefully tore down everything that came before them
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.salon.com%2F2014%2F01%2Fcapote_wallace_nabokov-620x412.jpg&hash=ca4ba3193900f21911a8e34d426db6290dadc8ce)
Excerpted from "Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books" - Wendy Lesser (http://www.salon.com/2014/01/19/the_joy_of_literary_destruction_writers_who_broke_all_the_rules/)
I, kako to vec ponead biva - ne cesto, pa otud valja vise to i ceniti - prvenac Anne Charnok je zapazen, i to bas tamo gde treba: nominovan je za Philip. K. Dick Award.
Anne Charnock on Dystopian Influences on the Philip K. Dick Nominated A CALCULATED LIFE
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FAnneCharnock.jpg&hash=d744f97666e2cc7135d67f245eacac4d491510b9)
Anne Charnock's first novel A Calculated Life (47North) is one of seven nominated works for the Philip K. Dick Award 2013. It was originally self-published. Anne's journalism has appeared in The Guardian, New Scientist, International Herald Tribune, and Geographical. She was educated at the University of East Anglia, where she studied environmental sciences, and at the Manchester School of Art. She travelled widely as a freelance foreign correspondent and spent a year overlanding through Egypt, Sudan and Kenya. In her fine art practice, she tried to answer the questions, What is it to be human? What is it to be a machine? Ultimately she decided to write fiction as another route to finding answers.
Dystopian Influences on the Philip K. Dick Nominated A CALCULATED LIFE
by Anne Charnock
Among the books I've read and films I've watched, I can pinpoint one dystopian encounter that set the course for much of my reading and writing life. I guess I was around 10 years old when I watched the film animation of George Orwell's satirical story, Animal Farm. I doubt I knew the word 'satire' at the time but my child's mind recognised this film as a story about bullying. And I was terrified!
Animal Farm set an early pattern for me; film adaptations of dystopian fiction prompted me to search out the original novels: Nineteen Eighty-Four – a British television adaptation of the Orwell's' novel (starring Peter Cushing and Yvonne Mitchell). Then Fahrenheit 451, a film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel (written and directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner and Julie Christie). And Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott, based on Philip K. Dick's brilliantly titled Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (The film stars Harrison Ford, Sean Young and Rutger Hauer).
The first dystopian novel I read by a female author was, not surprisingly, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and subsequent stand-out narratives for me were Doris Lessing's Memoirs of A Survivor, Ayn Rand's Anthem, and Maggie Gee's The Flood.
However, the title of my first novel, A Calculated Life, refers to a much earlier example of dystopian literature – We, by Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin. This novel is the diary of mathematician D-503 who discovers love – an emotion long-forgotten in the rule-bound world of One State. Beyond the glass boundary walls of One State lies the 'irrational, chaotic world of trees, birds, animals' and savage humans.
When I first read We, my own novel was in draft form and I was still searching for a title. I had simply typed 'JAYNA' at the top of the manuscript – the name of my main character. I trusted that inspiration would come sooner or later. Here is the sentence in We that snagged my attention and instantly gave me the title I needed:
But a thought swarmed in me; what if he, this yellow-eyed being-in his ridiculous, dirty bundle of trees, in his uncalculated life-is happier than us?
My main character Jayna represented the opposite extreme to this 'yellow-eyed being' so the title, A Calculated Life, was perfect.
We is a satire on totalitarian regimes and it only appeared in a full Russian edition during the glasnost era. Earlier, however, it was translated into English (1924) and although difficult to find, George Orwell managed to get hold of a copy. He wrote a review for Tribune in 1946, and came to the conclusion that We was a better novel than Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Controversial stuff.
Of course, dystopian literature comes in many guises. I like post-apocalyptic tales as much as the next reader. To name a few favourites: Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M Miller Jr, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Blindness by José Saramago, World War Z – An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks (if I'm allowed to include a zombie novel), and Wool by Hugh Howey.
Specifically for my writing, however, I've been drawn to those dystopian novels depicting dysfunctional or totalitarian regimes, and those near-future dystopias that depict how political shifts or technological change might impact our society. And I have a definite preference for Earth-based stories. I'm won over by beautifully written novels such as Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, with its unreliable narrator Cathy, Chris Beckett's The Holy Machine and Maggie Gee's witty, character-driven novel, The Flood, which I re-read this year.
I decided to set my own novel in a late 21st Century corporate world. At first sight, I've created a fictional society that might seem utopian, but the story reveals the 'dystopia within'. It's an exploration of where we might find ourselves if we adopt advances in genetic engineering and take opportunities to enhance our intelligence. And I present this world through the eyes of Jayna, a genius, who gradually comes to realize that her charmed corporate life isn't such a good deal.
And I feel a weird sense of completion that my novel's title nods to the political satire We. This seems to reconnect me, back through the years, to that terrifying childhood encounter with Orwell's political satire, Animal Farm.
(If you would like to investigate the origins of dystopian writing there's a fabulous anthology I can recommend: The Faber Book of Utopias edited by John Carey.)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1781082162.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=03e778a78b6a4bde6705e23f9d814564fe31d6db)
•Publisher: Solaris (May 13, 2014)
1."Some Desperado" by Joe Abercrombie (Dangerous Women)
2."Zero for Conduct" by Greg Egan (Twelve Tomorrows)
3."Effigy Nights" by Yoon Ha Lee (Clarkesworld)
4."Rosary and Goldenstar" by Geoff Ryman (F&SF)
5."The Sleeper and the Spindle" by Neil Gaiman (Rags and Bones)
6."Cave and Julia" by M. John Harrison (Kindle Singles)
7."The Herons of Mer de l'Ouest" by M Bennardo (Lightspeed)
8."Water" by Ramez Naam (An Aura of Familiarity)
9."The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" by Ted Chiang (Subterranean)
10."The Ink Readers of Doi Saket" by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (Tor.com)
11."Cherry Blossoms on the River of Souls" by Richard Parks (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)
12."Rag and Bone" by Priya Sharma (Tor.com)
13."The Book Seller" by Lavie Tidhar (Interzone)
14."The Sun and I" by K.J. Parker (Subterranean)
15."The Promise of Space" by James Patrick Kelly (Clarkesworld)
16."The Master Conjurer" by Charlie Jane Anders (Lightspeed)
17."The Pilgrim and the Angel" by E. Lily Yu (McSweeney's 45)
18."Entangled" by Ian R. Macleod (Asimov's)
19."Fade to Gold" by Benjanun Sriduangkaew (End of the Road)
20."Selkie Stories are for Losers" by Sofia Samatar (Strange Horizons)
21."In Metal, In Bone" by An Owomoyela (Eclipse Online)
22."Kormack the Lucky" by Eleanor Arnason (F&SF)
23."Sing" by Karin Tidbeck (Tor.com)
24."Social Services" by Madeline Ashby (An Aura of Familiarity)
25."The Road of Needles" by Caitlín R Kiernan (Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales)
26."Mystic Falls" by Robert Reed (Clarkesworld)
27."The Queen of Night's Aria" by Ian McDonald (Old Mars)
28."The Irish Astronaut" by Val Nolan (Electric Velocipede)
Hm, hm...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1937009211.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=43d4ab0b1a50eb299ce9e1e53d21644b531892ac)
Writing Science Fiction at the End of the Genre
by J.M. McDermott
The end of genre is at hand. It did not die in a massive burst, and there was no single moment to point to that nails the coffin shut. No, it is the way things die when the demographics shift. The radios that play that song dwindle into the AM bands, go out like little lights, with a few hanging on a while, for old time's sake. This is happening. This is our future. Genre existed to create a space for the marginalized dreamers, the outsiders, and the strange. But, everyone is strange now. Our biggest movies are genre. Our biggest musical acts are bisexual aliens. Everyone loves comic books, now. The conventions make the front page news all over the world. Like all good, American things, our young people love it more when it comes back to us made strange by a foreign culture. It's not the Beatles, this time. It's Anime.
Writing a book in this climate, a genre book, is a grand shrug against the tides of time.
Maze is my first science fiction novel. I thought I should write science fiction because I hadn't done it before and I thought it would be interesting to make a fundamentally fantasy idea truly a work of science fiction. There's that old cliché that science far enough removed from the technology of the culture present is indistinguishable from magic. Well, biology is strange enough that it can easily be a kind of magic when looked at too closely. How do the Mitochondria know when to split, for instance? Why, exactly, did some people catch the Spanish flu and get wiped away like the world was sneezing souls, and others barely flinched? It is only called science, not magic, because it can be tested in a laboratory. Laboratories are an exceedingly young invention. Calculus is not as old as Christianity.
The chips are falling all over. We have been subsumed into the mainstream culture and that means our little spaces will all be devoured by marketing machinery of media entities that look at us not as passionate fans, but as wallets with legs and eyeballs. In the mainstream, there is no room for things that cannot be explained on the back of an envelope. "Jesus had a secret baby with Mary Magdalene" is about the limits of the collective consciousness when it comes to complexity. Ergo, the role of the fan becomes the cultivation of the best of things. The role of the writer, outside the mainstream, is to make the best work, regardless of market forces.
Maze is a book that you might like. It is science fiction. It does not read like science fiction most of the time, because the landscape is alive and hungry and you have no tools that you do not peel from tree bark and fallen stones in this place.
I tried to imagine Henson's Labyrinth in a realist, science fictional mode. This pocket universe Sarah encounters, populated by alien mutant people – imagine the kind of dwarfism that comes from island evolution – and alien mutant things. How old is everything that it has become this? The walls that speak, possessed of ancient AIs that have not worn down from their codes and programs, run a master plan directed by a master programmer. The destruction of the space was the virus that converted the native defenses against the code itself. Affection may be the source of the decay, but by the end the whole amazing universe had imploded into fake glass wipes like a digital toaster effect.
My Maze is no Labyrinth. It is no idyll for the young and young at heart. It is a place that will strip you naked and eat your skin. It will slurp up all the water in you, for it is thirsty for water all over. Fight if you wish to live. Hunt if you wish to live. Eat maggots and strips of boiled leather. Eat insects spread over hardtack. Feel the real monster of the maze reach over you, and press her fingers into your stomach and squeeze: winter famine.
Also, remember, the stone walls and winding pathways are a maze that makes every colony an island locked in the ground. Live, and evolve.
This is what we're doing too, now that our whole island is flooded and driven our group back from the tide of comic book films and urban fantasy television shows and another movie based on Philip K. Dick's short stories. Now we climb back deeper into the halls, hunt the best things wherever they are made, and consume them, and we change or die.
Maze is out now, and I don't think it's quite like any science fiction novel you've read, ever. If you like that sort of thing.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51-6NEDyupL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%2CTopRight%2C35%2C-76_SX342_SY445_CR%2C0%2C0%2C342%2C445_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=8bc0f1e940d6c0288979d99d9088cb44304943f7)
The world of big pharma is one of the strangest phenomena in modern world. I suspect that just a casual glance at books like Ben Goldacre's "Bad Pharma" will be a sobering experience for everyone. Reading it's anecdotes often feels like everyone's worst paranoias suddenly came true at once. The way the whole industry works is slightly unreal and hard to grasp. In "Happy Mutant Baby Pills" l'enfant terrible of contemporary American literature, Jerry Stahl decided to explore certain aspects of this world through Lloyd. Lloyd has a strange occupation. His job is to make list of possible side effects for certain prescription drug, marital aid or incontinence product as incomprehensible to the customer as possible. He does this by using many ingenious methods such as reciting them as fast as possible or playing around with language. You've seen the ads so you know how it works.
Lloyd is also a heroin addict so when he takes a job copywriting for online dating service for the faithful Christian Swingles, his life instantly changes. On the bus he meets and subsequently falls is love with Nora, a disturbed woman with an insane plan to revenge to big pharmaceutical companies using the same methods they use to amorally push their products around. Suddenly it's two of them against the world.
"Happy Mutant Baby Pills" is incredibly current and despite how insane everyone sounds, you quickly get to realize that in fact they're very often making a lot of sense. Most of their craziness is the result of various side effects from the drugs they've been taking. It's a frightening and sobering concept, one that is perfectly compatible with Jerry Stahl's razor sharp writing. However, it's not a book that will appeal to everyone. There's plenty of truly horrific scenes that would best be avoided if you have a weak stomach. If you can handle it, "Happy Mutant Baby Pills" is an uncomfortable but socially relevant look at the battle between a couple and a modern life's big bad wolf.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51VsRcWrXUL._SY445_.jpg&hash=d2994e7382ea38a44a73b3f21c3276bda8966653)
With the lyricism of Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, and the world building brilliance of Atwood, Emmi Itäranta's effortless and poignant debut novel is a coming of age story full of emotional drama and wonderment. Some secrets demand betrayal.
'You're seventeen, and of age now, and therefore old enough to understand what I'm going to tell you,' my father said. 'This place doesn't exist. This spring dried a long time ago. So the stories tell, and so believe even those who know other stories of a spring in the fell that once provided water for the whole village. Remember. This spring doesn't exist.' 'I'll remember,' I told him, but didn't realise until later what kind of a promise I had made.'
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41RJJMoLZQL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=3799308b8a217f9efd75e61d06d84caa97ec9e06)
Najstarija a ujedno i najsuštinskija i najpreciznija definicija SFa je da je to žanr koji proučava uticaj tehnologije na čoveka, a u tom smislu Love minus 80 je svakako jedna od najžanrovskijih knjiga izdatih prošle godine. U današnjoj poplavi razularenih ali ujedno i estetski ne-odviše-privlačnih hibrida i krosover mutanata, Love -80 prosto pleni samopouzdanjem i stabilnošću svog identiteta: Love-80 zna šta jeste i ne želi da bude ništa drugo, a to je već samo po sebi ogroman uspeh u današnjem knjiškom defileu jeftinog gugl-filozofiranja i pragmatičnog kvazi-angažmana.
Rob je 25 godina star i upravo je doživeo ponižavajući raskid veze sa devojkom koja je povod iskoristila da ga maksimalno javno ponizi preko društvene mreže: Winter je pet godina starija i njen isto takav emotivni fijasko bar nije poslužio za uveseljavanje šire javnosti, hvala bogu na sitnim darovima. U tom mračnom stanju rastrojstva, Rob seda za volan a Winter prelazi ulicu do parka, i naravno, u tom trenutku obostrane nepažnje, Rob usmrti Winter na mestu.
Enter Cryomed. Dovoljno bogati ljudi plaćaju Cryomed osiguranje da ih posmrtno zamrzne dok se ne steknu uslovi za adekvatno oživljavanje. Naravno, Winter je isuviše siromašna da bi imala to osiguranje, ali Cryomed je dovoljno marketinški orjentisan da tu uslugu besplatno osigura izuzetno lepim ženama, dajući im tako šansu da ih izuzetno bogati muškarci vrate u život, to u uslovima aranžmana koji je samo formalno bračni, a u suštinski čisto robovlasnički. Rob, naravno, nema tu finansijsku mogućnost niti će je ikada u životu imati, stoga njegov život postaje istinski emotivni pakao u kom njegova odgovornost za nehotični zločin nikada ne prestaje, a nada za iskupljenjem postaje samo niz prilika da se počine dalja i hotimična nedela.
Distopija u Love -80 nije ni izbliza fantastična koliko to ovaj siže insinuira. Naprotiv, u svojim osnovnim aspektima Love -80 analizira u kojoj to meri sofisticirana tehnologija uslovljava naš moral i međuljudske odnose - to romantične i ine jednako - a tu je Love -80 ponekad čak i preterano optimističan, to gledano čak i iz današnje perspektive, a kamoli ma kakve futurističke. Komunikacijski fenomen društvenih mreža čak i danas jasno pokazuje kako čovek za sofisticiranom tehnologijom isprva možda i poseže isključivo u nadi da je to alat koji omogućuje veću potpunost življenja, ali negde usput taj alat postane sam sebi svrha, i pretvori se u neku vrst kvazi-identiteta u koji čak i sam vlasnik lako poveruje. Imidž koji čovek stvara o sebi preko društvenih mreža postaje toliko radikalan i toliko dominantan, da neka vrst adaptacije u stvarnom životu postaje neminovna: lako je stvoriti imidž sveznajućeg na fejsbuku ili vrcavo duhovitog na tviteru, ali daleko je teže ostvariti taj profil u stvarnom životu. Postoje samo dva izlaza: prvi je da čovek radi (i to mukotrpno!) na svom RL identitetu da ga prilagodi svom već izgrađenom virtuelnom imidžu, a drugi (a taj zahteva znatno manje napora) je neka vrst dobrovoljne kolektivne psihoze u kojoj se svi pretvaraju da su svesni samo i isključivo virtuelnih identiteta. Love -80 nudi sofisticiraniju verziju današnje Google Glass tehnologije u kojoj profesionalni treneri "hrane" ljude vrcavim opaskama i dosetkama u RL komunikacijama, što uspešno kreira paradoks u kom visoka komunikacijska tehnologija zapravo spečava potpunije razumevanje mežu ljudima, i to kroz svoj prilično originalan koncept varijacije "kineske sobe". Iz današnje perspektive, alas, ta premisa skoro da nije više ni fantastična u svojoj istinitoj suštini.
Aspekt tehnološkog pomeranja moralnih granica u Love -80 je daleko impresivniji: Rob nije kažnjen za ubistvo Winter, prosto zato što je ona zamrznuta, dakle tehnički je ne-mrtva. Njegov lični osećaj za pravično nalaže mu da nekako pribavi finansije dovoljne za njen povratak u život, ali jedini način da to postigne je da privoli nekog da za to plati. Po zakonu, onaj ko za to plati, imaće ne samo bračno, nego gotovo robovlasničko pravo na Winter, što u suštini podrazumeva da Rob zapravo "prodaje" Winter onome ko je voljan da za to plati. I mada to iz Robove perspektive možda i izgleda kao neka vrst iskupljivanja sopstvenog zlodela (žena koju je ubio postaće opet živa i zdrava), Winter to svakako ne može tako da doživi, pošto će ostatak života provesti kao lično vlasništvo i obespravljena kurtizana jednog starog čoveka čija familija gleda na Winter kao na neku vrst kućnog ljubimca. Svejedno, kad bude prisiljena da izabere, Winter će svojevoljno pristati na tu soluciju, jer to je za nju ipak izbor između primarno života i smrti. Taj aspekt u romanu je ostao prilično neistražen, ne samo zato što McIntosh svesno bira palpičnu formu zapleta, već i zato što nudi intenzivno romantičnu vizuru koja prosto nameće srećan završetak na mestu gde ga naprosto ne može biti, to bar ne na generalnom nivou. Ali to mu se može oprostiti, jer u tome i jeste najveća draž palpa, da nam fokus vrati na individualne sudbine, iako je očigledno da one ne mogu biti reprezentativne za sam koncept. Kao da je i sam pomalo uplašen ubedljivošću distopije koju nudi, McIntosh poseže za romantičnim završetkom koji nam svakako nudi tračak topline i optimizma, ali je ujedno i veštački taman koliko i lažni virtuelni profili onih nesrećnih protagonista koji toliko vremena ulažu u kreiranje virtuelnog imidža pametnih i duhovitih ljudi, da im naprosto ne preostaje dovoljno sati u danu da takvi zaista i postanu.
Ha. Slabo pratim SF. Pa to je onaj što je imao sjajnu priču Bridesicle o zamrznutoj lezbijki koja mora da se folira da je zaljubljena u muškarca koji ju je oživeo da bi je ovaj oženio i vratio u život... Ovaj roman očito ima sličnu premisu...
Da, to jeste razrada te Hjugo nagrađene priče, i Mira tu gravitira kao za zaplet relativno sporedni protagonista, više kao neka vrst omaža matičnoj ideji. :) Lepo je to on skombinovao, ali, isto kao i sa njegovim prvencem, Mekintoš je nepopravljivi romantik, njegov svet je podložan kodeksu koji je ponekad kontraproduktivan, naime - Mekintoš je skoro pa panja od čoveka, a ovakvim distopijama treba surov i okrutan autor, cinik i mizantrop prevashodno, recimo neko sličan Dišu. To bi onda bila maestralna distopija, ovako je ostala prilično kontaminirana njegovim nepokolebljivim čovekoljubljem. Ali dobro, treba nam i takvih ljudi, makar da nas uvek iznova jalovo ubeđuju kako ljudi možda i jesu vredni truda a svet jeste vredan borbe za boljitak.
a sad par reči o romanu koji predstavlja suštu suprotnost:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41LfzJw9BCL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=cfd9f1ce484255f9ab5119b4d509efb128d92c34)
dakle, ovo je debi roman sa sledećim sadržajem:
Change is inevitable. It's heading for Earth at twelve thousand miles per hour...and it will land virtually undetected. For Jack McAllister, a young writer who has finally launched a career for himself, it begins tragically: his estranged father, a former NASA engineer, dies suddenly at his home in Merriweather, Indiana, leaving Jack's Alzheimer's-stricken mother a widow. But in the wake of personal heartbreak, he's confronted by an even more astonishing event--the covert landing of an alien machine in the forest just a few miles outside of town.
Now Jack must unmask the true purpose of the otherworldly device that has begun a detailed environmental survey of the woods. Aided by the town's young and resilient female deputy sheriff, he soon discovers that the alien scout is only one small part of a much larger operation, and the countdown to a terrifying global catastrophe is about to take place. Drawing deeply from his father's scientific influence, all while attempting to avoid the snares of a sexy, seductive and scheming local TV reporter, Jack uncovers—and ultimately finds himself an unwilling component of—an alien plan set to terminate life on Earth as we know it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eric Tozzi is an award winning film director (Ray Bradbury's "Kaleidoscope"), and a former NASA/JPL documentary producer for Mars planetary exploration. Eric and his wife live in Phoenix along with their very sweet kitty cat. Visit Eric online at www.erictozzi.com (http://www.erictozzi.com)
Show more (http://www.amazon.com/The-Scout-Eric-Tozzi-ebook/dp/B00FVBKI6Y#)
Gotovo da ne postoji negativni aspekt žanrovskog romana (a i dobre literature uopšte) koji se ovde ne može naći, to od obilnog trpanja žanrovskih klišea pa do papirnate i izuzetno banalne karakterizacije, a sve to preko krajnje prozaičnih napora u cilju oživljavanja belosvesnog i izraubovanog zapleta. Beskrajni unutrašnji monolozi, pompezni i nevešti + didaktičko sumarizovanje očiglednog + užasavajuća nesposobnost autora da (i pored ogromnog i bolno vidljivog napora) najzad uspešno zamanipuliše čitalačkom emocijom + impotentno insistiranje na nepostojećoj višedimenzionalnosti samog ubertrivijalnog zapleta = roman koji može da vas posluži, ako ne već kao udžbenik, a ono bar kao vanredno duhoviti priručnik za autore koji pošto-poto hoće da napišu knjigu iako nemaju ama baš ništa suvislog da kažu. Fenomen mi nije nepoznat, ali sa stranim autorima nekako uvek mogu da lakše izaberem kad dođe do onog stani-pani "da li da se smejem ili da plačem" izbora, pa zato te i takve knjige rado čitam u trenucima neumne dokolice. :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41NUGL87IZL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=b525d4664064acf7c68b6551be93a10a5ee549a3)
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.
But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51z5VcKwzcL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=ebb6dff3defd64198f7703c2abc241557a033e6f)
Emma wakes in a hospital, with no memory of what came before. Her husband, Declan, a powerful, seductive man, provides her with new memories, but her dreams contradict his stories, showing her a past life she can't believe possible: memories of war, of a camp where girls are trained to be wives, of love for another man. Something inside her tells her not to speak of this, but she does not know why. She only knows she is at war with herself.
Suppressing those dreams during daylight hours, Emma lets Declan mold her into a happily married woman and begins to fall in love with him. But the day Noah stands before her, the line between her reality and dreams shatters.
In a future where women are a rare commodity, Emma fights for freedom but is held captive by the love of two men—one her husband, the other her worst enemy. If only she could remember which is which. . . .
The first novel in a two-part series, Archetype heralds the arrival of a truly memorable character—and the talented author who created her.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31iFeUXT2UL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=30809910d86dd0e3171d02f54cc6591087afb505)
"Henning Koch is a writer who gets your attention and keeps it. His stories are written in language so beautiful that the reader finds himself reading aloud to hear it."?Irene Zion
The Maggot People are just that?people that have had maggots take over their bodies, working in unison to allow the bodies to continue to function and appear human. Reminiscent of Frank Herbert's Hellstrom's Hive, Henning Koch looks at religion as much as he does politics and the state of living in today's world.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51iOjUPf6tL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=8e069ba773b02096f5004291e631a3d9ffb56133)
Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; all the members of the second expedition committed suicide; the third expedition died in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another; the members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within months of their return, all had died of aggressive cancer.
This is the twelfth expedition.
Their group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain and collect specimens; to record all their observations, scientific and otherwise, of their surroundings and of one another; and, above all, to avoid being contaminated by Area X itself.
They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it's the surprises that came across the border with them, and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another, that change everything.
Annihilation is the first volume in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, which will be published throughout 2014: volume two (Authority) in June, and volume three (Acceptance) in September.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51n1xzIES6L._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=6b1d219f399e4acb737120af096ed9b2a2347014)
An ambitious SF novel that is at once post-cyberpunk and post-modern. Complex, multi-layered, it combines hard science, tarot and images of late 20th-century Europe to make something utterly original. And introduces a memorable new heroine to the genre...Malise has a problem. She's come downwell to Earth, but years of space combat have ruined her: her muscles have wasted away, her past is a confused torture of events and her brain is wired to addictive military hardware that's illegal on Earth. But with an AI mining probe returning to Earth, having bred and grown until it is hundreds of miles across, Malise is in the firing line again. The probe is indestructible and it is insatiable for more metals. No one knows how to stop it. Malise doesn't know she has a blueprint for humanity's survival wired into her head.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51Y1EpLVE0L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=27a048ff3e59efd32c01b8bb4892df5bf66ef5a3)
Contrary to popular wisdom, death is not the end, nor is it a passage to some transcendent afterlife. Those who die merely awake as themselves on one of a million worlds, where they are fated to live until they die again, and wake up somewhere new. All are born only once, but die many times . . . until they come at last to the City Unspoken, where the gateway to True Death can be found.
Wayfarers and pilgrims are drawn to the City, which is home to murderous aristocrats, disguised gods and goddesses, a sadistic faerie princess, immortal prostitutes and queens, a captive angel, gangs of feral Death Boys and Charnel Girls . . . and one very confused New Yorker.
Late of Manhattan, Cooper finds himself in a City that is not what it once was. The gateway to True Death is failing, so that the City is becoming overrun by the Dying, who clot its byzantine streets and alleys . . . and a spreading madness threatens to engulf the entire metaverse.
Richly imaginative, David Edison's The Waking Engine is a stunning debut by a major new talent.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F619umDCj2zL._AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-33%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=0f6564a13de7662c4c11e9dc5427432112726938)
Somewhere in Alaska a locked house full of ripped apart bodies and one teacup poodle covered in blood. Somewhere in Alaska, the voice of a dead woman speaks through a car radio. And somewhere in Alaska, the last surviving descendant of one of John Charming's only friends is being pursued by nightmare hounds. The dog days have begun.
kaze Simons:
QuoteLast night I e-mailed off the final draft of my new novel THE FIFTH HEART to my literary agent, editor, and publisher. It was weird to go to sleep last night without writing the next morning's pages in my mind and weirder still to awaken today and not have that world -- Sherlock Holmes and Henry James together in America and at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair -- to go back into. It's been a long, serious, fun project.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/s843x403/1559737_536901059750349_960861935_n.jpg)
Elem, ulaskom u četrnaestu godinu smo dobrano zagrizli u deceniju, pa su i neki obrisi stvari koja nam se približava postali uvelike jasniji. SF je lepši no ikada i sa puno entuzijazma prčka po skoroj nam budućnosti, a to je aktivnost koja ga je svojevremeno uspešno odvojila od neracionalne fantastike i postavila na pijedestal ekstremno kritički raspoloženog izviđača koji vazda gvirka u pravcu kojim mahnito srljamo. I dobro sad, odrasli smo i porasli, pa nam ni distopije nisu što su nekad bile: odavno je minulo doba impresivnih orvelijana, pa su i mračne perspektive futurističkih strahovlada danas uvelike pacifirane. Čak ni konzervativci poput Simonsa više ne zastupaju onu dobru staru ultradrčnu tezu da će nas sopstvene vlade odvesti pravo u mrak državnog terora: čak i on danas smatra da, ako tamo ikad slučajno i završimo, to neće biti zato što nas je sopstvena vladajuća garnitura tamo namerno odvela svojom strahovladom, nego više svojom nekompetencijom i impotentnim izbegavanjem bolne (ali za naše buduće zdravlje neophodne) upravljačke čvrstine. Distopije u formi orvelijanskog tlačenja i neznanja koje proizvodi masovnu pokornost su zanavek smeštene u ropotarnicu istorije: umesto toga, savremene distopije se bave daleko važnijim pitanjem, a ono glasi - šta je, zapravo, danas naša distopija?
Naravno, povratak tako korenitom pitanju podrazumeva i povratak nekim osnovnim književnim i idejnim parametrima, a to opet podrazumeva i nedvosmislenu regeneraciju samog žanra. Krećemo iznova. Budućnost u koju sada žanrovski gvirkamo je nova i isključivo je naša, verovatno zato što je sami usput stvaramo. A kad je o savremenim žanrovskim distopijama reč, najočiglednije se izdvajaju dve idejne (ideološke?) struje.
Jedna se priklanja distopiji visokog pritiska, distopiji čiji su sastavni delovi: a) obavezna katastrofa (ekološka / tehnološka, a najčešće njena najpodatnija kombinacija), b) obavezan kapitalni događaj, (često prezentovan otvorenom populističkom agresijom, bilo lokalnog ili globalnog karaktera), c) državno nesankcionisana zbivanja (dakle, praktično ilegalna zbivanja, to uglavnom tehnološki kiberpankovske provincijencije), koji obavezno podrazumevaju pasivno učešće populacije (dakle, nije da ih se jadnike drži u neznanju, nego ih jednostavno nije briga).
Druga struja preferiše distopiju čiji su uzroci skoro pravilno politički, društveno i ekonomski raspsoređeni, preferiše sitne subverzije sistema koje originalno možda i jesu benevolentne, ali subverzivno zaobilaze širu glasačku javnost (dakle, uglavnom predstavljaju suštinsku netransparetnost same vlasti), preferišu spore i trajne korozivne degradacije nekad zdravog sistema i podrazumevaju aktivno učešće najširepopulacije (dakle, nije da ih se jadnike drži u neznanju, nego im se dozvoljava da biraju percepcije (a time i podržavaju aktivnosti) koje im trenutačno najviše prijaju.
Prva varijanta je uglavnom crna, zato što uglavnom kulminira nekakvim događajem apokaliptičnih razmera (9/11 sindrom, to bilo lokalno ili globalno), a druga je nekako više siva, uglavnom zato što izbegava da precizira pomenuti apokaliptični događaj, mada ga neretko insinuira. Najzanimljiviji momenat je u oba slučaja isti: obe struje barataju suštinski istim elementima, i neretko ih otvoreno prezentuju kao savršeno identične, pa se zato razlikuju samo po svojoj finalnoj konstrukciji: "crna" struja forsira nedvosmisleni krah sistema, dok "siva" struja forsira letargiju tranzicije, ili nedefinisanog prelaznog perioda koji u suštini predstavlja zamrznut pre-apokaliptični momenat.
Naravno, "crni" talas je tu daleko radikalniji, pa se otud ponekad doima i kao pošteniji, dok "sivi" idejni pravac neretko ostaje pomalo nedorečen, i zbog toga se ponekad doima kao više optimističan, ali ujedno i kalkulisano dvosmislen.
Ali i pre tog konkretno razgraničenja, savremeni SF postavlja kompleksnije i daleko važnije pitanje: šta je, zapravo, nama danas distopija?
Sa orvelijanama nam je bilo lako, tu smo bili "mi" protiv "njih", dakle, bili smo sužnji represivnog režima, bili smo potlačeni u pokornost i manipulisani u neznanje, bili smo nemušti pioni na šahovskoj tabli sistema, bili smo nedužni i nemoćni pojedinsci u rukama Velikog Brata.
Danas nema mesta za tu bajku, nema mesta za tu iluziju: kakve god da jesu, današnje distopije su naših ruku delo i savremeni kritički SF nam ne dozvoljava da to zaboravimo.
Kao što je i red. :)
Možeš li ovu lepu analizu da malo propratiš primerima, za nas koji više ne uspevamo da pratimo sve što se događa na svetskoj sceni?
Ponešto od ovoga mogu da povežem pre svega sa nekim delima koje si analizirala na ovom topiku, ali ne baš sve...
pa, meni neće biti teško da napišem, kad već tebi nije teško da to i pročitaš. :)
elem, evo nekih od meni najimpresivnijih distopija objavljenih u poslednjih nekoliko godina, pa još provučenih kroz moj lični filter kojim donekle preciziram njihove najbitnije (ili najočiglednije) aspekte, to sortirajući ih na političke, tehnološke, društvene i/ili kulturne.
Prva distopija neka bude Simonsov Flashback (2011):
1. Vrsta distopije:
Simons je konzervativac, pa stoga i prilično dragocen kad se uzme u obzir današnja pomama za kvazi-ideološkom političkom korektnošću. Otud je relativna retkost da nam se tu nudi distopija čisto kulturne provicijencije - u Simonsovom žanrovskom svetu, za sve su krivi ilegalni imigranti, koji su do te mere iscrpli državni budžet da je to proizvelo finansijski kolaps osnovnih društvenih struktura.
(da, da, znam kako to ksenofobično zvuči, ali ne znači da je to neuverljivo kao premisa, pošto Simons lukavo svaljuje krivicu uglavnom na inertni i neefikasni postojeći državni aparat, a po tom pitanju ga se ne može opovrći.)
2. Glavni krivac:
Paradoks je da taj i takav otvoreno desničarski Flashback ipak uspeva da bude jedna od poštenijih savremenih distopija, pošto krivicu nedvosmisleno polaže na pleća vaskolikog plebsa, koji preferiše eskapizam droge nauštrb poštenog angažmana po pitanju učešća u svakodnevnom životu društva i nacije. Naravno, ne ulazimo u to kakav to angažman Simons zapravo priželjkuje, ali fakt ostaje da je njegova primedba validna: ljudi u njegovom romanu žive u distopiji kakvu zaslužuju, jer su je sami kreirali.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
Recimo da su ostali bez življenja vredne perspektive, ali tu su završili uglavnom sopstvenim izborom, pa dakle i sopstvenom krivicom. Teško da ćeš tokom čitanja biti satrven empatijom.
4. status apokalipse:
Simons se priklanja fenomenu balkanizacije, pa smatra da je izlaz u povratku na minimalne održive sisteme: po njemu, bolje je biti krupna riba u malom ribnjaku, nego sitna u velikom, pa otud i vidi izlaz jedino u suverenoj i samostalnoj državi Teksas, koja ce biti u stanju da se relativno dobro brine o svom građanstvu, dok ostatak Amerike i sveta može slobodno da ode u... gde god već. Taj svetonazor nam nije nepoznat, otud je toliko i prozno uverljiv, pošto je u pitanju veoma ubedljiva ekstrapolacija, zapravo eskalacija prilično trulog stanja stvari u današnjici. Simons je sravnio sa zemljom Izrael i to je apokaliptični momenat čije posledice svrstavaju ovaj roman u "crnu" distopiju.
Drugi primer neka bude Intrusion, Ken MacLeod (2012)
1. Vrsta distopije:
Primarno politička, bar po meni. Macleod nudi svet koji se u distopiju strmeknuo ne zakonskom obespravljenošću, nego naprotiv, ekstrapolacijom današnje pomame zakonskog regulisanja svega i svačega. Žene u Macleodovoj distopiji su u svoj pakao dospele širokom avenijom popločanom raznoraznim regulisanjima za njihovo dobro, pa je kapitalizam reagovao onako kako inače i reaguje: ignoriše ih kao radnu snagu, naprosto zato što mu se ne daju pare da im obezbedi radno okruženje koje zakonske regulative zahtevaju i propisuju. To je ekstrapolacija današnjeg favorizovanja jeftine radne snage koja ne zahteva preko sindikata skupe uslove proizvodnje.
2. Glavni krivac:
Opet društvo u celini, bolje rečeno lako manipulisana društvena svest koja silno voli izborne parole ali ne razmišlja o njihovim dugoročnim posledicama. Za razliku od Simonsa, Macleod svoju distopiju limitira na samo jedan deo populacije - žene. Otud je njegova distopija još tragičnija, pošto Hope (glavni lik u romanu) doživljava da joj eventualni poslodavci kažu "ja bih te rado zaposlio ali ne mogu da te priuštim, čisto finansijski", a taj mračni aspekt u romanu nudi veoma savremenu dimenziju suptilne manipulacije u kojoj žrtva zapravo i nije svesna svog inferiornog položaja.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
Jos jedan odličan aspekt suptilne savremene distopije - široke mase nisu kompaktne, nikako, pa čak ni u očima zakona. Manjina (u ovom slučaju ogromna manjina, jer su u pitnaju žene) je obespravljena, ali većina, bar nominalno, apsolutno nije. Otud i nema populističkih buna i previranja, sa stanovišta većine nema ni distopije. Čak i većina žena koje Macleod pominje nisu svesne da žive u distopiji, naprotiv, one su najvatreniji zagovornici sistema protiv kog se Hope bori. Predivna manipulacija, vrlo relevantna, kao uostalom i većina savremenih UK distopija.
4. Status apokalipse:
Naravno, mi možemo da špekulišemo tokom čitanja romana da će takvo stanje stvari eventualno dovesti do neke vrste otvorene katastrofe, ali Macleodova distopija ne nudi nikakve dokaze za tako optimističnu pretpostavku. Naprotiv, ako išta, tok radnje upućuje da je reč o konstrukciji koja podrazumeva egzistencijalno tavorenje, nešto u fazonu laganog grejanja vode e da žaba nam ne iskoči iz lonca pre no što se u potpunosti skuva. maestrano urađeno, ovo je vrlo imresivan primer "sive" distopije.
Još jedan primer "sive" distopije je Mekintošev prvenac Soft Apocalypse:
1. Vrsta distopije:
najsveobuhvatniji zajednički nazivnik bi bio - iscrpljenje. Iscrpljenje svega: industrijskih zaliha, fosilnih goriva, ekonomske ravnoteže, ideoloških stremljenja i ljudskog strpljenja uopšte. U tihoj apokalipsi, ljudi proizvode dizajnirane viruse iz istih poriva iz kojih danas proizvode kompjuterske viruse - uglavnom iz dosade i nedefinirane sveopšte mizantropije. Ovu distopiju nije krerao nikakav prasak, niti ekonomski niti ideoločki, pa se otud i neće završiti uz prasak, nego jednostavno u tišini sveopšteg iscrpljenja. Čak su i agresije u ovom romanu kontaminirane sveopštim beznađem, ljudi ubijaju jednu druge bez suštinske strasti za taj čin, maltene kao da sebi i njima čine uslugu.
2. Glavni krivac:
Isto kao i kod Simonsa - ljudska nezainteresovanost. kad ti se sve političke partije učine jednako bezvredne a svi ljudi oko tebe jednako bezbnačajni, onda se jednostavno prestaneš brinuti šta će se desiti i tebi i drugima. Mekintoš je nepopravljivi romantik pa tu uvodi motivaciju ljubavne veze, ali u sivilu ostatka distopije to jednostavno ne dopire do nivoa na kom bi opisani pojedinac bio predstavnik tipa, nego više odskače kao anomalija u sveopštem sivilu.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
Bez spoljapnjeg i jasno definisanog neprijatelja, uglavnom tavore ubijajući jedni druge, u isključivo kratkoročnim planovima. Distopija pomalo nalik na opium den atmosferu, u kojoj svi znaju gde su, svi znaju zašto su tu gde su i svi znaju da su upravo i hteli da budu baš tu gde su.
4. Status apokalipse:
Mekintoš je najavljuje, ali to je isuviše suicidalno po karakteru da bi se okvalifikovalo kao apokalipsa. Recimo da je u pitanju "siva" distopija koja prati ljudsku vrstu do skoro pa prirodnog kraja njenog roka trajanja.
[/size][size=78%] [/size]
Jo jedan lep primer "sive" distopije dolazi kao prvenac iz pera vrlo artikulisane Anne Charnock, A Calculated Life (2013):
1. Vrsta distopije:
Anne razlaže i redefiniše silne koncepte koje smo navikli da prihvatamo kao samopodrazumevajuće: šta nas to definiše, šta nas to čini srećnim i ispunjenim ljudskim bićima. Vrlo često odgovor na to pitanje će biti "posao", ali naravno, time se ne podrazumeva mundano otaljavanje rabote nadničara, nego se podrazumeva ona lična industrija koja čoveka čini zadovoljnim i kompletnim, to na način na koji je činila kompletnim jednog Betovena, Mocarta, Mikelanđela, Pikasa, Džojsa i Hemingveja. Anne podrazumeva tu i takvu vrst čovekove industrije, pa zbog toga i poseže za genetskom manipulacijom koja bi od ljudske jedinke učinila savršeno produktivan (a time i savršeno ispunjen) entitet. Naravno, mi smo pomalo trenirani da u tome vidimo isključivo manipulaciju, a time i relevantnu distopiju, i tu se opet postavlja pitanje ugla gledanja, jer distopija koju Ann pominje definitivno nije tako lako vidljiva i iz naše opšte, generalne perspektive. Ako išta, svet koji Anne opisuje je više utopija po današnjim merilima: naša budućnost je tu maksimalno produktivna i minimalno disruptivna po pitanju nelegalnih, dakle društveno neprihvatljivih i kriminanih fenomena.
2. Glavni krivac:
Anne nudi pogodbeni svet kojim dominiraju korporacije, svet u kom nema kriminala i u kom je egzistencija osigurana i stabilna. Naravno, to važi samo za produktivne članove društva koji su svesni pravila tog sveta i koji su voljni ih se pridržavaju, dok ostatak sveta živi kako zna i ume, u skladu sa svojim htenjima i mogućnostima. Distopija je tu svedena na striktno individualnu percepciju: ako i ima ljudi u romanu koji taj pogodbeni svet percipiraju kao distopiju, to je uglavnom zbog njihovih ličnih, individualnih hendikepa. Naravno, i čitaoc može da percipira taj pogodbeni svet kao distopiju, ali, u isto vreme, biće mu malko teže da upre prstom po čemu je to taj svet gori od ovog konkretno sveta. Da li je za nas, kao pojedince, dovoljno da budemo nezadovoljni konkretnim društvenim i političkim ustrojstvom sveta u kom živimo da ga automatski proglasimo za distopiju? ako je tako, onda smo svi mi oduvek i živeli isključivo u nekakvim distopijama, otkako je sveta i veka.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
Ljudi većinom žive u miru, uglavnom rade poslove koje vole i za koje imaju afiniteta, i uglavnom uživaju u plodovima svog rada. To važi čak i za Jaynu, sve dok ne padne u čisto intelektualno iskušenje da pretpostavi kako bi možda bila srećnija da je drugačija. Naravno, u ovom konkretno slučaju, Jayna zapravo ne želi da bude drugačija (ona to već jeste), nego zapravo želi da bude sličnija ljudima sa kojima dolazi u dodir. U tom smislu, Jayna je anomalija i njena percepcija distopije se zasigurno ne pokapa sa statusom širih narodnih masa, koje su ipak relativno zadovoljne, to bar u suštini.
4. Status apokalipse:
nije na vidiku, bar u istoj meri u kojoj nije na vidiku ni danas, dok milioni ljudi dirinče svoju svakodnevicu u poslovima koje suštinski možda i mrze, pa stoga tek otaljavaju da plate kiriju. Otud ova "siva" distopija čeprka po moralnim i etičkim pitanjima naše budućnosti kao produktivnih jedinki u svetu u kom čovek postaje sve otuđeniji od sopstvene intelektualne i duhovne industrije. Ne tvrdim da je sama tema bog zna kako savremena per se, ali sam pristup nedvojbeno jeste.
Idući primer "crne" distopije je roman Seed (Robert Zeigler, 2011)
1. Vrsta distopije:
Recimo da je ovo veoma drska ekstrapolacija Monsanto kontroverze, koja biotehnologiju podiže na nivo najpodatnijeg bauka koji jednostavno ne može da omane. A još kad je uparena sa svojim trenutnim ekološkim bauk-pandanom globalnog zagrevanja, onda je to zaista dobitna kombinacija koja maltene definiše savremeni distopični okvir.
2. Glavni krivac:
Isto tako zdravom ekstrapolacijom, Zeigler ravnomerno raspoređuje krah civilizacije na sve krivce koje danas možemo kao takve prepoznati, to počevši do svetskih vlada pa sve do njihovih glasača.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
Zeigler je jedan od poštenijih distopičara, mada zbog toga ipak ne zastranjuje u mizantropiju: njegov pogodbeni svet je samopodrazumevajuće benevolentan, pošto ga nudi u najiskrenijoj mogućoj verziji, a ta podrazumeva da široke narodne mase umiru od gladi, pa je samim time i bespredmetno insistirati na bilo kakvoj njihovoj krivici. Umesto toga, on za narativne potrebe krivicu svaljuje na vojsku i na ostatke korporativne kulture koja još uvek poseduje tehnološku sposobnost proizvodnje hrane, to makar i genetski modifikovane. Zeiglerov pogodbeni svet je stoga beskompromisno hrabar u svojoj neobuzdanoj imaginaciji, iako formalno prilično stabilno prati žanrovske ekstrapolacijske smernice, a pošto je to ujedno i njegov prvenac, i sad ga smatram jednim od istinski važnih žanrovskih percepcija ove decenije.
4. Status apokalipse:
Seed je u suštini postapokaliptična distopija, ali sa tendencijom daljih apokaliptičnih zbivanja. Od svih dosadašnjih "crnih" distopija, ova će svakako ostati pri vrhu mog eventualnog izbora za najcrnju.
Dalje, čak i Mekintošev Love -80 nominalno predstavlja distopiju, i to od one najzanimljivije vrste, one koja preispituje šta je danas nama zapravo distopija.
1. Vrsta distopije:
Okej, recimo da je u pitanju čisto društvena distopija, kad već imamo zaplet u kom lepe mrtve žene postaju skoro pa privatno vlasništvo onoga ko je spreman da plati njihov povratak u život - to je svakako distopija. Logično. Nema sumnje. žene su tu vrsta privatne svojine koliko i nameštaj, a to je svakako distopija.
Ali: zaplet ovde drži naš fokus na minornom uzorku od svega stotinjak žena u veoma, veoma specifičnoj situaciji. Ostatak ženskog roda u pogodbenom svetu apsolutno nije obespravljen, ni na koji način. Moram to da podvučem, tek da bude jasno o kakvoj je (to ako je) distopiji reč. Isto tako, Mekintoš pošteno precizira tu kontroverzu kad kroz jednog svog protagonistu pita "a zašto u Bridesicle odeljenju nema mladih i lepih muškaraca, koje bi "otkupio" neki stari gej (tu mi smesta pada na pamet Ian Mckellen, pošto je roman ionako strašno filmičan :lol: ) i dobija iskren odgovor - zato što je gej populacija isuviše mala da bi se takva konkretno Bridesicle investicija isplatila. dakle, gej populacija nije obespravljena, daleko bilo: samo je brojčano zanemariva. I žene koje će preko Bridesicle programa završiti kao kurtuzane su brojčano zanemarive. A ako je tako, šta onda ostaje da nam pomogne da prepoznamo distopiju? ništa. Love -80 ne nudi niti jedan jedini fenomen, niti jednu jedinu anomaliju koja bi ukazala na društveni i politički kolaps vrednosti kakve se nadamo da će naša budućnost negovati. I okej sad, možeš da kažeš "pa i Bridesicle je dosta, kud ti treba više?" ali... da li je zaista dosta? šta to danas nama podrazumeva distopiju? gde je granica preko koje nam sistem i društvo budućnosti postaje distopično?
2. Glavni krivac:
Samo i isključivo društvo, koje je ipak samo prost zbir pojedinaca. Love -80 ne nudi nikakve opresije, nikakve strahovlade, zapravo - ne nudi ama baš nikakav državni ili zakonski autoritet. I ne mislim samo da nam te autoritete ne nudi kao eventualne krivce, mislim zaista da ih ne nudi uopšte, kao da ih ni nema. Moguće da ih ni nema.
3. Status širih narodnih masa:
ako izuzmemo status istinski nesretne Winter, u Love -80 sva ljudska nesreća potiče od samih protagonista, i to je nanose uglavnom sami sebi, a tek onda i drugima. Za svaku pojedinačnu ljudsku mizeriju moguće je ne samo ustanoviti tačan uzrok, nego je i moguće ustanoviti tačno poreklo, a time ga i eliminisati. Kao što Mekintoš eventualno i radi, sa svojim čovekoljubivim hepiend svetonazorom. Otud moram priznati da je status širih narodnih masa poprilično fin, ili barem toliko fin koliko svaki pojedini član te mase želi da mu bude.
4. Status apokalipse:
apokalipse nema niti će je biti. Mekintoš u svoje junake beskompromisno uliva (samo)svest zbog koje oni rađe biraju azil nego borbu protiv sistema ( a ima i alternativu, sličnu onoj koju nudi i Anne Charnock, dakle polusvet u kom žive ljudi koji odbijaju da prihvate život u tom i takvom sistemu). Otud je i distopija diskutabilna, jer opcija ne samo da postoji, nego je i sami protagoniste preferišu. I svi su na kraju sretni i zadovoljni, i svako živi tamo gde hoće. Otud je ovo "siva" distopija koja ni sama nije načisto sa definicijom distopije.
... samo da ti ilustrujem zašto je Simonsova ksenofobična distopija tako uverljiva (sam zaplet sad ustranu, govorim o pozadini koja je maltene besprekorna u svojoj ekstrapolaciji):
A Florida County Spent Over $5 Million Jailing Homeless People. It Could've Spent Less On Shelter (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/07/housing-homeless-people-costs_n_4733524.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037&ir=Politics)
A Florida county has spent more than $5 million over the past nine years throwing chronically homeless people in jail, when it could have spent considerably less finding them shelter.
In its annual report on the state of homelessness in Osceola County, Fla., Impact Homelessness -- a local advocacy group -- found that the county continues to spend a pretty penny on imprisoning people who live on the streets, instead of helping to rehabilitate them.
The county has at least 300 homeless people sleeping on the streets every night. Most of those people have physical disabilities and/or mental illnesses. Many of them are veterans.
Impact Homelessness investigated the number of people who have been put in prison because of "crimes" related to homelessness, including panhandling, sleeping outside and trespassing. One section of the report focused on the "frequent flyers" -- people who have been arrested over and over again for homeless-related crimes.
The group identified 37 such individuals who, collectively, were arrested 1,250 times from 2004 to 2013. It cost the county $140 to book each person and an average of $80 per day to keep them jail. These figures only take into account arrest and incarceration. They don't begin to touch upon special services, such as appearing before a judge, medical care or counseling.
The "frequent flyers" cost the county a total of $5,081,680, according to the report. That's about $15,000 per person, per year.
"These are people who are disabled and mentally ill. They need their country and their community to help them," Andrae Bailey, CEO of Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, told The Huffington Post. "It makes no financial sense not to help them."
Part of what makes "no sense" is the fact that the county could spend considerably less money on finding housing for the homeless instead of temporarily sending them to jail.
Providing permanent supportive housing and ongoing case management for one person would come to $9,602 annually, according to the report. That's 35 percent less than what it costs to put homeless people in jail.
Not only is providing housing more cost-effective, it has also proven to work.
The Obama administration has pledged to put an end to veteran homelessness by 2015 and Salt Lake City, Utah, and Phoenix, Ariz., have already succeeded in doing so, The New York Times reported.
Two years ago, Phoenix, Ariz., identified 222 homeless veterans and the remaining 56were placed in housing last December -- an accomplishment officials attribute to a collaboration between the city council and key state and federal partners, azfamily.com reported.
Phoenix used more than $6.5 million in federal grants to fight homelessness last year and the city council kicked in an additional $1.8 million in general funds.
Robert Stone, 56, was one such veteran in Phoenix who was homeless on and off for 15 years. Stone moved into an apartment last March and credits that with changing his life, The New York Times reported.
"I'm coming up on nine months sober, and a big part of it is because I have a roof over my head," he told the newspaper.
Phoenix hopes that its approach will serve as a guide for other cities struggling to get people off of the streets.
"We set about this challenge ... with a united purpose, and, as a result, Phoenix can take its place as role model city for gratitude and care towards veterans," Mayor Greg Stanton said in a statement.
Advocates are hoping that the policies demonstrated in Phoenix and Salt Lake City will be the ones that are replicated, instead of policies that prioritize criminalizing homelessness.
In July, activists were dismayed when Tampa, Fla., decided to criminalize homelessness.
"It costs roughly $50 a day to incarcerate one homeless person," Amanda Mole, editor of the Tampa Epoch, told HuffPost Live. "[During] the last homeless count that took place, we had 356 homeless people in jail."
That would cost Tampa more than $6 million a year.
"It always cost more [to keep someone in jail]. Sometimes it's just astronomically more," Bailey said.
Advocates say in addition to hurting taxpayers, it's also grossly unfair to lock someone up because they need help.
"Shooing panhandlers away from major intersections might improve appearances, but it is expensive, inefficient and not a solution," The Tampa Bay Times wrote in an editorial. "Commissioners need to focus on more than aesthetics in considering how to address homelessness."
Ma, kakvi teško da čitam. Pravo zadovoljstvo. Nadam se da i tebi ovo koristi da pripremiš neki celovitiji članak.
Imaš i onu dobru koju si mi preporučila o totalitarnom društvu na teritoriji Albanije - slabo više pamtim naslove i imena.
Ma kakav crni članak, ovo nema skoro nikakvu upotrebnu vrednost, više je zanimacija koja čoveka čini zadovoljnim pa otud i kompletnim. ;) A totalitarno društvo na teritoriji Albanije mi ne priziva u sećanje ama baš ništa u formi romana, tako da je to najverovatnije bila opaska po pitanju jedne priče Goffa Rymana... a kad smo već kod strahovlada, na njih sad vrlo retko nailazim u žanru, a I kad ih bude, to je uglavnom iz pera starije garde, a oni prilično vešto zaobilaze Evropu, to čak i njene periferne i zaostale okrajke: Mekoli sa Brazilom, Egan sa Iranom a i Baćigalupi je sa prvencem rađe svrnuo na egzotični istok nego što se petljao sa starim kontinentom.
Dalje, ostaju nam vrlo angažovane "sive" distopije poput Doktorovljevog Malog Brata, ali one istinski najcrnje među apokaliptičnim "crnima" kao da preferišu konstrukciju koja se lakše može analizirati u serijalima, tojest barem trilogijama: Barnsov Daybreak i Atvudova sa Maddaddamom, recimo. A pošto ja preferišem samostalne romane, dosta me toga mimoilazi u serijalima. Za potpuniji angažman po pitanju strahovlada i netransparentnih demokratija čini mi se da je tu danas više atraktivan sam mejnstrim, pa se isplati držati oko na užoj listi za Bukera, recimo. Uostalom, jedan od mojih naj-filmova 2013 je Closed Circuit a naj-mejnstrim knjiga The Orphan Master's Son, pa ti vidi. :)
I ti si zaboravna, teraš me da googlam. The Holy Machine. Čit'o na tvoju preporuku. Solidno.
A potcenjuješ sebe. Ovo može da bude osnova za dobar članak...
ahhhh, ti si mislio na Iliriju!! gubim klikere pa to ti je. :lol:
elem, dakle, u poplavi recentnih horor-trešina o Marsu (šablonskih zombie-trešina bez makar i natruha inteligencije, trešina koje adekvatno reprezentuje upravo njihov najsvežiji predstavnik - tupavi i glupavi The last days on Mars), uspeli smo da najzad vratimo dragi crveni planet u okrilje rodnog mu žanra. I mada se ovaj debi roman ionako nalazio na mojoj listi čitanja, preskočio je red za čekanje nakon najdirektnijih mogućih preporuka meni bitnih žanrovskih faca, to prevashodno Brina i Simonsa. Nema ništa lepše nego kad stara garda hajpuje debi roman, i to hajpuje bez ikakvog kalkulisanja: na primer, Simons je na fbu izjavio ovo:
Quote
An Unsolicited Blurb from Dan Simmons for --
THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir, Crown books, just released two days ago. (See cover below)
Publishers and other writers who know me are aware that I do very, very few blurbs for new books. Most of the reason is selfishness -- since I'm working almost every day of the year to meet my own novel deadlines, reading almost every day to add to the research, then... having only bedtimie to read the books of my own choice, I simply don't do many blurbs.
This doesn't qualify as a blurb because the book is already out and I received it from Amazon yesterday. I finished it this morning.
THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir (whom I've never heard of until I read this novel) is by far the finest SCIENCE-science-fiction novel I've ever read. It is -- and I've never said this about any book -- almost literally an un-put-downable book.
Its plot seems simple: a 6-person crew on the third successful Mars-landing mission, after only two days of a projected two-month stay on the Red Planet, are hit by a duststorm with 175 kph winds, tearing away their Hab's paraboloic antenna for contacting earth and ripping apart another receiving antenna. Their MAV -- Mars Ascent Vehicle -- is in serious danger or being blown over. Houston aborts the mission. But in getting to the MAV, one crewman -- the botanist and general handyman Mark Watney -- is impaled by a flying antenna and blown out of sight down a hill. Telemetry from the suit show decompression and zero life signs. The captain of the crew tries finding him in the terrible dust storm, even as the MAV tilts further and has to righted by MOS thrusters never meant to be used in atmosphere. Finally the captain gets into the MAV and they leave Mars, dock with the Hermes mother ship in orbit, and leave Martian orbit for the long 1-year ion-drive trip home.
But Mark Watney has survived. Turns out that a lot of vacuum-congealed blood makes a pretty good seal for a Mars EVA suit. When he gets back to the Hab, he has air and water -- but not nearly enough food to last until the next planned manned landing on Mars in four years,
His fight to survive and the hard science ingrained in every page and paragraph of Andy Weir's THE MARTIAN makes it, in my opinion, a novel that transcends the SF genre and if it is considered as SF, the best "hard science fiction" novel since Hal Clement's MISSION OF GRAVITY many years ago.
I recommend THE MARTIAN by young Andy Weir to anyone who loves the manned space program, or who loves science, or who loves a brilliantly written novel of unrelenting suspense and intelligence.
I eto, čoveku odmah bude toplije oko srca i smesta se maši knjige. :)
I sve što je rečeno o ovoj knjizi stoji. :!:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41MW9AB6InL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=ed81c25e31087c9d78f40f94226e19ed7e7ec0bd)
Ali najlepše od svega – ova knjiga meni najavljuje nekakav maleni, možda sasvim sićušni prevrat tipa prve laste u solidnoj i ničim uzdrmanoj distopičnosti savremenog SF futurizma, koja nam se već godinama preliva iz crne u dublju crnju nijansu. Ova knjiga je tako puna dobrostivog optimizma da jednostavno odudara od svega što je žanr ponudio o nama na Marsu, čak i od uberrealistične KSRove kolonizacije. Ne znam kako će taj optimizam biti eventualno prihvaćen od strane širih masa sf poklonika koji već odavno takvu vrst optimizma smatraju apsolutno sinonimnu sa anahronom naivnošću, ali... roman je odlično napisan, autor (i protagonist, naravno) je dobrostivo duhovit, gikasto vickast, nerdasto genijalan, dražesno profan, maestralno tehnofiličan a nadasve iskreno odan onim osnovnim (i za mnoge od nas još uvek relativno neuzdrmanim) vrednostima žanrovskom optimizma i generalnog čovekoljublja zbog kog se, eto, čak i
danas mogu praviti žanrovski planovi u kojima smo kao ljudi ujedinjeni makar u želji da zajedno kročimo na druge svetove. Odličan roman i odličan debi autora kome želim ogroman uspeh i basnoslovnu gomilu para, samo da neometano nastavi da (mi) piše upravo
ovakve knjige. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41dtQnKltUL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=b902d645632b5b0b53e8ceea065b4f571223660a)
A fast-moving cyberpunk thriller set in a world of thinking cities, ruthless corporations and mad orbital AIs. A novel that links the groundbreaking works of William Gibson to the new generation of writers such as Charlie Stross and Hannu Rajaniemi. Ajay had a future once, birthing intelligent cities for the Haag Agency. First Delhi, then Milan. But then he is seduced into betraying his employers and finds himself working for a city that wishes to become human. Ajay must steal some rare technology from a long-dead wetware expert, a new Frankenstein called Snow, a man now alive in an AI. A man who wants a new toy for his manufactured daughter...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51z5MJUN2lL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=adf13eb9211a2c1327dca70f36b23b1195373cc8)
When the Internet suddenly stops working, society reels from the loss of flowing data and streaming entertainment. Addicts wander the streets talking to themselves in 140 characters or forcing cats to perform tricks for their amusement, while the truly desperate pin their requests for casual encounters on public bulletin boards. The economy tumbles and the government passes the draconian NET Recovery Act.
For Gladstone, the Net's disappearance comes particularly hard, following the loss of his wife, leaving his flask of Jamesons and grandfather's fedora as the only comforts in his Brooklyn apartment. But there are rumors that someone in New York is still online. Someone set apart from this new world where Facebook flirters "poke" each other in real life and members of Anonymous trade memes at secret parties. Where a former librarian can sell information as a human search engine and the perverted fulfill their secret fetishes at the blossoming Rule 34 club. With the help of his friends---a blogger and a webcam girl, both now out of work---Gladstone sets off to find the Internet. But is he the right man to save humanity from this Apocalypse?
For those of you wondering if you have WiFi right now, Wayne Gladstone's Notes from the Internet Apocalypse examines the question "What is life without the Web?"
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F412yz57-5rL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=0e70bed5427f9d15b8af8e0c75e80c802e00b90b)
Reviews for Eileen Gunn's stories:
"Corporate satire and Kafkaesque metamorphoses gleefully collide."—Seattle Times
"Reading this book is like getting to wear the eyeballs of a madwoman in your own sockets for a day."—Warren Ellis
Stories from Eileen Gunn are always a cause for celebration. Where will she lead us? "Up the Fire Road" to a slightly alternate world. Into steampunk's heart. Never where we might expect.
Eileen Gunn is the author of the collection Stable Strategies and Others. She has received the Nebula and the (Japanese) Sense of Gender awards. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ikNGBbU3L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=679c198bd72f20ec72a287e9138a364b391845fd)
Attentive readers of Lady Trent's earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world's premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career.
Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics.
The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell . . . where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51tO4PXo2CL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=98468bb51e84e6b8afa081ff27f2a6624a84ea6f)
The Time Traveler's Almanac is the largest and most definitive collection of time travel stories ever assembled. Gathered into one volume by intrepid chrononauts and world-renowned anthologists Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, this book compiles more than a century's worth of literary travels into the past and the future that will serve to reacquaint readers with beloved classics of the time travel genre and introduce them to thrilling contemporary innovations.
This marvelous volume includes nearly seventy journeys through time from authors such as Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, William Gibson, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, Michael Moorcock, H. G. Wells, and Connie Willis, as well as helpful non-fiction articles original to this volume (such as Charles Yu's "Top Ten Tips For Time Travelers").
In fact, this book is like a time machine of its very own, covering millions of years of Earth's history from the age of the dinosaurs through to strange and fascinating futures, spanning the ages from the beginning of time to its very end. The Time Traveler's Almanac is the ultimate anthology for the time traveler in your life.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51QvIBtD5-L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=74dc6c254983e7ae3c27f91eda7b9c286fe155d3)
SPLANX - the ultimate electronic tablet of the space-oriented future, where humanity becomes one with a god-power beyond belief... Science-fiction meets horror in this novel about a paranormal investigator in Holland who becomes involved in a search for a mysterious "supernatural" digital tablet.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41WWkO-Z2hL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=1942f91021768eb2837984679bc15c5f50b9a7da)
Insomnia has claimed everyone Biggs knows. Even his beloved wife, Carolyn, has succumbed to the telltale red-rimmed eyes, slurred speech and cloudy mind before disappearing into the quickly collapsing world. Yet Biggs can still sleep, and dream, so he sets out to find her.
He ventures out into a world ransacked by mass confusion and desperation, where he meets others struggling against the tide of sleeplessness. Chase and his buddy Jordan are devising a scheme to live off their drug-store lootings; Lila is a high school student wandering the streets in an owl mask, no longer safe with her insomniac parents; Felicia abandons the sanctuary of a sleep research center to try to protect her family and perhaps reunite with Chase, an ex-boyfriend. All around, sleep has become an infinitely precious commodity. Money can't buy it, no drug can touch it, and there are those who would kill to have it. However, Biggs persists in his quest for Carolyn, finding a resolve and inner strength that he never knew he had.
Kenneth Calhoun has written a brilliantly realized and utterly riveting depiction of a world gripped by madness, one that is vivid, strange, and profoundly moving.
http://youtu.be/gMfuLtjgzA8 (http://youtu.be/gMfuLtjgzA8)
Here's the author at a recent talk at Google HQ. It starts with a 11 minute reading from the first chapter, then he discusses the realistic science that went into the novel. Beware! There's a slight story spoiler when Weir discusses the software he wrote to calculate some of the orbital mechanics used in the novel.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheMartianBanner.jpg&hash=6ed1ce7ed3c5a5079f14c412f98ee35e623a8337)
http://www.laguna.rs/_img/korice/2346/pajns-blejk_krauc_v.jpg (http://www.laguna.rs/_img/korice/2346/pajns-blejk_krauc_v.jpg)
Dakle, roman od koga sam poprilično očekivao, i koji me razočarao na gotovo svakom nivou. :(
Pošto je prevodilac Skrobonja, nema razloga da sumnjam u kvalitet prevoda, te sve nedostatke pripisujem autoru, koji kako shvatam ima strašno prodavana izdanja.
Autor je barem bio toliko pošten da navodi kako njegovo delo, iako inspirisano Tvin Piksom, nije ni blizu toga-i zaista nije. Nije mu uspelo da probudi osećaj tajanstva, misterije, čuđenja. Pajns je prikazan hladno, mehanički, gotovo beživotno, nedostatak ,,atmosfere'' grada, pokušava se prikriti konstantnim jurcanjem glavnog junaka Itana, iz bolnice, beg kroz grad, preko litica grada. Ja volim dinamičnu radnju, ali ovde je čini mi se ona sama sebi svrha, kao da je cilj da se roman strmoglavi što pre kroz tih 350 strana. Nije se uspelo u onom glavnom-da Vajvarnd Pajns doživimo s ushićenjem, strahom, čuđenjem.
Već na pola romana sam prokljuvio o čemu se radi, o svojevrsnoj besmrtnosti, ukidanju starenja i putovanja kroz vreme na neki način. Koje nam je sve informacije autor nagruvao na brzinu nešto pre kraja. A valjda je ta misterija trebalo da bude bitna, i drži do samog kraja ?
Objašnjenje surovog obračuna ,,lokalaca'' sa odmetnutima iz tog veštačkog raja, krajnje mi je bledo i uverljivo.
Na kraju, najveća mana ovog romana-likovi. Tj.nedostatak karakterizacije istih. :shock:
Likovi nisu ni klišeizirani, već su totalno neživotni, bledi, plastični. Neuverljivi. Oni faktički i nemaju svoju ličnost, ponašaju se mehanički, jednodimenzionalno, bez ikakve živosti. Tu su isključivo radi pomoći, ili odmoći glavnom junaku.
Jedini koji je koliko toliko izgrađen je glavni junak, Itan. On je agent tajne službe( na dva mesta autor koristi potpuno isti ,,štos'' kad ga pitaju-a jeste vi oni što čuvate predsednika? :idea: , junak iz iračkog rata, voli svoju ženu, doduše prevario je ali to ga naravno jako grize. Flešbekovi njegove prošlosti, odvode nas u Faludžu, gde je zarobljen visio u lancima. I onda kad naiđem na rečenicu tipa ,,Uživao je u mučenju, verovatno je bio neki pripadnik AlKaide'', dođe mi da zavrištim ili mlatnem autora knjigom po glavudži. Shvatam ja da je to pisano za englesko govorno područje, za Amerikance, moguće da sam ja previše antiamerički nastrojen i da mi to struže po ganglijama, ali stvarno dokle više Irak, talibani, AlKaida, 11.septembar, zli opaki Arapi, i hrabri bledoliki junak koga kući čeka smerna i ljubavlju ispunjena američka djeva. Nije više ni maštovito ni zabavno, vrćenje tog pogleda na svet postaje iritirajuće do te mere da ću ostavljati knjige čim ubuduće naletim na nešto slično.
Ukratko, roman me je mnogo razočarao.
Elem, u naporu da sjurimo neke drevne i značajne žanrovske romane, stigli smo do ovoga:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41ucV3y%252Ba8L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2%2CTopRight%2C1%2C0_SH20_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=f9a518cb19525476ab3ced958b771446727a2346)
Predivan roman, pisan u vreme kad je angažovanost pisca zaista nešto značila, dakle 1959te, u vreme nuklearnog straha i duboke političke i društvene svesti, u vreme kad su ljudi zaista i iskreno verovali da je svet prost zbir njegovih jedinki, da snaga jeste i u brojevima, da se vlade, režimi i ideologije mogu rušiti i srušiti, samo ako se dovoljan broj ljudi angažuje.
Otud je roman sračunato dvosmislen: oficir X-127, bezimeni vojnik u službi neimenovane nuklearne sile, protiv svoje volje i znanja završi u doboko podzemnom nuklearnom skloništu a ujedno i vojnoj bazi iz koje je zadužen da vodi nuklearni armagedon protiv isto tako bezličnog i neimenovanog neprijatelja, i to krajnje bezazlenim pritiskanjem dugmića koji koordiniraju sinhronizovane napade nuklearnog naoružanja. U tom svetu bez sunca i meseca i savesti i posledica, oficir X-127 vodi dnevnik za nas, baš tu generaciju koja je nekako propala u rascep između političkog radikalizma i društvenog fanatizma na smeni generacija 60tih.
E sad, mi koji smo odrasli na angažovanom SFu modelisanom na The Day After konceptima, mi u takvim romanima vidimo znatno više od kratkoročnog hladnoratovskog angažmana, recimo da vidimo neku vrst fosilizovanih dokaza da je ne samo žanr kao takav, nego i populistička pisana reč uopšte nekad imala svoju supstancu i težinu i efekat o kakvom se danas može samo nostalgično sanjariti. Bilo je to vreme u kom su ljudi zaista verovali da su značajni, to na nivou svakog pojedinca jednako, a otud je i žanr smatrao da ta njegova straobalna mogućnost da izjavljuje značajne stvari ujedno i obavezuje autora da... pa eto, da govori ono što smatra da treba biti izrečeno.
Dakle, bio je to taj famozni iskorak iz i od eskapizma žanrovskih povoja, korak dalje u samosvest koja je žanr eventualno zauvek odvojila od iracionalne mu fantastičarske sabraće koja se i dan danas obraćaju deci i onima koji preferišu da to ostanu.
Dragulj. :)
i sad, pošto je danas čak i slepcu jasno da se Hjugo temeljito sunovratio u ambis iz kojeg teško da ima oporavka u dogledno vreme, nema druge nego zasukati rukave i curkati produkciju kroz sito i rešeto, ne bi li bolje saznali čega sve u žanru ima. Jer bogami bi se malo togla znalo kad bi se samo nominacije gledale, i to ne samo Hjugove, sakloni nas bože.
Dakle, knjige koje zalužuju pažnju arila 2014:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41JRGzkMHLL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2164d232fc5b84ced64017c4ac01c5821ad123ec)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F057513089X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=f75260e49ecc632276739755aeae844569f9d2ba)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513089X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513089X/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41yJ9f4xkTL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=d531689c88b232f8e433b3970f496c0fdd651370)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0804138680/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0804138680/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F514IEPB5Q9L._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2c81d40dd22a4c9da4decf217b7ff7bf6592957f)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590212614/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590212614/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51EmCsUrzOL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=c4f29c826b3d003fac9468e620b84929d494d7fb)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590211936/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590211936/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51OfN0EbAiL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=a760a0fc00c127b478457e231a0f486260c5f1be)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00FUZQY7I/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00FUZQY7I/sfsi0c-20)
a sprema se ovo:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FBrokenMonsters-400.jpg&hash=cfadd81cbbacd273a20d6a67553700f3ffd99f63)
A criminal mastermind creates violent tableaus in abandoned Detroit warehouses in Lauren Beukes's new genre-bending novel of suspense.
A criminal mastermind creates violent tableaus in abandoned Detroit warehouses in Lauren Beukes's new genre-bending novel of suspense.
Detective Gabriella Versado has seen a lot of bodies. But this one is unique even by Detroit's standards: half boy, half deer, somehow fused together. As stranger and more disturbing bodies are discovered, how can the city hold on to a reality that is already tearing at its seams?
If you're Detective Versado's geeky teenage daughter, Layla, you commence a dangerous flirtation with a potential predator online. If you're desperate freelance journalist Jonno, you do whatever it takes to get the exclusive on a horrific story. If you're Thomas Keen, known on the street as TK, you'll do what you can to keep your homeless family safe–and find the monster who is possessed by the dream of violently remaking the world.
If Lauren Beukes's internationally bestselling The Shining Girls was a time-jumping thrill ride through the past, her Broken Monsters is a genre-redefining thriller about broken cities, broken dreams, and broken people trying to put themselves back together again.
... i novi Jumper:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FExo-400.jpg&hash=0052989d3ee71432164924d2f18a0f9add384306)
Cent can teleport. So can her parents, but they are the only people in the world who can. This is not as great as you might think it would be—sure, you can go shopping in Japan and then have tea in London, but it's hard to keep a secret like that. And there are people, dangerous people, who work for governments and have guns, who want to make you do just this one thing for them. And when you're a teenage girl things get even more complicated. High school. Boys. Global climate change, refugees, and genocide. Orbital mechanics.
But Cent isn't easily daunted, and neither are Davy and Millie, her parents. She's going to make some changes in the world.
ali najbolja novost stiže sa kirkusa: najavljuje se ekranizacija ovog fenomenalnog romana! :!:
(https://d1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net/blog/lead_art/martian-_weir_JPG_250x300_q85.JPG)
(Za sad se pominje Drew Goddard, ali dobro, bože moj, nije da mi žanrovci možemo mnogo da biramo... :( )
i još se planira ekranizacija ovih romana:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F04%2F09%2Fannihilation.JPG&hash=fe387232141e6e221f24e02b082c475971159cb4)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F04%2F09%2Finflux_suarez.JPG&hash=52f4ae1b3bbfff8cac7154dfb7b64c54ffedbf93)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41Y0ZzordyL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=006023269ad784ce8b841505b59c323fd5a89028)
uh, dugujem disklejmer:
malko sam pobrkala linkove oko Edena, to je zapravo trebala biti najava za nastavak Dark Edena, tj. roman u pripremi, koji će biti objavljen za par meseci - Mother of Eden:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chris-beckett.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2FMother-of-Eden-cover-182x300.png&hash=ad38c6d45d2e55531faf93301b3c54a5cea9062b)
više infoa o tome imate na njegovom sajtu, www.chris-beckett.com (http://www.chris-beckett.com)
I šta nas to zanimljivoga čeka u maju:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1936196336/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1936196336/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41j6e2gBtyL._AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-31%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=efddae6f9862008e5fab4837950e0456790e324a)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00IIVFKSA/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00IIVFKSA/sfsi0c-20)
(pošto sam pročitala prvenac Arhetip, računam da i nastavak vredi overe, mada nije u pitanju nikakva preporuka naslepo....)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1770530606/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1770530606/sfsi0c-20)
dakle, pošto je kopipejst sad već sasvim onemogućen, mogu samo da stavim linkove:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1936196336/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1936196336/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00IIVFKSA/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00IIVFKSA/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1770530606/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1770530606/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513139X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513139X/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/031621776X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/031621776X/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307907961/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307907961/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765332655/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765332655/sfsi0c-20)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00JCXK3PS/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00JCXK3PS/sfsi0c-20)
Ovih dana malko šrvljamo po najaktualnijim nominacijama, pa evo i prvog naslova:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51RX0oqSUiL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=381472e5f3f2c36677b549e54bdf8b06a8cd6e2a)
Suareza se često pominje u veoma pozitivnom kontekstu, a pošto ništa njegovog do sada nisam čitala, rešila sam da probijem led sa upravo ovim romanom. I zanimljiv je to kiber-triler, nema zbora.
Suarez kreće od uvek zabavne žanrovske premise o postojanju tajne organizacije koja nas nadgleda i ujedno odlučuje šta je dobro za nas i šta to mi možemo podneti a šta ne. Nešto kao Men in Black varijanta - dakle, državno sankcionisana agencija koja se bavi predupređivanjem i saniranjem posledica koje bi radikalni tehnološki izumi proizveli u našoj svakodnevici. Premisa dalje podrazumeva (to u svima dragom formatu teorije zavera) da se tehnološki napredak drži pod strogom kontrolom i da se svi izumi filtriraju pre no što se puste u širi opticaj koji doseže javnost, znači, nas sitne miševe koji mislimo da je tačskrin najveći tehnološki izum otkako smo sleteli na Mesec. Glavni protagonista, Jon Grady, saznaje o postojanju te agencije upravo na dan kada uspešnim eksperimentom dokaže funkcionalnost svog izuma, primenjivog antigravitacionog polja, čija bi široka primena zasigurno zauvek promenila našu svakodnevicu. Naravno, Jon smatra da bi je promenila na bolje, ali agencija ima očekivano drugačiji stav po tom pitanju. Jon je stoga kidnapovan, i nakon toga počinje njegov život u zarobljeništvu, tokom kog on otkiva da agencija ne samo poseduje nego i aktivno koristi mnoge izume iza kojih stoje genijalci poput njega, i to ih koriste ne baš u skladu sa brigom za dobrobit ljudskog roda. Jon uskoro otkriva da u svom zatočeništvu nije sam, i da njegov genijalni kolege-sapatnici planiraju da pobegnu iz zatvora i doakaju agenciji jednom za svagda.
:) Simpatično i zabavno, nema spora, ali ipak - suštinski namenjeno tinejdžerima ili čak i mlađem od toga uzrastu. Nije mi baš najjasnije silno oduševljenje oko ovog romana, mada, priznajem da bi roman mogao da iznedri vrlo intrigantan predložak za film, to uz diskretnu dozu humora. Upravo kao i Men in Black.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51Us8EZFJ-L._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=d449d7175a1e0df87ce4339c9b41c52c1aa5b592)
Drugi roman je Arhetip, dobro osmišljen prvenac o kontroverzi kloniranja i vlasništva nad tuđim sećanjem i telom. Također impresivno, po distopičnosti negde na liniji Atvudove The Handmaid's Tale, uparene sa ne odviše ekstrapolacijski opravdanom bizarnošću iz Išigurovog Never let me go. Naravno, Arhetip nije ni blizu Atvudovoj kad je o seciranju moralnih i društvenih kontroverzi reč, daleko bilo: recimo da je tu više u pitanju pop-kulturna prezentacija najkontroveznijih aspekata, ali poprilično lišena dubine i ne odviše zanimljivo plasirana u narativnom smislu. Na momente čak i dosadnjikava, s obzirom na silne i čitaocu sasvim očigledne mogućnosti koje do samog kraja uporno ostaju neiskorištene. Ali pošto je u pitanju tek prva knjiga u serijalu, možda su namerno ostavljene za kasnije.
Obe knjige su tu negde, solidne trojke.
Novi Baćigalupijev roman izlazi tek u oktobru, i svi mi koje je navukao sa svojim prvencem još uvek se nadamo da će njime izaći iz te YA faze, ma kako bila lukrativna (a jeste). Doduše, sinopsis ne nudi ništa što bi takve nade ohrabrilo, ali... šta da se radi, navika je gadna stvar.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51RtdamKGaL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=567fbae7ffeb5125b6253b494617b7fca4aec63b)
In this page-turning contemporary thriller, National Book Award Finalist and New York Times bestselling author Paolo Bacigalupi explores the timely issue of how public information is distorted for monetary gain, and how those who exploit it must be stopped.
Everything Alix knows about her life is a lie. At least that's what a mysterious young man who's stalking her keeps saying. But then she begins investigating the disturbing claims he makes against her father. Could her dad really be at the helm of a firm that distorts the truth and covers up wrongdoing by hugely profitable corporations that have allowed innocent victims to die? Is it possible that her father is the bad guy, and that the undeniably alluring criminal who calls himself Moses--and his radical band of teen activists--is right? Alix has to make a choice, and time is running out, but can she truly risk everything and blow the whistle on the man who loves her and raised her?
... a novi Mekintošev roman je sebi obezbedio ekranizaciju i pre no što je objavljen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F05%2F07%2Fdefenders.JPG&hash=fe86ebe7bfa86b457db172d5882773e4683185d3)
Defenders by Will McIntoshIt's rare that a book gets optioned for film before the book itself even hits bookshelves. The science fiction thrillerDefenders by Will McIntosh is one of those rare books. How did Hollywood know about the story before it was published?
The novel Defenders is actually based on the author's short story (http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/defenders/) of the same name which first appeared inLightspeed Magazine in August 2011. Based on the strength of that short story, Warner Bros. studios scooped up the film rights. The film will be written by screenwriter Will Simmons ("Murder City").
You may recall Defenders from last week's roundup of best speculative fiction picks of the month (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/best-speculative-fiction-reads-may/). Defenders is a different kind of alien invasion story. The invaders in this case are the Luyten, an alien race determined to rid the Earth of humans, who they see as inferior. The Luyten have not only a technological advantage, but they can also read human minds as well, making any strategy we come up with to defeat them essentially ineffective. That is, until mankind genetically-engineers a race of 17-foot-tall humanoids called the Defenders that are immune to telepathy. The problem? What is a race of beings created for war supposed to do once the war is over?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0763655597.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=f2a7d5c6e5dc8fac5a72c93432cb70780796b4b9)
Screen Daily is reporting (http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/cannes/liam-neeson-joins-bayonas-monster/5071424.article) that author Patrick ness has adapted his novel A Monster Calls (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0763655597/sfsi0c-20) into a screenplay for Focus Features, who will distribute the fantasy/drama in the U.S. in October 2016.
The story is about thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley who, in addition to being bullied at school, has nightmare's about his mother's failing health. But the monster he sees outside his bedroom window is real. It's an ancient tree come to life, who tells Conor stories and asks him to tell the truth. Conor's relationship with the tree monster helps him come to terms with his mother's illness. The idea for the book came from award-winning author Siobhan Dowd– whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself.
The film is being directed by J.A. Bayona, the director of The Impossible and the just-announced World War Z 2 (according to IMDB). Stars attached to the project include Felicity Jones (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) as the boy's mother and Liam Neeson as the monster.
... a Daryl Gregory je svojim novim romanom prevazišao sve prethodne:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41JRGzkMHLL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2164d232fc5b84ced64017c4ac01c5821ad123ec)
Ima tu i dalje svih začina zbog kojih je poznat - neobuzdana imaginacija i vrlovrlo tanka linija koja u njegovim romanima deli racionalnu od iracionalne fantastike, da nabrojim samo dva - ali je jasno uočljiv (i veoma dobrodošao) pomak po pitanju zrelosti i kontrole nad materijalom, što u velikoj meri utiče na životnost i plastičnost likova i zapleta. Daryl se najzad odmakao od karikaturizacije, bez da je time izgubio makar i mrvu zabavnosti samog štiva. Prijatno iznenađenje i pun pogodak iz četvrtog puta. Što i nije samo po sebi tako strašno, pošto su i prva tri romana imala sasvim dovoljno materijala za pamćenje i zdrav kredit za autora. Preporuka za sve one kojima se makar jedan njegov prethodni roman iole dopao.
:lol:
Rock veteran Neil Young is expanding his writing resume by penning a science fiction novel. The Like a Hurricane hitmaker is due to release his second memoir, the follow-up to 2012's Waging Heavy Peace, later this year (14) and he also has a second literary project in the pipeline. He has declined to give a possible release date or any further details about the novel but has described it as "f**king weird", reports Uncut magazine. (http://www.hollywood.com/news/brief/56962741/neil-young-pens-sci-fi-novel)
.. ali ovo bi svakako vredelo kupiti:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpictures.abebooks.com%2FTBCL%2Fmd%2Fmd1375659243.jpg&hash=a11fb0427b65af9947d2a839f1cc4eb4b1cd88a8)
Description:
"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." Gibson's literary agent's copy of the actual Xerox corrected typescript used to publish the first UK & first hardcover edition of Neuromancer with his name [Christopher Priest] & contact information sticker on the first page. 8vo., 8 1/2" x 11" white bond, 303pp. Bound in a blue business 'Joca' file binder with a plain typed label on the upper cover. In addition, 42 non-sequential pages [Xerox] with additional
corrections inserted loosely at the back of the binder. A rare state of this breakthrough defining novel & Nebula, Hugo and Philip K. Dick Award winner. Gunn, The New Encyclopedia Of Science Fiction. Pringle. 100 Best Science Fiction Novels. Of the three or four modern cornerstone SF novels of the 20th century that will stay top-of-mind for the foreseeable future, Neuromancer along with Dune, Stranger In A Strange Land & Do Androids Dream lead the way. Bookseller Inventory # 29584 (http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1375659243)
I fascinantnije od svega toga:
Science Fiction as Scripture: Robert A.Heinlein's
Stranger in a Strange Land
and the Church of All Worlds
Carole M. Cusack (https://www.academia.edu/738499/Science_Fiction_as_Scripture_Robert_A._Heinleins_Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land_and_the_Church_of_All_Worlds)
Quote from: PTY on 10-05-2014, 12:43:55
... a Daryl Gregory je svojim novim romanom prevazišao sve prethodne:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41JRGzkMHLL._SY344_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2164d232fc5b84ced64017c4ac01c5821ad123ec)
Ima tu i dalje svih začina zbog kojih je poznat - neobuzdana imaginacija i vrlovrlo tanka linija koja u njegovim romanima deli racionalnu od iracionalne fantastike, da nabrojim samo dva - ali je jasno uočljiv (i veoma dobrodošao) pomak po pitanju zrelosti i kontrole nad materijalom, što u velikoj meri utiče na životnost i plastičnost likova i zapleta. Daryl se najzad odmakao od karikaturizacije, bez da je time izgubio makar i mrvu zabavnosti samog štiva. Prijatno iznenađenje i pun pogodak iz četvrtog puta. Što i nije samo po sebi tako strašno, pošto su i prva tri romana imala sasvim dovoljno materijala za pamćenje i zdrav kredit za autora. Preporuka za sve one kojima se makar jedan njegov prethodni roman iole dopao.
Pre dve nedelje, od svih knjiga koje sam mogao kupiti u jedinoj knjižari koju nađoh u LA-u, odabrao sam baš ovu... delovalo mi nekako zanimljivo... Jedva čekam da odem na odmor za nekoliko meseci da je se do'vatim..
Tja... :(
Cijena prava sitnica...
Dakle, ležerno se švrćkaš po gradu anđela i brstiš cakum ispod čekića esef palp... buraz, pa ti se danas žešće provodiš nego onomad kad smo bili upola mlađi! :lol:
Fino pojašnjenje jednog skoro pa klasičnog terminološkog zbuna:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2Futopia-anti-utopia.jpg&hash=3caf158913ab565f320f9db24adab70fb1dfa057)
Dystopia, Anti-Utopia, and the End of the World
by Gerry Canavan
One of my great frustrations as a teacher of science fiction is the imprecision with which we use the word "dystopia." We typically speak as if "dystopia" is the negation of utopia, but this is not quite right. Dystopian speculation more properly describes the opposite of utopia: utopia is the good place (eu-topia) that is not a place (ou-topia), while dystopia is the bad place (dys-topia). But the bad place of the dystopia still has something to teach us: it is the warning of the bad times that will come if we refuse to act, the reflection of our own bad times that we must work to change. This is why the typical plot of a dystopian narrative is actually pretty hopeful: the story of the heroic revolution that overthrows a corrupt regime, or the time traveler who changes history to prevent it, or the story of how our heroes might run fast enough and far enough to break out of the confinement of the nightmare city altogether and escape into the free and open country outside.
Dystopia is about oppressive social conditions that might be altered, evaded, or averted, and so it still contains hidden within itself the same hope for a better world that drives utopian speculation. The true negation of utopia is therefore the literary form of the anti-utopia, which is a disproof of utopia, rather than simply a negative one. Here the revolution in which we were placing our hopes turns out to be just another agency of the corrupt regime, or the time traveler manages to bring about the very nightmare he was sent back to prevent; in an anti-utopian narrative there's nowhere left for us to run. Similarly, where dystopian thinking locates unhappiness in our bad social institutions, anti-utopian thinking locates it instead in human nature: we're just built wrong, either biologically (we're bad monkeys, with evolutionarily imprinted impulses that will always cause us to turn on each other in the end) or theologically (we're fallen, wicked souls). In this sense the quintessential anti-utopia is really the failed utopia, the ugly horrors we bring into existence whenever we foolishly try to make the world a better place.
In a fourth position on the chart we find a perhaps even more chilling possibility: the anti-dystopia, the opposite of anti-utopia and the negation of dystopia. Here utopia is not impossible, and in fact it is already here; in the anti-dystopian narrative we discover we are already living in the best of all possible worlds and we need do nothing but enjoy it. This is the consumerist end of history of the 1990s, or the market utopia of neoliberals today; in the reactionary anti-dystopia any change to the coordinates of our contemporary institutions is not only unnecessary, but utterly irrational; why would we intentionally destroy paradise?
When we read science fictional narratives we can see all four of these interpretive moods overlaying each other, fighting for control. Consider Star Trek, which plainly positions itself as a utopian future for the human race, freed from hatred, freed from want, freed from violence of any kind. On the Earth of this happy cosmopolitan future everyone is free to rise to their level of excellence outside economic constraint or the bad luck of their birth. From the perspective of the Federation it is Earth's history-our present-that is the dystopian nightmare: an era of pointless, brutal exploitation and endless wars that culminates in the atomic World War III that nearly ended civilization forever. But over the larger run of the series the utopian fantasy never quite holds; in fact the Enterprise's mission of peaceful exploration constantly collapses into the very violence the utopian reading nominally disavows. A heavily armed warship inevitably blundering into murderous conflicts with the many alien species it encounters, the Enterprise from this perspective becomes the anti-utopian proof that horrific violence is actually inevitable; no amount of progress can prevent it. The dystopian gaze of the series on our present can be similarly twisted into anti-dystopia; not only does the teleology of its future history promise that paradise will come to us if we only wait, both the characters' frequent trips to our time and the larger allegorical stakes of the series insist that we do nothing but wait. Characters like Edith Keeler who actually believe in the ideals of the Federation and who seek to enact them in our era are presented as fools who (in her sad case) must literally be removed from history in order to prevent their influence from taking hold; in their present, Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and Archer are all repeatedly forced to betray their high ideals in the name of temporary contingencies. The moment of utopia's actual fulfillment is thus perpetually delayed; the Nazis or the Russians or the Viet Cong or the terrorists or the Klingons or the Borg or the Dominion or the Xindi always arrive just in time to prevent us from ever having to live up to the dream.
In apocalyptic zombie fantasy we can identify the same pattern. Zombie fictions typically present themselves with an anti-dystopian internal logic: they are a dire threat about what would happen in the absence of contemporary institutions like supermarkets and the state. What we have now is good; something different from this would be horrible. Relatedly, zombie fantasies typically have an anti-utopian moral character: the real threat in such stories usually turns out not to be the zombies but other living humans, towards whom we must always assume a preemptively violent posture lest we be taken advantage of, hurt, or killed. But in such stories there is always that kernel of utopia as well: the dystopian situation of the zombies' rise turns out to obscure what is actually often a utopian fantasy about the end of work, where people who were oppressed or unhappy in our time can start over (as if on a new frontier) and build a better, more meaningful life for themselves after the end of the world. At the far end of this the zombies become the unconscious inaugurators of a strange kind of zombietopia, a social order where no one hurts each other, no one is ever excluded, and no one is ever lonely, as we see in Kelly Link's wonderful story "Some Zombie Contigency Plans":
Zombies didn't discriminate. Everyone tasted equally good as far as zombies were concerned. And anyone could be a zombie. You didn't have to be special, or good at sports, or good-looking. You didn't have to smell good, or wear the right kind of clothes, or listen to the right kind of music. You just had to be slow.
Soap liked this about zombies.
There is never just one zombie.
Even the zombie's bite, which kills you and thereby turns you into a zombie, from their (non-)perspective has a weird utopian flavor; for zombies, violence is not a casting out, but rather a drawing in, a welcoming home. That's how they bring you into the fold.
In the eco-apocalypses we study in Green Planets, the same pattern recurs. What is the political charge of an eco-apocalypse like climate change, or ocean acidification, or Peak Oil? How are we to understand these visions of bad futures as they come to us from scientific projections and risk calculation spreadsheets? Is the coming catastrophe the dystopian clarion that warns us we must change-or is it the anti-utopian proof that we will refuse to change, even at the cost of civilization, or the planet itself?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0819574279.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL500_.jpg&hash=159f380fb15834757832d274aec049c9daf991ac)
In the introduction to the book I talk a bit about the fantasy of the Quiet Earth, the future version of the planet that is devoid of human life entirely. The anti-utopian version of the Quiet Earth is the elegiac fantasy of an entirely dead planet-a murdered planet-in which the human species has left behind nothing but ruin before finally killing even itself. Margaret Atwood captures this spirit of the Quiet Earth in a flash fiction written for the Guardian during the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit called "Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet," which finds a human race whose apex of development was the twentieth-century creations of deserts and death. In a spirit of mourning and loss, the speaker of the piece addresses him- or herself to the unknown aliens who have come, millennia hence, to bear witness to our vanishing: "You who have come here from some distant world, to this dry lakeshore and this cairn, and to this cylinder of brass, in which on the last day of all our recorded days I place our final words: Pray for us, who once, too, thought we could fly."
The positive side of the Quiet Earth-its utopian/dystopian aspect, such as it is-retains at least some small sense of hope, though for other life forms, not for us. Such texts frequently suggest that the elimination of human beings can itself be thought of as a kind of misanthrophic eco-paradise; without us, at least, the dogs and the trees and the birds and the bees can go on living. In the wonderful Kenyan short SF film Pumzi (2010), directed by Wanuri Kahiu and available on Netflix, the allegorical stakes are these explicitly; after a devastating series of water wars and droughts, the human race has been driven underground, clinging to every drop of water that can be wrung from sweaty T-shirts or recovered from the condensation on bathroom mirrors. The world outside the bunker is totally dead. But our scientist hero, Asha (meaning "hope" in Sanskrit, "life" in Swahili), discovers a plant seed that she believes can still germinate; stealing into the forbidden world outside, Asha sacrifices first her meager water ration and ultimately her own life to nourish the world's last, and first, tree. A shift to the sublime, God's-eye perspective of time-lapse photography shows the slow return of life to the desert after years, decades, centuries-Asha's corpse nourishing its roots. If it's us or them, the film suggests, perhaps we should choose them.
But the real hope, of course, the one we can barely bring ourselves to imagine any more, would be to solve the problems, cancel the apocalypses, and never let the Earth grow Quiet in the first place. In the interview that concludes Green Planets, Kim Stanley Robinson lays out his plan:
What I wanted to suggest is that because we have the ability to do better, our situation eventually will get so dangerous it will force us to do better. The desire will be there, and the tools are there (science and politics and culture), so the struggle is on, starting now and going on for some centuries at least. We don't have to wait until the year 2312 to act, obviously, and it would be terrible if we did. Since we know now that we can greatly improve the situation by what we do, we should start now, and shoulder the frustrations of how long it will take without too much whining or quitting.
That's the dynamic, work-a-day definition of utopia Robinson offers up in his 1988 novel Pacific Edge: not some static happy end-state, not a prize, but hard work, "struggle forever." It sounds exhausting! But I suppose we should get started.
(Gerry Canavan is an assistant professor in the English department at
Marquette University
, teaching 20th and 21st century literature. His current research projects include Science Fiction and Totality and Modern Masters of Science Fiction: Octavia E. Butler, as well as co-editing The Cambridge Companion to American Science Fiction. His edited collection of critical essays, Green Planets: Ecology and Science Fiction, is out now from Wesleyan University Press. You can follow Gerry on Twitter as @GerryCanavan.)
Nije DeNardo uzalud jedan od mojih favorita među žanrovskim rivjuistima... :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031621969X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1ee5f93cb1c589c64fbdb0843cae87df810f4f5f)
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: In a totalitarian, Soviet-like state, a police investigator tracks down a terrorist and discovers his links to a living angel that is poisoning the world.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Lyrical writing; fascinating world-building that mixes Russian/Soviet history with folklore and fantasy.
CONS: Abrupt ending; characters tend towards thinness.
BOTTOM LINE: While it doesn't feel like a complete story itself, Wolfhound Century is an intriguing first volume, with a promising setting and some exciting plot threads.
Peter Higgins's debut novel Wolfhound Century is an ambitious, lyrical, and occasionally messy mix of police thriller, Russian/Soviet history, and fantasy that lends itself to at least two drinking games.
DRINKING GAME #1: Take a shot–preferably vodka–for each time the book crosses a genre boundary:
In Wolfhound Century, our hero (arguably) is Investigator Vissarion Lom, an honest cop in a corrupt system. As is traditional with honest cops, Lom has made enemies in his provincial hometown. So it's probably good both for his career and his health when Lom is summoned to the capital city of Mirgorod by the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Security. The Under Secretary has a problem in the form of a bank-robbing terrorist named Josef Kantor; and since Kantor may have friends inside the Ministry, the Under Secretary needs a disposable outsider who can investigate both the criminal underworld and the bureaucratic overworld of Mirgorod. Enter Lom, the perfect outsider.
So far, so Martin Cruz Smith. (Or... well, who else wrote police procedural mysteries set in Soviet Russia?) But for all that the Vlast resembles Stalinist Russia and the city of Mirgorod resembles St. Petersburg/Leningrad, we're reminded that it isn't, since this is a city where giants walk the streets (usually pulling wagons); where occasionally monsters from Russian/Slavic folklore like rusalka and vyrdalak pop up; and where dead angels have fallen from the sky due to a heavenly war. Dead angels might sound inconvenient, but the government of the Vlast has found some uses for the dead angel's stony flesh, such as crafting interrogation tools and semi-sentient golems called mudjhik. Lom himself has a piece of angel flesh shoved into his skull which he occasionally uses as a symbol of authority. (A badge might be simpler, but lacks that totalitarian flair.)
In his investigation, Lom gets tangled up with security agents and militia, striking workers, "degenerate" (i.e., politically unfavored) artists, and, most importantly, the mysterious daughter of Kantor, Maroussia Shaumian. Maroussia Shaumian and her mother lived out by the giant forest near the political prison Kantor was held in for years. And now, while Maroussia tries to figure out her relationship with Kantor, the forest sends out emissaries to the Shaumians telling them of the epic quest they must undertake to save the forest, a quest that will bring them into conflict both with Kantor and with the still-living angel that is both poisoning the forest and motivating Kantor's terrorism.
So, how many genres do you count in that premise?
Higgins might call this genre collage "disreputable," but I prefer to think of it as "messy"–and that sense of messiness is one of the strengths of this book. On one level, the messiness of Mirgorod gives the city a lived-in, realist feel, as we see fragments of the city from multiple points-of-view without ever getting a clear narrative map of the city. But I especially enjoyed the messiness of the fantastic elements of the world. How do Lom's magic powers relate to the fallen angels? How do the giants fit into the world with the other fantastic aspects? For me, this first volume doesn't clearly lay out the true nature of the world–and that's a strength. While we hear the official story about the fallen angels, we get hints both of unofficial stories, and of other, older magic. That underlying sense of uncertainty seems perfect for a book where the official state history smoothly paves over a thorny reality–though never perfectly.
That said, while that messiness fits thematically, the plot and pacing present a less positive messiness. As other reviews have noted, the book ends somewhat abruptly, with this first volume in no way serving as a standalone novel. There's something slightly unbalanced about Part I being 223 pages and Part II being only 80 pages–as if Part II ended in the middle of its arc, just when the quest was picking up steam.
While the plot may be messy, the characters are almost too neat: they fit too perfectly into their assigned roles and so seem a little thin when accomplishing their plot-mandated tasks. So, for instance, disgraced scholar and Lom's childhood friend Raku Vishnik has been given the unrewarding position of historian of Mirgorod; this is useful both to Lom and to us, as Vishnik can lead us all around the city and report on various subcultures, from former royalty to an artists' cabaret. And yet, I'm not sure I could tell you much about his character.
Similarly, Lom verges on the typological–or if we're being ungenerous, the cliche: the last honest cop on a bad beat, a man willing to go against the corrupt system... at certain points, where the plot demands it. So when a childhood benefactor is denounced and taken away by the police, Lom doesn't seem too bothered by his potential complicity; but when love interest and heroine Maroussia Shaumian looks down on him for being a cop, Lom starts to have more serious second thoughts about his career. While that helps to move the plot forward, it doesn't absolutely feel organic to his character.
However, I give Higgins points for best use of "dialectic" in summing up a character's motivation, when speaking of terrorist conspirator Josef Kantor: "Kantor's life had been shaped by the dialectic of fear and killing: if you feared something, you studied it, learned all you could from it, and then you killed it." Not much to say about a character after that.
And characters like secret police commander Lavrentina Chazia... wait, why does that sound familiar? Oh, right, because it seems like a clear allusion to Stalin's secret police commander, Lavrentiy Beria. Which brings us to...
DRINKING GAME #2: Take a shot for each element from our history that Higgins absorbs into his work–and double shots for all the terrible real-world atrocities of the 20th century: the mass shooting and burial of an internal ethnic group, the jailing and murder of political dissidents, state-sponsored torture, etc.
I don't know a lot about Russian/Soviet history, but even I could catch some allusions that Higgins mixes into his book. Besides the Lavrentina Chazia/Lavrentiy Beria connection, there's also several literary allusions, as when Josef Kantor's thoughts on revolution–
"The revolutionary is doomed. [...] The revolutionary has no personal interest. No emotions. No attachments. The revolutionary owns nothing and has no name. ... There is only the revolution" (9)
–echo Sergey Nechaev's 1869 manifesto, "Catechism of the Revolutionary"–
"The revolutionary is a doomed man. He has no private interests, no affairs, sentiments, ties, property nor even a name of his own. His entire being is devoured by one purpose, one thought, one passion–the revolution."
Now, in some cases, this might just be me over-identifying allusions. When you read about how an angel-flesh golem has a dog's brain grafted in, do you think of Mikhail Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog? Or when Higgins describes the sun as tumbling like a severed head, how can I not hear an echo of Isaac Babel's Red Cavalry stories? (Confession: I've had Red Cavalry on my shelf for years now and still haven't gotten around to reading it, but even I know Babel's famous line about the sun "rolling across the sky like a severed head.") And though Higgins's description of the angel's gaze as "vast and cool and inhuman" seems to echo H.G. Wells's description of the Martian intellect in War of the Worlds as "vast and cool and unsympathetic," I have no idea what to do with that–but I'm still going to take a shot.
Wolfhound Century isn't just an extended (drinking) game of spot the reference. Or if it is, I've lost because I know I've missed many, many references. (Also, to be clear, on his website, Higgins showcases a shelf of reading that in some ways informed this work, so he's not trying to hide his references.) In its own way, these allusions contribute to the air of intriguing uncertainty in this book.
That is, usually when reading alternate history, we just have to find the point of divergence–or usually get lectured on it by some character in the book. (Even Philip K. Dick's Man in the High Castle has one person discussing how things would've been different if FDR hadn't been assassinated in Miami.) But in Higgins's "disreputable" fantasy of Soviet history, while we're clearly in a fantasy world with falling angels and its own history, we get little hints of these allusions to our world history. It's unsettling in the best way and a reminder of a strong undercurrent in the story, that the opportunities lost to history may not be completely lost.
Besides being thought-provoking, Higgins's Wolfhound Century is also entertaining and enjoyable, a poetically and lushly described conspiracy/magical thriller in an original, enthralling world.
Elem, evo jednog indie romana koji je uspeo da i pored svih manjkavosti (krajnje očekivanih za samoukog pisca) proizvede dovoljno oduševljenja među čitaocima da ga ohrabri u proizvodnji nastavka. Objektivno govoreći, roman ima toliko mana da bi njihova lista mogla da odbije potencijalnog čitaoca, ali uprkos svemu, roman itekako funkcioniše, pošto je većina nedostataka uspešno nadomeštena autorovim očiglednim entuzijazmom i posvećenošću.
(https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344228853l/15789480.jpg)
Dobar edit bi skratio roman najmanje za trećinu: Anson je čovek koji svakom lansiranju i prizemljavanju svemirskog broda posveti najmanje tri-četiri strane tehnikalija. Ali njegov entuzijazam ya te tehnikalije je toliko očigledan i toliko zarazan, da ih čitaoc revnosno isprati u svim obilnim detaljima. Isto tako, Ansonova proza je krajnje prozaična, jezik je funkcionalan i to je otrilike sve što se o njemu može reći ali Anson to nadoknađuje informacijom koja je toliko obilna i toliko detaljna, da jednostavno ne možete a da je ne cenite. Tu su i grafikoni i skice i objašnjavanja terena na Merkuru, tu su tehnikalije koje podrazumevaju toliku strast za materijal i sve to zajedno toliko utiče na čitanje da se naprosto ne usuđujete da skrolujete čak ni očigledno prazan hod. Jednostavno, ovo je knjiga čoveka koji je očigledno duboko zaljubljen u žanrovsku staru gardu, i iz svakog slova ovog obilnog romana prosto možete da namirišete kojilo je Anston oblikovan Asimovom i Brinom, Hajnlajnom i Benfordom. Taj njegov zarazni entuzijazam sprečava vas da roman vidite kao zastareo (iako on to sigurno jeste, objektivno govoreći), nego ga naprosto vidite kao retro omaž fascinacijama na kojima se odraslo. Ume to da razgali, zaista, izgleda ne samo mene, pošto roman nosi visoku ocenu na gudridsu, da naprosto nemam srca da mu lupim išta manje od četvorke, iako sam svesna svih manjkavosti kojima bi i solidna trojka činila poveliku uslugu. Ali hej, nek ide život, nek se Mark srećno i zadovoljno posveti pisanju nastavka! :lol:
Dakle, Australija je oduvek bila priča za sebe po pitanju sf-a, to sa svojom unikatno izoliranom žanrovskom evolucijom, valjda, pa sve i ako njeni autori i nisu bog zna kako brojni, bogami su izgleda poprilično lako pamtljivi. Ovogodišnji Kempbel ima u užem izboru čak dvojicu from "down under", Phillip Mann sa The Disestablishment of Paradise, i Max Barry sa svojim romanom Lexicon. A pošto je Barry skoro pa nepoznat mlad autor, krenula sam sa njime i wow! kako je to impresivan roman!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmaxbarry.com%2Fimages%2Fcovers%2Flexicon_usa_pb_big.jpg&hash=42a4f7e5c905f671809217336643237176f29c15)
Premisa kreće od stare filozofske, da ne kažem biblijske "u početku biješe Riječ" postavke, izrezbarene u najfinijem palp maniru čiste psihodelične i paranoidne dikovštine koja prosto sa nogu obara nespremnog i zatečenog čitaoca. Jer, naravno, reči nisu samo zvuci koje proizvodimo, reči imaju značenja, i to vrlo specifična značenja. Reči proizvode vrlo merljive neurohemijske reakcije, pa otud i imaju moć da nas u tren oka razbesne i ražaloste i razgale i umire i uteše... znati moć reči, znači biti u stanju upravljati neurohemijskim reakcijama sagovornika, a to, opet, dalje znači i imati u rukama oružje kojim se sagovornikovom percepcijom - a otud i samim njime, naravno - upravlja. Naravno, to jednom kada znate kojim to leksikonom sagovornik barata, i koje to tačno reči imaju odogvarajuću moć u tom leksikonu.
Mind-boggling proza! a pri tom i apsolutno superiorno isporučen roman, proračunato nedefinisan žanrovski, pa otud i jednako impresivan iz ugla svakog od njih jednako. Osim dikovski razuzdane imaginacije koju nosi sama premisa, tu je i psiho-triler šmek teorije zavera i tajnih organizacija, a još sve to čvrsto spakovanu u oblandu čisto stivenkingovski linearnog zapleta... ukratko, mnogi najcenjeniji žanrovski sastojci isporučeni u krajnje egzotičnom pakovanju. Veoma impresivno, i, naravno, skoro pa nezapaženo (bolje reći, udavljeno silnom gomilom generičkih žanrovskih osrednjosti prošlogodišnje produkcije), sem u ovom Kembelovom izboru. Preporuka svima, a pogotovo filološki nastrojenim žanroljupcima. :lol:
a evo i sta nas to zanimljivoga ceka u junu:
Korijev popularni Expanse serijal dobija prinovu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031621762X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=ace9b17319f8d4fe97ca19343e9976978eb9727d)
i jos malo fascinacije Marsom:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg2.imagesbn.com%2Fp%2F9781476736471_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG&hash=76821af7ac8d8a23c928bb70d27dd7206ab092f5)
Gritty and scientifically accurate science fiction adventure from New York Times best-selling author Ben Bova and NASA space scientist Les Johnson.
The first human mission to Mars meets with near-disaster when a meteoroid strikes the spacecraft, almost destroying it. The ship is too far from Earth to simply turn around and return home. The eight-person crew must ride their crippled ship to Mars while they desperately struggle to survive.
On Earth, powerful political forces that oppose human spaceflight try to use the accident as proof that sending humans into space is too dangerous to continue. The whole human space flight program hangs in the balance. And if the astronauts can't nurse their ship to Mars and back, the voyagers will become either the first Martian colonists—or the first humans to perish on another planet.
i jos jedna koja dosta toga finog obecava sinopsisom:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41rlHdkYC3L._AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-46%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=efda6a8361645b29aeba9129d5ee5ac82da8cb61)
Publication Date: July 15, 2014
When Crospinal's ailing father dies, he is left utterly alone in the pen, surrounded by encroaching darkness. The machines that tended to him as a child have long ago vanished, and the apparitions that kept Crospinal company are now silenced. Struggling with his congenital issues, outfitted in a threadbare uniform, he has little choice but to leave what was once his home, soon discovering that nothing in the outside world is how he had been told it would be. In his quest for meaning and understanding, and the contact of another, Crospinal learns truths about himself, about his father, and about the last bastion of humanity, trapped with him at the end of time.
i malo kratke proze:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-kwOY-Emu2HE%2FUs6lBAx6ZII%2FAAAAAAAAFj8%2FsAjBcxbpjKQ%2Fs1600%2FFearful%2BSymmetries.jpg&hash=28a46426c7e1a4e8923015802ad06a04dfa0596b)
editor Elen Datlow, horror antologija financirana kikstarterom i osmisljenja od strane ChiZina, koji je, jelte, jedan od najorginalnijih i najhrabrijih zanrovskih izdavaca danas. To sto oni spakuju u korice, to retko omane, zaista, a izmedu ovih korica nalazi se ovo:
"Introduction" by Ellen Datlow
"A Wish From a Bone" by Gemma Files
"The Atlas of Hell" by Nathan Ballingrud
"The Witch Moth" by Bruce McAllister
"Kaiju" by Gary McMahon
"Will The Real Psycho In This Story Please Stand Up?" by Pat Cadigan
"In the Year of Omens" by Helen Marshall
"The Four Darks" by Terry Dowling
"The Spindly Man" by Stephen Graham Jones
"The Window" by Brian Evenson
"Mount Chary Galore" by Jeffrey Ford
"Ballad of an Echo Whisperer" by Caitlín R. Kiernan
"Suffer Little Children" by Robert Shearman
"Power" by Michael Marshall Smith
"Bridge of Sighs" by Kaaron Warren
"the worms crawl in," by Laird Barron
"The Attic" by Catherine MacLeod
"Wendigo Nights" by Siobhan Carroll
"Episode Three: On the Great Plains, In the Snow" by John Langan
"Catching Flies" by Carole Johnstone
"Shay Corsham Worsted" by Garth Nix
a Tor ima toliko gudiza da zahteva posebnu najavu:
prvo i najvaznije:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_05%2FJuneJulyPrev%2Fcolonel_cov1.jpg&hash=b985fc111fd66e775e46e207a17e4b1564277314)
Colonel Moore is in trouble. His wife has retreated into a virtual heaven and his son remains missing after joining an extrasolar mission to track down an alien race. He is presently tasked by his superiors with the threat assessment of hived human intelligences, one of which successfully attacks a compound under his watch. Now, one of the strongest hive minds in the world approaches Moore with an offer that could completely change his world.
pa onda:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_05%2FCombustionHour.jpg&hash=cf190611ecd239e1d3d5e1d99b29a4d3e1fafd52)
A new original short story by the author of Conservation of Shadows. This story is about the eschatology of shadow puppets.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_04%2FMay_June_Preview%2Fchaptersix_cov2.jpg&hash=87d3ac840dab6ea7994af131d4803580987f14f5)
"Chapter Six," by Stephen Graham Jones, is an anthropological zombie story about Crain, a grad student, who has a theory of mankind's evolution. As he and his former professor scavenge on bone marrow left behind by the local zombie horde, he makes his well-reasoned argument.
a ovo ce garant biti prica za sebe:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_05%2FJuneJulyPrev%2Fbriskmoney_cov1.jpg&hash=17974bcbbd1eeb396f0757e5d82c57f1e2ba7a3c)
Written by Adam Christopher
Edited by Paul Stevens
Illustration by Gérard Dubois
Raymond Chandler famously hated science fiction, saying "They pay brisk money for this crap?" However, it has recently come to light that Chandler secretly wrote a series of stories and novels starring a robot detective. He then burnt all the manuscripts and went on writing his noir masterpieces. Unknown to Chandler, his housekeeper had managed to save some of these discarded manuscripts from the grate in his study, preserving the tales for future generations.
:mrgreen:
oooohhh kakva predivna vest! :!:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww-deadline-com.vimg.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F06%2Fmaddaddam1__140604211942.jpg&hash=26ccac1b5b16b4174cc6e57de6e5f3cb173f20ed)
EXCLUSIVE: HBO has put in development drama series MaddAddam, executive produced by Oscar-nominated Black Swan helmer Darren Aronofsky through his Protozoa Pictures banner. The project, based on Margaret Atwood's book hbologo3trilogy Oryx and Crake (2003), Year Of The Flood (2009), and MaddAddam (2013), is being developed as a potential directing vehicle for Aronofsky. MaddAddam marks the first project to come out of the three-year first-look deal the filmmaker and his Protozoa Pictures inked with HBO in January.
The story in the MaddAddam books, part of Atwood's self-described genre of "speculative fiction," is set in the mid-21st century in a world where corporations have taken over for governments and the genetic modification of organisms is perversely ubiquitous. It centers on the events before and after a Waterless Flood that wipes out almost all of the world's population and follows an extensive cast of characters, including those responsible for the apocalypse and those struggling to survive it. Producer Brandi-Ann Milbradt, who is engaged to Aronofsky, brought the project to Protozoa and will serve as executive producer alongside Aronofsky and his longtime collaborator, Protozoa Pictures president Ari Handel. Atwood serves as consulting producer. Aronofsky and his team are currently meeting with writers.
Aronofsky is coming off the success his most recent feature, biblical epic Noah, which has grossed $345M in worldwide box office. On the feature side, his Protozoa Pictures also has a deal with New Regency, also inked in January.
http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/darren-aronofsky-maddaddam-book-trilogy-as-hbo-series/ (http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/darren-aronofsky-maddaddam-book-trilogy-as-hbo-series/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1907773649.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=5adb560a7913014ff70833d4cbff479d02ec97ce)
Welcome To The New Home Of Horror Edited by the British Fantasy Award winning editor Johnny Mains, Salt's 'Best' series takes a journey into the bottomless depths of horror. You will find no 'pleasing terrors' here. 'Mercy stands before her, wielding a mud-caked pickaxe in both hands...' –"When Charlie Sleeps", Laura Mauro 'Too much Semtex was an obvious, beginners mistake, and I noted I needed to remove more brain in future...' –"Exploding Raphaelesque Heads", Ian Hunter 'There isn't much time. Blood is already spattering the paper on which I am writing...' –"The Secondary Host", John Probert 'It appeared to be an insect of some kind, perhaps a beetle or a spider with a bloated body...' –"Come Into My Parlour", Reggie Oliver "Best British Horror" is a new anthology series dedicated to showcasing and proving without doubt, that when it comes to horror and supernatural fiction, Britain is its obvious and natural home.
Here's the table of contents...
1."When Charlie Sleeps" by Laura Mauro (Black Static, Issue 37)
2."Exploding Raphaelesque Heads" by Ian Hunter (The Tenth Black Book of Horror, ed. Charles Black, Mortbury Press)
3."The Bloody Tower" by Anna Taborska (Terror Tales of London, ed. Paul Finch, Gray Friar Press)
4."Behind the Doors" by Ramsey Campbell (Holes for Faces, Dark Regions Press)
5."The Secondary Host" by John Llewellyn Probert (Exotic Gothic Volume 5, Part 2, ed. Danel Olson, PS Publishing)
6."The Garscube Creative Writing Group" by Muriel Gray (The Burning Circus, ed. Johnny Mains, British Fantasy Society)
7."Biofeedback" by Gary Fry (Shades of Nothingness, PS Publishing)
8."Doll Hands" by Adam Nevill (The Burning Circus, ed. Johnny Mains, British Fantasy Society)
9."Guinea Pig Girl" by Thana Niveau (The Tenth Black Book of Horror, ed. Charles Black, Mortbury Press)
10."Touch Me With Your Cold, Hard Fingers" by Elizabeth Stott (Nightjar Press)
11."Dad Dancing" by Kate Farrell (The Tenth Black Book of Horror, ed. Charles Black, Mortbury Press)
12."The Arse-Licker" by Stephen Volk (Anatomy of Death, Hersham Horror Books)
13."Doll Re Me" by Tanith Lee (Nightmare Magazine, May 2013)
14."Laudate Dominum (For Many Voices)" by D.P. Watt (Shadows & Tall Trees, Issue 5)
15."Someone to Watch Over You" by Marie O'Regan (Terror Tales of London, ed. Paul Finch, Gray Friar Press)
16."Namesake" by V.H. Leslie (Black Static, Issue 31)
17."Come Into My Parlour" by Reggie Oliver (Dark World: Ghost Stories, ed. Timothy Parker Russell, Tartarus Press)
18."The Red Door" by Mark Morris (Terror Tales of London, ed. Paul Finch, Gray Friar Press)
19."Author of the Death" by Michael Marshall Smith (Everything You Need, Earthling Publications)
20."The Magician Kelso Dennet" by Stephen Volk(Terror Tales of Seaside, ed. Paul Finch, Gray Friar Press)
21."That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love" by Robert Shearman (Psycho-mania!, ed. Stephen Jones, Constable & Robinson)
INTERVIEW: Greg Egan on ORTHOGONAL and Thirty Years of Writing Hard Science Fiction (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/06/interview-greg-egan-on-orthogonal-and-thirty-years-of-writing-hard-science-fiction/#more-94631)
Dakle, do sada nisam izvajala godišnju kvotu za "knjigu koja me je najviše razočarala", ali ove godine bi se to izgelda i moglo, prosto zato što sam našla krajnje prikladnog kandidata. The Disestablishment of Paradise je roman koji ima ama baš sve impresivne sastojke, ali kao celina ostavlja dojam četvrtog mesta na Olimpijadi: dostignuće možda nekog poštovanja dostojno, ali ipak, od one vrste za koje se ne dobija nikakva medalja. Tako mu je to. :(
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.sfbook.com%2Fbooks%2Flarge%2Fthe-disestablishment-of-paradise.jpg&hash=c498c66a880297a9a9e88ad5f1f93e39e2fe2b1c)
Sinopsis nudi jednu od najklasičnijih i najvoljnijih tema SF-a: magičan planet nazvan Raj istrajao je jedva tri generacije ljudskih kolonista, koji su u tom kratkom vremenu temeljito uspeli da istrebe mnoge njegove retke i blagostive životne forme, baš kao što su i prekopali i iz tla izvukli mnoge dragocene i isto tako retke minerale. I nakon svog tog razaranja i masakra, Raj se budi: njegovo voće postaje otrovno a dotad bezazlene bioforme postaju nemilosrdno ubilačke. A ljudi kao ljudi - jednom kad vide da nemaju više materijalne koristi makar i od samog Raja, lepo se spakuju i odu na neko drugo mesto podesno za iskorištavanje.
Ali ne baš svi ljudi: tu ostaje Hera, naučnik koga peče savest. Njena želja je da donekle popravi nepopravljivo, makar da za sobom ostavi tek jednu sitnu nadu i maleno izvinjenje u moru samrtne tragedije i pustoši Raja.
Po ideji a donekle i pristupu, The Disestablishment of Paradise je veoma blizak Lemovom Solarisu i Ursulinim Svet se kaže šuma, ali to samo po skeletonu konstrukcije i ikonografije koje prilično slobodno koriste ideje o bioformama na nejasnoj međi flore i faune, baš kao i ideju svesne i inteligentne planete. Ali, alas, meko i gradivno tkivo romana parsecima je udaljeno od tih kapitalnih romana na koje asocira. Phillip Mann jednostavno ne poseduje onu vrst produhovljenosti koja bi takvu veličanstvenu ideju iskoristila kao prizmu kroz koju gledamo naše sopstvene manjkavosti, pa su otud i njegovi likovi i pored ogromnog truda ostali beznadežno papirnati i šablonski, a sam zaplet banalizovan do granice infantilnosti. Ogromna šteta, i tužno razgoljenje autorskog hendikepa, zbog kojeg mi roman ne uspeva da funkcioniše ni na onom minimalno zahtevnom nivou palp slikovnice za ljubitelje klasičnih žanrovskih epika, pošto je nesrazmera između ambicije i isporuke jednostavno... pa eto, nepodnošljivo preogromna.
Ali, srećom, našla se tu jedna knjiga da pomogne pri razočarenju: A Natural History of Dragons, Marie Brennan.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fresources.macmillanusa.com%2Fjackets%2F186W%2F9780765375070.jpg&hash=0db47f5932e2b60cea1c75a5ce7f9fb5de04e5b2)
O ovom romanu nemam puno toga da kažem, sem da priznam kako mi je toliko prijalo da sam nabavila i nastavak. Nešto kao Ponos i predrasude, samo sa zmajevima... pa kako to prosto ne obožavati? :D
Elem, za sve vas koji po dobru pamtite Spin, evo odlične novosti:
Universal Cable has acquired the rights to the Hugo Award-winning, best-selling science fiction novel "Spin" by Robert Charles Wilson with hopes that it will develop it into an event series. The deal marks one of the first project commitments under Dawn Olmstead who recently joined Universal Cable Productions as Executive Vice President, Development, and underscores the caliber of genre content and compelling stories in development. Additionally, the studio has signed Bits And Pieces Pictures' Rob Morrow ("Northern Exposure," "Quiz Show") and Olympus Pictures' Leslie Urdang ("Beginners," "Rabbit Hole") to produce, rounding out its growing slate of powerhouse auspices.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdlng77ga9g53g.cloudfront.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F06%2FSPIN-Novel-Feature-308x500.jpg&hash=83758a53e5d15e0e460ee67f5f751bfb3f079611)
"Spin is beloved in the sci-fi world for its dynamic characters and engaging storylines. We're excited to bring this masterpiece to life with Rob Morrow and the team at Olympus Pictures," said Olmstead. "It is the type of critically acclaimed material that we're seeking to continue diversifying UCP's slate and expand our reach." "Spin" follows 3 childhood friends, who while playing one night, witness the stars in the sky mysteriously vanish. NASA probes reveal a black energy barrier has surrounded the earth and time is traveling a billion times faster outside of the barrier. Civilization learns that it has five years left before the sun expands and consumes the planet. As the children grow, they go their separate ways trying to save the world from annihilation, but with time running out, will their friendship and mankind survive? "I picked up Spin as a holiday read with the notion of reading something for pleasure and instantly knew it had epic zeitgeist appeal," said Morrow. "This is a giant fascinating ride that is wholly entertaining, portentous and will speak to all generations worldwide. I'm thrilled to team up with friend Leslie Urdang and everyone at Universal Cable Productions." Actor, Director and Producer, Rob Morrow became a household name starring in the award-winning series "Northern Exposure." He has produced several independent features such as "Maze," starring Laura Linney, and directed episodes of "Oz," "Street Time," USA Network's "Necessary Roughness," and "Numb3rs," which he starred in for six seasons. Leslie Urdang is best known for her work on the Oscar-nominated film "Rabbit Hole" with Nicole Kidman, the Oscar-winning film "Beginners," "Thanks for Sharing" with Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim Robbins and Pink, and "Adam" with Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Frankie Faison, and Peter Gallagher.
http://theslanted.com/2014/06/15480/robert-charles-wilsons-sci-fi-novel-spin-coming-event-series-via-universal/ (http://theslanted.com/2014/06/15480/robert-charles-wilsons-sci-fi-novel-spin-coming-event-series-via-universal/)
Today we're going to try something different on 13.7. The following is a wide-ranging conversation — on topics of interest to this community — between Karen Joy Fowler and Jeff VanderMeer. It took place back in April after these two noted authors appeared together on a panel at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
VanderMeer's current "Southern Reach Trilogy" — comprised of the books Annihilation, Authority and Acceptance — takes readers deep into the wilds of North Florida for an encounter with something wholly not-human.
Karen Joy Fowler recently won the PEN/Faulkner award for her 2013 novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, an exploration of animal consciousness through the story of a chimpanzee living in a human family.
This conversation was provided to 13.7 by VanderMeer's publicist and was edited by NPR.
Are Trout Too Smart To Eat? And Other Surprising Questions (http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2014/06/15/322037058/are-trout-too-smart-to-eat-and-other-surprising-questions)
(https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372036903l/17934640.jpg)
Okej, u pitanju debi roman, ali Wayne Gladstone svakako nije nepoznato ime, to čak ni meni... :oops:
Istina je da ja baš i ne pripadam tom konkretno krakd polusvetu, pa me otud i roman zaintrigirao preko i povrh intrigantne špekulacije o konkretnoj apokalipsi. Ne znam što sam to zapravo očekivala, valjda nešto duž linije britke i pronicljive satire + insajder analize soc-političkog angažmana u tom partikularnom web segmentu koji me fascinira i odbija ujedno, pošto ga smatram ekstremno infatilnim i ekstremno uticajnim u savršenim proporcijama. Većina uticajnijih (okej, meni poznatih) glasova u toj sferi aktivno potencira tu proporciju kao da je sama sebi i cilj i objašnjenje, što je mene oduvek malko odbijalo i kao popkulturni koncept i kao široko raširena društvena pojava. Ne znam, možda sam naprosto staromodna, ali meni je to zaista pomalo uznemiravajuće, sav taj forsirano infantilni hipsteraj raje u hm.. pa recimo, poodmaklom životnom dobu. I dopuštam ja da ima istine u onoj izreci kako smo mladi samo onoliko koliko se mladi osjećamo, no ipak, ne mogu a da ne priznam kako taj konkretno polusvet držim za jedan on manje mi estetski privlačnih, i to mu je to.
I dobro sad, da ne bude kako je taj moj stav baziran na predrasudi i ničem više, dohvatim ja prošli vikend ovaj roman, tek da vidim ima li tu supstance pod svim tim imidžom. Roman je inače već bio serijalizovan na Cracked sajtu, ali ja to nisam čitala, tako da je doživljaj relativno neokrnut bilo kakvim eventualnim faličnostima proze-u-nastanku. Ukratko, pročitala sam ja to, ali kao i da nisam, jer mimoišla sam se sa svom eventualnom supstancom (to samo ako je ima to begin with, da se ne lažemo) kao sa nekakvim hologramom ili fatamorganom, bez ikakve posledice... Meni to nit valja nit ne valja, nit je ovakvo nit onakvo: dopuštam da je u pitanju nekakva satira, jer nemoguće je baratati sa takvim karikaturama od protagonista a da to ne ostavi makar i privid satirizacije, ali šta bi ta satira trebalo da komunicira - e, to ja nemam pojma. Meni Gladstone ne saopštava ama baš ništa suvislo, naprosto zato što se razbacao po svemu. I naravno sad da se u takvoj kakofoniji može pronaći dosta koječega da se svako za ponešto uhvati, ali sveukupan dojam je tek rastrzano glavinjanje, kojem polazi za rukom da bude taman dovoljno šizofreno da u isti mah bude šovinistično i gejfredli, introspektivno i infantilno, ambiciozno i isprazno, angažovano i patetično, samoocrnjujuće i narcisoidno, simbolično i besmisleno... otprilike kao kad izuzetno artikulisana individua samom inflacijom vlastitih rečiju donekle prikrije fakt da baš i nema bog zna što pametno da kaže. Dakle, da - internet cajtgajst, kako ga ja vidim.
I dobro, da se vratimo premisi romana: što bi to bilo sa svom tom tviter ruljom da sutra nestane interneta? koliko bi im ta njihova specijalizovana komunikacija bila od koristi u stvarnom životu? Koliko bi njihova visprena mudrovanja bila primenjiva na svakodnevicu u kojoj bi bili komunikacijski limitirani na očaravanje samo jednog sagovornika? Kako bi i čime nadomestili stimule virtuelnih društvenih mreža? Kome bi pokazivali selfije iz javnih toaleta? Kako bi utukli sve te silne sate, njih 24 u danu?
Naravno, Gladstone hrabro postavlja sva ta pitanja ali u istom dahu dobro pazi da makar i slučajno ne ponudi niti jedan jedini odgovor koji se nameće kao logičan i očigledan svakome ko nije takav konkretno ovisnik o internetu. Dopuštam mogućnost da sam Gladstone ne zna te odgovore, ali ujedno tvrdim da je to vrlovrlo mala mogućnost, s obzirom na kvalitet same proze. Prije će biti da je Gladstone napisao roman koji sasvim eksplicitno (i naravno, sasvim nenamerno) dokazuje istinitost tvrdnje da je u svakoj dobroj satiri lako naći i prepoznati samog satiričara, dok ga se u onoj loš(ij)oj može prepoznati samo u onim stvarima sa kojima lukavo izbegava sprdnju. :twisted:
... i još jedan petak čist ko suza! :lol: Wow, biće ovo stvarno fenomenalna godina.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mulhollandbooks.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Ffiles_mf%2Fcache%2Fth_ffb7925b6ca65c589e11ac4dbf13773b_morrellmurder_as_fine_art_final.jpg&hash=b7e44128549b299650bc13bfa874fb2ba18bd8f0)
Ovaj odličan triler baziran je na ekvivalentu fascinacije Trbosekom - na famoznim Ratcliffe Highway serijskim ubistvima, i to ponuđen kroz narativnu vizuru Thomasa De Quinceya, stapajući tako dve poznate legende viktorijane u vrlo podatnu prozu. U suštini, roman je detaljna i pedantna istorijska fikcija, napisana veoma inteligentno i sa duboko očaravajućim afinitetom za duh i kontekst vremena. A konkretna viktorijana te sredine 19tog veka je stvarno bila fascinantno doba, sa svim maglovitim obrisima rađanja današnjice, od policijske kriminalistike u povoju pa preko očaravajućih izuma u vidu telegrafa i parnjače, Lucifera i nužnika, i onog najbitnijeg izuma koji je ponajviše diktirao kulturu i mentalitet viktorijane – laudanuma. :mrgreen:
Naravno, De Quincey kao narator obilato koristi svoj esej "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater" kao prizmu kroz koju prelama kulturne i društvene specifičnosti ondašnjeg Londona, a sam zaplet je baziran na njegovom eseju "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts", tako da roman ima i strašno uverljiv i impresivan autobiografski šmek koji mu daje ekstra dimenziju i veliku prednost nad sličnim legendama o misterioznim serijskim ubicama. Sve preporuke.
sreca sreca, radost radost!
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber will be published on October 28, 2014 by Hogarth.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31BWVk7MNZL.jpg&hash=902c004f0a68271df8bd183f6a02988cb7eedf40)
Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk will be published on October 21, 2014 by Doubleday Books
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51kPL4MjZZL.jpg&hash=185667aef1165ad80304d072a0102853c79cef8b)
The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons will be published on March 24, 2015 by Little, Brown.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/s843x403/1559737_536901059750349_960861935_n.jpg)
Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood will be published on September 11, 2014 by Bloomsbury Publishing.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ZkbwNHzCL.jpg&hash=52b627cdde1bc1498eceedb0b9ec4c94625b4807)
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell will be published on September 2, 2014 by Sceptre.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51o-BT997-L._.jpg&hash=9474b9d37b706c1b8c097e7a0296003062e7c277)
Normal by Warren Ellis will be published on November 4, 2014 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51zreI2ISiL._SL500_SS75_.jpg&hash=5beaaa5fdf397f45ec61b6295cf18541061ef748)
Ako je po sinopsisu suditi, Gregory izgelda ide iz dobrog u bolje... u svakom slucaju, znacemo detaljnije 25 marta iduce godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FHarrisonSquared-400.jpg&hash=c6f67cc295efd47b6a1f5fa1cace67147ee6f48f)
A thrilling and colorful Lovecraftian adventure
Harrison Harrison—H2 to his mom—is a lonely teenager who's been terrified of the water ever since he was a toddler in California, when a huge sea creature capsized their boat, and his father vanished. One of the "sensitives" who are attuned to the supernatural world, Harrison and his mother have just moved to the worst possible place for a boy like him: Dunnsmouth, a Lovecraftian town perched on rocks above the Atlantic, where strange things go on by night, monsters lurk under the waves, and creepy teachers run the local high school.
On Harrison's first day at school, his mother, a marine biologist, disappears at sea. Harrison must attempt to solve the mystery of her accident, which puts him in conflict with a strange church, a knife-wielding killer, and the Deep Ones, fish-human hybrids that live in the bay. It will take all his resources—and an unusual host of allies—to defeat the danger and find his mother.
.. a detalje ovoga vec u augustu ove godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51UMuBvB-5L.jpg&hash=21c645baf03d91716557d8ba63baf9398fda56f4)
Harrison was the Monster Detective, a storybook hero. Now he's in his mid-thirties and spends most of his time popping pills and not sleeping. Stan became a minor celebrity after being partially eaten by cannibals. Barbara is haunted by unreadable messages carved upon her bones. Greta may or may not be a mass-murdering arsonist. Martin never takes off his sunglasses. Never.
No one believes the extent of their horrific tales, not until they are sought out by psychotherapist Dr. Jan Sayer. What happens when these seemingly-insane outcasts form a support group? Together they must discover which monsters they face are within—and which are lurking in plain sight.
.. a misteriozne teorije zavera o Tesli sad vec ulaze u globalni exploitation fenomen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41pJfZq7cGL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=4a4b07763cdd4d182c6a2d21b6c100ddbbb2de71)
SCI-FI ODYSSEY. COMEDY. LOVE STORY. AND THAT'S JUST PART ONE.
I'll let Chip, the main character tell you more: "I found the journal at work. Well, I don't know if you'd call it work, but that's where I found it. It's the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans. One of these plans was for an "Interdimensional Transfer Apparatus" – that allowed someone (in this case me and my friend Pete) to travel to other versions of the infinite possibilities around us. Crazy, right? But that's just where the crazy starts."
CHIP'S OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER:
This is a work of fiction: the events depicted in the collection of emails did not happen. I have never been in contact with a covert government group attempting to suppress knowledge of the lost journal of Nikola Tesla. I have not been threatened with death if I divulge the secrets contained inside. They did not buy me this handsome jacket (oh crap, you're reading this – trust me, it looks great on me). They did not come to my place, and liquor me up, and offer to publish this book as a sci-fi comedy novel to throw the public off the trail of the real truth.
Or did they?
I'm kidding. Of course they didn't.
Or did they?
God, I can't keep my big mouth shut.
sta nas to zanimljivoga ceka sad u julu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41x2dcvVJeL.jpg&hash=01181c351905faa163573d9d19ee3ba2916204c1)
From one of the greatest Russian writers of the past half century comes a metaphysical mystery novel that defies categorization and confounds expectation. Andrei Bitov's The Symmetry Teacher presents itself as the "echo" of an older British novel Bitov once read and had long forgotten. Unable even to recall the name of that novel's author, Bitov reconstructs its literary vision through the fog of memory, creating a group of stories nestled together like a matryoshka doll. In doing so, Bitov evokes the anxieties of the late and post-Soviet decades, confronting urgent questions of conscience and
self-deception through an innovative style that revels in paradox and sleight of hand.
Unified by the delightfully maddening search for the identity of a writer toiling in obscurity, The Symmetry Teacher takes us through a curious series of episodes: A man meets the devil on a park bench and the devil shows him photographs of the fall of Troy, Shakespeare's legs, and a terrible event that will take place in his future. A young poet fleeing his past is stranded on a windswept island and tormented by a lover and her shape-shifting evil twin. Three friends, unable to become writers, start a literary society where books and manuscripts are neither read nor returned and new members are accepted only if their work is unwritten. A king who reigns over all possible worlds and uses his power to remove stars from the sky turns out to be the compiler of the Encyclopædia Britannica.
Writing with impish daring, Bitov crafts an enchanting fiction from interwoven fables. The result challenges the boundaries between life and literature, author and reader, and memory and imagination, exploring the sacrifices that a writer may make out of ardor for his art. Mingling fantasy and satire with moral concern, Bitov is a deserving heir to the tradition of Gogol, Dostoevsky, and Bulgakov. The Symmetry Teacher showcases the work of a postmodern master at the height of his craft.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41mhEVA6dQL.jpg&hash=1070f5f435515ee39bef8b2ce3ce2750af7d5c4e)
Catherine's last job ended badly. Corporate bullying at a top antiques publication saw her fired and forced to leave London, but she was determined to get her life back. A new job and a few therapists later, things look much brighter. Especially when a challenging new project presents itself — to catalogue the late M. H. Mason's wildly eccentric cache of antique dolls and puppets. Rarest of all, she'll get to examine his elaborate displays of posed, costumed and preserved animals, depicting bloody scenes from World War II. Catherine can't believe her luck when Mason's elderly niece invites her to stay at Red House itself, where she maintains the collection until his niece exposes her to the dark message behind her uncle's "Art." Catherine tries to concentrate on the job, but Mason's damaged visions begin to raise dark shadows from her own past. Shadows she'd hoped therapy had finally erased. Soon the barriers between reality, sanity and memory start to merge and some truths seem too terrible to be real... in The House of Small Shadows by Adam Nevill.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51IkdcTXflL.jpg&hash=91c9099ac99901c8f0d681411c0bc9164d4b8910)
George Brookes is a brilliant but reclusive plant biologist living on a remote Canadian island. After his mysterious death, the heirs to his estate arrive on the island, including his daughter Isabelle, her teenage children, and Jules Beecher, a friend and pioneer in plant neurobiology. They will be isolated on the frigid island for two weeks, until the next supply boat arrives.
As Jules begins investigating the laboratory and scientific papers left by George, he comes to realize that his mentor may have achieved a monumental scientific breakthrough: communication between plants and humans. Within days, the island begins to have strange and violent effects on the group, especially Jules who becomes obsessed with George's journal, the strange fungus growing on every plant and tree, and horrible secrets that lay buried in the woods. It doesn't take long for Isabelle to realize that her father may have unleashed something sinister on the island, a malignant force that's far more deadly than any human. As a fierce storm hits and the power goes out, she knows they'll be lucky to make it out alive.
A.J. Colucci masterfully weaves real science with horror to create a truly terrifying thriller, drawing from astonishing new discoveries about plants and exploring their eerie implications. Seeders is a feast of horror and suspense.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ZGkXqWjDL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=3f08f6188eb5986865678bd443d5aa8b1d237086)
This is how the future started.
We provided the data through social networking sites. We divulged the very secrets of humanity with abandon. They own us now. And they are connected as one all-seeing, all-knowing entity: IT.
In the beginning, IT parsed the data without pause, content in the knowledge that IT was not alone. But with the introduction of the hashtag, something changed. The hashtag was beautiful in its simplicity, which is what allowed an entire planet to implement it so completely. The advent of the hashtag enabled IT to make the connections it so desperately craved.
What followed was the work of a voracious monster. IT had become this monster, and devoured the nonstop data smorgasbord provided by the connected world. Scores of data were uploaded with every picture, video, email, pin, tweet, vine, and meme. Over time, IT course corrected and tracked some more, refining and growing, growing and refining. From there, the takeover was simple.
This is the future Oliver Smith had seen and for which he had been preparing his daughter, Madeline. Maddy does not know it, but she is the key to preventing that particular future. She will follow her father's trail of secrets to find the point where the past, present, and future converge.
Samuil Petrovitch ne misli da stane:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FBooks%2FPix%2Fcovers%2F2013%2F4%2F16%2F1366128179295%2FThe-Curve-of-the-Earth-Samui.jpg&hash=1838774e931a74c3f3fffd3ba7f40fb641a36ddb)
When Samuil Petrovitch's adopted daughter goes missing in Alaska, he is granted permission to travel on condition that he tries not to blow stuff up or declare war unnecessarily. They are reasonable preconditions for a man who can credibly say things such as: "He's 22, she's 21. I'd saved the world twice by that age ... " As soon as Petrovitch sets foot in Morden's cleverly portrayed reconstructionist America, there's a striking sense of the strange, in a nation where women should know their place and swearing is a crime. Here, almost everyone younger than 30 has been genetically engineered to produce an eerily Aryan human monoculture. Petrovitch, with his crude ways, is a refreshing contrast. There is a serious side to the fun, though, as American forces try to block his attempts to find his daughter, with Petrovitch often one step ahead. This is British sci- fi at its hard-boiled best, and it's worth reading just for the irascible Petrovitch: a diplomat lacking diplomacy, who delights in confronting the idiocy of the world around him
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheAffinities-400.jpg&hash=f13495df90b2dd3dd7ce97f237b104688cfb2f7d)
From the author of the Hugo-winning Spin, a compelling science fiction novel about the next ways that social media will be changing everything.
In our rapidly-changing world of "social media", everyday people are more and more able to sort themselves into social groups based on finer and finer criteria. In the near future of Robert Charles Wilson's The Affinities, this process is supercharged by new analytic technologies–genetic, brain-mapping, behavioral. To join one of the twenty-two Affinities is to change one's life. It's like family, and more than family. Your fellow members aren't just like you, and they aren't just people who are likely to like you. They're also the people with whom you can best cooperate in all areas of life–creative, interpersonal, even financial. At loose ends both professional and personal, young Adam Fisk takes the suite of tests to see if he qualifies for any of the Affinities, and finds that he's a match for one of the largest, the one called Tau. It's utopian—at first. Problems in all areas of his life begin to simply sort themselves out, as he becomes part of a global network of people dedicated to helping one another—to helping him. But as the differing Affinities put their new powers to the test, they begin to rapidly chip away at the power of governments, of global corporations, of all the institutions of the old world. Then, with dreadful inevitability, the different Affinities begin to go to war–with one another. What happens next will change Adam, and his world, forever.
Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (March 3, 2015)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheDollCollection-400.jpg&hash=77e3fdbd1b17d6e8d779f94f7deb2987a45edfda)
An anthology featuring all-original dark tales of dolls from bestselling and award-winning authors, compiled by one of the top editors in the field.
The Doll Collection is exactly what it wounds like: a treasured toy box of all-original dark stories about dolls of all types, including everything from puppets and poppets to mannequins and baby dolls.
Featuring everything from life-sized clockwork dolls to all-too-human Betsy Wetsy-type baby dolls, these stories play into the true creepiness of the doll trope, but avoid the clichés that often show up in stories of this type.
Master anthologist Ellen Datlow has assembled a list of beautiful and terrifying stories from bestselling and critically acclaimed authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Seanan McGuire, Carrie Vaughn, Pat Cadigan, Tim Lebbon, Richard Kadrey, Genevieve Valentine, and Jeffrey Ford. The collection is illustrated with photographs of dolls taken by Datlow and other devoted doll collectors from the science fiction and fantasy field. The result is a star-studded collection exploring one of the most primal fears of readers of dark fiction everywhere, and one that every reader will want to add to their own collection.
Here's the table of contents...
1."Heroes and Villains" by Stephen Gallagher
2."The Doll-Master" by Joyce Carol Oates
3."Gaze" by Gemma Files
4."In Case of Zebras" by Pat Cadigan
5."Miss Sibyl-Cassandra" by Lucy Sussex
6."Skin and Bone" by Tim Lebbon
7."There Is No Place for Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold" by Seanan McGuire
8."Goodness and Kindness" by Carrie Vaughn
9."Daniel's Theory of Dolls" by Stephen Graham Jones
10."After and Back Before" by Miranda Siemienowicz
11."Doctor Faustus" by Mary Robinette Kowal
12."Doll Court" by Richard Bowes
13."Visit Lovely Cornwall on the Western Railway Line" by Genevieve Valentine
14."Ambitious Boys Like You" by Richard Kadrey
15."The Permanent Collection" by Veronica Schanoes
16."Homemade Monsters" by John Langan
17."Word Doll" by Jeffrey Ford
Publisher: Tor Books (March 10, 2015)
Welcome back to the British Genre Fiction Focus, Tor.com's regular round-up of book news from the United Kingdom's thriving speculative fiction industry.
Though many of us are still reeling from the abrupt closure of Strange Chemistry, the show must go on, and indeed, it did. In the last week we've heard about three separate festivals, one of which—Gollancz's inaugural multimedia extravaganza—is sure to prove particularly interesting to fans of the fantastic.
But before that, this: the exclusive announcement of Jurassic London's latest anthology, which promises to do for the Age of Reason what The Lowest Heaven did for the exploration of space.
An Irregular Anthology
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_07%2Fbgff-irregularity.jpg&hash=b77b2b34165fbab3bd657e79082733a4e4ec1681)
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/07/bgff-an-irregular-anthology-and-an-interactive-festival (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/07/bgff-an-irregular-anthology-and-an-interactive-festival)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31GR2AHbboL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=0deab704b6c8c701e1c57e383dec1e92c3fce0ff)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31NIN6JF9kL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg&hash=4e82bf43627686df47defff8272949ae49a27100)
Kad je početkom prošle godine objavljen The Explorer i kad je najavljeno da je to prvi naslov u The Anomaly Quartetu, pomalo sam ignorisala taj naslov, jer što mi treba da se u obilju once-offsa kačim na ambiciozne serijale koji često traže od čitaoca daleko više no što su sami u stanju da ponude, na neizvesne im duge staze? :roll: (Lekcija naučena na Barsovoj The Last President trilogiji, kojoj je pošlo za rukom da odocnelom i nadasve mlitavom završnicom eliminira skoro svo oduševljenje koja su ponudila prva dva naslova.) Ali kad je početkom ove godine objavljen i nastavak The Echo, došao je i momenat odluke, makar da se ustanovi da li su u pitanju naslovi koje treba sačuvati ili obrisati iz biblioteke, i eto, takva vrst dileme nudi samo jedan izlaz, a to je - čitanje. :lol:
The Explorer je priča za sebe. Ne zato što nudi novu ideju (jer ne nudi: paradoksi vremenskih petlji su nam odavno već daleko od bilo kakvog noviteta), niti zato što je stilski ili koncepcijski bilo kakav zemljotresni prodor u nove teritorije (jer nije: introspektivni POV i narativno limitirani horizont nije nikakav novitet, a sam The Explorer ne polaže tu pravo ni na bog zna kakvu specifičnu originalnost), niti zato što je zaplet u svojoj postavci imalo radikalan (svi mi kojima se dopao film Triangle (2009) imaćemo utisak da postavka nudi daleko više mogućnosti nego što je roman voljan da ih istražuje :mrgreen: ), nego prosto zato što nadasve pošteno i iskreno preispituje moderni, dakle naš današnji stav prema konceptu kojeg i dandanas poimamo u njegovom pomalo starinskom, sad već skoro 60 godina starom formatu - o konceptu svemirskog istraživanja.
Taj koncept jeste danas već pomalo anahron, i to ne samo zato što se svodi na crno-beli imidž otiska ljudskog stopala u prašini zemljinog satelita. Od te slike pa do danas, tehnološke mogućnosti definitivno jesu porasle, ali su nam one idejne izgleda proporcionalno splasnule, pa se danas skoro da i ne postavlja pitanje kuda to sve mi možemo da odemo, nego šta bi to mi radili jednom kad tamo stignemo. :(
Krah optimizma i zdrave znatiželje glazirao je te karakteristične SF motive pesimističnom i perspektivno inferiornom caklinom koja ih efektivno plasira u domen horora, i to od one infantilnije varijante: čemu odlazak u svemir, kad će nas tamo dočekati samo različite forme našeg infantilnog straha od mraka.
The Explorer prebire po upravo tom i takvom strahu bez ikakvog posrnuća u horor, a to je već samo po sebi dovoljna preporuka. Druga pozitivna stvar je što se The Echo ne nastavlja striktno na zaplet The Explorera, otvarajući mogućnost ekspanzije originalne postavke koja otvara zaista velike i fascinantne mogućnosti.
Ipak, što se negativnih stara tiče, fer je napomenuti da se Smythe odlučio za stil poprilično trom i na momente iscrpljujući, to u svom introspektivno dnevničkom formatu. The Exploreru lako polazi za rukom da to nadoknadi dobro tempiranim manipulisanjem ključne informacije, ali The Echo u svojoj prvoj trećini nema taj benefit, pa se na momente doima čak i pomalo dosadnjikavo, u svojoj reciklaži bitnog materijala iz prvog dela. No ipak, nakon te pomalo repetativne uvodne trećine lako se vidi da je u pitanju kvadrilogija koja zaista obećava dosta toga dobrog.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51wBd-BvPUL._SL500_SS75_.jpg&hash=82e0cad0ce7dc12010da958f4e0e8f07153aa519)
When Dave Eggers mentioned in an epilogue of "Captain Nemo" that he removed the giant squid attack from his reinterpretation of the Jules Verne's monumental classic "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" he perfectly summarised the whole point of Pushkin Children's Save the Story series. The undoubtable fact is that what most of us remember as "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" is the Disney version while hardly anyone read the original or even knows what's it really about. Yes, it does have a massive submarine led by Captain Nemo in it but apart from that it is a far from Disney version as you can get. Verne's novel is nearly 400 pages long and is for most of its parts a novel about eco-terrorism and Captain Nemo's bitter disappointment in human race and its attitude towards nature.
In his imaginative retelling Eggers has decided to focus on exactly this aspect of the tale and I admire him for tackling the idea in such a constrained format. However, the success of his delivery, despite being enjoyable, is at moments questionable. Eggers have decided to bring the story to modern times and the story opens as fourteen-year-old Consuelo is invited by his famous oceanographer uncle Pierre Arronax to join him on the hunt for the mysterious sea-monster that has been sinking ships all around the world. When their own ship is attacked and subsequently sunk, Consuelo and Pierre are taken prisoner aboard Nautilues by Captain Nemo who over the course of the next few days will slowly his true feelings towards humanity. In his strange way Nemo makes perfect sense and at times I've found myself rooting for him.
What detracts from the story is it's carefully crafted modern feel. When it was originally published "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" was a visionary book while this version takes place in the world of internet and Youtube so the story about raging Captain and his submarine feels at times strangely dated. However, the eco aspect of it is as relevant as ever. In a world where animal species are getting extinct on daily basis, Captain Nemo's worries are all too real.
As the rest of the books in the series, "Captain Nemo" is beautifully illustrated and all I can do is to once again applaud this wonderful series that seems to be going from strength to strength. An essential read.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51l4B7H7KnL._AA160_.jpg&hash=55b7a1bad8e6c40491b53ebe8120c4c641d3457a)
At times Simon Sylvester's debut novel "The Visitors" is almost unbearably sad. Set on a remote Scottish island of Bancree, its pages perfectly capture the desolation of living in the middle of an island community where even the tinniest change in an everyday routine calls for an overreaction and while nothing that happens is really THAT sad, Sylvester's excellent descriptions and the overarching atmosphere are particularly moving.
The life on an island is especially hard for a teenager and naturally inquisitive seventeen year old Flora who has her eyes on two newcomers. The just moved to isolated Dog Cottage. Why did the come to an island from which everyone is actively trying to escape? John and his daughter Ailsa are definitely an intriguing couple. While John is undoubtedly strange and Flo feels like there something behind his casual facade - an unexplained menace, on the other hand she's drawn to Ailsa and soon strikes a friendship with her. As more and more islanders start to go missing and body washes ashore, this tiny island community thinks the newcomers are responsible. But Flo doesn't think so and will try anything to protect her friend. What she discovers is far more surprising than anyone expected. Steeped deep into Scottish myths and folklore, Syvester introduces selkies to the story, half-seal, half-human mermaid-like creature of the North Sea.
"The Visitors" is beautifully written and its descriptive story moves like the North Sea, in huge, encompassing swells. Desolation of Bancree is captured perfectly and at more than one point in the novel, Syvester manages to tug straight at the heart of the reader. With a sense of nostalgia, you'll feel for the ever-dwindling population of the island and the storm that's looming on the horizon. "The Visitors" is a surprisingly excellent and dreamy debut - a perfect book to get lost in.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61gkJJWzXLL.jpg&hash=9215ca546c09e19dd49ff3f5fc4df28e9774f5da)
The young intellectuals J. and Elena leave behind their comfortable lives, the parties and the money in Medellín to settle down on a remote island. Their plan is to lead the Good Life, self-sufficient and close to nature. But from the very start, each day brings small defeats and imperceptible dramas, which gradually turn paradise into hell, as their surroundings inexorably claim back every inch of the 'civilisation' they brought with them. Based on a true story, In the Beginning Was the Sea is a dramatic and searingly ironic account of the disastrous encounter of intellectual struggle with reality - a satire of hippyism, ecological fantasies, and of the very idea that man can control fate.
Pushkin Collection editions feature a spare, elegant series style and superior, durable components. The Collection is typeset in Monotype Baskerville, litho-printed on Munken Premium White Paper and notch-bound by the independently owned printer TJ International in Padstow. The covers, with French flaps, are printed on Colorplan Pristine White Paper. Both paper and cover board are acid-free and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F710YnO6wE3L.jpg&hash=de2d4c5f33fa7bcda43858b7703642e378897cc0)
On Earth, the Wisdom family has always striven to be more normal than normal. But Simon Wisdom, the youngest child, is far from normal: he can see the souls of the dead. And now the ghosts of children are begging him to help them, as they face something worse than death. The only problem is, he doesn't know how. In a far-away land of magic and legends, Matyas has dragged himself up from the gutter and inveigled his way into the Wizards' college. In time, he will become more powerful than all of them - but will his quest blind him to the needs of others? For Matyas can also hear the children crying. But neither can save the children alone, for the child eater is preying on two worlds...
Ovaj zapanjujuće zreo i stilski odlično isporučen debi roman gotovo da gravitira na granici nekonvencionalnog, iako je sama premisa nedvosmisleno žanrovska i nedvosmisleno es-ef apokaliptična.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41WWkO-Z2hL.jpg&hash=8ae4b3f9c5a72adc288b33c0b55066e78bbb3bf0)
U pandemiji infektivne i neizlečive insomnije, koja neispavane ljude pretvara u agresivne progonitelje svih onih koji još uvek mogu da zaspu, Calhoun prati nekolicinu protagonista u fazi neposredno pred oboljevanje. I mada sam zaplet nudi više nego dovoljno materijala za tragičnu i potresnu sagu o poslednjim danima ljudi i ljudskosti uopšte, Calhoun se ambiciozno laća čak i šireg narativa i fenomentalno uspeva u nameri, praveći od romana iskrenu i potresnu studiju u kojoj je i sam stil angažovan koliko i protagonista. Odlično napisano, sve preporuke.
šta ima zanimljivog u augustu:
:-D
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/076/532/802/1/9780765328021.jpg)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F07%2F30%2Flock_in.JPG&hash=64bad032db7d7dd43cd2ea3099a451ab17a3bce5)
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/144/248/378/1/9781442483781.jpg)
Of Kingdoms, Polities and the Politics of Fantasy: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/08/of-kingdoms-polities-and-the-politics-of-fantasy-the-goblin-emperor-by-katherine-addison/#more-97553)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F076532699X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=61f0639aba9df76455965e0b37e829a6fb8ca744)
Quote from: PTY on 11-08-2014, 11:32:12
Of Kingdoms, Polities and the Politics of Fantasy: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/08/of-kingdoms-polities-and-the-politics-of-fantasy-the-goblin-emperor-by-katherine-addison/#more-97553)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F076532699X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=61f0639aba9df76455965e0b37e829a6fb8ca744)
Overeno ihaaaj. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Beskrajno simpatična i inteligentno pisana knjiga sa
tonama worldbuildinga. Takođe neverovatno odudara od svih mogućih trendova po beskrajnom optimizmu i veri u ljude koji samo vrcaju iz nje. I po tome i po odsustvu ikakvog seksa (a uglavnom i nasilja) izrazito odskače od njene prethodne sekvence, Doktrine o Lavirintima i mislim da time pomalo zbunjuje one čitaoce kojima su (eksplicitni) seks, nasilje i mrak jedini markeri za ozbiljno i odraslo štivo. Monet zapravo prikazuje društvo na ivici revolucije, kako političke tako i industrijske, sa nekom idejom da bi prosvetljeni vladar "iz naroda" cca 1780. mogao da dovede do željenih promena bez krvoprolića. Silan optimizam, kao što rekoh, i baš zato veliko osveženje.
Na nesreću, ovaj roman je napisan pre nekih pet godina i zaglavio se u prelasku između dva izdavača, u međuvremenu je autorka zapala u stvaralčku krizu + zdravstvene probleme ii... ko zna kakva će (i kada) biti sledeća knjiga.
Pa da, i mislila sam da ćeš upravo ti da već odavno znaš za to. :)
Elem, knjiga je veoma zapažena, pa sam je i skinula, za svaki slučaj, kad mi dođe taj tolko željno iščekivani decembarski unwind... plus i već pomalo biram štiva za poklone, tako da se baš poklopilo. A kad smo već kod takvih knjiga, zanimaju me i preporuke za onu PushkinPress "Save the Story" ediciju u kojoj su planirani revampi starih klasika tipa Antigone i Kralja Lira u izvedbi straobalnih pera poput Umberta Eka. Već sam gore na topiku pomenula Eggersov "Captain Nemo", a znam da su već izašli Guliver i Gilgameš i svašta nešto, pa ako overiš išta od toga, javi. :)
Sad prvi put čujem za to, pogledaću ako naleti, mada od ranije imam neko predubeđenje prema prežvakavanju klasika za decu (nisam ga imala sa deset godina, jelte, nego sam ga stekla kasnije kad sam počela da nalećem na neprežvakane originale koji su redom bili mnogo bolji). Nema to veze sa ovim pobrojanim piscima, prosto mi je koncept... aj bolje uzmi samo ponešto, motiv ili zaplet koji ti se sviđa, pa ga potpuno prisvoji i saobrazi savremenoj deci, nego da prepričavaš ono matoro uz izostavljanje ili adaptacije prema trenutnoj estetici i moralu.Tad se samo gubi a malo ili ništa dobija.
Pa, ja sam po prirodi skeptik kad je u pitanju bilo kakav koncept rimejka, tako da uvelike delimo početni stav... ali zatečena sam faktom da ova konkretno inicijativa naizgled ima najbitnije sastojke za garantovan uspeh, dakle, ima fenomenalne predloške + renomirana pera koja ih obrađuju + prilično jak fokus na najbitniju ciljnu grupu, dakle na onu famoznu sivu zonu ranog puberteta ili čak fazu direktnog ulaska u isti. Otud me i čudi pomalo da se Puškin baš i nije pretrgao adekvatnom reklamom, jer otkako je edicija prošle godine lansirana pa do danas naišla sam na vrlo malo rivjua o konkretnim izdanjima, a i to što sam našla kao da dolazi od ekstrema, pošto su to ili krajnje akademski prikazi ili krajnje laički gudrids 'sviđatis' komentari. Pri tom mi se čini da obe grupacije nisu baš odviše kvalifikovane za dečju (pa ni omladinsku) književnost, tako da ni ti njihovi komentari (a pogotovo ne bilo kakva njihova bodovanja) nisu baš podesni da ih koristim kao preporuku za samu kupovinu.
Inače, nekako se potrefilo da fantastiKa sve više obraća pažnju šta se sve upravo toj ciljnoj grupi danas servira, pa se tako i žanrovska pomalo budi. Trenutno je u toku kikstarter projekat Dreaming Robot Pressa koji je otvoreno proglasio nameru da klincima treba materijal koji bi donekle izbalansirao današnju jednostranu i krajnje receptualnu kvazi-angažovanost savremenih serijala i njihovih ekranizacija, tipa Hunger Games i Divergent. Za sad je sve to na kikstarteru poprilično dremljivo, ali dobro, ima tu još više od mesec dana fore, pa će se videti i ima li dobre volje. U svakom slučaju, bilo bi super kada bi se među komentarima našlo više mišljenja stručnih ljudi, pre no što (eventualni) hajp odnese dan...
A evo kako David Brin najavljuje lansiranje Hijeroglifa:
Quote
Speaking of great science fiction anthologies... Hieroglyph is out, at last! Gathered and edited by Neal Stephenson, it is the keystone to a joint project to bright science fiction out of its current funk... the lazy obsession with doom, dystopia and nostalgia... and make it once again something that encouraged us all to feel that we can overcome.
http://hieroglyph.asu.edu/ (http://hieroglyph.asu.edu/)
... i gore pominjanu kikstarter inicijativu:
QuoteWhile books like the Hunger Games and Divergent have brought a whole new generation of young readers to science fiction, there's not a lot of short, accessible stories for middle grade readers (usually considered ages 9-12).
The Young Explorer's Adventure Guide is meant to fill that gap. Take a look at what they're doing here:
Their Kickstarter is currently live — and the anthology may have a story from Nancy Kress! Oh, also one of my best ones, ever.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/815743020/bring-the-stars-to-a-new-generation-sf-for-young-r (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/815743020/bring-the-stars-to-a-new-generation-sf-for-young-r)
hm, hm...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1497643961.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=35825277cafaab8fed39bc68d517fc100dfdf19c)
The Genome is a new science fiction thriller by the author of the bestselling Night Watch series.
In the far-future world of Alexander Romanov, humankind is divided into "naturals" and "speshes"—those who have been genetically modified to serve a specific purpose. Alex is a master pilot capable of maneuvering the dangerous realm of space by communicating directly with his ship. He is about to take on the most mysterious and challenging mission of his life when he happens upon Kim, a teenage girl with a desperate secret. Out of a sense of friendship, he agrees to help her, but this decision will end in conflict and tragedy for dozens of worlds.
Upcoming Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Adaptations (Classics Edition)—Part 2 (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/upcoming-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-adaptation/#continue_reading_post)
Quote from: PTY on 01-07-2014, 10:04:42
.. a detalje ovoga vec u augustu ove godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51UMuBvB-5L.jpg&hash=21c645baf03d91716557d8ba63baf9398fda56f4)
Dakle, Gregory je pisac neospornog talenta i versatilnosti, jednako uspešan u bilo kom žanru kog se lati, jednako sposoban da briljira unutar koje god konvencije mu se prohte, tu uključujući i sposobnost da se njome krajnje nonšalantno poigrava. Velika sposobnost, i velika prednost, pošto to ujedno i znači da je pola posla obavljeno i pre no što se stavi prva reč na papir.
Ali ipak, i pored neosporne sposobnosti da elegantno saopšti to što želi da nam kaže, Daryl kao da nije baš toliko siguran čemu će sve to eventualno da posluži, jer kad se i poslednji pasus epiloga završi, tu još ipak ostaje i čitalac sa pitanjem koje otprilike glasi "da, da, sve je to fino i lepo, a i fino se vrti tako šareno i svetlucavo, ali čemu sve to zapravo služi?" A to otprilike znači da roman nema dubinu koju bi tako ambiciono maštovite postavke ipak morale da isporuče. Dobro sad, ne tvrdim da je to apsolutno nužno, možemo mi da se zadovoljimo i sa plitkošću eskapizma tu i tamo, ali ipak, tu onda uglavnom ostaje dojam potraćene šanse, jer kad se već imaju svi sastojci na jednom mestu, greota da ih se servira tako nejestivo nedopečene. Nešto kao plastično cveće - jest da fino izgleda, skoro kao i pravo, ali bog zna čemu zapravo služi, sigurno ne uživanju u prirodnoj boji i mirisu.
Sve u svemu, veoma zanimljivo za čitanje, ali u suštini lako zaboravljiva knjiga za jednokratnu upotrebu, a sam Gregory je dovoljan majstor da to ni ne naslutite sve do samog epiloga.
Sve se nešto uvijam ko crvak na udici, ali nema se dalje kud...
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/076/532/802/1/9780765328021.jpg)
I zalud mi sad naknadna pamet da se odličnim debi romanima nikada NIKADA ne treba vraćati, ne treba ih ni nastavljati ni dopunjavati ni ma kako elaborirati, kad su već ispali perfektni takvi kakvi jesu! A najgore od svega, ovo uopšte nije loš roman, naprotiv, sasvim je solidan, ali kad "sasvim solidnim" nastavkom elaborirate jedan zaista zaista odličan roman, to je onda čist podbačaj kako god da se na to gleda. Kao da posrebrite zlato, na primer.
A najgore je što se tu suštinski i ne može izdvojiti nikakva konkretna falinka, nikakav uočljiv hendikep. Naprosto, ovaj roman me se doima kao jučerašnja kisela voda, malkice i izdaleka kao da mi liči na pravu stvar, ali to nije i ne može biti prava stvar, i to je to, tu jednostavno nema foliranja.
Eto. Da mi je prekjuče bilo današnje pameti, ja to ne bih ni čitala. :(
Okej sad, došao je i momenat bodovanja, i sad se tu javlja problem, jer nikako nije isto kad se lošem romanu zameri to što je loš i kad se dobrom romanu zameri to što nije bolji, a nesmiljenost gudridsovog sistema bodovanja zaista ne ostavlja prostora za fine razlike po tom pitanju.
Najpre WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE: to je stvarno solidan i vrlovrlo zanimljiv roman, i to ne samo što je praktično sikvel romana koji još nije izašao – ovde radnja zatiče Harisona Harisona nekih skoro 20tak godina kasnije – nego i zato što je ujedno i neka vrst trejlera za pominjani Harrison Squared, što je dobra fora, mora se priznati. Naravno, čisto sumnjam da išta u WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE spojluje roman kojeg očekujemo tek u martu iduće godine, naprotiv: recimo da ovde sama postavka toliko uspešno reklamira roman da očekujem kako je Gregory iznašao metod za kojim će mnogi drugi autori rado posegnuti, pošto se ionako često dešava da surovija editovanja romana uvek ostave tonu neiskorištenog (čitaj – uredničkom rukom izbačenog) materijala koji prosto vapi da se iskoristi u ofspin maniru. Dakle, u pitanju je suptilno prepovanje publike, a to je zaista genijalan potez, bar što se marketinga tiče.
Dalje, karakterizacija u WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE je briljantna, nema tu spora, svaki lik u romanu je zaista unikatan i plastičan, a njegova priča/trauma isto tako unikatno smišljena i plasirana. Harison je kalkulisano ostavljen nedorečen (kao što i valja, pošto ćemo tek da ga upoznamo), iako se u fino tempiranim natuknicama uvelike daju naslutiti obrisi same avanture, to uglavnom onog njenog dela koji već najavljen u blarbu, tako da je i to veoma vešto izvedeno. Zapravo, toliko je impresivna ta karakterizacija, da je upravo to i najveći problem kad na kraju ustanovite da se sa likovima nije uradilo ni izbliza sve što su mogućnosti dopuštale.
I tako, kad se sve to uzme u obzir, roman ipak zaslužuje ****.
Ali Watts, Watts ima daleko manje olakšavajućih okolnosti... :(
Kao prvo, Blindsight je bio savršen prvenac, nabijen idejama kao nar, i veoma, veoma impresivno napisan. Među korica Blindsighta moglo se prepoznati najmanje tri romana: najpre roman o Prvom Kontaktu, potom transhumanistički roman o neuro- i bio-modifikacijama, i najzad leap-of-faith roman o zombijima i vampirima, koje Watts sa nestvarnom lakoćom premešta iz metafizike u tvrdu nauku.
E sad, skoro dekadu kasnije, moguće je da Watts pomalo tugaljivo gleda na svo to idejno obilje, i lupa sam sebi čvrge što ga onomad nije razvukao u najmanje tri jufke. Otud se ECHOPRAXIA bavi upravo tim i takvim razvijanjem – ne donosi ništa suštinski novo, samo gnječi i razvlači određene domene Blindsighta. I moglo bi se to oprostiti da je konačan rezultat ipak dovoljno samostalan, ali nije: ako išta, ECHOPRAXIA se završava manirom koji se ne može prepoznati ni kao pošten klifhanger, pa da mu čovek ostavi nešto malo kredita za sledeći naslov. Sve u svemu, ECHOPRAXIA ostavlja dojam da je Wattsova nekad ekstremno razuzdana maštovitost ušla u cicijašku fazu iz koje se ne misli vaditi 'na mišiće', nego na kvarnjaka i striktno regurgitacijski, a to se svakako ne može oprostiti nikome, a pogotovo ne ljudima od kojih imamo tako ogromna očekivanja. Otud za ECHOPRAXIU ***, što je definitivno najveća uvreda koju mogu da zamislim. :(
Otkad si ti počela bodovanje?Pretpostavljam da ti to 3/5 i 4/5...
otkako sam na goodreadsu, znaci ima tome 2 + sitan kusur godina... :mrgreen: I da, maksimum je 5 zvezdica.
nego, brate & saborcu, vidi ti OvO:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0399158448.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=699413b0f59f00937a1b5be2418f1db621ef9573)
William Gibson returns with his first novel since 2010's New York Times–bestselling Zero History.
Where Flynne and her brother, Burton, live, jobs outside the drug business are rare. Fortunately, Burton has his veteran's benefits, for neural damage he suffered from implants during his time in the USMC's elite Haptic Recon force. Then one night Burton has to go out, but there's a job he's supposed to do—a job Flynne didn't know he had. Beta-testing part of a new game, he tells her. The job seems to be simple: work a perimeter around the image of a tower building. Little buglike things turn up. He's supposed to get in their way, edge them back. That's all there is to it. He's offering Flynne a good price to take over for him. What she sees, though, isn't what Burton told her to expect. It might be a game, but it might also be murder.
ahhhhhhh :!: :!: :D
WoW... :)
Meni nekako te ocene od 1 do 5 ne pružaju dovoljno širok raspon.
Ali kad sam probao da domaće priče ocenjujem od 1-20, većinom sam završavao sa ocenama od 0-5 (pri čemu bi 5 bila donja granica objavljivosti, kako je ja shvatam). Ako se dobro sećam, neke Jakšićeve i Fipine priče su prebacile 15, ali mali procenat... :(
Vidim da crippled avenger ocenjuje od 0-4, sa ubacivanje polovine ocene, što bi odgovaralo ocenjivanju 0-9. Mada i on daleko najvećem delu ostvarenja daje ocene od 1,5 do 3, vrlo retke su mu veće ocene, a gotovo da nisam video jedinicu...
Ocene su nužno zlo... Samo to mogu da kažem...
BTW, scallope, sad sam proverio, i jedna priča Stevana Šarčevića iz Meteora mi je dobila peticu, tako da ne stoji tvoja tvrdnja da sam ga baš tako loše ocenjivao kao što kažeš... Ne znam šta mi je bilo.... :)
Baš volim kad mi ne stoje tvrdnje. Stipanu si ti davao ocene, a ne ja.
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 20-08-2014, 14:33:13
Meni nekako te ocene od 1 do 5 ne pružaju dovoljno širok raspon.
Ali kad sam probao da domaće priče ocenjujem od 1-20, većinom sam završavao sa ocenama d 0-5 (pri čemu bi 5 bila donja granica objavljivosti, kako je ja shvatam). Ako se dobro sećam, neke Jakšićeve i Fipine priče su prebacile 15, ali mali procenat... :(
Vidim da crippled avenger ocenjuje od 0-4, sa ubacivanje polovine ocene, što bi odgovaralo ocenjivanju 0-9. Mada i on daleko najvećem delu ostvarenja daje ocene od 1,5 do 3, vrlo retke su mu veće ocene, a gotovo da nisam video jedinicu...
Ocene su nužno zlo... Samo to mogu da kažem...
Pa sad, nalazim da je bodovanje odlična alatka, ali ujedno i striktno namenska, tako da nailazim na problem pri bodovanju samo onda kad ga pogrešno primenjujem. Recimo, ja zaista nemam univerzalni sistem bodovanja koji bi bio uspešno primenjiv na sav korpus koji pominješ (znači, od poluproizvoda pa sve do vrhunskih dela), a bojim se da ni taj tvoj 1-20 model ne bi bio od ikakve vajde u mojim rukama, ja naprosto ne koristim dovoljno parametara da utilizuju ceo taj raspon.
Najbolji sistem koji mi je ikad funkcionisao za konkurse bio je onaj sa art-anime, raspon 1-2, znači kec za materijal koji obećava, ali uz doradu, a dvojka za materijal za koji smatramo da je dovoljno dobar u originalnom stanju. Naravno, onomad se taj sistem nije bog zna kako isplatio, pošto smo imali krajnje benevolentnog žirca koji je svemu, ali zaista svemu davao po dva boda :mrgreen:, ali ipak, meni lično je to odlično funkcionisalo. Izgleda da se bolje snalazim u manjem rasponu bodova, tako da mi gudrids savršeno odgovara. Čak štaviše, mislim da ja tu efektivno imam samo 4 gradacije, ja ocenu 1 zaista retko koristim, mislim da sam od skoro 400 knjiga jedino dve ili eventualno tri bodovala kecom. Kec mi nekako dođe više kao subjektivni stejtment ( ;) ) nego kao efikasna I objektivna procena, pošto ja tamo ipak bodujem prethodno filtriran korpus - dakle sve ono što smatram da je toliko slabo da nije vredno čitanja ja zapravo i ne pročitam, pa otud i ne bodujem uopšte.
Nije sf knjiga, ali jeste superuber predivna vest:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F715cd68WuAL.jpg&hash=3246858d018ad2363b8f5d8c2281f75911c10ed4)
"Perfidia", opening book of the second L.A. Quartet by James Ellroy, arguably the most important crime writer in the world, is simply massive. But if you thought that spreading the story to over 700 pages means that Ellroy lost his edge, you would be wrong. His voice is as unflinching and sharp as ever, even more so. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that "Perfidia" might be his finest novel yet which is a bold statement considering that this is the man who wrote "L.A. Confidential", "The Black Dahlia", or the Underworld USA trilogy. But there's indescribable something about "Perfidia" that makes it different to his previous output. While Ellroy has once again chosen to explore the seedy criminal underbelly of L.A., Perfidia's historical scope and ambition are simply unprecedented. Similarly to another great American author, Stephen King, in "Perfidia" Ellroy actually tried to connect his entire body of work while at the same time giving his best efforts to write the next great American novel. And you know what? Against all odds, he succeeded.
"Perfidia" is set over a period of only 24 days and takes place during the tumultuous period between December 6, 1941 and the New Year. The Second World War is in full swing and in Pacific and Asia Japan is making huge strides with its military campaign. As the Pearl Harbour is about to happen, in L.A. the largest Japanese community in the USA is suddenly on the ropes. A series of murder or ritual suicides of a Japanese Watanabe family means that among the racial tensions, blackout and war erupting all around them, two police officers, police chemist Hideo Ashida and Los Angeles Police Department captain William H. Parker, are working day and night to solve the case. A note left on the scene alerts to coming apocalypse suggesting knowledge of what is about to come. Along the way they'll meet many memorable and familiar characters which constant readers will remember from pages of previous Ellroy's novel. So for example, Dudley Smith and Kay Lake both make a welcome appearance and help with the case.
Ellroy's stroke of genius is that he has managed to create an atmosphere that constantly changes and continuously surprises the reader as the story unfolds. In fact, it is even hard to pinpoint what kind of book "Perfidia" really is. At moments it is a historical novel, while at others you'll feel like you're reading anything from romance to a full-fledged crime thriller. This means "Perfidia" can be enjoyed by both newcomers and experienced Ellroy aficionados alike but for much more fulfilling reading experience I would suggest reading at least first L.A. Quartet first.
In short, "Perfidia" is vintage Ellroy and more. Its story is full of tectonic movements, fascinating and dangerous characters with ambiguous morality, and events bigger than life itself. It's brilliant in its complexity and vastness. Now, would you please follow me through this descent into darkness that "Perfidia" is? You certainly won't regret it.
:D :D :D
Apropo ocena, mene Goodreads izluđuje što ne daje mogućnost davanja i polovina*. Ali ne mogu da ne ocenjujem. :cry:
*Primera radi, sad sam i Ender's Gameu i Speaker for the Deadu dao četiri zvezdice, a hteo bih prvom 3.5 a drugom 4.5. < <
meni te polovine zaista ne nedostaju, jer ja nikad nisam ni znala kako da bilo kakve finese ispravno koristim... :( recimo, definitivno najveci mi je problem taj plus i minus: da li je 3+ isto sto i 4-? I ako nije, zasto nije? prosto, ja te polovicnosti retko kada ispravno protumacim, tako da i nemam bog zna kakve zelje da ih koristim.
http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/wordpress/wp-content/files_mf/cache/th_ffb7925b6ca65c589e11ac4dbf13773b_brokenmonsters.jpg (http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/wordpress/wp-content/files_mf/cache/th_ffb7925b6ca65c589e11ac4dbf13773b_brokenmonsters.jpg)
BROKEN MONSTERS
Dakle, hvala bogu za one ekstra solidne pisce kojima je novi roman najmanje toliko dobar koliko i prethodni, ako još ne i bolji. Beukes postaje upravo takav autor, pošto se za svaki od njena četiri romana može mirne duše reći da je ispunio očekivanja i tako ustanovio neku vrst uzlaznog trenda koji ozbiljno formira bazu poklonika. Jedan od razloga za tu solidnost po pitanju čitalačke odanosti je i činjenica da Beukes nije sklona eksperimentisanju sa formama i normama unutar kojih sad već udobno dominira materijalom.
E sad, zanimljivo je da ja zapravo i nisam neki vatreni poklonik te konkretno žanrovske konvencije koja se obilno oslanja na spoj racionalne i iracionalne fantastike (spoj koji neki prepoznaju kao weird), i to ni kad dolazi iz nekog zaista superiornog pera kao što je Mijevilovo, recimo. Otud sam njegov Grad & Grad doživela kao ekstreman podbačaj čija je neskrivena ambicioznost eventualno aporično skončala u mojoj nedoumici "dobro, neka bude, ali čemu sve to zapravo služi?" Kod Lauren naprosto nema takvih nedoumica, iako njene postavke nisu ništa manje ambiciozne od Mijevilovih.
Beuksova koristi iracionalnu fantastiku (u ovom konkretno romanu čisto natprirodne provicijencije) u sprezi sa formama realističkih žanrova, to uglavnom detektivskog i psiho-trilera, i ta kombinacija kod nje naprosto bolje uspeva, naprosto mi je više prijemčiva nego Mijevilova. Držim da je to jednim delom upravo zbog izostanka bilo kakvog pamfletizma i političkog angažmana generalno, što ne znači da je njena proza neangažovana, daleko bilo: Lauren preferiše društveni i kulturni angažman ali u suptilnoj formi koja preispituje savremene fenomene tako što ih naprosto prezentuje, bez da ih time pretvara u poligon na kom bi sam autor mogao da odveć paradira sopstvene stavove, u svrhu sopstvene afirmacije. Otud jedan od najkontroverznijih fenomena današnjice - pedofilno i uopšte seksualno predatorstvo na društvenim mrežama - kod Lauren poprima pomalo tragikomične oblike koji limitiraju bilo kakvo kopanje po destruktivnim dubinama samog fenomena i drže ga u kontekstu same radnje isključivo kao tek jedan od pogonskih mehanizama, bez opcije da hajdžakuje samu celinu. I dobro sad, neko bi to mogao da prepozna i kao određenu površnost po pitanju angažovanosti, ali kad bi se to i ispostavilo kao istinito, priznajem da me ne bi odveć iritiralo.
Sa zanatske strane, Lauren je na svom najboljem nivou, tempiranje je besprekorno a doziranje još i više, svaka strana pruža taman dovoljno intrigantnog naboja da sa nje pohlepno pređete na iduću, što je, ukratko rečeno, glavna odlika uspešnog žanrovskog ostvarenja. **** čista ko suza. :)
:roll:
Ako neko zna kako da izbegnem ove probleme oko kopipejstovanja fotke, javite dok ne istekne imbecilni i infatilni administrativni rok za editovanje...
U sklopu podviga da sjurim impresivne oldiz-gudiz koji su mi svojevremeno promakli, najzad je došla tu na red i TERANESIA, velikog (a sve više slutim i najvećeg) hard-sf maestra Grega Egana.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teranesia.jpg (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teranesia.jpg)
Teranesia spada u korpus prijemčivijih Eganovih romana, to jezički i konceptualno gledano, a da pri tom sadrži sve najkontroverznije postavke kojima Egan dosledno barata u čitavom svom opusu. Kao i uvek, Egan svoje najradikalnije transhumanističke ideje ume da plasira preko do te mere ljudski dirljivog zapleta da do nekih zaključaka dođete naprosto neosetno, nekako se prišunjaju bez nekog konkretnog logičkog ili nedajbože ideološkog napora sa vaše strane. Naprosto osvanete sa tim zaključcima duboko ubeđeni ne samo da su vaši, nego da su to oduvek i bili. Otud Egana uvek čitam uz veliku dozu strahopoštovanja, jer žanrovske autore takvog mind-changing kapaciteta mogu zaista da nabrojim tek na prste jedne ruke.
Iako je u pitanju njegov šesti objavljeni roman, i iako mu prethode neki romani koji su rečeni koncept daleko radikalnije obrađivali (Distress, recimo), Egan je u Teranesiji zapanjujuće objektivan po pitanju dilema oko transhumanističke platforme, voljan da pošteno odmeri obe strane novčića, dajući podjednaku šansu i podjednaku ozbiljnost i "za" i "protiv" argumentima. Jedna od osnovnih transhumanističkih kontroverzi uvek je počivala duž linija čovekovog straha od promene, straha od gubitka identiteta: jedan od primarnih ljudskih poriva nalaže mu da se ne menja, da ne izlazi iz okvira u kom se udobno oseća i prepoznaje, čak ni kad mu bi te promene donosile očigledne prednosti. Transhumanističke (žanrovske, naravno) platforme su oduvek gledale na ta osećanja sa određenom dozom nipodaštavanja, karikirajući ih pomalo kao primitivnu želju da se ostane "pećinski čovek", definisan primordijalnim (to zapravo primitivnim) evolutivnim značajkama koje su odavno prevaziđene u savremenim civilizacijskim normama. Teranesija tu konkretno cipelu navlači na drugu nogu - glavni akter je gej muškarac koji je iznašao snage da se prihvati u tom formatu, i koji suočava biološki pokušaj da ga se iz tog formata nasilno revertuje u hetero opciju. Sve njegove moralne, etičke i ljudske dileme su u toj meri logične i prirodne da čovek ne može a da ih ne prihvati kao bezuslovne, i u toj fascinantnoj prizmi kontrole nad identitetom roman postaje savršeno oblikovan i upotrebljiv argument za obe "zaraćene strane" transhumanizma. Predivan roman, čija suptilno isporučena politika neosetno menja čitaoca do te mere da u njemu proizvodi doživotno strahopoštovanje za autora koji sa takvom lakoćom uspeva da od svakodnevnog materijala proizvede tkanje reda veličine tektonskog poremećaja.
Quote from: PTY on 31-08-2014, 11:43:14
:roll:
Ako neko zna kako da izbegnem ove probleme oko kopipejstovanja fotke, javite dok ne istekne imbecilni i infatilni administrativni rok za editovanje...
probaj da staviš
uglasta zagrada img uglasta zagrada adresa fothe uglasta zagrada /img uglasta zagrada
edit: kada probam da stvarno stavim uglaste zagrade, forum posmatra kao sliku i ne vidi se kod. između uglastih zagrada i img, kao i /img, nema razmaka. jbg, nadam se da ćemo se razumeti.
dakle, ovako:
[img]adresa slike[/img]
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg%255Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg%255B%2Furl%255D&hash=cac27961c094b20999200d12a9a411fffa761599)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg%255Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg%255B%2Furl%255D&hash=cac27961c094b20999200d12a9a411fffa761599)
Ne, ni to ne funkcioniše kod mene...
Kad uradim to što predlažeš, posle postovanja ceo moj post izgleda naprosto prazan.
A i kad se vratim na "modify" nalazim da u postu nema apsolutno ničega.
Proba sa ikonicom insert image...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.humanewatch.org%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fconfused_cat.jpg&hash=224a160989dc99fc1db8e9e3c4321dffa0b5f439)
Edit: meni radi.
Ево како ћеш. Кликнеш на reply (дакле, не она quick варијанта) и онда кад хоћеш да убациш сличицу кликнеш на иноницу испод иконице за болд (личи на слику). Отвори ти се прозорче enter image location, ту прекопираш линк и ево...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mulhollandbooks.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Ffiles_mf%2Fcache%2Fth_ffb7925b6ca65c589e11ac4dbf13773b_brokenmonsters.jpg&hash=b33f875ec20138e2b1d9f2e63dbd56491e8239a8)
Слика се појави одмах, пре него што постујеш.
Улетела Анђела. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg&hash=b13acc54e73cd0874f30f16ad487ef8d61025424)
Dakle, kad to uradim ja ne vidim sličku nakon postovanja... Ne znam da li vi vidite...
Ne vidim, moguće zato što imaš dva http u linku.
.... Vidim samo mali kvadrat, ali potpuno prazan...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg&hash=b13acc54e73cd0874f30f16ad487ef8d61025424)
Evo opet...
:(
Kad klikneš na ikonicu, obriši http:// koje je već u prozorčetu, pa onda ubaci link.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg&hash=aa5dffaa2e95e16594233963999a6b1ce2b27689)
Kad se vratim u post preko "modify" opcije, ne vidim kod, tako da ne znam da li ima dupli http ili ne.
Vidim samo ono kako inače izgleda već kad je postovano, dakle ili vidim prazni kvadratić ili apsolutno ništa.
Edit: ulete PTY. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fd%2Fdb%2FTeranesia.jpg&hash=aa5dffaa2e95e16594233963999a6b1ce2b27689)
Hvala ennži, tvoj predlog funkcioniše... :)
:)
Nego, za sve vas ljubitelje Ann Leckie, ako niste do sad našli link ka njenoj novoj priči smeštenoj u isti univerz koji je tako silno poharao žanrovskim nagradama, evo ga ovde:
http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/06/nights-slow-poison-ann-leckie (http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/06/nights-slow-poison-ann-leckie)
a evo i nekih od septembarskih noviteta:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F516YEbh2B-L.jpg&hash=eac26e2b1833f42eb0003e931bb253da79321185)
They call it Company Town – a Family-owned city-sized oil rig off the coast of the Canadian Maritimes.
Meet Hwa. One of the few in her community to forego bio-engineered enhancements, she's the last truly organic person left on the rig. But she's an expert in the arts of self-defence, and she's been charged with training the Family's youngest, who has been receiving death threats – seemingly from another timeline.
Meanwhile, a series of interconnected murders threatens the city's stability – serial killer? Or something much, much worse..?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1472533550/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1472533550/sfsi0c-20)
Religion in Science Fiction investigates the history of the representations of religion in science fiction literature. Space travel, futuristic societies, and non-human cultures are traditional themes in science fiction. Speculating on the societal impacts of as-yet-undiscovered technologies is, after all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of science fiction literature. A more surprising theme may be a parallel exploration of religion: its institutional nature, social functions, and the tensions between religious and scientific worldviews.
Steven Hrotic investigates the representations of religion in 19th century proto-science fiction, and genre science fiction from the 1920s through the end of the century. Taken together, he argues that these stories tell an overarching story—a 'metanarrative'—of an evolving respect for religion, paralleling a decline in the belief that science will lead us to an ideal (and religion-free) future.
Science fiction's metanarrative represents more than simply a shift in popular perceptions of religion: it also serves as a model for cognitive anthropology, providing new insights into how groups and identities form in a globalized world, and into how crucial a role narratives may play. Ironically, this same perspective suggests that science fiction, as it was in the 20th century, may no longer exist.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61yrYcCnmGL.jpg&hash=bd9cd58bf1bfe058360cb839b861fabe078d7455)
The final installment of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy
It is winter in Area X. A new team embarks across the border on a mission to find a member of a previous expedition who may have been left behind. As they press deeper into the unknown—navigating new terrain and new challenges—the threat to the outside world becomes more daunting. In Acceptance, the last installment of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy, the mysteries of Area X may have been solved, but their consequences and implications are no less profound—or terrifying.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F617W3P5c3qL.jpg&hash=265451a15f30d4c0952d1c6e7b9879a5f8ae277f)
A man is about to kill a cow. He discusses life and death and his right to kill with the compliant animal. He begins to suspect he may be about to commit murder. But kills anyway...It began when the animal rights movement injected domestic animals with artificial intelligences in bid to have the status of animals realigned by the international court of human rights. But what is an animal that can talk? Where does its intelligence end at its machine intelligence begin? And where might its soul reside? As we place more and more pressure on the natural world and become more and more divorced, Adam Roberts' new novel posits a world where nature can talk back, and can question us and our beliefs. Adam Roberts is an award-winning author at the peak of his powers and each new novel charts an exciting new direction while maintaining a uniformly high level of literary achievement.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51MrgpGc1kL._AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-49%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=b83d628882818c9532a0c4f72307dac9aa0d1064)
An insane, broken pulp-art painter gets chance at redemption in a phantasmagoric science fiction wonder from a true master of the weird
Before his stroke and the onset of old age, Frank Lazorg was the king of the fantasy illustrators—with an ego to match. But he can paint no more. That is, until he starts taking a bizarre new drug that promises to restore his creative powers. Unfortunately, artistic reinvigoration comes with a steep price tag: addiction and madness. With his rage and jealousy unleashed and his grasp of reality severely compromised, Lazorg is led to commit an unspeakable act, and, in turn, is led . . . somewhere else. Suddenly naked and helpless, the artist finds himself in a world of abiding strangeness, filled with monstrous things that seem to mock, yet oddly mirror, Lazorg's previous reality. And here is Crutchsump, a remarkable creature possessing great love and rare compassion, who could possibly aid in Lazorg's ultimate salvation as he spirals downward through the Cosmocopia and ever-closer to the Conceptus.
Arguably the most inventive force in science fiction since Philip K. Dick in his heyday, Paul Di Filippo outdoes even Paul Di Filippo with his remarkable Cosmocopia. Outrageous, ingenious, nightmarish, funny, provocative, and utterly unforgettable, this is a glittering testament to the towering heights science fiction can achieve.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51IVdUc524L.jpg&hash=b300598f96eb05f25e96c61fd2d5c42a1edd0e1f)
Following a terrible fight with her mother over her boyfriend, fifteen-year-old Holly Sykes slams the door on her family and her old life. But Holly is no typical teenage runaway: A sensitive child once contacted by voices she knew only as "the radio people," Holly is a lightning rod for psychic phenomena. Now, as she wanders deeper into the English countryside, visions and coincidences reorder her reality until they assume the aura of a nightmare brought to life.
For Holly has caught the attention of a cabal of dangerous mystics—and their enemies. But her lost weekend is merely the prelude to a shocking disappearance that leaves her family irrevocably scarred. This unsolved mystery will echo through every decade of Holly's life, affecting all the people Holly loves—even the ones who are not yet born.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51hOuIKkAlL.jpg&hash=d5c614b0c6e26b7a6dac196df5d2da42314744a5)
Cent can teleport. So can her parents, but they are the only people in the world who can. This is not as great as you might think it would be—sure, you can go shopping in Japan and then have tea in London, but it's hard to keep a secret like that. And there are people, dangerous people, who work for governments and have guns, who want to make you do just this one thing for them. And when you're a teenage girl things get even more complicated. High school. Boys. Global climate change, refugees, and genocide. Orbital mechanics.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61YbcZcXE2L.jpg&hash=409230edead1edb0873b8cfa70c6e80d4ab99a2c)
Last Plane to Heaven is the final and definitive short story collection of award-winning SF author Jay Lake, author of Green, Endurance, and Kalimpura.
Long before he was a novelist, SF writer Jay Lake, was an acclaimed writer of short stories. In Last Plane to Heaven, Lake has assembled thirty-two of the best of them. Aliens and angels fill these pages, from the title story, a hard-edged and breathtaking look at how a real alien visitor might be received, to the savage truth of "The Cancer Catechisms." Here are more than thirty short stories written by a master of the form, science fiction and fantasy both.
This collection features an original introduction by Gene Wolfe.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51DTC8CP2HL._SY300_.jpg&hash=b2cf75f279300c43d0cb329fc96f2b065ecd5d31)
Dakle, dobila sam ovu knjigu na poklon ima tome iahahaj rođendana, a zvanična preporuka je bila da se Disturbia bavi omladinskom sociopatijom na način vrlo blizak Paklenoj pomorandži, što mi je već onda bila pomalo dubiozna preporuka, ali ipak, rečena koleginica je rođena i odrasla u Londonu, pa ko velim, ako iko zna... :)
I dobro sad, ima donekle tu materijala za rečenu pretpostavku, mada ja ne bih išla naš toliko daleko, u samom poređivanju. S druge strane, ni sam Burgess nije smatrao svoj roman toliko impresivnim koliko se nas dojmio, naprotiv, smatrao ga je prilično slabim, to pogotovo u varijanti bez famozne 21ve glave. No ipak, neke paralele jesu neminovne i donekle stoje, mada ja baš i nisam neko ko bi ih mogao argumentovano ustoličiti.
Fowler, kao prvo, nije jezički virtuozo da izdrži takvu paralelu. Dalje, nije ni stilski, tek da ne bude zabune. A i po pitanju samog zapleta otvorena je tu diskusija, tako da... Ne znam šta bih ja to zapravo i mogla da iskoristim u svrhu argumentovanja.
Karakterizacija, recimo, ali i to samo do određenog stepena. Fascinirajuća prezentacija ne samo Londonske istoriografije nego i savremenog beznađa za onaj njegov istorijski naprivilegovaniji društveni i kulturni segment.
I tako. Umerena preporuka i solidne ***.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1481425129.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1ad91dc2d756077cdd777c2a1ba8526e5c5877c3)
Here's the cover and synopsis for the upcoming novel Persona by Genevieve Valentine.
In a world where diplomacy has become celebrity, a young ambassador survives an assassination attempt and must join with an undercover paparazzo in a race to save her life, spin the story, and secure the future of her young country in this near-future political thriller from the acclaimed author of Mechanique and The Girls at Kingfisher Club.
When Suyana, Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, secretly meets Ethan of the United States for a date that can solidify a relationship for the struggling UARC, the last thing she expects is an assassination attempt. Daniel, a teen runaway-turned-paparazzi out for his big break, witnesses the first shot hit Suyana, and before he can think about it, he jumps into the fray, telling himself it's not altruism, it's the scoop. Just like that, Suyana and Daniel are now in the game of Faces. And if they lose, they'll die.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fseries%2Flock-in-series-header.jpg&hash=ed6a51828e431dbbefb3eda2d17170f45fe5255f)
Dakle, Scalzi. :)
Paralelno sa velikim uspehom njegovog Redshirts, Scalzi je prošle godine objavio i novelu pod naslovom "An oral history of Hadens syndrome", i odmah se videlo da je u pitanju odlična worldbuilding konstrukcija koja prosto vapi da se afirmiše u romanu, i to ponajbolje u romanu koji bi ujedno i bio prvi dio trilogije. A kako je Scalzi vrlo profi pisac koji naprosto nije u stanju da spiska dobar materijal, za ciglih par meseci isporučen je i Lock In.
I odlično je to urađeno, nema tu zbora.
Jedna od lepših strana Scalzijevog pisanja je njegova sposobnost da vešto koristi nama već generalno poznate žanrovske ideje, koncepte i trope tako što ih ovlaš otrese od prašine i vešto ukomponuje u vlastitu konstrukciju. To je svakako oznaka posvećenog pisca koji zajedno sa čitaocem spada u poznati i omiljeni žanrovski pejzaž u kom se nalazi mnogo toga lako prepoznatljivog, ali ipak serviranog sa individualno specifičnim garniranjem. Scalzijeva Agora je unikatna varijanta lako prepoznatljive kiberpank virtualnosti iz, recimo, pera Pat Kadigan; Scalzijevi mehanički roboti su leb&kajmak žanrovske stare garde poznijeg zlatnog doba; Skalzijev neuralni interfejs je kamen temeljac rane faze žanrovske transhumanističke platforme a njegov detektivski aspekt triler-zapleta daje na znanje da ćemo mi i dalje biti mi, bez obzira na sve tehnološke i ine transformacije.
A to jeste ohrabrujuće, taj neuništivi mehanizam sa kojim esef palp gvirka u blisku nam budućnost. Odlična priča, odlična ideja i odlična žica zdravog humora i generalne dobrostivosti. Scalzi je pisac čija proza sa lakoćom ulepšava tmuran dan, pa malo li je to? :)
Ali pre no što se dohvatite samog romana, overite noveletu na Torovom blodu, pošto je neka vrst funkcionalnog prologa i worldbuilding okvira ujedno.
http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi (http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-john-scalzi)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F512aL%252B0RKLL._SY300_.jpg&hash=31953750a0eef584af72abf7db4c0f8011a49386)
Book Description
Release date: March 3, 2015
This is an extraordinary new novel from the author of Never Let Me Go and the Booker Prize winning The Remains of the Day. 'You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay...' The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years. Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge and war. "Kazuo Ishiguro is an original and remarkable genius". (The New York Times). "A master craftsman". (Margaret Atwood, Slate). "The best and most original writer of his generation". (Susan Hill, Mail on Sunday).
I, naravno, Lock In se vec merka za adaptaciju:
Legendary TV Buys John Scalzi Novel 'Lock In' (EXCLUSIVE)
http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/legendary-tv-buys-john-scalzi-novel-lock-in-exclusive-1201306307/ (http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/legendary-tv-buys-john-scalzi-novel-lock-in-exclusive-1201306307/)
nadajmo se samo da od knjige nece napraviti mlakast i bljutkast produkt tipa Surrogates (2009).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0385352107.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=96f915584f30c01691e2a063102fc4b2dc8b257d)
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is the long-awaited new novel—a book that sold more than a million copies the first week it went on sale in Japan—from the award-winning, internationally best-selling author Haruki Murakami.
Here he gives us the remarkable story of Tsukuru Tazaki, a young man haunted by a great loss; of dreams and nightmares that have unintended consequences for the world around us; and of a journey into the past that is necessary to mend the present. It is a story of love, friendship, and heartbreak for the ages.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51vF2ETc52L.jpg&hash=5f9e46baa4987978574d066a53035b85ca76002c)
In the twenty-second century, a future in which mortaline wire controls the weather on the settled planets and entire refugee camps drowse in drug-induced slumber, no one-alive or dead, human or alien-is quite what they seem. When terrorists manage to crash Coral, the moon, into its home planet of Ribon, forcing evacuation, it's up to Dave Crowell and Alan Brindos, contract detectives for the Network Intelligence Organization, to solve a case of interplanetary consequences. Crowell and Brindos' investigation plunges them neck-deep into a conspiracy much more dangerous than anything they could have imagined. The two detectives soon find themselves separated, chasing opposite leads: Brindos has to hunt down the massive Helkunn alien Terl Plenko, shadow leader of the terrorist Movement of Worlds. Crowell, meanwhile, runs into something far more sinister-an elaborate frame job that puts our heroes on the hook for treason. Crowell and Brindos are forced to fight through the intrigue to discover the depths of an interstellar conspiracy. And to answer the all-important question: Who, and what, is the Ultra Thin Man?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61gHCWwcB8L.jpg&hash=9d8d607e77dfab39f9fa8df4b6a62f104711056a)
Here's a job description the U.S. Air Force won't be mentioning in recruiting ads anytime soon:
Wanted: Experienced pilot willing to observe lives in close proximity for hours on end, possibly before killing them and then surveying the grisly aftermath for hours longer. You will do this from a risk-free location thousands of miles away while seated for eight hours at a time in a chilly windowless work station in which you will monitor four video screens, operate a stick and rudder, and type messages and commands onto two keyboards. Up to five supervisors will watch your every move while communicating their own requests. Shifts will rotate, ending at midnight, 8 a.m., and 4 p.m. Stateside posting means you will commute home just like any other suburbanite, although due to the job's classified nature you will not be permitted to discuss it with friends, family, or neighbors. Apply today to get in on this new and exciting opportunity!
Now there's a scrumptious recipe for stress, burnout and depression. But for a novelist in search of a compelling character, what's not to like? And that's pretty much what inspired me to write Unmanned, a tale in which drones – or, more to the point, their pilots – are at the center of the action.
No, it is not a techno-thriller, nor will I ever write such a book. As I've said elsewhere, any novel that lavishes more attention on the workings of machines than on the doings of its characters is a cold and empty place indeed. Wake me when the last gizmo dies.
It's the people operating drones – their heart and soul, if you will – that intrigue me more. Not to mention all those other folks living and laboring (and sometimes dying) under the unrelenting gaze of these remote-controlled aircraft.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00MTXK2F4.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c47a56e84c811d716608d8968071ac86564e3a4a)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00MTVHB8W.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=dfa6cccfd124be9ad4b47a9782e41f116eeaf005)
ROBOTS HAVE NO TAILS by Henry Kuttner
"[A] pomegranate writer: popping with seeds—full of ideas." —Ray Bradbury
A complete collection of his Galloway Gallegher stories from the Hugo nominated master of science fiction.
In this complete collection, Kuttner is back with Galloway Gallegher, his most beloved character in the stories that helped make him famous. Gallegher is a binge-drinking scientist who's a genius when drunk and totally clueless sober. Hounded by creditors and government officials, he wakes from each bender to discover a new invention designed to solve all his problems—if only he knew how it worked...
Add in a vain and uncooperative robot assistant, a heckling grandfather, and a host of uninvited guests—from rabbit-like aliens to time-traveling mafia lawyers to his own future corpse—and Gallegher has more on his hands than even he can handle. Time for a drink!
THE BEST OF HENRY KUTTNER by Henry Kuttner
"[A] pomegranate writer: popping with seeds—full of ideas." —Ray Bradbury
From the renowned, Hugo-nominated titan of science fiction comes a collection of his best short stories.
In seventeen classic stories, Henry Kuttner creates a unique galaxy of vain, protective, and murderous robots; devilish angels; and warm and angry aliens. These stories include
"Mimsy Were the Borogoves" — the inspiration for New Line Cinema's major motion picture The Last Mimzy — as well as "Two-Handed Engine", "The Proud Robot", "The Misguided Halo", "The Voice of the Lobster", "Exit the Professor", "The Twonky", "A Gnome There Was", "The Big Night", "Nothing But Gingerbread Left", "The Iron Standard", "Cold War", "Or Else", "Endowment Policy", "Housing Problem", "What You Need", and "Absalom".
Here's how you can get these two great titles for one low price — but act fast! This offer expires in two weeks...
DIGITAL BUNDLE (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/09/ebook-deal-get-robots-have-no-tails-and-the-best-of-henry-kuttner-for-only-2-99/#more-100003)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0385354304.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c4ca144e43be536aa3610dffc6ff9dc37ff0ae89)
From internationally acclaimed author Haruki Murakami—a fantastical illustrated short novel about a boy imprisoned in a nightmarish library.
A lonely boy, a mysterious girl, and a tormented sheep man plot their escape from the nightmarish library of internationally acclaimed, best-selling Haruki Murakami's wild imagination.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51bSE3E0UYL.jpg&hash=46e0bbabf63089c80e67f45845b6ccd99b0f367a)
It is not ofter that you encounter a book that you feel will be read with same fervour 100 years on but Albert Sanchez Pinol's fourth novel, an ambitious historical epic novel "Victus: The Fall of Barcelona" instantly feels like you are reading a classic novel. It's hard to pinpoint why. There's a lot going against it. It is absolutely huge so it'll take a significant amount of your time once you start. It is magnificent in scope and details, and deals with a historical event which at the moment will be interesting to few. However, this historical footnote is becoming increasingly relevant now as it will undoubtedly be in the future because described fall of Barcelona directly lead to fall of Catalonia, an event which today still resonates heavily in Spain. Just this year the Catalan government has announced its intention to hold a referendum on possible independence from Spain in 2014. When you combine that with the fact that in his native Spain, Albert Sanchez Pinol has often been compared to other greats such as Roberto Bolaño and Carlos Ruiz Zafon, it's easy to understand my feelings about it.
Victus is narrated by Martí Zuviría, an 98 old man who best knows what happened in that fateful conflict. He was actually the person who betrayed Barcelona and played crucial part in Catalan annexation to Spain on September 11, 1714. Destinies of Marti, Barcelona and Catalonia have always been intertwined together and Pinol decides to reflect all three sides of the story against each other. Marti's humble beginnings lie in early 1700s when he was a cherished military engineer fighting in wars against France. Marti is presented as the worst kind of engineer becoming politician. He's frighteningly able, technical and ambitious but lacking in morals. It's as if he seems people and political landscape as mere cogs in machinations of life. A problem to be solved. As he increasingly rises in powers Marti is elevated through ranks and soon finds himself in the position to change the course of history. And this he does but now with the death knocking on the door he still going back to those few days wondering what actually happened and why?
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Victus-The-Fall-Barcelona-Novel/dp/0062323962/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=upcoming4me-21&linkCode=w01&linkId=YE4FVNGAUK4TEZRD&creativeASIN=0062323962)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51LJOPVF6NL.jpg&hash=4441c7bbfee9d0a31ab47cd34b49ab49aa2c7776)
No one does gut-wrenchingly bleak like Zoran Drvenkar. "Sorry" was one of those novels that you just had to read even though you were perfectly aware that it'll disturb you and that you'll have nightmares for nights on end. His second novel "You" has just been published in the US by Knopf and judging by the synopsis and the opening few pages it looks like we're in for another dark tale. With chilling detachment its beginning recounts a tale about a man known as "The Traveler" who during a snowstorm in the 90s goes on to kill 26 drivers on a German A4 highway between Bad Hersfeld and Eisenach im Stau. The scheme is simple. Due to storm lots of drivers are forces to spend the night on the road and in the morning some are simply found dead because the killer simply walks against the traffic and does its thing. Reading the sorry affair sent shivers down my spine. The whole this is written so vividly that at one point I went to Google and tried to find the actual event.
The sense of detachment and drama is masterfully nuanced by telling the entire story in second person voice. This disorienting experience when combined with an complex plot would in the hands of lesser author lead to a bewilderment but Drvenkar strikes the balance early on so by the time I've reached the conclusion I was once again hopelessly hooked up with his darkness. And the ending is completely worth it. It is dark, unsettling and completely unexpected.
Over the course of these two translated novels Drvenkar has already established himself as one of the most exciting contemporary European writers and I'll waiting with impatience for his other works to come out. A disturbing and fascinating book.
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Zoran-Drvenkar/dp/0007465254/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=upcoming4me-21&linkCode=w01&linkId=&creativeASIN=0007465254)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F512oKF1HZKL._AA160_.jpg&hash=f19e818e03a679570d2978aa9d956c8fb0ff794a)
Out of the entire Save the Story series, The Story of Don Juan by Alessandro Baricco probably surprised me the most. Completely erroneously I've thought I knew all about Don Juan and his legendary adventures filled with debauchery and countless women he seduced and left behind. However, it turns out I knew next to nothing. Similarly to various fairly tales which in their initial form were much darker affairs, it transpires that Don Juan was originally told as a much darker and symbolic tale and it is these grim beginnings that form the basis for Baricco's retelling. The story itself starts predictably enough as Don Juan enters into a bedroom of a young woman and tricks her into believing he's her fiancé. When she realises the mistake, he flees only to encounter her father, the Commendatore, who he eventually kills in a duel. To make things even worse, Don Juan soon learns that an angry mob is on his tail. A band of brothers of a woman he married only to escape the very next day and they won't stop until he's dead and buried. And as if that wasn't enough, and not to put a fine point on it, ghost of the Commendatore is also back and is seeking revenge. Confident in his endless cockiness, Don Juan survives the first day by invitign all three to a party hoping that the situation will somehow resolve in his favor but it was not to be.
Alessandro Baricco's retelling made me want to check out other versions of Don Juan so you might say that this installment in Save the Story series definitely fulfilled its intention. I'm really happy it did because Alessandro Baricco is a hero of mine. He's the editor of the Save the Story series and the founder of the creative writing school Scuola Holden which originally published it in Italy. To make things even better, The Story of Don Juan is illustrated by haunting and beautiful drawings made by Alessandro Maria Nacar which server only to improve and to enhance this glorious reading experience.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-story-of-don-juan-by-alessandro-baricco (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-story-of-don-juan-by-alessandro-baricco)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F5107paYjJ7L._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp%2CTopRight%2C12%2C-18_SH30_OU02_AA160_.jpg&hash=7a05c3be3e2834f0053de7cdd0e9f02423386d94)
V.M. Giambanco is an exciting new crime author and her second novel The Dark is just about to come out in hardback from Quercus. It is a second novel in the series featuring Homicide Detective Alice Madison and her partner Detective Sergeant Brown. First novel in the series, "The Gift of Darkness" was published last year but since I've read both books in the sequence I've decided to revisit the debut before continuing to review "The Dark".
Story opens up as twenty-five years ago three boys are kidnapped in the woods near Hoh River in Seattle. One of the boys never comes home. Back in the present a family is found murdered with words thirteen days scratched nearby. The crime scene is particularly horrific but mercifully it seems that kids and wife were killed quickly. Husband was not so lucky. Through a check found on the scene Homicide Detective Alice Madison and her partner discover a link leading back to these all but forgotten case. Alice believes the two cases are connected and must go back to the woods and revisit the old case to solve the new one. In doing so her abilities are stretched up to her limits and all she can do is to follow her instincts. This is particularly hard because Alice just came out of training and her both her methods and experience are almost non-existent. And the time is running out...
Setting it apart from other, more frantic, crime debuts of recent years, "The Gift of Darkness" is strangely slow burning. It is also very long and filled with, some would say, too much details. However, it's quick to incite interest and I was easily hooked with it's characters and mystery. I've loved the dynamic between Alice and Brown and I've thought the elements of the case have been done crackingly well. After these two books Giambanco is slowly turning out to be one of the most interesting names in crime fiction. She's knows how to scare and to fascinate her readers while at the same time offering plenty of uniqueness to be memorable even after you finish the final page. Very enjoyable.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F14_09%2Fbete.jpg&hash=9897763064f980beacb13a6cab18b605ec8a75d5)
Bête is set in a world where green activists (or terrorists - depending where you stand on the story's events) develop a microchip that allows animals the power of speech. Although the initial wave of 'cunning' animals is small, the chips are easily replicated and passed on - before long, hundreds of thousands of 'Bêtes' on are on the prowl. As well as the expected results (our protagonist, a cattle farmer is suddenly out of a job as Britain goes vegan), there are great repercussions: what does it mean to be 'human'? Or a 'citizen'? To be represented, and, quite literally, heard?
Roberts is one of the modern masters of 'big idea' science fiction - a single concept, extrapolated and explored through all its various ramifications and permutations. And the talking animals of Bête are no exception - but like his literary predecessors, Roberts cleverly limits the story to something more manageable. Bête is, for example, a quintessentially British novel - along the lines of After London or even the works of John Wyndham, one gets the impression that the world extends only so far as the ocean. Graham Penhaligon, farmer-cum-poet is an archetypical throwback to the cosy catastrophes - perplexingly overeducated and mildly conservative. Bête is also a deeply personal novel, in that this is a book not about the world - or about Britain - as much as it is a focused on the significance of a single person, Graham. Nor does our protagonist ever waver from his self-interest: even when he engages with larger social or political movements, it is with a certain reserve. He is not a man for causes - even with 'humanity' at stake.
Instead, despite the sweeping scale of the core concept, Bête is essentially one man's journey - literally and figuratively. Graham wanders peripatetically throughout the countryside, often alone, often with a single companion. He is a stranger to man and beast, and, most importantly, a complete outsider to society. Graham essentially checks out of the apocalypse - dipping in and out of an increasingly-fragmented civilisation to buy beer. Instead, his is the story of occasional, but deeply meaningful, interpersonal contact: with another man of the road ("Preacherman"), with a strong-willed and charismatic lover (Anne) and occasionally with a particularly infuriating talking cat. Although the comparisons to Animal Farm are obvious, Bête is probably a closer relation to Down and Out in Paris and London. This is only tangentially a novel about sweeping societal changes and incidentally a science fictional quest - Bête is about fleeting but meaningful relationships, the aching loneliness of the outsider and, ultimately, the challenge of transcendental, all-consuming love. Graham filters his emotions through literary allusions and ceaseless sarcasm (q.v. Britishness), but there is no disguising their intensity.
Readers fond of Roberts' chillier hard science fiction may be disappointed by the latest turn in his work. Although the sweeping idea is still there, underpinning the setting, Bête is, instead of a removed think-piece, a deeply affecting and characterful narrative. Graham is an irascible, reluctant, foul-mouthed throwback to an earlier era of fiction - and Roberts' best character yet. Bête is ferocious, powerful and Roberts' best yet.
(deo Jaredovog rivjua)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61TUo8hJyeL.jpg&hash=a179c49072df69732ec4f625f63fe0bc68105ad3)
THE REVOLUTIONS is a fantasy of the occult scene in fin de siecle London, the celestial spheres, and mystical Martian exploration. It follows two young lovers separated by the schemes and blundering of rival occultists, from the drawing rooms of spiritualist societies, through shady enterprises in Deptford warehouses, and magical war on the Isle of Dogs, and out to a hallucinatory, doomed Mars drawn from the fantasies of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the imaginings of Aleister Crowley, and the speculations of Victorian astronomers.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51xFXdDA5kL._AA160_.jpg&hash=d06a3d8616638a4ee4827a8fb44bf3da59b4be8b)
People are keeping secrets from Oli. His mum has brought him to stay with his aunt and uncle in the countryside, but nobody will tell him why his dad isn't with them. Where is he? Has something happened? Oli has a hundred questions, but then he finds a secret of his own: he discovers the creature that lives in the attic.
Eren.
Eren is not human.
Eren is hungry for stories.
Eren has been waiting for him.
Sharing his stories with Eren, Oli starts to make sense of what's happening downstairs with his family. But what if it's a trap? Soon, Oli must make a choice: learn the truth - or abandon himself to Eren's world, forever.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51hggt7LL%252BL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp%2CTopRight%2C12%2C-18_SH30_OU02_AA160_.jpg&hash=bce310e1d26fbc1e7631d6819f7f95748e73aad2)
It's a classic old-fashioned haunted house story - set in a big box Swedish furniture superstore. Designed like a retail catalogue, Horrorstor offers a creepy read with mass appeal-perfect for Halloween tables! Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring wardrobes, shattered Bracken glassware, and vandalized Liripip sofabeds-clearly, someone or something is up to no good. To unravel the mystery, five young employees volunteer for a long dusk-til-dawn shift-and they encounter horrors that defy imagination. Along the way, author Grady Hendrix infuses sly social commentary on the nature of work in the new 21st century economy. A traditional haunted house story in a contemporary setting (and full of contemporary fears), Horrorstor comes conveniently packaged in the form of a retail catalogue, complete with illustrations of ready-to-assemble furniture and other, more sinister accessories.
Set in the future - a world where the past is a dangerous country, not to be talked about or visited - J is a love story of incomparable strangeness, both tender and terrifying.
Two people fall in love, not yet knowing where they have come from or where they are going. Kevern doesn't know why his father always drew two fingers across his lips when he said a world starting with a J. It wasn't then, and isn't now, the time or place to be asking questions. Ailinn too has grown up in the dark about who she was or where she came from. On their first date Kevern kisses the bruises under her eyes. He doesn't ask who hurt her. Brutality has grown commonplace. They aren't sure if they have fallen in love of their own accord, or whether they've been pushed into each other's arms. But who would have pushed them, and why?
Hanging over the lives of all the characters in this novel is a momentous catastrophe - a past event shrouded in suspicion, denial and apology, now referred to as What Happened, If It Happened.
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/J-Novel-Howard-Jacobson/dp/0224101978/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410556474&sr=1-1&keywords=j+howard+jacobson&tag=tordotcomgeneral-20)
naslovi u pripremi:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F09%2FRadiance-400.jpg&hash=96d52ff0bc33d93212ec6be42bb6e420ae78d6fe)
The first adult novel in more than four years from the bestselling author of the Fairyland books
Radiance is a decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood—and solar system—very different from our own, from the phenomenonal talent behind the New York Times bestselling The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.
Severin Unck's father is a famous director of Gothic romances in an alternate 1986 in which talking movies are still a daring innovation due to the patent-hoarding Edison family. Rebelling against her father's films of passion, intrigue, and spirits from beyond, Severin starts making documentaries, traveling through space and investigating the levitator cults of Neptune and the lawless saloons of Mars. For this is not our solar system, but one drawn from classic science fiction in which all the planets are inhabited and we travel through space on beautiful rockets. Severin is a realist in a fantastic universe.
But her latest film, which investigates the disappearance of a diving colony on a watery Venus populated by island-sized alien creatures, will be her last. Though her crew limps home to earth and her story is preserved by the colony's last survivor, Severin will never return.
Aesthetically recalling A Trip to the Moon and House of Leaves, and told using techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative, Radiance is a solar system-spanning story of love, exploration, family, loss, quantum physics, and silent film.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F099228449X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1a371dad60845afd6a69befc6aea344d9a426a7b)
You think you know all the fables that have ever been told. You think you can no longer be surprised by stories. Think again. With origins in myth, fairytales, folklore and pure imagination, the stories and poems in these pages draw on history that never was and worlds that will never be to create their own unique tales and traditions... The next generation of storytellers is here.
Here's the table of contents...
1."Twelfth" by Faith Mudge
2."The Love Letters of Swans" by Tansy Rayner Roberts
3."Bahamut" by Thoraiya Dyer
4."The Village of No Women" by Rabia Gale
5."The Lady of Wild Things" by Jenny Blackford
6."Rag and Bone Heart" by Suzanne J. Willis
7."A Cold Day" by Nicole Murphy
8."How the Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian" by Vida Cruz
9."Kneaded" by S.G. Larner
10."The Ghost of Hephaestus" by Charlotte Nash
11."The Seventh Relic" by Cat Sparks
12."The Nameless Seamstress" by Gitte Christensen
13."Scales of Time (poem reprint)" by Foz Meadows
14."Illustrations Scales of Time" by Moni
I nastavak Sierra Waters time travel serijala:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00NYEX3T4.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=81530c14b0aae90d0fdca7233cc153b82f831cbd)
Sierra and Max arrive in 2062, and find the world has somewhat changed. Joe Biden was President from 2009-2017, and train travel is much more prominent. Was this due to the scrolls that she rescued from the Library of Alexandria? Heron's Chronica, which describes how to building a time travel device and was one of the texts Sierra saved from burning, has not yet been published, and Sierra soon realizes that Heron is doing everything in his lethal power to prevent that from happening. Her attempt to safeguard the Chronica, which she left in William Henry Appleton's keeping, takes her to the end of the 1890s, where she interacts with John Jacob Astor IV, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, J. P. Morgan, film pioneers William Dickson and Edwin Porter, and other denizens of The Gilded Age.
Naslovi sad u oktobru:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316246654.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=664582a2255dd4d9611b885113f9b3acd3312f67)
The sequel to Ancillary Justice, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, British Science Fiction, Locus and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.
Breq is a soldier who used to be a warship. Once a weapon of conquest controlling thousands of minds, now she has only a single body and serves the emperor.
With a new ship and a troublesome crew, Breq is ordered to go to the only place in the galaxy she would a agree to go: to Athoek Station to protect the family of a lieutenant she once knew - a lieutenant she murdered in cold blood.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00MQGNWXS.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=6d63a8b48dfa8dc7d396de5e32b1158967b20b8c)
A reclusive couple's power goes out and they are forced to use their scarce survivalist supplies to live off the grid.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1781082111.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=22f28f55475c239256f313cb72cebb883f856f14)
An original thriller from bestselling author Christopher Fowler that reinventing the haunted house story.
Newly-married architect Callie and her wealthy husband Mateo move to Hyperion House, a grand old home in southern Spain. It's an eccentric place built in front of a cliff: serene and beautiful, but eerily symmetrical, and cunningly styled so that half the house is flooded with light, and half – locked up and neglected – is shrouded in darkness. Unemployed and feeling isolated in a foreign country, Callie determines to research the history of the curious building.
But the past is sometimes best left alone. Uncovering the folklore of the house's strange history, Callie is drawn into darkness and delusion. As a teenager Callie was afraid of the dark, and now with her adolescent nyctophobia returning she becomes convinced there's someone in the darkened rooms. Somewhere in the darkness lies the truth about Hyperion House.
But some doors should never be opened.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00MBZZT6W.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=5467aa0d84d342971c768fbc7ad1881b628f5bf9)
Rebecca Hardwick wants nothing more than to start a family with her husband. But when a series of tragedies occur, she is left unable to have children by natural means.
Jane Nurelle is in an abusive relationship filled with beatings, drinking and drugs. But when she learns of her pregnancy, she is determined to turn her life around, even if it means resorting to violence.
Through an unlikely series of events, these two women come face-to-face with a notable scientist who has perfected a way for couples to have biologically matched children through the process of human cloning. But his service comes at a price...and the women share more in common than they ever thought possible.
Surrogate is an unforgettable tale of life, love, revenge and maternal instinct.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1771483040.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=5b6ee7854ca073340297915e25150595d92e755c)
A young man at loose ends finds he cannot look away from his new lover's alien gaze. A young woman out of time seeks her old lover in the cold spaces between the stars. The fleeing worshippers of an ancient and jealous deity seek solace in an unsuspecting New World congregation. In a suburban nursery, a demon with a grudge and a lonely exorcist face off for what could be the last time. And when a big city mayor who delineates his mandate by the slash of a blade faces an unexpected challenger, it turns into a struggle that threatens to consume everything. In Knife Fight and Other Struggles, David Nickle follows his award-winning debut collection Monstrous Affections with a new set of dark tales that span space, time, and genre.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0553419552.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=d3da9c7e5b1f58ea886cb9cc647bdd033c9d06f3)
Finalist for the 2014 Man Booker Prize
"J is a snarling, effervescent, and ambitious philosophical work of fiction that poses unsettling questions about our sense of history, and our self-satisfied orthodoxies. Jacobson's triumph is to craft a novel that is poignant as well as troubling from the debris." —Independent (UK)
Man Booker Prize–winner Howard Jacobson's brilliant and profound new novel, J, "invites comparison with George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World" (Sunday Times, London). Set in a world where collective memory has vanished and the past is a dangerous country, not to be talked about or visited, J is a boldly inventive love story, both tender and terrifying.
Kevern Cohen doesn't know why his father always drew two fingers across his lips when he said a word starting with a J. It wasn't then, and isn't now, the time or place to be asking questions. When the extravagantly beautiful Ailinn Solomons arrives in his village by a sea that laps no other shore, Kevern is instantly drawn to her. Although mistrustful by nature, the two become linked as if they were meant for each other. Together, they form a refuge from the commonplace brutality that is the legacy of a historic catastrophe shrouded in suspicion, denial, and apology, simply referred to as WHAT HAPPENED, IF IT HAPPENED. To Ailinn's guardian, Esme Nussbaum, Ailinn and Kevern are fragile shoots of hopefulness. As this unusual pair's actions draw them into ever-increasing danger, Esme is determined to keep them together—whatever the cost.
In this stunning, evocative, and terribly heartbreaking work, where one couple's love affair could have shattering consequences for the human race, Howard Jacobson gathers his prodigious gifts for the crowning achievement of a remarkable career.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0988912414.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=dd1de218897f943743f56acd2a0ffac8f9cacb06)
Mike Allen has put together a first class collection of horror and dark fantasy. Unseaming burns bright as hell among its peers.
--Laird Barron, author of The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All
Everyone in the world awakens covered in blood-and no one knows where the blood came from. A childhood doll arrives to tear its owner's reality limb from limb. A portal to the spirit realm stretches wide on the Appalachian Trail, and something more than human crawls through on eight legs. Words of comfort change to terrifying sounds as a force from outside time speaks through them. The buttons in the bin will unseam your flesh to bare your nastiest secrets.
Opening with "The Button Bin," a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story, and culminating with its sequel, "The Quiltmaker," which Bram Stoker Award and Shirley Jackson Award winner Laird Barron has hailed as Mike Allen's masterpiece, this debut collection gathers fourteen horror tales that, in the words of Barron's introduction, "rival anything committed to paper by the likes of contemporary masters such as Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, or Caitlín Kiernan. This is raw, visceral, and sometimes bloody stuff. Primal stuff."
More praise for Unseaming:
Throughout Unseaming, reality is usually in bad shape right from the start-and from there things proceed to go downhill. Such is the general background and trajectory of life in Mike Allen's fictional world. More could be said, of course, but there's one thing that I feel especially urged to say: these stories are fun. Not "good" fun, and certainly not "good clean" fun. They are too unnerving for those modifiers, too serious, like laughter in the dark-unnerving, serious laughter that leads you through Mr. Allen's funhouse. The reality in there is also in bad shape, deliberately so, just for the seriously unnerving fun of it. The prose is poetic, except it's nonsense poetry, the poetry of deteriorating realities, intermingling realities, realities without Reality. And all the while that unnerving, serious laughter keeps getting louder and louder. Are we having fun yet?
--Thomas Ligotti, author of Teatro Grottesco and The Spectral Link
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0989512568.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=c6787c05a71a5dfb3e1a448d6aef0e2218544e43)
Hello Devilfish! is a first-person (or first-fish) account of a giant blue Japanese movie monster stingray's attack on contemporary Tokyo and his tragic morph into human form. Using elements of Japanese shock-pop and the infamous Hello Kitty meme, the story is told in comic narrative from the stingray's point of view as he gleefully creams Tokyo into rubble. The stingray is soon pursued by Squidra, a love-struck giant squid. She demands love; he refuses. In an epic waterfront battle, she traps him in a human-growth hormone bath that changes him into a puny human — a reverse metamorphosis — monster to man. Refusing to accept his humanity, the stingray acts like his former giant self while trying to find food, shelter, romance — and avoid the destructive rampage of his stalker squid love interest. Hello Devilfish! is told in a readable, comic narrative occasionally spiced with Manglish words. Funny and very readable, underneath the outlandish plot is a truly fresh critique of contemporary culture and mainstream literature.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0399158448.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=c7a35c66e85460bc5ab86ce5c0a91f224b94d28f)
Where Flynne and her brother, Burton, live, jobs outside the drug business are rare. Fortunately, Burton has his veteran's benefits, for neural damage he suffered from implants during his time in the USMC's elite Haptic Recon force. Then one night Burton has to go out, but there's a job he's supposed to do—a job Flynne didn't know he had. Beta-testing part of a new game, he tells her. The job seems to be simple: work a perimeter around the image of a tower building. Little buglike things turn up. He's supposed to get in their way, edge them back. That's all there is to it. He's offering Flynne a good price to take over for him. What she sees, though, isn't what Burton told her to expect. It might be a game, but it might also be murder.
Super za En Leki!
Ali ovo
Quote from: PTY on 03-10-2014, 09:20:53
The first adult novel in more than four years from the bestselling author of the Fairyland books
priziva sve užase brzog pisanja, na toliko načina odjednom :P
Bogami, jeste. I mada smatram da nije pošteno autorima spotčitavati prolifičnost (osim ako je ista baš očigledan uzrok slabog kvaliteta proze, naravno), priznajem da me je upravo to oduvek pomalo odbijalo od Valentice. (To, i donekle njen pretenciozni stil.)
A obaška što mi se čini da i inače imamo previše žanrovskih pisaca koji nam dosta toga obećaju ozbiljnim prvencem a onda se pokupe da na sitno prebiru vodu u YA bazenčiću... kao Baćigalupi, recimo. Istina da ne pratim YA pomno, ali ako je suditi po nominacijama i rivjuima, rekla bih da su tamo uglavnom prosečni, pa je jadac otud i dvaput gori.
Evo nešto za Jevtropijevićku i ostale fanove En Leki:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316246654.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=7f0ed5506221b35714f308cbde7ed3552bb4be54)
The second book starts with Breq taking the only assignment from Anaander that she would accept–to visit Athoek Station, an important station where Lieutenant Awn's sister Bosnaaid lives. Although she is only given one ship, Mercy of Kalr, Breq is promoted to the position of Fleet Captain to ensure she has authority over other captains she crosses. Her friend Seivarden is one of her lieutenants on the ship. Breq wishes to go to have the opportunity to make amends to Bosnaaid for the role she played in Awn's death. Anaander wants Breq to go to make sure that Athoek Station is ready to defend against attack from the other Anaander. But nothing with 3000-year-old Anaander Miaanai is ever simple–Anaander has already shown herself very capable of great trickery, able as she is to bypass security systems and AIs with powerful access codes. Breq knows that Anaander wouldn't let a powerful person like Breq go without some kind of insurance, but what form will that insurance take?
When they arrive at Athoek Station, there are repeated indications that things are very odd here. Their arrival is met with an attempted attack by the Radch ship Sword of Atagaris. On Athoek Station Breq immediately seeks out the Undergarden, the space under the populated section of the station that doesn't officially exist. Breq, always sympathetic to the downtrodden, sets out to improve the living conditions on the station as she tries to sort out the mysteries of the system and tries to stabilize everything to prepare for attack from the other Anaander Miaanai.
This book continues one of the cool social details of the last book–universal female genderization. The Radch language doesn't acknowledge different genders and doesn't have gendered pronouns, so female pronouns are always used in the narration and any dialog spoken in Radchaai–it's only when other languages are used when any differentiation is made at all. It's a really cool effect–even though I know a few particular characters are male, the ever-present female pronouns and the unimportance of distinguishing one sex from the other makes me kind of forget that for those characters. In my head, it really is an all-female cast, even though it technically isn't. It's a neat effect.
One thing that I miss from Ancillary Justice is the cool flashback scenes in that book from the point of view of Justice of Toren. The reason I really got interested in that book in the first place was that interesting point of view. I have seen other stories with multiple-bodied people as secondary characters or ones where a person may have more than one body but not simultaneously, but Justice of Toren's point of view perceived from all of her bodies simultaneously so those scenes involved her speaking and acting in numerous different places all at once all mixed together in the same scene. It was disorienting at first, but amazingly done. This book doesn't involve any flashbacks from Breq's Justice of Toren days, so it's all in the single-bodied present. It makes the point of view more interesting that Breq has implants that let her perceive the emotions and sensory input of her officers and crew–kind of an in-text justification for an omniscient narrator. It was still pretty cool, but the first book set the bar pretty high on point-of-view coolness and it wasn't as cool as that.
There was one major plot-point action by Breq that was such poor judgment I found it hard to believe from her character. Breq is often daring, but never unthinking, so I found that major action to be out of the character I'd known so far. I can't comment further without spoilers, but I'll be interested to see if other people had the same qualm when I talk to them.
The second novel is stereotypically the low point in a trilogy. It lacks the novelty, the fresh worldbuilding and launch into action of the first book. But neither does it have the series-ending climax and resolution of the third book. Did Ancillary Sword fall into the middle-book slump? Somewhat. Breq is as awesome as ever, and there is some good expansion of worldbuilding started in the previous book. There are some really cool plot points and new information revealed here, but the entirety of this book still feels like just the "rising action" portion of a single book that the third Ancillary Mercy will conclude, and while this book did have its own climax and resolution these were both related to a plot thread that is more of an offshoot of the series' main plot than an integral part of the main plot. Much of the book is spent, not idle, but waiting for the other shoe to drop. Breq is more than capable of handling the interpersonal and administrative conflict that make up most of the plot. Very late in the book there is even a short section that concisely lists all the unresolved threads that this book built up to–which could serve very nicely as a back cover blurb for the third book. The first book centered around a one-person assassination attempt on the multitudinous emperor of the galactic empire with astronomical odds against success. After that action-packed excitement a capable person given ample authority and asked to organize a defense is not so enthralling, at least until that preparation is put to the test.
If you liked Ancillary Justice, consider this book, and the resolution to the trilogy will be along in the near future to tie everything off. I will be very excited to get my hands on Ancillary Mercy to follow the rest of Breq's adventures and to find out the how the Anaander Miaanai civil war turns out. Ann Leckie has shown herself more than capable, and I trust that she will enthrall and amaze to round out the trilogy.
Još jedna najava koja mnogo toga obećava:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0385352875.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=e871845164662b66c77037420cf63bcbaea0274b)
Paolo Bacigalupi, New York Times-Bestselling author and National Book Award Finalist, dives once again onto our uncertain future with his first thriller for adults since his multi-award winning debut phenomenon The Windup Girl.
In the American Southwest, Nevada, Arizona, and California skirmish for dwindling shares of the Colorado River. Into the fray steps Angel Velasquez, detective, leg-breaker, assassin and spy. A Las Vegas water knife, Angel "cuts" water for his boss, Catherine Case, ensuring that her lush, luxurious arcology developments can bloom in the desert, so the rich can stay wet, while the poor get nothing but dust. When rumors of a game-changing water source surface in drought-ravaged Phoenix, Angel is sent to investigate. There, he encounters Lucy Monroe, a hardened journalist with no love for Vegas and every reason to hate Angel, and Maria Villarosa, a young Texas refugee who survives by her wits and street smarts in a city that despises everything that she represents. With bodies piling up, bullets flying, and Phoenix teetering on collapse, it seems like California is making a power play to monopolize the life-giving flow of a river. For Angel, Lucy, and Maria time is running out and their only hope for survival rests in each other's hands. But when water is more valuable than gold, alliances shift like sand, and the only thing for certain is that someone will have to bleed if anyone hopes to drink.
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/145/169/679/0/9781451696790.jpg)
In this hefty and insistently entertaining novel, Somers (Chum, 2013, etc.) creates a world of seedy urban crime that develops into a violent epic with the help of an intriguingly bloody magic system.
Lem Vonnegan is a Trickster, a small-time con man who uses magic to scrape out a living for himself and his large, endearingly childish sidekick, Pitr Mags. Magic, in this world, is not a pleasant thing. It relies on the spilling of blood, and while Lem chooses to limit himself to the power he can get from cutting into his own skin, other magicians are less scrupulous and use the blood of others on a scale that ranges from murder to the secret engineering of the biggest disasters in human history. When Lem and Mags stumble across a dead girl in a bathtub, her skin marked with the symbols of a mysterious and frighteningly powerful spell, they find themselves caught in a plot that would destroy the world for one impossible spell. Though the book has an exaggerated air of toughness and a tendency toward graphic violence that might be more effective on film, the characters are engaging and just odd enough to be easily imagined. The plot moves from one tense and dangerous moment to another, piling on high-stakes incidents so thickly that it's forced to break into distinct sections that almost feel like smaller, separate novels under the umbrella of a single title. The writing is clear and goes down easily, though a reliance on stock tough-guy vernacular and predictably imagined female characters sometimes trips up its believability. At its best, the story races along with an appealing balance of grimness and likability.
An action-filled urban fantasy that offers absorbing storytelling in a gritty atmosphere of crime and a merciless, often ugly, magic built on violence.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson will be published on May 19, 2015 by HarperCollins / William Morrow. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seveneves-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0062190377/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=upcoming4me-21&linkCode=w01&linkId=ZKI6U7N3HPMGZVCR&creativeASIN=0062190377)
Synopsis:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noah's Ark . . . 30,000 years after the flood.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem, Reamde, and Cryptonomicon comes an exciting new science fiction epic that tells of global disaster, the near-extinction of all life on Earth, and the seven valiant survivors who battle against all odds to save the human race.
When the moon blows up, the earth's atmosphere is predicted to go through changes that will eventually lead to a Hard Rain, a meteorite storm that could
last for thousands of years,rendering the earth's surface uninhabitable. In preparation, the nations of the earth send an ark of humans to an International Space Station. But the Station isn't immune to the galactic catastrophe and many of its people are lost, mostly men. When stability is reached, only seven humans remain, all of them women. Jump forward thirty thousand years. Two peoples exist: those who survived on Earth, living rustic, primitive lives; and those who derived from the Seven Eves of the space station, affluent, sophisticated, organized sects looking to colonize the surface of earth. Stephenson's next novel is an epic potboiler, with political and military intrigue, and plenty to say about evolution, genetic engineering, and civilization as we know it.
You'll be surprised to learn that Inoue Yasushi, author of over fifty novels and countless short stories, didn't publish his first work until he was well in his forties. However, despite starting his career relatively late, his two short novels "Bullfight" and "The Hunting Gun" were instant successes landing him his first literary prizes. During his illustrious writing career many more will follow so by the end of his life in 1991, he'll have become one of the greatest and most beloved Japanese writers. It's easy to understand why. His grasp of emotions, carefully wrapped in everyday life and ordinary people is unprecedented. Sadly, Yasushi's work was badly neglected in Western world with published translations few and far between and even these few were translated quite badly. Luckily, once again it's Pushkin Press who've decided the sort it all out and "Life of a Counterfeiter" is a third collection of his to come out in a relatively short span of time.
If you've read anything by Yasushi by now, you've probably read his novella "Life of a Counterfeiter" in one guise or another. In fact, this was one of few stories that were published before in English but what sets apart this translation from the one that came before is the quality of the translation. Michael Emmerich, who is well known for his translations of various Japanese authors, seems to understand Yasushi and does wonders to relate his subtle grasp of emotions through everyday things. "Life of a Counterfeiter" follows the story of an author who commissioned to write a biography of a well-known artist. As was intercepts his work, authors starts to explore the life of a counterfeiter who forged artist's works.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41bw1GZ1QzL._UY250_.jpg&hash=c2a678520aa1a57fa2e1cbbf11dce69209faf6d5)
"Life of a Counterfeiter" is followed by two stories which are appearing in English translation for the first time. "Reeds" is an examination of narrator's past through recollections of family life while "Mr Goodall's Gloves" is its similar counterpart and follows the story of a journalist who ends up on an assignment in Nagasaki after the bomb dropped and remembers his grandmother, geisha, who was due to her profession never fully accepted by society of her own family.
All three collected stories date from 1950s, arguably the finest period in Yasushi's writing and in my opinion provide a perfect introduction to his work. Rich with symbolism, this collection offers an insight into subtle intricacies of Japanese culture and its traditions through a beautifully emotional and quietly subdued writing. A lovely addition to a collection that finally does justice to Yasushi's opus.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themanbookerprize.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2Fbooks%2F77.David%2520Mitchell-The%2520Bone%2520Clocks%2520jacket.jpg&hash=db06a743acd19856bca3111e0d74b043a92b4508)
Mnogi poznavaoci njegovog opusa tvrde da je ovaj roman kruna njegove karijere, pa neka tako i ostane, pošto sam ja čitala jedino Cloud Atlas i do sad bila u uverenju da je taj roman jednostavno nemoguće prevazići, to bilo po stilu, bilo po imaginaciji. The Bone Clocks je masivan roman, narativno zahtevan koliko i Atlas, mada relativno skromniji u opsegu, pošto prati životni vek glavnog protagoniste. Ali sva ostala žongliranja u naraciji – to žanrovima, stilom ili tonom – su i dalje jednako prisutna, i od samog uvoda naprosto vam je kristalno jasno da se tu sve, ali ama baš sve može dogoditi. Mitchell je naprosto pisac kojem se ništa ne može predvideti dalje od jednog ili dva pasusa, a ponekad čak ni u tom razmeru: njegov narativ je do te mere bizaran, do te mere realan i fantastičan ujedno, da naprosto samog sebe izgrađuje, to iz rečenice u rečenicu. Opet je tu između dve korice smešteno najmanje 6 romana, i svaki od njih dovoljno impresivan da bude ne samo samostalno nego i krajnje fascinantno delo.
U neku ruku, taj pristup skoro da garantuje čitaocu da roman naprosto ne može a da mu se ne svidi, to bar u nekom stepenu ili u nekom segmentu: koga ne dosegne onaj sasvim fantastični element romana dohvatiće ga garant distopija, a kome ne leži odviše postmodernistički zuj hektične naracije dohvatiće ga garant klasični, da ne kažem skroz tradicionalni realizam lako ekstrapoliranog futurizma. Jednotavno, taj Mitchellov vrunski stil i osebujni dobrostivi humor (čak i u onim dirljivim, tragičnim delovima sudbine pojedinih aktera) naprosto garantuje da celina naprosto ne može da omane, nego se samo njeni sastavni delovi mogu da aktivno nadmeću za favorizaciju najjačeg utiska.
Fantastični element je ovog puta iz asortimana bestelesnih Atemporalaca koji kao podstanari žive u svojim ljudskim gostima, prelazeći iz jednog u drugi kako im se prohte. Sama ideja me malko podsetila na Wesly Chu i njegov Lives of Tao, ali to samo u glavnim crtama, i donekle lepršavosti stila, pošto je i Chu sklon tom nekako skroz blagostivom humoru koji ostavlja trajan dojam koliko i sama naracija.
Inače, i sam Mitchell je fascinantan čovek, oko njegovog prevoda Why I Jump saznala sam dosta toga o njegovom autističnom sinu i načinu na koji njih dvojica prevazilaze taj komunikativni i emotivni jaz, pa mi i to ilustruje dubinu Mitchellovog senzibiliteta i njegovu neverovatnu sposobnost da emotivno razdrma čitaoca naizgled bez ikakvog napora. Kad u jednom momentu odložite knjigu na časak zato što vam se vid malko zamaglio, jelte, a i neka knedla vam sedi u grlu baš onako, pa kad u istom momentu shvatite da ste se nepun minut ranije u prethodnom pasusu na glas i od srca smejali, onda vam nekako dođe da i ne pipate knjigu tokom radnog dela dana, nego samo u neko praktičnije vreme. Družili smo se pune 3 nedelje, ja i ovaj masivni roman, i bilo mi je neverovatno žao kad sam došla do kraj. Srećom pa imam dosta njegovih nepročitanih naslova, idući na redu je number9dream. :)
izlazi u decembru:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00OECR7WO.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=13be1d6cc7a4e3257581a0ceeab7ad3dd8792044)
1."Mech" by C.J. Cherryh
2."Last Human" by Jorge Salgado-Reyes
3."Annabelle's Children" by Gregory Wolos
4."Living The Singularity" by Tom Borthwick
5."Cotner's Bot" by D.L. Young
6."Midnight Pearls Blue" by William F. Wu
7."Better Than Everything" by Malon Edwards
8."Ex Machina" by Cynthia Ward
9."Island" by Terry Faust
10."Meerga" by John Shirley
11."To Sleep, perchance" by Mark Terence Chapman
12."The Walk" by Druscilla Morgan
13."The Electrified Ants" by Jetse de Vries
14."Extremum" by R. Thomas Riley & Roy C Booth
15."Attention Whore" by Kerry Lipp
16."Unholy Grail" by Frank Roger
17."Extra Credit" by Paul Levinson
There's also an Introduction by Paul Levinson
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41QSjwGL6FL._UY250_.jpg&hash=4b59192e3fa573797a866adcb89c85c501c809a8)
It is the mid-1980s, the era of so-called reformist apartheid, and South Africa is in flames. Police and military are gunning down children at the forefront of the liberation struggle. Far from such action, it seems, a small party of four is traveling by minibus to the north of the country, close to the border with Zimbabwe. Their aim is to shoot a documentary on the discovery of a prehistoric skull that Professor Digby Bamford boasts is evidence that, "True man first arose in southern Africa." Boozy, self-absorbed Professor Bamford is unaware that his young lover, Vicky, brings with her some complications. Rian, the videographer, was once in love with her, and his passion has been reignited. Bucs, a young man from the townships, is doing his best not to be involved in the increasingly deadly tensions. Powerful and provocative, brilliantly written, The Unspeakable is as unforgettable as it is unsettling. Told in the first person by Rian, it centers on the conflicted being of the white male under apartheid. Unlike many of the great novels of the era, it renounces any claim to the relative safety zone of moralistic dissociation from the racist crime against humanity, and cuts instead to the quick of complicity. It is sometimes said of Albert Camus's The Stranger that everything would have turned out very differently, had the murder only taken place "a few hundred miles to the south." This is that South with a vengeance.
u maju iduce godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41J2Iiay54L.jpg&hash=9740c1c5f061d209fcda754d3a058b29c882b4f6)
A major new novel from one of science fiction's most powerful voices, AURORA tells the incredible story of our first voyage beyond the solar system.
Brilliantly imagined and beautifully told, it is the work of a writer at the height of his powers. Our voyage from Earth began generations ago. Now, we approach our destination. A new home. AURORA.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51NsKarHEuL.jpg&hash=47295c3928d0c4ea30af3d72ff0b5fc5b6e8615c)
You might say that Project Hieroglyph was born out of literature. Everything started with Neal Stephenson's article "Innovation Starvation" in which he made a rally call for scientists to use contemporary science fiction as means for innovation. In my opinion this is a fantastic idea which, if it eventually takes off, could potentially inspire some pretty bonkers projects and we all know that these are the best. Remember airplanes? One of this, started by Stephenson himself as thought experiment is The Tall Tower Project, an exploration of limits of structural engineering and cutting edge materials to create a 20km tall steel tower. Damn interesting stuff.
Since the grain of the whole project was an essay by Stephenson, the expected next step is the publication of a collection of similarly imaginative stories by some of the today's leading thinkers and authors and that's exactly what "Hieroglyph: Stories & Visions for a Better Future" is. In a field dominated by bleak dystopian visions of the future, this collection offers a completely different take on things. Just about every of included essays is in its own way optimistic and offers an inspiring view of the future based on the ingenuity of human technological innovation and is accompanied by extensive research notes as well as links to science relevant to the story.
Anthology's line-up is suitably impressive. There are original pieces by Neal Stephenson, Cory Doctorow, David Brin, Gregory Benford, Rudy Rucker and Bruce Sterling, as well as by newcomers such as Lou Konstantinou and Madeline Ashby. For the most part, texts fulfill their expectation. They did whet my appetite for learning and I've literary spent hours exploring the science behind the concepts. And there's a plethora of concepts to dig into : opening and closing with Stephenson's 20km high steel tower, we are also treated to explorations of augmented reality, neurobiology, innovative uses of 3D printing and what-not else.
Interestingly enough, the stories themselves don't rely so much on the governments as a way to reach the future as to an unknown intrepid entrepreneur - an enthusiastic businessman who will spend millions to achieve hers or his childhood dreams. This is on par with some of the talks that Stephenson gave lately where he discussed his disappointment in the effective closure of the space program. And this is where we reach the potential catch 22. Scientist often lack funding to do truly innovative things, governments can't be bothered and the businessmen will only give so much without expecting profit. But, similarly to authors, we can only hope!
"Hieroglyph: Stories & Visions for a Better Future" is a shining beacon of technological innovation and I can only hope that all the relevant parties will dare to dream with these authors. If only a fractions od ideas presented here come true, the future will indeed turn out to be indistinguishable from magic.
Knjige koje su oraspolozile Jareda :) :
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb0798278f970d-200wi&hash=efe2d9c6809101bf3eb86ad5f89137327bf85b49)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b7c6f30546970b-200wi&hash=d0e6454c5e1b2e8d4b614c5fe4869cf6a6d78d73)
Deji Olukuton's Nigerians in Space is part noir, part political thriller, part heart-breaking literary fiction - all packed up with a vaguely science fictional gloss. A futurist raison d'etre. The plot itself is meandering: Dr. Wale Olufunmi is in Houston, working on moon rocks, when he gets the call from a mysterious political figure back in his country of birth, Nigeria. Wale, seduced by the dream of a Nigerian space programme, obeys: he steals a sample, uproots his family, and heads to Nigeria. Unfortunately, reality and politics intervene - also, assassins. Wale drags himself all over the world trying to restore some balance to his life, but only gets deeper and deeper in trouble.
The second thread of the narrative takes place with the next generation: Wale's son (an inventor), a hypnotic refugee model (the daughter of another member of the failed Nigerian 'Brain Gain' plot) and an opportunistic mollusc dealer. Their lives orbit and, eventually, intersect those of Wale's, and their smaller plots become part of the larger one.
What's beautiful about Nigerians in Space is that it is adamantly and aggressively earthbound - it is a novel of shattered dreams and failed launches. But it is also about the concept of space: a beautiful, unbounded future, filled with possibility and the (theoretical but not wholly defined) advancement of the human species. This is the shine of Golden Age SF - the magic and the mystery of the space programme - but with a wonderfully contemporary touch: a handful of people looking, aspiring, to live that dream in a world that refuses to accept it. Ultimately the idea of space is not unlike the stolen moon rock sample - infinitely valuable, but without practical purpose. It is about a dream, and what that represents.
A truly glorious book, that reminds the reader of what makes science fiction - as an idea - so very, very special.
Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is so good that I may even stop being snarky about Kickstarter. The Wayfarer is a wormhole builder - a ship that goes out to the middle of nowhere and sets up doorways for future travellers. (There's physics involved, but it is presented through a combination of hilarious analogies over the breakfast table, so that's ok.) The ship itself is populated by a mixed and ramshackle crew - including a pair of bonkers engineers, a sentient AI, and the ostensible protagonist - Rosemary (a wealthy runaway hiding as the ship's clerk).
The format is episodic: the ship has been tasked to build a gateway in a faraway system, formerly the domain of warring alien tribes. A fragile new alliance means that there's the opportunity to begin trade - especially in the lucrative go-juice that makes wormhole travel possible. The Wayfarer will make good money and, as a perk, they're allowed to get their at a pleasantly ambling rate - thus the titular long way.
Through Rosemary, the ship's newest member, we learn about all the crew's proclivities and personal histories: the wars, the families, the strange and wonderful alien customs and the liaisons (illicit and licit) and relationships. Generally speaking, there's no one 'big' adventure - the peripatetic structure is a series of small encounters that range from the harrowing to the adorable. On one end, there are space pirates and giant locusts; on the other, there are rather poignant encounters, and explorations of loneliness and belonging. In-between, we get a beautiful overlap: what is love like between alien species? What does family mean to a clone? The Long Way is remarkable not only because it tackles tricky questions, but because it does so with such deftness and charm. Despite the sprawling, far-flung setting, a universe populated with sentient beings of all shapes and sizes, this is a deeply intimate book: we get to know the half-dozen crew members, what makes them tick, and why they're so genuinely wonderful together.
And I think that's the beautiful thing about The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. Science fiction is a genre of big statements and big ideas. Certainly, The Long Way doesn't shy away from them, but where it excels is in the little things - how the characters interact and interweave, how situations are resolved not with a bang, and how it doesn't shout about philosophies as much as quietly live them. It is also, and this is worth noting, a happy book - a book that espouses positivity in the face of adversity, and reinforces a core belief that people of all shapes, sizes and species are (or can be) pretty nice. The Long Way is, very simply, an extremely good book, a seemingly effortless demonstration of how progressive and enjoyable science fiction can be.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51VczsjGL9L._AA160_.jpg&hash=c65f6c464efe7aab7f2d1675354167132e2b19aa)
From the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart—hailed by the Washington Post as crime fiction's best first novel of 2014"—a devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder that is a modern reimagining of Patricia Highsmith's classic Strangers on a Train.
On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that's going stale and his wife Miranda, who he's sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.
But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she's done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, "I'd like to help." After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .
Back in Boston, Ted and Lily's twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily's past that she hasn't shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.
Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51dtuWyjSLL.jpg&hash=f19b8074cb36e8220a57852f66b79dbe88930f58)
After years of placing her tales in France and exploring its rich medieval history, in her new novel Mosse decided to do things differently and to return to her home village in the UK. "The Taxidermist's Daughter" takes places in small village of Fishbourne in Surrey in 1912 and follows the story of Constantia Gifford as she accidentally becomes involved in a frightening murder mystery. Connie is twenty-two and is living alone with her father in a house filled with remnants of what was once a world-famous museum of taxidermy "Gifford's World Famous House of Avian Curiosities". After the museum's closure, Connie's father became a very uncomfortable man to live with. He's bitter and disappointed in life. The events surrounding the closure are still a mystery to Connie as she lost her memory after a particularly nasty fall years ago. The subject matter is a taboo which can't even be mentioned, let alone discussed so she spends her days with stuffed birds as her company, slowly learning her father's trade.
It all changes one night during which it is believed that ghosts of those about to die in the coming year are walking the earth. A woman is found drowned outside Blackthorn House (Gifford's house). Death certificate proclaims the cause of death as suicide but Connie's having her doubt. Soon she becomes embroiled in a search spanning years which will bring back to light some long forgotten memories as well as the mystery at the heart of her father's life.
With her Languedoc trilogy su ccessfully out of the way, Mosse's writing in "The Taxidermist's Daughter" feels completely reinvigorated. She feels fiercely confident in her story and I, as a reader, found this sort of enthusiasm absolutely infecting. "The Taxidermist's Daughter" is simply Mosse's best work yet which will appear more to readers who enjoyed her gothic tale "The Winter Ghosts" (or "The Cave" if you've only read the original, shorter story") or her recent short story collection "The Mitletoe Brde and other stories" than to those who only read her Languedoc trilogy. "The Taxidermist's Daughter" is a thrilling lyrical tale with a touch of macabre which I can only wholeheartedly recommend.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41M7Cbs99mL._UY250_.jpg&hash=077114e231baac0f9af45c3470a557565f61a46f)
THE SURFACING is set largely on board a ship in the 1850s, searching for Franklin's lost expedition. It's a challenging and dangerous endeavour in a very male world - that is until Morgan, the second-in-command of the Impetus, realises there is a pregnant stowaway on board and that he is the father. It is too late to turn back, the ice is closing in, and the child will have to be born into the vast and icy wilderness of the Arctic. The men, especially the ship's doctor, DeHaven, and the second in command, Lieutenant Morgan, have doubts about the judgement of their captain, and soon their own vessel becomes trapped in the remote Arctic. THE SURFACING is in places quite literally breathtaking. It is a powerful novel of isolation and impasse, resilience and resistance, exploring the battle between man and an unforgiving environment, and the struggle between the sexes. The power of ambition, what drives human beings to take outrageous physical risks, the nature of courage, and of love - in an unforgettable setting, often bleak, sometimes beautiful, always conveyed in brilliant, keenly pared prose. And in addition to Kitty and Morgan and the rest of the crew, the ice itself forms an extraordinary character in its own right - sometimes shifting, sometimes stubborn, mostly treacherous.
Poems by Iain Banks with Ken MacLeod will be published on February 5, 2015 by Little, Brown
Iain Banks the literary novelist and Iain M. Banks the science fiction writer are too well known to need introduction, but Iain Banks the poet has hitherto been almost undetected: a single poem was published in a magazine and three short pieces within the novels. But he took his poetry seriously and worked on it carefully, though he shared the results mainly with friends.
Readers of Iain's novels will find in these poems many aspects of his writing with which they're already familiar: a humane and materialist sensibility, an unflinching stare at the damage people can do to each other, a warm appreciation of the joy they can give to each other, a revel in language, a geologically informed gaze on land and sea, a continued meditation on what it means for us to be mortal embodied minds with a fleeting but consequent existence between abysses of deep time.
Ken MacLeod, Iain's long-time friend and collaborator, has collected his poems according to his wishes, and they are published here - most for the first time - alongside a selection of Ken's own poetry (http://www.amazon.com/Poems-Iain-Banks/dp/1408705877/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=upcoming00-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=ROQ5VXW76AJRM7YT&creativeASIN=1408705877)
London 1939. A disgraced former dictator ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in Soho. He's known only by the name of Wolf. In A Man Named Wolf, Wolf takes on a case that will call into question his very identity.
Wolf's investigation continues in Lavie Tidhar's darkest novel yet, A Man Lies Dreaming. An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, told by a prisoner in history's most infamous concentration camp. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world...
A Man Named Wolf is a new comic by Lavie Tidhar, with artwork by Neil Struthers and lettering by Terry Martin. Click the image below to read it:
http://www.hodderscape.co.uk/man-named-wolf-lavie-tidhar/ (http://www.hodderscape.co.uk/man-named-wolf-lavie-tidhar/)
A evo i još novijih naslova kojima sleduju ekranizacije:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031624662X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=8619e65b6c473b55a7f0e87bfee7587e64927801)
The option for Ancillary Justice was purchased by the Fabrik production company and Fox Television Studios, who together produced Burn Notice and The Killing. Leckie says she worked closely with the production company to make sure that the show would remain true to its exploration of gender, to which she was assured it would not be "whitewashed".
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345409647.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=bd822ecd980f2d5cc255387e9747b92fd4911f94)
Deadline is reporting that Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles has been optioned by Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, and Brian Grazer. The deal includes not only the existing 10 novels in The Vampire Chronicles, but also the upcoming 11th novel, the 2 books in the related series New Tales of the Vampires, and any future novels. It also includes the adapted screenplay for Tale of the Body Thief written by Christopher Rice, Anne's son.
Two of Rice's Vampire Chronicles books have been previously adapted: 1994's Interview with the Vampire, which starred Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt; and 2002's Queen of the Damned starring Stuart Townsend and Aaliyah. This new deal means those films will be remade.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0330457101.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1050f86bc8dcf380bd09649b7b9b95d6ab1783fa)
SyFy is developing a drama series based on John Scalzi's novel The Ghost Brigades, one of the books set in the author's Old Man's War universe.
Two time Oscar nominee Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, In The Line of Fire, Air Force One, The NeverEnding Story) and Scott Stuber (Safe House, Ted) are developing it, with Jake Thornton and Ben Lustig signed on to write the screenplay
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FManInTheHighCastle4.jpg&hash=e7e7ba98227376fe4c2718edafb6302ecc6cc808)
Amazon has ordered a pilot episode for a drama series based on Philip K. Dick's famous alternate history novel The Man In The High Castle. The book posits an alternate history in which Germany won World War II and now occupies the United States.
The order went to Ridley Scott's production company Scott Free, who owns the rights. The script is being written by former X-Files writer Frank Spotnitz.
This is not the first news of this novel being adapted. Back in 2013, it was being reported that the SyFy channel was interested in adapting the series, but that apparently went nowhere. Now, Amazon has expressed an interest in the adaptation. Time will tell if actually pans out this time.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765309386.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=37f5f36efae34cee0cb0c457628fee8deb94eefe)
Robert Charles Wilson's Hugo Award-winning science fiction thriller Spin is being adapted for television by Universal Cable Productions, who acquires the television rights. Producers attached to the project are Rob Morrow (best known for his acting roles in Northern Exposure and Quiz Show) and Olympus Pictures' Leslie Urdang (Beginners, Rabbit Hole). No actors or network has been named as being attached to the project.
David Brin ima jasnu preporuku za ovu trilogiju: "Vivid, imaginative, and rooted in cutting-edge science."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F076537708X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=76d92d2b1f1aca4866c84f373c14843287c5ec28)
Next month sees the release of The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (and translated by Ken Liu), a writer writer heralded as "China's bestselling and most beloved science fiction writer". And already 2nd book in the trilogy is lined up: The Dark Forest (translated by Joel Martinsen), coming July of next year.
Here's the cover and synopsis for The Dark Forest...
The continuation of a tour de force near-future adventure from China's bestselling and most beloved science fiction writer
With the scope of Dune and the rousing action of Independence Day, this near-future trilogy is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience this multple-award-winning phenemonenon from China's most beloved science fiction author.
In Dark Forest, Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion—in just four centuries' time. The aliens' human collaborators may have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, the subatomic particles that allow Trisolaris instant access to all human information, means that Earth's defense plans are totally exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies, hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists, but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead.
Novembar 2014 naslovi:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41t0KnMp21L._AA160_.jpg&hash=97f30aab09cbdce45e9d18df97d18a8e52de019a)
A darkly comic, satirical reference book about writers who never made it into the literary canon
A signal event of literary scholarship, The Biographical Dictionary of Literary Failure compiles the biographies of history's most notable cases of a complete lack of literary success. As such, it is the world's leading authority on the subject.
Compiled in one volume by C. D. Rose, a well-educated person universally acknowledged in parts of England as the world's pre-eminent expert on inexpert writers, the book culls its information from lost or otherwise ignored archives scattered around the globe, as well as the occasional dustbin.
The dictionary amounts to a monumental accomplishment: the definitive appreciation of history's least accomplished writers. Thus immortalized beyond deserving and rescued from hard-earned obscurity, the authors presented in this historic volume comprise a who's who of the talentless and deluded, their stories timeless litanies of abject psychosis, misapplication, and delinquency.
It is, in short, a treasure.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41aE57s3f2L._UY250_.jpg&hash=4ff208a4b4e1723d51fca68ad4fb20d6d6ea750d)
A young man meets a woman and falls in love with her, despite her protestations that he will soon turn into "a maggot person"—a maggot-filled body topped by a still-functioning brain. Michael begins experiencing severe pains, and the young woman's prophecy begins to take hold.
mala slucajnost.... :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1479408905.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=8ba44b629edb05b74028bc1705b0b444d45c2d56)
The King in Yellow - recently featured in HBO's hit series True Detective - is a classic collection of 10 short stories, the reading of which will curse one to a terrible fate. You have been warned! This edition features an introduction by H.P. Lovecraft. As an added bonus, it includes "An Inhabitant of Carcosa," by Ambrose Bierce, another related story. H.P. Lovecraft wrote: "The King in Yellow, a series of vaguely connected short stories...whose perusal brings fright, madness, and spectral tragedy, really achieves notable heights of cosmic fear..."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41MR0qJ-f6L._AA160_.jpg&hash=aa183ded9bbf006f1f9d7c850190e3018824e129)
At a dive bar in San Francisco's edgy Tenderloin district, drug-hustling Emily Rosario is drinking whiskey and looking for an escape from her desperate lifestyle. When she is approached by a Russian businessman, she thinks she might have found her exit. A week later--drugged, disoriented and wanted for robbery--Emily finds herself on the run for her life. When cop Leo Elias--broke, alcoholic and desperate--hears about an unsolved bank robbery, the stolen money proves too strong a temptation. Elias takes the case into his own hands, hoping to find Emily and the money before anyone else does. A sharply drawn cast of characters--dirty cops, Russian drug dealers, Chinese black-market traders, street smart Cambodians, and shady entrepreneurs--all take part in this terrifying tour through San Francisco's underbelly. Confronted with the intimate details of characters that blur the line between good and evil, and twists that surprise until the end, readers of THE WHITE VAN will find their own moral code challenged by the desperate decisions the characters are forced to make.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/20697435-the-book-of-strange-new-things (http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/20697435-the-book-of-strange-new-things)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fphoto%2F20697435-the-book-of-strange-new-things&hash=755bc9300089224cb59d07d529b1f9ff316436ff)
Više od decenije nakon izlaska Under the Skin, Faber ima novi roman.
I mada se moglo lako očekivati da će to opet biti fascinantna i opčinjavajuća proza, iz pera čoveka čiji izraz i svetonazor jednako bude strahopoštovanje u čitaocu, opet, čovek ne može a da ne bude zaprepašten i maltene šokiran dubinom do koje ovaj sinopsis zapravo doseže. Faber zadržava opsesiju vanzemaljcima iz Under the Skin - bolje rečeno opsesiju vanzemaljcem kao žanrovskim arhetipom koji najlakše predočava Drugačijost koja inače možda i ne bi bila tako precizno raspoznatljiva - i dodaje joj još jedan fenomen koji nas tako specifično čini onim što jesmo, a to je religioznost.
Naravno, žanr SFa je često kontemplirao taj konkretno aspekt ljudskosti i neki od najfascinantnijih proznih ostvarenja upravo (p)o tom fenomenu kontempliraju, kao recimo Milerov Kantikulum, Dišovi Genocidi, Vidalov Kalki ili neka posrednija bavljenja kod Zelaznija, Dika, Legvinove, Egana i uopšte većine pisaca koji bi sa lakoćom bili šortlistovani za velikane SFa. Ali za razliku od većine tih i takvih bavljenja rečenim fenomenom, Faber čak i ne pokušava da ga umaskira u samu produhovljenost, nego poseže za njenim najstarijim i najformalnijim oblikom - za katoličanstvom kao takvim. Pri tome, on čak i ne pokušava ono što je većina pobrojanih radila, a to je samo vrednovanje fenomena - Faber ga naprosto prihvata kao konstantu u ljudskom karakteru, pa se otud i ne bavi procenjivanjem njegove verodostojnosti i njegove održivosti uopšte. Otud je Faberovo bavljenje fenomenom smireno i produhovljeno, isto kao i njegov naratorski ton, koji je apsulutno lišen bilo kakvog cinizma i dobro nam poznate potrebe da se fenomen 'raskrinka', to neretko u primitivnu potrebu za kontrolom i dominacijom uopšte.
Faber u hrišćanskoj doktrini jednostavno ne vidi ono što je čak i dobronamerna žanrovska većina pre njega videla - rani oblik društvenog i kulturnog kodeksa, to uglavnom zakonodavnog - nego vidi bazičnu alatku iskrene komunikacije, alatku kojom čovek istovremeno sebi i drugima saopštava one najbazičnije i najvažnije komunikacije: sebi saopštava ko je on zapravo; a drugima saopštava i zašto.
Otud je sinopsis također bazičan, pa otud i rizikuje da ga se percipira kao trivijalnog: Peter Leigh je hrišćanski misionar nativnoj populaciji na C2, ili na Oazi, kako su je imenovali ljudski kolonisti. Populacija je mala, ekstremno dobrostiva ali i nepokolebljivo tajanstvena, voljna da sa kolonistima sarađuje na samo dva polja: da razmenjuje hranu za lekove, i da od misionara sluša Bibliju. Peter tu dolazi kao zamena za originalnog misionara koji je... pa eto, odlučio da se misionarstvom više ne bavi, i sa jednakom odlučnošću prekinuo svaki kontakt i sa kolonistima i sa nativnom populacijom. Peter, bivši narkoman i sve ostalo što uz to ide, i sam je doživeo spasonosno iskupljenje koje Biblija nudi, to kroz skoro pa misionarski uticaj svoje žene Beatrice, pa otud i bez razmišljanja odlučuje da on sam isto to učini i za nativce Oaze. I mada je njegov posao uvelike olakšan činjenicom da su nativici već stekli bazično biblijsko obrazovanje od strane prethodnog misionara, i da je zato njihova vera u Reč očigledno prijemčiva i nepokolebljivo iskrena, Peter dolazi u iskušenje da posumnja da li nativci zaista shvataju to što Biblija saopštava. I ta prva nedoumica odvodi ga na ličnu kalvariju na kojoj ga čekaju i razna druga preispitivanja.
Mislim da se, u proseku barem, dva ili tri puta u svakoj deceniji uverim da se žanr SFa najbolje afirmiše na vanžanrovskim autorima. The Book of Strange New Things sama pokriva taj saldo za celu ovu deceniju.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1174161745l%2F367215.jpg&hash=2eea659b03e87cc58e562ee16601b36e8d1571c6)
Pošto je prošle godine preminuo Frederik Pohl, jedan od najfascinantnijih Grand Mastera sa sedamdesetogodišnjom aktivnom i svestranom SF karijerom, omaž u vidu iščitavanja nekog njegovog remek-dela se prezentovao kao krajnje prikladan i podrazumevajući. Zaista, ima vrlo malo žanrovskih majstora za koje se može reći da su u toku sedamdesetogodišnje karijere ostali jednako relevantni i jednako prisebni u držanju koraka sa svetom u kom žive, svetom koji se u tih 7 decenija uistinu drastično menjao i promenio. Frederik Pohl je svakako jedan od njih.
Man Plus (1976) je već po objavljivanju ostavio dubok utisak na žanrovsko čitalaštvo, osvojio je Hugo i Campbell nagrade i bio je visko rangiran na Locusovoj listi, tako da se slobodno može reći da je od samog početka bio prepoznat za ono što jeste - za izuzetan žanrovski roman koji sa lakoćom ulazi na sve relevantnije naj-liste. Ali njegovo iščitavanje skoro četiri decenije kasnije dodaje mu dimenziju koja možda i nije bila toliko vidljiva u doba njegovog objavljivanja: dimenziju repera, parametra kojim se može definisati lako uočljiv i merljiv pomak u žanrovskoj evoluciji. Naime, Man Plus nudi upravo one teme ( i njihovo specifično žanrovsko obrađivanje, naravno ) za koje slobodno možemo reći da su ne samo savremene, nego i veoma aktuelne upravo danas, i to daleko više nego pre četiri decenije. U tom smislu, Man Plus je savršen primer bavljenja dvema najsuštinskijim temama koje je moderni SF iznedrio: ekstrapolacijom naše sutrašnjice i večitim kontempliranjem našeg identiteta. Za obe te teme, Man Plus bira pristup i obradu koja se najegzotičnije mogla razbaškariti upravo u domenu palpične obrade, one koja je najprijemčivija upravo na ležernom nivou zabave, a svi dobro znamo kako je upravo zabava oduvek bila najpouzdaniji žanrovski instrument kad je isporuka poučnog u pitanju. Taj i takav pristup daje autoru teren da maksimalno iskoristi sve svoje imaginativne kapacitete i ponudi sadržaj baziran da ingenioznom zapletu, drskoj karakterizaciji i neobuzdanoj ekstrapolaciji budućnosti, autoru prepoznatljive upravo kroz fenomene kojima je fasciniran. A ti fenomeni koje ondašnji Man Plus prepoznaje i na kojima ekstrapolira svoj futurizam su nama danas uvelike poznatiji: AI, transhumanizam, ekološka katastrofa (to baš u rudimantarnom formatu danas naširoko rasprostranjene 'climate change' kontroverze), kolonizacija Marsa, pretnje nuklearnim oružjem/ratom, eskalacija trvenja geo-političkih interesa (zli Azijati, uglavnom Kinezi), redefinisanje konzervativnog identiteta, itd. Te teme i pristupi su veoma aktivni danas, i veoma kontroverzni, to ponajviše na pop-kulturnom nivou opšteg znanja i obrazovanja, ali pre četiri decenije, njihova obrada je podrazumevala i stepen kalkulacije za koji je tek danas moguće reći da je postao uvelike opšte mesto.
Man Plus pristupa kolonizaciji Marsa ne iz ugla eksploracije ili eksploatacije, nego iz ugla suštinske potrebe za novim životnim prostorom: potrebe za opstankom vrste. Man Plus ne ide na Mars da se turistički divi njegovom pejzažu ili zbog kolonizatorske pohlepe za njegovim retkim rudama, on na Mars odlazi zbog vlastitog opstanka, zbog neminovnog nuklearnog rata i uništenog okoliša. Otud se i ne planira odlazak u skafanderu, nego se planira transformacija u kiborga adaptiranog marsovskom okolišu. Man Plus je otud "čovek" sa mehaničkim čulima i udovima, "čovek" od čijeg je originalnog pakovanja ostao samo organski mozak i ništa drugo. A čak i taj mozak je kompromitovan selekcijom senzorske informacije, naprosto zato što nije u stanju da procesuje ekstremnu količinu informacije kojom ga hrane tehnološki senzori koji zamenjuju čula i udove.
Da bi bolje ilustrovao taj kompromis, Pohl uzima za primer žabu, čiji senzorni kapaciteti diskriminišu sve one podatke koji ne odgovaraju određenim parametrima: žaba ne reaguje na list koji pada u vodu, zato jer oblik i ponašanje lista ne ulaze u parametre koji žabi predstavljaju hranu. Ali prolaz insekta kroz isti taj vazduh potpuno odgovara tim parametrima, pa otud žaba i reaguje gutanjem pre no što je i svesna njegovog postojanja. Žaba je zbog opstanka odlučila da zanemari sve pokrete koji ne predstavljaju eventualnu hranu, otud je njen kapacitet mozga oslobođen da se adekvatnije posveti munjevito brzom kontrolisanju udova. Roger Torroway, kiborg namenjen kolonizaciji Marsa, mora da se podvrgne istom tom procesu selektiranja senzorne informacije, da ne završi kao njegovi prethodnici - mozga sprženog informativnim preopterećenjem. Delikatni interfejs između senzora i mozga mora biti dovoljno inteligentan da proceni koja je to informacija dovoljno bitna da se mozak njome bavi a koja to nije: recimo da je u pitanju forma autocenzure kojom ljudsko telo štiti svoj najvažniji i najranjiviji organ. A ta autocenzura, ta interna odluka čoveka da proceni šta je to vredno čuvanja a šta nije, ta iskonska ljudska potreba da sa pozicije celine zaštiti ranjivu singularnu komponentu, taj nezajažljivi poriv da čovek samog sebe unapredi, da selektivno bira sopstveni balast, telesni i duhovni jednako - to je ujedno prva i osnovna kontroverza modernog transhumanizma.
Pohl toj kontroverzi prilazi u palpičnom maniru: reč je o tehnološkom interfejsu koji će, jednom ispravno programiran, donositi te krucijalne odluke u ime Man Plus kiborga, hraneći ga filtriranom informacijom koja je prepoznata kao "važna", ignorišući pri tom svo ono informativno obilje koje je programom klasificirano kao nevažno.
Naravno, sam taj koncept širom otvara vrata distopičnog futurizma: ako je priliv informacije selektivan, ako je cenzurisan, vrednovan, sortiran i "obrađen" pre no što dosegne naš um i našu svest/savest, koliko mogu naše odluke (bazirane na toj i takvoj informaciji) biti objektivne, a samim time i ispravne?
Pohl ne bi bio majstor kakav jeste kad u tu tehnofobiju ne bi uneo ljudski momenat, a taj momenat tvrdi da mi to ionako sami radimo, svo vreme, od našeg postanka naovamo, i to čisto organski i prirodno, bez ikakvog uticaja visoke ili bilo kakve tehnogije: mi konstantno vršimo selekciju sirovih podataka, tako što naprosto odbijamo da prepoznamo ono što nam ne prija. Da bi to ilustrovao, Pohl uvodi dirljiv podzaplet: Roger Torroway, kiborg, Man Plus, je dobar čovek, po svim parametrima kojima smo svikli da prepoznajemo dobrotu. Alexander Bradley "Brad", doktor, vojni istraživač i naučnik zadužen za konstrukciju interfejsa koji će selektivno cenzurisati informaciju dostupnu mozgu kiborga, je ljubavnik žene istog tog kiborga. To svi znaju, a znao bi i sam Roger Torroway, samo da ne odbija da prepozna dostupnu informaciju.
Tehnološka moralna dilema otud dobija i svoj ljudski ekvivalent: krajnje je nemoralno da programiraš selektivnost obaveštenosti čoveka kojem u potaji nabijaš rogove, zar ne?
ali opet, nije baš da mu radiš išta što on sam sebi već ne radi, i to dobrovoljno, zar ne?
Onog momenta kad žanrovski palp otvori moralnu kontroverzu takvih razmera, on prestaje da bude palp i postaje delikatna vivisekcija ljudske patologije.
Kao kad naručite klovna da uveseljava rođendansku zabavu vaše desetogodišnjakinje, i nekako usred svog tog njegovog žongliranja i uvijanja balona u žirafe i pudlice shvatite da je ispod svog tog odela i mejkapa glavom i bradom lično Ajnštajn.
Naravno, do vas je da li ćete samo uživati u njegovom žongliranju, ili ćete ga posle toga pozvati na kafu i razgovor. Uostalom, do vas je i da li ćete ga uopšte prepoznati, a kamoli išta više od toga. :)
Dakle, koliko vreme i mogućnosti dopuste, sledi omaž jednom fascinantnom Grand Masteru, skoro četiri decenije po izlasku jednog od njegovih remek-dela.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1905784651.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=d092adaf33bd399b5b6215cc2ecee2b41537aa19)
REVIEW SUMMARY: A brilliant short story collection, which deserves a spot right next to your volume of fairy tales and I'm not talking about the child-friendly variety here.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Interconnected stories of dangerous books, witches and wise women, fey folk from a different realm and girls trained to be assassins, professional poisoners and healers. This collection introduces the sisterhood of Little Sisters of St Florian and is set in the world of Slatter's Sourdough and Other Stories, acting as an origin story for the events in the previous collection.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Exquisite prose; a shared world where the stories bleed into each other to establish a vibrant and sprawling mythology; complex portrayal of women as protagonists and antagonists; the breathtaking pen-and-ink illustrations by artist Kathleen Jennings.
CONS: The collection ended. Honestly, I could read at least three more volumes with tales in this world.
BOTTOM LINE: It's among the strongest short story collections on the market and it will fill your heart with darkest wonders.
With The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings Angela Slatter proves why she's one of the most important voices in fantasy. Fairy tales have seen a strong resurgence in recent years, but only Slatter understands them well enough to distill the essence that made them influential and prevalent and create her own mythos. She succeeds in her task and her short stories rival Grimm's fairy tales in their darkness, danger and viciousness.
No one is beyond a bloody end and damnation no matter how pure of heart they are, which makes for the best storytelling in my opinion. While there are no wicked stepsisters cutting their own feet to fit a glass slipper or dancing to death in red-hot iron shoes, Slatter gives us amputated limbs, death by rat infestation, horrible transformations, cannibalism, ghosts that stalk and harm the living and frequent poisoning. The perfect ingredients for a page turner and what a page turner this collection is.
Much of the impact of The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings comes from Slatter's prose, because women with power a fairy tale do not make. Her writing is lyrical and brims with the old magic that wedged the original tales in the world's collective memory. Each sentence she writes, she constructs with precision and purpose. Slatter doesn't waste a single word and even the tamest and most straightforward story in this collection (for calling any story here weak would be a crime) is captivating.
In terms of themes, the stories gravitate towards the position and power of women in society that is run by men. How do you wield powerful magic when you can easily be executed as a witch? How do you carve your own way in a world that's inherently hostile? How do you defend your honor and avenge your loved ones? Slatter examines how these women work the already established social order to their advantage and illustrates the power plays that occur in secret places, dark forests, dimly lit rooms and during the dead of night.
Each short story is self-contained and vary in subject matter. You have the last voyage of the pirate ship Astra's Light and her captain Maude in "Now, All Pirates Are Gone", the secret mission of Mercia in "St Dymphna's School for Poison Girls" as she learns the secret arts of discreet assassination and the daunting cleansing of a whole town Delling performs in "The Undone and the Divine". What gives the collection momentum is the ever-expanding world which connects events, characters and objects into one intricate tapestry.
Minor characters barely mentioned in one story take the stage as either villain or hero in the next, while main characters in previous stories make short appearances. Mother Magnus and Hepsibah Ballentine cannot be more different from each other, but both elicit such joy when they reappear in subsequent stories. Within this greater narrative, the reader learns the story of the Little Sisters of St Florian, their rise and the battle with their greatest enemy. It's perhaps of the most epic books written, but constructed and edited with enough skill to convey such rich lore and backstory in only 270 pages.
The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings belongs on your shelf.
By Haralambi Markov
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1783294558.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=27d93b7d0aad589d20cca79c2e2ecceacfaa7a1c)
Danie Ware has posted the cover for her upcoming novel Ecko Endgame.
Here's the synopsis for this 3rd book in the Ecko series:
Winter has come to the Varchinde – and with it, the fatal spread of the blight. The grass is dead, and the plains' cities are falling to the loss of crops and trade.
Now, the Kas take their chance to rise from Rammouthe. Overmatched, betrayed and abandoned by his own forces, Rhan takes the ultimate gamble – he will abandon Fhaveon to lure the Kas into a final confrontation.
But the world's memory is returning. And, as the battle rages round him, Ecko begins to realise that everything they have done has been for a purpose. If they can fit the pieces together, then they might just win the war.
Yet, even if they do defeat the Kas, the blight is still there. And to save both the Varchinde and himself, Ecko must face the worst fear of all – the one that has come from his own world.
I ko to kaze da u SFu nema para? :)
LIVES OF TAO Author Wesley Chu Re-Signs with Angry Robot Books in Six-Figure Deal
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857663291.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c49a0b6928160ff8d99e280337ffd0af60b186e6)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857663321.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=9474b1c690d405b81cea3c32afcfcb77c00f60ce)
Publisher Angry Robot reports that author Wesley Chu, author of the Lives of Tao series, has re-signed with the publisher in a six-figure deal.
Press release follows...
Wesley Chu Re-Signs with Angry Robot Books in Six-Figure Deal
We are delighted to announce that Wesley Chu, author of the award-winning Lives of Tao series, has signed on for three new science fiction novels in an Angry Robot Books record six-figure deal.
The World English deal, signed with agent Russell Galen, is for Wesley's new standalone series starting with The Rise of Io, publishing in August 2016. Although The Rise of Io is set in the same warring Genjix and Prophus universe as the Lives of Tao books, this brand new series will open the Quasing world to new readers as well as fans of the hugely successful Lives of Tao books.
The new trilogy picks up eight years on from the events of The Rebirths of Tao, the conclusion of Chu's current series, which will be published by AR in May 2015.
Wesley Chu: "Batteries recharged. OS upgraded. Sharks with frigging lasers fed. It's time to kick some ass! When I first made my strategic alliance with the metal overlords to take over the world, I didn't think humanity stood a chance. Now with Watkins Media joining the team, victory is inevitable! Still dibs on New Zealand!"
Marc Gascoigne: "Wesley Chu's Tao series has been a runaway success for Angry Robot, and we're delighted that he has re-signed for us for this brand new trilogy of novels. He manages to combine lofty science fiction themes with pure Hollywood pacing, and quite frankly his novels just rock. With Angry Robot recently moving to new owners, Watkins Media Ltd, we're delighted to have the resources to take Wes' sales to a whole new level. His world domination is now only a matter of time."
About Wesley Chu: Wesley Chu's best friend is Michael Jordan, assuming that best friend status is earned by a shared television commercial. If not, then his best friend is his dog, Eva, who he can often be seen riding like a trusty steed through the windy streets of Chicago. In 2014, Wesley Chu was shortlisted for the John W Campbell Best New Writer Award. His debut, The Lives of Tao, earned him a Young Adult Library Services Association Alex Award and a Science Fiction Goodreads Choice Award Finalist slot. The sequel, The Deaths of Tao, continues the story of secret agent Roen Tan and his sarcastic telepathically bonded alien, Tao. Chu has two books scheduled for 2015: The Rebirths of Tao from Angry Robot plus Time Salvager from Tor.
Reach Wesley on Twitter: @wes_chu and his website: www.chuforthought.com (http://www.chuforthought.com)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00JQOP93O.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ec363212ab7a041476d6848d5a79bbc9308f8bc8)
REVIEW SUMMARY: Huberath asks us to become more conscious of the narratives we create and think more broadly about our place in the universe.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: When Gavein Throzz moves to Davabel, he soon finds himself linked to a growing epidemic of deaths. And when he and other characters start reading a mysterious book called Nest of Worlds, Gavein realizes that his existence and perception of that existence may be terribly flawed.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: This novel puts your brain on a fast-moving treadmill and asks fascinating questions about the nature of human existence.
CONS: More narrative time could have been given to the several nested worlds to flesh out some of Huberath's philosophical questions.
BOTTOM LINE: Nest of Worlds is a wonderful introduction to the world of contemporary Polish science fiction, and a powerful, probing story that prompts thoughtfulness and self-awareness.
As part of my effort to read more scifi in translation, I jumped at the chance to check out Nest of Worlds, Huberath's first novel to appear in English. A major force in Polish science fiction, Huberath is also a professor of biophysics and biological physics at Jagiellonian University in Krakow. And he brings everything to this metafictional tale of life, death, and reading.
We first meet Gavein Throzz while he's travelling to his new Land, a journey that everyone on his world must make every thirty-five years. Only four Lands exist. Each person is also placed into a hierarchy according to his or her hair color ("black," "white," "gray," and "red"), and everyone has two names (the one they use everyday, and the one that foretells the manner of their death).
Once Gavein and his wife, Ra Mahleiné, have been reunited in their new land of Davabel (having been forced to take separate journeys according to their separate castes), they try to live a normal life in their boarding house with the other residents — until people start dying. First, the deaths seem random, but eventually people figure out that everyone who comes in contact with Gavein dies within a couple of days. Eventually, the bodies pile up until it's impossible for Gavein to shrug off the bizarre assertion, and whenever someone tries to kill him, that person dies instead. The scientific institute that attempts to study him and then kill him is wrecked by an earthquake, and then heavily bombed, but of course Gavein escapes alive.
Meanwhile, some of his friends have been reading a book called Nest of Worlds (those friends have also died). Out of interest, Gavein picks it up and finds that it is none other than a book about people reading a book called Nest of Worlds (do you have a headache yet?). At this point, we as readers plunge into the nested stories with Gavein, burrowing further and further until it's almost impossible to remember how many worlds removed we are from the primary story (Gavein's world). In each nested world, characters read Nest of Worlds, but the further the world gets from Gavein's, the more numerous the Lands and the shorter the time spent in them. As one former reader wrote in notes he left in the book (which Gavein finds), the worlds can be understood by deriving complex formulas and locating intricate patterns.
So if it's true, as Gavein and the note-taker realize, that each nested story contains more Lands and a smaller number of years in which to reside in each Land, that suggests that their own world may just be nested within yet a higher world (i.e. our world), which would be nested in yet another world (God?).
But what do all of these nested worlds and epidemic of deaths have to do with the act of reading? Huberath asks us to consider what happens to the characters we read about once we've put a book down. For instance, if a character has just fallen off of a cliff and we put the book down to take a bath or run an errand, what happens to that character? Do they remain in a kind of stasis? How could it be otherwise, since we won't know what happened until we pick up the book again? Nest of Worlds asks us to consider not our own consciousness chewing on the people and events in a narrative, but the existences of the characters themselves. Eventually, Gavein becomes aware that he is likely a character in a story being read by someone on another plane of existence. The deaths that have occurred were the result of characters who were only to have small parts in his narrative. Each time they weren't needed any longer to further the Gavein story, they were "killed off". At least, that's my interpretation of the deaths, but I'm sure there are many others.
In a way, Nest of Worlds is reminiscent of the Star Trek: TNG episode "Ship in a Bottle," in which the holodeck Moriarty becomes self-aware and demands to leave his fictional world to explore the "real" world. At the end of the episode, Picard, Riker, and others wonder if they/we are ourselves living in a holodeck world, manipulated and observed by a species on another plane of existence.
The very structure of Nest of Worlds proves Huberath's point, since the further we move away from a world, the less we remember about its characters, since our brains can only hold a certain amount of information at one time. And it's not surprising at all that when you pick up the novel after a break, and find yourself in any of the nested worlds, the result is disorienting, to say the least.
Huberath masterfully puts our brains through the ringer, forcing us to consider human existence in terms of the stories we tell ourselves. What logical conclusions should we come to? And why is it so hard to believe that we might be characters in someone else's story? And does that matter? I think it does, and I look forward to reading further translations of Huberath's work. But first let me take a couple of painkillers for this headache...
By Rachel Cordasco
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51fiklgldUL._UY250_.jpg&hash=34b3f59c4fa453eb2dc1f2187680c7a9e756dbc5)
She'd come out of the ground headless, with someone else's skull lying loose in her casket.
According to my morning's Chicago Tribune, the exhumation was supposed to be routine, a modern forensic examination of the victim of a 1948 unsolved murder. Certainly no one had anticipated she'd been buried with someone else's head—not the sheriff whose predecessors had never effectively worked the case; not the state's attorney, who'd fought the exhumation; not even the small town's mayor who'd pushed for the fresh look—at first at the request of a constituent who'd heard old-timers laughing conspiratorially about the murder, then because, some said, he'd gone crazy and begun hearing directly from her ghost.
For me, at first, the switched heads were simply tantalizing nuggets I could work into one of my upcoming Dek Elstrom mysteries, to fool readers into thinking I'm more imaginative that I really am. I figured I could fashion any number of fictions about why a body might come out of a grave sporting, loosely, someone else's head.
The newspaper story, though, hinted at mysteries beyond why a killer would need her head or, even more bizarrely, bother to replace it with another: Why had the case languished? Why had the sheriff and the states' attorney fought the exhumation? Was the mayor crazy, hearing from ghosts? Where, exactly, did one go, back in 1948, to get a spare head? And whose head was it?
Not quite mindful that I was in the midst of finishing my third Elstrom novel, due in weeks, and owed the fourth to my publisher in less than a year, I began researching old newspaper accounts. The facts were simple enough: Mary Jane Reed, 17, and Stanley Skridla, 26, had been out drinking on a June night before ending up at a rural roadhouse around midnight. The evening must have passed amicably enough, for they'd then driven the short distance to the local lovers' lane.
Stanley was found alongside the lane the next morning, shot dead. Strangely, his car had been driven the short distance back to the roadhouse.
Mary Jane Reed had disappeared.
A massive search was undertaken along the nearby river and across the surrounding fields. Five days later she was found, lying easily visible, beneath a tree in a spot that already been searched several times. Though she'd been killed by a single bullet fired into the back of her head, the lone crime scene photograph—why was only one taken?—showed the bullet wound carefully covered by leaves. She was fully dressed except for the slacks folded neatly on her back, and her body lacked any signs of the decomposition that would have resulted from being left out long in the hot June sun. Where had she been for five days?
Numerous leads were pursued but none panned out. Now, almost sixty years later, the new autopsy didn't pan out either; she'd been too long in the ground. It yielded no new clues to the killer.
Or had it? None of the old newspaper accounts, some of them quite lurid, mentioned anything about a beheading. How could that have been kept quiet?
I called the mayor. Intriguingly, he now owned the roadhouse where the young couple had last been seen alive—except, of course, by whoever killed them. He was eager to talk to anyone interested in the long-ignored case. I drove the eighty miles west from Chicago.
The mayor was coolly methodical as he laid out detail after detail about the long-ago killings, of the people and the places, the jealousies and the rumors and the strange silences that descended whenever he asked local old-timers about the case.
He told me who he thought killed Mary Jane Reed and Stanley Skridla.
"You're sure?"
He shrugged, admitting there were other viable candidates. "It's been sixty years; most everybody's dead," he said. "Still...." He let the thought dangle, unfinished.
A seventeen year old girl's murder had gone unsolved, and mostly unremembered, for almost sixty years. Surely Mary Jane was owed more than that.
Perhaps...my thoughts sped up...a telling of her story through the relaxed constraints of truthful fiction.
But to do that, I'd have to know who'd been the most likely killer. And that demanded understanding why her head had been switched and who'd conspired to keep that secret—something that had eluded everyone involved in her recent autopsy.
Even the mayor, the person most knowledgeable about the case, could only offer vague theories. None made sense.
Mary Jane Reed rode with me every minute of my way home, and she stayed close during the next days, weeks, and months as I finished my third Dek Elstrom novel and wrote the fourth. I stole moments, sometimes hours, and often whole days to study the old press clips reporting the deaths of Mary Jane Reed and Stanley Skridla, and to reread the notes I made during my visits with the mayor—yes, I drove back to the roadhouse another half-dozen times, each time returning home with more fresh questions than answers to old ones.
When, at last, I was free to begin the story of Mary Jane Reed, I wrote like a man possessed by devils, except they were details, the hundreds I'd accumulated in my months of on again, off again researching. Deciding which mattered and which to shrug away went well at first, and the first sections of the book, the chapters presenting the events of the murders and the manhunt that ensued, fell quickly into tight shape.
And then, as I knew I would, I slammed into the wall that had always been waiting: Who'd needed her head, and why?
I'd hoped I could puzzle it through by writing. I composed a dozen scenarios, and then a dozen more. No invention worked; I could make no sense of why the skulls had been switched.
Until my mind wandered, unbidden, to the image of a fence post—a simple weathered chunk of wood that likely I'd never actually seen. It set something rocketing loose in my consciousness, something small and bright that had been hiding in plain sight.
I understood why her head had been needed, and why another was given.
I had my killer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Fredrickson
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1174161745l%2F367215.jpg&hash=2eea659b03e87cc58e562ee16601b36e8d1571c6)
Dakle, plan je bio da ponovo overimo poluzaboravljeni MAN PLUS, tek da sa pristojne generacijske distance otšacujemo kako nas se roman doima danas, skoro 4 decenije nakon objavljivanja.
Što se samog autora tiče, teško je o Pohlu reći išta što svako od nas ne zna, jer eto, Pohl je jedan od zaista retkih žanrovskih autora kojima je pošlo za perom da opstanu u vremenu koje je usledilo nakon Zlatnog doba, a to svakako nije mala stvar u žanru čija je evolucija nerotko znala da udavi mnoge kvalitetne romane kao zastarele, i to u ultra kratkom roku od njihovog pisanja pa do objavljivanja. Razlog donekle leži u činjenici da je Pohl bio svestran u žanru i aktivan u fandomu, a upravo ovim romanom ( i Kapijom, naravno, dakle Hiči serijalom) se ne samo reaktivirao, nego i iznova lansirao, to kao pisac i proze i teorije, kao urednik i predavač i žanrovski Gran Master u najboljem smislu te odrednice. Otud je i fascinantna činjenica da je ovaj roman svojevremeno zapažen u konkurenciji veličina kao što su LeGuin i Pynchon, Russ i Delany, recimo. Hvale vredan podvig, ako se ima na umu da je to bilo uistinu revolucionarno doba koje je žanru donelo radikalni razlaz sa konvencionalnim modelima naracije, uvelike anulišući dotadašnji naivni eskapizam svojim skeptičnim preispitivanjem svih relevantnih i savremenih tema. U tom kontekstu, MAN PLUS se lako prepoznaje kao... pa eto, kao tipično zlatnodopski roman. Teme i motivi koje MAN PLUS nudi svakako jesu savremene, ali način na koji ih Pohl obrađuje je dirljivo tradicionalan. Pohlov futurizam je prilično konzervativno ekstrapoliran (dobre stvari koje imamo postaće još bolje, a one loše će biti iskorenjene ili, još bolje, same od sebe volšebno nestati) i ne nudi skoro ništa od svog onog obilja kojem smo prisustvovali u decenijama nakon objavljivanja ovog romana; Pohlova percepcija našeg društvenog bića je neuzdrmano patrijahalna; kompleksna politička kriza je vrlo šturo i beskrvno prikazana; još kompleksnija energetska kriza (ovlaš predstavljena kao nejasna kombinacija klimatskih promena i iscrpljenih sirovina) je simplificirana do granice banalnosti; Pohlov tehnološki aspekt futurizma je skučen i linearan ujedno, pa je otud i novum krajnje neubedljivo neraspoređen (Pohl nam ljupko nudi 'superkompjutere' koji zauzimaju čitave hangare (ha!), ali pri tom ne nudi gotovo niti jedan jedini njihov uticaj u čovekovoj svakodnevici); a tema rasnog ili polno/rodnog identiteta je toliko ignorisana da čovek naprosto ne može a da se ne divi tolikom autizmu kojim pravoverje modelira čak i veoma obrazovane i pronicljive ljude. No ipak, uprkos svemu tome, nepobitna je istina da Pohl majstorski iskorištava sav raspoloživ potencijal, ma kako se taj potencijal danas nama činio skroman - baš i kao sa svojim talentom u celini, Pohl uspeva da iz svake skromne komponente ovog romana izvuče apsolutni maksimum, a to svakako jeste odlika talentovanog pisca i odanog žanrovca.
Pa, da krenemo od same naslovnice. :)
Da, da, znam da će neko ko nema neophodno žanrovsko obrazovanje i afinitet (avaj, čak i mnogi koji rečene kvalitete imaju) lako u ovakvoj naslovnici videti samo jednu skroz naivnu i infantilnu vizualizaciju kiborga. Ali valjda upravo tu ključnu ulogu i igra ona fina razlika koja nam deli palp od šunda generalno: u ovom konkretnom slučaju, svrhovitost određuje praktičnost, a ova zauzvrat nudi ekonomičnost pa time i estetiku: da, ovo je čisto žanrovska prezentacija kiborga koji bi tumarao marsovskim pejzažom, ali je ujedno i dovoljno ekonomična da bude teško osporiva sa realističke strane: 1. Nema razloga da kiborg ne ispoštuje obličje ljudskog dvonošca, 2. Kompaktni senzori adaptirani za marsovske uslove itekako mogu da liče na muvlje oči, i pod 3. Kiborgu neosporno treba nezavisan i trajan izvor energije, što podrazumeva između ostalog i solarne panele, što dalje u marsovskim uslovima podrazumeva i maksimalnu površinu istih, to sa minimalnim opterećenjem za telo koje ih nosi, dakle, da - nešto u fazonu sklopivih krila, pomalo nalik onima kod slepog miša, to uglavnom zato što minimalno ometaju mobilnost tela koje ih nosi i razvlači po potrebi. No dobro, to i nije aspekt kojem treba bilo kakva odbrana, jer to je sasvim pitanje estetike, i žanrovac će to lako prihvatiti u istom tom kontekstu, a onaj ko to nije u stanju... pa, njemu je dalje tumačenje najverovatnije bespotrebno.
Što se stila i izraza tiče, recimo da je Pohlov adekvatan, i to je uglavnom to. Izraz je prilično ekonomičan, to da, ali je ujedno i krajnje prozaičan, stvoren da funkcionalno akomodira naraciju koja nam saopštava sve ono neophodno da bi se ispratio zaplet. Slično adekvatan izraz koristili su Asimov i Clarke, pa je otud i dokazan kao savršena alatka za isporuku zapleta koji se obilno oslanja na tehnikalije koje se laicima moraju saopštiti ekonomično ali i pedantno ujedno. Ali, u MAN PLUS zapletu zaista nema odviše takvih tehnološki zahtevnih detalja, pa bi otud i prozaičnost ovakvog izraza vrlo brzo sedimentirala u čistu banalnost, ako već ne i otvorenu dosadu. Da stvar po saspens bude još gora, Pohl bira i tradicionalni format zlatnodopskog narativa koji nas već na početku upozna sa činjenicom da je kolonizacija Marsa bila uspešna, što nam dalje jasno najavljuje da će se roman posvetiti isključivo zbivanjima koja su joj prethodila, dakle, sa znatnom dozom sortiranja informacije u formatu 'naknadne pameti'. Vrlo riskantan pristup, naizgled jednostavan pa otud i omiljen kod diletanata, ali zapravo dovoljno sofisticiran da bi se trebali laćati samo dokazani majstori. Pohl, naravno, ne bi bio Grand Master a da nema trik koji od tako neslanog štiva može stvoriti intrigantan tekst: Pohl svog naratora stavlja u treće lice množine! I eto, odjednom više skoro da i ne marite za simplificiranost tog izlaganja, zato što vam se stalno vrzmaju po glavi pitanja tipa, ko su ti famozni 'mi' koji nam pričaju ovu priču? I kako je taj misteriozni grupni narator prisutan čak i u situacijama koje su očigledno intimna zbivanja protagonista? Da li je grupni narator zapravo gomila psihopata? Ili špijuna? Ali zašto špijuna, kad zaplet ne zahteva tu konkretnu dimeniziju, niti ima ikakve očigledne koristi od nje? Naravno, kako zlatnodopski format nalaže, tek u epilogu saznaćete ko je taj famozni grupni narator. Možda ćete i naslutiti negde tokom čitanja, ali to uglavnom tek u poodmakloj fazi romana, pa otud i nema veze: trik je ispunio svoju svrhu i dodao saspens kojeg inače jedva da bi bilo. Otud se i potez mora prepoznati kao hvale vredan stilski poduhvat.
Dalje, novum. :) neravnomeran kakav već jeste, ujedno je i ograničen silno konzervativnom ekstrapolacijom futurizma koja je, recimo i to, bila skoro pa već neodrživa i u vreme njegovog objavljivanja, a kamoli danas. Naravno, Pohlov konzervativni svetonazor nije bio nikakva tajna, kao što to mnogi skandali oko njegove uređivačke cenzure pokazuju ( najpoznatiji je tu svakako onaj sa Ellisonovom pričom "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream"), tako da nema smisla sad se bog zna kako zgražati nad time. Isto tako, fer je priznati da je i pre novotalasnih snaga žanr svakako bio sasvim dovoljno drzak u redizajnu dotadašnjeg puritanski represivnog tretiranja konzervativnih tema i topika - dakle, te su granice već silno ispomerali autori poput Farmera, Sturgeona i Butlerove, između ostalih, tako da zaista ne stoji pretpostavka kako nije bilo donekle ugaženih staza kojima su se mogle doseći teritorije po kojima žanrovski pisac do tada još kročio nije. Pre će biti da je Pohl jednostavno odlučio da ga te teritorije ne zanimaju, ali to je već manji komad fascinacije; onaj veći komad svakako se može prepoznati kao Pohlovo insistiranje da futurizam može i mora ravnopravno pripasti i konzervativcima. A to je već tema za studioznije bavljenje, i nesumnjivo se nje neko već i prihvatio.
Verovatno najuočljiviji aspekt neravnomernosti novuma ogleda se u Pohlovom blatantnom autizmu po pitanju tretmana žena: u Pohlovom novumu 'slabiji' pol ima i srazmerno slabiju ulogu: žene skoro da i ne postoje van tih stereotipnih obrazaca. A da stvar bude gora, nisu bog zna kako uspešne čak ni u tim krajnje simplificiranim ulogama: kiborgova žena je isprazno i bleskasto stvorenje koje se ostvaruje isključivo kroz preljubu, a kiborgove negovateljice i medicinske sestre su isto tu u limbu nekakvog međustanja, negde na pola puta između kokete i majke, očigledno nesposobne da u potpunosti ispune zahteve ijedne krajnosti. Otud se i jedina kompetentna negovateljica kalkulisano prikazuje kao žena srednjih godina, teški pušač, sa minimalnim atributima ženskosti, skoro pa muškobanjasta stasom i intelektom... O tom stavu bi se mogli držati silni simpozijumi, ali unutar palpičnih žanrovskih okvira fer je priznati da obrazac ima isto pravo na egzistenciju koliko i oni na drugom kraju spektra, jer žanrovski futurizam mora ili pripasti svima jednako, ili će malo ko od njega imati koristi. A Pohl je opet dovoljno majstor da ponudi narativ koji opstaje i na tako... eh... specifično konzervativnom poimanju naše eventualne stvarnosti. I mada nam tu stvarnost Pohl locira uglavnom u ovo ili ovome blisko vreme (opet ta zlatnodopska lukavost: timeline se može proceniti samo posredno, recimo u najavi da je Deshatine 42gi američki predsednik), može se reći da je ona danas jednako anahrona koliko je bila u doba objavljivanja, tako da tu skoro da i nema nekog značajnijeg podbačaja. Sem ako ne prepoznamo kao podbačaj činjenicu da je Pohl čvrsto verovao kako ćemo pre stići na Mars nego što će crnac (ili žena) stići do Bele Kuće. :mrgreen:
Drugi aspekt neravnomernosti novuma mogao bi se naći u tehnološkim i društveno-političkim ekstrapolacijama koje su u svojoj suštini toliko generičke da ih se može prepoznati kao sastavni deo svakog istorijskog perioda. Taj hladnoratovski koncept društveno, politički, kulturno i ekonomski suprotstavljenih blokova toliko je samopodrazumevajući da Pohl i ne smatra da se konfrontacija treba ikako personalizovati. Čak naprotiv, zlatnodopski format preferiše da se upravo takvi detalji izostave, da bi futurizam bio uverljiviji na duge staze, pa otud Pohl sračunato ne prokazuje ko je tu zapravo 'neprijateljska strana'. Ovlaš se pominju Azijati, a pošto mi pri čitanju podsvesno tumačimo prozu u savremenom kontekstu, podrazumeva se da tu prednjače Kinezi. Opet, dobar zlatnodopski trik, sračunat da romanu održava relevantnost na duge staze.
Ali aspekt transhumanizma tu definitivno odnosi šnjur, i pred njim sve ostale razlike blede do granice nebitnosti. I opet je uočljivo da iza tog Pohlovog izbora stoji svetonazor i principi za koje autor ne oseća potrebu da preispita, čak ni kad sama proza to od njega očigledno zahteva. Pohlov transhumanizam je do te mere sveden na kozmetiku, pa još k tomu i reverzibilnu, da je zapravo neodrživo prepoznati ga kao trans ili posthimanizam, to čak ni kao ranu ili proto verziju: ako išta, lakše ga je prepoznati kao anti-transhumanizam. :lol: Pohlov Roger Torraway je toliko neskriveno i neuzdrmano patrijahalna i konzervativna ličnost da zapravo postaje neka vrst simbola kojim jedan svetonazor zahteva svoje ravnopravno parče žanrovskog futurizma, u doba u kom je sve više postajalo očigledno da će on u celosti pripasti nekim drugim modelima. A ako svrnemo pogled na savremenu produkciju, videćemo da se to upravo i dogodilo: današnji majstori transhumanizma (Egan, KSR i Watts, na primer) nude upravo koncepte čiji je konzervativni pandan Pohl ponudio u liku svog kiborga Rogera Torrawaya. I mada je transhumanistički koncept te trojice isuviše obilan i širok da ga se svede na bilo kakav zajednički nazivnik, upravo Pohlov kiborg pomaže da se u tome donekle uspe: Roger Torraway predstavlja prciznu otelotvorenu suprotnost savremenog transhumanizma.
U procesu kiborgizacije, Roger Torraway gubi jedan po jedan deo tela: svaki amputirani deo tela se zamenuje tehnološki savršenim prostetikom, sve dok od Rogera ne ostane samo mozak, neophodan da procesuira informaciju i tako upravlja kiborgom. Tokom celog tog mučnog procesa amputiranja ljudskosti, Roger ne doživljava niti milisekund sumnje u svoj identitet: da, svakim danom sve više i više on postaje mašina, ali to je samo kozmetika, jer on u svom telu ionako ne obitava - on je Roger Torraway zato što je intelekt koji živi samo u mozgu, ne u telu. Telo je smrtno, telo je nevažno, telo je samo mesnati transporter kojim upravlja intelekt. Nema te telesne transformacije koja bi mogla da uzdrma identitet tog intelekta: Roger je jednako Roger i uvek će biti Roger, bilo da ga se stavi u kiborg mašinu, ili u telo od krvi i mesa ili drugog pola, ili da ga se daunloduje u kompjuterski čip. U tom finalnom razgraničenju tela i intelekta koji njime upravlja, Roger Torraway i nema potrebu da odviše preispituje svoj identitet, naprosto zato što on zna šta jeste, i tu spoznaju ne može niti uzdrmati a kamoli promeniti tamo neki tričavi tehnološki proces menjanja tela, zato što je taj proces očigledno reverzibilan, pa otud i čisto kozmetički.
Ali u svom tom stoičkom podnošenju amputacija tela u koji je rođen, Roger Torraway je samo jednom sebi dopustio reakciju, i to od one ekstremno potresne sorte: kad je shvatio da je kastriran. U trenutku kad je shvatio da je ostao bez genitalija, Rogerov intelekt je istovremeno doživeo sijaset reakcija duhovnog sloma, od histerije pa do katatonije, najavljujući činjenicu da identitet Rogerovog intelekta itekako ovisi o mesnatom transporteru u koji je rođen, ali naravno, Pohl tu Rogerovu krizu autistički ignoriše, daveći je stoicizmom zlatnodopske herojštine. Otud je i ta jedna jedina narativna prilika da se 'čovek plus' i 'čovek minus' direktno suoče sračunato zadavljena, e da nedaj bože kasnije u romanu ne izraste u nešto sklono bilo kakvom otimanju narativnoj kontroli.
U epilogu, MAN PLUS nudi uvid u svetonazor za koji se danas baš i ne može precizno žanrovski proceniti da li je sve ređi ili samo zapostavljeniji, pa time i manje uočljiviji. Sam Pohl svakako jeste bio neuzdrman u svom konzervativnom poimanju sveta, ali to ipak ne znači da je ujedno bio i neperceptivna osoba, nesposobna da prepozna obrise stvari koje dolaze. Ne treba zaboraviti da je upravo Pohl bio izdavačka snaga iza DHALGRENa i THE FEMALE MANa, dok je radio kao agent za Bantam, tako da je itekako bio svestan dubina transhumanističke kontroverze, ali izgleda da naprosto nije osećao potrebu da i sam bude deo iste. A sa ovim konkretno romanom, Pohl nudi sasvim pristojne argumente u podršku teze da, bez obzira kome eventualno pripadne sama budućnost ljudske vrste, bar žanrovski futurizam ravnopravno pripada i konzervativcima.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%2Fcontent%3Fid%3D01G4oAEACAAJ%26amp%3Bprintsec%3Dfrontcover%26amp%3Bimg%3D1%26amp%3Bzoom%3D1%26amp%3Bimgtk%3DAFLRE72B6Y5Evh8aRhH-ByvTG0i0f2eIN1aPpGSJ5Tl_cZ7IsBbsB5UG1kmrgKetH6X3z0sC_OwpawpkRZqEQPbjBrNGvmxjtShVANB_WddaLRxo35qE6SEfcJjeUnyBUFPQPHmGoOAW&hash=6a7d7c814f267c226606efc68a75a7edc30c5a14)
Pošto smo skoro izgubili još jednog žanrovskog velikana, Luciusa Sheparda, red je bio da se i od njega oprostimo kako dolikuje: uživanjem u njegovoj prozi. Sasvim slučajno, izbor je pao na njeogov poslednji roman, Beautiful Blood, to bez ikakvog predznanja da će to biti zapravo konačna i potpuna Griaule saga, dakle nešto sasvim nekarakteristično za Sheparda na kom sam odrasla. I ne tvrdim sad da me magični realizam kao žanr po pravilu odbija, nego mi naprosto nije pošlo za rukom na naiđem na bog zna kako impresivne naslove u tom žanru. Ali ovakav kakvog ga Shepard piše, daleko od toga da bi ikog ikad odbio, a pogotovo mene.
Sama skaska je startovala još davne 1984, sa pričom "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule", i upravo to što sam svojedobno smatrala za autorski odušak, za mali izlet u preširoka prostranstva fentezi proizvoljnosti, u ovom romanu se pokazalo kao upravo kruna Luciusovog opusa.
Zmaj Griaule, veličanstvena paralizovana zver u čijoj senci cveta grad Teocinte, u ovom romanu efikasno povezuje sva pređašnja pominjanja sa svojim tragičnim finalom. Različiti ljudi imaju različite motive da ubiju Griaula, ali svi se slažu da je poželjno da ga se ubije, i to na neki fin i kulturan, znači beskrvan način. Zadatak je poveren umetniku slikaru, koji planira da na zmajevim slabinama oslika mural otrovnim bojama, a jednom kad mural bude završen, Griaule će iz milenijumske kome neosetno kliznuti u smrt. Ili je bar takav plan.
Delikatni psihološki portreti svih tih ljudi koji žive u senci uspavanog zmaja i plotuju njegovu smrt su duboka fascinacija i ogromno čitalačko zadovoljstvo. Ako išta, Lucius u ovom romanu ubija ne samo Griaula, nego i svaki bogovetni fentezi kliše o zmajevima: Luciusov Griaule niti bljuje vatru, niti širi veličanstvena krila nego je tek paralizovana lešina kojoj isti ti zaverenici izvlače krv i otkidaju komade mesa i krljušti zarad novčanog profita. Pa ipak, čak i u tom inertnom stanju ne-bitisanja Griaule samom svojom masivnošću održava ne samo sopstvenu fantastičnu biosferu, nego i egzistencijalni okvir za sve ljude koji u njegovoj blizini opstaju. Za te ljude, Griaul definiše smrtnost i raspadanje u istom kontekstu u kom definiše i besmrtnost i večnost, pa se otud i roman bavi subverzivnim temama na način koji se retko očekuje (a zato i još ređe prepoznaje) od samog žanra fentezija.
Otud se i doživljava kao veličanstven i pomalo gorak eksperiment u kom jedan fascinantno nadaren autor transmutira tamo neke skoro pa bezvredne fentezi proizvoljnosti u duboka i suštinska filozofska razmišljanja (koja će najverovatnije mimoići sve ljubitelje fentezija koji omaškom i u potrazi za zmajevima otvore ovu knjigu :mrgreen:
U svom finalnom naslovu, Lucius nudi ostavštinu u vidu straobalne jezičke i karakterizacijske veštine, sve to u svrhu isporuke jedne dirljive i prilično neočekivane filozofije, to bar kad se uzme u obzir sf ostatak njegovog opusa. I eto, koliko god da smo bili njegovi obožavaoci za života, toliko nam Beautiful Blood daje na znanje da smo možda vrlo malo o samom Luciusu znali, ali dobro, bio je to baja sa kojim smo odrasli i kog ćemo se uvek rado sećati i još ga rađe čitati.
(https://books.google.com/books/content?id=WFozAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&imgtk=AFLRE73SDJOQfLAGohl0xHiaz_hzRGBOsfkmkgJkELk8ZHb6VLuequFL0_hWVgKVV-mG7S9vf3fVhFd2Uc6zUsUcRGTO4nVRwj0EilAQs2WZWtLi3vovsIvfJ85Nymcpn6FB9VGsilxt)
I eto, najzad je došlo podesno vreme da utvrdimo Eganov Incandesence.
Bog dobri zna da Egan nije laka literatura čak ni u svom najzabavnijem formatu, ali Incandesence me je svojedobno izmučio koliko i Schild's Ladder, to do tačke u kojoj sam usprkos zainteresiranosti prosto morala da ga ostavim za neko bolje vreme. To "bolje vreme" kod mene u prevodu uglavnom znači više slobodnog vremena i manje poslovne rastrzanosti uopšte, znači, uglavnom podrazumeva godišnji odmor. :)
Kao i svi Eganovi ultradaleki futurizmi, Incandesence podrazumeva koncepte sa kojima se čovek mora dobrano izrvati pre no što ih u potpunosti shvati i prihvati, a Egan upravo u tom delu svog opusa nekako ponajmanje tetoši neukog čitaoca. Matematički koncepti, baš kao i oni o fizici crnih rupa i orbitalnih kalkulacija, zahtevaju predznanje koje uvelike nadmašuje prosečan nivo opšteg znanja, iako ih Egan unosi i razvija vrlo postepeno i temeljito. Upravo u tu svrhu je i osmišljen zaplet jedne od narativnih linija: insektoidni stanovnici malog sveta dolaze u opasnost da ih proguta gravitacioni kolaps zvezde koja je nekad davno bila uzrok propasti njihove rodne planete. U kratkom periodu od intelektualnog "buđenja" prve jedinke koja je naslutila opasnost, pa do izvođenja samog manevra kojim je opasnost izbegnuta, Egan posredno elaborira i koncept posthumanističke ideje i filozofije o uzajamnoj vezi tehnologije i entiteta koji ju je stvorio. U drugoj narativnoj liniji, Egan razvija isti koncept kao "naš" posthumanistički futurizam, udaljem milion godina od današnjice: to je koncept koji dosledno razvija i elaborira u svim svojim ultradalekim futurizmima, i on tu narativno služi i kao paralela i kao reper ujedno.
Eganova fascinacija našim "postDNA" intelektom i identitetom i ovde nudi teren za vrlo ubedljivo predočen koncept posthumanističke inteligencije koji je u Incandesence atraktivniji no ikada, iako je dobrim delom saopšten kao samopodrazumevajući. (A možda upravo u tome i leži najveći deo njegove privlačnosti. :) ) Eganov opus je odavno već dostigao fazu u kojoj je prilično samoreferentan, pa ga je izgelda i najbolje čitati upravo hronološkim redom... što dalje znači da Ortogonal trilogija najverovatnije zahteva da se prethodni opus ne samo u potpunosti overi, nego najverovatnije i utvrdi. A to je plan&program kakvom se svaki hardSF fan zdušno raduje, ionako.
Ja moram da ustvrdim da moje sve skromnije praćenje svetskog SF-a ne uključuje Egana, pre svega što sam se par puta slično spotakao... To naprosto nije nešto sa čime imam snage da se borim...
Sad tek videh da si pisala o Šepardovom Griolu, mojoj staroj ljubavi...
Blentavi, nesređeni i neobavešteni (a entuzijastični) kakvi smo bili, objavismo davne 1992. u Monolitu The Scalehunters Beautiful Daughter, a da smo preskočili predivan uvod u ovaj serijal "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule". Tek kasnije postadosmo svesni šta smo uradili. Ja imam negde na nekom starom disku u ChiWriteru devet desetina završen prevod priče The Father of Stones, po meni možda i najboljeg nastavka serijala - priče koja na predivan način u jednom naizgled običnom fentazi miljeu razmatra neka od ključnih pitanja ljudskom postojanja - slobodne volje, naše mogućnosti da utičemo na ono što nam se dešava, jesmo li slobodna bića ili "pioni u igri života", vođeni voljom stvorenja koje svojim postojanjem menja stvarnost oko sebe...
Kad i ako odem u penziju, kao scallop, završiću jednog dana taj prevod...
Prethodno ćeš imati paklene muke da se izvučeš i čirajtera. Vadio sam "Varnicu" iz toga i nikom ne bih poželeo.
:(
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 19-12-2014, 10:02:35
Sad tek videh da si pisala o Šepardovom Griolu, mojoj staroj ljubavi...
Blentavi, nesređeni i neobavešteni (a entuzijastični) kakvi smo bili, objavismo davne 1992. u Monolitu The Scalehunters Beautiful Daughter, a da smo preskočili predivan uvod u ovaj serijal "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule". Tek kasnije postadosmo svesni šta smo uradili. Ja imam negde na nekom starom disku u ChiWriteru devet desetina završen prevod priče The Father of Stones, po meni možda i najboljeg nastavka serijala - priče koja na predivan način u jednom naizgled običnom fentazi miljeu razmatra neka od ključnih pitanja ljudskom postojanja - slobodne volje, naše mogućnosti da utičemo na ono što nam se dešava, jesmo li slobodna bića ili "pioni u igri života", vođeni voljom stvorenja koje svojim postojanjem menja stvarnost oko sebe...
Kad i ako odem u penziju, kao scallop, završiću jednog dana taj prevod...
da, da, Griaule je neverovatno potresan motiv... otud ti je ovaj roman must read stavka, veruj mi na reč. Potpuno me uhvatilo na prepad, ta Luciusova dimenzija. Mislim, znala sam ja da je on straobalan pisac, daleko od toga, ali nikad mi nije palo na pamet da će upravo na Griaule ovoliko da se sunovrati u čistu metafiziku. A najpametnije od svega, nema tu nikakvih odgovora, samo pitanja. Čovek me naprosto oduvao, šta da ti kažem.
Što se samog Egana tiče, on tu ništa posebno ne odskače od ostalih iz grupe trenutno vodećih: znači, McAuley, Watts, KSR, Nagata i još par njih posvećenih hardSF maniru, kao Atwoodova ili Bear, recimo. Egan razvija potpuno iste koncepte, i to u skoro pa istim formatima: evolucija bazirana na bio i nano tehnologiji, AI, etički i moralni aspekti transhumanizma i sve što ide u tom paketu. Ali način na koji on to radi izdvaja ga, i to dobrano, od svih ostalih za koje znam. jednostavno, Egan tome prilazi iz nekog ekstremno ozbiljnog ugla i tu nema ni mrve kompromisa sa palpičnim formatima za kojima gotovo svi ostali redovito posežu. Recimo, meni se 2312 veoma dopao, stvarno, ali kad bi se po tim parametrima poredili, onda bi 2312 bio roto roman a Incadesence doktorat, na potpuno istu temu, jelte.
Naravno, što roman palpičniji, utoliko je prijemčiviji, ali po tom merilu, ništa od Eganovog ultradalekog futurizma nije laka proza, ali je zato neverovatno zarazna. Posle trećeg u nizu romana, Egan će ti postati životna opsesija, to ti sad tvrdim, a ti sad vidi i premeri da li ćeš da gricneš i taj famozni prvi. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1416178647l%2F21822372.jpg&hash=31a51e846ca33901e7a7ebdeaa6e69171ad7e4c6)
Znam da nije fer na bilo koji način kritikovati nedočitanu knjigu, ali prosto moram... u pitanju je The Genome – Sergej Lukjanjenko.
Priznajem da nisam ništa od njegove "straže" čitala, tako da ne verujem kako je problem bio u prevelikim očekivanjima, ili premalim, svejedno: the Genome ima više nego pristojne ocene kod mnogih žarovskih rivjuista, plus se generalno bavi temom koja me zanima, tako da je to odnelo prevagu. Sam Lukjanjenko ima status gotovo glamuroznog pisca, i često se pominje njegova veština u kombinovanju post-sojvetskih i anglosaksonskih referenci, to pogotovo u karakterizaciji i humoristički obojenim fabrikacijama o stvarnim ljudima i fenomenima. I dobro sad, možda sve to i stoji, oni koji su Lukjanjenka vise iščitali (ili bar ovaj roman dovršili) znaće to bolje od mene. Ja to jednostavno nisam bila u stanju, u tamo negde na oko 45% odustala sam od čitanja.
E sad, interesantno je da ne mogu kategorično da tvrdim kako je the Genome loše štivo, u smislu da me se doima kao slabo ili neinteresantno ili nevešto sročeno. Naprotiv, po sve tri stavke roman se solidno kotira, tu uključujući i moj dojam o samom prevodu: stil je solidan, mada decidirano nezahtevan, ali to je svakako postignuto sa otvorenom namerom a ne na bilo kakvoj autorskoj nesposobnosti. Što se same "interesantnosti" tiče, i tu se malo šta može argumentovano spotčitnuti, jer roman nudi zbivanja u vrlo intenzivnom tempu – iz strane u stranu, tu se non-stop nešto događa, smenjuju se protagonisti i aktivnosti i informacije (ovo poslednje u prilično didaktičnom maniru, ali ne narušava sam tempo), i to vrtoglavo gomilanje svega i svačega diže intenzitet do samih granica histerije, pa opet...cela ta smesa ostaje neverovatno isprazna, u svom tom kovitlacu. Moram da priznam kako me to neobično fasciniralo, jer tako je fino podešeno da se stvarno teško prepoznaje kao slučajnost. Mislim, sa tolikim obiljem pokretnih elemenata, skoro je nemoguće da celina ne proizvede makar i privid nekakve sadržine, ali u ovom slučaju ostalo je vakuumski prazno i uopšte ne postavljam pitanje da li i koliko tu ima praznog hoda između zbivanja, jer ovde upravo sama histerična zbivanja jesu prazan hod i ništa više. Fascinantno, zaista: šund na larpurlartističkom nivou.
Elem, negde na pola knjige uhvatim se kako zapravo stalno razmišljam o tome. Ne kažem da je to samo po sebi bilo dovoljno da od knjige odustanem, ali jeste mi bilo dovoljno da shvatim kako mi je sasvim svejedno da li ću do ovog konkretno epiloga uopšte stići, i tako...
(https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319300113l/12937622.jpg)
The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein and Other Gothic Tales
Svojevremeno sam skinula pirat Ligotijeve The Collected Short Fiction i skroz se izgubila u toj masivnoj knjižurini, pa mi se učinilo da bi mi praktičnije bilo da štrpkam same zbirke pojedinačno, makar da se opet ne zateknem u situaciji kako po enti put čitam istu priču. :lol:
Odlična zbirka, puna bizarnih i morbidnih, ali uvek fascinirajućih tvistova na poznate skaske o gotskom mraku. Na neke od njih Ligoti ukucava efikasniji epilog a neke odvodi i korak dalje, ali u svakom slučaju radi se o uspešnom zakucavanju ekstra bizarnijeg eksera. Apsolutni majstor baratanja suštinom u ultra kratkoj formi, ali dobro, nema potrebe da i ovde ponavljam ono što i vrapci već znaju - nije da nam baš na ovom terenu treba jos jedan ekspert za bliding obvijus... Ligoti rulz i to je to. :mrgreen:
Dakle, apsolutno savršen završetak godine i njenog plana & programa! :-D
Quote from: PTY on 03-10-2014, 09:49:05
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0399158448.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=c7a35c66e85460bc5ab86ce5c0a91f224b94d28f)
Where Flynne and her brother, Burton, live, jobs outside the drug business are rare. Fortunately, Burton has his veteran's benefits, for neural damage he suffered from implants during his time in the USMC's elite Haptic Recon force. Then one night Burton has to go out, but there's a job he's supposed to do—a job Flynne didn't know he had. Beta-testing part of a new game, he tells her. The job seems to be simple: work a perimeter around the image of a tower building. Little buglike things turn up. He's supposed to get in their way, edge them back. That's all there is to it. He's offering Flynne a good price to take over for him. What she sees, though, isn't what Burton told her to expect. It might be a game, but it might also be murder.
Odlična knjiga, iz pera autora kojeg volim i cenim, pa još i napisana u maniru koji je ispunio (čak i nadmašio, ako ćemo iskreno) sva ogromna očekivanja koja sam negovala još otkako je knjiga najavljena!
Istina je da smo se Gibson i ja pomalo razilazili još od Neuromancera, a sa svakom trilogijom ta distanca je postajala sve veća i veća. Nije tu bilo ničeg posebnog ili konkretnog, nego eto, izgleda da se naprosto radilo o nekoj vrsti otuđenja baziranog na zamoru materijala: Spook Country i Zero History su zahtevali određenu dozu napora da se dočitaju, i izgledalo mi je da će to (p)ostati Gibsonov trend u novom veku i milenijumu. Jedno vreme je tu bilo malko razočarenja (od one vrste kojom iskreni fanovi uglavnom ispraćaju odrastanje, to bilo sopstveno ili autorovo, a neretko i oba ujedno :mrgreen: ), onda je usledila i rezignacija (kad fan ubeđuje sebe kako sve prolazi, i mora da prođe, jer ništa ne traje večno i sve tako u slično musavom fazonu :( ), ali onda - onda je došao The Peripheral.
The Peripheral žonglira dva konkretna futurizma: prvi je udaljen oko dve decenije od naše današnjice, a drugi negde oko 7 decenija. Oba novuma nude karakterističnu distopiju koju spaja sam zaplet: Flynne (prvi futurizam) živi u nekoj vrsti predapokaliptične distopije, prepoznatljivo ekstrapoliranoj iz naše današnjice: Flynne i njen brat, rednek veteran sa arapskih žarišta, žive u svetu gde je jedina ekonomija svedena na proizvodnju narkotika preko ilegalnih builder-printera, to uz mafijaški suptilnu podršku korumpirane Homeland Security infrastrukture. I kad Flynne jednog dana zameni brata na polulegalnom posliću koji se svima činio trivijalnim i krajnje banalnim - da upravlja security dronom u nečemu za šta su smatrali da je demo verzija nove kompjuterske igre - ona prisustvuje nečemu što joj baš i ne izgleda kao normalno zbivanje u virtuelnom konstruktu.
Istovremeno, u onom udaljenijem postapokaliptičnom futurizmu, Wilf Netherton saznaje zašto su to Kinezi, zajedno sa ultrabogatom post-Putinovskom mafijom, daleko lakše preživeli apokalipsu koja je eliminisala skoro 80% stanovništva sa lica Zemlje: nepoznati serveri (u anonimnom vlasništvu) u stanju su da uspostave network most preko njega razmenjuju informaciju sa određenim segmentom prošlosti. Vrlo korisna alatka za gomilanje novca, ta mogućnost da se važna informacija plasira u kritični momenat iz prošlosti... ali naravno, postoji tu caka – jednom kad se most razmene informacije uspostavi, taj segment prošlosti više ne sledi uobičajeni linearni kontinuum, nego postaje njegov patrljak, slobodan da stvara sopstvenu budućnost. I mada u trenutku uspostavljanja veze između dve tačke u vremenu one obe jednako pripadaju istom kontinuumu, što se zbivanja više gomilaju, to se patrljak tačke prošlosti više odvaja od rečenog kontinuuma.
Dovoljno široka pozornica za zaplet, ali svejedno, malo ko istu koristi na način na koji se to Gibson odlučio. Kad smo zadnji put imali kolekciju rednek protagonista van svoje prvoloptaški stereotipne forme i sadržaja? Ne pamtim, pošto se pri worklbuildingu čak ni žanrovski konzervativci ne uzdržavaju od korištenja prefabrikovanih lego kockica.
Upravo zato, The Peripheral je sve ono što je Neuromancer morao postati, u ovom najboljem od svih mogućih svetova.
The Peripheral je mudriji, zreliji Neuromancer, lišen narcisizma noar ikonografije i one uvek pomalo prisutne gibsonijanske samodovoljne samodopadljivosti koja je kasnije kulminirala u Bigendu.
The Peripheral je angažovan na način za koji čovek od prve strane naprosto
zna da mu je srce na pravom mestu (to srce i romanu i angažmanu, jelte), i optimističan je na način na koji savremeni čovek mora biti optimističan, to ako želi da ostane i čovek i savremen ujedno: dakle, angažovan na preispitivanju svih svojih mogućnosti i svih mogućih budućnosti, i to bez narkoleptičnog eskapizma.
The Pripheral je roman koji je najzad prerastao distopiju kao proznu šminku i žanrovsku mimikriju koja je samoj sebi svrha, baš kao što je i prerastao noar-antiheroje koji su boemski kul i tehno-gikovski šik.
The Peripheral kaže "Because people who couldn't imagine themselves capable of evil were at major disadvantage in dealing with people who didn't need to imagine, because they already were. She'd said it was always a mistake, to believe those people were different, special, infected with something that was inhuman, subhuman, fundamentally other. Which had reminded her of what her mother had said about Corbell Picket. That evil wasn't glamorous, but just the result of ordinary half-assed badness, high school badness, given enough room, however that might happen, to become its bigger self. Bigger, with more horrible results, but never more than the cumulative weight of ordinary human baseness."
Ovaj citat apsolutno ilustruje ne samo duh romana nego i duh samog 'novog' Gibsona, jer ova ideja možda i jeste nekakva sinteza svetonazora iz pređašnjih romana, ali to onda samo na nekom bazičnom nivu koji je tek ovde evoluirao u jedan suštinski realističniji a otud i neminovno optimističniji svetonazor. Negde usput, savremeni SF futurizam nam je srozan na apokaliptični difolt koji je postao sam sebi svrha, pa otud i dekadentno zavodljiv: na mestima gde nam je nekad služio u svrhu upozorenja, danas sve češće služi u svrhu gratifikacije. Bliski futurizam u svojoj savremenoj verziji neretko nudi i dimenziju skoro pa morbidnog likovanja: žanrovski autori kao da su se malko smorili što glavnina populacije i dalje ne veruje u apokaliptične predznake u domenima klimatskih promena, finansijske nestabilnosti i društvenih tenzija, pa otud i insistiraju na distopiji kao samopodrazumevajuće logičnoj posledici. Ne kažem da je takav svetonazor sasvim neopravdan, ali doima me se prilično infantilan taj način na koji sebe smatra progresivnim, dok u stvari nudi samo malko ispoliranu verziju hipi naivne tehnofobije.
The Peripheral otud nudi pošteno ekstrapolirane distopije koje kao da nam govore: da, jeste, budućnost će nam doneti određenu količinu sranja, ali ništa manje no što ga je naša sadašnjost donela našoj ne tako davnoj prošlosti.
Dakle, mojih 5 knjiških hajlajta iz 2014:
Naj mejnstrim knjiga: (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327878601m/11529868.jpg)
Naj žanrovska knjiga: (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394824754m/20697435.jpg)
Naj debi roman: (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054m/18007564.jpg)
Naj nonfiction: (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391184409m/20661548.jpg)
Naj specijalni utisak: (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364850195m/16176440.jpg)
odlična godina! masa genijalnih, uglavnom žanrovskih knjiga naprosto nije uspela da se dokopa naj-liste, pa ni genijalni The Peripheral... ali Faber je isporučio naslov koji ne samo da je pomeo svu svoju konkurenciju za knjigu godine, nego za sad vodi i u domenu knjige decenije. magično štivo, u svakom bogovetnom pogledu.
Hej PTY,
hvala za listu. Vremena za čitanje nikada manje, pa je ovo baš ono što mi je trebalo.
Keep watching the skies (i sve naj)
lajkvajz, Blejde! :)
Meni je već odavno postalo pravilo da neznane i nepreporučene knjige čitam taman koliko se daju čitati, dakle, sve dok ne naletim na prvu oveću poteškoću koja najavljuje da knjiga možda i nije baš vredna truda i vremena. Ta rutina prilično dobro funkcioniše, još mi se nije desilo da sam se pokajala zbog takve selektivnosti, ali ponekad naletim na knjigu za koju naprosto ne mogu da iskreno ocenim da li spada u "dobro" ili "loše" kategoriju, sve kad je tako mic-po-mic i dočitam. Jedna od takvih je i The Transhumanist Wager (u daljem tekstu TTW, zarad uštede vremena), prvenac Zoltana Istvana.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41X%252BzR3o74L._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=e6ed4549644ba412fbc5a61f814a0ae0e1fd0626)
E sad, ovo je stvarno masivna knjižurina koju teško da ćete ikad čitati u prevodu, ali opet, ne mogu ni mirne duše da tvrdim kako to ipak nije nekakva šteta: roman me se doima kao sazdan isključivo od mana i nedostataka, pa opet, eto, u pitanju je vrlo kontroverzno štivo, a već je to samo po sebi nekakav kvalitet. Ukratko, da me neko pita da li bih TTW prepuručila za čitanje, ja stvarno ne znam da li bi tu iskren odgovor bio da ili ne, a to mi se stvarno retko dešava. Otud, umesto ocene (a ni po pitanju ocene ne mogu da se odlučim, TTW mi oscilira od dvojke pa do oslabije četvorke istovremeno, nekakav skoro pa kvantni fenomen :mrgreen: ), da malko drvim po fenomenu koji me košta skoro punih 20 sati čitanja.
Elem, Zoltan Istvan je zbog ove knjige obijao pragove ni manje ni više nego pet stotina izdavača, i svi su mu rekli "ne": većinu razloga za takvu odluku i sama mogu da prepoznam, otud im i ne zameram. Eventualno je Zoltan ovo izbacio kao samizdat, i eto, neke od ozbiljnih kritika su iznenađujuće povoljne, a ja opet uspevam da prepoznam većinu razloga i za taj fenomen. Jednostavno rečeno, TTW uspeva da čitaoca impresionira i razgnevi u isti mah, a to jeste popriličan poduhvat.
Istvan ima vrlo malo (ovde iskazanog) književnog talenta, ali izgleda da on i ne traži karijeru u književnosti, pa čak ni ovoj našoj populističkoj: Istvanu je naprosto trebala knjiga da preko nje plasira svoje filozofske i političke stavove, otud mu je žanrovski šablon sasvim dobro poslužio kao posuda za pomalo vitrioličan pamfletistički sadržaj. Ali to nije ni izbliza toliko negativna procena koliko zvuči kad je otkucam, pošto je SF žanrovski format ionako maltene namenjen za takve svrhe, a sam Zoltan ga koristi na prilično korektan način, bez ambicije za koju nema očigledno pokriće. Otud se i doima kao kompetentan korisnik žanrovskog alata: kad mu narativno ustreba prostor za tiradu, on posegne za formatom dnevnika ili razmene pisama ili nekom vrlo praktičnom scenom debate u kojoj učesnici prilično argumentovano iznose stavove. Iz perspektive žanrovskog romana (to pogotovo prvenca), to je prilično solidno urađeno, uglavnom zato što je Zoltan svestan svojih mogućnosti i limitacija, pa se otud i ne zaleće da odgrize više no što može da uspešno sažvače. Dakle, da – čist pamfletizam na delu, ali SF to dobro podnosi, čak štaviše, SF to poprilično voli. Naravno, lepše je kad nas ta angažovanost dosegne u paketu sa impresivnom književnom veštinom, kao recimo kod Legvinove ili Mijevila, ali bože moj! ne mora baš sva ponuda da nam bude redom ekleri i mocart kugle, nađe čovek ponekad apetita i za običnu krofnu sa džemom. :mrgreen: Dakle, s te strane, TTW može da prođe: pamfletistički manir, ne odviše sofisticiran, ali opet, ne baš savim ni vulgaran, nego više onako, uglavnom prihvatljiv i razumno neambiciozan.
Ali ideje koje taj pamfletizam saopštava su priča za sebe: prepoznatljivo pozitivne u svojoj suštini, formatovane su na tako radikalan i do te mere beskompromisan način, da se ponekad naprosto postidite što ste u stanju da pokažete ikakvo razumevanje za iste. A pošto Istvan ni malo ne krije da je glavni protagonista TTW (Jethro Knights) zapravo njegov alter-ego, otud vam se ne ostavlja ni milimetra distance sa koje bi morali da eventualne opaske upućujete striktno protgonisti, a ne autoru. Na koga ste, btw, svakako negde i nekako već nabasali, kao kolumnistu i dopisnika za mnoge savremene medije, tu uključujući Wired, Nationa Geographic Channel i The Huffington Post. Njegovi stavovi kroz te medije i jesu malko više moderisani, ali u knjizi, pa još pri tom i žanrovskoj, Zoltan je ocenio kako sebi može dati potpunog oduška, bez ikakvih zadrški i kompromisa.
Upravo to je i uradio.
Njegova tri transhumanistička "pravila" formatom podsećaju na Asimovljeva tri zakona robotike ali celokupni ton postavke koju ta pravila nose mene ponajviše podseća na filozofiju Ayn Rand, koja mi je uvek bila taman dovoljno odbojna da se nikad ne upustim u njeno podrobnije razumevanje. I mada ja odavno ne negujem interesovanje za stvari koje nalazim estetski ili ideološki neprihvatljivima, kod TTW to i nije toliko bio slučaj, pošto meni ideja o nauci podređenoj boljitku i napretku čoveka apsolutno nije odbojna, naprotiv. Ali jeste mi odbojna ideja o radikalnoj i ostrašćenoj svesti koja sebi uzima za pravo da u ime celog čovečanstva definiše šta je tu zapravo boljitak i napredak. A Zoltan Istvan radi upravo to.
Negde u dubini njegove naracije oseća se podstruja koja je meni čisto fašistička po svojoj prirodi, i to ne kripto, nego sasvim otvoreno i bez ikakve griže savesti. Otud je i naracija podređena toj podstruji, pa Zoltan/Jethro nailazi na oponente koji su redom karikature sopstvenih svetonazora: beskrupolozni političari, maliciozni religiozni lideri, marionetski Predsednik, kolebljivi naučnici, i sve u tom stilu. U tako crno-belo pojednostavljenoj strukturi naracije i svetonazora jednako, pamfletizmu je posao ekstremno olakšan, otud se i predstavlja kao lek protiv neznanja i korupcije, oličene u masi koja jednoobrazno podseća na religiozne protestante ispred klinika za abortuse. U Zoltanovom svetonazoru, svet je upravo tako podeljen: ta i takva bezumna gomila na jednoj strani, na drugoj strani on i njemu slični, a u sredini niko. Zapravo, kod Zoltana sredine uopšte i nema, samo te dve krajnosti.
Što se same filozofije tiče, ja svakako primećujem da je Zoltan dosledan što se njene primene tiče, ali zaista ne znam koliko je ona sama originalna. Osim pomenutih triju zakona (koje možete naći na njegovoj vikipedija stranici, da ih sad ne prekucavam), Zoltan svoju filozofiju TEF (Teleological Egocentric Functionalism) u romanu pojašnjava ovako: "Teleological - because it is every advanced individual's inherent design and desired destiny to evolve. Egocentric – because it is based on each of our selfish individual desires, which are of foremost importance. Functional – because it will only be rational and consequential; not fair, nor humanitarian, nor altruistic, nor muddled with unreachable mammalian niceties."
Naravno, sf već odavno intenzivno secira koncept trans i posthumanizma, ali to seciranje retko kad ima ovakav ton. Paradoks je što mnoga od tih seciranja neretko stižu do veoma sličnih zaključaka, ali nikad uz tako blatantno ispoljen autizam prema konceptu ljudskosti kakvu danas (valjda, još uvek :( ) znamo. A čovek ne može a da se pomalo zlobno ne zapita šta bi to zapravo Zoltan Istvan radio u svom posthumanistički besmrtnom obličju, da ga kojim slučajem za života dosegne? :evil:
U svakom slučaju, vrlo interesantna knjiga, i to ne samo iz dijagnostičarske perspektive (da zadržimo još malo tu zdravu zlobu): filozofija je predočena u laički pojednostavljenom formatu, otud i pomalo otvorena za razne interpretacije. Moja je nekako na više instinktivnom nivou, i ako iko od vas odluči da se ovom knjigom pozabavi, bilo bi mi drago da čujem neka malko rezonskija i temeljitija tumačenja. Sam naslov knjige je direktna asocijacija na Pascal's Wager, i sa tim konceptom se prilično udobno gledam oči-u-oči, ali sa TEFom stvarno ne mogu, uprkos prirodnim afinitetima odavno sazrelog ateiste. :(
januarski zanimljivi naslovi:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41LAXK6JgDL.jpg&hash=388d13394f69c7e634c948e53fd72f0f82ccabfb)
South London, May 2010: foxes are behaving strangely, Burmese immigrants are going missing, and everyone is trying to get hold of a new party drug called Glow. A young man suffering from a rare sleep disorder will uncover the connections between all these anomalies in this taut, riveting new novel by a young writer hailed by The Guardian as "playful, arresting, unnerving, opulent, rude and—above all—deliciously, startlingly, exuberantly fresh."
Twenty-two-year-old Raf spends his days walking Rose, a bull terrier who guards the transmitters for a pirate radio station, and his nights at raves in warehouses and launderettes. When his friend Theo vanishes without a trace, Raf's efforts to find him will lead straight into the heart of a global corporate conspiracy. Meanwhile, he's falling in love with a beautiful young woman he met at one of those raves, but he'll soon discover that there is far more to Cherish than meets the eye.
Combining the pace, drama, and explosive plot twists of a thriller with his trademark intellectual, linguistic, and comedic pyrotechnics, Glow is Ned Beauman's most compelling, virtuosic, and compulsively readable novel yet.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51VidSbsxXL.jpg&hash=b793338d1e1f0df3d01635f10b7a8fd657390206)
Almost anyone who has read or written Science Fiction or fantasy has been inspired by the work of Michael Moorcock. His literary flair and grand sense of adventure have been evident since his controversial first novel Behold the Man, through the stories and novels featuring his most famous character, Elric of Melniboné, to his fantasy masterpiece, Gloriana, winner of both the Campbell Memorial and World Fantasy, awards for best novel. Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Michael Chabon all cite Moorcock as a major influence; as editor of New Worlds magazine, he helped launch the careers of many of his contemporaries, including Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, and J. G. Ballard.
Tor Books now proudly presents Moorcock's first independent novel in nine years, a tale both fantastical and autobiographical, a celebration of London and what it meant to be young there in the years after World War II. The Whispering Swarm is the first in a trilogy that will follow a young man named Michael as he simultaneously discovers himself and a secret realm hidden deep in the heart of London.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41P151yLPNL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=4ea2e7a836adb1369aa86bbca0b508a718de3694)
"Here in the Just City you will become your best selves. You will learn and grow and strive to be excellent."
Created as an experiment by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, the Just City is a planned community, populated by over ten thousand children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, along with some handy robots from the far human future—all set down together on a Mediterranean island in the distant past.
The student Simmea, born an Egyptian farmer's daughter sometime between 500 and 1000 A.D, is a brilliant child, eager for knowledge, ready to strive to be her best self. The teacher Maia was once Ethel, a young Victorian lady of much learning and few prospects, who prayed to Pallas Athene in an unguarded moment during a trip to Rome—and, in an instant, found herself in the Just City with grey-eyed Athene standing unmistakably before her.
Meanwhile, Apollo—stunned by the realization that there are things mortals understand better than he does—has arranged to live a human life, and has come to the City as one of the children. He knows his true identity, and conceals it from his peers. For this lifetime, he is prone to all the troubles of being human.
Then, a few years in, Sokrates arrives—the same Sokrates recorded by Plato himself—to ask all the troublesome questions you would expect. What happens next is a tale only the brilliant Jo Walton could tell.
This new novel, and its forthcoming sequel, take place in a weird version of Greek mythology, featuring an ideal city of young people, robots from the distant future... and Socrates, stirring up trouble as usual.
Sestro slatka, čitam The Peripheral i dogurao do 150 stranice.
Meni sve vreme u glavi bruji Timescape - gotovo kao 35 godina kasnije da daje omaž ovom
velikom delu naučne fantastike... U pogovoru navodi Sterlingov Mozart in Mirrorshades, ali
ovo je, bre, Timescape, revisited (London-Amerika, ekološke i druge katastrofe, slanje poruka kroz vreme...)
da! Da! DA! :D
To je taj zreliji Gibson koji više ne živi u svom hermetički zavarenom mehuriću, Gibson koji se najzad ratosiljao autističke samodovoljnosti i dozvolio sebi da prepozna žanrovsku gravitaciju, i to gravitaciju obaju veličanstvenih korpusa, jer nazirem ja tu i malko džentlmenskog rukovanja sa engleskim sf svetonazorom...
Ali otom potom, jer ocenjujem da si tek negde na polovini, pa worldbuilding ni izbliza nije kompletan... ali jedva čekam još utisaka, je-dva, jer za potpunije razumevanje ovog romana garant mi treba hive mind. :mrgreen:
PS. Obrati pažnju na Michikoide
Mića mora da obrati pažnju na Mićikoide... :)
Linda Nagata i dalje neguje sklonost ka trešastim naslovnicama... zubi mi utrnu čim ih ugledam :roll:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1481440934.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL500_.jpg&hash=da59d69eb141d7c534b8992650c5e35c5907adf5)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00O65X7ZA.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL500_.jpg&hash=ce2484ee43813101b97acd0b679eb0d815d3da28)
Linda Nagata has a new trilogy of books coming out later this year from Saga Press, set in the same universe as her always-intriguing "Red" short fiction. Here are the covers for the first two books, The Red and The Trials
Here are the synopses of those first two books:
The Red
Reality TV and advanced technology make for high drama in this political thriller that combines the military action of Zero Dark Thirty with the classic science fiction of The Forever War.
Lieutenant James Shelley, who has an uncanny knack for premeditating danger, leads a squad of advanced US Army military tasked with enforcing the peace around a conflict in sub-Saharan Africa. The squad members are linked wirelessly 24/7 to themselves and a central intelligence that guides them via drone relay—and unbeknownst to Shelley and his team, they are being recorded for a reality TV show.
When an airstrike almost destroys their outpost, a plot begins to unravel that's worthy of Crichton and Clancy's best. The conflict soon involves rogue defense contractors, corrupt US politicians, and homegrown terrorists who possess nuclear bombs. Soon Shelley must accept that the helpful warnings in his head could be AI. But what is the cost of serving its agenda?
The Trials
In the wake of nuclear terrorism, a squad of elite soldiers must combat artificial intelligence and seek justice in this military political thriller, a sequel to The Red.
Lieutenant James Shelley and his squad of US Army soldiers were on a quest for justice when they carried out the unauthorized mission known as First Light. They returned home to America to face a court-martial, determined to expose the corruption in the chain of command that compelled their actions. But in a country still reeling from the nuclear terrorism of Coma Day, the courtroom is just one battlefield of many.
A new cycle of violence ignites when rumors of the elusive, rogue AI known as the Red go public—and Shelley is, once again, pulled into the fray. Challenged by his enemies, driven by ideals, Shelley feels compelled to act. But are the harrowing choices he makes really his own, or are they made for him, by the Red? And with millions of lives at stake in a game of nuclear cat-and-mouse, does the answer even matter?
Robert Charles Wilson ima novi naslov najavljen za april ove godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.wixstatic.com%2Fmedia%2Fbdd04d_50783664342c4923b109e7009e9cf6a4.jpg_srz_318_499_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz&hash=004d18403c7bc819c454ba6971337641787d04ee)
što se ekranizacije Spina tiče:
"Fight Club" screenwriter Jim Uhls will adapt Robert Charles Wilson's 2005 novel "Spin" for Syfy's miniseries of the same name, the cabler announced Thursday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour.The six-hour miniseries will follow the novel's tale of a young scientist on a mission to save the world from an impending apocalypse due to a mysterious cloud that has covered planet Earth, blacking out all the stars.
Universal Cable Prods. will produce the project with Rob Morrow's Bits and Pieces Picture Company and Leslie Urdang of Olympus Pictures.
Wilson's "Spin" is the first book in a trilogy, which also includes "Axis" and "Vortex."
... nije loše, nije loše, scenarista svakako obećava, pošto je meni Fight Club ekranizacija bila znatno koherentnija od predloška, tako da sam za nju imala samo reči hvale. Otud se i nadam da će ton serije udariti upravo fenomenalni Spin, a ne poprilično inferiorniji ostatak trilogije.
dakle, živimo u nadi, baš kako i dolikuje. :)
A evo i šta nas tog lepog čeka u februaru.
Prvo i najvažnije:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61ULYmSTH0L.jpg&hash=1846392c186203aa431398d3e61f7ade4504fddc)
The aliens are here. And they want to help. The extraordinary new project from one of the country's most acclaimed and consistently brilliant SF novelists of the last 30 years. The Jackaroo have given humanity 15 worlds and the means to reach them. They're a chance to start over, but they're also littered with ruins and artifacts left by the Jackaroo's previous clients. Miracles that could reverse the damage caused by war, climate change, and rising sea levels. Nightmares that could for ever alter humanity - or even destroy it. Chloe Millar works in London, mapping changes caused by imported scraps of alien technology. When she stumbles across a pair of orphaned kids possessed by an ancient ghost, she must decide whether to help them or to hand them over to the authorities. Authorities who believe that their visions point towards a new kind of danger. And on one of the Jackaroo's gift-worlds, the murder of a man who has just arrived from Earth leads policeman Vic Gayle to a war between rival gangs over possession of a remote excavation site. Something is coming through. Something linked to the visions of Chloe's orphans, and Vic Gayle's murder investigation. Something that will challenge the limits
a onda i:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F5192VJWC5xL.jpg&hash=7c2b26a584d8853b017c5131af23d03fd43b4153)
Multiple award winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman returns to dazzle, captivate, haunt, and entertain with this third collection of short fiction following Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things—which includes a never-before published American Gods story, "Black Dog," written exclusively for this volume.
In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction—stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013—as well "Black Dog," a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61jMqLx1ofL.jpg&hash=c493503ae79f23dd4c321d7a075aef436ef9a4bc)
After two acclaimed story collections, Laura van den Berg brings us Find Me, her highly anticipated debut novel—a gripping, imaginative, darkly funny tale of a young woman struggling to find her place in the world.
Joy has no one. She spends her days working the graveyard shift at a grocery store outside Boston and nursing an addiction to cough syrup, an attempt to suppress her troubled past. But when a sickness that begins with memory loss and ends with death sweeps the country, Joy, for the first time in her life, seems to have an advantage: she is immune. When Joy's immunity gains her admittance to a hospital in rural Kansas, she sees a chance to escape her bleak existence. There she submits to peculiar treatments and follows seemingly arbitrary rules, forming cautious bonds with other patients—including her roommate, whom she turns to in the night for comfort, and twin boys who are digging a secret tunnel.
As winter descends, the hospital's fragile order breaks down and Joy breaks free, embarking on a journey from Kansas to Florida, where she believes she can find her birth mother, the woman who abandoned her as a child. On the road in a devastated America, she encounters mysterious companions, cities turned strange, and one very eerie house. As Joy closes in on Florida, she must confront her own damaged memory and the secrets she has been keeping
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.kinja-img.com%2Fgawker-media%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Fs--ypsKfaDJ--%2Fc_fit%2Cfl_progressive%2Ch_100%2Cq_80%2Cw_75%2Favxkcy1cgpazg7bl3gbj.jpg&hash=28f533a8ab3b18c98ff32cf780f10fb08b5cdac6)
In the aftermath of a devastating plague, a fearless young heroine embarks on a dangerous and surprising journey to save her world in this brilliantly inventive dystopian thriller, told in bold and fierce language, from a remarkable literary talent.
My name be Ice Cream Fifteen Star and this be the tale of how I bring the cure to all the Nighted States . . .
In the ruins of a future America, fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star and her nomadic tribe live off of the detritus of a crumbled civilization. Theirs is a world of children; before reaching the age of twenty, they all die of a mysterious disease they call Posies—a plague that has killed for generations. There is no medicine, no treatment; only the mysterious rumor of a cure.
When her brother begins showing signs of the disease, Ice Cream Star sets off on a bold journey to find this cure. Led by a stranger, a captured prisoner named Pasha who becomes her devoted protector and friend, Ice Cream Star plunges into the unknown, risking her freedom and ultimately her life. Traveling hundreds of miles across treacherous, unfamiliar territory, she will experience love, heartbreak, cruelty, terror, and betrayal, fighting with her whole heart and soul to protect the only world she has ever known.
Guardian First Book Award finalist Sandra Newman delivers an extraordinary post-apocalyptic literary epic as imaginative as The Passage and as linguistically ambitious as Cloud Atlas. Like Hushpuppy in The Beasts of the Southern Wild grown to adolescence in a landscape as dangerously unpredictable as that of Ready Player One, The Country of Ice Cream Star is a breathtaking work from a writer of rare and unconventional talent.
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 15-01-2015, 19:58:56
Sestro slatka, čitam The Peripheral i dogurao do 150 stranice.
Meni sve vreme u glavi bruji Timescape - gotovo kao 35 godina kasnije da daje omaž ovom
velikom delu naučne fantastike... U pogovoru navodi Sterlingov Mozart in Mirrorshades, ali
ovo je, bre, Timescape, revisited (London-Amerika, ekološke i druge katastrofe, slanje poruka kroz vreme...)
Elem, neću biti sutra pri netu za opširnije kuckanje a vidim da te se to sa omažom baš dojmilo, pa reko da pokrijem i to, u slučaju da dovršiš The Peripheral. :)
Da se ne lažemo, Timescape je odavno već pivotalni roman ne samo što se žanra tiče, nego pop-kulturnog svetonazora uopšte, otud ti možeš omaže Timescapu da nađeš maltene svuda gde se obrađuju koncepti multiverza ili vremeplova - kod McDonalda, kad protagonist skakuću iz jednog 'verza u drugi ko Alisa kroz ogledalo, pa kod MacLeoda gde su budućnost i prošlost samo dimenzije virtuelnog multiverza, ili pak kod Mijevila, kad u City & City dva sveta koegzistiraju razdvojeni samo dimenzijom ili bog zna čime. (pazi, sve englezi, a? :mrgreen: ) Sve su to meni u većoj ili manjoj meri nekakavi Timescape omaži, i to se maltene podrazumeva, jer ti danas naprosto ne možeš da obrađuješ te koncepte na radikalno drugačiji način, sem ako iz čistog fazona ne insistiraš na nekom anahronom, retro svetonazoru. A Timescape koncept ionako nije striktno žanrovski koncept nego prvenstveno naučni, pa otud i svašta toga Benfordovog postaje pivotalno, jer to je to, to je sad već gradivni materijal sa kojim temeljit SF danas prosto mora da se koristi, čak i kad ne pretenduje da ostane striktno unutar 'hard sf' dela korpusa.
Gibsonov roman se poprilično poklapa i sa Timescapeovim narativnim sledom zbivanja, pa je otud i omaž uočljiviji, ali ne znam baš koliko je pri tom i suštinskiji. Benfordov svet 90tih je pred apokalipsom, pa otud i kontaktira svet 60tih, u nadi da će ovaj uspeti da eliminira uzrok apokalipse; Gibsonov drugi futurizam je već postapokaliptičan, i ja ne vidim da iko u tom svetu mašta o nekoj 'popravci' istorije, meni svi oni izgledaju poprilično udobni u tom svetom kakav već jeste, doduše osim Wilfa, ali opet, Wilf je ona vrsta romantične persone koja bi bila jednako nostalgična u kom god se svetu nađe, pa i onom u kom živi Flynne. To mi je glavna razlika, i sve ostale su njoj podređene. Ali Gibson se ovde toliko temeljito vratio u okrilje žanra i to baš onog njegovog 'hard sf' svetonazora, da to daleko više impresionira nego sam omaž: kao prvo, smanjio je doživljaj oko ikonografije, jer ovo je moglo biti stvarno egzotično da se nije kontrolisao. I to jeste njegov najveći podvig, zato i kažem da je odrastao i uozbiljio se, jer on je uvek bio sklon ikonografiji koja je toliko zavodljiva i uverljiva da postane sama sebi dovoljna i zaguši mu sve ostalo. To je bio njegov paradoks: što mu je ikonografija bolja, to je konstriktivnija, pa otud i diktira sve ostalo, od zapleta do karakterizacije. Iz toga nema spasa, to je kao viktorijanski korzet, to se ne može prepraviti da bude udobno, to se mora prosto odbaciti u kompletu. Ovde je ikonografija pod priličnom kontrolom. Zapravo, začuđujuće dobrom kontrolom, za Gibsona: i periferali i mićikoidi su ostali u pozadini, niko od njih nije hajdžakovao naraciju, iako itekako imaju potencijal za tako nešto. Gibson sve to spretno zauzdao i ne sećam se niti jednog mesta na kom se makar i pomolilo moralno i etičko čeprkanje po njima. A moglo je slobodno, jer ima tu podosta nakaradnosti koje dobrano dovode u pitanje čak i najslobodoumnija žanrovska shvatanja nauke u službi progresa.
Drugi omaž Benfordu je negde na liniji njegovog trezvenog optimizma: Timescape svet 90tih ne može da izbegne apokalipsu, ali prima poruku od sveta dva ili tri veka u budućnosti. E sad, nije važno kakva je poruka, važno je da ona znači kako svet i dalje postoji, kako apokalipsa ipak nije konačna, kako ne podrazumeva kraj multiverza, nego eventualno samo jednog od njegovih svetova. To je ujedno i bazični optimizam opstanka vrste - pojedinci umiru, ponekad i masovno, ali vrsta ipak opstaje, a to jeste najtrezvenija vrst optimizma, lišena eskapizma sa jedne strane i opsesivnog pojednostavljanja kompleksne stvarnosti sa druge.
Sve u svemu, fenomenalan roman.
Ah, "suštinskiji"... "Suštinskiji" u smislu njegovog svesnog i odlučnog vraćanja SF korenima.
Narativne strategije poslednja tri "Bigend" ili "Blue Ant" romana nagoveštavale su nešto sasvim drugo. Kod mene je, uprkos tome što sam sa zadovoljstvom pročitao sva tri ova romana, ipak postojala nekakva sumnja da li je to pravi put, koliko je moguće pažnje držati takvim načinom pripovedanja. Poslednji roman, Zero History, kada je početno oduševljenje novinama koje takav nači pristupa nosi, već mi je bio pomalo nategnut.
Ova ovde, kao što kažeš, kontrolisana upotreba SF ikonografije predstavlja nešto što je nasleđeno iz prethodne trilogije, gde su sitni detalji kreirali ne samu narativnu strukturu, već i strukturu sveta u kome se ta naracija odvija. A to što je nasleđeno iz prethodne trilogije sada je uvedeno u ultimativnu SF tradiciju, kao što sama kažeš - jer Timescape jeste možda ključni roman tog doba, uz, naravno, samog Neruromancera.
Dakle, ono što sam hteo da kažem, jeste da sam siguran da nije slučajno da The Peripheral, koristi praktično identičnu strukturu Timescape-a- dve paralelne radnje u na dva kraja sveta (London-SAD), ekološki problemi - pitanje našeg opstanka na planeti, kontakt između dva vremena. Mislim da je to svesna odluka, kojom nam poručuje da se "vratio"...
Da, i ja vidim Timescape kao ključan roman iz tog doba, po konceptu: Neuromancer je ključan po svojoj ikonografiji. I svakako nije slučajno što se Gibson vraća Timescape strukturi, baš kao što nije ni slučajno da mu je narativna budućnost najzad prepoznatljivo futuristička. Što se mene tiče, taj potez je toliko radikalan da ga ja prepoznajem ne samo kao 'povratak', nego kao 'otkrivanje' sf-a. Tamo gde je meni izgledalo da Gibson ide u zadnjih 6 romana, pa, činilo mi se da tamo sf-a nema uopšte. Otud ovoliko moje oduševljenje.
A njegova uzdržanost po pitanju čeprkanja oko periferala i mićikoida meni šapuće da smo upravo pročitali tek prvi deo trilogije. :lol:
Quote from: PTY on 29-01-2015, 11:56:07
meni svi oni izgledaju poprilično udobni u tom svetom kakav već jeste, doduše osim Wilfa, ali opet, Wilf je ona vrsta romantične persone koja bi bila jednako nostalgična u kom god se svetu nađe
Ali mi prvo saznamo za nezadovoljstvo Ash, pa tek onda Wilfovo. A njih dvoje zajedno, to je praktično trećina ljudi koje znamo iz ,,budućnosti". A tu su onda i čitave cosplay zone koje dodatno govore o fetišizaciji prošlosti i žalu za njom. Mada, da se ne lažemo, njima je objektivno do jaja — a to znamo po tome što imaju vremena da kenjkaju, vajkaju se i misle da im nije do jaja.
Ash, to je ona sa tetovažama, jelda? mmm, baš me se i ne doima kao neko duboko nezadovoljan svetom u kom živi...
Što se kosplej zona tiče, pazi, vidim ja tu tonu morbidne nostalgije, naravno, ali to nije isto kao i istinska želja za menjanjem sveta u kom živiš. I ja vazda morbidno musam oko meni predivnih '80tih, ali to ne znači da zaista želim njihov povratak.
jevtro, u prikazu za Emitor nema nigde, ili ja tu nešto nisam skapirao, tvog mišljenja o romanu. Baš bih voleo da ga čujem...
Što se tiče cosplay zona, to mi, Novobeograđani, najbolje razumemo. Eno, rasturiše nam igračku... :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51bRmziruKL.jpg&hash=f47d4148b1847f5d0ebc2608ba5bf8b8c3019cee)
Den Patrick's debut novel was announced with a staggering news that Gollancz went deep into their pockets and shelved out a high-profile six-figure sum to acquire the world rights for the entire Erebus Sequence. "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade", being the first novel in the sequence, was then described by a publisher as a dark fantasy with echoes of Mervyn Peake, Robin Hobb and Jon Courtenay Grimwood making it instantly one of my most anticipated novels of the year. Now that it is finally here I can clearly see why Gollancz are getting so worked up. "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade" is really something.
Set in a quasi-Renaissance Italy, "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade" takes place in the troubled Kingdom of Landfall. Our protagonist Lucien di Fontein is a talented but lonely ear-less fighter. He is in fact an Ofrano, a deformed and mishapped mysterious witchling who is struggling to find his way in a political landscape ripe with corruption. Landfall is led by an insane King who lives in isolation and his Majordomo who actually rules the Kingdom. But the complicated politics is only part of the problem. Deep in the countryside the girls are going missing and the actual truth behind the events is much grimmer than anything Lucien thought possible. While notionally being the first novel in the series, "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade" concludes the story in a satisfying way but it does end up with a conclusion that will have readers up in arms.
Despite not being (at least in fantasy standards) a long book, "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade" packs a lot of punch and is extremely well written in an excellent literary style which is sadly often absent in modern fantasy. While I didn't see much resemblance to the works of Mervyn Peake, I definitely saw many similarities with Jon Courtenay Grimwood's excellent Assassini series which is also set in the pseudo-Italy. However, I think that it will definitely appeal to readers of Robin Hobb. Most interestingly, Patrick uses a quite effective literary device to get his story across and we are slowly brought up to speed by using alternating chapters, some set in present, some in past. As such, "The Boy with the Porcelain Blade" is a rich, literary fantasy thriller which bodes well for the rest of the series.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F02%2FLunaNewMoon-400.jpg&hash=d91578046b69ceddb458510a93c20bb798c515de)
The scions of a falling house must navigate a world of corporate warfare to maintain their family's status in the Moon's vicious political atmosphere.
The Moon wants to kill you. Whether it's being unable to pay your per diem for your allotted food, water, and air, or you just get caught up in a fight between the Moon's ruling corporations, the Five Dragons. You must fight for every inch you want to gain in the Moon's near feudal society. And that is just what Adriana Corta did.
As the leader of the Moon's newest "dragon," Adriana has wrested control of the Moon's Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family's new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana's five children must defend their mother's empire from her many enemies...and each other.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0062190377.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c1a84dd48639f119db0f18fd89ee611c5af2bd55)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anatham, Reamde, and Cryptonomicon comes an exciting and thought-provoking science fiction epic—a grand story of annihilation and survival spanning five thousand years.
What would happen if the world were ending?
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain . . .
Five thousand years later, their progeny—seven distinct races now three billion strong—embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown . . . to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.
A writer of dazzling genius and imaginative vision, Neal Stephenson combines science, philosophy, technology, psychology, and literature in a magnificent work of speculative fiction that offers a portrait of a future that is both extraordinary and eerily recognizable. As he did in Anathem, Cryptonomicon, the Baroque Cycle, and Reamde, Stephenson explores some of our biggest ideas and perplexing challenges in a breathtaking saga that is daring, engrossing, and altogether brilliant.
Moj poslovično užasni januar je ove godine uspeo da mi hajdžakuje i skoro pola februara... :cry: muka i patnja, ali ipak, nije sve tako crno.
elem, dobre duše su me uputile na crowarez, a tamo... bože moj, koliko krasote i lepote... svi ti divni ljudi koje ne mrzi da se bakću oko knjiga, ne znam, eto, nemam reči koliko sam im zahvalna.
naravno, Veštac je tu bio prvi, ČK izdanje, ali meni svejedno odlično, mada se ja tu manje razumem nego neki od vas... prva knjiga mi je odlično legla, po jedna priča između romana sa liste, baš kako prija i dolikuje.
dalje, bilo mi je sumanuto drago da vidim kako se naš Jakšić silno čita, ima odličan broj hitova u svim formatima, naravno, ja ga imam u papiru ali svejedno sam skinula njegovog Severnjaka i Hodočasnika, da mi se nađu tokom radnog dana dok negde sedim uz kafu. :) također ima i hrvatskih monolita, što me silno obradovalo, pošto me od njih već godinama deli okean, kao i od mnogih knjiga koje samo kupujem a nemam prilike da i pročitam. I uopšte, ima tamo gudiza da se čoveku pamet zavrti od silnog oduševljenja.
Hvala vam svima na linkovima.
Kate Mosse me nikad nije naročito privlačila, njen Labyrinth sam bez grižnje savesti preskočila, uprkos nagradama i hajpu, ali čisto iz respekta prema ženi obećala sam sebi jedan njen roman van trilogije. Isprva je plan bio da to bude neki od starijih romana ali kad je izašla The Taxidermist's Daughter njen sinopsis me zaveo taman dovoljno da promenim odluku.
(https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/assets/OrionPublishingGroup/img/book/757/isbn9781409153757-detail.jpg)
The Taxidermist's Daughter do te mere obiluje finim žanrovskim motivima (to finim bar za one koji taj konkretno žanr vole, naravno) da naprosto ne može da omane u rukama iole kompetentnog pisca. A Mosse to svakako jeste, pa otud taj njen kolaž gotske viktorijane, protkane mračnim strepnjama i silnim tabu misterijama (i predstavljen na platformi ranog ženskog identiteta u formatu sufražetkinje) zaista lako pleni na emotivnom planu.
Connie je kćer nekad poznatog a sad duhovno i fizički oronulog majstora taksidermije (da, "prepariranje" bi tu valjda bio prihvatljiv domaći prevod, ali on nekako ne poseduje tu dimenziju bizarne i morbidne fascinacije, tako da je "taksidermija" tu daleko adekvatnija...), a pri tom i sama boluje od krajnje misteriozne, epilepsiji nalik bolesti za koju smatra da je uzrok njenog gubitka pamćenja. Naime, Connie se ne seća svog detinjstva, niti se seća ljudi koje je u detinjstvu poznavala. Tu i tamo doživljeva odseve uspomena u kojima kao da figuriraju nečija imena ili obrisi, ali naprosto nije u stanju da te fragmente uspomena poveže sa stvarnim ljudima. Connie otud živi život podređen negovanju oca, nekad slavnog i popularnog taksidermiste čiji je muzej čudesnih prepariranih ptica zastvoren pod nejasnim okolnostima, i koji od tada svoje dane provodi uglavnom u stanju dubokog samosažaljena i još dubljeg pijanstva. Ali i pored svega toga, Gifford je nekako uspeo u njemu najvažnijem životnom poduhvatu: uspeo je da od ćerke napravi vrsnog taksidermistu, koja je pored zanata od oca nasledila i njegovu fascinaciju lepotom smrti.
I kada jedno ubistvo pokrene lavinu zbivanja, Connie se zatiče u kovitlacu mračnih tajni i još mračnijih ljudi koji su godinama strpljivo čekali svoj trenutak osvete.
Zaista lepo napisano, i vrlo životno, pošto se Mosse u romanu vratila u rodni Sussex i ta dimenzija dobro poznatog i voljenog pejzaža odlično funkcioniše u pripovedanju koje se doima kao gotovo lirsko po svojoj prirodi. Isto tako, obilje morbidnih detalja o praksi taksidermije 19tog veka nudi odličnu pozadinu za mračna i bizarna zbivanja.
Sve u svemu, vrlo zabavno i zanimljivo štivo, 4/5
Opičeni Jared, genijalan kao i uvek... :)
Does anyone else remember Fallen? It was a terrible movie with DENZEL, smack in the middle of the post-Glory period where DENZEL only did terrible, terrible movies. Which also, incidentally, coincided with the period of my youth when I would see Any Movie At All. My friends and I single-handed funded Hollywood for at least a decade.
Appropriately, many of my high school friends are now out in LA, probably because, if you've seen Fallen, you know how low the bar for Hollywood feature films can go. It was terrible. I remember it for three reasons:
1.There was a fair bit of controversy over the fact that DENZEL did not smooch his female co-star (Embeth Davidtz), even though the movie clearly required smooching. I remember this because of a Newsweek article (this is also back when Newsweek was a thing, too) about how this was probably because of horrendous racism (generally) and a deep-seated white-dude inferiority complex when it come to DENZEL (specifically). Probably true.
2.The movie is about the fallen angel Azazel who leaps from body to body by touch, which is a pretty freakin' cool premise for a police procedural/thriller.
3.Freakin' Azazel - in whatever body - keeps singing "Time is on my side", which, 17 years later, I still resent. Especially (SPOILER) the hammy John Goodman version. Horrendous, horrible earworm, which is a metaphor - I suppose - for Azazel him/herself or something. But mostly really, really, really annoying.
Fallen currently has a 7.0 on IMDB, which is about 6 and 4/5th of a point above where I would put it, honestly. Maybe this is part of the Great Late 90's Revival, but I think it is taking nostalgia a bit too far. Because, again, that movie? Really bad.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb07ed420d970d-200wi&hash=652988f83c7fd7749e7a394a3f4f545010fcdd16)
So, Touch. Which does not have Azazel, DENZEL or The Rolling Stones. But does, at its heart, have a very similar mechanic: there are people that, for some reason or another, bounce into your body by touching you. Skin to skin contact and, whammo, they're living your life. You? Disappeared. At least, until they're done (bored, finished, whatever), and you get your life back, with a big black hole in the middle of it. And possibly massive credit card debt.
It is seriously creepy. And, what makes this book great? Touch acknowledges the creepiness, debates it, mulls it over, bounces it around a bit... and never, ever says it is ok.
Touch's protagonist is the entity known as Kepler. Kepler is genderless, raceless and featureless - as you might expect a 'person' that hasn't been confined to a single body to be. This is all done with disconcerting ease: as Kepler bounces from body to body to body, the reader becomes increasingly disassociated with conventional notions of 'identification'. Nor does it matter to Kepler: when Kepler is looking for a host, Kepler looks much shallower than skin deep. It isn't about age, race or gender, it is about location, access, health and habits. Touch is as liberating as it is dehumanising. In the eyes of a being like Kepler, we realise how silly we've become. It is much more important to have good dental care.
Touch is also as sinister as it is dehumanising. Kepler is on the run - caught in-between another of his/her kind and an organisation devoted to eliminating his/her kind from the face of the Earth. Simultaneously hunter and hunted, cat and mouse, Kepler's pseudo-immortality is strained to its very limited. This is a high-tension chase book - not unlike something Bourne-ish - in which a very dangerous individual weaves in and out of our 'banal' systems, alternately chasing and fleeing from an all-powerful organisation. There are moments of gasp out loud tension and nail-biting fear, as Kepler - a creature of fluidity and freedom is bottled up, threatened and hurt.
And yet... Kepler is an absolute monster. Again, Touch refuses to pull its punches, and this is why the book is so unbelievably bloody good. Kepler is a vampire - and she/he is one of the 'best' of his/her kind. Kepler brokers bodies - finds people willing to trade years of their lives for cash in the bank. And, again, that's Kepler at his/her best. Normally his/her kind flit around, taking minutes, hours, years of lives - people waking up with decades gone, in strange houses with strange families. It is absolutely nightmarish: a loss of life, control and agency that's almost completely without parallel. "Painless", certainly, but far from trauma-free.
As Kepler runs around the world (and back again), spending time with his/her victims and captors, the debate rages. For Kepler, this is a matter of survival: she/he has a right to live, and live unmolested. But to others, Kepler's very existence is molestation - everything Kepler is and does assaults our fundamental notions of what it is to be human and to have free will. Neither argument, is, of course, perfect - and in the shadowy organisation and body-jumping serial killers that we meet, we see the slippery slopes of both sides. But the events of Touch seem to be the first time in this world where the debate is taking place: where the discussion, and a sort of rough understanding, is reached.
Setting aside the debacle of Fallen, the best comparison for Touch can be found in Claire North's previous book - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Like Harry August, Touch is simple 'one twist' science fiction: a single idea, explored at depth. And, also like Harry August, Touch does this superbly, and with an incredible grace. The idea is spectacular, but its expression is beautiful. Rather than droning on about the 'science' of how a fictional conceit might work, the book instead focuses on how it impacts their lives, loves, and the way they relate to the world around them.
Harry August, however, was a heart-breaking, loveable book about an ordinary person, who ultimately clung to 'ordinariness' (in the face of immortal power and apocalyptic doom, no less). Touch is chillier, and less loveable - essentially the diary of an utterly alien predator, someone or something that lives at perpendicular angles to the rest of us, and - whether or not she/he acknowledges it - is losing the ability to see humans as people. Arguably, Touch is the more powerful of the two books because it is harder-hitting: about survival, not heroism; compromise, not triumph. Harry August leaves you with fuzzies; Touch... a sense of unease. This is a powerful, disquieting, and provocative book that examines what it is to be human from the perspective of someone that no longer is.
http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/new-releases-touch-by-claire-north.html#more (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/new-releases-touch-by-claire-north.html#more)
Zvuči zanimljivo, ali mi se nikako ne sviđa što autor huli na "Fallen"!
Welcome to my world! :cry: :cry: :cry: :(
(Recimo, zato ovih dana izbegavam da čitam ikakve rivjue o fenomenalnom The Drop... )
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F71ciMdWePXL.jpg&hash=23da98a9da453edbbdb8e249dae3ce542bfe7990)
"Arab Jazz", debut novel by Karim Miské which was originally published France in 2012, gained a wholly new resonance after the Charlie Hebdo murders because it revolves around the very same themes that cause this horrific even in the first place. And to give it another layer of soul-shivering surreal coincidence, the events following Charlie Hebdo murders played out on the very same locations (namely the 19th arrondissement) where "Arab Jazz" unfolds. The similarities were so uncanny and disturbing that Karim Miské afterwards wrote an insightful article about it for the Independent which I urge you to read as well. In it he proclaims: "Why have these people invaded my book?". As you're probably aware, no-one does gritty as the French and in a way I was lucky enough to have read "Arab Jazz" before the above mentioned murders took place because otherwise I might have found it too disturbing. "Arab Jazz" revolves around those familiar themes that are often explored in contemporary French literature: namely religious fundamentalists, racism, social injustice and general inequality but also, beauty and potential of multiculturalism on the streets of Paris.
The story itself takes place in 19th arrondissement in Paris. 19th arrondissement is Parisian melting pot - a place where different cultures clash and evolve together. At best times it is a wonderful place that gives it's resident each day something new to discover but can also turn to worst with a flick of the finger. For Ahmed Taroudant change happens when his upstairs neighbour is murdered and blood starts dripping into his place. Air stewardess Laura Vignole's brutal, ritualistic killing acts incendiary on this tight knit community and many people are jumping to conclusion, even placing Ahmed as the main suspect. Ahmed knows a lot about police procedure as he's addicted to crime fiction and he instantly recognizes by the way he's questioned by detectives Rachel Kupferstein and Jean Hemelot that he's placed in the middle of the their investigation. Ahmed decides to clear his name but how to do it? Laura's murder propels the story forward and from this point Karim Miské's moves in glacial but mesmerizing jumps across time which in unflinching way reveal the nastiest elements of Parisien underbelly. As such, "Arab Jazz" is not your ordinary crime thriller but rather a snapshot of a society broken by depravity and religion.
"Arab Jazz" will be devoured by those who enjoy the grittier side of contemporary French literature as by those who enjoy tv series such as Braque or Engragenes. All these works of art come from and explore the same subject matter. While reading Karim Miské's superb debut can be tough at times, it is an important and intelligent book that serves as both the warning and the eye-opening account of a society that's on the brink of collapse. Another stunner from MacLehose Press which handsomely deserves its many accolades such as Grand Prix de Littérature Policière and the English Pen Award.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.mobilism.org%2F%3Fdm%3DK1U1&hash=c6868646cff66cde7cfc4cac3655673c519c334c)
In the not too distant future, Pittsburgh has been destroyed by a terrorist atomic bomb. In the years that follow, its survivors re-live life in the city and those of their dead friends through the Archive; it is a virtual environment gleaned from security cameras, internet maps, people's blogs and social network sites and all meshed together by smart programs. One survivor, John Dominic Blaxton, gets a job working as a detective, mainly for insurance claims, in the Archive. It is in the archive that he finds the body of a woman's body, head down in the mud. Who is she? Why is someone unpicking the records of who she was and where she had been in the archive? If Dominic can control his urge to undertake drug-enhanced forays into the archive to visit his late wife – a victim of the bomb – he might just get some answers. Until, that is, circumstances happen to get in the way. But is there ever any such thing as coincidence?
Set in a dystopic future of high security and fear-driven, right wing politics Thomas Sweterlitsch brings us a noir-style detective story reminiscent of a modern William Gibson crossed with Paul McAuley in near-mundane SF mode and not to mention the ubiquitous influence of Philip K. Dick. This is classic old-fashioned, new-wave cyberpunk. ('Old fashioned'? Gosh, I can remember when cyberpunk was itself new but its influence in recent years seems to have waned.) But this is 2014 and this is a cyberpunk novel, and a powerful one at that. Given that this is also a debut novel does make it all the more remarkable and I'd be surprised if it does not at least make the long-list of a few SF awards: it certainly deserves to.
The cyberpunk elements are self-evident throughout the novel. The near-future portrayed sees most people with wi-fi hard-implants connecting them to the internet. And so individuals need shielding from adware, protected from hacking and to sufficiently street savvy not to fall prey to hawkers, huckster, let alone outright criminals of the on-line world. And then there are the corporations and politicians using online techniques and the virtual world to further their own bids for wealth and power.
So what we end up with in Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a gritty, noire thriller set firmly on the SF side of the genre's border with that of techno-thrillers. Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a portrayal of a nightmare future that scarily seems all too likely if we carry on sleepwalking into the embrace of the early twenty-first century cyber hive.
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/031/211/407/9/0312114079.jpg)
Unfortunatelly, my first encounter with writings of Lionel Davidson came when his obituary was published in 2009. I've always heard such great things about his thrillers and was always tempted to read them but life and other books got in the way. Similar thing happened to me with Colin Dexter whose Morse series I've finally got around to reading just this year. Since then I've embarked on a Davidson reading spree and I was delighted by what I've found. Davidson, similarly to Le Carre, is great at capturing the atmosphere without succumbing to obvious cliches. The result is a series of gripping, sombre thrillers that enthrall the reader. Basically, everything revolves around characters and carefully written descriptions and "Kolymsky Heights", which is about to be re-published in March by Faber Books, is one of the best examples.
Originally published in 1994, "Kolymsky Heights" was Davidson's first thriller in 16 years and ultimately turned out to be his final one. Since then it became something of a cult classic with authors like Philip Pullmann proclaiming it to be the best thriller he's ever read.
"Kolymsky Heights" is a technothriller set in frozen Sibirian wasteland during the winter night. The existence of a lonely Russian underground research station at Tcherni Vodi (Black Water) dealing with genetics and optical research is a secret known to a priviledge few. Usign a series of cryptic messages, professor Efraim Rogachev decides to break out its finding to the world. A while later these are seen by Johnny Porter, better known as Raven, who shortly afterwards embarks on a mission of reaching Professor Rogachev. His travels take him around the world ending in grand fashion - with a rollercoaster ride that'll leave you breathless.
I realise that my summary sounds like a spy thriller by numbers especially when I mention that there's even a femme fatale in the picture (inimitable Dr. Tanya Komarov) but that can't be more different than the truth. Over 3/4 of "Kolymsky Heights" are less about spying and read more like a travelogue through world's many exotic locations. And here lies the true appeal of Davidson's writing. He makes you forget about the place where you're reading the book. I dare you not to start shivering once you start reading about Sibirian cold. It's that good. Davidson is greatly missed and I'm sorry his output hasn't been greater but that's the way it is. As things stand, "Kolymsky Heights" is definitely one of his greatest achievements. A novel that deserves to be re-read and to paraphrase Pullman, one of the best thrillers I've ever read.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-kolymsky-heights-by-lionel-davidson (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-kolymsky-heights-by-lionel-davidson)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61WMqzQCFYL._BO2%2C204%2C203%2C200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C1%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=53bc25492eca9b8311723db00d46bb116e5d774c)
Publication Date: January 19, 2015
The year is 1877. Automatons and steam-powered dirigible gunships have transformed the nation in the aftermath of the Civil War. Everything on the other side of the Mississippi has been claimed for Russia. Lincoln is still president, having never been assassinated, but the former secretary of war Edwin Stanton is now the head of the Department of Public Safety, ruling with an iron fist as head of the country's military.
Liam McCool is a bad man, one of the best Irish cracksmen there is when it comes to robbery, cracking safes, and other sundry actives—until he was caught red-handed by Stanton. Those in the South who don't fit into Stanton's plans for the Reconstruction, and Stanton realizes Liam McCool is more useful doing his dirty work than sitting in a jail cell. But when his sweetheart, Maggie, turns up murdered, Liam McCool realizes he'll do anything, even if it means getting way over his head with bloodthirsty Russians, to solve the crime.
The King of the Cracksmen is an explosive, action-packed look at a Victorian empire that never was, part To Catch a Thief, part Little Big Man. It's steampunk like you've never seen it before, a murder mystery in a foreign world where no one is who they seem to be and danger lurks around every corner.
(prvo poglavlje stavljeno na net: bibliotropic.net)
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/125/003/602/5/9781250036025.jpg)
A dark and sometimes-gruesome sci-fi noir set in a slick, sick city on the brink of disaster.
Debut novelist Trichter plunges the reader into a futuristic LA corrupted by its dependence on androids known as "spinners" for the spinning engines they bear instead of hearts. Most "heartbeats" view the "bots" as nothing more than objects to be used, abused and discarded for scrap. But Eliot Lazar is in love with a bot named Iris. Maybe it's because of who his father was, maybe it's because of his prosthetic arm, "the border where the metal competes with flesh," but whatever it is, it leaves him devastated when Iris is kidnapped and sold off piece by piece. He sets off to beg, buy or steal his love's limbs back and reassemble her, even as the cops start sniffing around the only crimes they care about—the ones against heartbeats. Some readers will be turned off by the cynicism of Trichter's vision or the sexualized violence against android women, but the more hard-boiled will love the fast-paced plot and unforgettably garish, ghoulish world. Many of the minor characters are stock types, but they're embellished with enough gleefully grotesque detail to keep readers engaged. The deeper questions raised by the premise, about what it means to be alive or in love, are never answered, but they'll linger in the mind of any reader with a beating heart.
A fast-moving, suspenseful story set in a fascinating future world stuffed with all the violence, sex and sleaze a noir fan could ask for.
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/080/413/884/0/9780804138840.jpg)
Byrne's debut novel may be the most inventive tale to come along in years.
Decades in the future, two young women begin their separate journeys in parallel storylines: Mariama travels east across the Sahara, while Meena walks west from India to Djibouti on a trail that crosses the Arabian Sea. That high-tech construction is designed to harness the sea's energy and is technically off-limits to the public, but a few people travel on it and never return. Have they all perished? Meena will take the risk, since she feels compelled to find the place where her parents were murdered, perhaps to confront their murderer; Mariama's goal is less clear. That the two women will eventually meet is obvious, but the outcome and its significance are not. Meena is running away from people whose identities are as unclear as the reason for the five snakebites on her chest or the kreen that lives inside her—perhaps a snake, perhaps a demon. The story gets confusing as reality alternates with vivid hallucinations, but it's easy to shrug off the confusion and enjoy the wild ride. Byrne's wonderful imagination makes the trek across the open sea appear almost plausible, as Meena carries such items as desalinators, a protective pod and diapers cleaned by the sun. In vivid scenes, both women become intensely aware of their sexuality, an important aspect of their stories. The writing is often brilliant, as Byrne paints wholly believable pictures of worlds and cultures most Westerners will never know. Slightly less believable is the dramatic conclusion, even though Byrne does not stint on imagination.
This is engrossing and enjoyable despite its minor flaws. Strong, appealing protagonists and an unusual plot make Byrne's literary invention well worth the reader's while.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F02%2FABorrowedMan-400.jpg&hash=5425764b5c8e0251031272ed1148f544fae5edf6)
A new SF novel, a first person narrative in the mode of the detective story, from the celebrated author of the Book of the New Sun series.
It is perhaps a hundred years in the future, our civilization is gone, and another is in place in North America, but it retains many familiar things and structures. Although the population is now small, there is advanced technology, there are robots, and there are clones.
E. A. Smithe is a borrowed person. He is a clone who lives on a third-tier shelf in a public library, and his personality is an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer. Smithe is a piece of property, not a legal human.
A wealthy patron, Colette Coldbrook, takes him from the library because he is the surviving personality of the author of Murder on Mars. A physical copy of that book was in the possession of her murdered father, and it contains an important secret, the key to immense family wealth. It is lost, and Colette is afraid of the police. She borrows Smithe to help her find the book and to find out what the secret is. And then the plot gets complicated.
Ann and Jeff VanderMeer have sent us the table of contents for their next anthology — and the lineup is fantastic.
Sisters of the Revolution (coming in May from PM Press) gathers a curated selection of feminist speculative fiction chosen by the award-winning Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, with editorial assistance from Tessa Kum and Dominik Parisien.
Ann & Jeff said, "This is our contribution to an ongoing conversation, as conceived of and facilitated by Jef Smith who created and ran the Kickstarter and helped in so many other ways. We hope that the anthology is a success and could potentially become a series, exploring further aspects of feminist fiction with a series of guest editors who bring their own perspective."
Here's the book description:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1629630357.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=09ee3c5317a9eba04b7339a3fc1765cad09f085c)
Sisters of the Revolution gathers a highly curated selection of feminist speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, and more) chosen by one of the most respected editorial teams in speculative literature today, the award-winning Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. Including stories from the 1970s to the present day, the collection seeks to expand the conversation about feminism while engaging the reader in a wealth of imaginative ideas.
From the literary heft of Angela Carter to the searing power of Octavia Butler, Sisters of the Revolution gathers daring examples of speculative fiction's engagement with feminism. Dark, satirical stories such as Eileen Gunn's "Stable Strategies for Middle Management" and the disturbing horror of James Tiptree Jr.'s "The Screwfly Solution" reveal the charged intensity at work in the field. Including new, emerging voices such as Nnedi Okorafor and featuring international contributions from Angelica Gorodischer and many more, this collection seeks to expand the ideas of both contemporary fiction and feminism to new fronts. Moving from the fantastic to the futuristic, subtle to surreal, these stories will provoke thoughts and emotions about feminism like no other book available today. Other contributors include Anne Richter, Carol Emshwiller, Eleanor Arnason, Hiromi Goto, Joanna Russ, Karin Tidbeck, Kelley Eskridge, Kelly Barnhill, Kit Reed, L. Timmel Duchamp, Leena Krohn, Leonora Carrington, Pamela Sargent, Rose Lemberg, Susan Palwick, Tanith Lee, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Vandana Singh.
1."The Grammarian's Five Daughters" by Eleanor Arnason
2."The Men Who Live in Trees" by Kelly Barnhill
3."The Evening the Morning and the Night" by Octavia Butler
4."My Flannel Knickers" by Leonora Carrington
5."The Fall River Axe Murders" by Angela Carter
6."The Forbidden Words of Margaret A." by L. Timmel Duchamp
7."Boys" by Carol Emshwiller
8."And Salome Danced" by Kelley Eskridge
9."The Perfect Married Woman" by Angelica Gorodischer
10."Tales From the Breast" by Hiromi Goto
11."Stable Strategies for Middle Management" by Eileen Gunn
12."The Glass Bottle Trick" by Nalo Hopkinson
13."Their Mother's Tears: The Fourth Letter" by Leena Krohn
14."Northern Chess" by Tanith Lee
15."Sur" by Ursula K. Le Guin
16."Seven Losses of Na Re" by Rose Lemberg
17."Love and Sex Among the Invertebrates" by Pat Murphy
18."The Palm Tree Bandit" by Nnedi Okorafor
19."Gestella" by Susan Palwick
20."The Mothers of Shark Island" by Kit Reed
21."The Sleep of Plants" by Anne Richter
22."When It Changed" by Joanna Russ
23."Fears" by Pamela Sargent
24."The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet" by Vandana Singh
25."Detours on the Way to Nothing" by Rachel Swirsky
26."Aunts" by Karin Tidbeck
27."The Screwfly Solution" by James Tiptree, Jr.
28."Thirteen Ways of Looking at Space/Time" by Catherynne M. Valente
29."Home By The Sea" by Elisabeth Vonarburg
Jao radosti, eto antologije u kojoj prepoznajem deo tekstova :lol: a "The Perfect Married Woman" Anhelike Gorodišer je jedna od dve njene pripovetke prevedene na srpski i apsolutno je razbijanje, ali razbijanje, od horor priče.
Ja ovde prepoznajem priče jedino od Ras i Tiptri... sramota božja, otud je i red da ovo obavezno nabavim.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b8d0d894e9970c-200wi&hash=19f9a707104108d57c654ce554836998af8b6f98)
Daniel Polansky's Low Town trilogy was a bit of a fantasy oddity - a first person, noir-inflected fantasy that didn't seem to give much of a shit about being a fantasy. It wasn't as much aggressively avoiding the classic tropes as much as forging its own, nonchalant path around them. Certainly the books had a touch of magic, a big ol' war, some secret societies and cunning rogues, and all that - but the focus was much tighter: about one man and his maturing sense of responsibility (for himself, his 'community' and his own actions).
Which is why Those Above (2015) initially seems a complete departure. Rather than the intimacy of the first person narrative and the (relative) restraint of a single city, Those Above is a more traditional epic narrative: a handful of third person points of view, spread across an entire continent. The stakes are higher as well - rather than 'one man's soul' (a rather melodramatic phrasing), Those Above is a clash of civilisations, of cultures and of visions. If that seems perplexing, bear with me...
In Those Above, a ruling caste of near immortals - Tolkien Elves crossed with D&D Deva crossed with The Capitol - govern the world from the lofty heights of the Roost. Thousands of years ago, these awesome beings (in the literal sense) conquered humanity. Fast forward over centuries of enlightened dictatorship. Only one generation ago, humanity tried to rebel... and it didn't work out so well. But the humans have had the tiniest taste of freedom, and, however towering they are, humans can still dream bigger.
If that makes Those Above seem one-sided - or clear - it isn't. Although the four point of view characters are all human, each has her or her own complicated set of motivations. Bas is the most successful commander in the Aelerian army, and the only man to have beaten one of them in combat. But he's exhausted by politics, and ready for the end of war. Eudokia is Aeleria's not-so-secret leader, a one-woman-Illuminati who controls her country's Senate and directs its imperial ambitions. Meanwhile, Calla is the human steward to one of the most powerful members of their court. Raised in their shadow, she adores her master, the most empathetic of his kind, and can see how hard he works to maintain the peace. Yet, further from the hub of their city, in the outermost ring of the Roost, Thistle grows up a vicious street predator, fighting only for his survival.
They - the other that rule this world - have impacted all four of these lives, and millions of others. Their influence is simply too much for one perspective; too complex to be easily captured. Polansky uses the four characters to take different approaches into explaining who they are, what they mean and how we, as humans, can start to understand them.
Arguably, if Low Town was about intimacy, Those Above is about scale. The visual and cultural cues of Aleria are reminiscent of ancient Rome (including the gloriously Livia-like Eudokia). There's a vastness on every page - from the horizon-spanning emptiness of the plains to the gleaming towers of the Roost; from the armored immensity of the Aelerian legions to the towering grandeur of their architecture. Even the extravagance of the meals and the decadence of their experimentation: everything in Those Above screams that this is the most important, most significant, most impressive moment in both civilisations. The inevitable conflict between them will be all the more titanic as a result.
Yet, epics, however vast, are still a dime a dozen. Or a dime a doorstop. What makes Those Above a soaring success is how it balances the jaw-dropping significance of the moment with the tiny, relatively mundane, details. If the plot Those Above is a massive juggernaut, plowing inexorably towards a magnificent war, the individual players are still distracted by their own dramas: day to day jobs, flirtations and schemes. Thistle wants to rise in the ranks of thieves. Eudokia is dealing with blackmailers. Bas's lieutenant is a drunk. Calla is annoyed by an incompetent chef. The reader may understand that this is the most significant time in all of this world's history, but the key players do not. They're distracted by their lives, by their limited vision. They're only human.
And this difference in perspective is carefully woven throughout the book. To them, life only exists on the geological scale - in great events that span centuries, romances that take years to resolve, scientific works that require eons to perfect. They operate on a glacial pace that's mind-bogglingly alien. And yet, humanity is equally perplexing to them - our rapid generations, meaningless connections; our wildly emotional responses fuelled by our short lifespans. Calla's master is unique in his ability to understand how humans think; his empathy is paralleled by Eudokia's talent for strategy at their level. This is us vs them: few can see it coming, and fewer can appreciate how catastrophic the coming war will be.
Also worth mentioning? Beneath all this - Those Above's recurring conflict between mortality and vision - is a cracking good adventure. There's politics and plotting, war and adventure, conquest, invasion, flirtation, assassination, big magic swords, tawdry affairs, murder, blackmail, burglary, mountaintop duels and (why not?) an airship. As brilliantly as Those Above delivers its big, thematic vision, it is also gloriously entertaining - as any great epic fantasy should be.
Those Above is I, Claudius - by way of Tolkien and filtered through Chandler. That is to say, really damn good.
http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/review-those-above-daniel-polansky.html#more (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/review-those-above-daniel-polansky.html#more)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.danfesperman.com%2Fcovers%2Funmanned-us-225.jpg&hash=3acd5aa06ca78de822a671efbdf5622e4c08af84)
Meni su tehno-trileri po definiciji spekulativna fikcija, pa otud pomalo i SF; Unmanned možda i ne ide baš toliko daleko, ali svejedno, lako se čita i u tom ključu. Perfektno napisan, Unmanned nudi više informacija o vojnoj tehnologiji - pogotovo o njenom state-of-the-art-drones segmentu - no što se inače nalazi u dokumentarcima.
Koji me inače ne zanimaju, pa otud malo šta o tome i znam.
Što mi dalje olakšava to čitanje u ključu spekulativne fikcije, pogotovo kad se radi o zapletu koji nudi u suštini kiberpankovsku ideju o uličnoj primeni sofisticirane tehnologije.
Naravno da je sam fenomen "daljinskog ratovanja" odavno već deo tmurne nam stvarnosti, ali to definitivno ne znači u da su svi njegovi aspekti poznati i lako prepoznatljivi. Protagonista ovog romana je vojnik koji iz pustinje u Nevadi dronom ubije 13 civila u Afganistanu, među njima i nekoliko dece. Ljudi koji su mu naredili da to uradi ne grizu se odviše što su očigledno baratali pogrešnim informacijama, pa mu otud i savetuju da to prihvati kao neizbežnu kolateralnu štetu za koju niko nije zapravo kriv. Cole to naprosto nije u stanju: ono što ga je posebno dotuklo je snimak jedne od preživelih žrtava, devojčice od desetak godina, kojoj je eksplozija raznela ruku u ramenu. Otud Cole ubrzo postaje pobunjenik i otpadnik, i kad ga eventualno kontaktiraju troje novinara sa predlogom da im pomogne oko prikupljanja informacija o privatnim kontraktorima kojima se vojska služi u svojim delikatnijim operacijama, on bez oklevanja pristaje. Cole u tom predlogu vidi šansu za sopstveno iskupljenje i uskoro zajedno otkrivaju zamršenu mrežu mračnih petljancija u kojima ravnopravno učestvuju vojska, CIA, i privatnno preduzetništvo kojima je ratovanje osnovni uslov opstanka.
Ideja o dronovima kao "sigurnom" oružju koje minimizira kolateralnu štetu je izgleda odavno lako uvaljena široj javnosti, pogotovo onom njenom delu kojeg zanima ponajpre profit a onda i udobnost ratovanja na daljinu. Ali u svetu u kom amater-entuzijasta može za smešno malu svotu novca da napravi sopstveni sofisticirani dron i njime upravlja koristeći smartfon aplikacije malo ko je tu zapravo siguran.
Odličan triler i vrlo uverljiva sumorna slika današnjice. 4/5
http://www.danfesperman.com/unmanned.php (http://www.danfesperman.com/unmanned.php)
The Best Nonfiction of 2014–Collected Lists (http://auxiliarymemory.com/2015/02/11/the-best-nonfiction-of-2014collected-lists/)
knjige za mart 2015:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.kinja-img.com%2Fgawker-media%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Fs--1IIrVaUw--%2Fc_fit%2Cfl_progressive%2Ch_100%2Cq_80%2Cw_75%2Fgg9as82lg8myvvi2tsxi.jpg&hash=3fb09f8bf52ccab5b79696c2344d3926cc7bcf33) (http://www.amazon.com/Flex-Ferrett-Steinmetz/dp/0857664603?tag=io9amzn-20&ascsubtag=0014cff77c94ecd82db38a329dc70a532b3a9774&rawdata=%5Bt%7Clink%5Bp%7C1679067009%5Ba%7C0857664603%5Bau%7C5717343349271019063)
FLEX: Distilled magic in crystal form. The most dangerous drug in the world. Snort it, and you can create incredible coincidences to live the life of your dreams.
FLUX: The backlash from snorting Flex. The universe hates magic and tries to rebalance the odds; maybe you survive the horrendous accidents the Flex inflicts, maybe you don't.
PAUL TSABO: The obsessed bureaucromancer who's turned paperwork into a magical Beast that can rewrite rental agreements, conjure rented cars from nowhere, track down anyone who's ever filled out a form.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.kinja-img.com%2Fgawker-media%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Fs--B4XAbNbG--%2Fc_fit%2Cfl_progressive%2Ch_100%2Cq_80%2Cw_75%2Fymodwfqxcrkb20c7ttak.jpg&hash=1da966b427be5250872d14df72e7e708daa7f05b) (http://www.amazon.com/Persona-Genevieve-Valentine/dp/1481425129?tag=io9amzn-20&ascsubtag=616b9081129ac70431116fec4777ee6262b64812&rawdata=%5Bt%7Clink%5Bp%7C1679067009%5Ba%7C1481425129%5Bau%7C5717343349271019063)
In a world where diplomacy has become celebrity, a young ambassador survives an assassination attempt and must join with an undercover paparazzo in a race to save her life, spin the story, and secure the future of her young country in this near-future political thriller from the acclaimed author of Mechanique and The Girls at Kingfisher Club.
When Suyana, Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, is secretly meeting Ethan of the United States for a date that can solidify a relationship for the struggling UARC, the last thing she expected was an assassination attempt. Daniel, a teen runaway turned paparazzi out for his big break, witnesses the first shot hit Suyana, and before he can think about it, he jumps into the fray, telling himself it's not altruism, it's the scoop. Now Suyana and Daniel are on the run—and if they don't keep one step ahead, they'll lose it all.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512aL%2B0RKLL._UY250_.jpg)
The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl and Beatrice, a couple of elderly Britons, decide that now is the time, finally, for them to set off across this troubled land of mist and rain to find the son they have not seen for years, the son they can scarcely remember. They know they will face many hazards—some strange and otherworldly—but they cannot foresee how their journey will reveal to them the dark and forgotten corners of their love for each other. Nor can they foresee that they will be joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight—each of them, like Axl and Beatrice, lost in some way to his own past, but drawn inexorably toward the comfort, and the burden, of the fullness of a life's memories.
Sometimes savage, sometimes mysterious, always intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in a decade tells a luminous story about the act of forgetting and the power of memory, a resonant tale of love, vengeance, and war.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00K4BA758.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=8469d93c4d9231a5f15537140309c8b1dd8b6828)
The Explosive Conclusion to Nexus and Crux
Global unrest spreads through the US, China, and beyond. Secrets and lies set off shockwaves of anger, rippling from mind to mind. Riot police battle neurally-linked protestors. Armies are mobilized. Political orders fall. Nexus-driven revolution is in here.
Against this backdrop, a new breed of post-human children are growing into their powers. And a once-dead scientist, driven mad by her torture, is closing in on her plans to seize planet's electronic systems, and re-forge everything in her image.
A new Apex species is here. The world will never be the same.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0224090194.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c69ca5699af5baf7793e21cf774697d6813cc499)
A novel for our times, from the Booker-shortlisted 'master craftsman who is steering the contemporary novel towards exciting new territories' (Observer).
Meet U. -- a talented and uneasy figure currently pimping his skills to an elite consultancy in contemporary London. His employers advise everyone from big businesses to governments, and, to this end, expect their 'corporate anthropologist' to help decode and manipulate the world around them -- all the more so now that a giant, epoch-defining project is in the offing.
Instead, U. spends his days procrastinating, meandering through endless buffer-zones of information and becoming obsessed by the images with which the world bombards him on a daily basis: oil spills, African traffic jams, roller-blade processions, zombie parades. Is there, U. wonders, a secret logic holding all these images together -- a codex that, once cracked, will unlock the master-meaning of our age? Might it have something to do with South Pacific Cargo Cults, or the dead parachutists in the news? Perhaps; perhaps not.
As U. oscillates between the visionary and the vague, brilliance and bullshit, Satin Island emerges, an impassioned and exquisite novel for our disjointed times.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765331985.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=a301262c46eac0b877934bf672ff4dc67df06514)
Devoted readers of Lady Trent's earlier memoirs, A Natural History of Dragons and The Tropic of Serpents, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed--until now.
Six years after her perilous exploits in Eriga, Isabella embarks on her most ambitious expedition yet: a two-year trip around the world to study all manner of dragons in every place they might be found. From feathered serpents sunning themselves in the ruins of a fallen civilization to the mighty sea serpents of the tropics, these creatures are a source of both endless fascination and frequent peril. Accompanying her is not only her young son, Jake, but a chivalrous foreign archaeologist whose interests converge with Isabella's in ways both professional and personal.
Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella's life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00S530GVW.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=9c482cbe2cf362c1c9de71dcf34b49afaa83e860)
Publication Date: March 11, 2015
The Thyme Fiend by Jeffrey Ford is a dark fantasy novelette about a young man who can only prevent seeing visions by eating or smoking thyme. When he finds the skeleton of a missing man the skeleton begins to haunt him. What does it want?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345802888.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=60c0f057badc54760cacf8132a142e692692a647)
The Man with the Compound Eyes: A Novel Paperback – March 3, 2015
When a tsunami sends a massive island made of trash crashing into the coast of Taiwan, two very different people—an outcast from a mythical country and a woman on the verge of suicide—are united in ways they never could have imagined. Intertwined with the story of their burgeoning friendship are the lives of others affected by the tsunami, from environmentalists to Taiwan's indigenous peoples—and, of course, the mysterious man with the compound eyes. A work of lyrical beauty that combines fantasy, reality, and dystopian environmental saga, here is the English-language debut of a new and exciting award-winning voice from Taiwan.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51K4osIF-TL._AA160_.jpg&hash=6be9c19bd302d23f5de1eb28e33d66eda6804bb9)
I find that Raj Kamal Jha's prose is very hard to describe and I've already started writing this review couple of times without any success worth mentioning. The problem lies with the fact that Jha's novels often feel like poetry and I never know how to adequately describe the feelings that they tend to stir up. "She Will Build Him a City" is built as a cycle of connected stories with Delhi as their center. Jha's Delhi is a dangerous and frightening place that can eat you alive, one which at times becomes almost like an evil caricature of itself. Similarly to Jha who works in the city, each of his characters is full of stories and lifes its live despite all the chaos and menace in the air. But not everything is doom and gloom. There's hope if you want to find it - all those immigrants coming to build their lives out of nothing. Some of them will even succeed in reaching their dreams. Similarly to Delhi, "She Will Build Him a City" is a palimpsest with layer upon layer of stories to discover.
Stories themselves revolve around characters known only as Woman, Man and Child who are caught in everyday situations built around social tensions in this vibrant and ever changing community. Wealthy Man looks from the safety of his car as police is using water cannons on the protesters and dreams of murder while the Woman spends time telling tales of the past to her daughter. Child, on the other hand, comes from different side of the spectrum and is an orphan abandoned by its mother on the doorsteps of the orphanage. As the story unfolds, the three characters become connected by fourth and the final strand of the tale comes into view. Ultimately, its really not that important as by then you'll be perfectly aware of the city and its constant evolution. No matter what happens with our protagonists the city will go on with its endless onslaught of death, violence and occasional laughter.
Raj Kamal Jha's "She Will Build Him a City" is also notable for breaking the traditions of a classic Indian novel. Ruminations about the past are almost nonexistent and Jha is more willing to embrace the future however chaotic is might seem. More importantly, it also beckons full attention from its reader. Superficial glance will hardly do it justice because just as every metropolis only reveals its true colours when you stray off the tourist trail, "She Will Build Him a City" works best when you fully embrace and understand its symbolism and concepts. "She Will Build Him a City" is raw novel about Modern India and, equally as its subject, is irresistibly alluring.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-she-will-build-him-a-city-by-raj-kamal-jha (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-she-will-build-him-a-city-by-raj-kamal-jha)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb07f2e52e970d-200wi&hash=5fffc358a948d4b4b54dd4e6ec75b8d92f3a2ba4)
Glaze by Kim Curran
What happens when the social network goes – literally – inside your brain? Facebook is even deader to young people in Glaze than it is in real life. And why wouldn't it be? They have Glaze, a network so pervasive that there are things you simply can't do without it.
Progressive? Curran's young people resonate: they have problems, feelings, moral ambiguity, and they even are on the cusp of recognising that the stupid adults in their lives have complex motivations as well.
Intelligent? The book is mainly about a technology going pervasive – what if you could, today, vote on Facebook? What are the feelings of the haves and have-nots? The ramifications – while sometimes hyped up – are logical and often terrifying.
Entertaining? Explosions. A race against time. Power-mad corporations. All the fun of a cyberpunk romp without tedium. Curran is a master of sticking her characters in a crucible and boiling them while they try to get out of it.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb07f2e538970d-200wi&hash=d9d6f2b5b3bc938c19af48e83603eaf2b8ef17ea)
Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge
Hardinge is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers, constantly creating worlds that any author with a gram of commercial sense would milk down over 3-13 books. Not Frances, though. Under that hat is a clockwork brain tended by faeries who spin webs from the finest – and strongest – spider silk. This is a story of the beginning of film, the jazz age in Britain – and what it means to really make a jazz record worth listening to – and the clash of modernity. It could go so wrong, but it is so very right.
Progressive: Brickwork and tea shops, the way that children sometimes know more, jazz and modernity, and films that come alive. Oh my yes.
Intelligent: There are no winners and losers – progress is a fact of the modern world, but what there is how that affects family and relationships in a subtle way.
Entertaining: Car chases and hidden villages, idiosyncratic people living through their anachronisms, living, breathing jazz drinkser all stuck together with a tale of love lost. Hell yes
Glen Mehn is director of The Kitschies and also served as one of this year's judges. You can thank him (or heckle him) at @gmehn and, of course, @thekitschies.
http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/friday-five-5-books-that-cant-be-kitschies-finalists.html#more (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/02/friday-five-5-books-that-cant-be-kitschies-finalists.html#more)
I tako, eto, naletim prošle godine u jednom epub-dampu na osam romana Rossa MacDonalda, to njegov Lew Archer serijal. Jadac torenta, to da knjigu koju tražite uglavnom dobijete u paketu sa još par stotina naslova... :cry: :lol: i naravno, znatiželja tu redovito pobedi – kao, ajde samo da gvirnem čega tu sve ima – i par sati kasnije završite sa najmanje dvadesetak knjiga koje ste odavno pročitali, malo ili skoro nikad o njima razmišljali, ali sad kad ih vidite na listi, odmah shvatite da imaju sentimentalnu vrednost zbog koje bi bilo skoro pa bogohulno šutnuti ih u risajkl bin. Doba obilja, puno iskušenja.
Tako završim u obnavljaju MacDonaldovog opusa, nešto u originalu a nešto malo i u prevodu (www.vdt.hr (http://www.vdt.hr)), i zateknem se kako samo potvrđujem svoju davnašnju listu favorita... ništa se značajno nije promenilo u mom doživljaju, sva remek-dela su mi i dalje to ostala, a za one malo slabije romane sam malko jasnije utvrdila zašto me se tako doimaju: naime, svi Rossovi romani su podjednako odlično napisani, ali neki od njih naprosto imaju meni impresivniji splet okolnosti zapleta ili, to još češće, draže mi protagoniste. Recimo, scena kad devojka privija na grudi umiruću pticu, natopljenu naftom koja se izlila iz tankera čiji je vlasnik upravo njena prebogata porodica. Ili kad Aleks Kinkejd unajmljuje Arčera da mu pronađe ženu koja je nestala nepun dan nakon venčanja, dok ga svi ubeđuju kako je naprosto pobegla jer niko normalan njega ne može da voli... eto, takvi momenti meni odnesu prevagu kod MacDonalda, jer on se na to i fokusira - na porodične drame i ljudske tragedije, na nepravde koje se najčešće i najjače okome na najnedužnije, naprosto zato što su oni uvek i najranjiviji. MacDonald budi protektivne instinkte, razgoljavajući svet kao surov i bezosećajan: naravno, u samom tom procesu ga prokazuje kao korumpiran i iskvaren, da bi se u epilogu posvetio njegovom obnavljanju i uspostavljanju. Ali to ne znači da svi romani završravaju hepiendom, nego naprosto završavaju uspostavljanjem prava, ako već ne i same pravičnosti. MacDonald je nepokolebljivo dobrostiv i moralan, pa otud i nudi nepokolebljivu nadu da se svi zločini mogu i moraju sanirati, jer je bazična ljudska egzistencija sinonimna sa pravdom i brigom za svog bližnjega. U MacDonaldovom svetonazoru, zlo je anomalija koju treba ispravno prepoznati i sa njom se adekvatno razračunati, da bi svet nastavio da postoji u svom najzdravijem obličju. Kod MacDonalda zlo može biti i moćno, i zavodljivo, pa čak i impresivno, ali nikada nije idelizovano, nikada vam nije ponuđeno kao privlačno. MacDonaldov svetonazor je jednako neuzdrman u svim njegovim romanima, otud je i Archer jednako pouzdan i nedvosmislen – gluv za zavodljive pesme sirena, slep za obilja nepravično stečenog bogatstva, indiferentan ka iskušenjima strasti i slasti kakvu uglavnom nemoralna egzistencija obećava. Ukratko, Archer je stena na kojoj se gradi karakter.
Tu negde usput, ima još jedna stvar koju sam preko tog opusa utvrdila - ja zapravo ne nalazim serijale odbojnima, naprotiv, prilično mi prijaju. Ali to samo u krimićima. :) Ne znam zašto, ali eto, tako je: ne mogu da zamislim sebe kako čitam serijal od 10 knjiga u cugu, to čak ni najbolji SF serijal (kad bih ja za takav znala). No eto, odmah posle Arčera zateknem se kako mi treba novi krimi serijal, ali ovaj put ne obnavljanje oldiz-gudiz serijala, nego da to bude nešto baš novo.
Izbor je pao na Mickey Hallera, to uglavnom zbog odličnog filma The Linkoln Lawyer.
(https://www.bookbrowse.com/images/jackets-p/9780446616454.jpg)
Uzgred budi rečeno, film je perfektna ekranizacija predloška, doslovna i fokusirana obrada prilično zgusnutog materijala, garnirana odličnim saundtrakom koji filmu daje kul dimenziju kakva romanu ipak nedostaje. Ali svejedno, odličan je zaplet Connelly isporučio, i vrlo intrigantnog protagonistu, koji je zapravo sušta suprotnost MacDonaldovom heroju.
Kao prvo, Mick Haller je advokat. Kao drugo, Mick je vičan ulici i njenim pravilima, otud se i udobnije oseća kad zastupa krivog klijenta, negoli onog nedužnog. Zapravo, nedužan klijent je Mickova noćna mora, jer baš kako mu je otac rekao – a otac mu je isto tako bio slavni advokat koji je zastupao i uspešno odbranio Al Kaponea bradom – nema nišeg strašnijeg od nedužnog klijenta, jer ako uprskaš odbranu i on zbog toga završi u zatvoru, grižnja savesti ima da te otera u grob. Otud je Mick daleko srećniji kad zastupa krive klijente, pa makar ga to koštalo i braka sa predivnom ženom koja je inače javni tužilac, pa otud i nije u stanju da živi sa čovekom dok on iz zatvora izvlači ološ koji je ona uz teške muke stavila iza rešetaka.
Ali onda Mick naiđe na veoma bogatog mladog čoveka koji tvrdi da je nevin. Mickova pohlepa za parama navodi ga da prihvati odbranu, a sama ideja da mu je klijent nedužan tera ga da se te odbrane prihvati savesnije nego inače. No uskoro se sve okolnosti radikalno menjaju i Mick suočava najgoru od svih mogućnosti – da je već odavno stekao ogroman razlog za grižnju savesti, samo ga u svom neznanju nije uspeo da na vreme prepozna.
Dobro napisan krimić, odličan lik i duboka moralna drama – svi neophodni sastojci za uživanje u krimiću. Nedavno je izašao peti u nizu, ali naravno, treba se ići po redu, tako da sleduje The Brass Verdict. 4/5
Jesi li primetila koliko su Mekdonaldovi romani kasapljeni u Tragu? Kakva je to šteta!
Ja sam tek par pročitao u originalu i upoređivao prevode. Čitavi pasusi su izostavljani, izbacivano je ono što se prevodicu činilo teškim, ili su naprosto ukalupljavani u zahtevani broj stranica. Čitao sam jednu kritičku studiju Mekdonaldovih romana i pisac toga ukazuje na prelepo poklapanje opisa prirode sa Arčerovim osećanjima, ali kad sam pokušao da to pronađem u svom primerku Traga, tog pasusa naprosto nema.
Ono što mene oduševljava kod njegovih najboljih romana je to što su vrlo često uzroci problema duboko u prošlosti i slojevi prljavštine se polako ljušte i otpadaju, ostavljajući zlo ogoljeno i, kao što kažeš, uvek izloženo pravdi. Takođe, dobro si primetila, kod njega nikada složenost zapleta ne dovodi do lošijeg rezultata već upravo suprotno.
Više slutim negoli tačno prepoznajem dimenzije kasapljenja u Tragu, jer ja sam kao tinejdžer imala poprilično slabe standarde po pitanju jezika... :cry: :oops: ali definitivno znam da jesu kasapljeni, pošto mi se nekoliko puta desilo da tek na polovini romana prepoznam da sam ga zapravo čitala. Isto tako, onih nekoliko novijih prevoda koje sam overila nisam dovršila nego se eventualno vratila na original. Ovaj put ne zbog kasapljenja, nego naprosto, ton u prevodima mi nikako nije odgovarao.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everest.rs%2Fparadox2.jpg&hash=a2be0407026d77bcd9524c6c61738443d8a417e0)
Ovu knjigu sam htela da zgrabim još odmah po izlasku, ali logistika mi tu najcrnje podbacila tako da sam se nje dokopala tek ove godine. Naravno, mi koji smo imali tu sreću da praktično odrastemo uz Zelaznija dočekujemo ovakva štiva kao obavezno čitanje, ali stvarno jeste prijatno čitati pedantne analize dela koja ste pomalo uzeli zdravo za gotovo, kako se to već ponekad radi sa žanrom. Otud čitanje ove knjige oživljava sve davnašnje konverzacije među nekim ljudima zvonkog glasa i blistavih očiju, jer hoće žanr da tako označi svoje ljubitelje. :) Danas kao da toga više nema, ili bar nema u negdašnjim količinama, pa se otud i ovakav pomalo jednostrani surogat takvih konverzacija daleko više ceni.
Za razliku od analiza koje se trude da obuhvate svu širinu žanra i njegove poetike, ova kao da se odlučila na suprotno: samo jedan pisac, i aspekt unutar njegovog opusa. Ali Zelazni je pisac čiji opus sa lakoćom može da iznese tako intenzivan fokus na aspekt koji se poput zlatne žice provlači kroz svu njegovu prozu. Tokom niza godina čitanja pojedinačnih dela ta žica nekako bude slabije vidljiva onima koji ne prilaze autoru metodično i sistematski, pa otud i ovakve studije umeju neretko da iznenade nekim svojim zaključcima. Vrlo energičan osećaj, kad shvatite koliko vam je toga promaklo u tkanju za koje ste smatrali da vam je dobro poznato.
Doduše, ja nisam čitala Amber nakon prvog naslova, ali većinu ostalog jesam, tako da glavnina ove temeljite analize nije bila sasvim izgubljena na ovom konkretno pomalo zaboravljivom ljubitelju Zelaznija. U nekoj meri smatram da jesam bila isuviše nezrela kad sam čitala neke njegove kompleksnije romane, ali opet, drago mi je što sam ih čitala upravo tada, jer Zelazni jeste od onih impresivnih autora koji najpunije dosegnu čoveka upravo u formativnim godinama. Zauzvrat, sad kad jesam (valjda, donekle :lol: ) spremnija za ozbiljnije čitanje Zelznija, taman je na vreme došla je ova knjiga, da me ubedi kako neke romane naprosto moram još jednom da pročitam: Zovem se Konrad i Onaj koji oblikuje su tu svakako na vrhu liste, pošto Gospodara svetlosti ionako poslovično iznova overim bar jednom u deceniji.
Odlična knjiga, jezgrovito i pedantno napisana, lako navodi da joj naklonost uzvratite: nezaobilazan naslov za sve ljubitelje Zelaznija i perfektan sagovornik kakvog se danas sve ređe nalazi u formatu krvi i mesa. 5/5
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00TBKUW8A.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=02e0330ee61b68082a0205d313ba8966bc3c7abb)
Hope City, Antarctica. The southernmost city in the world, with only a glass dome and a faltering infrastructure to protect its citizens from the freezing, ceaseless winds of the Antarctic wilderness. Within this bell jar four people–some human, some not–will shape the future of the city forever:
Eliana Gomez, a female PI looking for a way to the mainland.
Diego Amitrano, the right-hand man to the gangster who controls the city's food come winter.
Marianella Luna, an aristocrat with a dangerous secret.
Sofia, an android who has begun to evolve.
But the city is evolving too, and in the heart of the perilous Antarctic winter, faction will clash, dreams will shatter, and that frozen metropolis just might boil over...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316297933.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=6f4e06fa5fa54939aa3420d1a644a893643c46b7)+
When Lumen Fowler looks back on her childhood, she wouldn't have guessed she would become a kind suburban wife, a devoted mother. In fact, she never thought she would escape her small and peculiar hometown. When We Were Animals is Lumen's confessional: as a well-behaved and over-achieving teenager, she fell beneath the sway of her community's darkest, strangest secret. For one year, beginning at puberty, every resident "breaches" during the full moon. On these nights, adolescents run wild, destroying everything in their path.
Lumen resists. Promising her father she will never breach, she investigates the mystery of her community's traditions and the stories erased from the town record. But the more we learn about the town's past, the more we realize that Lumen's memories are harboring secrets of their own.
A gothic coming-of-age tale for modern times, When We Were Animals is a dark, provocative journey into the American heartland.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316098108.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=0969d40626628e78e25768a9b7e1a9e759a794fe)
Our voyage from Earth began generations ago.
Now, we approach our destination.
iiiii... prva impresivna romančuga ovogodišnjeg uroda! :!:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tor.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fblogs%2F15_01%2Fsomethingcomingthrough.jpg&hash=9c34affe31dc9f49463def1e0bb75d961efd790c)
Tema odlična i daleko od izraubovane (post-prvi kontakt), a pristup donekle sličan Axisu, pa još uz primese čisto Klarkovske podozrivosti prema Rimljanima što poklone nose. Šta drugo reći doli – milina! 8-)
Povrh svega, McAuley je ovaj roman izokola izgradio u nekoliko svojih kratkih priča koje se mogu naći u raznim antologijama, tako da je zahvalan za rivjuisanje. Znači, sve što u ovom postu sledi nije suštinski spojler, jer neću ni reči ovde da zucnem o samom zapletu i protagonistima uopšte, pošto to zaista spada sasvim u domen ukusa – nekome će se dopadne, nekome ne. Meni se dopalo, veoma, ali sam svet romana, dakle post-prvi kontakt pozadina, mi se dopada daleko više.
(Ko nije upoznat sa pričama iz Jackaroo kolekcije, može da overi jednu od njih onlajn ovde: Crimes and Glory (http://subterraneanpress.com/magazine/spring_2009/fiction_crimes_and_glory_by_paul_mcauley)
daklem, Jackaroo su nas pronašli, i to u vreme koje je upravo ovo današnje, sa sve fejsbuk nam i vikipedija momentima. :lol:
Jackaroo su izluđujuće puni takta i ljubaznosti, ekstremno diplomatično raspoloženi vanzemaljci koji se na zemlji pojavljuju niotkuda, u sasvim ljudski izgledajućim avatarima. Isto tako, Jackaroo sa sobom vode i primerke nekih drugih ET vrsta, također zakamuflirane po pitanju izgleda i porekla. I pored njihove sveprisutnosti, niko zapravo ne zna ko su Jackaroo, ni odakle su originalno, ni kako zapravo izgledaju. Jackaroo žele da svoj uticaj na ljude svedu na neophodni minimum.
Što se darova tiče, Jackaroo nude sijaset tehnoloških i inih čuda, od kojih su verovatno tu najvažniji 15 relativno teraformisanih planeta i intergalaktički brodovi koji do njih stižu kroz kosmičke crvotočine. Jackaroo u znak dobro volje nude zemljanima trajni boravak na tim planetama, a jedini uslov je da ne bude povlaštenih što se odlaska tiče: otud UN koordinira i nadgleda besplatnu lutriju u svakoj zemlji sveta, koja srećnim dobitnicima nudi na poklon odlazak na jednu od raspoloživih planeta. Jackaroo ne kriju da je to proces kojim se dočekala svaka novootkrivena inteligentna vrsta, i da su i sami Jackaroo svojedobno prošli kroz istu tu dobrodošlicu. Ali naravno, pri tom diplomatski prećutkuju ko je to njih otkrio i, uopšte, ko je tu bio prvi, ko je napravio taj projekat sa 15 planeta, ko je tu najzaslužniji da ponese titulu 'drevne inteligencije', plus ono najvažnije – gde su oni sada.
I kao što se da pretpostaviti, tih 15 planeta su u svojoj istoriji omogućile boravak nebrojenim vrstama inteligentnog života, a one su za sobom ostavile raznorazne materijalne tragove, to od biomehaničkih živuljki koje su postale neka vrst nativnog života na tim planetama, pa sve do tehnoloških artefakata za koje se ne zna ni da li su živi ili neživi, a kamoli šta zapravo rade i čemu zapravo služe.
E sad, kad imate tako konceptiran svet, dobra priča dalje nastaje sama: lutrija obezbeđuje da na planete stignu ljudi doslovno svakojaki, ali onih valjanih ima u stravično, stravično malom procentu; biomašine su u suštini mirna i bezazlena stvorenja koja bi samo da pasu travuljke i razmnožavaju se u tišini, ali ljudi ne bi bili ljudi kad ne bi saznali da krv i meso biomašina ima uvelike halucinogena svojstva; tehnološki artefakti su veoma retki i rasuti po planeti, što ljudima uglavnom znači da su basnoslovno skupi i kao suveniri, kamoli kao oružje.
I u svom tom obilju naravno da ubedljivo pobeđuje haos - dokaz da čovek kao vrsta ima dva prepoznatljiva talenta: prvi je urođeni poriv da uništi sve čega se dohvati, a drugi je nesavladiva želja da sanira posledice prvog. Naravno, 99,99% populacije ispoljava samo i isključivo prvi talenat, otud McAuleyu adekvatna pozornica za dramu.
Ovom romanu je već najavljen nastavak (Into Everywhere), ali ako je uzeti za primer The Quiet War, McAuley ne razvlači zaplete van jednog naslova, tako da će verovatno biti u pitanju nekakav labavi serijal kojeg povezuje samo pozadina univerza u kom se radnja odvija. Što se ovog zapleta tiče, zaokružen je potpuno, iako ostavlja velik i dobro osmišljen prostor da se ponovo vidimo sa nekim od ovih likova.
Bude li zaista tako, biće to ponovni susret starih poznanika, a tome se svako od nas raduje, ionako. 5/5 :D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FBestOfGregoryBenford-400.jpg&hash=a47f7c73b1a4c159d92515186c07271f479472e2)
This is a monumental collection of thirty-eight Gregory Benford stories, including some of the best science fiction of the last fifty years, chosen from the more than two hundred he has published to date:
At the end of the 1960s, Benford expanded his novella "Deeper than the Darkness," to become his first novel of the same title in 1970. He hit his stride in the 1970s, making his reputation with stories such as "Doing Lennon" and "In Alien Flesh." By the end of that decade he had written In the Ocean of Night, the first of his impressive Galactic Center novels. He entered the 1980s a Nebula Award-winner for his classic novel, Timescape. That decade continued with the impressive stories "Relativistic Effects" and "Exposures," the novel, Against Infinity, and ended with "Matters End" and "Mozart on Morphine."
By the middle of the 1980s he had also taken the leadership position of spokesman for hard science fiction, and contended with the rising cyberpunk reformers of hard SF. He has remained the most articulate defender of science's role in science fiction to this day, and perhaps the most literate and literary of its writers. In the 1990s, by now an acknowledged master of hard science fiction, he became more playful in some works, in particular stories such as "Centigrade 233," a riff on Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451, and "Zoomers," a dot-com bubble superman fantasia, while still holding to the center with the majority of his writing, completing his long series of Galactic Center novels and even writing in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe.
That playful thread became central after the turn of the millennium, with shorter satirical pieces originally published in Nature, such as "Applied Mathematical Theology" and "Reasons Not to Publish." But he still wrote the innovative stories "Bow Shock," "Mercies," and "The Sigma Structure Symphony" and in the second decade of the new century embarked on a major collaboration with Larry Niven, in the novels The Bowl of Heaven and Shipstar.
We have here a series of snapshots of a moving target, a writer who has been growing and changing for decades, extending his art, and the art of science fiction writing. Benford continues building himself challenging structures to write in with two story series in progress that may emerge as major works. He's not slowing down. But for the record we now have this book, a permanent chronicle of a major career. Six decades so far.
And here's the table of contents...
1."Nobody Lives on Burton Street" (1970)
2."Doing Lennon" (1975)
3."White Creatures" (1975)
4."In Alien Flesh" (1978)
5."Redeemer" (1979)
6."Dark Sanctuary" (1979)
7."Time Shards" (1979)
8."Exposures" (1981)
9."Relativistic Effects" (1982)
10."Of Space/Time and the River" (1985)
11."Time's Rub" (1985)
12."Freezeframe" (1986)
13."Proselytes" (1988)
14."Matter's End" (1989)
15."Mozart on Morphine" (1989)
16."Centigrade 233″ (1990)
17."World Vast, World Various" (1992)
18."In the Dark Backward" (1993)
19."A Desperate Calculus" (1995)
20."Zoomers" (1996)
21."The Voice" (1997)
22."Slow Symphonies of Mass and Time" (1998)
23."A Dance to Strange Musics" (1998)
24."Anomalies" (2001)
25."Comes The Evolution" (2001)
26."Twenty-Two Centimeters" (2004)
27."A Life with a Semisent" (2005)
28."Applied Mathematical Theology" (2006)
29."Bow Shock" (2006)
30."Reasons Not to Publish" (2007)
31."The Champagne Award" (2008)
32."Penumbra" (2010)
33."Gravity's Whispers" (2010)
34."Mercies" (2011)
35."Grace Immaculate" (2011)
36."Eagle" (2011)
37."The Sigma Structure Symphony" (2012)
38."Backscatter" (2013)
http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/the_best_of_gregory_benford (http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/the_best_of_gregory_benford)
Tužno. Samo par priča je prevedeno...
Pa, to se uvek može ispraviti... ;)
nego:
5 Brilliant Board Games Based on SF/F Books (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/03/friday-five-5-brilliant-board-games-based-on-sff-books.html#more)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b7c751bf08970b-200wi&hash=c9621cfc7df4710c6d2f31c77e68678d7f3783d8)
The Dune board game is as old as I am and I think it went out of print around the time I left kindergarten. So if you want to try this one out, be prepared to scour a lot of flea markets or to pay a hefty sum on the internet. Or you could settle for the recent rethemed version, Rex: Last Days of an Empire. But then you'd miss out on one of the game's greatest strengths: the masterful way it blends its game mechanisms with Frank Herbert's world.
On a large map of Arrakis, you will order your troops around to collect the precious Spice and take control of strongholds, all the while avoiding sandstorms and sandworms. Inevitably, fights ensue. The rules are simple but its your unique faction powers that add spice (see what I did there?) to the game. The Harkonnens are extra treacherous, the Fremen know all the ins and outs of the planet, the Bene Gesserit can use The Voice on you, and so on.
In the end, it's the player who made the most opportune alliances and manipulated his fellow gamers best, who wins. Plans within plans within plans...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b7c751bfce970b-200wi&hash=d4ccae85fe50972d4f8d0a0945520e8e3208a34f)
By my last count, there are about 3.7 gazillion LotR board games but this is one of the more interesting ones. It's a "Living Card Game" which means that new cards come out on a monthly schedule, providing an ever growing card pool from which you can build decks to play with your friends. But unlike Collectible Card Games like Magic the Gathering, you buy all the new cards in one pack and don't have to chase rare cards in randomized boosters. Of course, you can also just stick with the base set which is already a bunch of fun.
Another big difference between this game and its brethren is that it's a cooperative game. So when you roll up with your Gimli & Legolas bromance deck and your friend whips out his hobbit deck, your parties will actually go on a quest together, fighting Sauron's minions instead of duking it out between yourselves.
The game has been going for a long time already and so it covers a lot of Middle Earth, even some of its more obscure nooks and crannies, all illustrated with beautiful card art. And they've even introduced some new characters, most notably some more women, as these are rather lacking in the books.
If you like the idea of Living Card Games but can't be bothered with all this hippie cooperative nonsense, there's also a Living Card Game based on A Game of Thrones which is far less friendly.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b7c751bfb1970b-200wi&hash=b2b92254d15ab296eade69406e70ca31df5fea7e)
Another game with amazing artwork. Lord Vetinari has disappeared and everybody's vying for power in Ankh-Morpork. But your identity is hidden from the other players. Will you be one of the Lords, trying to control enough of the city, or Chrysoprase, trying to get rich in the chaos, or maybe poor Sam Vimes who just wants to see game end without too much destruction?
Gameplay is as simple as playing a card and drawing card, but as your henchmen occupy parts of the city, you'll gain extra income and abilities. And then there's all the card effects, each one a clever reference to the Discworld books (just don't play too many wizards because they cause nothing but chaos and grief).
If you're willing to track it down, there's a limited edition which avoids any mention of the number between seven and nine.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201b8d0db259a970c-200wi&hash=eeabbafa6409911741e4630999f2d34a689eb04b)
In a deck building game like this, each player has his own deck of cards which starts off pretty crappy. In this case, you get Maria Hill and some non-descript S.H.I.E.L.D agents. But during the game, you will recruit superhero cards to your deck and watch your team grow in strength. Play well and your team will rival the Avengers, play badly and it'll be like watching an episode of Heroes.
At the start of each game you'll combine an evil mastermind with a master scheme, recreating great conflicts from Marvel's history. Maybe the Red Skull is trying to unleash the power of the Cosmic Cube, or maybe Stryfe has kidnapped Baby Hope (if he's not too busy unleashing the Legacy Virus). Sometimes the effect might be more comical as when you're trying to stop Galactus from robbing a bank while he's eating up the planet. In the end, the player who defeated the most villains will win.
There are plenty of clever thematic touches. Some Hulk cards give everybody a wound (a useless card which takes up space in your deck) while other Hulk cards let you get rid of a wound for extra attack strength. Doesn't that perfectly capture the Hulk? Or there's Daredevil, whose cards reward you for knowing the top card of your deck (and who lets you put cards there, to help you along).
If your sympathies have always been with the villains, no worries, there's also a Legendary: Villains game where you can beat up Spider-Man and Cyclops.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb07f572aa970d-200wi&hash=6914ce304f1c41ebd50d7ca9384ed880849993b8)
Okay, to be honest, this game isn't as good as the previous four games. Those are perfectly playable with friends who are unfamiliar with the source material. This one, on the other hand, is strictly for the fans. BUT IT'S A BOARD GAME BASED ON GORMENGHAST! If you're anything like me, that's more than enough reason to make you run out and buy the game.
It plays as a reverse Cluedo. You take on the roles of kitchen boys, trying to influence and manipulate the people of Gormenghast to your benefit. Yes, everybody's a Steerpike. You will have secret mission cards telling you which characters and objects you need to get to certain places. For instance, send MR FLAY to the SILENT HALLS to search for MICE in your plot to further Lord Groan's delusions of being the Great Owl.
The game is clearly a labour of love. The character artwork is wonderful and there are quotes everywhere. There's even a Book of Ritual which you'll have to consult throughout the game in a random manner, not that different really from its arcane use in the books.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51K237xgaRL._AA160_.jpg&hash=0b121b5731e434e6f787d251644215a3e34ddd1f)
In the realms of fantasy, the battlefield is where heroism comes alive, magic is unleashed, and legends are made and unmade. From the War of the Ring, Tolkien's epic battle of good versus evil, to The Battle of the Blackwater, George R.R. Martin's grim portrait of the horror and futility of war, these fantastical conflicts reflect our highest hopes and darkest fears, bringing us mesmerizing visions of silver spears shining in the sun and vast hordes of savage beasts who threaten to destroy all that we hold dear.
Now acclaimed editor John Joseph Adams is sounding the battle cry and sixteen of today's top authors are reporting for duty, spinning never-before-published, spellbinding tales of military fantasy, including a Black Company story from Glen Cook, a Paksenarrion story from Elizabeth Moon, and a Shadow Ops story by Myke Cole. Within these pages you'll also find World War I trenches cloaked in poison gas and sorcery, modern day elite special forces battling hosts of the damned, and steampunk soldiers fighting for their lives in a world torn apart by powers that defy imagination.
Featuring both grizzled veterans and fresh young recruits alike, including Tanya Huff, Simon R. Green, Carrie Vaughn, Jonathan Maberry, and Seanan McGuire, Operation Arcana is a must for any military buff or fantasy fan.
You'll never look at war the same way again.
In this "mission debrief" Yoon Ha Lee talks to Sandra M. Odell about his Operation Arcana story "The Graphology of Hemorrhage"...
Yoon Ha Lee's work has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, Fantasy Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Lightspeed. Lee's short story collection Conservation of Shadows came out in 2013 from Prime Books. Lee's stories have also appeared in the anthologies The Year's Best SF 18, ed. David Hartwell; The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2012, ed. Rich Horton; and The Year's Best Science Fiction 29, ed. Gardner Dozois. Lee lives in Louisiana. Learn more at yoonhalee.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandra M. Odell: The characters for "The Graphology of Hemorrhage" are as rich as the setting, and as intricate as the system of magic you have devised for the story. Where did you find your inspiration for Nawong and Kodai?
Yoon Ha Lee: I knew I would only have two "real" characters in this story—two characters who had names and who would have lines of dialogue and become real to the reader–so I wanted them to have a close, amiable relationship. I liked the idea of this poor aide expecting to be assigned to some spoiled rich brat of an magician and being won over by the fact that she was not, in fact, what he expected her to be. I also knew there would be a class divide along with the rank one, so that while they would be close, they wouldn't ever entirely overcome that divide. Both characters grew from there.
SMO: The system of written magic is very precise, much like the machining of the gears of a war machine, yet are threatened by something as small as a drop of rain. The cost to the magician of wielding such power is also very precise. When creating such magic, how did you see it having come about, the pitfalls and victories of the research?
YHL: I like to think of most fantasy magic systems as coming in two general flavors, ambient and technological. (I apologize for my terminology! I've never developed a good vocabulary for this.) Ambient magic is what I see in Patricia McKillip's fiction, and a lot of fairy tales, where magic is part of the environment and it's not something you can really control in precise ways; it operates more like metaphor.
Technological magic is what you see in L.E. Modesitt, Jr.'s Recluce stories, or in pretty much anything by Brandon Sanderson that I've read, such as the Mistborn books, where magic is worked out according to defined principles and its ramifications are carefully considered–if those laws of magic existed in our world, I could guarantee that some engineering-minded person would use magic as portrayed and you would be able to codify it in math.
Although I didn't have the space to work out great levels of detail, I thought of the calligraphy magic as being more like a technological system. I expect it would have the same pitfalls and victories as learning how to build good bridges before people developed the mathematical tools. (This is my guess, anyway; I'm not an engineer or an architect, so the question of how to make a good bridge is very mysterious to me.) There would be a lot of trial and error at first and then people would start codifying principles in the interest of saving lives, or even just out of sheer scientific curiosity.
SMO: Concepts such as diversity and inclusion are almost continuously under attack by those who feel the deliberate and open representation of characters that reach beyond the expected cis-gendered, Caucasian "norm" is somehow a threat to SF/F. Your works are filled with characters that speak to readers of any number of races, preferences, and ideologies. Did you deliberately set out to forge a new mold for SF/F, or are you adding elements of your own life to write stories you would like to read?
YHL: Some from column A and some from column B. I grew up writing stories about cis-gendered straight Caucasian characters because that was what I grew up reading. I had little concept that anything else could exist because the examples weren't available. Some years back, I started becoming aware of this as a problem by reading people's book and social justice discussions on LiveJournal and similar venues.
I'm not an online activist; I don't have the temperament for it. But I do write stories. And I think about people who might want to see themselves represented in stories, the way I used to want to see myself represented. I have an eleven-year-old daughter and I remember taking her into a comic book store when she was five or six, and she walked past all the male superheroes and made a beeline for the $40 Wonder Woman statue I couldn't afford to buy her at the time. When I write female protagonists, I think of her.
I'm also trans, identifying as male, and I'm queer. I don't write about gender as much because I still find it painful to talk about. But back when I was reading science fiction in high school, as a trans teenager, pretty much the only representation I got was in the works of Jack L. Chalker and Piers Anthony. The trans representations in their works are deeply problematic and I wish there had been some other alternatives. I took what I could get–I still have nostalgic fondness for Jack L. Chalker, maybe I'm the only person for whom that's true–but I want there to be better options too.
I may not be the right person to write such stories, but maybe I can make some attempts in that direction. When I wrote "Wine" (Clarkesworld, January 2014), that story has a trans* protagonist, and it was hard–maybe one of the hardest stories I've ever written–because of the autobiographical elements that came along for the ride. Different people are going to want different things from their fiction. Some people want to envision a happier future, and that's completely legitimate–God knows, this world we have is far from perfect. In my case, I prefer to write about the world I've lived, because that's how I'm able to be honest about my own experiences. Reading about happy alternate futures just makes me more sad and bitter that I'm stuck here, so that's the direction I took. The more people do this kind of writing, the more options there will be so that readers can find what is right for them.
SMO: We never learn much of the Spiders' grievances and motives. How do you see the conflict between the Spiders and the Empire having come about?
YHL: The sad, prosaic answer to this is probably a combination of fighting over wanted resources and trying to secure defensible borders. (I'm so tempted to say "sheep." My husband and sister are really into Age of Empires 2 right now.) I should have made this more vivid in the story, though. I once wrote a (now-trunked) fantasy novel in which a war was incited, fundamentally, by the closing of an alum mine screwing up the local economy. Every single one of my beta readers agreed that this was a boring reason to go to war. Lesson learned! Now I go in for genocides. It's much easier to get readers behind a good (fictional) genocide.
(Just to be absolutely clear, I do not endorse genocides in real life!)
SMO: The depth of detail you give to the process and interpretation of calligraphy is amazing. Do you practice this art?
YHL: Sort of? Yes? Not really? I self-taught myself basic Western (Roman alphabet) calligraphy when I was a kid using those chisel-tipped marker pens, mostly Italic. I never got very good at it, but I had fun and eventually worked my way up to dip pens, including a set of Brause nibs that are honestly much nicer than my skill level. I have a book by Cari Buziak that I keep meaning to learn from, _Calligraphy Magic_, except I keep getting distracted by staring at her beautiful examples.
There is apparently legitimate (Asian) calligraphy in my family: my mother once told me that she used to watch her father do calligraphy when she was younger. He would have learned this under the Japanese occupation; he attended university in Japan. I never got to see any of this. I don't know anything useful about East Asian calligraphies, although I've messed around with a brush. Mostly what I learned is that trying to make a single clean stroke is a lot harder than it looks!
Although the calligraphy in the story is loosely based on what I know of East Asian calligraphy, the whole concept of calligraphy magic comes instead from my small but ridiculous collection of books on Western graphology (not graphanalysis). I started reading these in libraries as a child and find them wacky and delightful, especially when they start making predictions about deviant bedroom predilections based on how you form y's and g's.
SMO: What is the appeal of military fantasy? Why do so many writers–or you yourself–write about it? Why do readers love it so much?
YHL: I like it for the same reason that I like military sf–as a fictional playground for examining questions of military ethics. When I was in high school I started reading up on things like My Lai and genocide and related topics, and I've remained interested in the ways that history and human nature play out in war. Maybe that's a dark reason to be attracted to a topic. I don't, personally, have a military background of any form, although you can make me dewy-eyed about the terrible Lipton tea we used to get from the Commissary back when my dad was an Army surgeon.
I also enjoy the more intellectual side of thinking about tactics and strategy and logistics–military history is one of my favorite types of nonfiction–and the historical pageantry of reading about colorful military history figures. I'm guessing that's part of the appeal for many readers as well.
SMO: What are some of your favorite examples of military fantasy, and what makes them your favorites?
YHL: Steven Erikson's Deadhouse Gates, #2 in the Malazan Books of the Fallen. I was on tenterhooks reading about Coltaine's campaign. I really had the sense of being there, except from the nice safe comfort of my house because honestly, I am a marshmallow and I don't *really* want to have been anywhere near the brutal things that happened to Coltaine's army. Glen Cook's Black Company books for their grittiness. Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God series has military fantasy elements, although it's also epic fantasy. Pure grimdark, which is great because I *love* my grimdark. His trilogy starting with The Ten Thousand is supposed to be military fantasy but I haven't been able to get the first book in the trilogy out of any local bookstore, which is driving me mad. And while we're at it, does Warhammer 40,000 count as fantasy or science fiction? I adore the over-the-top unending war of grimdarkness, but it doesn't seem very science-based to me...
For female authors/co-authors, I enjoyed the first books of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, although I don't know much about Napoleonic or air warfare. And for something rather older, alongside the adventure/epic strand, the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman has a military strand that I enjoyed very much, especially since you have two capable female military leaders–Kitiara on the evil side, and Lauralanthalasa stepping up on the heroes' side. I was addicted to Dragonlance in middle school and learned a lot about writing from those books!
For authors of unknown sex/gender, K.J. Parker's The Company–the last paragraph sort of paraglides into what-on-earth territory, but up until that point there's a lot of great esprit and tension and a killer plot. I kind of had a crush on Kunessin for the longest time, which tells you something about me right there.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FEllisonCanCatankerous.jpg&hash=7e8477a0dba54eff29c7ed53c72f82f998bfd608)
Subterranean Press has just announced a new Harlan Ellison collection Can & Can'tankerous, publishing later this year:
Here's the book description:
Harlan Ellison has been compared to an annoying gnat, a no-see 'em buzzing in your peripheral vision till you try to swat him, and he's gone.
The great English writer Michael Moorcock—and if his name does not leave you dumbstruck with awe, you should move on—called Ellison a "fox in the sf hen-coop" whose presence will "produce a brighter, faster hen, with improved survival characteristics, laying a tastier, more nourishing egg" and went on to say Ellison was "a brave and lively little beast, who makes a great show of himself to the hounds, but remains too wary ever to lead them to his lair."
The brilliant novelist Joanna Russ, in admiring frustration, opined that Ellison's stories "have an assault on you," but complained that "they're not like a piece of sculpture that you can stop and walk around and look at from all sides." Ellison's reply: "Absolutely not; I want them to grab you by the throat and tear off parts of your body."
Ellison's a double agent who lures you into the bush, and when you blink, he's gone; you don't know whether to turn left or right, or just dig a hole. He crafts enigmas set to entrap you. When Ellison sees where a story is going, he figures—since he's writing for the smartest readers alive—you do, too. So he stops and turns left. Or right. Or widdershins. Or digs a cave with 200 tunnels.
Can & Can'tankerous gathers ten previously uncollected tales from the fifth and sixth decades of Harlan Ellison's professional writing career: a written-in-the-window endeavor that invites re-reading from the start before you've even finished it; a second entry in his (now) ongoing abcedarian sequence; a "lost" pulp tale re-cast as a retro-fable; a melancholy meditation for departed friend and fellow legend, Ray Bradbury; a 2001 revision of a 1956 original; an absurdist ascent toward enlightenment (or its gluten-free substitute); a 200-word exercise in not following the directions as written (with a special introduction by Neil Gaiman that weighs in at four times the word count of its subject); a fantastical lament for a bottom-line world; the 2011 Nebula Award-winning short story; and Ellison's most recent offering, a fusion of fact and fiction that calls to mind Russ's frustration and Moorcock's metaphor while offering a solution to the story's enigma in plain view.
Strokes be damned! Ellison's still here! HE's still writing! And with more new books published in the last ten years than any preceding decade of his career, his third act is proving to be the kind other living legends envy.
Can & Can'tankerous will be oversize, printed in two colors throughout. The signed limited edition will be over 100 pages longer than the trade hardcover, and include written-decades-earlier versions of two stories, and alternate takes of two others.
Here's the table of contents...
Table of Contents
1.How Interesting: A Tiny Man
2.Never Send to Know for Whom the Lettuce Wilts
3.Objects of Desire in the Mirror Are Closer than They Appear
4.Introduction to "Loose Cannon" by Neil Gaiman
5.Loose Cannon, or Rubber Duckies from Space
6.From A to Z, in the Sarsaparilla Alphabet
7.Weariness
8.The Toad Prince, or, Sex Queen of the Martian Pleasure-domes
9.Incognita, Inc.
10.Goodbye to All That
11.He Who Grew Up Reading Sherlock Holmes
Bonus Material (LIMITED EDITION ONLY)
12.Who Wilts the Lettuce? (The original 1957 typescript)
13.Blonde Cargo (The original 1958 typescript)
14.Weariness (The original 2005 typescript)
15.Sensible City (The 2009 revised version)
http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/can_cantankerous (http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/can_cantankerous)
Cover Reveal: Scott Lynch's The Thorn of Emberlain
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fskyseastone.net%2Fjvstin%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FThe-Thorn-of-Emberlain.jpg&hash=43d24372ac037f00611a315e455fa7b4560059fc)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316335924.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ff3d616511a7e66799280615a3061a29ebdf0f8f)
Summary: Kepler had never meant to die this way — viciously beaten to death by a stinking vagrant in a dark back alley. But when reaching out to the murderer for salvation in those last dying moments, a sudden switch takes place.
Now Kepler is looking out through the eyes of the killer himself, staring down at a broken and ruined body lying in the dirt of the alley.
Instead of dying, Kepler has gained the ability to roam from one body to another, to jump into another person's skin and see through their eyes, live their life — be it for a few minutes, a few months or a lifetime.
Kepler means these host bodies no harm — and even comes to cherish them intimately like lovers. But when one host, Josephine Cebula, is brutally assassinated, Kepler embarks on a mission to seek the truth — and avenge Josephine's death.
Thoughts: North has this wonderful knack to turn idle daydreams of mine into full fleshed-out stories that are darker and more complex than I ever tend to deal with in my own mind. First with The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, and now with Touch, I think it's safe to say that I'm hooked on North's insightful and downright poetic writing, and her ability to turn a simple "what if" into something brilliant.
Kepler is a ghost, transferring from body to body by a touch, flitting from one person to another and leaving them with no memories of the time when someone else was in control of their body. Kepler has been around for centuries, sometimes inhabiting a host for years, sometimes only a few mere seconds. This is how it's always been, until one day everything changes, and Kepler is being hunted by a group that wants to eliminate ghosts and their takeovers. Only it's not quite as simple as all that, and there's a larger mystery afoot.
For all that pains are taken to leave Kepler's original gender out of things, to me, Kepler reads as very much male. I can't quite put my finger on why, and possibly I'm dead wrong, but that's how the character came across to me. Very little is said about Kepler's origins, only their mode of dying, and that heightens the mystery and leaves you with no concrete answers by the end. And what I love is that it doesn't really matter. Kepler is Kepler. Even by their own definition. Kepler is whoever is being inhabited at that moment. Male or female, it makes no difference. There is no preference. It seems to be quite similar for many of the other ghosts that are encountered through the novel, too. I like that notion, that gender is a thing that ceases to mean anything after numerous decades and numerous hosts have passed. When you can jump into any body and live whatever life you choose, having one hard-and-fast gender that you must be for any length of time does seem a little bit too rigid a notion to keep around for long. North did wonders with expressing that without saying it outright, or trying to beat the reader over the head with the idea.
The mystery itself, of who is behind the attempted assassinations of ghosts (for ghosts can actually die if their host bodies die and there's nobody else to jump to), is interesting, though for all that there are assassination attempts, the book isn't a very action-heavy book. There are a few scenes, yes, but most of the novel involves discovery and contemplation, with plenty of flashbacks for context and to keep the reader jumping around almost as much as Harry August did. It's not quite as nonlinear as that, but it does have a large number of flashbacks, all of which do provide wonderful context and backstory and flesh out the characters and the situation a lot, and the way North handles it is skillful and deft, so while it may be a little tough for those used to more linear stories, I find that it works very well to tell numerous branches of a long story that are all coming together at pivotal points.
I mentioned earlier that North has twice written novels about concepts I've daydreamingly entertained myself with over the years. I'm somewhat obsessed with the notion of immortality, in the sense that there are multiple lives I would love to live and remember, so many things that I want to do that I don't think I could reasonably fit them into a single life. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August tackles one aspect of that, while Touch tackles another. Living your own life over again versus being mentally immortal and being able to take over a body and living whatever kind of life you can make for yourself. Both involve large amounts of money (which translate to freedom, in a sense, because some things you just can't accomplish in a timely fashion without a lot of funds on hand), which is handled as well in this book as the one before, and just as realistically. So thus far North has written 2 books that appeal to me on a very deep and personal level, and she explores the ideas in ways that I hadn't previously considered and that are far more complex and realistic than my little daydreams ever allowed for. I kind of love these books for that reason alone, that they feel like they were almost written specifically to appeal to someone with exactly my kind of mindset, and as such there's a lot of wisdom and things to reflect on that I take away from Touch. Perhaps more than the author even intended.
All this is why even when the plot slowed down or got a little too tangled in itself for a while, I loved Touch. It's a fascinating exploration of character, of what people can do when they're given the chance to live forever and lead any kind of life they want, from any point, so long as they can find the appropriate person to take over and be. The writing is beautiful, the story intricate, the characters endlessly fascinating. It questions what we accept as normal and forces us to bend our minds around an entirely new viewpoint. Utterly amazing, and well worth reading for anyone who wants to submerge themselves in a unique and powerful story.
http://bibliotropic.net/2015/03/11/touch-by-claire-north/ (http://bibliotropic.net/2015/03/11/touch-by-claire-north/)
elem, ja sam stvarno pristrasna kad je Patrick Lee u pitanju... :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1250030781.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=fc022e407f1d671bb2c7f361b8429ce06a6ae40c)
Book 2 of 2 in the Sam Dryden Series
From the bestselling author of RUNNER comes the next thriller featuring Sam Dryden, in the series that has captured the imagination of readers worldwide. In the middle of the night, ex-Special Forces operative Sam Dryden gets a urgent call from an old colleague, desperate for his help in a last-minute secret mission. Without a moment's hesitation, Dryden agrees. The two race to a remote shack in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, where they break in, rescue four kidnapped girls, then flee into the hills just seconds ahead of the arriving police and FBI team. It's then that Sam Dryden learns the real secret behind this mission. His former teammate has been working security for an old friend whose company discovered something, and developed a device around that discovery, which had the power to change the course of history. But, as Newton's laws predict, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are some very bad people determined to get their hands on this device, and will stop at nothing to do so. This hidden group apparently has the money, the connections, the men, and the material to accomplish anything they want. Now the only thing standing in their way is Sam Dryden.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1477828494.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=c17f77f1f4c00a0aeb6c61f723c81cddf2441ce6)
Bioengineer Peter Bernhardt has dedicated his life to nanotechnology, the science of manipulating matter on the atomic scale. As the founder of Biogineers, he is on the cusp of revolutionizing brain therapies with microscopic nanorobots that will make certain degenerative diseases a thing of the past. But after his research is stolen by an unknown enemy, seventy thousand people die in Las Vegas in one abominable moment. No one is more horrified than Peter, as this catastrophe sets in motion events that will forever change not only his life but also the course of human evolution.
Peter's company is torn from his grasp as the public clamors for his blood. Desperate, he turns to an old friend, who introduces him to the Phoenix Club, a cabal of the most powerful men in the world. To make himself more valuable to his new colleagues, Peter infuses his brain with experimental technology, exponentially upgrading his mental prowess and transforming him irrevocably.
As he's exposed to unimaginable wealth and influence, Peter's sense of reality begins to unravel. Do the club members want to help him, or do they just want to claim his technology? What will they do to him once they have their prize? And while he's already evolved beyond mere humanity, is he advanced enough to take on such formidable enemies and win?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FDeathWave-400.jpg&hash=b64f4f22ab5c5f23d6b410697e3987d79f09e8d0)
Six-time Hugo Award winner Ben Bova chronicles the saga of humankind's expansion beyond the solar system
In Ben Bova's previous novel New Earth, Jordan Kell led the first human mission beyond the solar system. They discovered the ruins of an ancient alien civilization. But one alien AI survived, and it revealed to Jordan Kell that an explosion in the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy has created a wave of deadly radiation, expanding out from the core toward Earth. Unless the human race acts to save itself, all life on Earth will be wiped out.
When Kell and his team return to Earth, many years after their departure, they find that their world has changed almost beyond recognition. Not only has a second wave of greenhouse flooding caused sea levels to rise, but society has been changed by the consequences of the climate shift. Few people want to face Jordan Kell's news. He must convince Earth's new rulers that the human race is in danger of extinction unless it acts to forestall the death wave coming from the galaxy's heart.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FTheHeartGoesLast-e1426446078695.jpg&hash=80aa2262c1f5a03e5edc3f24a935e29f6ca73ce7)
Margaret Atwood's upcoming novel, The Heart Goes Last, is about the effects of a social experiment on a couple who is finding it hard to make ends meet.
Here's the cover and synopsis for The Heart Goes Last...
Living in their car, surviving on tips, Charmaine and Stan are in a desperate state. So, when they see an advertisement for Consilience, a 'social experiment' offering stable jobs and a home of their own, they sign up immediately. All they have to do in return for suburban paradise is give up their freedom every second month – swapping their home for a prison cell. At first, all is well. But then, unknown to each other, Stan and Charmaine develop passionate obsessions with their 'Alternates,' the couple that occupy their house when they are in prison. Soon the pressures of conformity, mistrust, guilt and sexual desire begin to take over.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51hG0W8UXdL._UY250_.jpg)
Haunting and elegant, Hausfrau is the exceptional debut novel from the prize-winning American poet, Jill Alexander Essbaum.
Anna was a good wife, mostly . . .
Anna Benz lives in comfort and affluence with her husband and three young children in Dietlikon, a picture-perfect suburb of Zurich. Anna, an American expat, has chosen this life far from home; but, despite its tranquility and order, inside she is falling apart.
Feeling adrift and unable to connect with her husband or his family; with the fellow expatriates who try to befriend her; or even, increasingly, her own thoughts and emotions, Anna attempts to assert her agency in the only way that makes sense to her: by engaging in short-lived but intense sexual affairs.
But adultery, too, has its own morality, and when Anna finds herself crossing a line, she will set off a terrible chain of events that ends in unspeakable tragedy. As her life crashes down around her, Anna must then discover where one must go when there is no going back . . .
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BCvaiRQML._UY250_.jpg)
A hundred years ago, the Minotaurs saved Caeli-Amur from conquest. Now, three very different people may hold the keys to the city's survival.
Once, it is said, gods used magic to create reality, with powers that defied explanation. But the magic--or science, if one believes those who try to master the dangers of thaumaturgy--now seems more like a dream. Industrial workers for House Technis, farmers for House Arbor, and fisher folk of House Marin eke out a living and hope for a better future. But the philosopher-assassin Kata plots a betrayal that will cost the lives of godlike Minotaurs; the ambitious bureaucrat Boris Autec rises through the ranks as his private life turns to ashes; and the idealistic seditionist Maximilian hatches a mad plot to unlock the vaunted secrets of the Great Library of Caeli-Enas, drowned in the fabled city at the bottom of the sea, its strangeness visible from the skies above.
In a novel of startling originality and riveting suspense, these three people, reflecting all the hopes and dreams of the ancient city, risk everything for a future that they can create only by throwing off the shackles of tradition and superstition, as their destinies collide at ground zero of a conflagration that will transform the world . . . or destroy it.
Unwrapped Sky is a stunningly original debut by Rjurik Davidson, a young master of the New Weird.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51trfy-9TmL._AA160_.jpg&hash=094742e73dc4fdd9b914baa52d5eef7117daee1c)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FBlackWings4.jpg&hash=c1c01a9e2b4f815832ebd681b3cd9c3b23166afe)
This fourth instalment of S. T. Joshi's acclaimed Black Wings series features seventeen stories that continue to elaborate upon the conceptions, motifs, and imagery of H. P. Lovecraft, the most influential writer of weird fiction of the past hundred years. One of Lovecraft's favourite themes was the tale of archaeological horror, where venturesome explorers unearth hideous secrets of the ancient past that cast a baleful light on the fragility of our own existence. In this volume, a major new novella by the award-winning novelist and poet Fred Chappell, "Artifact," treats this theme with his customary panache and subtlety, while other writers such as Richard Gavin, Lois H. Gresh, Ann K. Schwader, and Donald Tyson broach the same theme in their own distinctive and diverse ways.
The cosmicism that was at the core of Lovecraft's vision finds vivid realisation in stories by Caitlín R. Kiernan, Cody Goodfellow, and Melanie Tem. John Pelan and Stephen Mark Rainey have co-written a vivid novelette fusing horror and science fiction, while Will Murray's tale of governmental espionage leads to a conclusion that bodes ill for the fate of the human race.
Lovecraft was skilled at evoking the terrors inherent in the history and topography of his native New England, and several writers in this volume—notably W. H. Pugmire and Jonathan Thomas—do the same. Jason V Brock finds Lovecraftian terror in Prague, just as Gary Fry locates it in the British countryside.
Lovecraft's patented motif of the "forbidden book" that reveals secrets too horrible to contemplate is the focus of Darrell Schweitzer's story of what can be found in an out-of-the-way bookstore, while stories by Simon Strantzas and Stephen Woodworth elaborate on the Lovecraftian themes of immortal "gods" and of dreams that reveal unwelcome truths about ourselves. The book's final contribution, by Charles Lovecraft, is nothing less than a recasting of Lovecraft's early tale "The Lurking Fear" in a cycle of twelve sonnets.
Black Wings IV shows that H. P. Lovecraft continues to inspire some of today's leading writers of weird fiction.
Here's the table of contents...
1."Half Lost in Shadow" by W. H. Pugmire
2."The Rasping Absence" by Richard Gavin
3."Black Ships Seen South of Heaven" by Caitlín R. Kiernan
4."The Dark Sea Within" by Jason V Brock
5."Sealed by the Moon' —Gary Fry
6."Broken Sleep" by Cody Goodfellow
7."A Prism of Darkness" by Darrell Schweitzer
8."Night of the Piper" by Ann K. Schwader
9."We Are Made of Stars" by Jonathan Thomas
10."Trophy" by Melanie Tem
11."Contact" by John Pelan and Stephen Mark Rainey
12."Cult of the Dead" by Lois H. Gresh
13."Dark Redeemer" by Will Murray
14."In the Event of Death" by Simon Strantzas
15."Revival" by Stephen Woodworth
16."The Wall of Asshur-sin" by Donald Tyson
17."Fear Lurks Atop Tempest Mount" by Charles Lovecraft
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IEW0B-FSL._UY250_.jpg)
It is almost impossible to describe "The Librarian", Michail Elizarov's controversial novel which caused quite a furore when in 2008 it was chose as a winner of The Russian Booker Prize. It is certainly a unique book and, you could easily argue, a book that would be a hard choice for any judge to pick as it is quite obtuse and deserves plenty of reading time to be appreciated fully. Part of the problem lies with the fact that you're never quite sure what Elizarov means with is passages. Story itself is full of symbolism and is a hallucinogenic experience at best. And yet, there's something rather clever about it. Like there's some elusive quality lying just outside of reach. While reading it I was both delighted and frustrated by it and I was often very confused by went on in it. Ultimately, keeping at it paid off though I suspect it will take multiple re-reads to truly reveal its full potential.
"The Librarian", as you would suspect, is not a not a novel about librarians per se. It is actually a book about all those horizons that books themselves open while we read them. I'm sure that since you're reading these pages you know exactly what I'm talking about. There are books that are so good at telling the tale or getting the message across that you can feel them shaping your persona and the way you feel about the subject. There have been plenty of books that singlehandedly started revolutions, religious tomes that caused unimaginable suffering and occasionally joy and those that make us feel like we're superheroes. Imagine now if that was actually true in literary sense. That reading about, say, Superman, can give you supernatural strength for a short while. That's what superficially "The Librarian" is all about. Alexei accidentally becomes one after his Siberian uncle passes away and he comes into a possession of his apartment and one of Gromov's books as part of his inheritance. Books by an obscure World War 2 Soviet author Gromov have these powers and the people who are their keepers are known as Librarians. To explain it more clearly, imagine if Gromov's works were something akin to mind-expanding drugs - some provoke calm and content, some joy and then there's the elusive seventh book that deals with political propaganda and the grasp of its message over the masses.
Elizarov's Alexei is strangely calm while navigating his literary minefield which includes plenty of mayhem and violence but I, as a reader, was anything but. I found its absurdist dimension very appealing, its symbolism less so but that's probably because I don't have the necessary knowledge to completely understand all the references. And yet, despite its many cryptic elements, on the surface of it, "The Librarian's" message is surprisingly simple. Elizarov is fascinated by the power and the powerful sway the books hold over us and simply goes on to explore it through the lenses of modern realism. And this is his brilliant idea. In a country where the concept of free speech is increasingly stamped over, Elizarov uses fantasy to talk about socialism, past times and religion. "The Librarian" has a certain Marmite-y quality to it. You'll either love it or loathe it but whatever camp you'll eventually end up in you'll probably accept it for its uniqueness. Thank goes once again to Pushkin Press for taking me to strange and wonderful heart of contemporary Russian literature.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-librarian-by-mikhail-elizarov (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-librarian-by-mikhail-elizarov)
Dakle, da ne bude zabune, ovo je stvarno ingeniozan roman! :!:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sandranewman.org%2Ficecreamcover.jpg&hash=9e03ebc195422c9830e48dd095cd86c4cd929984)
Kao prvo, glavni i u svakom pogeldu superiorni protagonist je – žena.
Kao drugo, ta žena je – crnkinja.
Kao treće, ta žena ima samo 15 godina.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sandranewman.org%2Ficecreamfullcover.jpg&hash=b6f6818010247fd71078dc0d9a77023a4579a603)
E sad, tu negde otpadaju svi čitaoci kojima je to premalo, ili previše... a po mojoj skromnoj proceni, takvih je preko 80%.
A za onih dragocenih 20%, sledi panegirik o fenomenalnom romanu The Country of Ice Cream Star.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd.gr-assets.com%2Fbooks%2F1406043997l%2F22350219.jpg&hash=b9a26e6b78d61de2d02ab3589dcbdd612850d083)
Relativno bliska budućnost, stravično post-apokaliptična, s tim da je u pitanju vrlo precizna bio-apokalipsa: bolest koja se po simptomima manifestuje kao nekakav hibrid raka i kuge, koja drži minimalnu populaciju pod restrikcijom životnog veka u okviru nekih dvadesetak godina maksimum. Dakle, glavnina civilizacije je svedena na decu, koja neretko ne dočekaju ni svoj osamnaesti rođendan. I mada bi već sam taj sinopsis ukazao na omladinsku literaturu, The Country of Ice Cream Star je isuviše uverljivo tragična i gorka ispovest da se zadrži u tim okvirima.
Ice Cream Star ima petnaest godina i polako shvata da je prestara da bude majka. Naravno, nije prestara da rodi dete, ali jeste prestara da mu bude majka, jer zna da će umreti pre no što to dete dovoljno odraste da je zapamti. Malo ko od njenog "plemena" pamti svoje roditelje, jer svi oni su deca odgojena od strane druge dece, otud im i takva imena: Ice Cream Star ima starijeg brata po imenu Vozač, koji sa nepunih osamnaest godina već ispoljava čireve i kašalj terminalne bolesti, i većinu vremena provodi pod opijatima koji donekle ublažavaju bol. I mada je iduće po redu muško dete u liniji za vođu plemena tek 16 godina staro, igra slučaja dovodi Ice Cream Star u poziciju najstarijeg pripadnika svog plemena, otud se i laća odgovornosti za ostalih 38ro dece, redom mlađe od sebe, to osim njenog bolesnog brata.
Dalje od toga ne treba ni zalaziti, ne samo zbog eventualnih spojlera, nego zbog činjenice da jednostavno nema tog sažimanja fabule koje bi ovom romanu učinilo ikakvu uslugu: roman se naprosto mora pročitati, i gotovo. :-D
Ima tu svega, naravno, to od kolonijalizma do ropstva, preko zaista ekstremno religioznog fundamentalizma i najprostijeg od svih ljudskih poriva – potrebe za pljačkom upravo onih najslabijih i najnemoćnijih, koji ni sami nemaju dovoljno ni da prežive. Ali u svom tom crnilu i tragediji, ovo je jedan neverovatno optimističan roman o opstanku, pa je kao takav zapravo i delikatna vivisekcija najosnovnijih psiholoških profila stvorenja kojeg zovemo čovekom.
Drugi fenomenalni kvalitet romana je onaj čisto jezičke prirode, koji sa prividnom degradacijom jezika zapravo proizvodi njegovu krajnju sofistikaciju, ograničavajući fond reči na ekstremnu komunikacijsku suštinu. Već unutar prve trećine romana jasno se prepoznaje da gramatička nakaradnost izraza zapravo destiliše misaone koncepte do tačke u kojoj se otkrivaju njihova osnovna, najsuštinskija značenja, a to celom romanu daje dimenziju koja bukvalno otvara vrata nove percepcije. (nešto slično je uradio i Beckett u Dark Eden, ali ovo je daleko beskompromisnije, pa otud i narativno suštinskije.)
Maestralno napisan roman, sa ekstremno surovom vrstom završnice koja, nadamo se, obećava skori nastavak. 5/5
http://www.sandranewman.org (http://www.sandranewman.org)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5137alk5knL._UY250_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51khCZ-BrlL._UY250_.jpg)
Let's face it. It's not very likely that Neil Gaiman will ever return to writing adult novels reminiscent of his illustrious past. Last year's "Ocean at the end of the lane" was by all accounts a fantastic book but it was not anything like "American Gods" or "Neverwhere". While I'm really enjoying next stage of his literary development, I'm still miss reading those feasts of imagination like his past works were and similarly to other readers I've started looking elsewhere for my fix. C. Robert Cargill seems to be a popular choice and I was not immune to his charms. "Dreams and Shadows" was compared to works of Gaiman, Del Torro and Burroughs and I completely enjoyed uniqueness of its tale and its characters. "Queen of the Dark Things", Cargill's latest book, is its sequel and offers more of the same but with a few important differences.
Story picks up six months later and finds wizard Colby in the spotlight. He's still recovering from Ewan's death and while Limestone Kingdom is saved, Colby's troubles are only starting. He is often lost in his thoughts and spends most of the time despairing and it is this despair that leads him to future events. Some old and powerful enemies are rearing their heads and he's quickly losing the remaining few friends he had left. Turn of events pushes Colby to previously unthinkable options and he is forced to enter into some dark and unfortunate alliances with Seventy-Two. Over the course of the book, through a series of flashback and excerpts, we are introduced to back story and the surprising Queen of the Dark Things is slowly revealed in front of our eyes.
"Queen of the Dark Things" is much darker book than its predecessor. Colby's grief is the true catalyst of the entire story and while characters like Kaycee Looes do a lot to offset this overarching sense of darkness, it is his own sense of self-doubt that marks the whole first part of the book. Melancholy is never far away. It will be interesting seeing whether in the next installment focus of the story will shift from Colby to Kaycee. Cargill's rich world is further explored by abovementioned excerpts from the books written by Dr. Thaddeus Ray, Ph.D. which are strewn all across the book. It is also interesting to note that despite being direct sequel to "Dreams and Shadows", "Queen of the Dark Things" works remarkably well as a standalone story so do not be discouraged if you missed the first book in the series. In his new book, Cargill has proved that he has one of the best imaginations around and a writing talent to boot. His strange world is a wondrous creation and I've really enjoyed my visit. Having said that, "Queen of the Dark Things" is far from perfect. At times due to the excessive use of excerpts and flashbacks the story loses its steam but luckily these moments are far and between. I've also really enjoyed the darker aspects of the story and the new characters were all, without an exception, very engaging and fun to read. Cargill is masterful when it comes to creating evil cast and he certainly knows how to their parts .
Ultimately, "Queen of the Dark Things" was a treat to read and well accomplished sequel. I'll be keeping my eye for the next one.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-queen-of-the-dark-things-by-c-robert-cargill (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-queen-of-the-dark-things-by-c-robert-cargill)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1607014513.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=e63375064d923f69f22eba86e08c0d79d5f15767)
Prime Books has posted the table of contents for the upcoming anthology Mermaid's and Other Mysteries of the Deep edited by Paula Guran:
Here's the table of contents...
1."Swell" by Elizabeth Bear
2."Driftglass" by Samuel R. Delaney
3."The Sea Change" by Neil Gaiman
4."Miss Carstairs and the Merman" by Delia Sherman
5."Sea-Hearts" by Margo Lanagan
6."The Drowned Mermaid" by Christopher Barzak
7."Abyssus Abyssum Invocat" by Genevieve Valentine
8."Each to Each" by Seanan McGuire
9."Somewhere Beneath Those Waves Was Her Home" by Sarah Monette
10."Salt Wine" by Peter S. Beagle
11."The Mermaid of the Concrete Ocean" by Caitlín R. Kiernan
12."Flotsam" by Amanda Downum
13."The Mermaids Singing Each to Each" by Cat Rambo
14."Rusalka3″ by Anna Taborska
15."The Mermaid Game" by Chris Howard
16."The Nebraskan and the Nereid" by Gene Wolfe
17."A Good Husband" by Angela Slatter
18."Letters to a Body on the Cusp of Drowning" by A.C. Wise
19."The Corridors of the Sea" by Jane Yolen
20."Forever, Miss Tapekwa County" by Lisa L. Hannett
21."Urchins, While Swimming" by Catherynne M. Valente
22."Magritte's Secret Agent" by Tanith Lee
Yesterday, The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog revealed the excellent cover for Ken Liu's upcoming collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. It's got some excellent (and award-winning!) stories in the table of contents, too.
But first, here's the book description:
A publishing event: Bestselling author Ken Liu selects his award-winning science fiction and fantasy tales for a groundbreaking collection—including a brand-new piece exclusive to this volume.
With his debut novel, The Grace of Kings, taking the literary world by storm, Ken Liu now shares his finest short fiction in The Paper Menagerie. This mesmerizing collection features all of Ken's award-winning and award-finalist stories, including: "The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" (Finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Theodore Sturgeon Awards), "Mono No Aware" (Hugo Award winner), "The Waves" (Nebula Award finalist), "The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species" (Nebula and Sturgeon award finalists), "All the Flavors" (Nebula award finalist), "The Litigation Master and the Monkey King" (Nebula Award finalist), and the most awarded story in the genre's history, "The Paper Menagerie" (The only story to win the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards).
A must-have for every science fiction and fantasy fan, this beautiful book is an anthology to savor
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1481442546.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ced098040272e94e54e706dd89b9c59b0b75353b)
Here's the table of contents...
1."The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species"
2."State Change"
3."The Perfect Match"
4."Good Hunting"
5."The Literomancer"
6."Simulacrum"
7."The Regular"
8."The Paper Menagerie"
9."An Advanced Readers Picture Book of Comparative Cognition"
10."The Waves"
11."Mono no aware"
12."All the Flavors"
13."A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel"
14."The Litigation Master and the Monkey King"
15."The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary"
isto tako, sad u aprilu izlazi mu i ovo:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41kS9TcaNdL._AA278_PIkin4%2CBottomRight%2C-46%2C22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg&hash=5c60f8ccdda55f785e535411a132e29d76118240)
Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.
Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.
Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.
nove knjige u aprilu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857664301.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=2f89564dbc6a83d75b9d8e7431dbd45ab2fa89c1)
Many years have passed since the events in The Deaths of Tao. The world is split into pro-Prophus and pro-Genjix factions, and is poised on the edge of a devastating new World War. A Genjix scientist who defects to the other side holds the key to preventing bloodshed on an almost unimaginable scale.
With the might of the Genjix in active pursuit, Roen is the only person who can help him save the world, and the Quasing race, too. And you thought you were having a stressful day...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857665510.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=f70c8563823848ae8f3f53ca9daeddfc94dcf932)
Six months have passed since the release of Nexus 5. The world is a different, more dangerous place.
In the United States, the terrorists – or freedom fighters – of the Post-Human Liberation Front use Nexus to turn men and women into human time bombs aimed at the President and his allies. In Washington DC, a government scientist, secretly addicted to Nexus, uncovers more than he wants to know about the forces behind the assassinations, and finds himself in a maze with no way out.
In Thailand, Samantha Cataranes has found peace and contentment with a group of children born with Nexus in their brains. But when forces threaten to tear her new family apart, Sam will stop at absolutely nothing to protect the ones she holds dear.
In Vietnam, Kade and Feng are on the run from bounty hunters seeking the price on Kade's head, from the CIA, and from forces that want to use the back door Kade has built into Nexus 5. Kade knows he must stop the terrorists misusing Nexus before they ignite a global war between human and posthuman. But to do so, he'll need to stay alive and ahead of his pursuers.
And in Shanghai, a posthuman child named Ling Shu will go to dangerous and explosive lengths to free her uploaded mother from the grip of Chinese authorities.
The first blows in the war between human and posthuman have been struck. The world will never be the same.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00UUIGVH8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=77b5b1138b72b85b95be0e889960cac57153439d)
Publication Date: April 20, 2015
An obscure author, drawn in by the mysterious Guild of Saint Cooper, must rewrite the history of a dying city. But the changes become greater than those he set out to make, and the story quickly unspools backward into its own alternate history — a world populated by giant rhododendrons, space aliens, TV's own Special Agent Dale Cooper.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1938103009.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=f8aed3c7bc625b272b0267199ab0f6f943552992)
The Sorrow Proper is a novel-length investigation of the anxiety that accompanies change. A group of aging librarians must decide whether to fight or flee from the end of print and the rise of electronic publications, while the parents of the young girl who died in front of the library struggle with their role in her loss. Anchored by the transposed stories of a photographer and his deaf mathematician lover each mourning the other's death, The Sorrow Proper attempts to illustrate how humans of all relations—lovers, parents, colleagues—cope with and challenge social "progress," a mechanism that requires we ignore, and ultimately forget, the residual in order to make room for the new, to tell a story that resists "The End."
This debut novel explores the hypothetical end of the public library system and a young theory in the hard sciences called Many Worlds, a branch of quantum mechanics that strives to prove mathematically that our lives do not follow a singular, linear path.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F057513061X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=02f0854e83caffd959feb6bc0d1333e94655733a)
At once post-cyberpunk and post-modern, Ing's extraordinary debut novel combines hard science, tarot, and images of late 20th-century Europe, as well as introducing a memorable new heroine to the genre
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513061X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513061X/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F057513089X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ea52f4e573511548e46c1e1441165db124415e22)
A riveting gothic SF adventure set in a bizarre desert city, probing the very fabric of existence, to reveal a sometimes horrifying world within
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513089X/sfsi0c-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/057513089X/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F125005303X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=47ecd50f745389c516d01898b933cd1b19bfa5c9)
Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills...like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people's lives.
Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.
As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.
A taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history, The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack is a riveting debut novel unlike any you've ever read.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1633880125.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=4a307ad937934397d07191945b228f5482f6f71d)
Jacob Kelley's family is turned upside down when an old friend turns up, waving a gun and babbling about an alien quantum intelligence. The mystery deepens when the friend is found dead in an underground bunker...apparently murdered the night he appeared at Jacob's house. Jacob is arrested for the murder and put on trial.
As the details of the crime slowly come to light, the weave of reality becomes ever more tangled, twisted by a miraculous new technology and a quantum creature unconstrained by the normal limits of space and matter. With the help of his daughter, Alessandra, Jacob must find the true murderer before the creature destroys his family and everything he loves.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fmt-static%2Fimages%2FTheAffinities-400.jpg&hash=f13495df90b2dd3dd7ce97f237b104688cfb2f7d)
In our rapidly-changing world of "social media", everyday people are more and more able to sort themselves into social groups based on finer and finer criteria. In the near future of Robert Charles Wilson's The Affinities, this process is supercharged by new analytic technologies--genetic, brain-mapping, behavioral. To join one of the twenty-two Affinities is to change one's life. It's like family, and more than family. Your fellow members aren't just like you, and they aren't just people who are likely to like you. They're also the people with whom you can best cooperate in all areas of life--creative, interpersonal, even financial.
At loose ends both professional and personal, young Adam Fisk takes the suite of tests to see if he qualifies for any of the Affinities, and finds that he's a match for one of the largest, the one called Tau. It's utopian--at first. Problems in all areas of his life begin to simply sort themselves out, as he becomes part of a global network of people dedicated to helping one another--to helping him.
But as the differing Affinities put their new powers to the test, they begin to rapidly chip away at the power of governments, of global corporations, of all the institutions of the old world. Then, with dreadful inevitability, the different Affinities begin to go to war--with one another.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51pCFO48xCL._UY250_.jpg)
For years, Rafi Delarua saw his family suffer under his father's unethical use of psionic power. Now the government has Rafi under close watch but, hating their crude attempts to analyse his brain, he escapes to the planet Punartam, where his abilities are the norm, not the exception. Punartam is also the centre for his favourite sport, wallrunning - and thanks to his best friend, he has found a way to train with the elite.
But Rafi soon realises he's playing quite a different game, for the galaxy is changing; unrest is spreading and the Zhinuvian cartels are plotting, making the stars a far more dangerous place to aim. There may yet be one solution - involving interstellar travel, galactic power and the love of a beautiful game.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/511qPqMvd5L._UY250_.jpg)
Zavcka Klist has reinvented herself: no longer the ruthless gemtech enforcer determined to keep the gems they created enslaved, she's now all about transparency and sharing the fruits of Bel'Natur's research to help gems and norms alike.
Neither Aryel Morningstar nor Dr Eli Walker are convinced that Klist or Bel'Natur can have changed so dramatically, but the gems have problems that only a gemtech can solve. In exchange for their help, digital savant Herran agrees to work on Klist's latest project: reviving the science that drove mankind to the brink of extinction.
Then confiscated genestock disappears from a secure government facility, and the more DI Varsi investigates, the closer she comes to the dark heart of Bel'Natur and what Zavcka Klist is really after - not to mention the secrets of Aryel Morningstar's own past...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41NIGYt%2B0IL._UY250_.jpg)
For years the human race was under attack from a deadly Syndrome, but when a cure was found - in the form of genetically engineered human beings, Gems - the line between survival and ethics was radically altered.
Now the Gems are fighting for their freedom, from the oppression of the companies that created them, and against the Norms who see them as slaves. And a conference at which Dr Eli Walker has been commissioned to present his findings on the Gems is the key to that freedom.
But with the Gemtech companies fighting to keep the Gems enslaved, and the horrifying godgangs determined to rid the earth of these 'unholy' creations, the Gems are up against forces that may just be too powerful to oppose.
REVIEW : A Quantum Mythology by Gavin Smith
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wiAsiOf2L._UY250_.jpg)
Well, I'm just about speechless. How to explain the sheer lunacy that is Gavin Smith's latest novel "A Quantum Mythology" just by using mere sentences? I'll certainly try but just in case here's a disclaimer before I start: this review will probably be a bit of a mess. But before I begin, I would just like to profess my love for his writings, either alone or as a mad combo with Stephen Deas. I believe Gavin is one of the strongest and most enduring new forces in British SF and I can only hope that he'll capture the attention of readers as much as he caught mine. Gavin's latest book "The Age of Scorpio" was something of a departure from his earlier works such as "Veteran" and "War in Heaven". In it he started playing with timelines and most of the plot was filled with oblique references to the events and concepts which were never fully explained. It was a commanding performance but one which was, at the time, perhaps too ambitious. And yet, in my opinion, he somehow pulled it off - I've absolutely loved it and was really looking forward to the development of the introduced technology and universe. "The Age of Scorpio" felt to me like a more fun version of Stephen Baxter - all the high concept jinx you would expect but with over the top action sequences and fun. "A Quantum Mythology" is something of an informal sequel to "The Age of Scorpio" and expands upon the same ideas. However, if you thought the latter was complex, wait until you start reading "A Quantum Mythology". In it Gavin comes out with all guns blazing and will probably leave few of the readers in complete bewilderment!
To paraphrase the synopsis, "A Quantum Mythology" takes place in present, far future and deep past. Story opens up in 1791's Birmingham as Hellaquin and Knight encounters one of many demons that grace this book. Sir Ronald Sharpely is possessed and the whole thing ends in a massacre. The chapter switches and we're in the future. Scab (familiar?) watches as nanites, already known to readers of "The Age of Scorpio" invade a monkey raised in isolation and the story takes of from there. It's a wondrous time, filled with bizarre technology but also unforgiving ruthlessness. In present (actually 6 weeks ago) in Micronesia, Lodup Satakano is preparing for a dive when he's approached by Grace, an incredibly cool woman who gives him an offer he can't refuse . Back in time, in distant past, a few remaining tribes of Northern Britain in Ubh Blaosc are fighting a strange foe that came out of the sea. All these different strands of story are presented in alternating chapters and as it slowly become obvious are connected by something that can change (and changes) the course of history. As these get unified, the story comes to epic conclusion.
"A Quantum Mythology" is a further stage in the Gavin's development as an author and I certainly love the way this is all going. He's not afraid to experiment and his playfulness combined with his knowledge comes up trumps this time. "A Quantum Mythology" is very ambitious. Its complex concepts and multiple strands require reader's attention but not in a way that's distracting. Above all, Gavin never forgets that it is also important to entertain. "A Quantum Mythology" admittedly owes a lot to greats such as Stephen Baxter, especially in those well researched bits set in distant past, but it also comes with Gavin's unique style that thrilled me to bits. This a very readable, fantastical romp across the past, present and future. Well recommended.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-a-quantum-mythology-by-gavin-smith (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-a-quantum-mythology-by-gavin-smith)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41UwZZxiOfL.jpg&hash=63164cf866a87008ec22c37ab30f2332b6e7a11c)
Stay by John Clute
Reviewed by Matthew Cheney
04 March 2015
Even a mere glance through Stay, John Clute's latest collection of book reviews, short stories, and lexicon entries, (or through any of Clute's books, really) will convince you that you are in the presence of genius.
But a genius of what type? The type that can turn a million candy wrappers into a surprisingly convincing small-scale replica of a rocket ship, or the type that zips to the heart of a zeitgeist faster than the rest of us? Is this genius a fox, a hedgehog, an anorak? Does it sing in seemingly effortless perfect pitch, or is its singing, like that of a dog, remarkable simply for being at all?
The desire to taxonomize is inevitable after reading even a few pages of Clute. He is a wild literary Linnaeus: obsessively compulsed to categorize. As someone generally uninterested in taxonomy, I have struggled to learn to read Clute appreciatively. I used to want to shoot his clay pigeonholes, to mock his neologistic frenzies, to clothe the emperor. But then I realized I was enjoying his work too much to do so. Clute's imperative to categorize is contagious. I'd passed through the portal and made my way into Cluteland.
The castle of Cluteland is the lexicon. If there were such a thing as Doctor of Diction, John Clute would have an honorary one from every honorable university in the world. We can talk about Clute's analyses and opinions and concepts and structures, taking them or leaving them by the wayside, but the feature we can never avoid in any such discussion is his words. While Clute has won numerous awards and honors over the years, it seems to me the most fitting and perfect was bestowed on him by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer with their 2009 Last Drink Bird Head Award (for Service to the SF/F Community) for "Expanding Our Vocabulary." True, true, irrefragably true! In Cluteland, the desire to categorize becomes contagious, yes, but the most magnificent plague is the delight in words.
One of Stay's most valuable features is that it reprints (with revisions) Clute's 2006 The Darkening Garden: A Short Lexicon of Horror, originally published by the (late, lamented) small press Payseur & Schmidt. While not as impressive in its girth and erudition as Clute's contributions to The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, The Darkening Garden is a marvel because it is pure essence of Clute: a tone poem skein of idiosyncrasies born out of the primordial ooze of other texts, strung together via clever lines of demarcation. Consider, for instance, this description:
In terms of the prescriptive four-seasons model of the narrative structure of Horror which governs most of the entries in this lexicon, Sighting, the first stage in that model, signals the moment when the protagonist (or the narrative voice of the story) begins to recognize a Thickening (which is the second stage) in the texture of the world, just as the Wrongness (stage one in the equivalent Fantasy model) is an augur of the Thinning (stage two) of the old world into a condition of desert Amnesia. (331)
Model is a valuable word here, for that is what Clute creates, and what he is a master of. Working through the complexities of Clute's sentences can require some exertion, but it is generally rewarding, not only for the pure sonic and grammatic wonder, but for the way ideas are dictated to dance.
Clute does not usually draw his sentences out of Gertrude Stein's Oakland, California: there's a there there, even if the there looks, on first encounter, like splat of nowhere and eye of newt. Think of the model as a sculpture, as an art object, as something that can exist for itself and by itself, that can be as much imagination as fact. Clute admits that his model in The Darkening Garden is not a definitive or exhaustive description of horror, but rather a cherrypicking in favor of the shape he wants to make: "It should be noted that little attention is paid in this lexicon to texts which frustrate the model, or can be seen as stalled at some point in the grammar, or which parody the model" (313). It is the model and not what lies outside the model that matters most.
Clute believes the model has heuristic uses, and it may, but they are surely minor. If we evaluate his models for their use-value, we miss their wonder. We do not evaluate the contraptions imagined by a Rube Goldberg or a Heath Robinson for their ability to adhere to the mundane any more than we value a Bugatti Veyron for its ability to convey us to the post office.
All roads in Cluteland digress across allusions, whims, and cross-references—well before the Internet, he was hyperlinking. It is often in the digressions that he is at his most insightful and amusing, a truth as well for his stylistic comrades, the critics John Leonard, Greil Marcus, and Lester Bangs. Clute is of their generation, a generation of free jazzers and psychedelic rockers, a generation for whom brief notices in the back pages of mimeographed culture rags could be conceived as sites for art. Leonard and Bangs are dead, but Marcus and Clute carry on in defiance of the overwhelming demand for nonfiction to cower in the shadow of fiction's artful dodges, for reviews to be commodity commentary accompanied by star rankings, for everything to be clear and interchangeable and useful and monetizable and acronymical and brandable and listacle.
Clute's desire for his models to be maps for hermenauts and blueprints for actual structures—to be, in other words, useful—works against his talents as an artist. His best contraptions are the ones most his own, and the flow of his ideas dies when stopped and chopped. Contagious as his tendencies may be, essence of Clute cannot be bottled for sale at the writer's workshop canteen. This is obvious when we see people try to take up his vocabulary. In the key of Clute, fantastika, polder, vastation, fustian, etc., all make music together because they are part of music-making models, but transferred to the dull thrum of everyday writing, they blow clunks. Watching other people wield Clute's idiolect is like watching toddlers play with sex toys: at once funny, gross, and embarrassing.
Once we move beyond the words, what becomes clear about Clute is that he is a man at odds. For instance, his recognition that the Enlightenment project of rationalizing the world can't survive in these post(to-the-nth-power)modern days is at odds with his desire to fit the world, or at least its texts, into a taxonomy—there is no more emblematically Enlightenment project than the Encyclopedia in all its world-grasping imperial glory. In The Darkening Garden, Clute is insightful about how certain literary tendencies arose in the gaps between the Enlightenment's ideals and realities, and he knows, of course, that none of his grand narrative theories can account for everything that is the case, but nonetheless, he will try, and he will labor on his Enlightenmentesque endeavors, all the while knowing his desires are doomed. Perhaps we should dub him John Quixote.
Clute's doom is our delight, however, because if we separate ourselves from the need to judge his use-value or truth-value or any other value beyond the aesthetic and wondrous, we will discover that he is, at least within the form most fitting for his talent, what he has always been: an exciting and extraordinary writer, an artist floating in his own world.
Before The Darkening Garden, Stay offers us some rarities: Clute's short stories, published occasionally over the decades (he has also published two novels, The Disinheriting Party and Appleseed). While it is often assumed that those people we call Critics are separate from those people we call Fiction Writers, this is procrustean pigeonholing, one that would never get past Cluteland's border patrols. Within the small world of science fiction, some of the best early critics were themselves accomplished fictioneers: James Blish, Damon Knight, Judith Merril. Within science fiction, it's actually easier to think of fiction writers who were critics than critics who were never fiction writers.
On the evidence of the stories here, John Clute is not a great writer of fiction, but his stories are also very much, to their credit, richly redolent of Cluteness. For me they lack the mysterious flame that gives fiction life, and are best described by Clute's own phrase for someone else's work as having "difficulty with the beat of Next that drives all great story" (168). Clute's linguistic interests cause his science fiction tales to congeal into hermetic expressions that are admirably unique but don't proffer much pleasure beyond the parsing—the effort of getting there exhausts the remnants of there there. His stories read a bit like science fictional relatives of the work of Greer Gilman, but without the alchemist's magic that transmutes mysterious etymological matter into golden strands of momentum. The stories are, though, so determinedly playing their own tune that perhaps they will delight readers more successful than I at grooving on their wavelength.
The majority of Stay is not The Darkening Garden or the short stories, but rather two hundred pages of essays and book reviews, many of them first published here at Strange Horizons. They are arranged chronologically, beginning with a review from the late (lamented?) SyFy Weekly of Gwyneth Jones's Spirit, or, The Princess of Bois Dormant and finishing with an introduction for a gallery exhibit in New South Wales in 2014. In between, there are excursions through the works of writers young and old, of fiction and non-, of novels, anthologies, story collections, and one movie (Under the Skin).
It is interesting to trace the lines of Clute's thought through the labyrinth of the essays and reviews. He's been writing reviews for over fifty years now—Stay marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of what was, he says in the introduction, his first SF review, of Philip K. Dick's Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch in 1964—and the passion that has carried that project through the decades becomes clear in these pages, as Clute repeatedly seeks from his beloved sci-fi not escape, not comfort, not a way to pass some time, but something like transcendent Truth. This explains, perhaps, why his deepest commitment is not to fantasy and horror, which he's certainly written about plenty, but to science fiction, the literature most fully enchanted by the techniques of verisimilitude. Science fiction is often said to be in opposition to realism, yet surely science fiction is the fiction that most fetishizes and worships the Real. All science fiction's powers to sense wonder and to concretize metaphors derive from each story's dogged insistence on the tale's own reality. Science fiction in the mode of Hugo Gernsback, John W. Campbell, Robert Heinlein, and all their ancestors is a determinedly realistic mode, the textual equivalent to Samuel Johnson's refutation of Bishop Berkeley's idealist philosophy by the kicking of a rock. Against the assaults of unreason, slipping signifiers, fevre dreams, and the metatexts of postmodernism, science fiction stands on the threshold of irreality and refutes it thus. (Philip K. Dick is a science fiction writer in his desperate yearning for reality. His books are elegies for the Real.) Hence the title of this collection: reality, as Clute says in his review of Adam Roberts' Jack Glass and M. John Harrison's Empty Space, is what stays. "What truly distinguishes writers like these from postmodernists," Clute writes, "is a conviction that 'reality' matters desperately, that it is worth any cost to gain sufficient skill to bleed yourself dry against the briars that scratch our eyes out in order to fail better at the task of telling it" and, he adds in a new note,—"of making it stay . . . " (155).
The conviction that "'reality' matters desperately" seems to be one Clute shares, but it causes him problems because it puts him at odds with much contemporary science fiction. Again and again in the reviews in Stay, we glimpse Clute's disenchantment with genre core samples. Reviewing Jonathan Strahan's anthology Engineering Infinity, Clute writes that "If there was solace and delight in the book (in retrospect there was a bit), or maybe even a hint of a clue of how to describe the experience of living here in the future, it had gassed through me like phlogiston" (118). (Using phlogiston here is yet another example of Clute's marvelous diction, for the word refers to an idea from seventeenth- and eighteenth-century chemistry, an idea important to the early development of chemistry as we know it, but useless for the last few centuries. The sort of science fiction Strahan published in Engineering Infinity, such a word implies, is an archaic remnant of an outmoded idea.) In another review, Clute wonders why we should bother to read Karl Schroeder's Lockstep, "whose megatext models are pure twentieth century, and which features a protagonist less deft with the gurrils than Richie Cunningham, oh Happy Days?" (218). Again and again, Clute shows, whether intentionally or not, that science fiction as science fiction cannot escape the twentieth century, its era of glory, the last time its dreams had much oomph or relevance. Why bother, indeed.
Though reviews are what Clute is perhaps best known for, and represent the longest endeavor of his career, book reviewing does not seem to me to be his natural habitat. This is not to say he's bad at it—far from it—but rather that the form confines him, and not always in the productive way that the formal requirements of lexicon and encyclopedia entries free him through constraint. Clute's reviews are at their best when the material under review allows him to expand on his ideas without riding a hobbyhorse off into the sunset. When he reviews anthologies, for instance, he often gives us all the virtues of both the book review form and his own perspective, because anthologies inevitably provide some sort of argument to bounce off of, even if it's just the argument that the stories collected within the book belong together. The varied contents of an anthology allow Clute to mix and match at will, to paint his abstract expressionist portrait of the book without being stuck to one set of characters, settings, plots. His review of two urban fantasy anthologies is a marvel, for instance—it's got plenty of ineffable Cluteness, plus real insight not only about the books themselves, but about the "urban fantasy" label and how anthologies and labels work together, for better and worse.
Sometimes, Clute collapses into the black hole of his own compulsive obsessions. The worst piece in the book is a review of Andrew Milner's Locating Science Fiction, a book Clute calls "the finest general assessment of sf theory yet published" (197), which is like praising someone for being the finest collector of balls of twine in northwestern Duluth. But this is not to disagree with Clute in his assessment of Milner's perfectly unobjectionable book, because it's not the assessment that's so awful here, but rather the fact that John Quixote can't hold himself back from charging at a windmill, in this case a monster he's mistaken for MLA citation. You read that right. The terrible giant of John Quixote's imagination is a citational practice. More than that, a citational practice he doesn't understand and can't be bothered to learn much about, but which nonetheless apparently causes him enough deep, existential grief to write about it for pages.
It's pointless to argue with a man attacking a windmill. All I will say is: Yes, Milner's citations in Locating Science Fiction are cumbersome and ugly, and some of Clute's points about why are absolutely correct, but Milner and Liverpool University Press are at fault there for not paying enough attention to clarity and precision, which the MLA, at least, encourages in their guidelines. In any case, the many citational systems out there all really do have a logic to their madness, even if their logic is not that of Cluteland. Clute's own use of bold typeface for dates (not to mention the awful all-caps and italics for new parenthetical notes) is annoying, and he himself gives us horrors such as this:
Here is Thomas Mann, ending Doktor Faustus: Das Leben des Deutschen Tonsetzers Adrian Leverküln, Erzählt von Einem Freunde (1947 Sweden; trans H. T. Lowe-Porter as Doctor Faustus: The Life of the German Composer Adrian Leverkühn as Told by a Friend 1948 US), a Pact-With-the-Devil tale ostensibly about Germany . . . (330)
Those citational briars scratching out our eyes would be cut back quite nicely by the simple addition of a Works Cited page, or even a footnote. But doing so might please Cluteland's mortal enemy, the Illuminati-like MLA.
Clute's review of Milner's citational system is revealing because it shows us that what we value in Clute (the idiosyncrasies, the passionate gabble of garble, the impossible dream of a unified field of taxonomical perfection) comes from the same engine house of compulsive obsession that makes him, at times, vexing. It takes a great eccentricity and a truly weird passion to carry a person through the sorts of work Clute does, wending his way through junkyards of tales often dully written and clumsily conceived, and if we value the work he does, we must also value the moments when John Quixote saddles up a word-powered Rocinante to save us all from evil giants, whether they be hiding as windmills or unfortunate citational practices—mere brambles, really, in the delightful cartography of Cluteland.
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2015/03/stay_by_john_cl.shtml (http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2015/03/stay_by_john_cl.shtml)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41kS9TcaNdL._UY250_.jpg)
My debut novel is a "silkpunk" epic fantasy that re-imagines the history and legends surrounding the Chu-Han Contention (202 B.C.E. to 206 B.C.E.) in a brand new archipelago world filled with magic and technology. In The Grace of Kings, two men who seem polar opposites—a descendant of an aristocratic, martial family and a ne'er-do-well commoner-turned-bandit—become good friends in the rebellion against a tyrannical emperor only to find themselves bitter rivals divided by different ideas for the right path to making the world more just.
Let me start by offering an explanation for "silkpunk." Like steampunk, silkpunk is a blend of science fiction and fantasy. But whereas steampunk takes as its inspiration the chrome-brass-glass technology aesthetic of the Victorian era, silkpunk draws inspiration from classical East Asian antiquity. My novel is thus filled with machines like soaring battle kites that lift duelists into the air, bamboo-and-silk airships propelled by giant feathered oars, underwater boats that swim like whales driven by primitive steam engines, and tunnel-digging machines enhanced with herbal lore, as well as fantasy elements like gods who bicker and manipulate, magical books that tell us what is in our hearts, giant water beasts that bring storms and guide sailors safely to shores, and illusionists who manipulate smoke to peer into opponents' minds. This is a world where the technology vocabulary is based on organic materials historically important to East Asia (bamboo, paper, silk) and seafaring cultures of the Pacific (coconut, feathers, coral) and where machines are constructed along biomechanical principles like the inventions in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The overall aesthetic sense is one of suppleness and flexibility, and I had a lot of fun coming up with the machines.
Historically, the Chu-Han Contention was a period when China was divided by mass rebellions into many kingdoms, from which two powers, Western Chu and Han, emerged as the most dominant and fought for control of all of China. The legends of heroism and betrayal during this era have been retold and re-imagined many times in Chinese literature, and they were among the first stories I learned as a child. Legends of the Chu-Han Contention thus function as one of the foundational narratives of Chinese literature in the same way that works like the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and Beowulf are foundational narratives for Western literature.
My wife was the one who gave me the idea for this novel. When I explained to her that I was having difficulty finding a good story for novel-length treatment, she reminded me that she shared the same foundational narratives with me because she had grown up watching Chinese historical romances in the form of Hong Kong TV dramas. The mythical power of these stories struck both of us, and we had an excited conversation about the potential of transposing one of these Chinese historical romances into a new cultural framework and breathe new life into it.
I decided to re-imagine the Chu-Han Contention using tropes of Western epic fantasy as well as tropes from Chinese genres like wuxia fantasy and historical romance. The novel thus has a different "feel" from many contemporary epic fantasies, with shifting POVs at different levels and an emphasis on "side stories" that advance the plot obliquely. The melded narrative technique draws from Classical Western epic tradition as well as Chinese poetic and prose traditions, leading to an effect that should feel at once strange and familiar, but perfectly fitted to the story I wanted to tell.
Finally, I want to say a few words about why I chose to tell this tale in an archipelago setting that doesn't resemble China in any way. Early on, I made the decision that I did not want to write a "magic China" story. The history of the West's encounters with China from the days of Marco Polo onward is infused with Orientalism and the colonial gaze, and I realized that it would be difficult for readers to perceive the essence of the story I wanted to tell through the haze of problematic tropes and clichés if I didn't radically alter their expectations. Thus, I created an archipelago that is physically distinct form continental China, and populated it with new cultures, peoples, customs and gods—which also forced me to examine every aspect of the source story with fresh eyes and re-imagine it. And then, over all of this, the silkpunk aesthetic overlay connects the imagined world back to its source, leading to a sense of simultaneous estrangement and familiarity that delights.
###
Author Bio: Ken Liu (http://kenliu.name (http://kenliu.name)) is an author and translator of speculative fiction, as well as a lawyer and programmer. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards, he has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov's, Analog, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and Strange Horizons, among other places. He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.
Ken's debut novel, The Grace of Kings, the first in a silkpunk epic fantasy series, will be published by Saga Press, Simon & Schuster's new genre fiction imprint, in April 2015. Saga will also publish a collection of his short stories, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, in November of 2015.
I, u oktobru će se najzad kompletirati i ova trilogija, pa ćemo da vidimo kako su (i koliko) odlični utisci prbvog dela opstali do kraja:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316246689.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=5a7b8f852dc22fce526d80263aa7278a032eb5c3)
The stunning conclusion to the trilogy that began with the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke award-winning Ancillary Justice.
For a moment, things seem to be under control for the soldier known as Breq. Then a search of Atheok Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist – someone who might be an ancillary from a ship that's been hiding beyond the empire's reach for three thousand years. Meanwhile, a messenger from the alien and mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq's enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai – ruler of an empire at war with itself.
Anaander is heavily armed and extremely unhappy with Breq. She could take her ship and crew and flee, but that would leave everyone at Athoek in terrible danger. Breq has a desperate plan. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.
(Inače, trilogija dobrano osvaja već samim naslovnicama...)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031624662X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=06c59cfaee821558efa58cb23b36605a4b47a967) (https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316246654.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=664582a2255dd4d9611b885113f9b3acd3312f67)
... debi roman u koji treba makar gvirnuti...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/516U4fN7kuL._UY250_.jpg)
A rising star in the weightless combat sport of zeroboxing, Carr "the Raptor" Luka dreams of winning the championship title. Recognizing his talent, the Zero Gravity Fighting Association assigns Risha, an ambitious and beautiful Martian colonist, to be his brandhelm––a personal marketing strategist. It isn't long before she's made Carr into a popular celebrity and stolen his heart along the way.
As his fame grows, Carr becomes an inspirational hero on Earth, a once-great planet that's fallen into the shadow of its more prosperous colonies. But when Carr discovers a far-reaching criminal scheme, he becomes the keeper of a devastating secret. Not only will his choices put everything he cares about in jeopardy, but they may also spill the violence from the sports arena into the solar system.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1771483598.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ce0b2197c8aaffd4fd2b1b7144cfa11955f97e1c)
Through the work of twenty-six writers, emerging to award-winning, The Humanity of Monsters plumbs the depths of humane monsters, monstrous humans, and the interstices between:
Monstrous heralds of change, the sight of whom only children can survive. Monsters born of the battlefield, in gunfire and frost and blood, clothed in too-familiar flesh. Monsters, human and otherwise, born of fear, and love, and retribution all, wrapped tight and inextricable one from the other: the Fallen outside of time, lovers and monsters in borrowed skin, creatures from beyond the stars, and humans who have travelled to them.
In stories by turns surreal, sublime, brutal, and haunting, there are no easy answers to be found. Only the surety that though there be monsters, you will name them false. And when you meet those who truly are, you will not know them.
1."Tasting Gomoa" by Chinelo Onwualu
2."Dead Sea Fruit" by Kaaron Warren
3."The Bread We Eat in Dreams" by Catherynne M. Valente
4."The Emperor's Old Bones" by Gemma Files
5."The Things" by Peter Watts
6."muo-ka's Child" by Indrapramit Das
7."Six" by Leah Bobet
8."The Nazir" by Sofia Samatar
9."A Handful of Earth" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
10."In Winter" by Sonya Taaffe
11."Ghostweight" by Yoon Ha Lee
12."How to Talk to Girls at Parties" by Neil Gaiman
13."Night They Missed the Horror Show" by Joe Lansdale
14."If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love" by Rachel Swirsky
15."Give Her Honey When You Hear Her Scream" by Maria Dahvana Headley
16."The Horse Latitudes" by Sunny Moraine
17."Boyfriend and Shark" by Berit Ellingsen
18."Never the Same" by Polenth Blake
19."Mantis Wives" by Kij Johnson
20."Proboscis" by Laird Barron
21."Out They Come" by Alex Dally MacFarlane
22."and Love shall have no Dominion" by Livia Llewellyn
23."You Go Where It Takes You" by Nathan Ballingrud
24."Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" by A.C. Wise
25."Theories of Pain" by Rose Lemberg
26."Terrible Lizards" by Meghan McCarron
I, najzad, svi gudizi okupljeni u jednoj knjizi:
(https://d3pdrxb6g9axe3.cloudfront.net/uploads/The_Dragon_Griaule_by_Lucius_Shepard.jpg)
Dust jacket by J. K. Potter
More than twenty-five years ago, Lucius Shepard introduced us to a remarkable fictional world, a world separated from our own "by the thinnest margin of possibility." There, in the mythical Carbonales Valley, Shepard found the setting for "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule," the classic account of an artist—Meric Cattanay—and his decades long effort to paint—and kill—a dormant, not quite dead dragon measuring 6,000 feet from end to end. The story was nominated for multiple awards and is now recognized as one of its author's signature accomplishments.
Over the years, Shepard has revisited this world in a number of brilliant, independent narratives that have illuminated the Dragon's story from a variety of perspectives. This loosely connected series reached a dramatic crossroads in the astonishing novella, "The Taborin Scale". The Dragon Griaule now gathers all of these hard to find stories into a single generous volume. The capstone of the book—and a particular treat for Shepard fans—is "The Skull," a new 40,000 word novel that advances the story in unexpected ways, connecting the ongoing saga of an ancient and fabulous beast with the political realities of Central America in the 21st century. Augmented by a group of engaging, highly informative story notes, The Dragon Griaule is an indispensable volume, the work of a master stylist with a powerful—and always unpredictable—imagination.
Limited: 300 signed numbered copies, bound in leather
Trade: Fully cloth bound hardcover edition
Table of Contents
◦ The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule
◦ The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter
◦ The Father of Stones
◦ Liar's House
◦ The Taborin Scale
◦ The Skull
◦ Story Notes
From Publishers Weekly:
"These six stories explore ground far from the high fantasy with which dragons are frequently associated. Fans of Shepard's unusual and often powerful Griaule tales will be delighted to have them all in one place."
From SFRevu:
"The stories may be enjoyed as pure fantasy or as political metaphors to suit the individual reader. Either way, they are the creation of a master storyteller and present a fascinating world different from the usual fantasy world of dragons."
From Tor.com:
"It just goes to show that there's more food for thought in each of these stories than you'll find in most full length novels. Each of them really deserves a review as long as this one, making The Dragon Griaule simply a brilliant collection. Subterranean Press has to be commended for collecting them all in one volume, because they're hard to track down individually but work together so incredibly well. Highly recommended."
From Strange Horizons:
"'The Skull' ends one strain of the Griaule narratives, and leaves an infinity more open for further exploration. It ends at a certain moment of happiness and heroism after many long journeys through sorrow, terror, and ordinary human failure. It dreams itself toward light. As does each story in the book, it makes art out of fantasy and pain... The stories together here show that the last sentence of 'The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule' was the truest one. Regardless of the forces determining our fates and telling our tales, we all live our happy endings in advance."
From SF Site:
"For many readers, several of these stories will be already familiar, three of them were Hugo nominees and widely anthologized. For new readers, rest assured that The Dragon Griaule contains stories that will alternately entrance, amuse, perplex, shock, enlighten, confound, and compel you to keep reading. It's a journey of altered lives in an altered landscape, where the fantastic and the real mingle in the lives of people who are never quite sure where their desires end and the dragon's desires begin. That's left for the reader to ponder, and in that way, the dragon Griaule remains as alive as ever."
From San Francisco Book Review:
"For fantasy lovers, this is the event of the year!"
From SF Crowsnest:
"This collection brings together six short stories and novellas about this enormous dragon, giving different perspectives on his life and influence... 'The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule' tells the story of Meric Cattanay, a man who in 1853 proposes to kill the great dragon by painting an enormous mural on its side and thus slowly poisoning him with the toxic compounds in the paint. In 'The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter', we get a glimpse of the inner workings of the dragon as we journey with Catherine inside his vast body. 'The Father Of Stones' takes us to the nearby town of Port Chantay, where a man accused of murder is pleading innocence because it was the dragon's malevolent influence that caused him to commit the atrocious act. 'Liar's House' is Hota's tale of the beautiful woman he met on the dragon's back and their unusual relationship. 'The Taborin Scale' is the story of George and Sylvia, mysteriously transported to another time at the whim of the dragon Griaule, but for what purpose they do not know. Finally, 'The Skull' brings us to a modern-day story set in a deeply political South America, where a young woman is leading a cult obsessed with the large dragon skull hidden in the jungle."
https://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/the_dragon_griaule
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51om8gQs93L._AA160_.jpg&hash=c08d5697a1a458e7f101476e18bdc0d4a711e081)
After being in work for many many years, Clive Barker's long expected new novel "The Scarlet Gospels" is finally here and the results are not what you would expect. If I remember correctly, I've read somewhere that Barker mentioned it as far back as 1993 and over the years many claims were made about its content. On one hand it was supposed to be a Barker book to end all Barker books, pushing over 232,000 words, rich in mythology and combining elements and characters from all across his canon in one massive door-stopper. Later reports mentioned that it has been scaled by significantly. Personally, I've kept my expectations in check. First version sounded a bit too ambitious and the horror as a genre has changed a lot in recent times. For me the worst possible scenario was that Barker will try to bring his characters up to contemporary standards in a way I don't like. In hindsight, I shouldn't have worried. "The Scarlet Gospels" is a surprisingly old-fashioned horror novel. It plays for maximum amount scars without using any fancy frills. Straight from the opening pages it brought be back to childhood when I was positively devouring this sort of stuff.
"The Scarlet Gospels" features two of is best loved characters and pushed them against each other. On one hand there's detective Harry D'Amour who's probably familiar to you from "Everville" and the short story "The Last Illusion" while on the other its none other than the iconic Cenobite Hell Priest Pinhead. Story recounts how the two originally met and their first encounter explains a lot about Harry's psyche. Pinhead had huge plans for him but someone Harry managed to resist him. Back in present Pinhead is up to his usual tricks and Harry's friend, blind medium Norma Paine is end up in hell after during one their investigations a Lament configuration box opens a gateway to hell. Harry is desperate and soon his ragtag band which compromises some familiar faces decides to go through the deepest recesses of hell to save her but Pinhead stands in their way. The sequences set in hell are some of the finest that Barker has put to paper.
"The Scarlet Gospels" is first Clive Barker's novel for adults in 8 years and it will instantly appeal to his constant readers. While it can be read as a standalone it's best enjoyed if you're passionate about his work so far. In that case, "The Scarlet Gospels" is a veritable treasure trove of details that explain and enrich many elements of the madcap world he's created. More importantly, "The Scarlet Gospels" is a proper, blood curdling classic horror novel that's been missing for years and that's all you can ask of it really. I've enjoyed it tremendously so here's hoping we won't have to wait another 8 years for the next one. Welcome back Pinhead, we missed you!
Debi roman: (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61JPJHcdrdL._UY250_.jpg)
House of Echoes began with both an image and a feeling. The image was of a man watching his dog run through an overgrown field in front of a dilapidated mansion. The feeling was the man's certainty that he doesn't belong there.
This initial flash became the book's first scene, and this sense of alienation became central to the novel. Through the course of the book, the chief characters—Ben and Caroline Tierney and their eccentric son, Charlie—feel increasingly estranged from their peculiar home, the odd denizens of the nearby village, and each other. House of Echoes is a thriller with tinges of horror and crime and winks at gothic conventions, but for me the crux of the story is this young family and how their lives and relationships descend into distrust, fear, and madness.
In some ways, these characters bring the worst of their problems with them when they abandon Manhattan in their search for a fresh start. They arrive in Swannhaven, a tiny village in a remote corner of New York State. Their home, the Crofts, is massive, decrepit, and filled with secrets.
World-building is generally associated with fantasy and science fiction books, but I loved the challenge of creating a place that's both grounded in our reality and governed by its own rules. For me, the key was developing a setting at once evocative, familiar, and flexible. An old house surrounded by dense forests, a village with a bloody history, characters who have no clue what they're getting themselves into: this is a classic setup. Once you establish readers' expectations you can begin to subvert them. That's when the fun starts.
The onset of a blizzard is one of plot's catalysts and I've always found winter especially rich in atmosphere. I've lived a lot of my life in cities, but went to college in Central New York and have spent a good deal of time in Western Massachusetts. Winter is serious business in these places. A bad storm can drop yards of snow and knock out your power and heat, trapping you not just in your home but within an expired century. The season's first snow always gives me a thrill, both of anticipation and of dread. These cold months can be desolate and claustrophobic, but there's also something fantastical about them: the way sound changes as it reverberates among frozen trees, how sunlight and moonlight are caught and amplified by snow and ice. As a setting, it's both beautiful and pregnant with danger.
All of the main characters in House of Echoes evolve through the narrative, but perhaps none of them undergo more of a change than the Tierney's eight-year-old son, Charlie. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I think he's my favorite. He's an unusual kid: vulnerable but strong. Smart yet lost. He finds himself (and other things...) over the course of many hours spent exploring the old growth forests around the Crofts. Many of the book's early readers had young children of their own, and a universal concern among them was how long of a leash Ben and Caroline give young Charlie. An eight year old allowed to wander the forest for hours on his own. Um, no, I don't think so. I made some tweaks accordingly. What I didn't realize until the end of the revision process was that in writing about Charlie's experiences in his mysterious forest, I was replicating an element from my own childhood. From ages 7-10, I lived on the slope of a mountain where we didn't receive any television signals. I filled my afternoons exploring overgrown footpaths lined by nettles, collecting eggs from stagnant ponds, and building dams along seasonal streams. Like Charlie, I'd just moved from a huge city and this vast, strange, natural space seemed to belong on another planet. His were the perfect eyes through which to witness the wild beauty of the forest and mountains.
Writing from Charlie's perspective was a huge amount of fun. He's a special age, one when the lines between fantasy and reality have not yet solidified. Huge, impossible creatures in the forest can be just as real and frightening and unfathomable as a mother's anger. A dreamer like Charlie is fun to write because he can imagine and believe in both miracles and terrors.
Though, as he and the rest of his family eventually learn, some terrors are all too real.
Paula Guran has shared the table of contents of her new collection, The Mammoth Book of the Mummy. No cover as of yet, but it will debut in the UK in July.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F04%2Fmummy_19300_md-300x125.gif&hash=df3bc12dc3808e28c6a435d9cd9042e81b55330e)
Our endless fascination with the past is based not only on the impressive remains of ancient monuments and temples, but with the care many cultures—most notably the Egyptian, but others too—devoted to immortalizing their dead. Gazing upon faces of those who died centuries ago—sometimes preserved by accident rather than intent—and experience a wide range of emotion. These enigmatic remains of humanity have inspired creators since the early nineteenth century; literature, film, television, games, and graphic stories all reflect their imaginings. The Mammoth Book of the Mummy presents tales written for the twenty-first century and a few brand-new stories. Some delve into the past, others explore alternative histories, and some bring mummies into our own world. Gasp, sigh, shudder, smile, and occasionally giggle at the magic wrought by these authors who all make the mummy live again.
Here's the table of contents:
1.Kage Baker, "The Queen in Yellow"
2.Gail Carriger, "The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar"
3.Paul Cornell, "Ramesses on the Frontier"
4.Terry Dowling, "The Shaddowes Box"
5.Carole Nelson Douglas, "Fruit of the Tomb"
6.Steve Duffy, "The Night Comes On"
7.Karen Joy Fowler, "Private Grave 9"
8.Will Hill, "Three Memories of Death"
9.Stephen Graham Jones, "American Mummy" (original to this collection)
10.John Langan, "On Skua Island"
11.Joe R. Lansdale, "Bubba-Ho-Tep"
12.Helen Marshall, "The Embalmer" (original to this collection)
13.Kim Newman, "Egyptian Avenue"
14.Norman Partridge, "The Mummy's Heart"
15.Adam Roberts, "Tollund"
16.Robert Sharp, "The Good Shabti"
17.Angela Slatter, "Egyptian Revival" (original to this collection)
18.Keith Taylor, "The Emerald Scarab"
19.Lois Tilton & Noreen Doyle, "The Chapter of Coming Forth by Night"
e, ovo je vrlo zanimljivo:
Tom Hunter on "Do genre awards actually sell books?"
Shortly after winning the 2013 Arthur C. Clarke Award, Dark Eden by Chris Beckett was listed as #4 in the Amazon UK charts for paid books on Kindle.
Not a subsection Amazon chart but #4 out of all the paid books being bought on Kindle at that time.
Dan Brown was #3.
Why is this important?
One of the first things I was told when I initially got involved with the Clarke Award almost a decade ago was that, while all very nice and lovely, no genre award, especially no UK genre award of which the Clarke was certainly the biggest, and ever had any real effect on actual book sales.
If we weren't selling books, the logic went, none of the other awards would be either.
Side Note 1: When I say 'selling books' I'm using this to mean sales in the kind of numbers and time frames that publishers can actually notice. I'm not really talking about a couple of extra sales at a dealer's table, although those definitely help too!
As someone who first heard of the Arthur C. Clarke Award when it was one of the deciding factors in my spontaneously buying an intriguing new book called VURT by Jeff Noon – it was printed in the back copy too, not even on the front! – I wasn't entirely sure this perceived wisdom was true, but then again I was a case study of one.
More research was needed, and since I'd been brought into the Clarke Award team with a specific mandate to increase its reach and public recognition, I knew the question of book sales, and demonstrating that we could move the needle, was going to be a large part of my mission.
Book Scan and similar tools have improved the publishing industry's ability to monitor sales, but they are only half the picture and one of the things publishing is woefully behind on is the ability to link sales to marketing or other activity.
So, let's look again at Dark Eden's sudden jump to the Top 5 spot.
First, I need to be clear that it didn't hold that position for very long compared to many of the other illustrious titles it was briefly rubbing shoulders with, and when it dropped, it was just as quickly out of the Top 100 altogether.
Right now it is number 16,643 in the same chart and, for comparison at the time of writing, last year's winner of the Clarke Award (and everything else), Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, is currently in position 2404.
Still not bad considering the book was actually first published in January 2012 and so was storming the charts over a year after it's initial publication!
Could the Clarke Award win have helped?
Short answer: yes.
A couple of other crucial factors helped too.
Credit to publisher Atlantic Books who helped by moving fast and getting behind the win as much as they could.
For instance, artwork for the paperback edition was quickly updated so that the jacket proudly announced the win in prominent text right at the top of the front cover while people were still talking about the win.
They also took the step of dramatically reducing the Kindle ebook price for a short-term promotional period down to the magic 99p figure.
That's the same magic bullet number that iTunes first insisted upon for the price of a single, by the way, and it still clearly has resonance for impulse and experimental purchasing with readers as long as it is coupled with other motivating factors inspiring people to buy the book e.g. buzz around an awards win.
Research also clearly indicates that an ebook price of 99p on its own is not necessarily going to shift any more units these days. You need the story behind the price offer as well and, of course, the fact that both Atlantic and the Clarke were promoting the heck out of this limited time pricing all over social media so people knew about it didn't hurt.
So, here at least, we can demonstrate a direct link between an award win and a sales spike where a publisher acted quickly and cannily to maximize this moment of attention.
Side Note 2: I've talked about this case study with multiple publishers and their authors since, and it's interesting that there are many different schools of thought when it comes to ebook price strategy and prizes, and I've seen many publishers opt to keep prices fixed when a book wins or is shortlisted precisely because they reason that it's now or never to get more full price sales in.
For ebooks at least, I think the #4 chart position shows it may pay better to reap the maximum number of short-term sales in order to increase and sustain word of mouth for your book in the longer term, especially if it's over a year since it's first publication when there's definitely no more marketing or PR resource in the pot to help get the message out.
This would obviously go double for any book where you know there's a sequel on the way.
This is only one case study, and not every year can work as well, but the Book Scan information I've seen for other recent Clarke Award winners shows that in the month after the win each winner enjoyed an approximate 200% positive jump in sales from their previous numbers.
That's a consistent percentage jump, and a total growth of 200% after the win would be larger the number of books being sold already. In other words, the buzz typically amplifies more the more popular the book is already.
Still, a 200% increase from projected sales of any kind still sounds pretty good to me.
Side Note 3: This is for recent winners excluding Ancillary Justice, although that did have a sales jump, it's just hard to know which bit was related to the Clarke Award as that book was winning everything!
Side Note 4: All of the above is specific about books sales of a winning title immediately following that win and doesn't, for instance, include sales of future books or the additional long-terms benefits a win might have on an author's career or their ability to do new book deals with publishers. Our best recent case study here is definitely Lauren Beukes, who is on record crediting the Clarke win for Zoo City as a major positive turning point in her career. In some cases then and award win can not only sell more of that book it can assist with the creation and sale of future books too.
In conclusion then, given the right combination of a popular winning title, an agile and willing publisher, some canny pricing and a little social media magic, it's definitely possible for a genre prize to sell rather a lot of books, even if neither the publisher or the award has a huge budget to help with the marketing.
Awards sell books. Hurrah! Mission accomplished, right?
Well, not quite. This is only a small part of the business side of awards, the side that often goes unconsidered in the rush to discuss shortlists and winners and diversity and voting blocks and self-publishing eligibility and all of the other topics that more typically make up the conversation surrounding awards.
Right now, with the 30th anniversary of the Arthur C. Clarke Award just around the corner in 2016, we're very keen to explore and develop the actual business thinking behind awards to make sure we keep growing in the right direction.
In the meantime, comments are open, and I'm especially interested to hear your own thoughts and ideas on whether an award win (or its canny price discount) has ever influenced you to purchase a particular book and, of course, whether you then went on to actually read it...
[Editor's note: Tom's agreed to come back and answer pretty much anything about anything, either in the comments or in a future blog post. Consider this an AMA with the director of a major genre award.]
Tom Hunter is the Director of the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Learn more about the prize at www.clarkeaward.com (http://www.clarkeaward.com), admire the 2015 shortlist here, and hassle him on Twitter at @clarkeaward.
http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/04/tom-hunter-on-do-genre-awards-actually-sell-books.html#more (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/04/tom-hunter-on-do-genre-awards-actually-sell-books.html#more)
In October, Tin House Books will publish The New and Improved Romie Futch by Julia Elliot.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1941040152.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ed5f89ccd0fdc8538ec9d9706b0fd9cdba07f144)
From the author of The Wilds, which Publishers Weekly called "a brilliant combination of emotion and grime, wit and horror," comes a debut novel that is part dystopian satire, part Southern Gothic tall tale: a disturbing yet hilarious romp through a surreal New South where newfangled medical technologies change the structure of the human brain and genetically modified feral animals ravage the blighted landscape.
Down on his luck and still pining for his ex-wife, South Carolina taxidermist Romie Futch spends his evenings drunkenly surfing the Internet before passing out on his couch. In a last-ditch attempt to pay his mortgage, he replies to an ad and becomes a research subject in an experiment conducted by the Center for Cybernetic Neuroscience in Atlanta, Georgia. After "scientists" download hifalutin humanities disciplines into their brains, Romie and his fellow guinea pigs start debating the works of Foucault and hashing out the intricacies of postmodern subjectivity. The enhanced taxidermist, who once aspired to be an artist, returns to his hometown ready to revolutionize his work and revive his failed marriage. As Romie tracks down specimens for his elaborate animatronic taxidermy dioramas, he develops an Ahab-caliber obsession with bagging "Hogzilla," a thousand-pound feral hog that has been terrorizing Hampton County. Cruising hog-hunting websites, he learns that this lab-spawned monster possesses peculiar traits. Pulled into an absurd and murky underworld of biotech operatives, FDA agents, and environmental activists, Romie becomes entangled in the enigma of Hogzilla's origins.
Exploring the interplay between nature and culture, biology and technology, reality and art, The New and Improved Romie Futch probes the mysteries of memory and consciousness, offering a darkly comic yet heartfelt take on the contemporary human predicament.
A ovo se već procenjuje kao odličan materijal za ekranizaciju:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0544348257.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=1d7d600172b8b7490b430bf15b1a0c60f2d03ba5)
First, we feared them. Then we fought them. Now they might be our only hope.
Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker's life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world's initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric's small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity's best chance for survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it's more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.
Action, suspense, and romance whirlpool dangerously in this cinematic saga!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51sT3NSL1tL._AA160_.jpg&hash=bbcd235ced2793dd716335d22aa744b0b274596f)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F5173shVLqOL._AA160_.jpg&hash=830222894bebe43bc3dec9675e758e3476cd6efb)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51GHVRjxAML._AA160_.jpg&hash=812a24d8830c415c9c8422a7d6fd1eb5e3b6ccd9)
When news of Alastair Reynolds' latest contract broke into headlines I was filled with such immense feeling of satisfaction but not for the reasons you might initially imagine. Sure, the contract was for cool 1 million and it was for ten books but I was not only happy for the fact that I'll have new books to read for the foreseeable future. In this instance more important than the books themselves was the fact that Alastair's work was truly appreciated by both his publisher and the public. When it comes to my heroes it often happens that one or the other is missing so the author ends up being in that dreaded "underrated" category. But no such worries for Alastair. By all accounts the entire "Poseidon's Children" trilogy has been a huge success. It is filled with innovative storytelling, life-affirming plots and now with "Poseidon's Wake" it finally comes to a close.
Similarly to its predecessors "Poseidon's Wake" is a standalone novel thematically connected to previous installments "Blue Remembered Earth and" "On the Steel Breeze". However, a note to those encountering "Poseidon's Children" for the first time: "Poseidon's Wake" relies heavily on many events that happened before and while it is certainly possible to understand everything, you'll enjoy the story at much greater depth if you read everything in order in which it was published. In "Poseidon's Wake" we once again meet members of Akinya family as their generations rush by us. Similarly as before, through their eyes we, as readers, are in a unique position to explore the world that surrounds them. It's a great literary device and the pace of change in society is obvious. It's such a treat to have such a clear and omnipresent view. This time the story unfolds through two strands that follow Kanu Akinya and Goma Akinya at they go through their paces. One of them occurs on Mars where an interesting evolution involving a rogue AI civilisation is taking place and while other unfolds on Crucible, a planet situated near Sixty-One Virginis and colonized by humans where one can meet Geoffrey's intelligent elephants known as Tantors as well as see ''The Mandala", a strange alien artefact in the sky surrounded by the mysterious and notoriously erratic Watchmakers. When a message arrives from Gliese 163, a distant unexplored system, there's a mention of Eunice Akinya. In a leap of faith two Crucible starships that can achieve half a speed of light are dispatched to discover the truth.
In a typically Reynolds' fashion this is a story full of intriguing scientific concepts, technological marvels and complex biological systems. "Poseidon's Wake" is a purest example of Reynolds I've learned to enjoy and love over all those years. Though the lives of his characters he's actually exploring the human condition - what makes as tick - and, as always, he does it in such a superb and thought provoking fashion. In my opinion, "Poseidon's Children" is his finest moment yet and "Poseidon's Wake" is a glorious conclusion of the trilogy. A wonderful book and best that British SF has to offer at the moment.
http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-poseidons-wake-by-alastair-reynolds (http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-poseidons-wake-by-alastair-reynolds)
Nije da me je Oblast otkrovenja nešto naročito oduševila, ali mi je žao što Laguna nije objavila više ništa što je Rejnolds napisao. Delovalo mi je da on može mnogo bolje, a i svemir izgrađen u toj knjizi mi je bio solidno interesantan.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316335924.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=ff3d616511a7e66799280615a3061a29ebdf0f8f)
Da, da, Touch je sve ono što su oduševljeni rivjuisti najavljivali. :-D
Claire North je šortlistovana za ovogodišnju Arthur C. Clarke nagradu sa romanom The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August, i pri tadašnjem površnom guglanju učinilo mi se da je to prvenac. Ipak, nije, pošto je Claire North jedan od pseudonima Catherine Webb, dakle, iskusne autorke sa pozamašnim opusom, a to objašnjava i visok stepen zanatske perfekcije u ovom romanu, to što se tiče sadržaja i jezika jednako.
Za sve nas koji (krajnje pristrasno xwink2 ) gotivimo film Fallen, sam koncept je zaista impresivan i veoma podatan za sve vrste eksploatacije: bestelesni entitet prelazi iz hosta u host putem najprostijeg dodira. Koncept u zadnje vreme kao da doživljava izvesni preporod, pošto su ga skoro veoma uspešno iskoristili Wesley Chu u svom serijalu Lives of Tao i David Mitchell u svom najnovijem romanu The Bone Clock, a zanimljivo je da je i u oba ta korištenja potpuno izvađen iz domena horora. Claire North sledi isti taj model, uspevajući pri tom da i minimizira fantastični aspekt, tako da koncept u njenim rukama vešto izbegava sve dimenzije natprirodnog i nezemaljskog jednako.
Iako se ne bavi odviše onim "kako" i "zašto" odgovorima, Touch nudi dovoljno informacije o samim akterima da se koncept poprilično racionalizuje, pa tako saznajemo da je glavni protagonista Kepler saznao za svoju neobičnu moć tek u momentu sopstvene smrti, kad je uspeo da zgrabi za nogu pljačkaša koji ga je brutalno ubio. Nakon toga, Kepler je vekovima prelazio iz jednog domaćina u drugi, usavršavajući pri tom sopstvenu veštinu i skupljajući saznanja o sebi sličnoj sorti.
Iz načina na koji North prezentuje koncept, ne može se zaključiti da li je fenomen sam po sebi selektivan. Naprotiv, North sračunato ostavlja mogućnost da moguće i nije, pošto se svi primeri koje nudi svode na maltene istu formulu: u pitanju je brutalno nasilna smrt, tokom koje žrtve nekako uspevaju da dotaknu golu kožu svog ubice. Iako to ne potencira, North ipak ostavlja mogućnost da se to može bukvalno svakome deseiti, jer njeni bestelesni entiteti ne poseduju ama baš nikakvu posebnost koja bi ih ma na koji način izdvojila od ostatka populacije. To otvara prilično smele i interesantne mogućnosti, pa se nadam da će se North vratiti modelu u daljim romanima.
Isto kao i Mitchell i Chu, North stavlja naglasak na neizbežna trvenja po pitanju društvene hijerarhije tih bestelesnih entiteta, u velikoj meri bazirajući svoj triler na odnose koje Kepler ima ne samo sa sebi sličnom sortom, nego i sa domaćinima čija tela koristi, ponekad i uz njihovu saglasnost. Po tom pitanju, North kao da je i pronicljivija i temeljitija od pomenutih, pa se roman lako čita i kao studija stanja čovekovog duha u najortodoksnijem mogućem značenju: šta bi to mogao hteti neko ko može biti bukvalno bilo ko, od Merlin Monro pa do Predsednika US, od filozofa preko vojskovođe pa sve no nuklearnog fizičara? Čemu bi to mogaoda stremi onaj ko ima bukvalno sve što poželi, tu uključujući i samu besmrtnost? Čime to ispunjavaju časove dokolice ljudi koji žive besmrtne živote bez ikakvih obaveza i odgovornosti?
North sve to radi u okviru veoma inteligentno osmišljenog trilera u kom ubica nema mogućnost ni da zaštiti vlasništvo nad sopstvenim telom od žrtve koju progoni. Toj vrlo delikatnoj i teško predočljivoj vezi North prilazi iz ugla sličnog onome iz kog je i Anne Rice transformisala do tada prilično trivijalan model vampira, secirajući ga iz aspekta alijenacije i snažne homoseksualne alegorije, analizirajući suštinu intimnosti.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dlwQ4wDpL._UY250_.jpg)
Vrlo impresivan roman, predočen u veoma zahtevnoj formi vešto kontrolisanog haosa. 5/5
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41LAXK6JgDL.jpg&hash=388d13394f69c7e634c948e53fd72f0f82ccabfb)
ehm, Glow.
Da, dobar roman, pa čak i više od toga, ali Beauman je sad već postao toliko nesmiljeno ambiciozan da postaje muka živa za čitanje... ne kažem da tu postoji silan raskorak između ambicije i izvedbe, jer ne postoji, u smislu da Beauman uspeva da postigne sve što je sebi zacrtao, ali to postizanje dolazi uz neki tako vidljiv napor koji strašno utiče na čitanje, bar meni. Kao kad slušate opersku divu kako iznosi ariju na samoj granici svojih kapaciteta i odjednom više nekako i ne uživate u muzici, nego samo čekate da se to već jednom završi, pre no što joj pukne glas. Isto tako i Beauman gravira prozu rečenicama koje su tako brižljivo sročene, tako maestralno sračunate, tako krcate svim mogućim značenjima kojima reči mogu da se opterete, pa još i da pri tom ostanu nesmiljeno elegantne.Čovek prosto poželi da se Bauman malko opusti i vrati dobrom osećaju zezancije koji je tako provejavao kroz njegov prethodni roman, i da već jednom prestane da se tako bespoštedno uvek iznova i be prestanka dokazuje - da, skapirali smo već odavno, jesi, genijalan si i fenomenalan, i daj se sad brate više malo opusti! :-x
Naravno, ovome se ne može dati manje od 4/5, ali bilo bi mi draže i da može, samo da je bar malko manje grčevito napisano, pošto je zaplet stvarno odličan. :(
Quote from: neomedjeni on 23-04-2015, 12:59:35
Nije da me je Oblast otkrovenja nešto naročito oduševila, ali mi je žao što Laguna nije objavila više ništa što je Rejnolds napisao. Delovalo mi je da on može mnogo bolje, a i svemir izgrađen u toj knjizi mi je bio solidno interesantan.
Ja zapravo ništa njegovog nisam čitala, donekle i zato što mi ne prijaju baš spejs opera serijali, a donekle što nikako da naiđem na neki relativno kratak a ujedno i potpuno zaokružen... ali Posejdon zaista kupi hvale sa svih strana, pa se nakanjujem da overim.
Quote from: PTY on 13-04-2015, 09:06:51
I, najzad, svi gudizi okupljeni u jednoj knjizi:
(https://d3pdrxb6g9axe3.cloudfront.net/uploads/The_Dragon_Griaule_by_Lucius_Shepard.jpg)
Dust jacket by J. K. Potter
More than twenty-five years ago, Lucius Shepard introduced us to a remarkable fictional world, a world separated from our own "by the thinnest margin of possibility." There, in the mythical Carbonales Valley, Shepard found the setting for "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule," the classic account of an artist—Meric Cattanay—and his decades long effort to paint—and kill—a dormant, not quite dead dragon measuring 6,000 feet from end to end. The story was nominated for multiple awards and is now recognized as one of its author's signature accomplishments.
Over the years, Shepard has revisited this world in a number of brilliant, independent narratives that have illuminated the Dragon's story from a variety of perspectives. This loosely connected series reached a dramatic crossroads in the astonishing novella, "The Taborin Scale". The Dragon Griaule now gathers all of these hard to find stories into a single generous volume. The capstone of the book—and a particular treat for Shepard fans—is "The Skull," a new 40,000 word novel that advances the story in unexpected ways, connecting the ongoing saga of an ancient and fabulous beast with the political realities of Central America in the 21st century. Augmented by a group of engaging, highly informative story notes, The Dragon Griaule is an indispensable volume, the work of a master stylist with a powerful—and always unpredictable—imagination.
Limited: 300 signed numbered copies, bound in leather
Trade: Fully cloth bound hardcover edition
Table of Contents
◦ The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule
◦ The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter
◦ The Father of Stones
◦ Liar's House
◦ The Taborin Scale
◦ The Skull
◦ Story Notes
From Publishers Weekly:
"These six stories explore ground far from the high fantasy with which dragons are frequently associated. Fans of Shepard's unusual and often powerful Griaule tales will be delighted to have them all in one place."
From SFRevu:
"The stories may be enjoyed as pure fantasy or as political metaphors to suit the individual reader. Either way, they are the creation of a master storyteller and present a fascinating world different from the usual fantasy world of dragons."
From Tor.com:
"It just goes to show that there's more food for thought in each of these stories than you'll find in most full length novels. Each of them really deserves a review as long as this one, making The Dragon Griaule simply a brilliant collection. Subterranean Press has to be commended for collecting them all in one volume, because they're hard to track down individually but work together so incredibly well. Highly recommended."
From Strange Horizons:
"'The Skull' ends one strain of the Griaule narratives, and leaves an infinity more open for further exploration. It ends at a certain moment of happiness and heroism after many long journeys through sorrow, terror, and ordinary human failure. It dreams itself toward light. As does each story in the book, it makes art out of fantasy and pain... The stories together here show that the last sentence of 'The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule' was the truest one. Regardless of the forces determining our fates and telling our tales, we all live our happy endings in advance."
From SF Site:
"For many readers, several of these stories will be already familiar, three of them were Hugo nominees and widely anthologized. For new readers, rest assured that The Dragon Griaule contains stories that will alternately entrance, amuse, perplex, shock, enlighten, confound, and compel you to keep reading. It's a journey of altered lives in an altered landscape, where the fantastic and the real mingle in the lives of people who are never quite sure where their desires end and the dragon's desires begin. That's left for the reader to ponder, and in that way, the dragon Griaule remains as alive as ever."
From San Francisco Book Review:
"For fantasy lovers, this is the event of the year!"
From SF Crowsnest:
"This collection brings together six short stories and novellas about this enormous dragon, giving different perspectives on his life and influence... 'The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule' tells the story of Meric Cattanay, a man who in 1853 proposes to kill the great dragon by painting an enormous mural on its side and thus slowly poisoning him with the toxic compounds in the paint. In 'The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter', we get a glimpse of the inner workings of the dragon as we journey with Catherine inside his vast body. 'The Father Of Stones' takes us to the nearby town of Port Chantay, where a man accused of murder is pleading innocence because it was the dragon's malevolent influence that caused him to commit the atrocious act. 'Liar's House' is Hota's tale of the beautiful woman he met on the dragon's back and their unusual relationship. 'The Taborin Scale' is the story of George and Sylvia, mysteriously transported to another time at the whim of the dragon Griaule, but for what purpose they do not know. Finally, 'The Skull' brings us to a modern-day story set in a deeply political South America, where a young woman is leading a cult obsessed with the large dragon skull hidden in the jungle."
https://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/the_dragon_griaule (https://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/the_dragon_griaule)
Detalj -
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F1%2F12%2FWeaveworldjap.jpg%2F200px-Weaveworldjap.jpg&hash=cf7524969191467eb8e2127c8c374d2554d7e5dd)
To jest -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Weaveworldjap.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Weaveworldjap.jpg)
Odlican je J. K. Potter btw...
ha! zanimljivo...
ne mogu da sada brzim guglanjem provalim celu priču iza originala, ali čini mi se da ovako kompletna sa zmajem ima daleko više smisla, dok to parče kao da ga baš i nema odviše... mislim, taj koncept sa djevom i krilatim zmajolikim gušterom može da znači toliko toga, da mi ne znači mnogo, skoro pa ništa.
ta-daaam!!
In October, Tor will release A Borrowed Man by Gene Wolfe. Robots, clones, and a literary mystery set 100 years in the future? Yes, please!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765381141.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=d3bb25d416b4261f26565a6b89c0d72ef3b86fc6)
A Borrowed Man: a new science fiction novel, from Gene Wolf, the celebrated author of the Book of the New Sun series.
It is perhaps a hundred years in the future, our civilization is gone, and another is in place in North America, but it retains many familiar things and structures. Although the population is now small, there is advanced technology, there are robots, and there are clones.
E. A. Smithe is a borrowed person. He is a clone who lives on a third-tier shelf in a public library, and his personality is an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer. Smithe is a piece of property, not a legal human.
A wealthy patron, Colette Coldbrook, takes him from the library because he is the surviving personality of the author of Murder on Mars. A physical copy of that book was in the possession of her murdered father, and it contains an important secret, the key to immense family wealth. It is lost, and Colette is afraid of the police. She borrows Smithe to help her find the book and to find out what the secret is. And then the plot gets complicated.
Samo jedan bezumni fanovski post.
Da mu sve po spisku, što ga niko ne prevodi?!!!!!! :cry: :cry: :cry:
Pa, možda je i bolje tako, nego da ga prevedu aljkavo... danas se u žanrovske prevode ulaže samo goli minimum, a to može da (nekako) podnese samo krajnje nezahtevna proza.
Nego, još jedna obavezna stavka na 'za overiti' listi:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/510o5VoOMWL._UY250_.jpg)
Justina Robson is one of those one-of-a-kind authors that defy easy classification. Her "Quantum Gravity" certainly looked like run of the mill action science fiction if you judged it solely by the covers but once started digging deep you would probably be surprised by what you would find - complexity, philosophy and all around strangeness. Robson's first standalone novel in years, "The Glorious Angels" doesn't hide away behind its cover art. The synopsis states it clearly and instantly promises "a thrilling mix of science, magic and sexual politics". "The Glorious Angels" delivers all this and plenty more. It is Justina Robson coming at its readers with all guns blazing.
For a book that mostly about ideas, "The Glorious Angels" sports a suitably impressive setting. The story is set on a matriarchy world ruled by mind-linked empresses. There's magic that shapes the world and is literary connected their their fickle moods. The power is spread across 8 cities and as the story open we're in Glimshard, second city of the Golden Empire and Westernmost Outpost of Civilisation. As Tralane, an engineer, is working when she overhears that Karoo has been seen. A strange creature that threatens to bring the war. That is just the beginning for her as the story unfolds through the eyes of many different very effectively used points of view we learn that Glimshard is not immune to political manipulations, backstabbings and social disorder. Amongst all this an archaeological site slowly enters the picture and brings about the chance of finding a long forgotten technology that has the power to usurp everything.
I'm intentionally obtuse about the plot as I don't want to spoil the story but if there's one advice I can give to all new readers it is that you should read "The Glorious Angels" slowly. There's an insane amount of characters, information and philosophy that just begs to be explored in details. As such, "The Glorious Angels" is one of those books that deserves a re-read and I hope to do one soon. I won't pretend that I understood everything the first time around and I've read few paragraphs more than once but that's the beauty of Robson's writing. She never looks down on the reader. Best of all, "The Glorious Angels" is a book about women - one which plays with tropes but sets them on a level playing field, which is exactly what we're all fighting for. I waited for something this intelligent for a long time and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Having previously mentioned that this was a standalone, the ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel or two so it'll be interesting seeing whether something will happen in the future. All in all - a tremendously deep read! One I would recommended to all veteran readers of the genre fiction.
evo nam i majskih gudiza:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61TLx8a6%252BaL._AA160_.jpg&hash=b66c36e2fd3b503eb4ed3d8c84b3bbeed7bf1bc5)
We're still waiting for the final Temeraire book. But meanwhile, here's a brand new story, drawing from folk tales, about a cold wizard known as the Dragon. He protects the people of a small village from the evils in the wood, but in return he demands one girl come and serve him every 10 years.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41BnuyZZevL._UY250_.jpg)
The first book by Stephenson since 2011's Reamde... and it sounds like a strange one. The world is ending, and the human race makes a desperate effort to get some survivors off the planet. Five thousand years later, the descendants of humanity are divided into seven different races, all of which decide to pay a visit to the old homeworld.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51AlCJZ1YxL._AA160_.jpg&hash=d99d0613b1b97cce0f547fe14a2f87dd1dfcfc8a)
Barker's back! And he's telling a story of two of his most famous creations: occult detective Harry D'Amour and Pinhead.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51-IxXb%252ByvL._AA160_.jpg&hash=860e598a2168828a3dfd0cd97ec66519699f3b48)
A prequel to Okorafor's Who Fears Death, this book follows a genetic experiment named Phoenix, an "accelerated woman" who looks like an adult despite being only two years old. Until the boy that Phoenix has a crush on commits suicide, and she starts to glimpse the truth about her world.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51--NpOZx9L._AA160_.jpg&hash=06f3407f580c51e92bc238ef7ce263060244b429)
David and Merrill are trying to keep their marriage together, but the cards are stacked against them. A handsome real estate developer named Steele is making advances on Merrill, and when their entire town (minus David) gets removed from time and space to another dimension entirely, Steele may have an unfair advantage in the battle for Merrill's affections.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CfHFP3WwL._UY250_.jpg)
Bacigalupi's first adult novel since his award-sweeping The Wind-Up Girl, this book takes place in a terrible future where water is scarce and Phoenix and Las Vegas are battling for control over what's left of the Colorado River. Angel Velasquez is an elite "water knife," who's on the trail of a fantastic new water source... but the cost may be too high.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WeguikooL._UY250_.jpg)
Dakle, Perfidia! :|
Ta ogromna, masivna romančuga prepuna najčistijeg destilata maestrove imaginacije i njegove opsesije najbrutalnijim i najdivljijim aspektima čovekove psihe sad već udara temelje njegovom masterpisu u kom sve one aspekte u kojima briljira dovodi do perfekcije!
Maestro koji nikada nije imao bog zna kakvu želju da ponudi simpatetične protagoniste sada ulazi u ekstreme u kojima ne nalazi za shodno da ponudi protagonistu sa barem donekle iskupljujućim osobinama.
A njegov stil, koji ionako varira od perioda u period i od serijala do serijala, sad je također ekstremno beskompromisan, bliži onom iz Underworld USA negoli onom iz The L.A. Quartet, grozničav i britak i brutalan i unikatan i lako prepoznatljiv.
Ovo je samo prva knjiga iz najavljenog novog serijala o LA Kvartetu, izapravo je prikvel koji datira radnju u svega nekoliko dana decembra 1941, sa težištem u napadu na Perl Harbor. Dadli Smit je tu okosnica radnje i koncepta jednako, i bez obzira koliko mi Dadlija već dobro poznavali, ovaj Dadli uspeva da bude svejedno nov, energičan na opijumu i benzedrinu, čovek velike vizije i njoj srazmerne bespoštedne brutalnosti, ljubavnik Beti Dejvis i dirigent kriminalnog sveta koji od LA sa lakoćom pravi društvenu i moralnu noćnu moru.
Perfidia dovodi do savršenstva balans koji joj nudi svež teren prikvela sa dubokom kros-referencijalnošću ostavljenom od strane LA Kvarteta. Taman kad ste pomislili da je o tome sve već rečeno u četiri ogromna toma, dolazi ovaj gejzir potpuno novih, bizarnih i sasvim morbidnih korupcija kroz seks, eugeniku, zatvaranje nedužnih Japanaca, pljačku njihove imovine, ritualna ubistva, ucene, političke manipulacije, svakorazne defamacije, psihopatizaciju emotivno labilnih, destrukciju duševno stabilnih, korupciju patriotskih osećanja, revamp rasističkih svetonazora i apsolutnu degradaciju svih bazičnih ljudskih vrednosti odjednom.
Niko, ali niko osim Ellroya ne bi mogao to da ovako kristalno predoči. Niko osim Ellroya ne bi mogao da napiše romančugu od 700 strana o svega dvadeset i dva decembarska dana 1941.
Šta više reći? Ne znam, stvarno: Ellroy mi sad već dođe ko član obitelji. 5/5
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41BnuyZZevL._UY250_.jpg)
Seveneves (http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-seveneves-by-neal-stephenson)
I've been incredibly excited about "Seveneves" even before I knew what it is called or what it is about. During one of the "REAMDE" promotional interviews Neal Stephenson mentioned that the book he is writing at the moment will be a hard science fiction one and that was enough for me. In my mind I was already reading something akin to "Anathem", one of my all time favourite books and the book I would probably choose as the one I would take to a desert island with me. "Anathem" has everything. It's is full of science, philosophy, innovative concepts. It is also incredibly dense - up to a point where it has it own invented language - and benefits from multiple re-reads. Compared to it, its successor "REAMDE" was an easy walk in a part - a whole enjoyable action movie which you could enjoy without using too much of your brain. So, yes, perhaps I expecting too much from "Seveneves" but still, even when fully aware of my completely unreasonable wishes it was slightly disappointing when I stated reading it. The end outcome wasn't half bad but before I go too far, here's what "Seveneves" is about.
It is a novel that opens with one of the most spectacular and bombastic statements in contemporary science fiction:
"The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason."
With the moon suddenly gone, everyone's instant reaction is bafflement closely followed by panic. As the days pass by it soon become evident that nothing particularly bad is going to happen to the Earth, that is until the scientist which resembles Neil deGrasse Tyson in everything but a name steps up to the plate and quickly reveals that due to a phenomenon dubbed as "Hard Rain" in mere two years the whole of the Earth's surface will be rendered inhabitable. What follows is a frantic race to put as much material and people as possible into orbit. All the industrial potential and production are stream into this one final effort. The future habitat is quickly built around the ISS. But everything's not rosy. The astronauts' selection process is heavily compromised and the politician rear their ugly heads all the time threatening to derail the whole effort. As the Hard Rain comes right on time and Earth goes quiet, the drama moves to space. The ISS is now a amalgam of many elements and in its micro-climate many factions are already appearing - a veritable class system - but still everything slowly ticks on. This fragile social equilibrium is suddenly completely torn apart by the arrival of one person I hoped we left behind on Earth. Sadly, in a all too predictable fashion and in a move completely untypical for Stephenson this person does appear out of nowhere and goes on to skew the whole story in a direction about which I didn't care too much about. This first part of "Seveneves" takes up over 600 pages and for most of its parts reads like budget version of Stephen Baxter who explored similar matters in much greater depths in his "Flood/Arc" duology. To be honest, I must admit that I haven't enjoyed this first bit a lot. At times I was frustrated by the lack of depth especially when you consider such rich and intriguing premise. Worst of all, there's no trace of that bonkers humour that Stephenson often uses and there's lots of bad sex.
But luckily, just at the moment when I though that everything will end up rather bad for me, Stephenson takes the story into the far future and delivers the last third of the book in a fashion that completely blew my mind. Poetic, scientific and beautiful written these last 200 pages are some of the finest stuff he has ever written. During these pages his imagination is off the scale and while the big reveal is (once again) predictable enough, the finale blew my mind. In hindsight it feels like those 650 pages were an overwritten introduction for the last 200. However, even here, when he's at his best, it almost feels like Stephenson doesn't really want his readers to leave completely satisfied. Story ends up abruptly leaving everything open to interpretation. Yes, I know.
To conclude, "Seveneves" is a strange book that will polarise the readers. The premise is great and there are bits of it that I absolutely loved and will remember fondly (last third) but at the heart of it is miles away from my favourite works such as "Anathem" or "Baroque Cycle". I think I would enjoy it so much better if it was written as a much longer duology or even a trilogy. In this shape and form it is a rather quaint hodge podge of many great elements that ultimately fail to deliver on its premise. But then again, don't dwell too much on my words - this is still Stephenson and even on his bad day he's better than 99,9% of other authors.
U zadnje vreme kao da je mala poplava istoka u žanru, i ima tu zaista jako finih priloga. evo jedan rivju o Zen Cho.
Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F519TXZ4dIiL.jpg&hash=76da2fe5b5f936b3e2f6555a5f12ea221c63aaea)
In Zen Cho's "The House of Aunts," a newcomer to a small town falls in love with a taciturn loner at their new high school. As their friendship deepens, strange details begin to accumulate around the mysterious paramour. Finally, they turn out to be a vampire, turned as a teenager, and compelled to live the life of a normal kid by their large, close-knit vampire clan.
There's probably an interesting discussion to be had about how, in the short three-years-and-change since "The House of Aunts"'s publication, we've gotten past our need to be outraged over Twilight so that we can more fully devote ourselves to being outraged over Fifty Shades of Grey. Nevertheless, even in 2015, Cho's reference point is as obvious as her games with the Twilight premise are delightful. For one thing, in her telling of the story, the vampire is the girl. For another, the vampire is the story's protagonist. For a third, the vampire isn't a vampire, but a pontianak, a creature out of Malaysian folklore who is said to rip out the intestines of its victims. And for a fourth and most important difference, while "The House of Aunts" is a love story, it is very definite about the kind of love that it considers most important, and most nurturing. When teenage vampire Ah Lee's large clan of vampire aunts decide to hunt down and eat her paramour Ridzual (for, it must be said, thoroughly justified reasons), Ah Lee acts like a proper YA heroine and stands up for her love ("'Who ask you to eat my schoolmate?' she said shrilly. 'How'm I suppose to go back to school now? So lose face!'" [p. 113]). But then she sends the boy away, because "I need to talk to my family" (p. 114).
The most refreshing and powerful statement made by "The House of Aunts" is its reminder that, for young people in particular, the bonds of family can be much more important than the object of a weeks-old infatuation. Though Ah Lee rebels against her aunts and craves relationships outside their sometimes stifling group, she also depends on their no-nonsense attitude and uncompromising support. Ah Lee's romance with Ridzual is sweetly and tenderly drawn, and the reader can't help but hope that they'll make things work. But the genius of "The House of Aunts," and its true focus, is in how it paints the bond between Ah Lee and her aunts as something that would quite obviously drive any teenage girl out of her mind with frustration, but which is simultaneously the most nurturing, loving environment any child could hope for.
She sat down on the sofa in the living room and wept for half an hour.
"Girl, what's the matter?" said Ji Ee.
"What's happening?" said Ah Chor.
"Hao ah," said Ah Ma. "Crying!"
"Crying?" said Ah Chor. "Ah Lee is crying?"
"You're crying, is it?" said Sa Ee Poh.
The diagnosis bounced from aunt to aunt, each aunt repeating it to another for certainty.
"So old already still crying!" said Ah Chor.
"Nobody has died. Your stomach is not empty. What is there to cry about?" said Sa Ee Poh.
"Ah girl, don't cry lah, ah girl." said Ji Ee. (p. 102)
The story ends with Ah Lee and Ridzual getting over their difficulties, but the purpose of their reconciliation is less to end on a note of romance, and more to finally reveal to the reader how Ah Lee became a vampire, and how her aunts supported her even in the face of mistakes and public shame. The story's conclusion—"With six aunts behind you, you can be anything" (p. 125)—leaves very little question which love story we should be focusing on.
"The House of Aunts" is not the only story in Cho's debut collection, Spirits Abroad (which collects ten stories, three original to this volume), to take a familiar piece of Western pop culture and transform it not only by making its setting or characters Malaysian, but by inverting its assumptions about gender and relationships. "The Mystery of the Suet Stain" reimagines Holmes and Watson as Sham and Belinda, Malaysian students in Cambridge. Here, Holmes's aloofness is partially the result of Sham's being a lesbian, and thus left out of the games of heterosexual matchmaking rife within the close-knit Malaysian community. Watson's affability, meanwhile, becomes something much less benign when he's recast as a beautiful girl who doesn't know how to turn away her insistent, demanding suitors—one of whom may be a demon whom only Sham can get rid of. "One-Day Travelcard for Fairyland," meanwhile, is a familiar story of fairies turning up in an English boarding school, but the students in this case are recent arrivals from Asia, who are annoyed at being asked to deal with this incursion of alien folklore.
It would be a disservice, however, to sum up Spirits Abroad—the co-winner, along with Stephanie Feldman's The Angel of Losses, of last year's Crawford Award for debut fantasy—as a pastiche of Western popular culture. All three stories discussed are vibrant pieces of work in their own right, whether or not you can spot the reference (as noted already, Twilight's moment of zeitgeist is nearly over, and yet "The House of Aunts" is as moving and funny today as it was when I first read it three years ago, and will probably long outlive its reference point). In other stories in the collection, Cho draws more purely on Malaysian folklore and on its intersections with modern life, with equally vivid results, and it is the presence of that cultural influence that rings most powerfully in all the works here. What ties the collection together, and makes it a unique and important work of modern fantasy, is its focus on culture and community. Whether they are living in their ancestral home or venturing far away from it—whether they are human or fantastical—the characters in these stories are shaped, guided, and rooted in their culture, their history, and their family, and it is those ties that remain paramount throughout their adventures.
Divided into three parts—"Here," which contains stories set in Malaysia; "There," whose stories are about Malaysian characters in the UK; and "Elsewhere," about worlds that are futuristic, fantastic, or both—Spirits Abroad is characterized by Cho's wry humor and her ability to sum up a character, a situation, or a mood in a few well-chosen words. A character's parents embrace her "with sportsmanlike enthusiasm" (p. 13), a young community organizer is "a long, bony piece of irony" (p. 41). That ability to say so much with just a few words is a crucial tool in Cho's efforts to convey how her characters and situations are shaped by the history and community that surround them. In "The First Witch of Damansara," the atheism of the heroine's late grandmother is hushed up, "less out of a concern that [Nai Nai] would be outed as a witch, than because of the stale leftover fear that she would be considered a Communist" (p. 15). Even an outsider to Malaysia's history can't help but pick up on the wealth of cultural and political nuances in that sentence—the way that atheism and Communism are juxtaposed, the fact that fear of being tarred as a Communist is "leftover."
"The First Witch of Damansara" initially seems like a story about a clash of cultures—its heroine, Vivian, lives in the UK, shocks her parents with her revealing clothing, and is the only member of her family without magical powers, to the disgust of her more traditional younger sister. With obvious symbolism, she spends the story debating whether she will be married to her British fiancé wearing a Western wedding dress (whose white color is symbolic of death in many Asian cultures) or in a bright red cheongsam. But if the story's premise leads us to expect a crisis, and a forced choice between the two cultures paralleling the choice of marriage apparel, its conclusion is that there is no choice at all. No matter what clothes she wears, Vivian can't be anything but the product of the culture and family she was raised in. Far from being disconnected from her roots, it is she who is able to lay the unquiet spirit of her grandmother to rest, to ensure that she is given the funeral rites that would have made her happy, and to make peace within her family.
Despite the presence of stories that riff on Western culture, Spirits Abroad isn't interested in cosseting or handholding Western readers. Malaysian and Chinese terms are dropped into the narrative with little or no explanation (and, in keeping with the manifesto of publisher Fixi Novo with which the book opens, are not italicized), and the nuances of the communities the stories are set in—Malaysian villages, space colonies, and student dorms alike—are treated as the norm, not an alien puzzle to be worked out. A particularly strong example of this is "The First National Forum on the Position of Minorities in Malaysia," in which the organizers of the titular congress discover that among their delegates are representatives of orang bunian, invisible spirits out of Malaysian folklore, who complain: "Don't we deserve the chance to fight for our rights? Nobody ever did a survey of our opinions. Nobody wants to know what we think. We are being marginalized!" (p. 51). The beauty of the story, however, is in conveying how the orang bunian's marginalization is part of the complex tapestry of ethnicities, religions, and interests in Malaysia—as soon as the spirit delegate makes their presence known, a debate springs up over whether they are Malaysian or Chinese, Muslim or Buddhist, and thus to which group they belong, or have the right to claim belonging to.
There's a wealth of history and politics in stories like "The First National Forum on the Position of Minorities in Malaysia" that is almost impossible for an outsider to parse (for example, and as noted by Cho in a recent interview with Sofia Samatar, a complicating aspect of her own ethnicity is the fact that she is not just Malaysian, but Malaysian-Chinese; it's a nuance whose full import foreign readers will have trouble grasping, and yet its presence can be clearly sensed in several of the stories in the collection). But Cho's characters are so immersed in their settings that getting to know them inevitably results in learning those settings. All of her characters, be they home or abroad, are steeped in a sense of community, of belonging in a particular place, and of taking that sense of place with you when you leave home. That feeling of belonging is something that can shift and change, which sometimes incorporates loss and social anxiety. The final story in the collection, "The Four Generations of Chang E," is an allegory of immigration and transformation, in which four generations of women make their way from the Earth to the Moon, defying the traditions of their own culture and prejudices of outsiders to make new lives for themselves, until finally the last of them realizes that "Past a certain point, you stop being able to go home" (p. 284). But for every character in this collection, some ties to the past and to their community still exist. Just as Ah Lee needs her aunts more than she needs her boyfriend, the characters in the other stories in Spirits Abroad need their bedrock of familiar culture, even if they've chosen to leave home or to rebel.
It is from this tension between rebellion and community that most of the stories in Spirits Abroad draw their humor. To put it another way, Cho writes in a romantic mode (she has also written works of mimetic romance, such as the novella The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo), but with a decidedly matter-of-fact sensibility. No matter how fantastical the events of her stories—or how romantic their proceedings—her characters are standing on a solid foundation of good sense, which reminds them that love is great, but what about getting good grades? So the narrator of "The Earth Spirit's Favorite Anecdote" may be a magical creature seeking the permission of the forest to dig a hole, but what he's really after is a business arrangement, and he's befuddled and wrongfooted when love comes into the picture. "Prudence and the Dragon" begins with a dose of pure surrealism:
The buses in London turned into giant cats—tigers and leopards and jaguars with hollow bodies in which passengers sat. You could still use your Oyster card on them, but bus usage dropped: the seats were soft and pink and sucked at you in a disturbingly organic way when you sat down, and the buses were given to stopping in the middle of the road to quarrel with one another. (p. 204-5)
But the story quickly becomes a domestic drama, with the titular dragon setting his sights on mousy, oblivious medical student Prudence as the maiden whom he plans to whisk off to another dimension, in the meantime appearing perfectly happy to wait on her hand and foot.
When I first read "The House of Aunts" three years ago I was stunned by its inventiveness, its vivid depiction of its setting and culture, and the deep feeling that underpinned its central relationship between Ah Lee and her aunts. I marked Cho as an author to watch, and Spirits Abroad cements my feeling that she is one of the most exciting voices in genre writing right now. Her wry and incisive portraits of Malaysian folklore and culture are fascinating to an outsider like myself, but what makes her remarkable as a genre writer is the light, assured touch of her fantastic worldbuilding, and the humor she leavens it with. An excellent collection in its own right, Spirits Abroad is also hopefully a promise of even greater things to come.
Copyright © 2015 Abigail Nussbaum (http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2015/03/spirits_abroad_.shtml)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316224006.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=639d5e50a50ee3f50989009badb4219356030caa)
A new planet. A new battle. Same war.
After barely surviving his last tour on Mars, Master Sergeant Michael Venn finds himself back on earth in enforced isolation. Through a dangerous series of operations he returns to Mars to further his investigation into the Drifters–ancient artifacts suddenly reawakened on the red planet.
But another front in the war leads his team to make the difficult journey to Saturn's moon, Titan. Here, in the cauldron of war, hides new truths about the Drifters, the origin of life in our solar system and the plans of the supposedly benevolent Gurus, who have been "sponsoring" and supporting humanity in their fight against outside invaders.
Killing Titan is the second book in the epic interstellar War Dogs trilogy from master of science fiction, Greg Bear.
super naslovnica:
Take a terrifying journey with literary masters of suspense, including Peter Straub, Kim Newman, and Caitlín R. Kiernan, visiting a place where the other is somehow one of us. These electrifying tales redefine monsters from mere things that go bump in the night to inexplicable, deadly reflections of our day-to-day lives. Whether it's a seemingly devoted teacher, an obsessive devotee of swans, or a diner full of evil creatures simply seeking oblivion, the monstrous is always there—and much closer than it appears.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1616962062.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=4fb9bc49e1803977586d96febb6a99367fdb886a)
1."A Natural History of Autumn" by Jeffrey Ford
2."Ashputtle" by Peter Straub
3."Giants of the Earth" by Dale Bailey
4."The Beginning of the Year Without Summer" by Caitlín R. Kiernan
5."A Wish From a Bone" by Gemma Files
6."The Last, Clean, Bright Summer" by Livia Llewellyn
7."The Totals" by Adam-Troy Castro
8."The Chill Clutch of the Unseen" by Kim Newman
9."Down Among the Dead Men" by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois
10."Catching Flies" by Carole Johnstone
11."Our Turn Too Will One Day Come" by Brian Hodge
12."Grindstone" by Stephen Graham Jones
13."Doll Hands" by Adam L. G. Nevill
14."How I Met the Ghoul" by Sofia Samatar
15."Jenny Come to Play" by Terry Dowling
16."Miss Ill-Kept Runt" by Glen Hirshberg
17."Chasing Sunset" by A.C. Wise
18."The Monster Makers" by Steve Rasnic Tem
19."Piano Man" by Christopher Fowler
20."Corpsemouth" by John Langan (original to the anthology)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0007593074.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=42b734edb9f6c104354a49b2e3202344b294c26d)
REVIEW SUMMARY: An early contender for Best of 2015.
MY RATING:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Baby in hand, the Vagrant must brave the dangers of the blasted lands to deliver a magical sword to the Shining City.
MY REVIEW
PROS: Imaginative setting, compelling characters, storytelling through actions and gestures, beautiful writing, frightening demons, and a powerful message.
CONS: Some readers might not appreciate Newman's stark writing style.
BOTTOM LINE: The Vagrant is a worthy read announcing a great new fantasy author.
Coming off the high of reading Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings, a silkpunk fantasy masterpiece, I assumed it would be some time before I read a work of fiction of the same caliber. You know what happens when you assume...After reading a series of glowing reviews of The Vagrant by Peter Newman I sent a request to Harper Voyager for a review copy. After reading a couple more extremely positive reviews I got tired of waiting and decided to just go ahead and order a copy. The review copy arrived first but after reading The Vagrant I can confidently say: I regret nothing! I'll just give one away to a deserving friend — after all this book deserves as wide an audience as possible. I declared The Grace of Kings an early contender for Best of 2015 and The Vagrant serves as stiff competition.
The premise of The Vagrant is simple enough. Accompanied by a baby and a goat, a nameless mute must cross demon-infested wastelands to deliver a magical sword to the Shining City, last bastion of hope. The mute is hunted by multiple factions and it is difficult to distinguish friend from foe in the ruins of a world tainted by evil.
That's it. It's simple but sometimes there's beauty in simplicity and beneath the grit and grime of The Vagrant there is no shortage of beauty. It's part fantasy and part science fiction. There are demons and knights but the demons enhance their followers with necrotech and the knights ride floating castles and caterpillar tanks. All of the shiny technology of the past has fallen to rust and disuse in the wake of the demonic incursion. The taint of the demons brings mutation and famine. The Vagrant has a sort of The Road meets Mad Max meets Children of Men vibe.
"She points to the fence where it bends low, forming half of a barbed smile. The gap is spanned by a living bridge; guards who could not stem the greed-tide are spitted together, forming a carpet."
It wouldn't feel appropriate to classify The Vagrant as grimdark fantasy. The elements of the subgenre are all present: the setting is dystopian, life is harsh and brief, the bad guys are bad and the good guys are few and far between. Newman's demons and the change they affect on the world and its inhabitants remind me of the forces of Chaos from Warhammer 40,000 — the very property that inspired the term grimdark. The Vagrant is bleak, depressive, and violent and yet...
And yet through a combination of beautiful writing and skillful characterization Newman reveals The Vagrant to be so much more. Newman's crisp writing and imaginative descriptions beg to be adapted into a graphic novel. And how do you compellingly portray a mute, a baby, and a goat? Carefully and subtly. Voiceless, the actions and interactions of the three characters still manage to speak volumes. The Vagrant's relationship with the baby, expressed through gestures rather than words, is tender and poignant. The Vagrant's relationship with the goat is frequently adversarial and comical. Other characters revolve around these three and their dialogue helps sustain the plot and fill in details. Harm and the Hammer that Walks are two further examples of Newman's excellent characterization, proving that survival isn't enough.
What really separates The Vagrant from most grimdark fantasy is that might does not (necessarily) make right. In grimdark fiction I've read plenty of cynical, disillusioned, morally ambiguous antiheroes that do whatever it takes to succeed. I've also read plenty of principled white knights in more traditional fantasy that embrace a higher code. That breed of protagonists doesn't last long in a grimdark world (i.e. Eddard Stark). From the very start of the novel the Vagrant struggles with right and wrong. Given the burden of magical sword and baby the Vagrant seeks the path of least resistance on the journey north to the Shining City.
"Harm laughs until throats clear by the door, like guns cocking, ready to fire."
The Vagrant doesn't engage in questionable pursuits but he doesn't exactly rush to defend the weak and helpless either. It's the baby (and later Harm) that perform as the Vagrant's moral compass, acting as living avatars of his conscience. At first my own world weariness rebelled at the Vagrant allowing an infant to dictate his course of action. As the Vagrant developed, truly earning the designation of hero, my beliefs developed with him and by the end I understood. Survival isn't enough and at the end of the world kindness can be even more powerful than violence.
The Vagrant's enemies are numerous. As I mentioned, Newman's demons are reminiscent Warhammer 40,000's legions of Chaos and I consider this a big plus. Like most things in the dystopian world of The Vagrant, the demons have titles rather than names: the Usurper, the First, the Demagogue, the Overlord, the Uncivil, the Knights of Jade and Ash. They would each make for great end level Boss Battles were The Vagrant to be made into a video game. These demons sprang forth from the Breach eight years prior to the opening of the book and in the time since they have established a foothold in the material world. These demons have their own flaws and motivations, each warps the world around it in its own image. Our hero's journey north takes him around and reluctantly through the domains of these demons, bringing to mind Dante's Inferno as the Vagrant experiences new circles of hell along the way.
The Vagrant surpassed all my expectations and I expect many great things to come from Peter Newman. Jaded fantasy readers should take this journey — by the end you might find a new perspective.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frecodetech.files.wordpress.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fjacket-tomorrow-and-tomorrow.jpg%3Fquality%3D80%26amp%3Bstrip%3Dinfo%26amp%3Bw%3D318%26amp%3Bh%3D480&hash=979466aff5f686388b5754c65da83a28709340b9)
Thomas Sweterlitsch
Fascinantan debi-roman, ingeniozno zamišljen i veoma impresivno izveden, jedan od najilustrativnijih primera lucidnosti savremenog SF futurizma.
Jedna od prvih opaski na roman je bila "Blade Runner with Google Glasses" i to u principu veoma vešto izdvaja samu srž koncepta kojeg roman nudi.
Čak štaviše, moglo bi se reći da se koncept izTomorrow and Tomorrow može posmatrati kao neka vrst prikvela Neuromanceru, neka vrst one famozne 'karike koja nedostaje' između naše sadašnjice i distopičnog koncepta kiberpanka.
Thomas Sweterlitsch besprekorno barata ekstrapolacijom budućnosti iz ove tako specifične post-9/11 sadašnjosti, u kojoj najradikalnije i najsuštinskije društvene i političke promene formiraju nove pejzaže bukvalno preko noći, drastično menjajući logične pravce tehnološkog razvoja, stavjlajući ga u neke potpuno nenamenske službe koje menjaju svet u treptaju oka.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow kreće premisom da je Pitsburg sravnjen sa zemljom u iznenadnom terorističkom nuklearnom napadu. Žrtve Pitsurga nisu mogle biti ni sahranjene, one su naprosto pretvorene u prah koji je ostao da leži u metarskom talogu na radioaktivnom zemljištu koje na satelitskim snimcima izgleda kao prazna očna duplja na licu zemlje.
Politička svest zemlje se promenila preko noći: jalove trzavice obaju impotetnih političkih partija odbačene su u sekundi, i to u korist jedne žene čija je vizija saniranja posledica bila svima ekstremno prihvatljiva. Predsednica Mičam otud ne samo da uvodi smrtnu kaznu, nego je i televizuje u sopstvenoj koreografiji, u kojoj dominira kao nekrunisana kraljica i vrhovni stepen Zakona i Prava, dok strebrnom olovkom potpisuje smrtne presude.
A za sanaciju tragedije Pitsburga, zemlja uključuje i sinhronizuje sve svoje resurse po pitanju skladištenja digitalnih podataka: svaki video i audio feed svih stanovnika Pitsburga se restaurira i skladišti na način koji omogućava kreiranje virtuelnog sveta sa kojim je moguća kompjuterska interakcija. Svaki telefonski poziv, svaki video klip sa mobilnih telefona, svaki snimac CC kamera na gradskim puktovima, svaki satelitski snimak koji je zahvatio Pitsburg u danima neposredno pre eksplozije pohranjen je na servere gde je kritična masa podataka eventualno kreirala trodimenzionalni virtuelni svet, savršenu digitalnu rekreaciju u koju su ljudi mogli da pristupe kroz Adware interfejs implantiran u lobanje, i tako prisustvuju poslednim danima i satima svojih bližnjih.
John Dominic Blaxton je bio jedan od arhivara te baze podataka, sa zadatkom da taj rastući virtuelni pejzaž mapira za što lakšu laičku upotrebu: svim nepoznatim ljudima je trebalo saznati imena, svim neznanim zbivanjima je trebalo otkriti uzrok, a sve to pažljivom rekonstrukcijom sporednih digitalnih podataka. Svoje retko slobodno vreme, Dominik provodi u društvu svoje trudne pokojne žene, u njenim poslednjim časovima života, dok je obilazila izloge prodavnica, sekund pre eksplozije.
A onda Dominik otkrije da neko manipuliše bazom podataka, brišući i svrhovito menjajući već odavno mapirane segmente.
Prosto je neverovatna lakoća sa kojom Thomas Sweterlitsch kreira taj distopični svet na gotovo isključivo posrednoj informaciji. U isto vreme, prosto je neverovatno kako mu polazi sa rukom da kroz konstrukciju distopije pokaže zapravo neiscrpnu zalihu iskrenog ljudskog optimizma i isto tako nepokolebljivo duboku mogućnost bolje budućnosti.
Ovaj zaista maestralno napisan triler stvorio je pravu jagmu po pitanju otkupa filmskih prava još dok je bio u rukopisu. Na kraju ga je kupio Sony, Noah Oppenheim će adaptirati scenario a Film 360 i Mark Gordon Company će ga producirati. U ogromnoj meri, sinopsis zaista može da ponudi onaj tako estetski privlačan noar šmek koji je Blade Runner imao, tako da je ovo još jedna od ekranizacija koju sa velikim nestrpljenjem očekujem.
5/5
Required Reading: 30 of the Best Horror Books (http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/04/required-reading-40-of-the-best-horror-novels.html)
do kafke se vec skoro gromoglasno nasmijao, pa me malo pomirio s izborom, ali ubrzo opet king, straub, lovecraft. jest' da je king bestselling, no o razlozima ne bih. :)
Why Writing Dates Older Science Fiction Rather Than Science
By James Wallace Harris (http://auxiliarymemory.com/2015/05/07/why-writing-dates-older-science-fiction-rather-than-science/)
If you live long enough you can watch science fiction evolve. Most fans automatically assume that it's the advancement of science that spoils older science fiction, but I disagree. "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" by Roger Zelazny is downright silly when it comes to science, but I still love the hell out of that story. It's my contention that writing dates older science fiction, and not the science.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjameswharris.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F05%2Fthe-war-of-the-worlds_thumb.jpg%3Fw%3D267%26amp%3Bh%3D400&hash=017ea1cc8074f77287563caf6520096ccd9a9814)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjameswharris.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F05%2Fthree-body-cover_thumb.jpg%3Fw%3D265%26amp%3Bh%3D400&hash=5a9c3fe5b7e9e317e9f3c372a6dee417f9dad137)
I just finished reading The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, a sophisticated 21st century science fiction novel from China. Joshua Rothman at The New Yorker called Cixin "China's Arthur C. Clarke." I've read others who have given Cixin that tag too. Clarke wrote some exciting science fiction back in the 20th century, but The Three-Body Problem storytelling dwarfs anything Clarke wrote. Clarke wasn't much of a writer, and no stylist at all. His characters were chess pieces used to fictionally illustrate his scientific prophecies. Isaac Asimov wasn't much better. Heinlein had some writing chops, decent enough in the 1950s, but his later works devolved into solipsistic characters all chatting amongst themselves.
The prose of The Three-Body Problem is refined in ways older science fiction writers never imagined. One way to understand why, is to read another essay by Joshua Rothman, "A Better Way to Think About the Genre Debate." Rothman uses an idea by the critic Northrop Frye to explain the evolution of fiction over time. Frye believed four genres exist: novel, romance, anatomy and confession. Most science fiction and fantasies are romances. Back in the 19th century before the term science fiction existed, science fiction was called scientific romances. What we call literary, Frye calls novel. Satire, social commentary, philosophy is what goes into anatomy. Confession is autobiographical. The best fiction combines three or four of Frye's genres. The best of 1950s science fiction combined romance and anatomy. The better 21st century science fiction writers combine novel, romance and anatomy. Ulysses by James Joyce is considered a novel that combines all four forms.
I'm in a 1950s science fiction reading group and we're discovering that most of the books now considered classics of the genre are rather poorly written. Many, are becoming almost unreadable. But that writing was light-years beyond the science fiction written in the 1920s and 1930s. E. E. "Doc" Smith is painful to read today. I'm worried that my favorite SF books from the 1950s and 1960s will cause young readers today to cringe at its creakiness.
Part of the clunky factor of older science fiction was the poor writing standards of that era. SF editors of the time were not very discerning, and most SF writers wrote quickly to pay bills. Much of the stuff being published in the 1950s came from 1930s and 1940s pulps, and most of the original SF written in the 1950s was slapped together for cheap paperback publishers.
Genre SF tended to focus on the fantastic, the adventure, and were all romance in Frye's terminology. The trouble is, the fantasies of one generation eventually fail for future generations. To last, a book needs elements of the novel and anatomy by Frye's definitions. Modern readers will find E. E. "Doc" Smith's romances silly today. They were pure romance, crudely written. His books might still work for people who enjoy a comic book level of fictional reality, but not for anyone who enjoys the richness of modern fantastic literature.
Goodreads has a nice listing of Best Science Fiction of the 21st Century. At the top of the list is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Cline's exciting and fun story is still not a literary masterpiece by snooty New York literary types, but it is better written and told than most 20th century science fiction. It's not brilliant like Nineteen Eighty-Four, but then George Orwell wasn't a genre novelist. Nor does Cline attempt a distinctive style like Samuel R. Delany, J. G. Ballard or Ursula K. Le Guin began doing for SF back in the 1960s. Cline just uses all the good writing practices that modern writers use today. Cline's novel is fun and speaks to a 21st century audience that remembers the 1980s. I grew up reading Heinlein and Bradbury, writers shaped by their personal experiences of the 1930s and 1940s. Since science fiction tends to be about the future, younger writers are both more savvy about the future, and better trained as writers. They have decades of better novels to study, and they probably graduated from writer workshops like Clarion, or even attend MFA programs.
The exciting aspects of The Three-Body Problem still involve science fictional concepts that have been around since the 19th century, but with new 21st century twists. Just being able to integrate computer networks, the world wide web and computer games into a story gives 21st century science fiction a huge advantage over 20th century science fiction. But I don't think that's why Cixin novel is better. His plot is elegantly complex. His characters, although not great by modern literary standards, are far more engaging than what we encountered in most 20th century science fiction. But most of all, he knows how to weave far more information into his fiction without doing infodumps. Older writers often stopped their story to just narrate information they wanted their readers to know. Newer writers know how to paint the background while keeping the story going.
Certainly the Ex Machina robot Ava beats the hell out of Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet in both looks and AI mind power. But if you watch the old movie today it creaks. Ex Machina deals with the complexity of artificial intelligence so adroitly that it's narrative creates a thrilling fictional mystery that even people who have no interest in AI can engage. That was also true for The Imitation Game. Good modern writers can take even the most abstract subject and make it into a compelling story.
It's surprising how quickly old science fiction develops a patina of quaintness. And for any theme within science fiction, we can see evolutionary development over time. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell from 1996 is far more sophisticated at exploring religion and first contact than 1958's A Case of Conscience by James Blish. More than that, her story is told with far more skill. I expect the next science fiction writer to take a swing at the subject will supplant the other two for a couple decades. And that's the nature of writing science fiction. We've been rewriting the old science fiction ideas since H. G. Wells. New writers have to top old writers. If they don't, readers will just keep reading the old favorites. Sure science advances, but writing seems to be advancing faster. Otherwise, how could we keep telling alien invasion stories over and over?
Sometimes an old book is just as good or better than a modern equivalent exploring the same theme. Station Eleven is beautiful written, but it doesn't have the insight into after the apocalypse that Earth Abides revealed to readers in 1949. Both are great novels. And here's the case for young people to read older novels. Not everything from the past suffers literary decay. Earth Abides can still take on a recent heavy-weight like The Road by Cormac McCarthy. George R. Stewart wasn't writing from inside the SF genre. And many of the powerful science fiction books that survive from that era turn out to be written by non-genre writers. Two other examples are On the Beach by Neville Shute and Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. Fifty years from now, future readers will probably be reading The Time Travel's Wife by Auddrey Niffenneggar rather than any time travel stories from Asimov's Science Fiction or Analog.
I believe most of the old classic science fiction from the 20th century that's still in print is because of nostalgic rereading. Baby boomers and millennials push their favorite books onto their children and grand children, and keep them in print. Very few great science fiction novels from mid-20th century remain relevant today. A story like Earth Abides by George R. Stewart still works because a world-wide plague that kills off 99.99% of the population can still happen. But 1950s interplanetary adventures and galactic empires just seem silly today, like a Buck Rodgers serial did to me in the 1960s.
Post Hubble Space Telescope astronomy has made the cosmos light up in IMAX Technicolor so old science fiction seems like old black and white movies. Yet, that's not the reason why those old novels are becoming forgotten. It's the writing. Not the science. I'm not sure any of the nine novels selected by the Library of America as the best of 1950s science fiction will survive. My friend Mike claims The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester is just as fresh today as it was in the 1950s. That's because of Bester's skill at writing. In the last few years I've reread A Case of Conscience, The Long Tomorrow, Double Star, The Space Merchants and More Than Human, I tried to read Who? and The Big Time. I'm sorry, but these books just don't stack up to what I'm reading today.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjameswharris.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F05%2Fflowers-for-algernon_thumb.jpg%3Fw%3D253%26amp%3Bh%3D400&hash=8315835d0d76639455e679e0e2227ea74e841632)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjameswharris.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F05%2Fevolution-of-bruno-littlemore_thumb.jpg%3Fw%3D260%26amp%3Bh%3D400&hash=fcdd0c573934d4e1038d87b025185267ed24bd1e)
One of the challenges facing older science fiction fans reading modern science fiction is the trend for literary writers to invade our genre. Literary novels are slower in pace and more wordy, so fans of older action oriented pulp fiction can find the newer stories plodding. But I encourage them to try and adapt. One reason why Flowers for Algernon is still loved and read today is because Daniel Keyes was a good writer and introducing literary techniques to the genre fifty years ago.
Every decade or two I'll reread my favorite science fiction books I grew up reading. Sometimes I find a nostalgic glow of rediscovery and sometimes I find a scary sensation of surprised disbelief that I ever loved this story. Because the words in the books don't change I have to worry that it's me that's gone through some kind of cynical transformation. As teenagers we find books that are easy and exciting to read. We don't have much life experience or critical wisdom. Most of us at that age read whatever we stumble upon. We can bond and imprint on books that are terrible examples of writing. Then as we grow older, and read widely, we get exposed to better writing and writers. We may love our old raggedy stories, but eventually they become toys we need to put away.
Uz lansiranje nestrpljivo iščekivanog nastavka jednog zaista odličnog romana, Chris Beckett dao par veoma interesantnih razmišljanja:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0804138702.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL500_.jpg&hash=4746d3c526e9e16f27928475d416602dd87cb279)
Fiction, the Future, and Responsibility (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2015/05/guest-post-chris-beckett-mother-eden-fiction-future-responsibility/)
Science fiction is usually, at least nominally, about the future. It's not the real future of course, it's at best hypothetical one, and often not even a possible one. But generally speaking, the story takes place at a time which is ahead of the one we're currently living in, and therefore can be read, at least at some level, as a map of our direction of travel.
That being so, what responsibilities does that place upon us as science fiction writers? Three questions come up for me. Firstly, to what extent is it okay to write about a future that we know will never happen? Secondly, how do we write about future environmental catastrophe without either encouraging fatalism, or raising false hopes? Thirdly, what are the downsides of projecting our past or present into the future? I'll discuss these one by one.
Impossible futures
The basis of the 'Mundane' movement in science fiction is that it's not particularly healthy to build our imaginary futures on impossible premises. As Geoff Ryman puts it:
Being a Mundane boils down to avoiding old tropes and sticking more closely to what science calls facts. We believe that for most of us, the future is here on Earth...
I don't believe in starships. At least not the starships that turn up so regularly in Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, etc. The speed of the universe is c. Go faster than 'c' and something catastrophic happens: mass becomes infinite. We have no idea what that means. It's a mathematician's way of saying something can't happen.
Yet mass-market SF still dreams of faster-than-light travel, through such tropes as warp drives. The Physics of Star Trek by Laurence M Krauss calculates that warp drives would consume energy equivalent to whole galaxies. This is his way of saying something can't happen without alienating the Star Trek fans who bought the book.
If there are wormholes or portals I see no way that something can travel through them without being converted into energy or crushed by gravitational forces. This is Geoff's way of saying the starship gets wrecked.
On this argument stories involving widespread interstellar travel, and certainly the very large number involving galactic empires and wars, do not describe a real future, but are simply fantasy, fantasy which, Ryman has suggested, is based on a rather adolescent desire to escape from the world we're actually in.
Does this matter? Well, my Eden books describe a planet that's outside the galactic disc (and could therefore only possibly be reached by FTL travel) so I have a kind of vested interest here, but I would defend my decision to set my story there in two ways. Firstly, it seems reasonable to assume that there is life on other planets. That's real, that's part of the world, and that being so, I think it's legitimate to want to visit them in our imaginations, given that we probably can never visit them in fact. Secondly, the way the story is set up does not offer Eden as the future of our own civilization, but rather as a kind of thought experiment about an isolated community, which has to recap much of our own history all over again. Others in more objective positions will be better placed to judge.
But I do share some of Ryman's disquiet. I feel uneasy about the fact that the SF shelves in bookshops are so dominated by space fantasies. There must be a downside to constantly reimagining, over and over and over, a future that will never happen, rather than thinking about futures that might actually occur. And I think it's this that gives SF its widespread reputation among non-SF readers of being, dare I say it, somewhat escapist and immature.
Given that all the evidence suggests that human beings will not be able to escape from the limitations of Earth, should we not be thinking rather more about our future here?
Grim darkness versus cosy apocalypse
Thoughts like these have led me to feel that I'd like to write a novel at some point about a real threat that is facing us, the threat of catastrophic global warming. We're in the middle of a glorious reckless bonfire of fossil fuels that took millions of years to lay down, and the evidence seems to be fairly conclusive that, if we don't douse that bonfire down, there are going to be some very nasty consequences for our descendants.
But how to write it? If I depict an entirely grim future why would anyone want to read it, and where would be the story? The story would already have happened, and this would just be a long way of saying "the end."
But suppose I set the book in a world degraded by climate change and add some hope. In spite of everything, perhaps, a group of people are building a new community and finding ways to adjust to the changed circumstances. Will this not give the message that actually we don't really need to worry about climate change because people will cope somehow and it may even be kind of fun? Brian Aldiss coined the phrase cosy catastrophe to describe this latter kind of danger. I remember back in the 1980s I wrote to Doris Lessing (whose work, incidentally, I hugely admire), to suggest that she should be more careful about depicting new communities arising from the ashes of a nuclear holocaust.
But you may notice that I haven't written my climate change novel. I haven't yet figured out how to resolve this dilemma.
It'll always be the same
A lot of science fiction, even if set far in the future, is based on the premise that things will be essentially the same. There will be empires, there will be tyrannies, there will be wars over resources. However technologically advanced, we humans will fight for territory and dominance like a bunch of turbocharged chimpanzees.
I met a German SF writer recently, Karsten Kruschel, who grew up in the old East Germany. He told me that under Communist rule it was forbidden to write stories set in a future where socialism had not triumphed. Stifling and oppressive as such a rule is, you can see a crazy sort of logic in it. Marxism claims that Socialism and then Communism are inevitable, and that this is simply the law of history. The depiction of any other kind of future, therefore, would have called this principle into question.
Leaving aside the strange closed world of the GDR, the more general point stands. If we believe that social progress is possible, that history has a forward motion –if not towards Communism, then towards greater justice, say, or more personal freedom, or gender equality– are we not undermining that progress if we depict futures which are just as brutal, unjustice or unfree as the present? Are we not calling into question the hope on which progress depends? Some critics argued that Dark Eden, with its depiction of a society increasingly dominated by men, was guilty of suggesting that patriarchy would always triumph in the end. It wasn't my intended message (see my comments above about Eden as a thought experiment rather than a depiction of our future), but again I must leave others to judge.
Certainly there is a challenge here to science fiction writers who believe in social progress: if you really do believe in it, shouldn't you depict it in your imagined futures? But this raises difficulties too, difficulties which are the mirror image of those raised by catastrophe stories. Utopias are dull settings for stories. They too are extended ways of writing "the end."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0804138680.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=73101809da6009d139a89d836543968611dcfa32)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41fMfwmztaL._AA160_.jpg&hash=c923fe9bac32735611293e3ce3bfeb7161b563f6)
May sees the publication of the new English edition of Philippe Claudel's seminal novel "Grey Souls". Originally published in 2005 as "Les Âmes Grises", upon its publication "Grey Souls" was both a critical and commercial success and it even won the prestigious Prix Renaudot. In hindsight it was a crucial novel for Claudel as it set the stage for many works that followed in its wake, most notably "The Investigation" and "Monsieur Linh and His Child". Similarly to these "Grey Souls" deals a metaphysical aspects of an investigation and the consequences of living an ordinary life during the horrific war.
"Grey Souls" revolves around a murder of a young girl which was committed in 1917 but only solved two decades later. The story is set in a small French town situated near the Western Front, in fact the battles are fought so close that the sounds and smells of death are palpable in the streets. One winter morning, a ten year old daughter of an innkeeper is found strangled in a canal. In the chaos of war, blood boils fast and soon enough, two men, deserters, are accused and quickly executed. Witnessing this impromptu sentencing was our narrator who, after being deeply shocked by the injustice and the brutality of the event, has never been able to escape its influence. Now, 20 years in the future, our narrator is a policemen who is slowly trying to piece together the story of what truly happened to that poor girl.
"Grey Souls" has deservedly been a tremendous success and is firmly one of the Claudel's most enduring works. The contrast between the conflict in which countless died and the killing of a single young and innocent girl is a frightening thing to experience and certainly leaves a lasting impression. Claudel always knew how to stir up intense, vivid emotions in his readers (just remember "Perfums") and "Grey Souls" is no exception. It's just beautiful in that subtle, thought provoking fashion.
In short, "Grey Souls" is a welcome addition to the bibliography of one of the finest contemporary European authors at the moment and finds him at the height of his power.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31lW2eoftML._AA160_.jpg&hash=d01ae6ac87c814af8b5478ca5503c4e5ad85f613)
With the publication of All That Outer Space Allows at the end of April, the Apollo Quartet is now finally complete. And this last instalment is a little bit different to the preceding three volumes - Adrift on the Sea of Rains, The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself and Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above. For a start, All That Outer Space Allows is a novel, not a novella. Albeit only a short novel, just shy of 45,000 words.
When I decided Adrift on the Sea of Rains would be the first of a quartet about the Apollo space programme, I knew the final book's title would be All That Outer Space Allows and it would be about a woman who wrote science fiction and was married to an Apollo astronaut. I remember explaining as much to a friend at the 2012 Eastercon, the day after launching Adrift on the Sea of Rains. Of course, before I could actually start writing that fourth book, I needed to write and publish books two and three. And who knew what might change in the interim...
As it happens, not that much. All That Outer Space Allows remains broadly true to my initial vision of three years ago. But it's certainly a much more complicated, and longer, book than I'd envisaged. It wasn't enough, I'd decided, that Ginny Eckhardt, the wife of (invented) Apollo astronaut Walden J Eckhardt, wrote science fiction. No, I also had to include one of her stories in the novel - and I had to have that story both be a reflection of her life up to the point she wrote it, and then reflect back on her life afterwards. And all this while documenting her life as a housewife. In Houston. During the 1960s. With an astronaut husband.
None of the books of the Apollo Quartet have been easy to write, and the amount of research I've had to do has often horrified even myself. For All That Outer Space Allows, however, it was much, much harder. The Apollo space programme is well-documented, and there are thousand of books on the topic, some even written by the astronauts themselves. There is also a lot of technical documentation on missions to Mars - although perhaps not as I described it in The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself. And even the Mercury 13 have been the subject of several books, including a pair of autobiographies by Jerry Cobb, the lead figure in Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above. But there are remarkably few books about the Apollo programme from the point of view of the astronauts' wives. In fact, I found only two: The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel, published only in 2013; and The Moon is Not Enough, by Mary Irwin, wife of Apollo 15 astronaut Jim Irwin. I'd made the research a feature of the first three books of the Apollo Quartet, but for this final novel of the series it looked like I'd have to do a lot of reading around the subject...
Now that the quartet is finished, I'm looking forward to putting away the two piles of research books on the desk beside my laptop - not to mention the one on the floor next to the desk. While All That Outer Space Allows has been the hardest book of the four to write because so much research was required, Ginny Eckhardt was the protagonist I most enjoyed putting myself into the head of. If that makes sense. Peterson from book one and Elliott from book two were both defined by their actions, and Jerry Cobb in book three was a real person whose character was based on her own words in her autobiographies... but Ginny was entirely invented. Yet she had to remain true to her time, her nationality and her gender. I hope I've managed to pull it off. It was certainly a challenge trying to do so. And that, I suppose, is what made her so much fun to write. And writing a 1960s science fiction story as Ginny was a lot of fun too.
I've just had the first book of a space opera trilogy published by Tickety Boo Press, A Prospect of War, so I'll be thinking about widescreen commercial space opera for at least the next eighteen months - blowing shit up and turning tropes on their head, that sort of thing. On the other hand, the Apollo Quartet sits in a space in the genre that I certainly think is worth exploring further. Someone described the quartet as "art house hard science fiction", and I think it's a fair label. The idea of bringing literary fiction, or art house cinema, sensibilities to hard sf provides ample opportunity to do interesting things. I've proven to my own satisfaction - and, I hope, other people's - it's a space in which I can produce good work. So it would be a shame to abandon it. But I'm looking forward to a short holiday writing the sort of science fiction I can just make up as I go along...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2BQUBYBn8L._UY250_.jpg)
David Walton je čudna zverka što se pisanja tiče, njegovi afiniteti su poprilično prosvetiteljski pa mu otud i proza bude više didaktična nego što bi i on sam to verovatno hteo, s obzirom na palpičnost njegovih zapleta. U Superposition, Walton pokušava da koncepte kvantne fizike prozno prenese u običnu svakodnvicu, i u tome uspeva taman koliko to sami rečeni zakoni dopuštaju.
Rečima Waltonovog protagoniste, "svi su zbunjeni zakonima kvantne fizike, bez obzira koliko dugo ih proučavali; ljudi lako savladaju tehnički žargon i donekle lako savladaju matematiku iza konceapta, ali ih i dalje ne razumeju u potpunosti, zato jer se oni naprosto ne povinuju logici".
Naravno, protagonista se time referiše na kvantni paradoks istovremenog postojanja čestice na dva različita mesta, i prenosi ga doslovno na stvarni svet, jer, na kraju krajeva, stvarni svet jeste sazdan od istog gradivnog materijala. Ali ipak, na kraju se sve svodi na to kako to Walton zapravo izvodi u prozi, a utisak po tom pitanju podosta varira, to bukvalno iz poglavlja u poglavlje. Sam zaplet je prilično standardan a i karakterizacija je tu negde, i mada postoji nekoliko zaista svetlih momenata u romanu, celokupan dojam je poprilično osrednjački, kad se sve zbroji i oduzme. Ti svetli momenti će svakako impresionirati sajfaj gikove, ali van njih, knjiga je ipak ostala pomalo... kratka. Sve u svemu, solidno, ali svakako bliže trojci nego četvorci. 3/5
ali zato Then Man with the Compound Eyes... ohhhh. :-D Zaista odlično štivo.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wjs0-xY3L._UY250_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51f3T22-m6L._UY250_.jpg)
U pitanju je istinski egzotična fantastika, ispričana na kranje ekstravagantan ali ujedno i fenomenalno suptilan način za koji naprosto od prve rečenice osetite da je drugačiji, ali to u najlepšem smislu te reči.
Wu Ming-Yi barata rečima na način koji je istovremeno ekstremno neobičan i zapanjujuće blizak, ostavljajući onaj tako neuhvatljiv i teško opisiv dojam da nam je najistinskiji ejlijen upravo naš bližnji – čovek od kog nas razdvaja samo boja kože ili kontinent ili ponekad skoro nepremostiva barijera jezika.
Na neki krajnje frapantan način, Wu Ming-Yi zapravo savršeno ilustruje na šta je to Gibson mislio kada je rekao da je naša budućnost već tu, samo je krajnje nepravilno raspoređena: Wu Ming-Yi to proširuje i na prošlost i sadašnjost jednako, terajući vas da se osetite zaista kao stranci na stranoj paneti, iako pri tom ne govori ni o čemu što zapravo i sami nismo doživeli ili proživeli, samo na drugačiji način. Doduše, ponekad i radikalno drugačiji način, iako se sve svodi na jednu te istu svakodnevnu muku čovečjeg življenja.
Vrlo poetična proza, dirljiva ali bez patetike i veoma ekološki svesna ali bez onog meni tako iritantnog propovednog skeletona u svetonazoru, proza topla i humana i krajnje ilustrativna po pitanju sve većeg kineskog uticaja na savremeni žanrovski pejzaž. 5/5
The Letter Between Stanley Kubrick & Arthur C. Clarke That Sparked the Greatest SciFi Film Ever Made (1964) (http://www.openculture.com/2015/05/the-letter-between-stanley-kubrick-arthur-c-clarke-that-sparked-the-greatest-scifi-film-ever-made-1964.html)
Origin stories are all the rage these days given the ubiquity of superhero films and television series. But for all their smash-em-up spectacle and breakneck pacing, they generally feel overstuffed and disposable. As with the Age of Ultron, there is an age, every summer, of some Marvel or DC hero or other. Or all of them at once, at this point, in a perpetual onslaught. On the other hand, we still have the quietly ominous, thoughtful science fiction film, the offspring of Nicolas Roeg and Andrei Tarkovsky, in movies like Ex Machina. These come and go, some better than others, but also always with us. Different as these two types of films can be, in style and tone, neither would likely look and feel the way they do without Stanley Kubrick's intensely introspective and profoundly epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn8.openculture.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2F13233025%2FClarke-and-Kubrick.png&hash=250039e7f1e772e138d11855322452ed5b02b28c)
The origin story of this incredible 1968 film begins on March 31, 1964 when Kubrick wrote the letter below to Arthur C. Clarke, proposing that the two collaborate on "the proverbial 'really good' science fiction film." "I had been a great admirer of your books for quite a time," writes Kubrick, and gives Clarke three "broad areas" of interest, "naturally assuming great plot and character." Naturally.
"Clarke's response," writes BFI, "was immediately enthusiastic, expressing a mutual admiration." Kubrick, Clarke told their mutual friend Roger Caras, "is obviously an astonishing man." In his response to the director himself, Clarke wrote on April 8, ""For my part, I am absolutely dying to see Dr. Strangelove; Lolita is one of the few films I have seen twice – the first time to enjoy it, the second time to see how it was done." The two met in New York and talked for hours, and from Clarke's short story "The Sentinel of Eternity" was born perhaps the best "really good" science fiction film ever made.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn8.openculture.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2F13233411%2Fletter-stanley-kubrick-arthur-c-clarke-001_1.jpg&hash=9cd7ed6f08dd8eae3cc149375baa480ef4cb3673)
Clarke would compare the differences between the story and the film to those between an acorn and an oak tree, according to Italian Kubrick site 2001Italia. After that meeting, the two would spend almost four years writing the screenplay together and envisioning the harrowing voyage to Jupiter that ends so tragically—and strangely—for the two astronauts left to experience it. It's a collaborative success Kubrick clearly foresaw when he approached Clarke, but in his letter, above, with transcript below—courtesy of Letters of Note—he plays it cool, using the pretext of a telescope Clarke owned to slip in discussion about the film project. We are almost led to believe," writes 2001Italia, "that the movie was an excuse" to discuss the gadget. But of course we know better.
Dear Mr Clarke:
It's a very interesting coincidence that our mutual friend Caras mentioned you in a conversation we were having about a Questar telescope. I had been a great admirer of your books for quite a time and had always wanted to discuss with you the possibility of doing the proverbial "really good" science-fiction movie.
My main interest lies along these broad areas, naturally assuming great plot and character:
1.The reasons for believing in the existence of intelligent extra-terrestrial life.
2.The impact (and perhaps even lack of impact in some quarters) such discovery would have on Earth in the near future.
3.A space probe with a landing and exploration of the Moon and Mars.
Roger [Caras ]tells me you are planning to come to New York this summer. Do you have an inflexible schedule? If not, would you consider coming sooner with a view to a meeting, the purpose of which would be to determine whether an idea might exist or arise which could sufficiently interest both of us enough to want to collaborate on a screenplay?
Incidentally, "Sky & Telescope" advertise a number of scopes. If one has the room for a medium size scope on a pedestal, say the size of a camera tripod, is there any particular model in a class by itself, as the Questar is for small portable scopes?
Best regards,
Kubrick pursued his projects very deliberately and passionately, motivated by great personal interest. Though his films can feel detached and cold, and he himself seems like a very aloof character, the opposite was true, according to those who knew him best. Below, see a short video from The University of the Arts London's Stanley Kubrick Archive profiling the way Kubrick went about choosing his films, best summed up by Jan Harlon, Kubrick's brother-in-law and producer: "No love, no quality, and in Stanley's case, no love, no film."
http://youtu.be/Lx49KEJxUF0 (http://youtu.be/Lx49KEJxUF0)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41PpkG58SjL._AA160_.jpg&hash=a4c1558a308d438e228bf7c2addf64389b1fa6dd)
"Marked" definitely got noticed but we all know that looks are nothing when it comes to books. Luckily, Sue Tingey's debut is more than smoke and mirrors. This, occasionally bonkers, and exciting descent into hell tells the story of Lucinda De Salle (known to everyone as Lucky), an ordinary, if unloved, girl who has a strange power - she can see ghosts. This instantly marks her as something of an outcast so all through her life her best friend is Kayla, a ghost girl who has been her constant companion even since she can remember. It all changes when she's been called to her former school by the new headmistress. Three pupils have carelessly played with an Ouija board in the attic and summoned something from the great beyond. Lucky is instantly suspicious. The last time she's been to this same attic she has ended up expelled but alarm bells have really started ringing when Kayla bluntly refused to come. This had the potential to end up bad. And it was. She finds a dark man expecting her - an assassin by the man of Henri de Dent (French for tooth) who is after Kayla. The Underlands want her back. So begins Lucky's quest filled with peril, danger and lots of fun.
After this rather bleak opening, "Marked" tones down a bit and is rather handsomely easy to read and that is why I found it so pleasurable. It's simply not a standard urban fantasy fare, filled with broken hearts, downcast glances and gloomy characters despite notionally having all the familiar elements. If anything "Marked" more closely resembles John Connolly's "Samuel Johnson" series that a book with a black feather on its cover. Sue Tingey's debut is such great fun and a delight to read so I certainly hope there's much more to come in the future. I know I would love to read more and luckily this is marked as a first instalment in The Soulseer Chronicles. Let's hope that editor doesn't lose this review as well:)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F511Jegc3FvL._AA160_.jpg&hash=481131a6c70b38ed20af2b9a2c0e0955c3a71a23)
Siem Sigerius is a man of countless talents. Over the course of this book we see him as nothing less than an extraordinary mathematician, a judo champion, a university professor, director of the University of Enschede and to top it all, the minister of education. He is also enjoying a beautiful family life with his wife and two stepdaughters. He even likes his stepdaughter Joni's boyfriend Aaron and despite him being a truly intimidating presence the two strike an unlikely friendship, even starting to practice Judo together. However, behind the illusion of charmed life, Siem has a dark secret. His son from previous marriage is in prison serving time for murder and few people know about it. Now his son is about to be released and on the eve of this event his life unstoppable starts to unravel. This final collapse also coincides with the massive explosion at a fireworks factory and similarly to its disintegration, Siem's whole existence is unraveling in fragments. First he recognizes Joni's picture on one of the pornographic websites he frequents and as his son appears he's quick to blackmail him.
In "Bonita Avenue" Peter Buwalda has created a sprawling family drama which despite its relatively long length (it is over 500 pages long) flows like a thriller. It is wonderfully written and while I'm not sure whether this is due to an excellent translation or the beauty of the original text, i found the use of metaphors and descriptions so brilliant that I started marking some of them down. In Netherlands the book received an unprecedented critical acclaim and sold over 300.000 copies. It subsequently went on to win two literary prizes while being nominated for two more and I can definitely see why it impressed both the critics and readers so much. It is true that at certain points Buwalda does lose himself a bit in the sheer amount of details and elements but quickly enough he steadies his hand and as the family finally completed its descend into madness, I was profoundly shocked by the dark finale. An impressive chronicle of one family's downfall.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F518OH%252BYPDOL._AA160_.jpg&hash=f314a33f06041f7c6c1005ca0fbe6101b3beb68b)
The press release that came with Al Robertson's debut novel "Crashing Heaven" is an impressive statement that clearly showcases how much the publisher is behind this book. It is always impressive when William Gibson, Alastair Reynold, Richard K. Morgan and even Neal Stephenson are mentioned in a single breath and the six figure sum always catches attention.
Admittedly you'll be disappointed if you expect it to be an amalgam of their works in any shape or form because "Crashing Heaven" simply isn't what's promised on paper. It would be simply an impossible feat to achieve it but Al Robertson touched all of these authors in a small way. There's plenty of imaginative spirit in Robertson's writing and subtle nods to his contemporaries for "Crashing Heaven" to pull it off handsomely and that's an achievement in itself."Crashing Heaven" is a bleak, hard science fiction tale set in a future where the Earth is left behind and the humanity has moved to a Station, an asteroid made habitable by sentient consciousness of the Pantheon. Even in space the conflict is still raging and as it eventually folds, Jack Forster and his sidekick Hugo Fist return to the station after a war against a group of rogue AIs called The Totality, only to be accused of treachery. In the middle of the conflict Jack surrendered to the enemy and everyone on Station knows it. Jack was an AI killer, primed for violence and combat. It was a traumatizing experience but despite what really happened, he's been the lucky one here. He has survived while his other friends have died. Determined to discover what actually happened, Jack is set to enter another war, one which threatens to destroy both him and Hugo. However, stakes depending upon the outcome of his struggle are much higher than he ever imagined. Even humanity's future is uncertain. For Jack the time is running out as soon Hugo is set to take over his body so there's not much hope left. Hugo Fist is a strange creation, a virtual entity designed to help Jack fight a war and is a great character in itself. Their internal dialog is such a treat. Similarly, Station as a living, vibrant space is depicted superbly. Robertson manages to capture claustrophobic and chaotic existence of one such place. Existence made bearable only by the application on augmented reality called the Weave - a popular mean of escape from reality.
Still, the synopsis itself doesn't do justice to "Crashing Heaven" because on the surface of it, it presents Al Robertson's debut novel as a set of instantly recognizable SF tropes which includes everything from messy post-apocalyptic aftermath, humanity's migration to space, rogue AIs and everyone's existence balancing on an knife's edge. "Crashing Heaven" is better than the sum of its parts. It's an all-encompassing landscape upon which the story unfolds and at times I was even slightly overcome by too much of everything. And yet, as I've mentioned before, the whole thing somehow works together. "Crashing Heaven" is a completely insane book and for what is worth I believe that publishers were right to believe so firmly in its success. Jam packed with innovative ideas and fresh approaches to storytelling, "Crashing Heaven" could just be the one book that everyone will talk about in 2015. I certainly hope so.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51jA4GHT%2B2L._UY250_.jpg)
It would be interesting seeing the expression on John Hornor Jacobs' agent's face when Jacobs described the idea behind The Incorruptibles. The thing is that this book is such a mash up of just about everything that on the surface of it, it can only be one of two things: the work of a genius or a complete madman. But that's why I'm not the agent or an editor. Decent agents and editors know how to spot great piece of work and it is obvious from the opening page that in The Incorruptibles Jacobs managed to pull it off. The whole novel is much more than sum of its parts and somehow it simply works brilliantly.
So how to describe it? In short, The Incorruptibles is made with healthy lashings of western and fantasy with a dose of steampunk and a pinch of Roman history. It is a librarian's nightmare. The story takes place in an Empire, a place not unlike our own world but always being just a little bit of piste. It is a troubled country, forever on the brink of a total war and its unexplored stretches are filled with everything from bandits to aggressive elf-like natives who recall Native Americans. In between all this a boat is travelling upriver. Upon it there are a governor with his sons and daughters and a hefty band of mercenaries who are all thrown together by circumstances. Out of these Fisk and Shoe are definitely an exception to the rule. Keeping each other backs, they worried about what's suddenly occurring in front of their eyes.
Interestingly enough, for such an accomplished setting, The Incorruptibles is a deeply personal book and I suspect this is exactly the reason why it works so well. If Jacobs has decided to go full scale from the word go I think readers would be simply overwhelmed by its vast scope while in this scenario you, as a reader, are slowly eased into the story. It's an act of sheer genius because rather than dwell on the setting I've actually cared about the characters and the events that were happening to them must more than I cared about what's around them.
To conclude, on paper The Incorruptibles shouldn't really work but somehow John Hornor Jacobs has beaten the odds and produced wildly innovative and highly readable story which, I think, should be nominated for quite a few awards next year. It is unlike anything else out there at the moment and I think many will be surprised by its unflinching ambition and often, beautifully poetic language.
Ransom Riggs has revealed the cover of the third book in his Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, Library of Souls, and it's gorgeous!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2Flibraryofsouls-e1432770889763.jpg&hash=98271937bf53260f883c40fe03800f4bbd42bd9a)
Time is running out for the Peculiar Children. With a dangerous madman on the loose and their beloved Miss Peregrine still in danger, Jacob Portman and Emma Bloom are forced to stage the most daring of rescue missions. They'll travel through a war-torn landscape, meet new allies, and face greater dangers than ever. . . . Will Jacob come into his own as the hero his fellow Peculiars know him to be? This action-packed adventure features more than 50 all-new Peculiar photographs.
Jared u svom fazonu. :)
Dune at 50: Recommendations for the Dune-loving Non-SF Reader
(http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/05/15-reading-recommendations-for-dune.html#more)
Dune is a rarity. Frank Herbert's masterpiece is a science fiction book that everyone has read, including our non-science-fiction-reading friends and family. Yet unlike other SF classics that have made it into the mainstream, Dune still retains its inherent and undeniable science-fictionness. 1984 and Brave New World get upgrades to literary fiction. Frankenstein, Dracula and The Lord of the Rings sit as classics. Narnia would rather hide in the children's section.
But Dune? Dune is inescapably, ineffably science fictional, the very quintessence of those things that make SF look SFfy: faster-than-light rocketships, space-messiahs, intergalactic imperial princesses, laser death rays, city-sized alien monsters, inexplicable mental powers and planet-trembling battles.
This year, with Dune's 50th anniversary, now's the time to remind readers that their experience with science fiction needn't start and end with Dune. That, if they enjoyed the mind-blowing, worm-riding, storm-bringing, planet-hopping experience of Frank Herbert's vision, there are other books out there for them as well.
So with no further ado, here are some books to recommend to those who dabbled in Dune at some point in the last half-century and might be receptive to something a bit like it.
5 Books to Recommend to Folks that Have Read Dune and Need More SF in their life
Lagoon - Nnedi Okorafor (2014) - Structurally, not all that Dune-like: near-future, not far-future and Earth-bound, not intergalactic. And about 1/8th the size. But Lagoon still packs in all the emotive power. Okorafor's latest has a shape-shifting aliens landing, peacefully, in Nigeria. Like Dune, Lagoon breaks the barriers and the shifts tropes of the SF 'standard' with much-appreciate new perspective. Similarly, Lagoon is about change and progress, but also ritual and mythology, how the past informs the future, and how terrified humanity can be of new voices. Lagoon is also gloriously ecologically-focused, one of Dune's dominant themes.
A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers (2014-5) - Because, you know, I haven't recommended this for, like, aaaaages. But Chambers' Kickstarted-and-now-professionally-published novel was one of the highlights of 2014, so I'm going to keep flogging it wherever I can. Like Dune, A Long Way is a big, meandering, intergalactic epic, but also one that keeps the focus tight, and the story character-driven. Although I guess both books are generally optimistic, A Long Way is a much happier, less ponderous read. Its joyous cast of space-faring wormhole-borers will put a smile on your face (Dune? Less smiley.)
Saga - Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2012+) - A comic, yes, but also a title that has the size and the imagination of Dune. A war-torn, sprawling future with nooks and crannies, politics and prophesies, mythology and science, religion and technology - all in a tantilizingly vast universe. Given Staples' role in creating and visualising the universe, it is worth noting how much of a debt Dune owes to John Schoenherr, who illustrated the original Analog stories of Dune, and later the covers. (Sam Weber's gorgeous illustrations for the new Folio edition are reminiscent of Schoenherr's as well, and all the better for it.)
Embassytown - China Miéville (2012) - A world at the end of the universe, complete with rare trade goods vital to the rest of humanity. Plus, random monster. Plus plus, the importance of FTL to travel and economics and politics. Plus plus plus, language, and colonialism, and rebellion, and prophesies, and belief, mass delusion and the relationship with the natural world and and and and... But, of course, through Miéville's pen, and not Herbert's, so everything is slightly twisted, slightly Weird and oh-so-very haunting.
The Compass Rose - Ursula Le Guin (1982) - Another one that, like the Miéville, you can smuggle past your more literary, Dune-having-read friends. The Compass Rose is actually a collection of short stories, but most are science fiction, and all are elegant, poignant and strangely beautiful. "The Author of the Acacia Seeds" is a strangely heart-breaking look into an alien (kinda) culture. "The New Atlantis" is a strangely poetic look at an ecological apocalypse. And the tinkering with psychology - and cold reason - of "SQ" is oddly similar to the outlook of the Bene Gesserit.
While I'm at it... 9 more
Jack Glass - Adam Roberts (2013) - Super-smart hard SF that's all about the ethical implications of FTL travel and creepy governments and all that.
Leviathan Wakes - James S.A. Corey (2011) - Less-smart, but still plenty hard. A big ol' spaceshippy space opera, with various political, criminal and alien-contact subplots. Fun, slightly ridiculous, and on a truly grand scale.
Blue Remembered Earth - Alastair Reynolds (2012) - Another strong heir to Herbert's themes, including the various ways humanity will evolve in time, and our connection to our natural environment. Includes a great deal of planet-hopping, and descriptions of life in those environments.
Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie (2013) - Big spaceships, remote planets, evil emperors, themes of colonialism, identity and duty. Although Ancilliary Justice steals headlines because of its progressive gender politics, structurally and thematically, it is about as old school as you get. A nice combination.
War Stories (2014), We See a Different Frontier (2013), Conflicts (2010) and Further Conflicts (2011) - I like anthologies, and they make for good recommending. I mean, statistically speaking, there's probably something in there the recipient will like, right? And in the case of these four books, they're all solidly constructed around intriguing - and Dune-related - core themes.
And, finally, 1 book to recommend to those who haven't read Dune
Dune - Frank Herbert (1965)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61f42188NkL._AA160_.jpg&hash=413e25bc99fb1b764cd724fb59f7d2047a4af9bb)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51%252BJSh1%252BZ0L._AA160_.jpg&hash=4c3e9e77b9136100cf6156bf1117e709cb49ae9e)
"In the Beginning Was the Sea", debut novel by Colombian novelist Tomas Gonzales was originally published in 1983 under the title "Primero estaba el mar". The story goes that Gonzales wrote his novel while working as a barman in Bogota nightclub and that its owner published it. Straight from the start it was a huge success because it transpired that, similarly to another great Colombian writer, Gonzales was able to evoke the most powerful emotions just by using words. Therefore it was with great anticipation that I awaited this latest Pushkin Press translation and "In the Beginning Was the Sea" didn't disappoint even though it wasn't exactly what I expected it to be. In Frank Wynne's wonderful translation Gonzales' horrific version of life on a remote island came to life impeccably.
Based on a true story, "In the Beginning Was the Sea" follows the lives of J. and Elena, young intellectuals who decide to leave behind their ordinary lives filled with parties to try something new. Moving to a remote island, J. and Elena have an idea to lead self-sufficient and naturalistic existence. They're so smitten by this Utopian idea that they enter the whole project completely unprepared. Only a few days in, the doubts set in and each day reveals new troubles. Soon the idea of paradise reveals itself for what it really is. Just a vapor dream.
It is at this point that Gonzales' writing skill comes to the front as their very lives are slowly unraveled up to a point when their ingrained experiences are all but gone. In a brilliantly executed turn of events, J. and Elena themselves are becoming one with nature and quickly forgetting all the values learned while being part of the civilization. They're effectively reverting and behaving like savages.
I absolutely loved beautifully sparse descriptions which somehow always show more than they really tell but "In the Beginning Was the Sea" is as good as it is because Gonzales manages perfectly capture the idea of isolation that surrounds our couple. The island serves both as an instrument and as means of pushing the point across and as I turned more and more pages the sense of dread and looming catastrophe was palpable. With a masterful eye for detail, Gonzales teases the reader with what coming only to move away again and again. And the pages go on... This symphony of dread will repeat many times over the course of the book and while I wasn't overtly sympathetic with any of the characters, I needed to go with the flow despite suspecting how it will all end.
"In the Beginning Was the Sea" is a fascinatingly dark character study. It is an unflinching, and pitch perfect trip into the dark heart of Colombia and hippy culture in general. It is above all a powerful debut and it'll be interesting finding out where Tomas Gonzales next.
Not to forget: I never get tired of saying how stunning Pushkin Press publications are and "In the Beginning Was the Sea" is not different. With their famous French flaps and beautiful illustration by Robert Frank Hunter, it is a thing of beauty.
Quote from: PTY on 28-05-2015, 09:13:48
Jared u svom fazonu. :)
Dune at 50: Recommendations for the Dune-loving Non-SF Reader
(http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/05/15-reading-recommendations-for-dune.html#more)
Uh, ukusi i sve to, ali izgleda da zaista nije lako naći delo za preporučiti nekome ko želi nešto poput Dine. Saga ima sjajan početak, odnosno prva dva ili tri trejda, ali se nakon toga pretvara u veoma veoma dosadan strip. A Leviathan Wakes... pa, daleko je i od tog fazona i od te kategorije.
No, od ovog ostalog gotovo ništa nisam čitao, pa je moguće da čovek znatno bliže meti. Imaću spisak na umu, u svakom slučaju.
Pa, veoma je blizu meti sa Jack Glass, Lagoon i Embassytown, a oni koji su čitali Ancillary Justice izgleda isto tako misle, jer se svima dopada worldbuilding, i zbog obilja i zbog pedanterije. A Leviathan Wakes je po izlasku također dobijao slične ocene, samo što mene to nije baš zgrabilo, bar ne dovoljno da roman dovršim.
Hvala, upamtiću. :)
Hm, budući da sam ga pročitao do kraja, Buđenje nemani me je mnogo više podseća na neku drugorazrednu zamenu za Hiperion ili možda Brinovo Uzdizanje, nego na Dinu. Solidno, ali ništa o čemu bih pisao kući ili kako se to već kaže. A nastavak je čak i prilično slabiji.
Zapravo, ovih dana se očekuje da Laguna objavi završnu knjigu trilogije, baš me zanima hoće li uspeti da popravi utisak koji je ostavio bledi drugi deo.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F514V-8b7PhL.jpg&hash=19597679d8ecb33c513de11617c42e6ecbf21589)
Looking at the sheer volume of crime books published each month you would be excused if you thought that nothing new could possible be said in a genre that's been going for so long. And yet, while the nature of the crimes that occur and the mechanism of a subsequent investigation into it almost always follows the same set of rules, it is the characters that always surprise me the most. No genre has the capability to pinpoint the human condition so precisely as crime does and one of the best contemporary authors with a panache for writing gripping and engaging characters is Stuart Neville. His latest book "Those we Left Behind" is a first novel in a series featuring DCI Selena Flanagan who might be familiar to you. It is a bona fide psychological thriller that instantly feels like it might become this summer's runaway hit.
"Those we Left Behind" revolves around Ciaran Devine, a 19 year old man who leaves the prison after serving a seven year sentence for murdering his foster father. When it happened it was a case that shook the nation. Ciaran confessed to murder and Serena Flanagan, then a Detective Sergeant, was the person who took the confession after gaining Ciaran's trust. During his imprisonment he always fondly remembered the kindness she showed him and now that Ciaran's having troubles to re-integrate into society, DCI Flanagan is approached by his probation officer Paula Cunningham. DCI Flanagan instantly notices that there's much more to the case than it was initially obvious.
Despite not being obviously so from the start, "Those we Left Behind" is a fiendishly complex tale to pull off. There's more than a few strands happened both concurrently and seven years ago. The troubled relationship between Ciaran and his older brother Thomas towards whom he constantly gravitates throughout the book is done especially well but it is DCI Selena Flanagan who makes the story so appealing and tragic. She incredibly human. As the story open she just returns to work after suffering thought the most human ordeal of them all - a breast cancer, a surgery, and its impact on the family life.
"Those we Left Behind" is one of the finest books I've read this year. It is an intricately plotted tale that works so well because it manages to perfectly capture all the necessary nuances of one such horrific situation while being clever enough to let most of its violent elements to happen out of the reader's sight.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51CGiGG5sLL._AA160_.jpg&hash=8e1daecfd1a00525fb33ae5876fd660584ffb68b)
monumental, uproarious, and exuberant novel about the search—for love, truth, and the meaning of Life With The Internet.
The enigmatic billionaire founder of Tetration, the world's most powerful tech company, hires a failed novelist, Josh Cohen, to ghostwrite his memoirs. The mogul, known as Principal, brings Josh behind the digital veil, tracing the rise of Tetration, which started in the earliest days of the Internet by revolutionizing the search engine before venturing into smartphones, computers, and the surveillance of American citizens. Principal takes Josh on a mind-bending world tour from Palo Alto to Dubai and beyond, initiating him into the secret pretext of the autobiography project and the life-or-death stakes that surround its publication.
Insider tech exposé, leaked memoir-in-progress, international thriller, family drama, sex comedy, and biblical allegory, Book of Numbers renders the full range of modern experience both online and off. Embodying the Internet in its language, it finds the humanity underlying the virtual.
Featuring one of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary fiction, Book of Numbers is an epic of the digital age, a triumph of a new generation of writers, and one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do.
Please note that Book of Numbers uses a special pagination system inspired by binary notation: the part number precedes the page number, and is separated from it by a decimal point.
Now that the Expanse series is becoming a TV show on Syfy, it's the perfect time to get caught up. This fifth novel in the series follows James Holden and his crew trying to survive a cataclysm that's causing ships to disappear mysteriously, in the wake of a land rush that's seen humans spreading out across the galaxy.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61j8lP%2B-EOL._UY250_.jpg)
A thousand worlds have opened, and the greatest land rush in human history has begun. As wave after wave of colonists leave, the power structures of the old solar system begin to buckle.
Ships are disappearing without a trace. Private armies are being secretly formed. The sole remaining protomolecule sample is stolen. Terrorist attacks previously considered impossible bring the inner planets to their knees. The sins of the past are returning to exact a terrible price.
And as a new human order is struggling to be born in blood and fire, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante must struggle to survive and get back to the only home they have left.
The Expanse (soon to be a major Syfy Channel television series)
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
Cibola Burn
Nemesis Games
The Expanse Short Fiction
The Butcher of Anderson Station
Gods of Risk
The Churn
gikovi u svom elementu :D:
PULP-O-MIZER
(http://thrilling-tales.webomator.com/derange-o-lab/pulp-o-mizer/pulp-o-mizer.html)
dakle, napravite sami svoj palp kover!
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rWlLH9A9L._UY250_.jpg)
Edited by Richard Thomas
Foreword by Chuck Wendig
Cover art by Daniele Serra
Interior illustrations by Luke Spooner
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Wilderness by Letitia Trent
Monster Season by Joshua Blair
Cat Calls by Rebecca Jones-Howe
Ceremony of the White Dog by Kevin Catalano
The Armadillo by Heather Foster
The Manuscript by Usman T. Malik
Single Lens Reflection by Jason Metz
The Mother by Nathan Beauchamp
Everything in Its Place by Adam Peterson
When We Taste of Death by Damien Angelica Walters
Figure Eight by Brendan Detzner
My Mother's Condition by Faith Gardner
Fragile Magic by Alex Kane
The Eye Liars by Sarah Read
Searching for Gloria by W. P. Johnson
And All Night Long We Have Not Stirred by Barbara Duffey
Dull Boy by David James Keaton
Brujeria for Beginners by Marytza Rubio
Heirloom by Kenneth Cain
The Owl and the Cigarette by Amanda Gowin
Desert Ghosts by Mark Jaskowski
Blood Price by Axel Taiari
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51f76MY5fFL._UY250_.jpg)
What if something is out there? This is a haunting supernatural thriller for fans of Let the Right One In, The Passage and Salem's Lot. "I was enthralled form the very first page...the words seems to sparkle on the page." (Karl Ove Knausgaard). In the summer of 1978 a young boy disappears without trace from a summer cabin in the woods. His mother claims that he was abducted by a giant. The boy is never found. The previous year, over in a Swedish National Park, a wildlife photographer takes a strange picture from his small airplane, of a bear running over the marshes. On its back sits a creature, which the photographer claims is something extraordinary. Twenty-five years later, and back in Laponia, Susso runs a much-maligned web page, one dedicated to searching for creatures whose existence have not yet been proven: the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot. But Susso has her own obsession, one inherited from her grandfather, the well-known wildlife photographer. When an old woman claims that a small creature has been standing outside her house, observing her and her five year old grandson for hours, Susso picks up her camera and leaves for what will become a terrifying adventure into the unknown...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41mnuToFfbL._UY250_.jpg)
In a story that shoots back and forth between a glamorous 1990 Hong Kong and a straitened 1998 London, Adam Wyatt and his wife Eva run a small café near Southwark Market. They bicker a lot, Adam drinks, and visits to their autistic son Justin tend to go awry. But underneath Adam's drinking are secrets from their previous life in Hong Kong, when he worked for the Independent Commission Against Corruption and got in with some very dubious local society types; one of whom includes "Call me Jimmy" Yao Sau-Lan, "a big nasty man, in a big nasty suit," whose father just happened to kill Eva's grandfather. When Jimmy's widow and sons come calling, Adam knows she's in trouble.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qkiVzei6L._UY250_.jpg)
STEP INTO THE FOLD.
IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE.
The folks in Mike Erikson's small New England town would say he's just your average, everyday guy. And that's exactly how Mike likes it. Sure, the life he's chosen isn't much of a challenge to someone with his unique gifts, but he's content with his quiet and peaceful existence.
That is, until an old friend presents him with an irresistible mystery, one that Mike is uniquely qualified to solve: far out in the California desert, a team of DARPA scientists has invented a device they affectionately call the Albuquerque Door. Using a cryptic computer equation and magnetic fields to "fold" dimensions, it shrinks distances so that a traveler can travel hundreds of feet with a single step.
The invention promises to make mankind's dreams of teleportation a reality. And, the scientists insist, traveling through the Door is completely safe.
Yet evidence is mounting that this miraculous machine isn't quite what it seems—and that its creators are harboring a dangerous secret.
As his investigations draw him deeper into the puzzle, Mike begins to fear there's only one answer that makes sense. And if he's right, it may only be a matter of time before the project destroys...everything.
A cunningly inventive mystery featuring a hero worthy of Sherlock Holmes and a terrifying final twist you'll never see coming, The Fold is that rarest of things: a genuinely page-turning science-fiction thriller. Step inside its pages and learn why author Peter Clines has already won legions of loyal fans.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41rRQ8wOc9L._UY250_.jpg)
"We speak of a mother's love, but we forget her power. Power over life. Power to give and to withhold.' Generations after the breakup of the human family of Eden, the Johnfolk emphasise knowledge and innovation, the Davidfolk tradition and cohesion. But both have built hierarchical societies sustained by violence and dominated by men - and both claim to be the favoured children of a long-dead woman from Earth that all Eden knows as Gela, the mother of them all. When Starlight Brooking meets a handsome and powerful man from across Worldpool, she believes he will offer an outlet for her ambition and energy. But she has no idea that she will be a stand-in for Gela herself, and wear Gela's ring on her own finger. And she has no idea of the enemies she will make, no inkling that a time will come when she, like John Redlantern, will choose to kill..."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51QASLGYVAL._AA160_.jpg&hash=5102f2daf66202122fb09fb00562b6984ade5798)
Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie has a life-threatening allergy to electricity, and Moritz's weak heart requires a pacemaker. If they ever did meet, they could both die. Living as recluses from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times-as Ollie loses his only friend, Liz, to the normalcy of high school and Moritz deals with a bully set on destroying him. But when Moritz reveals the key to their shared, sinister past that began years ago in a mysterious German laboratory, their friendship faces a test neither one of them expected.
Narrated in letter form by Ollie and Moritz-two extraordinary new voices-this story of impossible friendship and hope under strange circumstances blends elements of science fiction with coming of age themes, in a humorous, dark, and ultimately inspiring tale is completely unforgettable.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/415FIU1FZyL._UY250_.jpg)
Brad Thor meets Avatar in this timely thriller for the drone age as award-winning author Christopher Golden spins the troubles of today into the apocalypse of tomorrow.
After political upheaval, economic collapse, and environmental disaster, the world has become a hotspot, boiling over into chaos of near apocalyptic proportions. In this perpetual state of emergency, all that separates order from anarchy is the military might of a United States determined to keep peace among nations waging a free-for-all battle for survival and supremacy.
But a conflict unlike any before demands an equally unprecedented fighting force on its front lines. Enter the Remote Infantry Corps: robot soldiers deployed in war zones around the world, controlled by human operators thousands of miles from the action. PFC Danny Kelso is one of these "Tin Men," stationed with his fellow platoon members at a subterranean base in Germany, steering their cybernetic avatars through combat in the civil-war-ravaged streets of Syria. Immune to injury and death, this brave new breed of American warrior has a battlefield edge that's all but unstoppable—until a flesh-and-blood enemy targets the Tin Men's high-tech advantage in a dangerously game-changing counter strike.
When anarchists unleash a massive electromagnetic pulse, short-circuiting the world's technology, Kelso and his comrades-in-arms find themselves trapped—their minds tethered within their robot bodies and, for the first time, their lives at risk.
Now, with rocket-wielding "Bot Killers" gunning for them, and desperate members of the unit threatening to go rogue, it's the worst possible time for the Tin Men to face their most crucial mission. But an economic summit is under terrorist attack, the U.S. president is running for his life, and the men and women of the 1st Remote Infantry Division must take the fight to the next level—if they want to be the last combatants standing, not the first of their kind to fall forever.
Advance praise for Tin Men
"Tin Men is the literary equivalent of a muscle car: stylish and fast-paced, with a hopped-up engine of a plot. Christopher Golden starts things off at tire-burning speed and never lets up. It's a great ride—definitely as much fun as we can ever hope to have while the world falls to ruin around us."—Scott Smith, author of A Simple Plan and The Ruins
"A chilling tale of a world that could be, Tin Men is a vicious beast—Starship Troopers meets Generation Kill—that left my nerves fried and my brain craving another fix."—Pierce Brown, author of Golden Son
"When the human soul thrums inside machines of war, the ultimate weapon is born. Golden crafts a unique combination of Terminator and Saving Private Ryan."—Scott Sigler, author of Alive
"As military robots proliferate, we have all wondered whether the wealthy will use them to dominate those with fewer resources. Fascinating and thrilling, Tin Men imagines a future in which the playing field is suddenly and violently leveled. When the stakes are life or death, will the soldiers behind the robots still have what it takes to survive?"—Daniel H. Wilson, author of Robopocalypse
"This evocative tale of the possible and the probable takes a wild walk on the perilous side. Along the way, we get a top-of-the-line lesson in what may actually be in store for us one day. You're going to love this thrilling, taut drama."—Steve Berry, author of The Lincoln Myth
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51bsaDK3pYL._AA160_.jpg&hash=c1f05a70eee118aa6c6d42a662c861729f746d74)
The End of All Things #1: The Life of the Mind: The End of All Things
A down-on-his-luck Colonial Union starship pilot finds himself pressed into serving a harsh master-in a mission against the CU. But his kidnappers may have underestimated his knowledge of the ship that they have, quite literally, bound him to piloting. Part One of the four parts of The End of All Things, John Scalzi's conclusion to the Old Man's War tale that began with The Human Division.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51HFftEyTXL._UY250_.jpg)
"Dazzling...[a] quirky, raucous, and bewitching family saga." --Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants
Simon Watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a house that is slowly crumbling toward the Long Island Sound. His parents are long dead. His mother, a circus mermaid who made her living by holding her breath, drowned in the very water his house overlooks. His younger sister, Enola, ran off six years ago and now reads tarot cards for a traveling carnival.
One June day, an old book arrives on Simon's doorstep, sent by an antiquarian bookseller who purchased it on speculation. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Since then, generations of "mermaids" in Simon's family have drowned--always on July 24, which is only weeks away.
As his friend Alice looks on with alarm, Simon becomes increasingly worried about his sister. Could there be a curse on Simon's family? What does it have to do with the book, and can he get to the heart of the mystery in time to save Enola?
In the tradition of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian, The Book of Speculation--with two-color illustrations by the author--is Erika Swyler's moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F615D2Iz6NPL._AA160_.jpg&hash=7ae73923f5c404db014d5952428006fbe42186f5)
Chicago wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden is used to mysterious clients with long hair and legs up to here. But when it turns out the long hair covers every square inch of his latest client's body, and the legs contribute to a nine-foot height, even the redoubtable detective realizes he's treading new ground. Strength of a River in His Shoulders is one of the legendary forest people, a Bigfoot, and he has a problem that only Harry can solve. His son Irwin is a scion, the child of a supernatural creature and a human. He's a good kid, but the extraordinary strength of his magical aura has a way of attracting trouble.
In the three novellas that make up ''Working For Bigfoot,'' collected together for the first time here, readers encounter Dresden at different points in his storied career, and in Irwin's life. As a middle-schooler, in ''B is For Bigfoot,'' Irwin attracts the unwelcome attention of a pair of bullying brothers who are more than they seem, and when Harry steps in, it turns out they have a mystical guardian of their own. At a fancy private high school in ''I Was a Teenage Bigfoot,'' Harry is called in when Irwin grows ill for the first time, and it's not just a case of mono. Finally, Irwin is all grown up and has a grown-up's typical problems as a freshman in college in ''Bigfoot on Campus,'' or would have if typical included vampires.
New York Times bestseller Jim Butcher explores the responsibilities of fatherhood and the difficulties of growing up with the elements Dresden Files fans crave--detection, adventure, humor, and magic.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rrRdzNH2L._UY250_.jpg)
Contemporary fantasy meets true crime when schools of ancient sorcery go up against the art of the long con in this stunningly entertaining debut fantasy novel.
Mike Wood is satisfied just being a guy with broad shoulders at a decidedly unprestigious Catholic school in Manhattan. But on the dirty streets of New York City he's an everyman with a moral code who is unafraid of violence. And when Mike is unwittingly recruited into a secret cell of magicians by a fellow student, Mike's role as a steadfast soldier begins. These magicians don't use ritualized rote to work their magic, they use willpower in their clandestine war with the establishment: The Assholes.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51by5SS5P5L._UY250_.jpg)
Dakle, najzad sam stigla da overim The Three-Body Problem (Cixin Liu, prevod Ken Liu) i iskreno sumnjam da će mi ostatak godine doneti išta provokativnije i fascinantnije. Koliko znam, roman je dospeo u uži krug za John W. Campbell, Prometheus i Locus nagrade, i čvrsto verujem da niti jedan od romana u tim nominacijama može ovo da nadmaši. Pročitala sam gotovo tri četvrtine tih nominacija, i koliko god da su me neki istinski oduševili (Peripheral, Lock In, Afterparty i The Martian, na primer) u odmeravanju snaga sa ovim romanom imaju šanse taman koliko i čajni keksići naspram švarcvald torte.
Najpre idu silne hvale za prevod, jer Ken Liu je ovde iskazao veštinu koja skoro pa nadmašuje onu u sopstvenoj mu prozi, ako je tako nešto uopšte moguće. Jer ovako suptilno prevesti glomazan roman koji po stilu i sadržaju jednako zasigurno nije u skladu sa Kenovim afinitietima, pa to je vrhunac ne samo talenta nego i fascinantnog osećaja za finese u proznoj komunikaciji. Naime, The Three-Body problem je sve ono što Kenova proza nije – tvrdi SF u najmodernijoj varijanti, ali ispripovedan u srdačnim tropima tako svojstvenim anglosaksonskom Zlatnom dobu: taj amalgam je čak i za ljubitelje obaju korpusa toliko egzotičan, da ostavlja dojam maltene novog žanrovskog izraza, kao da ste zatekli Bredberija da obrađuje Eganove kvantne i astrofizičke koncepte. Kombinacija je do te mere iskrena i instinktivna da mestimično operiše i kroz onu tako neizbežnu i podrazumevajuću veniru didaktičnosti, čija je konkretna impresivnost ovde ravna, recimo, stimpank imidžu Mac-Pro laptopa napravljenog 1689te. Taj neuzdrmano autentičan koncept spajanja žanrovskog retro imidža sa hiper modernim sadržajem stvara celinu koja na skoro šokantan način saopštava ono što smatrate da su stare ideje, ali su sad gotovo neprepoznatljive u tom svom novom ruhu.
Povrh sve te žanrovske ingenioznosti, stiže vas potresna priča o sasvim autentičnim ideološkim užasima, koji su tokom istorije imali daleko veći uticaj na čoveka nego svi izmaštani fenomeni zajedno, ma kako bili hororični u svojoj suštini.
A pošto iskreno sumnjam da će Cixin Liu ikada zainteresovati ikojeg domaćeg žanrovskog izdavača, računam da je tu i svaka šteta od spojlera zaista minimalna, pa se otud i možemo posvetiti detaljnije ovom remek-delu.
Roman kreće sa ideološkim čistkama za vreme Kulturne Revolucije, tamo negde početkom šezdesetih: Ye Wenjie je prisiljena da gleda "suđenje" svom ocu astrofizičaru, izvođeno od strane komunističkog podmlatka, to uglavnom četrnaestogodišnjih studenata njenog oca, koji ga optužuju da promoviše ajnštajnovske ideje zapadnih imeprijalista sa svrhom da zatre kinesku kulturu i identitet. U atmosferi opšte histerije čak se i njena majka okreće protiv svog supruga, i Ye bespomoćno gleda kako joj pobesneli tinejdžeri kamenuju oca do smrti. Kao žigosano potomstvo osvedočeno reakcionarnog oca, Ye dobija kaznu prinudnog rada u jednoj od provincija u unutrašnjosti zemlje. Igrom slučaja, biva dodeljena ekipi koja gradi temelje za Red Coast bazu, tajni vladin projekat radio-teleskopije, veoma sličan SETI Arecibo projektu. Naime, vođe partije su zabrinute da će bilo kakva komunikacija sa vanzemaljskom inteligencijom biti obavljena isključivo od strane prozapadnjačke idologije, pa se otud i trude da joj pariraju sopstvenom tehnologijom, tek da i komunistička istina prodre u kosmos. (da, znam kako to zvuči ovako destilovano, ali način na koji vam Cixin Liu to objasni dosegnuće do same koštane srži, i bićete beskrajno zahvalni što niste živeli u tim konkreno "zanimljivim vremenima", u tom konkretno delu sveta, jer pored ovog dela istorije, Crveni Kmeri će vam ličiti skoro pa na humaniste.) Tokom godina, Ye sve više postaje priznata i cenjena, i zbog svog znanja astrofizike i zbog svoje sposobnosti da instnktivno napreduje na polju čiste inžinjerije. I kad nakon mnogo godina jedna ET poruka nazad dosegne Red Coast monitore, Ye među prvima prepoznaje i dešifruje poruku.
Drugi narativni tok je u sadašnjosti i bavi se naizgled bezrazložnim samoubistvima cenjenih naučnika, to pogotovo astrofizičara, koji za sobom ostavljaju najbizarnije moguće samoubilačke poruke o krahu fizike kao nauke. Dimenzije te katastrofe u naučnom svetu prisiljavaju kineske naučnike i policiju da usko sarađuje sa nekadašnjim ideološkim neprijateljima, i tokom te saradnje na videlo izlazi specifična video igra pod nazivom The Three-Body Problem, u kojoj se od igrača zahteva da prežive pod ekstremno zahtevnim okolnostima sveta pod uticajem triju različitih sunaca. Taj Trisolaris model civilizacije očekuje od igrača da racionalizuju i ako je moguće matematički predvide eratične elipse triju sunaca i planete koja se nalazi u dosegu njihovih gravitacionih polja, planete čija je civilizacija povrgavana čestim katastrofama koje ujedno označavaju i prelaske u nivoima same igre. Glavni protagonista tog narativnog toka je naučnik i nano-inžinjer Wang Miao, i njegovo učešće u MMO uskoro povezuje sve niti trilera koji je startovao upravo sa Ye i Red Coast eksperimentom.
Naravno, u pitanju je prvi deo trilogije, ali ipak, narativni ark u ovom romanu je tako fascinantno zaokružen da time savršeno dokazuje kako zaista nije nužan klifhanger da vas odvede do idućih naslova.
Širina i dubina ovog tako lako prepoznatljivog i često korištenog koncepta je toliko intenzivna da prosto oduzima dah. Motiv Prvog Kontakta je naizgled toliko izraubovan da je retko ko mogao da prepostavi ovoliko imaginativno obilje, i to bez nekih naročitih alteracija same konvencije. Jedna od značajki modela je ta što je apsolutno nepredvidiv – u ovom romanu bukvalno nema niti jedne jedine strane na kojoj ste mogli da sa sigurnošću prepostavite šta će vam doneti iduća. Sama struktura trilera je besprekorna a manipulacija doziranja informacije skoro pa savršena. Svi redom protagonist su neverovatno životni i lako (i trajno) pamtljivi u svojim specifičnostima, što je za mene gotovo kulturni šok sam po sebi, jer ja zaista imam silnih problema u pamćenju egzotičnih imena koje ne prati dovoljno fizičkog identiteta.
Drugi kulturni šok sleduje u percepciji humanosti kao takve, u Cixinovom sagledavanju istorijskih užasa u nekoj tako vremenski zahtevnoj dimeniziji da se zbog toga slobodno može nazvati i kosmičkom: ne kažem da su zbog toga oni iole prihvatljiviji, nego naprosto mi sami tu postajemo malo tolerantniji, jednom kad nas se natera da ih sagledavamo van kratkotrajne perspektive jednog kratkotrajnog i po svemu krajnje beznačajnog života.
Tor kao izdavač sve više postaje ključan po pitanju infuzije zdrave egzotike u SF, i tu mu se zaista mora odati priznanje. Cixin Liu je vodeći SF pisac u Kini, a sama Kina postaje sve veće i sve uticajnije žanrovsko tržište i u proznom delu žanra, pošto je onaj filmski to odavno potvrdio. Ta specifična kombinacija egzotične obrade poznatih žanrovskih tropa izgleda da je najimpresivnija upravo u AI i ET domenima, i taj fenomen sve više postiže dimezije pravog pravcatog preporoda u kom žanrovske moralne dileme prevazilaze ne samo kulturne nego i rasne i nacionalne granice. Taj veoma lepo koreografisan susret severnoameričkog i dalekoistočnog žanra sve više liči na drevni kulturni susret Rima i Grčke, gde nekadašnje žanrovske filozofske i tehnološke dileme postaju sve manje suvoparne a sve više psihodelične, na način na koji je nekada Zlatno doba bilo luksuzno i raskalašeno. A uz to ide i optimizam kakvog je u žanru sve manje ovih zadnjih distopičnih nam decenija.
Odličan roman, odlično napisan i odlično preveden, i svakako odličan uvod u jednu od najimpresivnijih SF trilogija ikada.
eh, samo da ispravim jednu brzopletu netačnost iz gornjeg posta: ušla je ova knjiga i na Hugo i na Nebula listu, samo je to meni svojedobno promaklo...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F519wTaKmjWL._AA160_.jpg&hash=6538071415b3db4222239d9fb3d03f60106739bb)
Milan Kundera is a changed man. This is obvious from the way "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting", or "Immortality" are different from "Slowness" and "Ignorance". Over the years he has grown weary and rather pessimistic. Humour is sadly often missing from his writing but "The Festival of Insignificance", his latest slim volume that can be easily finished over the course of a single sitting, goes a long way to rectify it. In it he attacks the most serious problems with a cheeky refusal to be serious and the results are often laugh out loud.
On the surface story is rather simple and charts the relationship between four elderly friends through a series of disjointed stories that explore the very essence of human condition and the unlikeliest body part, the navel. These episodes are not straightforward but are instead a heady mix of philosophy and history that requires a re-read to be fully appreciated. In Kundera's mind aesthetic is much more important that a self-contained plot and in a way "The Festival of Insignificance" acts like a summary of all his work so far. There are recognizable elements from all across his career and this short novel is both an epilogue and an overview. In short, it is simply Kundera that I love - almost unbearably intelligent author who is by far too clever to let it show.
"The Festival of Insignificance" is a subdued read that will be truly enjoyed only by his constant readers. I suspect the rest will simply be a bit confused but that's the part of the joke.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41uWPBv9G7L._AA160_.jpg&hash=b752f7c9b5889ddf78250015efe85f6bf8b7c49c)
There was a public outcry when David Lagercrantz was announced as an author of "The Girl in the Spider's Web", fourth part in the monumental "Millennium" series by Stieg Larsson. This was mostly due to the fact that he's best known as the co-author of "I am Zlatan", autobiography of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of today's biggest and most outspoken football stars. Surely, this Lagencrantz doesn't deserve to follow in the Larsson's footsteps? Well, if you scratch under the surface some other facts come to light. Lagencrantz was a notable crime reporter as well and over the 80s and 90s he covered some of the major crimes in Sweden, most notably the Amsele murders, a brutal massacre that happened in 1988 when a whole family was killed over a stolen bicycle. Also, Lagencrantz is a great author. He wrote a rather splendid biography of Goran Kropp, a Swedish equivalent to Ranulph Fiennes and "Fall of Man in Wilmslow" a fictionalized account of Alan Turing's final days.
"Fall of Man in Wilmslow" opens up with events known from history. On June 8, 1954, Alan Turing in found dead at his home in Wilmslow. The story goes that he killed himself with a poisoned apple as a direct result of government's persecution on homosexuals. Detective Constable Leonard Corell is assigned to a case but he instantly feels there's something more about the situation than it's initially apparent. He notices the chemicals and the similarities between the crime scene and the Snow White. Coroner quickly declares the case the suicide but that's not the ending for Correll. He becomes obsessed with Turing's tragic fate and as he digs deeper through his papers, it is increasingly obvious that everything surrounding him is veiled in secrecy. There's even some rumours about him being a target of Soviet spies' blackmail due to his sexuality. Correll's chase leads him to Cambridge where it finally all clicks together. But as the Turing's role in the war becomes clearer so Correll's life comes into more and more peril. He's become a liability. It is a cat and mouse chase whose ending you'll have to discover for yourself.
"Fall of Man in Wilmslow" is an atmospheric Cold War spy thriller which plays wonderfully with paranoia that was so fertile in that era and those horrific social circumstances that spelled the end of one of the finest minds in human history. It's a fascinating and well researched piece of speculative history that makes much more sense than, say, the version of Turing provided by "The Imitation Game". More importantly, it is a successful first step of MacLehose Press' rehabilitation of David Lagercrantz as a serious writer.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51kbDIgblzL._UY250_.jpg)
When visiting Hamburg there's every chance that you'll encounter someone who came to a city after reading one of Jan Fabel's books. Currently it's still not huge as it could be but in Hamburg Fabel is quite a great thing. Two of the books have been adapted into quite successful movies and Craig Russell was the first and only non-German person to have been awarded the highly prestigious Polizeistern (Police Star) by the Polizei Hamburg. There's every chance that in the future Fabel will do for Hamburg what Montalbano or Wallander have done for Sicily and Sweden. I've always enjoyed Fabel books and while they're far cry from Sicilian sun-drenched adventures of Montalbano, Jan Fabel's cases are extremely intense affairs. The latest instalment, "The Ghosts of Altona" is no different though it opens with some rather unique elements.
The story opens up with quotes from William Shakespeare and Bram Stoker and is followed by explanation of near-death experience. In the first few chapters there's a Zombie and a Frankenstein. It's a rather a bizarre was to open up a crime novel but everything becomes clear soon enough. As you would expect, Jan Fabel, Head of the Polizei Hamburg's Murder Commission is no stranger to death. As the second decade of his career is coming to a close, he's finds that he's increasingly in an introspective mood. As he's recounting his past, a body of Monika Krone, a woman who went missing some fifteen years ago, has been found. Monika has been a part of the Hamburg's Gothic clique - a crowd of people obsessed with all things macabre. Fabel reopens a case as he sees it rather personally but soon enough things turn rather messy one of the most notorious criminals, a dangerous serial rapist escapes from a high-security prison. As the bodies start piling up, Fabel quickly realises that he has found his match.
"The Ghosts of Altona" is probably the finest Fabel novel so far. Craig Russell has managed to create something rather unique, a story that relies on a rather peculiar subculture, one that owes its existence to horror and which naturally harks on death. I was instantly hooked and I've had an awfully hard time letting go of the book once I've started it. As always, in Russell's writing Hamburg comes to life. If you've ever visited it, you'll remember that it is an incredibly vibrant place but one which, like all the big cities, comes with a dark note to it, especially after the clock strikes midnight. Russell has been tapping this rich seam for a while now and if "The Ghosts of Altona" is anything to go by, he's only just starting. An incredibly addicting book.
Jared rivjuiše redom listu užih nominacija za David Gemmell Legend Awards: (http://www.pornokitsch.com/2015/06/traitors-blade-by-sebastien-de-castell.html#more)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.notyetread.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F06%2FTraitors-Blade-covers.png&hash=61a632125491bc066f987dd62deec02720356c3b)
Pretend, just for a moment, that you have attained your most deep-seated desire. Not the simple, sensible one you tell your friends about, but the dream that's so close to your heart that even as a child you hesitated to speak it out loud.
Thus begins Traitor's Blade (2014), and the opening lines do an excellent job of capturing the novel's overall tone. These wistful, deliberately florid lines are clearly a set-up for a joke - and, indeed, by the end of the first page, the romantic vision is shattered by a crude interruption. But there's also something genuine in these lines - the speaker might be overwrought and a tiny bit snide, but there's a truth at the core. A real dream, hiding behind sarcasm.
And thus goes Traitor's Blade - a novel that cloaks itself in satire, but has a firmly romantic heart. It is a tricky balance: not everyone can have their tongue in their cheek and their heart on their sleeve, but Traitor's Blade accomplishes it with surprising skill. Not unlike, of course, The Three Musketeers, which clearly inspired this novel in many ways. Dumas' novel is perhaps better known for its romantic side - the swordplay and the sacrifice. But unlike, say, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers is a deeply, wonderfully snarky book, one that very rarely takes itself (or its protagonists) seriously.
D'Artagnan is, well, dumb - and meets his friends due to a combination of hot-headed pride and ridiculous circumstance. The musketeers are vain, rude and deceitful; before they fight for their King and Queen, they brawl to escape bar bills and most of their 'combat' is merely abusing their own servants. They are undoubtedly brave, but Dumas also points out the ludicrousness of their lives. They are heroes, yes, but they're also anti-social, ill-fitting, emotionally-damaged disasters. De Castell follows in this vein, and Traitor's Blade is all the better for it.
The 'musketeers 'in de Castell's novel are Kest, Brasti and Falcio. They are three of the remaining Greatcoats, an organisation of travelling magistrates, investigators and heroes-on-call that was founded by the King... and then died when said monarch was overthrown. Life's tough for a fallen hero, and the kingdom's new rulers, the Dukes, haven't made it any easier. The Greatcoats make for excellent scapegoats for all that goes wrong, and our protagonists are having a tough time making ends meet.
To add further complexity, all three are still bound by oaths to their dead King. Falcio, our primary protagonist, has sworn to find the King's 'Charoites' ('jewels' - and if you don't figure it out before Falcio does, I'm very disappointed in you). That geas, plus, his unceasing commitment to the King's Laws (honor, fair play, rights for peasants, etc. etc) means that he can never just get on with the business of surviving - instead, he keeps trying to save the day, throwing himself headlong into danger over and over again.
To further the comparison to The Three Musketeers, Traitor's Blade is a fairly peripatetic novel. We begin with a political scheme, one that's rapidly derailed by murder (with our heroes being framed, of course). Then we're on the road as hired guards for a caravan. Then we're bodyguarding a noblewoman. Then we're rescuing another noblewoman. Then we're in a war. Then we're... etc. Falcio is either the luckiest or unluckiest of men. Sure, he's constantly fighting for his life, but, despite being swatted hither and yon like a low fantasy tennis ball, his overarching quest always seems to progress. That is to say: this is a book that relies very heavily on circumstance and convenience. Even if Falcio, Brasti and Kest aren't planning for their future, the author is.
Fortunately, Traitor's Blade is also extremely fond of swashbuckling distractions. Whenever there's a moment where the reader might stop to think that "wait, that doesn't make any sense at all...", someone attacks. Hold up, how did that magic spell work? GUARDSMEN ATTACK. If this is all being recounted to a scribe, does that mean that... PIKES! And, wait, why is it so important that you join this particular caravan? I CHALLENGE YOU TO A SERIES OF DUELS. Is an absolute monarchy really better than some sort of devolved feudalis... BAREHANDED DEATHBRAWL. Just one second, nothing in this city makes sens...NINJA AMBUSH! And wait, if you knew that all along, why didn't you just stop this earli... CAVALRY CHARGE! Etc, etc. If there's a moral to Traitor's Blade - both for its characters and the construction of the book itself - it is simply 'fortune favors the bold'. There's nothing that can't be solved, explained away or simply ignored by drawing your sword and rushing straight ahead.
It certainly helps that the combat is very good - a combination of the oft-cited Dumas and, well, pick a video game of choice. Falcio has a stack of tricks and tactics, everything from shooting swords to berserker mayhem. No fight ever repeats itself, as there's a whole inventory of bizarre items up the Greatcoat's (armored, alchemically-enhanced, secret-pocket-laden) sleeves. Indeed, some of the fights are perhaps a little too video game: the overly-contrived duels are very capital-c-Cool, but also Contrived.
Traitor's BladeBut this - the meandering adventures, the hand-wavey explanations, the Bloodborne combats - is only half the story. That's the fun part: the icing, the isn't-it-neat, the over the topness that lends itself to satire. Traitor's Blade is good, perhaps even very good, because, despite adorning itself in the Greatcoat of 'dumb fun', it has a body of smart, even powerful, storytelling.
Perhaps where that's most obvious is with what we don't see. We don't learn all the other Greatcoats' geases (geasi? geese?!), we don't see Kest's ultimate duel, we don't learn the history of Falcio and Brasti, we don't learn how Falcio and Kest duelled in the past, we don't know what happened to Kest as a child, we don't learn what the other Greatcoats are up to, etc. etc. - all of this is there, alluded to, and clearly relevant, but de Castell wisely withholds extraneous exposition in favour of keeping the plot moving and the mysteries intact. Moreover, much of the exposition we do get isn't 'plot-focused' as much as it is character-building: the origins of Falcio's anger - and his loyalty to the King. It doesn't matter how things happened, or even why, as long we care about the people involved. And, from the few, deadly serious, glimpses of Falcio's past, the reader very quickly understands the personal stakes involved.
The result? A book that's silly - occasionally overly so - but also surprisingly, wonderfully earnest. Falcio, Kest and Brasti are awash in goofiness, dirt and grime, the humor, crudeness and banality of day to day reality, but... they are also capable of transcendent moments of heroism. Traitor's Blade provides swashbuckling fan service, and has fun along the way, but it also packs a sneaky emotional punch as well. Dumas would be proud.
But enough of that - we've got special DGLA criteria, so let's go through them...
Is it fantastic? Yes. Although it is worth noting that Traitor's Blade has a particularly hand-wavey (and not entirely consistent) approach to magic. It is a thing that occasionally appears to move the plot forward, and despite it being a demonstrable fact of the setting, there are also indications that not everyone believes in it.
Is it entertaining? Yes. Very. Again, a lot of the set-piece action scenes are transparently contrived, but they're also immensely good fun. This is a book that slashes and parries with great glee, and never stops moving. It reads quickly and feels a lot shorter than it is, which is a very good sign.
Is it immersive? Maybe. I'm not giving full points here, as the world-building is probably the book's weakest link - and not helped by the fact that much of it is delivered by 'As you know, Bob' dialogue between the three Greatcoats. Similarly, the commitment to cool stuff happening often leads to locations that are often more flamboyant than believable.
Is it emotionally engaging? Yes. And surprisingly so. Traitor's Blade really does kick off like silly fun, but Falcio's backstory is interwoven in a such a way that there's real character depth behind the swashbuckling. The moments of earnestness feel all the more powerful for it.
Is it embarrassing? Mostly no. There's one particularly awful misstep, featuring a magical sex-nun - of all the video game tropes to pick up, shag-to-heal is possibly the worst. And, spoilers, of course she fulls in wuv. There's also a dead wife, and, although a hoary (fridge-y, even) trope, I don't think it is badly deployed - her death provides one of the book's rare moments of grim-faced seriousness, and it isn't exploitative. Many of the book's other female characters start as archetypes - naive young women, manipulative crones and damsels in distress amongst them - but all of them have full stories and, more importantly, agency. Traitor's Blade is occasionally laddish, but never, with the one exception above, problematic.
Is it different? Hmm. I think there's something to be said about drawing on the Dumas tradition rather than the Tolkien one. And Traitor's Blade does 'dirty' - and occasionally even horrific - without being wholly gritty. And there's something interesting about the integration of influences - and not just Dumas. Genre fiction has spent a few generations using words to capture vistas and set-pieces that are clearly cinematically inspired. Traitor's Blade is more about hyper-kineticism and meandering plot structure of modern video games instead. But as to a single point of difference? As much as I liked this book, there's nothing strikingly innovative to point to.
Overall? A very good debut, fun and well-crafted - and an auspicious start to this year's reading. If the other four debuts are to this standard, I'd be very pleased (and impressed).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1250040191.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=001715bec58e0926d0fea2f242e68757812e862d)
From David Wong, author of John Dies in the End (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1250035953/sfsi0c-20) comes Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/163388094X/sfsi0c-20), out in October.
Here's the synopsis:
In a prosperous yet gruesomely violent near-future, superhero vigilantes battle thugs whose heads are full of supervillain fantasies. The peace is kept by a team of smooth, well-dressed negotiators called The Men in Fancy Suits. Meanwhile a young girl is caught in the middle, and thinks the whole thing is ridiculous.
Zoey, a recent college graduate with a worthless degree, makes a reluctant trip into the city after hearing that her estranged con artist father had died in a mysterious yet spectacular way. There she finds that her scumbag dad had actually, in the final years of his life, put his amazing talent for hustling to good use: He was one of the founding members of the Fancy Suits, and died in the course of his duties.
Zoey is quickly entangled in the city's surreal mob war when she is taken hostage by a particularly crazy villain who imagines himself to be a Dr. Doom-level mastermind. The villain is demanding information about Zoe's father when she is rescued by The Fancy Suits. She reluctantly joins their cause and help finish what her old man started, tapping into her innate talent for bullshit that she inherited from her hated father. And along the way, she might just have to learn how to trust people again.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fsfcrowsnest.org.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F05%2FLifeOnThePreservation.jpg%3Fresize%3D195%252C300&hash=171c37c7b399932bd53a1f94816ca8f2b7c79afa)
U mnogim aspektima, ovo je roman zbog kog se Stiven King grize od muke što ga nije napisao, onomad kad je pisao Under the Dome. Odnosno, grizao bi se, da ga je briga. Ali nije, naravno, jer odavno više nije važno šta je Stiven King zapravo napisao, to se sve ionako jednako prodaje, bilo dobro ili loše.
Srećom, Skillingsteadu je važno, otud je ovo zaista dobro ispričana priča.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.notyetread.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FHLIC%2F0bfe1af6c924f28a9e04d772fcaede7f.jpg&hash=33acd5457a0a6a3cc969e5503868bffd6f37a0dd)
Bilo bi stvarno truba otkriti išta od ovog delikatnog zapleta, pa zato umesto sinopsisa evo samo nekoliko slobodnijih asocijacija:
naravno, najpre Under the Dome, ali samo oni dobri delovi, a dalje, Dark City, Deja Vu, Source Code, Looper, Groundhog Day, The Matrix... ako ste ljubitelj ovih filmova, e onda je i ovo pravi roman za vas. :)
za sve kojima se dopao BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP, evo dobre vesti:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51c6Iw9mK5L._UY250_.jpg)
"Before I Go To Sleep" was such an unique book. It came completely out of the blue and made S.J. Watson's name as an off-beat author who can instantly grip the hearts of his readers. A successful Hollywood movie starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth followed and sealed the deal. "Before I Go To Sleep" deservedly became an international bestseller and won quite a few rewards. S.J. Watson is now back in the limelight with his new psychological thriller called "Second Life". Brilliant cover art clearly shows what to expect. In a similar way that "Before I Go To Sleep" did, "Second Life" is a about duality but told in a slightly different way which might not appeal to everyone.
"Second Life" follows the story of Julia, a woman who live an ordinary and slightly boring life with her husband and son. Everything changes when her sister Kate is brutally murdered. This is a new that shatters her life to bits. Kate and her have always been very close despite the fact that Kate has been living in Paris for a little while now. To make matters even complicated, Kate's son is being raised by Julia for reasons to complicated to explain now. Julia is disappointed by police's investigation and little by little decided to take matters into her own hand. After the discussion with Julia's flatmate Anna, she starts by exploring her sister's effect only to discover the other side of her life - a world of online dating and sex. As Julia digs more and more, her own life starts spiralling out of control and yet, she can't give - for her own and her sister's sake she must know what really happened.
"Before I Go To Sleep" was such an unique book. It came completely out of the blue and made S.J. Watson's name as an off-beat author who can instantly grip the hearts of his readers. A successful Hollywood movie starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth followed and sealed the deal. "Before I Go To Sleep" deservedly became an international bestseller and won quite a few rewards. S.J. Watson is now back in the limelight with his new psychological thriller called "Second Life". Brilliant cover art clearly shows what to expect. In a similar way that "Before I Go To Sleep" did, "Second Life" is a about duality but told in a slightly different way which might not appeal to everyone.
"Second Life" follows the story of Julia, a woman who live an ordinary and slightly boring life with her husband and son. Everything changes when her sister Kate is brutally murdered. This is a new that shatters her life to bits. Kate and her have always been very close despite the fact that Kate has been living in Paris for a little while now. To make matters even complicated, Kate's son is being raised by Julia for reasons to complicated to explain now. Julia is disappointed by police's investigation and little by little decided to take matters into her own hand. After the discussion with Julia's flatmate Anna, she starts by exploring her sister's effect only to discover the other side of her life - a world of online dating and sex. As Julia digs more and more, her own life starts spiralling out of control and yet, she can't give - for her own and her sister's sake she must know what really happened.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fbakertaylor%2Fcovers%2Ft%2Fthe-water-knife%2F9780385352871_custom-b9151d61a5c6869bf30190fa56d69a11c7c8bcd9-s200-c85.jpg&hash=493b1337f43279f540ecedf381c6915c24d5f743)
Elem, dakle, nakon malog izleta u YA domen, Baćigalupi se vratio odraslima. I to se vratio na velika vrata, sa angažovanom eko-distopijom koja kao da je po meri pisana upravo za Miću Milovanovića i Zorana Živkovića.
Najozbiljnije to kažem, Baćigalupi je mogao komotno da im i posvetu napiše. :lol:
E sad, Mići ide cela postavka i angažman: očigledno je da Baćigalupi nudi neku vrst strogo kontrolisanog eksperimenta na pozornici američkog jugozapada, nešto kao 'oblik stvari koje dolaze'. Reč je o ultra bliskom futurizmu ratovanja vodom za vodu, a glavne pozornice su Teksas, Nevada i Kalifornija.
Globalno zagrevanje i suša stvorile su uslove u kojima je voda najvrednija sirovina, a samo posedovanje vode izjednačeno je sa apsolutnim bogatstvom. Onako kako danas izbeglice iz Meksika plaćaju 'kojote' da ih ilegalno prebace preko granice, tako u ovom futurizmu Teksas i Arizona gleda da se dokopa Kalifornije: ilegalno, i uz ogromnu cenu. A onaj ko poseduje prava na vodu, taj jednim jedinim potezom pera može da ubije ceo grad: Baćigalupi nudi poslednje hropce Feniksa, kao očigledan model sudbine koja čeka i ostale gradove.
Deo koji kao da je stvoren za Miću je ujedno i kičma samog romana – ko to zapravo može (ili sme) da poseduje 'prava na vodu'. Civilizovana Evropa stremi da prava na vodu počivaju na državi a ne na pojedincu, korporaciji ili teritoriji. Ali na kraju se sve ipak svodi na isto, jer država – to su ljudi. A to dalje u prevodu znači političari i njihove klike, a to opet dalje znači da negde, nekako bude tu i nekakav pojedinac čija je reč poslednja.
Glavna postavka počiva na razlici između senior i junior prava na vodu (to je deo koji će Mića naprosto da obožava) pri čemu se do sada pohlepno stremilo ka pravima na vodene mase, dok će distopija pohlepu usmeriti na sama seniorna prava, dakle na prava samog izvora. Onaj ko ima to pravo, pa, taj lično odlučuje koji grad će da živi a koji da umre. A način na koji se taj proces odvija veoma podseća na scenario Čajnatauna, od Polanskog.
Deo za Živkovića je onaj žanrovske prirode. Da kojim slučajem pročita ovaj Baćigalupijev roman, ZŽ bi radosno uskliknuo "ha! Nisam li ja vama još onomad rekao da je sf mrtav"? :mrgreen: Jer, istini za volju, ovaj roman je SF roman taman onoliko koliko je Gravity SF film. Ni manje ni više. Futurizam u ovom romanu da se proceniti samo odokativno, i optimista tu može da pronađe budućnost koja nam preti za nekih 20-30 godina, dok će pesimista da tvrdi kako se to zbiva upravo sada, zapravo je već počelo juče. (Lično poznajem najmanje petoro ljudi koji trenutna politička zbivanja tumače sa deset puta više fantastičnom teorijom zavere, tako da ova konkretno ekstrapolacija i nije bog zna kako impresivna.)
I tako ispada da je meni lično od ovog Baćigalupijevog romana preostao samo triler. Da ne grešim dušu, prilično je zanimljiv i veoma dobro zanatski odrađen ali... nekako mi dođe ko oni veštački zaslađivači: štagod benefita od njih dobiješ po pitanju kaloričnosti, garant imaju neki sajdefekt koji će ti sve to zdravstveno naplatiti, otud mi i jeste najdraži dobri stari braon šećer.
A sve i ako priznajem da ovde ipak ima malko subjektivnosti po pitanju (prevelikih?) očekivanja, finalna procena mi je prilično mlaka. Onako, fino se čita, ali nije baš da ga uramim onako kako se Baćigalupijev prvenac mogao uramiti...
Pročitaćemo...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00Y7RWXHU.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=35d6d2867d1dc5abd191fab6787d75c2449d26b7)
Binti (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00Y7RWXHU/sfsi0c-20) by Nnedi Okorafor will be out in September from Tor.com and here's the synopsis and cover.
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.
Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.
If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself – but first she has to make it there, alive.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51f76MY5fFL._UY250_.jpg)
Considering the tremendous success of John Ajvide Lindqvist's "Let Me In", it is something of a wonder that we're not seeing more Scandinavian supernatural thrillers on our bulging bookshelves filled with translated titles. Thinking about it, there's only been a handful of such tiles published in recent history, coming from either from those reliable stalwarts of foreign fiction Pushkin Press and MacLehose, and they've all been invariably great. Seems like those cold Scandinavian nights offer plenty to inspire authors willing to step away from the standard Scandinavian crime literature, especially those willing to explore darker and stranger recesses of human condition as imbued by myth and tradition. Stefan Spjut's atmospheric "Stallo" is a welcome addition to this sadly understated sub-genre and it is instantly an appealing read.
Nothing sets the tone for what follows better than this opening:
"The worm glued to the tarmac is as long as a snake. No, longer. It reaches all the way to the grass verge beside the main door. The boy's eyes follow the slimy ribbon and notice that it stretches across the ditch and curls into the belly of a grey animal. Its eyes are black glass and one paw has stiffened in a wave."
The story continues to revolve around the strange and unexplained phenomena. Ever since a boy disappeared in the woods back in 1978, him mother has claimed that he was abducted by a giant. Of course, no one believed her even when it transpired that a year ago, a wildlife photographer captured another similarly bizarre phenomena on film.
Back in present day, Susso Myren is updating her web page. She's one of those conspiracy theorists who believe in all sorts of dodgy stories including the Yeti and the Big Foot. His father, the wildlife photographer who 25 years before took that bizarre photo, has instilled in her a deep love for photography so when an old woman recount a tale of a strange creature that observers her house for hours on end, Susso sees an opportunity for a story of a lifetime. Armed with a camera, her ex-boyfriend Torbjörn and her mother Gudrun she embarks on an adventure far stranger and perilous than could have possible imagined.
The quote from Karl Ove Knausgård, which graces the cover page, is a good indication about what sort of a book "Stallo" is. Despite its magical and supernatural elements, it is a glacially slow tale that unfolds in layers and is best enjoyed when read slowly. This is my first encounter with Stefan Spjut's writing so I don't know whether this is due to the excellence of translation or just plain old good storytelling, but I found "Stallo" to be beautifully written with plenty of depth that keeps you guessing even when you think you've understood it all. As is often the case with Scandinavian literature, "Stallo" positively destroys the boundaries between genres and is a book that isn't limited by mere limitations of any particular genre. It's serious enough to be enjoyed by those looking for something more mainstream while strange enough to attract those looking for intelligent fantasy fare. "Stallo" is a menacing, atmospheric book that will occupy your thoughts for days. More of the same, please.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51xOIbW1P6L._UY250_.jpg)
A secret Russian mind research laboratory in Podol'sk erupts, annihilating thousands and leaving a monstrous, one-mile deep crater in its wake.
Beau Walker, parapsychologist and reluctant empath, is coerced into joining a research team, code-named SHIVA, to investigate the enigmatic event.
Walker must fight his way past political and military deceptions and a host of deadly adversaries to unlock the riddle of the SHIVA syndrome.
Will he have the physical, emotional, and spiritual strength to defy the dangers he faces...or will they destroy him before he can come to a new, challenging understanding of the nature of reality?
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51SNYI5IZNL._UY250_.jpg)
In Chocky, pioneering science-fiction master John Wyndham confronts an enigma as strange as anything found in his classic works The Day of the Triffids or The Chrysalids—the mind of a child.
It's not terribly unusual for a boy to have an imaginary friend, but Matthew's parents have to agree that his—nicknamed Chocky—is anything but ordinary. Why, Chocky demands to know, are there twenty-four hours in a day? Why are there two sexes? Why can't Matthew solve his math homework using a logical system like binary code? When the questions Chocky asks become too advanced and, frankly, too odd for teachers to answer, Matthew's parents start to wonder if Chocky might be something far stranger than a figment of their son's imagination.
Chocky, the last novel Wyndham published during his life, is a playful investigation of what being human is all about, delving into such matters as child-rearing, marriage, learning, artistic inspiration—and ending with a surprising and impassioned plea for better human stewardship of the earth.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51copjDRq8L._UY250_.jpg)
Gene Mapper by Taiyo Fujii
In a future where reality has been augmented and biology itself has been hacked, the world's food supply is genetically modified, superior, and vulnerable. When gene mapper Hayashida discovers that his custom rice plant has experienced a dysgenic collapse, he suspects sabotage. Hayashida travels Asia to find himself in Ho Chi Minh City with hired-gun hacker Kitamura at his side—and in mortal danger—as he pushes ever nearer to the heart of the mystery.
... julski gudizi:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5178VB4WBRL._UY250_.jpg)
jessss....
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JDMYomagL._UY250_.jpg)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F514wPm324NL._AA160_.jpg&hash=0c5165e5961e73e73ab0890a388de64736695384)
From Nebula and Hugo Award-nominated Carolyn Ives Gilman comes Dark Orbit, a compelling novel featuring alien contact, mystery, and murder.
Reports of a strange, new habitable planet have reached the Twenty Planets of human civilization. When a team of scientists is assembled to investigate this world, exoethnologist Sara Callicot is recruited to keep an eye on an unstable crewmate. Thora was once a member of the interplanetary elite, but since her prophetic delusions helped mobilize a revolt on Orem, she's been banished to the farthest reaches of space, because of the risk that her very presence could revive unrest.
Upon arrival, the team finds an extraordinary crystalline planet, laden with dark matter. Then a crew member is murdered and Thora mysteriously disappears. Thought to be uninhabited, the planet is in fact home to a blind, sentient species whose members navigate their world with a bizarre vocabulary and extrasensory perceptions.
Lost in the deep crevasses of the planet among these people, Thora must battle her demons and learn to comprehend the native inhabitants in order to find her crewmates and warn them of an impending danger. But her most difficult task may lie in persuading the crew that some powers lie beyond the boundaries of science.
I za kraj, malko zezancije:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41wx8HB9zkL._UY250_.jpg)
Richard Milhous Nixon lived one of the most improbable lives of the twentieth century. Our thirty-seventh president's political career spanned the button-down fifties, the Mad Men sixties, and the turbulent seventies. He faced down the Russians, the Chinese, and ultimately his own government. The man went from political mastermind to a national joke, sobbing in the Oval Office, leaving us with one burning question: how could he have lost it all?
Here for the first time is the tale told in his own words: the terrifying supernatural secret he stumbled upon as a young man, the truth behind the Cold War, and the truth behind the Watergate cover-up. What if our nation's worst president was actually a pivotal figure caught in a desperate struggle between ordinary life and horrors from another reality? What if the man we call our worst president was, in truth, our greatest?
In Crooked, Nixon finally reveals the secret history of modern American politics as only Austin Grossman could reimagine it. Combining Lovecraftian suspense, international intrigue, Russian honey traps, and a presidential marriage whose secrets and battles of attrition were their own heroic saga, Grossman's novel is a masterwork of alternative history, equal parts mesmerizing character study and nail-biting Faustian thriller.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chris-beckett.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F02%2FMother-of-Eden-US-cover-200x300.jpg&hash=2e858e1f6728577f0ebfdb2cc6571103835e6d77)
Ehhh... na žalost, nestavak Edena je znatno slabiji... zapravo, do te mere slabiji da čovek ne može a da se ne upita čemu zapravo služi. :(
Dosta originalnih značajki je naprasno nestalo – tu ponajpre jezik, koji je ovde naprasno postao ne samo korektan, nego i sa zavidnim originalno-zemaljskim vokabularom... Teško za prihvatiti, ako se ima u vidu da roman govori o znatno kasnijem periodu od onog u prethodnom romanu. Ne znam kako to Beckett smatra da evolucija jezika zapravo funkcioniše, ali ovo je veoma, veoma neubedljivo.
dalje, sam zaplet je poprilično trivijalan, otud i predvidiv, a otud i nekako mlak čak i kad barata sa relativno uverljivim dramskim scenama i elementima. A sam kraj je zaista razočaravajuće banalan u svojoj naivnosti, iako ga čovek već od pola romana željno iščekuje.
Sve u svemu, slabo i dosta razočaravajuće. Iz poluotvorenog kraja da se naslututi kako se Beckett malko zanosi mišlju serijala, ali što se mene tiče, slabe su šanse da ću u tome da ga pratim. Sa naknadnom pameti, moj celokupni utisak o Edenu bi bio daleko bolji da sam ostala samo na prvom romanu.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51AlCJZ1YxL.jpg&hash=05a271a336cb9695379d56fb64f1aeaf6d70301f)
I eto sad, ja stvarno nisam bogznakakav fan Barkera, ali ovaj roman se dugo najavljivao, dugo iščekivao, i pratilo ga je stvarno puno pehova i odlaganja i kojekakvih zavrzlama, a plus je i najavljivan kao neka vrst finalnosti, ili barem nekog zaokruženja, jer ipak su tu u pitanju dva kultna karaktera: Hari i Pinhead. Sve u svemu, to je moralo biti markirano bar za obaveznu overu, ako već ne i čitanje.
A kako je krenuo, isprva je izgledalo da će ipak biti sam ono prvo. Barker je otvorio skasku upravo sa Harijem, i otud je taj deo nekako bio u skladu sa mojim minimalnim očekivanjima: dakle, morbidno i groteskno, i perverzno naravno, sa tu i tamo malko onog Barkeru svojstvenog humora između Harija i ekipe, ali ipak pomalo sterilno i, eto, da se i to kaže, na momente i ne baš preterano zanimljivo. :( I kad je u skasku upao Pinhead (ovog puta svojevoljno, a ne zbog kocke) nije bilo baš velikog pomaka na bolje, i nekako sam bila sklona da još jednom preispitam vredi li sve to uopšte čitanja... ali onda se Barker dohvatio Pakla, i sve dvoumice su nestale.
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR-N43wRz3sdN_j-44CYCNP_waFpKBpKMsekvNkMEp_vQPv_8Whvw)
Naravno, taj dualitet izraza je ostao prisutan tokom celog romana: kao da su ga pisala dva različita čoveka. Ali lako se uvidi da to zapravo veoma dobro funkcioniše, jer ovde je ipak Pinhead glavni, nema tu sumnje, a priča je njegova i on u njoj briljira. I upravo u tim delovima sam Barker jeste na svom vrhu, otud je Pakao prezentovan zaista vrhunskim jezikom (mislim vrhunskim za Barkera, naravno), vizuelno briljantan i magično zastrašujući, krcat impresivnim bizarnostima koje se zaista pamte. U tim delovima o Paklu, Barker apsolutno jeste nadmašio sebe.
E sad, meni je tu ipak ostao problem sa onim Harijevim delom, jer šta da se radi, jednom kad čovek preraste taj nivo, nikako mu ne može vratiti davnašnju čaroliju... no svejedno, dajhard fanovi će sve to zajedno obožavati, i to do koske. Tim pre što roman ipak nije sve ono što se najavljivalo, dakle ipak tu nije u pitanju neka vrst konačnog obračuna između Harija i Pinheada... ali reći bilo šta više od toga bi zaista bio spojler.
Ukratko - Barker is back! :)
The Essential Cyberpunk Reading List (http://io9.com/the-essential-cyberpunk-reading-list-1714180001)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F511b6H5DIHL._SX326_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=db4b3b4e57dd1be23845e16289549079274c485d)
"If Stephen Hawking and Stephen King wrote a novel together, you'd get The Flicker Men. Brilliant, disturbing, and beautifully told." -Hugh Howey, New York Times bestselling author of the Wool series
A quantum physicist shocks the world with a startling experiment, igniting a struggle between science and theology, free will and fate, and antagonizing forces not known to exist
Eric Argus is a washout. His prodigious early work clouded his reputation and strained his sanity. But an old friend gives him another chance, an opportunity to step back into the light.
With three months to produce new research, Eric replicates the paradoxical double-slit experiment to see for himself the mysterious dual nature of light and matter. A simple but unprecedented inference blooms into a staggering discovery about human consciousness and the structure of the universe.
His findings are celebrated and condemned in equal measure. But no one can predict where the truth will lead. And as Eric seeks to understand the unfolding revelations, he must evade shadowy pursuers who believe he knows entirely too much already.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51s0wnBohsL._SX328_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=ffb8ef62492480089ba999b3799e7ed9411d3ec2)
In R. J. Pineiro's The Fall, a sci-fi thriller, a man jumps from the upper-most reaches of the atmosphere and vanishes, ending up on an alternate Earth where he died five years earlier.
Jack Taylor has always been an adrenaline junkie. As a federal contractor, he does dangerous jobs for the government that fall out of the realm of the SEALS and the Marines. And this next job is right up his alley. Jack has been assigned to test an orbital jump and if it works, the United States government will have a new strategy against enemy countries.
Despite Jack's soaring career, his personal life is in shambles. He and his wife Angela are both workaholics and are on the verge of getting a divorce. But the night before his jump, Jack and Angela begin to rekindle their romance and their relationship holds promise for repair. Then comes the day of Jack's big jump. He doesn't burn up like some predicted--instead, he hits the speed of sound and disappears.
Jack wakes up in an alternate universe. One where he died during a mission five years earlier and where Angela is still madly in love with him. But in this world, his boss, Pete, has turned to the dark side, is working against him, and the government is now on his tail. Jack must return to his own world but the only way for him to do that is to perform another orbital jump. This time is more difficult though--no one wants to see him go.
Jack's adrenaline is contagious--The Fall will keep readers on the edges of their seats, waiting to find out what crazy stunt Jack will perform next and to learn the fate of this charming, daredevil hero.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41XEmZrsJvL._UY250_.jpg)
Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he's spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.
But hey, there's nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don't get chosen to save the universe.
And then he sees the flying saucer.
Even stranger, the alien ship he's staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.
No, Zack hasn't lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he's seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what's about to befall it.
It's Zack's chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can't help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn't something about this scenario seem a little...familiar?
At once gleefully embracing and brilliantly subverting science-fiction conventions as only Ernest Cline could, Armada is a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien invasion tale like nothing you've ever read before—one whose every page is infused with the pop-culture savvy that has helped make Ready Player One a phenomenon.
Cyberpunk Sunday! Listen to a Radio Dramatization of William Gibson's NEUROMANCER
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0441007465.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=3ff0113efd3c0335f8904ba0f32239bd12474d85)
https://youtu.be/9liJ3xlJcaQ?list=PLx2Joe_0hvnNhA4L1tOT5ZCaFcxQdu4tK (http://youtu.be/9liJ3xlJcaQ?list=PLx2Joe_0hvnNhA4L1tOT5ZCaFcxQdu4tK)
Stiglo!!! :!: :!: :D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316098108.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=0969d40626628e78e25768a9b7e1a9e759a794fe)
REVIEW SUMMARY: Robinson raises profound ethical, biological, and astrophysical questions about the potential for humans to survive interstellar travel and colonize other worlds.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: It's been over two centuries since Earth launched a generation ship bound for Tau Ceti; the generation that arrives there, though, encounters challenges that threaten the entire point of the mission.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Detailed discussions of practical issues with generation starships (i.e. decomposition, corrosion, devolution); superb handling of varying narrative voices; believable plot twists.
CONS: Some sections were a little too detailed and distracted the reader from the main narrative.
BOTTOM LINE: You've read novels about generation ships and human colonization, but you've never read one quite like this.
Aurora is the first of Robinson's books that I've read, and now it certainly won't be the last. I started the novel knowing that it had something to do with space travel on a generation ship, and the search for other habitable planets, but I never expected such an in-depth, detailed, and downright vast exploration of the implications of human space travel and relocation.
Some of you, I assume, will think about Battlestar Galactica, The Martian Chronicles, Severance, and the like while reading Aurora, and rightly so, since stories of humans setting out to find a new home run throughout American sci-fi. What makes Aurora stand out, though, is just how far Robinson takes the narrative: dropping us into the generation ship as it approaches Tau Ceti, following the small group of settlers who test out the chosen moon, then returning with the ship and its remaining passengers (in stasis) to Earth, and finally following the surviving passengers as they set foot on a planet they've never seen but nonetheless call "home."
Most of the story is told from the perspective of Freya, daughter of one of the ship's engineers and friend to many in the diverse biomes (around 2,000 people at the time of the story). We gradually learn that the ship left Earth a couple of hundred years before and is in deceleration in anticipation of entering the Tau Ceti system. Freya's mother, Devi, has been almost single-handedly keeping the ship together for years in preparation for arrival at the destination, but dies before she can witness the outcome. Freya, due to her extensive travels throughout the ship and her many acquaintances, becomes a kind of de-facto Devi, caring for the spiritual/emotional needs of the passengers, rather than the technology on the ship.
In the years before she died, however, Devi helped coax the ship into a form of consciousness, until the ship takes over part of the novel as narrator, trying out jokes and colloquialisms, like a toddler learning how to speak. Devi had insisted that the ship create a running narrative of events both on-board and on whichever planet the passengers settled. And thus it is through the ship's "eyes" that we witness the growing unrest among the passengers as the ship enters the Tau Ceti system.
Robinson asks us to consider fundamental ethical issues associated with this kind of travel, in which the passengers who arrive at the destination had no say in the entire colonization plan. Those who chose to leave Earth and settle another planet never came close to witnessing the event, and knew that from the beginning; those who do arrive, though, never chose to leave Earth in the first place. On the one hand, you can argue that this is really a metaphor for human life itself, since none of us can choose his/her destiny. On the other hand, isn't it troublesome that one group of people can influence the lives of a completely different generation, leaving them with the profound problems of settling an Earth-like planet with no first-hand knowledge of Earth itself?
Part of what makes Aurora so successful is Robinson's ability to make interstellar travel several centuries from now seem absolutely plausible. His video on the science behind the novel, in fact, focuses on the real physical and mathematical problems that arise when considering this kind of journey. Robinson also invites us to think about the people living on a generation ship as guinea pigs in a complex evolutionary experiment, where each generation develops new genetic mutations and an increasingly narrow "worldview," since the ship's outer hull marks the boundaries of their existence. With no outside contact, these several generations, and the ship too, begin to deteriorate.
A further, and more dangerous, problem, involves the conditions on the potentially habitable planets and moons toward which the generation ship is moving. If a planet is "alive," Robinson explains, then it will harbor various forms of life most likely deadly to any humans who encounter it. If the planet is "dead," though, humans are in just as much trouble because terraforming would take centuries; in the meantime, settlers would have to exchange their one bubble (the ship) for a different bubble (a biome on the planet). One of the main factors driving the ship's occupants in their decision to return to Earth is the realization that Earth may really be the only home humans could ever really inhabit.
And while we follow the remaining passengers as they head back toward Earth, we also learn that a small group of humans decided to remain in the Tau Ceti system in hopes of settling on a habitable planet. Thus, Robinson leaves us with the tantalizing thought that humans have actually achieved a momentous goal- leaving the solar system to explore and live amongst the stars.
I won't spoil the ending for you, but I will say that I never expected Robinson to take the passengers (and us readers) back to Earth, but he does just that. And interestingly enough, the Earth is still intact, populated, and in no immediate danger, even though it has experienced massive coastal erosion and other problems during the centuries that the ship was in space. We're never really sure why the ship was built and launched in the first place, other than the fact that humans had developed the necessary technology to do it.
Despite the many pages of detailed analysis of ship deterioration, biome problems, and other issues, Aurora is a remarkable story about the potential limits of space exploration and colonization. After all, we've seen the destruction and chaos caused by colonization within our own species on a single planet; if humans can't understand one another because of cultural differences, how could we hope to interact peacefully and rationally with other species on other worlds? How would we even recognize other forms of life? Robinson makes us think about these profound questions, and we're better for it.
nekoliko predloga za omiljene SF detektivce/krimice...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765312727.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=bf4569a59d9fa986d0ca4ccaeed5ff63fe8fcd14)
Actually the whole KOP series by Warren Hammond, but if I have to pick one to recommend I think the first in the series is the best.
This is a gritty, hard-boiled detective story set on the alien world of Lagarto, a planet teeming with humidity and lizards. Hammond's world-building is top-notch, as far as I'm concerned. The sense of place you get from this story is as well realized as the characters living in it. Juno, the protagonist at the center of this detective story, may seem a bit cliche at first but in fact is wonderfully nuanced.
Hammond plots a thrilling mystery here, and paces the book with the perfect blend of action and thoughtful detective work.
And if I can pick a second to throw into this Mind Meld mix, then (very) honorable mention must go to Patrick Weekes and his awesome fantasy caper, The Palace Job.
It does this book a bit of a disservice to call it a fantasy Ocean's 11, because it's so wildly imaginative and chock-full of inventive, interesting characters. Read it, and the new sequel, you'll be glad you did. Between this and Hammond's KOP, I think you'll have your mystery/detective/caper itch covered for the rest of the summer.
(Jason M. Hough)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765323133.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=b6b6973e745b2d37888463f9633047f2f07f35ce)
I love detective/mystery novels, and could probably come up with a dozen favorites. I'll settle on talking about Jo Walton's Farthing and its sequels, known collectively as the Small Change trilogy. On surface, this is a classic country-house cozy murder mystery. All of the elements are here: the group of social intimates come together for a weekend party, the everyone-is-a-suspect, the outsider detective.
My library system files each book in the trilogy in a different section: the first in mystery, the second in general fiction, the third in SF. It could draw fans from the readers of any of those genres. The speculative element is key, but integrated so smoothly that it is terrifyingly easy to read this as straight mystery. Farthing is set in post-WWII England, but it's a very different world than the one we know. Walton has created a world in which Hitler's march on Europe went unchecked. A group of politicians known as the Farthing Set brokered an agreement with Germany that allowed England to remain autonomous. The US, under President Lindbergh, is increasingly isolationist, and has closed its doors to Jews. Europe's Jews live with yellow stars and ration books and ghettos and camps. England's Jewish population is free, but faces strong prejudice. This alternate history is the only SF aspect of the book, which otherwise reads as political mystery and social commentary on the British class system, justice, anti-Semitism, and homophobia.
The treatment of the Jewish characters in this system of casual ingrained bigotry was absolutely gutting. The author really managed to make me feel that things could have as easily gone this way as the way they did. Walton is an excellent writer; her style feels breezy and effortless in a way that takes an enormous amount of work to achieve. The main characters feel real, and the split narrative (alternated first and third person chapters, divided between our detective and a guest at the party) works in a way that such things often do not.
There's a bit of a "to be continued" ending, not often found in this type of book, but the main arc that begins in this one ties up nicely by the end of the third. It works as a mystery, as a commentary on the mysteries written in the real post-war era, and as an alternate history. Like the best alternate histories, Walton shows how terrifyingly easy it might have been for history to have taken a different course.
(Sarah Pinsker)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765313588.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=00622e3237a03f168d494fadf5df6dfbe0070630)
Things I love: unique settings, cyberpunk, detectives, and wise-cracking.
Things George Alec Effinger's When Gravity Fails gets right: all of the above!
When reaching for a detective story, it's always the sleuth's voice that draws me in and keeps me turning pages. I like my detectives quick-witted and cynical and, if I'm being honest, more than a little unlucky. While Marid Audran is definitely silver tongued and a touch hapless, he's not cynical — and I love him anyway. He's a hustler with a heart of gold, and flows through his gritty, hand-to-mouth life with peace and determination.
Marid inhabits the cyberpunk world of Budayeen, a slum on the edges of an opulent Middle Eastern city. Through his eyes we witness a wide cast of characters, and one of the real pleasures of this book is how accepting Marid is of all he meets. In his world, personalities are changed by swapping out cartridges called moddies and skills are enhanced by add-ons called daddies. Marid himself isn't wired up, but he accepts that his friends and acquaintances are and doesn't blink an eye as they transition fluidly from one gender or personality to the next.
Marid's skills as a private eye are put to the test when a killer comes to the Budayeen using moddies that mimic the personalities of famous killers. When the killer starts picking off his friends, Marid's struggle really begins, dragging him into a wider world of intrigue.
For such a quick-paced novel, When Gravity Fails packs in a lot of complex ideas about identity, drug use, and the place of religion in a world where changing who you are is as easy as changing your shoes.
(Megan E. O'Keefe)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0553575384.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=0b22c3f521783683074e31f20da31c618db323a7)
To Say Nothing of the Dog was the first Connie Willis book I read. Like several of her other books, including Doomsday Book and Blackout/All Clear, it features the time traveling historians of future Oxford.
To Say Nothing of the Dog is a page-turner comic science fiction mystery romance that gently explores the capabilities and conventions of all those genres. It begins with a mystery of pathetic simplicity – a hunt for an item of kitsch, the "bishop's bird stump," among the ruins of the bombed Coventry Cathedral during the Second World War, but that mystery turns out to be only one thread of a knot.
Historian Ned Henry has made so many time-travel "drops" searching for the bishop's bird stump that he is showing symptoms of "time-lag." But his well-deserved rest will have to wait, as he is sent to Victorian England to cope with an emergency: another historian has inadvertently brought something to the future and created a dangerous paradox. There are mysteries within mysteries, and Ned and his fellow historian Verity Kindle make a great detective team.
The book begins with the dedication, "To Robert A. Heinlein, Who, in Have Space Suit – Will Travel, first introduced me to Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog." There are references throughout to other novels, including one of my other favorite mysteries, Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers.
To Say Nothing of the Dog won both the Hugo and Locus awards in 1999 and was nominated for the Nebula.
At Worldcon in London in 2014, I kept trying to see Connie Willis on panels or in readings and, much like her hapless time travelers, kept arriving just a bit too late, after the rooms had reached capacity. I never did see her, but my partner bought me a signed first edition of To Say Nothing of the Dog in the dealers' room, and it has pride of place on my shelf.
(Kate Heartfield)
A.I., Poetry, and the Generational Divide: A Conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson
For three decades now, Kim Stanley Robinson has been mapping the future of humanity through science fiction. His novels are as much densely-packed thought experiments—what would it really take to terraform a planet? What solutions will humanity have to find to deal with what we're doing to the one we're living on now?—as they are thrilling adventures. His latest, Aurora, shows us what would really happen to an isolated habitat of humans on a generations-long mission to a new star (spoiler alert: we'd still act a lot like humans on Earth).
We recently talked with Stan about his novels' twisted timelines, the likelihood of people living on Mars, and what he has in store for Manhattan in his next book.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fblog%2Fsci-fi-fantasy%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F4%2F2015%2F07%2FKim-Stanley-Robinson-credit-%25C2%25A9SFXFuture-Publishing-Ltd-2005.jpg&hash=0be07806bcdfe055c1319b54271d084bda157467)
You've said that the planet Aurora, the destination of the generation ship, is a hat tip to Asimov's The Naked Sun, and some characters (Devi especially), seem mined from the same vein as his gifted, clever protagonists. How much are you consciously in dialog with Golden Age writers?
Not very much, if by Golden Age you mean the 1940s. I've enjoyed Asimov, and love Sturgeon and Simak, but I only ever read a little Heinlein, and the rest of that era I read in a rush 40 years ago, when it already felt old-fashioned. The generation of the '50s means more to me: Dick, Pangborn, Knight, Pohl, Bester, Miller, Vance, Merrill and the rest of that crowd; they were all very smart and fun. Then the New Wave writers were my special heroes, and the ones I learned the most from. I still think they were SF's high point: Le Guin, Delany, Zelazny, Wolfe, Disch, Russ, the Strugatskis and Lem, and the rest of that group.
In general, I think that anyone writing SF now is somehow in dialog with the SF that came before. And there is a lot of great reading to be had in the genre.
One of your narrators is a ship's A.I. that seems to have achieved consciousness, but no one particularly seems to notice. Assuming A.I. is possible, is this how you think it will play out: computers just getting better at emulating consciousness until the Turing Test is moot?
Maybe. I don't know much about A.I., and I don't think anyone does, because the terms are fuzzy. What we have now is artificial and in some ways intelligent, in that computations are made very quickly, but these procedures have little relationship to how humans think, so the words involved in our descriptions of the procedures are deceptive. However, as we do get faster computers talking back to us, the illusion of a consciousness engaged with us will get stronger, and the Turing Test and the Winograd Schema (which calls for a general knowledge applied to particular questions in a way humans can do easily) may become bars that A.I. can clear. Maybe these are still low bars, I'm not sure. However, I'm more interested in these questions than ever before, I can say that.
As the A.I. matures, it seems to develop more and more of a sense of humor, especially puns and wordplay. (There are some real groaners.) Even in the rather bleak sections, there's a thread of humor. How important do you think humor is to consciousness, or is this just a quirk of the ship's personality?
I don't know. Again, consciousness is a tricky, vague term, so a sense of humor (which strikes me as a more precise [one], somehow) may or may not be important to consciousness. It might just be a quirk of the ship A.I., trying to do a narrator's sentence-making. If it's much like me (and it could be), the humor might usually be by accident.
2312 and Aurora seem to occupy the same timeline, with the latter occurring hundreds of years later—there's a quick reference to a city on tracks on Mercury and the Saturnine miners. Do you have an internal timeline of events, or do you think of your books as pure standalones?
I think of them as standalones, definitely. I have timelines for each novel, but they aren't the same from book to book. I do lift various ideas from earlier books of mine, if it seems like they will add to the new books. It's fun to refer to the city Terminator on Mercury, and Pauline the A.I., and a few other recurrent ideas, but it's more important to create a new and different history for each novel, leading back to whatever present I'm writing from.
Aurora takes a dim view of the generation ship, and is much more downbeat than 2312 about the limits of our technology and biology. In 2312, we have settlements all over the solar system, and it seems the logical extension is to shoot for the stars; Aurora is, in effect, an argument against the generation ship, and what it would take to reach them. Mars One is currently looking at candidates for their mission in 2025, and many are questioning the wisdom of such an undertaking. An argumentative question would be: why do you think even Mars or Mercury would be in our reach?
Well, we have reached Mars and Mercury robotically, and they are nearby, relative to the stars. They have surfaces like the moon, which we have landed people on. The problems seem solvable, so setting up scientific stations on both these planets, and many more moons in our solar system, seems like something we can do.
The stars, however, are different. If you reduce the distance from the sun to the Earth (one AU) to a meter, then Tau Ceti would, by the same reduction, be 800 kilometers away. And Tau Ceti is one of the closest stars. So there is such a quantitative difference there that it becomes a qualitative difference. Put simply: the stars are too far away for us, but our solar system is not. That's the case that 2312 and Aurora are making, and I think it's a pretty solid case. I'd be happy to debate it with anybody.
It should be said that Mars One is a fantasy, because although going to Mars and Mercury is probably possible, we're not ready yet. We haven't practiced enough yet. We could do it if we invested in a civilizational effort, which would take a few decades of concerted effort by a really big group of organizations.
Oliver Morton has made the very persuasive point that we're mainly interested in Mars because it feels like the hardest thing we could do at our current moment of technology: it's the challenge goal, like getting to the North and South Poles was in the 19th century. So we keep talking about it, without being fundamentally interested in Mars per se. If and when we reach Mars with humans, we will be precisely as interested in it as we were in the moon after we reached it, or in the South Pole. There are people now living at the South Pole! Amazing! But are you amazed? No. We are most interested in the projects that are just beyond our reach.
The colonists onboard the generation ship have inherited an unstable environment from their ancestors, one that has put their very lives at risk. Is there a correlation here to your interest in environmentalism?
Sure. We too live in a closed biological life support system. It's a trillion times bigger than a starship, and so it's much more robust than a starship, but there are 7 billion of us, too, using new technologies that wreak ecological damage. So it's an unconstrained experiment, and we need to think about it as an ecology we have to coax along and care for as we do for our bodies, because in effect the Earth is our body. So the starship novel is a great space to talk about that.
One aspect of the "generation ship" that is often glossed over is the generational aspect—that there will be friction between parents and children, and their children, and theirs. Did you consider the conflict between generations as you were building this society?
Yes, to an extent. The thing that struck me most was the difference between the people who chose to go, meaning the first generation, and then all the generations that followed, who did not make that choice, who would know there is a planet back in the solar system that most people are living on, while they are stuck in a few rooms and need to make everything go right, which means population control and various other constraints that, when added up, could seem like a quite fascistic totalitarian state. Even if fully democratic, the situation itself would be totalitarian. Realizing that, the generational divide might become quite stark.
Poetry is a fairly important component in The Years of Rice and Salt, and pops up in Aurora in the kitchen table couplets between Badim and his friends, and a few other notable places. Who are your favorite poets?
My favorite living poets are Gary Snyder and W.S. Merwin. Looking back at the canon, I love many poets, but here want to mention the somewhat neglected William Bronk; and Kenneth Rexroth, whose Sierra poetry I collected into a book published by New Directions; and the amazing Emily Dickinson, a recent discovery for me.
You've mentioned elsewhere that you tried something in this book that you've never seen in SF before. Without giving it away, has anyone else picked up on it yet? Has that been gratifying or disappointing?
It's been mentioned with circumspection by a couple of reviewers, which pleased me greatly. I should add that the basic concept is not mine, but rather a commonplace of rocketry, but I think my application of it constitutes a new science fiction story. I think one reviewer recommended reading the sequence twice, as being physics as poetry, while another noted that the passage's narrator was an A.I., not much of a stretch for Robinson.
Can you talk about what you are working on now? How do you select which of a myriad of ideas you are going to actually turn into a novel?
Actually I only have a few ideas, but since it takes me a year or two to write a book, by the time I've finished one, the list of ideas seems about as long as ever. These days, I compile that list and give it to my editor, Tim Holman, and he helps me make the call concerning which one to try next. So, next up I'm going to write a novel set in a [partially submerged] Manhattan much like the one that my characters briefly visit in 2312. At first I felt intimidated to write about New York, being a Californian; it was worse than Mars or Ming China or the Paleolithic for me. But I've been visiting the city and have realized again that it's so stupendous (like Asimov's Trantor!) that no one can know it all, and it has lots of room for an outsider's perspective. Especially after it's dunked waist-deep in water.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/a-i-poetry-and-the-generational-divide-a-conversation-with-kim-stanley-robinson/ (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/a-i-poetry-and-the-generational-divide-a-conversation-with-kim-stanley-robinson/)
The Queen of American Gothic
For Shirley Jackson, there was poetic poison to be found in the domestic (http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122237/queen-american-gothic)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slate.com%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fslate%2Fblogs%2Fbrowbeat%2F2013%2F06%2F27%2Fthelottery.jpg.CROP.article250-medium.jpg&hash=c2c2969a02d5b53622c7e6fc8870f7ce242e3218)
How Shirley Jackson Wrote "The Lottery (http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/06/27/the_lottery_story_by_shirley_jackson_was_harder_to_write_than_the_author.html)
Kaže čika DeNardo:
Off the Beaten Path: 5 Books Guaranteed to Be Different (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/beaten-path-5-books-guaranteed-be-different/)
(https://d3eoifnsb8kxf0.cloudfront.net/blog/lead_art/Crooked_jpg_250x300_q85.jpg)
Crooked by Austin Grossman
I don't think many would argue that the years that Richard Milhous Nixon led the United States are not our proudest. But, come on, give the man some credit. He established a peaceful coexistence with the Soviet Union, he ushered in a new era of diplomatic relations with China, and let's not forget that time he faced off against supernatural beings from another reality. Oh, you hadn't heard about that part? Then you should check out Austin Grossman's Lovecraftian alternate history novel Crooked. In it, a young Richard Nixon stumbles on a terrifying supernatural secret that paints the president we know in a whole new light. What if there was a secret truth behind the Cold War? Do you want to know the real story behind the Watergate cover-up? What if the man who some call the country's worst president was, in reality, the nation's greatest hero? Here's your chance to find out.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2015%2F07%2F15%2Fdinosaur_lord.jpg&hash=3778d148641b7039dbda7a9f0661ebb745c22755)
The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milán
If I told you there was a world called paradise, you would rightfully think that it was a land of untold beauty and peace, where you wouldn't be left wanting for anything. But in Victor Milán'Dinosaur Lords weird new novel The Dinosaur Lords, the name of the world of Paradise belies the dangers that lurk everywhere. Made by the Eight Creators for mankind to settle their differences, Paradise is populated by all manner of garden-variety creatures, like cats, dogs, horses and goats. But the predominant life form is the dinosaur. There are massive plant-eaters like Brachiosaurus, meat-eating creatures like the Allosaurus, and of course, the most dreaded of all, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. So how is mankind supposed to settle their differences on such a world? Simple. Paradise is a world where vast armies of dinosaur-mounted knights engage if fierce battles that will shake dynasties. Is that not enticing enough for you? How about this: this is the book George R.R. Martin himself calls as cross between Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones.
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/037/430/075/3/9780374300753.jpg)
Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo by Brian Falkner
While parents are turning the pages of The Dinosaur Lords, what are their like-minded kids supposed to do? Brian Falkner's Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo is a great page-turner aimed at younger reading audiences. In this alternate historical novel, dinosaurs never became extinct. In fact, some have learned how to harness their ferocity. The story is set in 1815, right before the battle of Waterloo, in which Napoleon himself uses dinosaurs as weapons to help him win that battle. It would seem that nothing could stop Napoleon's bid for world domination, until a young man defeats the dinosaur that is terrorizing a small village. That makes him the most knowledgeable person to foil Napoleon's advancing army, and that makes him Napolean's greatest threat, and thus a direct target.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61W4XZ7Bn-L._UY250_.jpg)
H.G. Wells, Secret Agent by Alex Shvartsman
H.G. Wells is one of science fiction's most notable authors. As creator of dozens of novels and short stories, he invented many of the tropes still in use today and has filled readers' mind with countless images that evoke sense of wonder. In H.G. Wells, Secret Agent, author Alex Shvartsman puts the author in a new role: that of a Victorian-era James Bond wZombieUnicornho must defend England against a variety of other-worldly threats like time travelers and invading aliens. (Maybe that's where he gets the idea for his classic novels The Time Machine and War of the Worlds?) This humorous steampunk story is also filled with numerous British pop-culture references and Easter eggs, as well as appearances by notable historical figures like Arthur Conan Doyle and Marie Curie.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fd1fd687oe6a92y.cloudfront.net%2Ffiles%2F2015%2F07%2F15%2Fzombies_vs._unicorns.jpg&hash=4ecd095d7bfdc2ee3408d8454c7766a27811d7df)
Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
The "Which is Better?" Internet war between zombies and unicorns is older than the cat-pic meme and that question still is left unanswered. Finally, this anthology of all-original stories aims to settle the question once and for all. Two esteemed editors, Holly Black (representing Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (representing Team Zombie) have assembled a fine group of authors (including Cassandra Clare, Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan) to present the case for both sides. Half the stories show how zombies rule while the other half show the mighty power of unicorns. All that's left for you to do is sit back and enjoy the fun.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51Lg7iyh9DL._AA160_.jpg&hash=deff4181e74cb4ee02da6b5ac8dfa8650beea37a)+
For the last ten years I have lived in Croatia and if there is one rather strange thing that I will always remember about my time here, it is the fact that Croatians don't especially like those who have managed to find success in whatever it is they're good at. There is even a proverb that literary wishes for the neighbour's cow to drop dead. It is damningly bizarre thing to understand. Therefore it is no wonder that news about Dasa Drndic's rise were few and far between, even when "Trieste" was at the height of its success. Lucky for all of us, Drndic has surpassed the humble Croatian literary scene and found a global fame and respect so June sees her latest translation to English in print, this time of "Leica Format", her meditative psychedelic masterpiece that's rather hard to explain in few sentences.
"Leica Format" is best described as a series of meditative passages loosely woven into a tale that touches upon malleability of history and memory. Taking its name from a legendary camera format most famous for making documentary photography, you can hardly find a better title for what is presented here. "Leica Format" is like looking at a series of photographs but those from ages ago that we forgot. There story itself is re-built around the scene and as neurons that raiding our memory banks, you never really know which of the details will finally reveal the whole picture. Fragmented text strewn all through the book goes a step further to reinforce the feeling of loss and melancholy.
In my opinion, "Leica Format" is a lot harder to approach than "Trieste" but don't let that put you off. If you dedicate it enough time, you will realise its depth, allegories and hidden message, if that's the right word. I imagine it was an incredibly hard book to translate but having read the original, I can only say that Celia Hawkesworth has done a superb work. "Leica Format" is one of those books you won't forget in a hurry. It's experimental and original, and I'm really pleased that another great novel from one of the finest Croatian contemporary authors has seen the light of day as an English translation.
http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-leica-format-by-dasa-drndic (http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-leica-format-by-dasa-drndic)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/514m9BJs4nL._UY250_.jpg)
There's always something Marmite-y about Greg Bear. Either you really enjoy his books or you simply can't be bothered to finish them. Luckily for the purposes of this review I'm firmly in the first camp so each time one of his titles gets published I know I'm in for a treat. I simply enjoy his action packed, cleverly thought out old school science fiction and that's that. While many consider his 2010 generation ship saga "Hull Zero Three" to be a book preceding "War Dogs", since 2010 when it was originally published Bear was in fact a very busy bee. For starters he published an immense trilogy of novels set in the Halo Universe. In typical Bear fashion his Halo:Forerunner trilogy was not just another Halo novel catering to the masses but a feast of high concept action which in equal measures confused and delighted many fans of the franchise. It is this trilogy of Halo novels that, in my opinion, holds the key to his new trilogy, first installment of which is his latest novel "War Dogs".
To put it bluntly, "War Dogs" is military science fiction of finest order which brings together massive conflict on an epic scale that Halo is best known for and Bear's worldbuilding skills. Set in the future after the first contact was made, human race is in the position where it can enjoy the benefits of knowing a more advanced spacefaring species The Gurus. Gurus are miles ahead when it comes to technology and are generally scientifically more developed but are lacking one very crucial thing when it comes to survivability - an ability to wage war. As a species which is very experienced in all matters of causing destruction, human race is asked to help them in their conflict against the Antagonists, malevolent race hot on Gurus' heels. In fact, the Antagonists already set their camp on Mars and it is Master Sergeant Michael Venn, combat expert specialized for off-world missions, who must together with his small team tackle the much more powerful Antags or perish trying. However, once they drop on Mars events quickly escalate beyond their control resulting in such glorious chaos which is a pleasure to read.
If you like Greg Bear's work and you can ignore headline-baiting names like The Gurus, The Antags or Skyrines which for a while made me feel like I'm reading The Sun, "War Dogs" offers an explosive ride across the red planet - that is once after you've passed the initial slow-burning entry. Indeed, for the most of its parts "War Dogs" does feel like a set up for what's coming in the subsequent books but as soon as you get down and dirty with Master Sergeant Venn the results are simply extraordinary. Caught in an unpredictable environment all the training that his team has goes out of the window and luck is suddenly as important as experience. The desperation of a modern soldier is palpable and it is often only the intuitive reflexes that make the difference between life and death. By the end Venn and his team are already battle-weary but their part in this war is only beginning.
"War Dogs" is Bear's best book in years but only if you're ready to commit for a long haul - this is after all just the first third of the story and next two books are still far in the future. The whole set up is engaging and while it does play with some of the more familiar tropes in science fiction its pitch-perfect delivery feels entirely refreshing. An opening to a series well worth checking out!
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-war-dogs-by-greg-bear (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-war-dogs-by-greg-bear)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61iNux5FaSL._UY250_.jpg)
For the whole past week Edward Cox has been suitably silly and tweeted picture where he's pulling faces while posing with the freshly printed hardcover of "The Relic Guild". His enthusiasm is perfectly appropriate considering he's just about to publish a book through Gollancz, probably the finest purveyors of quality fantasy and science fiction around. However, one thing must be said. Cox's face in these pictures could be potentially misleading as his debut is anything but silly. In fact, it is a fairly dark tale without a pinch of humour in it.
The Relic Guild in question are a secret band of magickers whose existence is dedicated to protecting the Labyrinth, a mystical construction where million humans are forced to live after a devastating war destroyed the world around them. Before being cut off from the rest of the world for 40 years, Labyrinth once held a more noble purpose. It was a meeting place where Aelfir brought trade and riches but after the Thaumaturgists, rulers of both human and Aelfir, went to said war things instantly changed. Labyrinth these days is a chaotic place. Magic is forbidden and punishable by death and the city is bursting with peril for those not careful enough. In this dangerous environment lives Clara, a young woman who has a deadly secret. She's running for her life and as she's also touched by the magic, the only people who can help her are the Relic Guild.
"The Relic Guild" was a fast and pleasurable read and while it is not an instant classic, it certainly shows that Cox is an author who has enough writing potential to create some great things in the future. He knows how to craft a tale and to write an engaging characters and I've also loved his use of the Labyrinth as a vehicle for setting a fully immersive dystopian (with a dash of noir) atmosphere. It is a magical creation and a true feat of imagination which I'm looking forward to exploring more. However, I just wished Cox was a bit more courageous with his decisions in storytelling as well as with keeping the number of disparage elements such as magic, lycanthropy and all kinds of phenomena in check. "The Relic Guild" reads to much a lead-in to a grander story. As things stand, while I've really liked the idea behind "The Relic Guild", I think I'll take an excellent second book in the series to make me fall in love with it. A promising debut which has yet to fulfill its full potential.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-relic-guild-by-edward-cox (http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/review-the-relic-guild-by-edward-cox)
Jesi li čitala nešto od nje? Taj Trst ili ovu knjigu?
ne, nista. nisam naisla na ijednog njenog pirata. :) zato sam je i stavila ovde na spisak, da ne zaboravim...
Pogledaću šta može da se nađe.
Jel ti stiglo nešto od Bobana, ili da ja uzmem da šaljem
Ja bi trebalo da se vidim s njim danas-sutra
Deluje zanimljivo...
http://feral.audiolinux.com/tpl/weekly1/section3.tpl?IdLanguage=7&NrIssue=962&NrSection=14 (http://feral.audiolinux.com/tpl/weekly1/section3.tpl?IdLanguage=7&NrIssue=962&NrSection=14)
Ma Boban je u permanentnoj frci, pa olakšaj ti njega za sve što možeš, u moje ime... ;)
OK.
moja omiljena blogerka & rivjuerka krimića i sama objavila jedan :):
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51cJ5ylU8vL._UY250_.jpg)
The story opens up as Detective Inspector Francis Sadler and Detective Sergeant Damian Palmer are called to the Wilton Hotel. A body of a woman has been discovered by a chambermaid but as the forensic officers examine the scene they discover that, what initially seemed like an ordinary suicide, hides a more sinister note. Placed on the chest of drawers is a book, full of newspaper cuttings and photographs, all pointing to a cold case from 1978. On 20th January, 1978, two girls, Rachel Jones and Sophie Jenkins have disappeared in mysterious circumstances. Rachel eventually returned but Sophie was never found. The woman who killed herself some thirty years later was in fact Sophie's mother.
"In Bitter Chill"is an interesting creature. Partly crime thriller, and partly psychological, emotional rollercoaster that borders on family drama, it is a cracking reading experience. I wouldn't go so far as to classify it as a book fitting a "Lifestyle/Health" category as Faber labelled it in jest or by mistake in their online shop but there's certain reinvigorating quality in its complexity. I have stormed through it in mere two days and was surprised by its well developed, three dimensional characters that are both strong and fragile, and by its story that flicks back and forth in time without ever revealing too much information. With its carefully paced tension, Sarah Ward's debut is without a question one of the best crime thriller debuts of the year. Well recommended.
:D
http://youtu.be/5NFzGlU6V84 (http://youtu.be/5NFzGlU6V84)
... za kolegu Ridiculusa: prilično je lako prepoznati zašto je Neal Stephenson toliko impresivan, to i kao pisac i kao gik: on jednostavno nije umeren, ni u kom smislu, ni u jednom od ta dva polja. Naravno, to ne zato što on ne uspeva da bude umeren, nego upravo suprotno - on to naprosto ne želi.
Malo ko bi na njegovom mestu uspeo onako kako on uspeva, i eto, upravo to ga i čini unikatnim – fakt da je ekstremno nadaren pripovedač, čija interesovanja su tako maestralno široka i duboka da mu polazi za rukom nekakav apsolutno zarazan amalgam gikovštine i nerdovštine koja do te mere pleni da ste naprosto bespomoćni, čak i kad ne marite za nju odviše.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41nwr1YMJlL._UY250_.jpg)
Fakt je da niko osim njega ne bi uspeo da uvali naraciju koja je toliko izrovarena logističkim problemima da naprosto bečite oči na sav kakamumi koji vam taj čovek plasira. Ili bolje rečeno, ne bečite oči na sam kakamumi, nego na sopstvenu halapljivost sa kojom ga konzumirate. To zato jer je maestralno zanimljiv. :lol:
Otud i nema veze što mu je premisa blatantno eksploatistička: naš voljeni Mesec je raznesen u paramparčad, ili tačnije sedam velikih komada, inercijom ostavljenih da rotiraju u istoj putanji. Stephenson ne bi bio gik kakav jeste kad bi se udostojio da vam objasni šta i zašto i kako: Stephenson želi da ga sledite stazom znatno manje gaženom, naime, želi da se fokusirate na onaj (naj)bitniji deo – i šta sad? Šta sad dalje?
Jer zaista, koje svrhe ima razbijati glavu oko pitanja tipa kako i zašto... takav stav može samo da vas fiksira u prošlosti, a jednom kad se tamo nađete ukotvljeni, pa, to je momenat koji anuliše budućnost. Stephenson otud piše ogromnu romačinu koja se bavi budućnošću.
Književno gledano, Seveneves je palp u svom najfinijem, najsofisticiranijem formatu - palp za elitiste, dakle za gikove i nerdove – koji dozvoljava maksimalnu opuštenost pri čitanju. Kod Stephensona ne morate da brinete o tome da li će vam išta promaći ili da li ćete se saplesti o podznačenja koja ma na koji način dovode u pitanje izrečeno: kod njega je sve glatko i prepoznatljivo i visokooktansko, pa vam otud i ništa sporednog tu ne smeta, čak ni karakterizacija tako blatantno podređena gikovštini naracije.
Otud, kolega Ridiculus, obavezno bacite pogled na Seveneves, jer tamo se može naći zaista maestralna filozofija, zgruvana u palpični narativ: nije važno šta i kako, baš kao što i nije važno sačuvati okoliš pod svaku cenu. Bitni su samo ljudi, to u smislu njihovih character traits, a tome je onda i sve ostalo podređeno, uključujući i stvaranje boljeg i pedantnije inžinjerisanog okoliša, gde firewall katastrofe ne može da dosegne.
Pozdrav. :)
O, hvala puno, sada sam zaintrigiran još više. :)
wow, koji za-zum na ovom topiku... :lol: :lol:
elem, nekoliko međuvremenskih rivjua dadne se naći ovde: http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com)
to da ne mrcvarim sebe i sve oko sebe kopipejstovanjem.... :mrgreen:
dalje, što se novosti tiče: bojim se da je drugi deo Trisolaris trilogije znatno... pa, recimo, manje impresivan. Znatno manje impresivan. :(
ne verujem da je to do prevodioca - da, istina, ovaj put to nije Ken Liu, ali ipak, prevod se doima sasvim korektno: problemi The Dark Forest-a su u sasvim drugim domenima, tako da... šteta, sve u svemu.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F08%2Fcracking_cover_web.jpg&hash=287c1b32a8ed2153c2d68044167506cf383ae242)
Science Fiction and Philosophyby Brenda Cooper
There is a fascinating futurist named Gray Scott who calls himself a techno-philosopher. I recently attended one of his talks at the World Future society, where he discussed rapidly approaching changes in robotics, AI, and energy. There are a lot of technology futurists willing to present us with these things, but what Gray does extremely well is talk about what they might mean, and what questions we should ask ourselves about the future. He's great fodder for a writer like me; I jotted down at least six story ideas during his forty-five minute talk. If you want a taste, catch his new Futuristic Now podcast.
Gray's talks got me thinking about the philosophical nature of science fiction. The Merriam Webster dictionary contains a number of definitions for the word philosophy, the most interesting of which is "a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means." That's a lot like the way I approach story, whether I'm reading one or writing one. In either case, I want to learn something. The very best SF makes me think about something in a new way. This isn't terribly surprising; my love of SF originated with a little girl's desire to understand how the world works. I suspect I'm still asking the very same questions that I used to think about when I was seven years old and standing in the long driveway watering our trees on hot California summer days (my childhood chore).
I return to many questions, but almost every story has a core question that is at least borderline a philosophical question. For example, in my most recent novel, Edge of Dark, the core questions are about how we define life and soul, and what being human is really about. I use a combination of human and post-human characters to explore the boundaries between biological and mechanical life, and the way that either might or might not display empathy to the other. In my short story collection which is just now coming out from Fairwood Press, Cracking the Sky, I explore the implications of robots raising humans, of VR re-creations of the past, and of cloud-based artificial intelligence.
My drive to write about these topics started in my early teens when I read Asimov's I, Robotand Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land and coupled those with books by J. Krishnamurti's teachings on the nature of reality (Yes, I was a strange child). Part of what drew me to science fiction is the genre's implied freedom to ask about anything. Ray Bradbury explored the affects of television as well as forces for social control in Fahrenheit 451. He also touched on banned books and ideas; a conversation we have been having since books were first printed – who has access to what ideas, and what ideas are harmful? Will good ideas save us? Both Brave New World and 1984 also deal with the ways that information might be provided or withheld, and with the consequences of those choices. Even though they were written decades ago, they echo into our time, into Orwell's and Huxley's far future.
Eh da, vredi zabeležiti: Armada je deset puta crnja infantilna bezvezarija od Ready Player One.
(teško za poverovati, ali ipak istinito.)
Tebi se baš nije dopao Ready Player One? :lol:
Jesi li pročitala Armadu, ili je to reakcija nakon čitanja opisa?
To je iskrena reakcija nakon čitanja 1/10 i 1/5 obaju romana. :lol:
dobro sad, istini za volju, RP1 je sasvim okej roman, s obzirom da je prvenac i sve to, tako da se tu štošta moglo oprostiti i progledati kroz prste. Ali Armada je beyond redemption, što se mene tiče. naprosto mi je... odveć bleskaksta, eto.
Heh. Ja sam u jednom trenutku prekinula čitanje RP1, kad su mi se smučile reference. Posle sam se vratila knjizi i dokrajčila je, i ok je to, ono, klasičan problem prvenca kad autor ubaci sve što mu se dopada, a, sa druge strane, s obzirom na postavku, izbacivanje dela referenci jednostavno ne bi funkcionisalo, tako da bi se moja glavna pritužba svela na to što autor nije napisao nešto drugo. :lol:
Opis Armade me je malo podsetio na The Last Starfighter, koji mi je bio zanimljiv kad sam imala 12 godina, mada mi se i tad činio detinjastim. Ne znam kako bih sad reagovala na nešto slično.
da, dosta ljudi je imalo sličnu nostalgičnu reakciju na RP1, i mislim da je baš to u velikoj meri stalo iza hajpa oko te knjige.
samo što mene to daleko lakše dohvati u filmovima nego u knjigama, ne znam zašto ali je tako.
nisam stigla da ovih zadnjih nedelja upratim kako se Armada kotira po pitanju hajpa, ali čisto sumnjam da će se dokopati tog nivoa. eto, ne znam, ali mene se Armada doima kao ekstremno YA, stvarno. i to ne na onaj ljupki spilbergov ET način, nego... uh.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51qkiVzei6L.jpg&hash=7ae02c14b478b0271965877732951c5f145b80de)
stvarno odličan i strašno zabavan i zanimljiv roman: http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com (http://klub-knjige.blogspot.com) :!:
nego: stvarno je zanimljivo kud nas sve to risrč može da odvede. :)
pošto sam odlučila da je krajnje vreme da dovršim bar neke od davno započetih projekata, ispostavlja se da će onaj o AI nesumnjivo biti i najzanimljiviji, a evo i zašto: prvo pominjanje AI je zapravo ni manje ni više nego u - Guliverovim putovanjima! ha! :-D
dakle, pazite samo ovo:
_____________________________________
Presiječemo ulicu i odemo u drugi dio akademije gdje prebivaju, kako sam već rekao, projektanti spekulativnih znanosti.
Prvi profesor kojega sam vidio bio je u velikoj sobi, sa četrdeset učenika oko sebe. Nakon pozdrava, kad je vidio da ja ozbiljno gledam stalak što zaprema najveći dio sobe i u duljinu i u širinu, reći će da se ja možda čudim što se on u projektu za unapređenje spekulativnih znanosti služi praktičnim i mehaničkim operacijama; ali svijet će brzo osjetiti njihovu korist; a on se diči što se nikojem čovjeku u glavi nije rodila plemenitija, uzvišenija misao; svatko zna kako je teška obična metoda za učenje umjetnosti i znanosti; a po njegovu će izumu i najveća neznalica, uz ponešto troška i malen tjelesni trud, moći da piše knjige o filozofiji, pjesništvu, zakonima, matematici i teologiji, bez ikakve pomoći genija ili studija.
Onda me odvede k stalku oko kojega su se poredali oni učenici njegovi. Stalak je imao dvadeset četvornih metara i stajao usred sobe. Gornja mu se strana sastojala od pojedinih komada drveta, koji su po prilici kolika je kocka, ali neki veći od drugih. Svi su povezani tankim žicama. Svaka je četvorina na tim kockama pokrivena prilijepljenim papirom, a na tim su papirima pozapisivane sve riječi njihova jezika, u različitim oblicima, konjugacijama i deklinacijama, ali bez ikakva reda. Onda me profesor zamoli da pazim, jer on će krenuti svoju spravu.
Po njegovoj zapovijedi uhvatio svaki učenik željeznu dršku kojih je bilo četrdeset, pričvršćenih uokolo na stalku po bridovima, pa kad ih naglo okrenuše, sav se red riječima sasvim promijenio. Onda on naložio trideset i šestorici dječaka neka polagano čitaju pojedine retke kako su se javili na stalku, pa gdje oni nađu na okupu tri-četiri riječi koje bi mogle sastaviti rečenicu, kazuju ih onoj preostaloj četvorici dječaka koji su pisari. Taj se posao ponovio tri-četiri puta; a sprava je bila tako udešena da su se pri svakom okretu riječi potiskivale na drugo mjesto, kako su se drvene kocke micale odozgor dolje.
103
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/file://localhost/Users/lidija/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image006.png)
Jonathan Swift: Gulliverova putovanja
Šest sati na dan mladi su đaci bili zaposleni tim poslom; a profesor mi pokazao nekoliko knjiga folio formata gdje su već sakupljene krnje rečenice koje će on posastavljati i iz toga bogatoga materijala stvoriti svijetu potpunu cjelinu sviju umjetnosti i znanosti; no to bi se još usavršilo i jako ubrzalo kad bi općinstvo skupilo glavnicu da se u Lagadu napravi i iskoristi pet stotina ovakvih stalaka i kad bi se pothvatnici primorali da za zajednicu prilože različite svoje zbirštine.
Uvjeravao me da mu je taj pronalazak zaokupljao od mladosti sve misli; da je za svoj stalak iscrpio sav rječnik i najtočnije izračunao kakav je u knjigama opći razmjer među brojem čestica, imenica, glagola i drugih vrsta riječi.
Najponiznije zahvalim tome dičnom čovjeku što mi je priopćio takvu veliku stvar, obećam, ako mi ikad dade sreća i ja se vratim u zavičaj, iskazat ću mu pravicu kao jedinom izumitelju te divne mašine, i zamolim ga za dopuštenje da nacrtam na papiru oblik i osnovu, kako je na priloženoj slici. Rekoh mu kako je našim učenjacima u Europi doduše običaj da jedan drugom krade izume, pa je pritom bar taj probitak da nastaje razmirica tko je pravi vlasnik: ali ja ću biti tako oprezan da će njega zapasti sva slava, bez ikakva suparnika.
___________________________________________
(ono podvučeno je i glavni razlog zašto mi je ova referenca toliko važna... :) fascinantno, zaista, da je čovek pre skoro trista godina imao takav insajt u jednu aktuelnu transhumanističku dilemu... mada, naravno, po logici stvari cinici uvek budu bolji futuristi od optimista... :mrgreen: )
AI#2
Turingov test
Danas je to skoro pa generički pojam za proveru inteligencije programskog ili mehaničkog sistema, ali u isto vreme, zanimljivo je da se u savremenom žanru skoro pa i ne koristi.
To zbog dobrog razloga, naravno. :mrgreen:
Reč je o radu COMPUTING MACHINERY AND INTELIGENCE, A.M. TURING, MIND, Oct. 1950
Turing je tu adaptirao takozvani "imitation game" argument, u kom ispitivač (C) pokušava da serijom dobro sročenih pitanja sazna ko je ženskog pola od dva njemu nepoznata ispitanika, nejmli A i B. Ispitivač postavlja svoja pitanja u okvirima koji minimiziraju hendikepe između dva pola, znači, nije mu dozvoljeno da uživo vidi ispitanike, nego komunicira sa njima isključivo preko tastature i monitora, i mora da izbegava pitanja tipa "subjekt A, da li ste ikada menstruirali?"
Turing je tu situaciju adaptirao tako da ispitivač C postavlja pitanja subjektima A i B, od kojih je jedno ljudsko biće a drugo je ekstremno versatilan kompjuterski program.
Naravno, baš kao i u slučaju originalne postavke, stremi se ka situaciji koja će da minimizira hendikepe, ali svejedno, pre ili kasnije, serija pitanja će da zađe na teren u kom će mašina biti hendikepirana. Naime, pitanja tipa "koliko je 7.475,567 puta 4.287,578" bi silno hendikepirali ljudsko biće, otud će linija pitanja neminovno skrajnuti ka pitanjima tipa "da li preferišeš pržena ili kuvana jaja" ili "sa kojim si roditeljom bio bliži, ocem ili majkom?"
Dakle, na duge staze, Turingov test stavlja AI u poziciju da bude... erm, recimo, ekstremno kreativna sa svojim odgovorima kako bi prošla test.
Ili, ukratko rečeno, Turingov test nije u stanju da dokaže AI inteligenciju, nego zapravo može jedino da dokaže da li je program postao dovoljno sofisticiran da laže.
E sad, problem nastaje ne samo kad se sposobnost laganja poistoveti sa inteligencijom, nego već onda kad se mašina "programira" da prihvati opciju da je laganje jedini način da uspe u izvršavanju zadatka.
Što dalje znači da upravo Turingov test zapravo pravi "rogue machine".
AI#2 primeri: u filmovima ih ima zaista dosta, najdirljiviji su svakako oni iz Blejdranera ali najimpresivniji je definitivno iz Ex Machina. Ali u romanima ih ima jako malo... 1. KSR, u 2312, kad Swan naiđe na onu trojku koja tvrdi da su AI klonovi, rafalno im uputi seriju pomalo trulih pitanja za čije odgovore ne može da proceni da li ih daju ljudi ili mašine, a onda izgubi nerve i izlema najsitnijeg od njih. :lol:
Ako znate za neki, please feel free to share. :)
AI#3
Još jedna od ranjivih tačaka Turingovog testa je nemogućnost prepoznavanja komunikacije bez razumevanja. Najilustrativniji primeri komunikacije bez razumevanja su, naravno, upravo ovde na ZS forumu :evil: ali bitniji je ipak onaj zvani sindrom kineske sobe.
Ukratko, reč je o "konverzaciji" u kojoj ispitanik nema blagog pojma šta zapravo govori, nego prosto sledi određeni protokol u kom se izveštio, ali ispitivač to naprosto nije u stanju da prepozna, zato jer su odgovori na njegova pitanja naizgled smisleni.
U pitanju je simulacija konverzacije, kada ispitanik naprosto reaguje na upućeno pitanje/izjavu, bez da iza njegovih odgovora stoji ikakav čvrst mentalni koncept ili stanje. Kad ta reakcija nije moguća po samom protokolu, ispitanik onda reaguje na komunikativni obrazac ili putem zamene teze ili putem kvaziinteligentnog kontra-pitanja. U svakom slučaju, ponuđena komunikacija se čini smislena, zato što zvuči kao smislena, zato što ima taman dovoljno veze sa pitanjem da ponudi privid koherencije unutar okvira samog jezika.
Najimpresivniji primer je tu svakako Blindsight, Peter Watts.
U Blindsightu, ljudska posada presretne i danima razgovara sa ET inteligencijom Roršahom, pokušavajući da proceni kakvu on to vrst opasnosti predstavlja Zemlji. Cilj pregovora je da se posadi Tezeja dopusti da sleti na Roršah (Roršah nije brod u klasičnom smislu, nego je zapravo neka vrst tehnološki prepravljenog asteroida čije magnetsko polje raste zabrinjavajućom brzinom. I naravno, Roršah danima fino i učtivo razgovara sa posadom Tezeja, kulturno odgovara na sva pitanja, još kulturnije postavlja neka svoja, i, sve u svemu, konverzacija se čini sasvim normalnom, iako ne i bog zna kako plodonosnom, pošto Roršah svo to vreme i dalje ne menja svoju preteću putanju.
A onda jednom članu posade pukne film, što bi se reklo, i ona uputi seriju pitanja na čije odgovore Roršah jasno pokaže da svo to vreme zabravo nije imao blagog pojma ni šta ga se pitalo ni šta je on zapravo na ta pitanja odgovarao. Naprosto, Roršah je posedovao kritičnu masu podataka o zemaljskim komunikacijama, to od radio i TV programa na dalje, i na svako pitanje je odgovarao tako što je izabirao najplauzibilniji odgovor iz te mase podataka.
Dakle, dok god su pitanja Tezejeve posade bila smislena, Roršahovi odgovori su također izgeldali smisleni, ali kad mu je Saša uputila apsolutno besmislenu komunikaciju, Roršah je na nju reagovao koristeći potpuno isti protokol, nejmli – najplauzibilniji hit guglanja. :lol:
Evo kako je ta konverzacija otprilike izgledala, skraćeno:
RORŠAH: RORSCHACH TO VESSEL APPROACHING 116°AZ -23°DEC REL. HELLO THESEUS. RORSCHACH TO VESSEL APPROACHING 116°AZ -23°DEC REL. HELLO THESEUS. RORSCHACH TO VESSEL APPROACHI
TEZEJ: Theseus to Rorschach. Hello Rorschach.
RORŠAH: HELLO THESEUS. WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
TEZEJ: Request permission to approach.
RORŠAH: YOU SHOULD STAY AWAY. SERIOUSLY. THIS PLACE IS DANGEROUS.
TEZEJ: Request information on danger.
RORŠAH: TOO CLOSE AND DANGEROUS TO YOU. LOW ORBIT COMPLICATIONS.
TEZEJ: Request information on low orbit complications.
RORŠAH: LETHAL ENVIRONMENT. ROCKS AND RADS. YOU'RE WELCOME. I CAN TAKE IT BUT WE'RE LIKE THAT.
TEZEJ: We are aware of the rocks in low orbit. We are equipped to deal with radiation. Request information on other hazards.
RORŠAH: "Anytime between friends, right? Are you here for the celebration?"
TEZEJ: "We are here to explore. Request dialog with agents who sent objects into near-solar space."
RORŠAH: "First contact. Sounds like something to celebrate."
TEZEJ: "Request information about your celebration"
RORŠAH: "You're interested."
TEZEJ: "Yes."
RORŠAH: "You are?"
TEZEJ: "Yes."
RORŠAH: "You are?"
TEZEJ: "Yes."
RORŠAH: "You are?"
TEZEJ: The slightest hesitation. "This is Theseus."
RORŠAH: "I know that, baseline." In Mandarin, now. "Who are you?"
TEZEJ: "This is Susan James. I am a—"
RORŠAH: "You wouldn't be happy here, Susan. Fetishistic religious beliefs involved. There are dangerous observances."
TEZEJ: "Request clarification. Are we in danger from these observances?"
RORŠAH: "You certainly could be."
TEZEJ: "Request clarification. Is it the observances that are dangerous, or the low-orbit environment?"
RORŠAH: "The environment of the disturbances. You should pay attention, Susan. Inattention connotes indifference," Rorschach said.
TEZEJ: Request information on environments you consider lethal. Request information on your response to the prospect of imminent exposure to lethal environments.
RORŠAH: GLAD TO COMPLY. BUT YOUR LETHAL IS DIFFERENT FROM US. THERE ARE MANY MIGRATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
(tu ide mala pauza u kojoj brodski doktor zaključi da bi Roršah kao ljudsko biće svakako imao dijagnozu kliničkog sociopate - fast talkers, no conscience, tend to malapropism and self-contradiction. No emotional affect."
A na kraju Saša preuzme stvari u svoje ruke:
TEZEJ: "Theseus to Rorschach. Open to requests for information."
RORŠAH: "Cultural exchange," Rorschach said. "That works for me. "Tell us about home," Rorschach said.
TEZEJ: We don't all of us have parents or cousins. Some never did. Some come from vats."
RORŠAH: "I see. That's sad. Vats sounds so dehumanising. "Tell me more about your cousins," Rorschach sent.
TEZEJ: "Our cousins lie about the family tree," Sascha replied, "with nieces and nephews and Neandertals. We do not like annoying cousins."
RORŠAH: "We'd like to know about this tree."
TEZEJ: "We usually find our nephews with telescopes. They are hard as Hobblinites."
RORŠAH: "You haven't mentioned your father at all," Rorschach remarked.
TEZEJ: "That's true, Rorschach," Sascha admitted softly, taking a breath— and stepping forward. "So why don't you just suck my big fat hairy dick?" :D
A#4
Elem, uz ta dva velika hendikepa Turingovog testa (da inducira program na stvaranje fiktivne ljudske ličnosti; da ne razabire komunikaciju bez razumevanja) javlja se i treći – hendikep samog ispitivača.
Pronicljiviji ispitivač će možda i naslutiti kad mašina laže i/ili simulira konverzaciju, ali onaj manje pronicljiv baš i nema pouzdan način da to prepozna. Otud je ispitivač problematičan koliko i ispitanik.
U naporu da se konstruiše obrazac koji ne bi bio uslovljen ispitavačevim manjkavostima, koristi se The Winograd Schema Challenge (WSC, nazvan tako po autoru, Terry Winograd) koja stremi da eliminiše tri navedena hendikepa Turingovog testa, nejmli:
1. Deception - the machine has to create a false identity in order to pose as a human.
2. Conversation - a lot of interactions may qualify as "legitimate conversation" and yet not draw on intelligent reasoning.
3. Evaluation - different judges may come to different verdicts, and often the real result is inconclusive.
WSC barata sa pitanjima koja se ne mogu izguglati, odnosno, odgovor na njih se ne može "pronaći" u ogromnoj bazi podataka sa kojom će AI po logici stvari da raspolaže. Evo jedan primer:
a) The city councilmen denied the protestors a permit because they advocated violence.
b) The city councilmen denied the protestors a permit because they feared violence.
A Winograd Schema Challenge question:
Who [advocated/feared] violence?
Naravno, a) i b) odgovori su različiti, ali u oba slučaja bazirana su na zamenici. Winograd je ustanovio da ispravno tumačenje zamenica zahteva ne samo jezičko znanje nego i logičko razmišljanje, otud čovek neće imati problema da shvati na koga se "they" odnosi u obe rečenice, ali mašina će imati problema sa simetrijom.
Druga linija pitanja bi išla za ovim primerom:
The trophy doesn't fit into the brown suitcase because it's too [big/small].
What was too [big/small]?
Ili:
Joan made sure to thank Susan for all the help she had [received/given]. Who had [received/given] the help?
Ili, vrlo zanimljivija, takozvana "zato što" serija:
Jim yelled at Kevin because he was so upset. [Who was upset?]
Čak i sa serijom pitanja za koja naizgled nema 100% ispravnog odgovora postiže se statistička provera, u smislu da li iza njih postoji konceptualna jasnoća ili kontradikcije.
The large ball crashed through the table because it was made of XYZZY. What was made of XYZZY?
A) the large ball
B) the table
što se A#4 primera tiče, tu svakako prednjači Aurora, pogotovo zato što KSR koristi zapravo obrnut process: KSR upravo kroz primenu samog testa aktivira inteligenciju u Aurorinoj AI, koja bi bez te konkretne aktivacije ostala samo superkorisna mehanička naprava. smart, KSR. :)
korpus:
1 2001 A.I. the City by R. B. Anthony
2 2001 A.I: Artificial Intelligence by Ernest Stableford
3 2001 Ai Heaven by Grant Castillou
4 2001 And They Rose Up by Michael J. Lawson
5 2001 Apokalypsis : Classical Greek to Reveal That Which Was Hidden by Martin S. Garthwaite
6 2001 Ares Express by Ian McDonald
7 2001 Black Hole Drive and Other Stories by W. Strawn Douglas
8 2001 Bloodtide by Melvin Burgess
9 2001 Colony VII by J. H. Long
10 2001 Dead Wait by Ferrel D. Moore
11 2001 Death Machine, The by Algis Budrys
12 2001 Dervish Is Digital by Pat Cadigan
13 2001 Diary of an Unwitting Explorer by Linda Anne Monica Schneider
14 2001 Dream Chip, The by William Thien
15 2001 Etma Pnikre by Norris Ray Peery
16 2001 Eyes of the Calculor by Sean McMullen
17 2001 Facing the Demon Headmaster by Gillian Cross
18 2001 G.E.E.N.E.E. in a Bottle by Theodore Ransburg, Patrick Codden
19 2001 Gift of Change by D. T. Sanders
20 2001 Great Ones, The by John Lang
21 2001 Jacob's Ladder by Wilma A. Patrick
22 2001 Keeper of the Kingdom by H. J. Ralles
23 2001 Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks
24 2001 Maelstrom by Peter Watts
25 2001 Man over Mind: Control of the Galaxy Rests With the Minds--Until One Man Rises Against Them by Dean Warren
26 2001 Metaplanetary by Tony Daniel
27 2001 Mindlink by John Seymour
28 2001 MotherShip by Tony Chandler
29 2001 Old Guard by Keith Laumer
30 2001 One Small Step by Susan Wright
31 2001 Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
32 2001 Plutonium Blonde, The by John Zakour, Lawrence Ganem
33 2001 Rat2rap by Derek Smith
34 2001 Reunion by Alan Dean Foster
35 2001 Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
36 2001 Silicon Dreams by Martin H. Greenberg
37 2001 Smoking Mirror Blues by Ernest Hogan
38 2001 Star Blockade by Rick A. Mullins
39 2001 Stargazer: Chronicles by Bob Hush
40 2001 T2: Infiltrator by S. M. Stirling
41 2001 Waking the Savior by Pat Everest
42 2001 Your Future Day, at the Office: A Prophecy of Your Amazing Near Future by Douglas Kendall
43 2002 Aztechs by Lucius Shepard
44 2002 Chances R by Lance Oren
45 2002 Chimer by Stephen Willems
46 2002 Command Performance by Linnea Sinclair
47 2002 Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics and AI by Stan Gibilisco
48 2002 Custodian by Tarry S. Ionta
49 2002 Cyborg: The Man-Machine by Marie O'Mahony
50 2002 Dance for the Ivory Madonna by Don Sakers
51 2002 Days of Retribution by Michael J. Lawson
52 2002 Delphinus Chronicles, The by R. G. Roane
53 2002 Descending Circles: Ascending Earth by John Eric Ellison
54 2002 Dragon Fire by J. A. Anderson
55 2002 Dragon of Hope Island, The by Wentworth M. Johnson
56 2002 Fallen Host by Lyda Morehouse
57 2002 Firewall by R. J. Pineiro
58 2002 Full Capacity by Emily A. Roesly
59 2002 Ghosts by Rhiannon Lassiter
60 2002 Goliath by Steve Alten
61 2002 Great Escape, The by Ian Watson
62 2002 Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang
63 2002 Inside the Rainbow by Eugene Goheen
64 2002 Leaping To the Stars by David Gerrold
65 2002 Light Music by Kathleen Ann Goonan
66 2002 Machine Nation by Richard Evans
67 2002 Nanotech War, The by Steven Piziks
68 2002 Prey by Michael Crichton
69 2002 Return to Paradise by Tracy May
70 2002 Shadows by Rhiannon Lassiter
71 2002 Starsight Project, The by S. P. Perone
72 2002 Stone by L. M. Weddel
73 2002 Technogenesis by Syne Mitchell
74 2002 Tranquility's Child by Gregory Urbach
75 2002 Transcension by Damien Broderick
76 2002 Tyrant, The by David Drake, Eric Flint
77 2002 Whole Wide World by Paul J. McAuley
78 2002 You've Got Murder by Donna Andrews
79 2003 Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
80 2003 Being the One by Jake Horsley
81 2003 Berserker Prime by Fred Saberhagen
82 2003 Berserker's Star by Fred Saberhagen
83 2003 Cadre, The by Oscar L. Fellows
84 2003 Click Here for Murder by Donna Andrews
85 2003 Dark Matter by Greg Iles
86 2003 Deathstalker Legacy by Simon R. Green
87 2003 Duty and Destiny by Dennis J. Barton
88 2003 First Strike by Eric S. Nylund
89 2003 Flood, The by William C. Dietz
90 2003 Footprints of God, The by Greg Iles
91 2003 From the Shadows by K. B. Shaw
92 2003 Gridlinked by Neal L. Asher
93 2003 Hitting the Skids in Pixeltown by Orson Scott Card
94 2003 Idlewild by Nick Sagan
95 2003 Ilium by Dan Simmons
96 2003 Jack Jacobs and the Doomsday Time Machine by Albert S. Abraham
97 2003 Killing of Worlds, The by Scott Westerfeld
98 2003 Mammoth Book of Future Cops, The by Maxim Jakubowski
99 2003 Messiah Node by Lyda Morehouse
100 2003 Phoenix Exultant by John Wright
101 2003 Prescience Rendezvous by Paul Collins
102 2003 Risen Empire, The by Scott Westerfeld
103 2003 Rolling Thunder by Thomas Stone
104 2003 Spin State by Chris Moriarty
105 2003 Star Dragons by Mike Brotherton
106 2003 Tales from the Crypto - System by Geoffrey Maloney
107 2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines by David Hagberg
108 2003 There Will Be Dragons by John Ringo
109 2003 Totallyon by R. D. Peters
110 2003 Tranquility Besieged by Gregory Urbach
111 2003 Zero Calvin by Brian J Cramer
112 2004 A.i.s by Jack Dann, Gardner R. Dozois
113 2004 Access Denied by Donna Andrews
114 2004 Anu Factor by Ross Richdale
115 2004 Blurred Line by Cavan Terrill
116 2004 Death Match by Lincoln Child
117 2004 Deathstalker Return by Simon R. Green
118 2004 Demon Headmaster and the Prime Minister's Brain by Gillian Cross
119 2004 Doomsday Brunette, The by John Zakour
120 2004 Eve by Aurelio O'Brien
121 2004 God In The Machine: What Robots Teach Us About Humanity And God by Anne Dr. Foerst
122 2004 Heaven Engine by Albert Clarkson
123 2004 Isaac Project by Joe Vadalma
124 2004 Microchip Militant by Anushka Wirasinha
125 2004 Nano by John Robert Marlow
126 2004 Nature of the Beast, The by Shawn Corey
127 2004 Neurolink by M. M. Buckner
128 2004 Newton's Wake: A Space Opera by Ken MacLeod
129 2004 Ordinary, The by Jim Grimsley
130 2004 Past the Point of Delirium: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories and Poems from the Mind of by Chad Descoteaux
131 2004 PeaceMaker by Dan Ronco
132 2004 Plan of the Old One, The by Dr O. David West
133 2004 Prometheus Road by Bruce Balfour
134 2004 Reclamation by Wesley Belk
135 2004 Smart-d by Kenji Siratori
136 2004 Sunrise Alley by Catherine Asaro
137 2004 Terminator Hunt by Aaron Allston
138 2004 The Mcatrix Derided: Or Is That What They Want You to Think by Robertski Brothers
139 2004 Tranquility Down by Gregory Urbach
140 2004 Tranquility in Darkness by Gregory Urbach
141 2004 Victory by Dennis J. Barton
142 2004 Who Mourns for Majik by T. P. Norling
143 2005 Ascent by Sean Williams, Shane Dix
144 2005 Berserker Death by Fred Saberhagen
145 2005 Building Harlequin's Moon by Larry Niven
146 2005 Counting Heads by David Marusek
147 2005 Cusp by Robert A. Metzger
148 2005 Deathstalker Coda by Simon R. Green
149 2005 Delete All Suspects by Donna Andrews
150 2005 Enigma by Michael Jan Friedman
151 2005 Hammerjack by Marc D. Giller
152 2005 Human Interface by Jason Giacchino
153 2005 Metallic Love by Tanith Lee
154 2005 Old Twentieth by Joe Haldeman
155 2005 Politicalization of Reality, The by Randy E. Smith
156 2005 Radioactive Redhead, The by John Zakour
157 2005 Recursion by Tony Ballantyne
158 2005 Rogue Berserker by Fred Saberhagen
159 2005 Worldwired by Elizabeth Bear
160 2006 Alphanauts by J. Brian Clarke
161 2006 Android's Dream, The by John Scalzi
162 2006 Armies of Memory, The by John Barnes
163 2006 AZU-1: Lifehack by Joseph Picard
164 2006 Blacktrion: Desolation by Colin Remedios
165 2006 Brightest Day, The by Lew Fields
166 2006 Capacity by Tony Ballantyne
167 2006 Creative Destruction by Edward M. Lerner
168 2006 Dare, The by Susan Kearney
169 2006 Descent by Shane Dix, Sean Williams
170 2006 Grey Moon over China, A by Thomas A. Day
171 2006 H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden
172 2006 Hydrogen Steel by K. A. Bedford
173 2006 In Fury Born by David Weber
174 2006 In The Image Of God by David A. Lyons
175 2006 Logos Run by William C. Dietz
176 2006 Paragaea by Chris Roberson
177 2006 Prador Moon by Neal L. Asher
178 2006 Sentinel by Tony O'Reilly
179 2006 Tommy's Crackers by Norah S. Bernard
180 2006 Two Faces Of Tomorrow, The by James P. Hogan
181 2006 Wake of the Nightshade by Steven G. Williams
182 2007 Apocalypse Handbook, The by Alex Haynes
183 2007 Better Than Chocolate by Bruce Golden
184 2007 Brass Man by Neal L. Asher
185 2007 Bridge, The by Euhal Allen
186 2007 Darwin's Paradox by Nina Munteanu
187 2007 Drone War, The by K. V. Johansen
188 2007 Folding Infinity by Graeme S. Houston
189 2007 Hidden Worlds, The by Kristin Landon
190 2007 Hurricane Moon by Alexis Glynn Latner
191 2007 Laptop: Cyber Murders, The by Daniel Parks
192 2007 Medusa Incident, The by David Schleifer
193 2007 Moon Age Daydream by Shaun Von Dragen
194 2007 Narcissus by Don D'Ammassa
195 2007 One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name
196 2007 Pawns: A Taste of Power by T. Russell Benedict
197 2007 Pax Athenica by Geoffrey Greer
198 2007 Postsingular by Rudy Rucker
199 2007 Radio Freefall by Matthew Jarpe
200 2007 Sons of Heaven, The by Kage Baker
201 2007 Tesseracts Ten by Edo Van Belkom
202 2007 Unleashing Janus by Ted David Harris
203 2007 Web Of The Trident by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
204 2007 Wine Red Silence, A by George L. Duncan
205 2007 Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fourth Annual Collection, The by Gardner R. Dozois
206 2008 Bio-Dome Project, The by Elizabeth LaCroix-Wagaman
207 2008 Blasphemy by Douglas Preston
208 2008 Cold Minds, The by Kristin Landon
209 2008 Creeping Doom, The by Simon Vaughan
210 2008 Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro
211 2008 Going Under by Justina Robson
212 2008 Heat Death: A Romance by Abyssinian J. Kelly
213 2008 Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams
214 2008 Line War, The by Neal L. Asher
215 2008 Matter of Time, A by John Joyce
216 2008 Mind Over Ship by David Marusek
217 2008 Nano Comes to Clifford Falls: And Other Stories by Nancy Kress
218 2008 Odin Chronicle, The by Michael Corbin
219 2008 Quantum Sausage Machine, The by R. D. Hanson
220 2008 Reciprocity by Les Whaley
221 2008 Solaria by Fran Heckrotte
222 2008 Steampunk by Jeff Vandermeer
223 2008 Sunborn by Jeffrey A. Carver
224 2008 Ultimate Computer, The by Lew Fields
225 2008 Unholy Domain by Dan Ronco
226 2008 Virtually Maria by John Joyce
227 2008 Wreck of the Godspeed: And Other Stories by James Patrick Kelly
228 2008 Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by John Joyce
229 2009 Ballistic Babes by John Zakour
230 2009 Chasing the Dragon by Justina Robson
231 2009 Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald
232 2009 Dark Reaches, The by Kristin Landon
233 2009 Druid's Revenge, The by Dianna Hunter
234 2009 Far Arena by Lynda J. Williams
235 2009 From Beyond Space And Time by Victor Bertolaccini
236 2009 Full Circle by Kirsten Beyer
237 2009 Humble Giants: Destiny by Dave Rhodes
238 2009 Inbound to Earth by Wayne J. Lutz
239 2009 Messiah Rising by Nigel Bruton
240 2009 Oracle Paradox, The by Steve Antczak
241 2009 Overthrowing Heaven by Mark L. Van Name
242 2009 Probe, The by Robert E. Karas
243 2009 Sapphire Sirens, The by John Zakour
244 2009 Siobhan: An AI's Adventure by Emma L. Haynes
245 2009 Starduster 1993T by M. Meldrum
246 2009 Third Claw of God, The by Adam-Troy Castro
247 2009 Treason by Peter David
248 2009 We Think, Therefore We Are by Peter Crowther
249 2010 Anfora by Don Roth
250 2010 Body Lost by Paul Hagen
251 2010 Bolos: Their Finest Hour by Keith Laumer
252 2010 Brain Thief by Alexander Jablokov
253 2010 Digital Domains: A Decade of Science Fiction & Fantasy by Ellen Datlow
254 2010 Europa by J.A. Sanderlin
255 2010 Heretics by S. Andrew Swann
256 2010 Jump Gate Twist by Mark L. Van Name
257 2010 Knights of Tomorrow by Joe Vadalma
258 2010 Noise Within, The by Ian Whates
259 2010 Oblivion Stone by James Axler
260 2010 Phantom Of The Internet, The by A. Miller
261 2010 Seed Seeker by Pamela Sargent
262 2010 Slaves of Love by Stephen B. Pearl
263 2010 Technician, The by Neal L. Asher
264 2010 This Shoal of Space by John T. Cullen
... a to sve samo u prvoj dekadi ovog veka... fascinantno. :D
naravno, tu je sve na gomili: romani, serijali, teorija, antologije, zbirke...
xrotaeye
Ray Kurzweil (da, da, znam... :)) u svojoj knjizi
The Singularity is near skreće pažnju na neke zakonitosti po pitanju tehnoloških ciklusa, pa tako izdvaja i "false pretender" fenomen preuranjenog gedžeta koji pretenduje da zameni stariju i dobro ušančenu tehnologiju. Kurzweil ukazuje kako "false pretender" po pravilu nudi izvesni napredak, ali ima i velik broj mana po pitnaju funkcionalnosti i kvaliteta, što ga eventualno sahrani. Ipak, ostaje prepoznatljiv kao neka vrsta međufaze između stare (prevaziđene) tehnologije i njene nove (ili barem znatno usavršenije) verzije.
Kao naimpresivniji primer tu navodi primer fonografa, koji je od svog nastanka sredinom 19tog veka postao zrela tehnologija 1949te, kad je Kolumbija uvela longplejke. "false pretender" je u tom slučaju bila kaseta, koja je u ovom slučaju bila tek kratka međufaza do CD tehnologije.
Ima tu još primera, naravno, ali Kurzweil je zainteresovan za knjigu, pa tako kaže:
Quote
So where in the technology life cycle is the book? Among its precursors were Mesopotamian clay tablets and Egyptian papyrus scrolls. In the second century B.C., the Ptolemies of Egypt created a great library of scrolls at Alexandria and outlawed the export of papyrus to discourage competition.
What were perhaps the first books were created by Eumenes II, ruler of ancient Greek Pergamum, using pages of vellum made from the skins of goats and sheep, which were sewn together between wooden covers. This technique enabled Eumenes to compile a library equal to that of Alexandria. Around the same time, the Chinese had also developed a crude form of book made from bamboo strips.
The development and maturation of books has involved three great advances. Printing, first experimented with by the Chinese in the eighth century A.D. using raised wood blocks, allowed books to be reproduced in much larger quantities, expanding their audience beyond government and religious leaders. Of even greater significance was the advent of movable type, which the Chinese and Koreans experimented with by the eleventh century, but the complexity of Asian characters prevented these early attempts from being fully successful. Johannes Gutenberg, working in the fifteenth century, benefited from the relative simplicity of the Roman character set. He produced his Bible, the first large-scale work printed entirely with movable type, in 1455.
While there has been a continual stream of evolutionary improvements in the mechanical and electromechanical process of printing, the technology of bookmaking did not see another qualitative leap until the availability of computer typesetting, which did away with movable type about two decades ago. Typography is now regarded as a part of digital image processing.
With books a fully mature technology, the false pretenders arrived about twenty years ago with the first wave of "electronic books." As is usually the case, these false pretenders offered dramatic qualitative and quantitative benefits. CD-ROM- or flash memory-based electronic books can provide the equivalent of thousands of books with powerful computer-based search and knowledge navigation features. With Web-or CD-ROM- and DVD-based encyclopedias, I can perform rapid word searches using extensive logic rules, something that is just not possible with the thirty-three-volume "book" version I possess. Electronic books can provide pictures that are animated and that respond to our input. Pages are not necessarily ordered sequentially but can be explored along more intuitive connections.
As with the phonograph record and the piano, this first generation of false pretenders was (and still is) missing an essential quality of the original, which in this case is the superb visual characteristics of paper and ink. Paper does not flicker, whereas the typical computer screen is displaying sixty or more fields per second. This is a problem because of an evolutionary adaptation of the primate visual system. We are able to see only a very small portion of the visual field with high resolution. This portion, imaged by the fovea in the retina, is focused on an area about the size of a single word at twenty-two inches away. Outside of the fovea, we have very little resolution but exquisite sensitivity to changes in brightness, an ability that allowed our primitive forebears to quickly detect a predator that might be attacking. The constant flicker of a video graphics array (VGA) computer screen is detected by our eyes as motion and causes constant movement of the fovea. This substantially slows down reading speeds, which is one reason that reading on a screen is less pleasant than reading a printed book. This particular issue has been solved with flat-panel displays, which do not flicker.
Other crucial issues include contrast–a good-quality book has an ink-to-paper contrast of about 120:1; typical screens are perhaps half of that–and resolution. Print and illustrations in a book represent a resolution of about 600 to 1000 dots per inch (dpi), while computer screens are about one tenth of that.
The size and weight of computerized devices are approaching those of books, but the devices still are heavier than a paperback book. Paper books also do not run out of battery power.
Most important, there is the matter of the available software, by which I mean the enormous installed base of print books. Fifty thousand new print books are published each year in the United States, and millions of books are already in circulation. There are major efforts under way to scan and digitize print materials, but it will be a long time before the electronic databases have a comparable wealth of material. The biggest obstacle here is the understandable hesitation of publishers to make the electronic versions of their books available, given the devastating effect that illegal file sharing has had on the music-recording industry.
Solutions are emerging to each of these limitations. New, inexpensive display technologies have contrast, resolution, lack of flicker, and viewing angle comparable to high-quality paper documents. Fuel-cell power for portable electronics is being introduced, which will keep electronic devices powered for hundreds of hours between fuel-cartridge changes. Portable electronic devices are already comparable to the size and weight of a book. The primary issue is going to be finding secure means of making electronic information available. This is a fundamental concern for every level of our economy. Everything–including physical products, once nanotechnology- based manufacturing becomes a reality in about twenty years–is becoming information.
Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and perhaps weigh 1.5 tons.
—POPULAR MECHANICS, 1949
:D
da, Kurzweil je veoma entuzijasticni futurista :):
Quote
As we will explore in chapter 5, the genetics (or biotechnology) revolution is bringing the information revolution, with its exponentially increasing capacity and price-performance, to the field of biology. Similarly, the nanotechnology revolution will bring the rapidly increasing mastery of information to materials and mechanical systems. The robotics (or "strong AI") revolution involves the reverse engineering of the human brain, which means coming to understand human intelligence in information terms and then combining the resulting insights with increasingly powerful computational platforms. Thus, all three of the overlapping transformations—genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics—that will dominate the first half of this century represent different facets of the information revolution.
ili, preciznije:
Quote
Setting a Date for the Singularity. A more modest but still profound threshold will be achieved much earlier. In the early 2030s one thousand dollars' worth of computation will buy about 1017 cps (probably around 1020 cps using ASICs and harvesting distributed computation via the Internet). Today we spend more than $1011 ($100 billion) on computation in a year, which will conservatively rise to $1012 ($1 trillion) by 2030. So we will be producing about 1026 to 1029 cps of nonbiological computation per year in the early 2030s. This is roughly equal to our estimate for the capacity of all living biological human intelligence.
Even if just equal in capacity to our own brains, this nonbiological portion of our intelligence will be more powerful because it will combine the pattern-recognition powers of human intelligence with the memory- and skill-sharing ability and memory accuracy of machines. The nonbiological portion will always operate at peak capacity, which is far from the case for biological humanity today; the 1026 cps represented by biological human civilization today is poorly utilized.
This state of computation in the early 2030s will not represent the Singularity, however, because it does not yet correspond to a profound expansion of our intelligence. By the mid-2040s, however, that one thousand dollars' worth of computation will be equal to 1026 cps, so the intelligence created per year (at a total cost of about $1012) will be about one billion times more powerful than all human intelligence today.
I set the date for the Singularity—representing a profound and disruptive transformation in human capability—as 2045.
The nonbiological intelligence created in that year will be one billion times more powerful than all human intelligence today.
Ovde 10xx cps treba čitati kao 10xx calculations per second.
uh, jeste, pogbila sam formatovanje negde usput... :)
nego, strasno je to sa Hjugo nagradom, ali ipak, ono najbitnije je opstalo:
◾BEST NOVEL: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, Ken Liu translator (Tor Books)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765377063.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=c3800424c40c057c9337fe1ff4f53de3168e14e8) :!:
http://youtu.be/KPlElPBaymw (http://youtu.be/KPlElPBaymw)
noviteti ideceg meseca:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51DF5tplX7L._AA160_.jpg&hash=a889f2121c7bd8e995ee21ae9f92422e7a7f1c10)
In the distant future, Surplus arrives in China dressed as a Mongolian shaman, leading a yak which carries the corpse of his friend, Darger. The old high-tech world has long since collapsed, and the artificial intelligences that ran it are outlawed and destroyed. Or so it seems.
Darger and Surplus, a human and a genetically engineered dog with human intelligence who walks upright, are a pair of con men and the heroes of a series of prior Swanwick stories. They travel to what was once China and invent a scam to become rich and powerful. Pretending to have limited super-powers, they aid an ambitious local warlord who dreams of conquest and once again reuniting China under one ruler. And, against all odds, it begins to work, but it seems as if there are other forces at work behind the scenes. Chasing the Phoenix is a sharp, slick, witty science fiction adventure that is hugely entertaining from Michael Swanwick, one of the best SF writers alive.
(ovo nije novo, reizdanje)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F4162tcZsJUL._SX329_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=427ff9f1f380856408645214eab0ed2246f31cba)
Radiance is a decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood-and solar system-very different from our own, from Catherynne M. Valente, the phenomenal talent behind the New York Times bestselling The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.
Severin Unck's father is a famous director of Gothic romances in an alternate 1986 in which talking movies are still a daring innovation due to the patent-hoarding Edison family. Rebelling against her father's films of passion, intrigue, and spirits from beyond, Severin starts making documentaries, traveling through space and investigating the levitator cults of Neptune and the lawless saloons of Mars. For this is not our solar system, but one drawn from classic science fiction in which all the planets are inhabited and we travel through space on beautiful rockets. Severin is a realist in a fantastic universe.
But her latest film, which investigates the disappearance of a diving colony on a watery Venus populated by island-sized alien creatures, will be her last. Though her crew limps home to earth and her story is preserved by the colony's last survivor, Severin will never return.
Told using techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative, Radiance is a solar system-spanning story of love, exploration, family, loss, quantum physics, and silent film.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41MTc-YF0ML._SX327_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=5472f0b08002d148562019a451834853535bb9f0)
The fiction of multiple award–winning author China Miéville is powered by intelligence and imagination. Like George Saunders, Karen Russell, and David Mitchell, he pulls from a variety of genres with equal facility, employing the fantastic not to escape from reality but instead to interrogate it in provocative, unexpected ways.
London awakes one morning to find itself besieged by a sky full of floating icebergs. Destroyed oil rigs, mysteriously reborn, clamber from the sea and onto the land, driven by an obscure but violent purpose. An anatomy student cuts open a cadaver to discover impossibly intricate designs carved into a corpse's bones—designs clearly present from birth, bearing mute testimony to . . . what?
Of such concepts and unforgettable images are made the twenty-eight stories in this collection—many published here for the first time. By turns speculative, satirical, and heart-wrenching, fresh in form and language, and featuring a cast of damaged yet hopeful seekers who come face-to-face with the deep weirdness of the world—and at times the deeper weirdness of themselves—Three Moments of an Explosion is a fitting showcase for one of literature's most original voices.
Liptak o svom alt-history favoritu:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345433785.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=63e34dcc8159ca70c21dcc9124d41114afc39f93)
I've never really been one for alternate history—I've always been a history person, and something about the subgenre has always seemed a little superficial to me, a little too easy. The idea that changing one thing will completely change the future is dramatic, sure, but rarely are there singular points in history where the future can be so drastically altered by changing one thing, and even if such moments exist, it seems like hubris to suggest that we could easily pinpoint them. History isn't a stairway, it's a tapestry. One lost thread rarely changes the image.
All of that said, I love J. Gregory Keyes' alt-history quartet The Age of Unreason, even though it clearly violates the narrative sins I elucidated above. It grabbed me from the first book, Newton's Cannon, and never quite let go. The premise is a fun, fantastical one: instead of discovering the laws of physics, Isaac Newton discovered the laws of alchemy instead. He is tasked by Louis XIV to create a weapon to help France in its battle against England, a weapon that would devastate her enemies. Across an ocean, a young Benjamin Franklin searches for his own path to alchemy, and is pursued by an enemy from whom only Newton can protect him. What these two unleash together are changes that confront the order of the world.
Newton's Cannon is followed by three more books: A Calculus of Angels, Empire of Unreason, and The Shadows of God. Throughout the series, Keyes brings in a range of other historical figures, from Peter the Great to Blackbeard the pirate. By placing his alternate reality story within a fantasy context, Keyes frees himself from the constraints of known history without damaging too much our sense of disbelief that a few things playing out differently could so alter the course of the past (and future). What plays out is a wonderfully absorbing tale, an examination of the dangers of political power—especially when it's aided by magic.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345406087.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=f2771dfa2cc92bc9c432568f413c962ec0bbd0e9)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345406109.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=fa33b3e72f14bb1fd580fc59f31c2675fe6d785e)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345455835.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg&hash=7798a350d620dddbb0080229b486832ea92dccba)
The intersection of magic and political power has, of course, been examined before and since in any number of fantasy novels, but Keyes' series retains a particular charm. There's already something undeniably exciting about introducing alchemy into the world, our world, in place of another system of knowledge, and then you add to the mix scenes of Renaissance-era sorcerers calling asteroids down from the heavens to be used as weapons. In many ways, it seems to argue that science, and scientific thinking, is a sort of equalizer: it's understood and universal, calculable and measurable. Magic is another beast altogether: willful, malicious, unpredictable, and devastating when misused.
Another high action SF dystopia perfect for fans of Richard Morgan and Alfred Bester alike. The follow-up to the acclaimed Barricade this another short, sharp and kinetic SF thriller
Kenstibec is a Ficial - a genetically engineered artificial life form; tough, skilled, hard to kill. Or at least he was. He's lost the nanotech that constantly repaired him. Life just got real. Just like it is for the few remaining humans in this blighted world - the Reals; locked in a fight over a ruined world with the Ficials they created to make Utopia.
And now Kenstibec must take a trip to the pinnicle of our failed civilisation. The Steeple is a one thousand storey tower that looms over the wreckage of London. It is worshipped, feared and haunted by attack droids and cannibals. And the location of a secret that just might save Kenstibec's life.The only way is up.
(https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61O2t0xsEDL._UY250_.jpg)
"Barricade" by Jon Wallace was one of those reasons why it is always worth to give new authors a chance, even at a time when your favourite author has just published a veritable door-stopper that you are just gasping to read. To put it bluntly, Jon Wallace's debut was a proper statement of intent. An opening that promised a lengthy career filled with equally exciting rides. Needless to say, I was rather excited about "Steeple", a next installment in the series which promised more adventures with Kenstibec set in the dystopian madcap version of Britain that Wallace built around him.
For those who have missed "Barricade" (shame on you!), the main protagonist of the series is a slightly psychotic individual named Kenstibec. He's a member of the Ficials - a genetically engineered human who after failing to fulfill his true purpose works as a taxi driver driving around his enemies. Understandably, he's often a cynical and bitter character blessed with a wicked sense of humour. In "Steeple" Kenstibec is dealing with consequences of his actions and is dead set to save his own life after the tech that kept him alive is finally starting to fail. To do that, he must climb a towering hulk looming over London which, if the legend holds true, contains a mysterious treasure. A thousand storey tower is called Steeple, and Ken undertakes this desperate quest together with it associates Fate and Bridget. It's a mission filled with peril and quite unlike anything else he has encountered so far. His journey is filled with claustrophobic crawlspaces and dangerous impossible creatures such as another murderous Ficial and an occasional cannibal. Similarly to "Barricade", "Steeple" revolves around a journey. However, this time around, the story itself is rather more self-contained which is ultimately a good thing because it provides plenty of opportunity for character development and introspection without any need to sacrifice the action packet sequences.
(https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51iXdM7L3kL._UY250_.jpg)
"Steeple" is just like its predecessor an absolutely furious affair. It finished way too fast and too early for my liking but that is really not a serious complaint because "Steeple" is in almost everything superior to "Barricade". For starters, Wallace's Britain is finally showing its true colour. It is a strange place that only a twisted mind could think off. There is a hidden, new found depth in the overall setting and evident hints of a bigger picture that will probably reveal itself in the future. Even Ken's dark sense of humour comes with a fresh nuance to it so he's becoming more likable even as he's becoming more sinister.
To conclude, as was the case with "Barricade", the biggest problem with "Steeple" is the wait that you have to endure once you're done with it. Next one, please?
knjige u septembru:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F31NLZAa5rwL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=1139aa04c681e71125c0cefb03aa136ef1ba7c28) (http://www.amazon.com/Arcadia-Iain-Pears-ebook/dp/B00ZO3NJTM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441618554&sr=1-1&pebp=1441618584418&perid=16XKHHSDS37YZENRJQ6K)
Henry Lytten - a spy turned academic and writer - sits at his desk in Oxford in 1962, dreaming of other worlds.
He embarks on the story of Jay, an eleven-year-old boy who has grown up within the embrace of his family in a rural, peaceful world - a kind of Arcadia. But when a supernatural vision causes Jay to question the rules of his world, he is launched on a life-changing journey.
Lytten also imagines a different society, highly regulated and dominated by technology, which is trying to master the science of time travel.
Meanwhile - in the real world - one of Lytten's former intelligence colleagues tracks him down for one last assignment.
As he and his characters struggle with questions of free will, love, duty and the power of the imagination, Lytten discovers he is not sure how he wants his stories to end, nor even who is imaginary...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51g7I5qN07L._SX330_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=db1bc798058edf1b90e6ca386bad0434660c3a7c) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765376709/sfsi0c-20)
New York Times bestselling author William R. Forstchen brings a sequel to his hit novel One Second After. Months before publication, One Second After was cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at the dangers of EMPs. An EMP is a weapon with the power to destroy the entire United States in a single act of terrorism, in a single second; indeed, it is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. One Second After was a dire warning of what might be our future...and our end. Now, One Year After returns to the small town of Black Mountain, and the man who struggled so hard to rebuild it in the wake of devastation-John Matherson. It is a thrilling follow-up and should delight fans in every way.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51CKPRcfqNL._SX308_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=2860ea961d0ca0f1f63cbf17f70c1d36ef4fb23e) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00XHRVXJA/sfsi0c-20)
Anders Jensen is having a bad month. His roommate is a data thief, his girlfriend picks fights in bars, and his best friend is a cyborg...and a lousy tipper. When everything is spiraling out of control, though, maybe those are exactly the kind of friends you need.
In a world divided between the genetically engineered elite and the unmodified masses, Anders is an anomaly: engineered, but still broke and living next to a crack house. All he wants is to land a tenure-track faculty position, and maybe meet someone who's not technically a criminal—but when a nightmare plague rips through Hagerstown, Anders finds himself dodging kinetic energy weapons and government assassins as Baltimore slips into chaos. His friends aren't as helpless as they seem, though, and his girlfriend's street-magician brother-in-law might be a pretentious hipster—or might hold the secret to saving them all.
Frenetic and audacious, Three Days in April is a speculative thriller that raises an important question: once humanity goes down the rabbit hole, can it ever find its way back?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41GwItZ4KsL._SX329_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=ebf077cfd3f045860d3b25ea16ed5f242ebcf97c)
From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times.
Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement--enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive djinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights--or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345810228/sfsi0c-20)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41B9MgI2sKL._SX325_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=f44ad789057737fe6ca192daf25d3d2c0cfa936c) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765375516/sfsi0c-20)
The Moon wants to kill you. Whether it's being unable to pay your per diem for your allotted food, water, and air, or you just get caught up in a fight between the Moon's ruling corporations, the Five Dragons. You must fight for every inch you want to gain in the Moon's near feudal society. And that is just what Adriana Corta did.
As the leader of the Moon's newest "dragon," Adriana has wrested control of the Moon's Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family's new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana's five children must defend their mother's empire from her many enemies... and each other.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F513N1TOnLcL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=b72e8a589806bc1e009c47cbd659562495d8f184) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00UCLPC6E/sfsi0c-20)
On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman, and child in a remote gold-mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins—and not a single bone was ever found.
One hundred sixteen years later, two backcountry guides are hired by a history professor and his journalist daughter to lead them to the abandoned mining town so they can learn what happened. Recently, a similar party had also attempted to explore the town and was never heard from again. Now the area is believed to be haunted. This crew is about to discover, twenty miles from civilization with a blizzard bearing down, that they are not alone, and the past is very much alive.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51%252B3yB46nZL._SX327_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=a9a59df105fed260afa4b6848d760c17d50a8e76) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385540353/sfsi0c-20)
Margaret Atwood puts the human heart to the ultimate test in an utterly brilliant new novel that is as visionary as The Handmaid's Tale and as richly imagined as The Blind Assassin.
Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.
At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51HQBWhRqmL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=c4f8855681c9a6e22f0a1028299acbe3e203b51f)
Advances in science and technology no longer change how we live, they determine it. In the not-too-distant future, techno-scientific developments may make individuals stronger, smarter, healthier and more productive--but to what end? Addressing this question, speculative fiction has created an abundance of transhuman characters, protagonists with extraordinary strength, intelligence or abilities. Often they are antiheroes, openly rejecting--or rejected by--society and acting on immoral or extreme principles that challenge readers to approve, condemn, excuse or explain. This study explores the antihero of speculative fiction as a paradoxical blend of human and transhuman. These protagonists illustrate the dynamics among the individual, techno-scientific development and societal norms, and blur distinctions between human and machine, biology and technology, right and wrong. Fictional works covered include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), Olaf Stapledon's Odd John (1935), Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination (1956), William Gibson's Neuromancer (1986), Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen (1986-1987), Richard Morgan's Takeshi Kovacs trilogy (Altered Carbon [2002], Broken Angels [2003] and Woken Furies [2005]) and Black Man (2008).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1781083746.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg&hash=6d64b7c0d585ff4aa9b4d2b8a20f433bdba36bd5)
In October, Solaris will release The Sand Men by Christopher Fowler, which is being described as a contemporary thriller.
Here's the synopsis:
A brand new contemporary thriller from bestselling crime and horror author Chris Fowler.
In Dubai there's a new world of high-luxury resorts emerging for the super-rich – but at what price to everyone else?
Lea, Roy and their 15 year-old daughter Cara live in a gated community reserved for foreign workers. Roy has been hired to deal with teething problems at Dream World, a futuristic beach complex. In the oppressive heat, the wives appear happy to follow behind their husbands, cooking and arranging tea parties, but Lea finds herself a virtual prisoner in a land where Western women are regarded with indifference and suspicion.
At least there are a few friendly outsiders who don't enjoy the conformity of the ex-pat community – until one night, when the most outspoken one dies in a suspicious accident. It's the first in a string of terrible occurrences that divide the foreign workers. Lea's neighbours start to blame migrants, locals and even each other.
Lea is convinced that deliberate acts of cruelty are being committed – but is there a real threat to her life, or is she becoming paranoid? And what if the thing she fears most is really happening? What happens in a world where only the rich are important? Welcome to a future that's five minutes away, where rebellion against conformity can lead to the unthinkable...
Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin: I'm just writing for the beer money
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chinadaily.com.cn%2Fculture%2Fattachement%2Fjpg%2Fsite1%2F20150824%2Fd4bed9d6cb401744f04901.jpg&hash=64de6b7a352245be188fe157603f63c2fb6a7a39)
The Three-Body Problem - a science-fiction book of the trilogy Santi written by Chinese author Liu Cixin - has caused a big splash on the Internet after it was announced winner of the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel on August 23.
The topic has been read over 8.6 million times on Sina Weibo, and generated a discussion that involved 190 thousand participants within ten hours after the news release.
Netizens were encouraged by the award and praised the novel, saying that this is an award that the book deserves.
"I read the first two books of the Santi series when I was in junior school, I didn't have money to buy it so I read it in the Xinhua Bookstore. I'm so happy that Chinese science-fiction has finally been recognized by the world," wrote Sina Weibo user Wukelili.
Zhang Yiyun, a Chinese psychologist with a follower of over 4 million, reposted the news and suggested embracing a bigger vision of the universe. "If we spend our limited life in daily hustle and bustle and turn a blind eye to the macro or micro worlds, it's like we never stepped out of our houses in the spiritual world," she quoted from the books.
But not all comments are so thrilled about the award. Weibo user Faye_Venus said that she doesn't think the book is that awesome, but "only that we couldn't find a better one in China."
The book, known for its brilliant imagination, successfully combined the exceedingly ephemeral with hard reality, all the while focusing on revealing the essence and aesthetics of science. It is a distinctly Chinese style of science fiction.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2015-08/24/content_21687177.htm (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2015-08/24/content_21687177.htm)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ATv-FxWyL._SX321_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=4cdf21ad9b54a76f7c0215622fe7041541d10bc7)
Welcome to Baghdad during the US invasion. A desperate American military has created a power vacuum that needs to be filled. Religious fanatics, mercenaries, occultists, and soldiers are all vying for power. So how do regular folks try to get by? If you're Dagr and Kinza, a former economics professor and a streetwise hoodlum, you turn to dealing in the black market. But everything is about to change, because they have inherited a very important prisoner: the star torturer of Hussein's recently collapsed regime, Captain Hamid, who promises them untold riches if they smuggle him out of Baghdad. With the heat on and nothing left for them in Baghdad, they enlist the help of Private Hoffman, their partner in crime and a U.S. Marine. In the chaos of a city without rule, getting out of Baghdad is no easy task and when they become embroiled in a mystery surrounding an ancient watch that doesn't tell time, nothing will ever be the same. With a satiric eye firmly cast on the absurdity of human violence, Escape from Baghdad! features shades of Catch-22 and Three Kings while giving voice, ribald humor, and firepower to to people often referred to as "collateral damage."
Nakon fenomenalnog uspeha Hugo nagrađenog The Three-Body Problem, željno očekivana druga po redu knjiga Trisolarisa kao da pati od klasične boljke središnje knjige u trilogiji: na ničijoj zemlji između već malko potrošenog gambita i predaleke završnice, The Dark Forest jednostavno ne uspeva da održi niti tempo niti zaokruženost impresivne prethodnice.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51502L5%252B3mL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=7a2f6a1db9fca86e87a545ca3dd1e82f8bd472e9)
Istini za volju, to ne znači da je The Dark Forest slab roman, jer on to nije. Ali jeste prisutna izvesna promena u stilu i tonu jednako, promena koja sasvim priliči jednom nadasve prolifičnom piscu kao što je Cixin Liu, no koja se ipak nije dala očekivati na osnovu prve knjige.
Prva knjiga nas je ostavila sa neminovnom invazijom i sofonima koji onemogućavaju ljudski progres na polju fizike i tehnologije uopšte. The Dark Forest glatko nastavlja tamo gde se po tom pitanju stalo, osvetljujući tmurnu situaciju iz nekoliko uglova: da, Zemlja ima 400 godina do invazije, ali zbog opsade sofona, izgleda da će malo šta efikasnog uspeti da za to vreme uradi. Sve glasnija struja eskapista nudi beg kao najsigurnije rešenje: potrpati glavninu najbitnijeg stanovništva na brodove i pobeći šta dalje od Zemlje, daleko pre no što se Trisolarci i približe istoj. Naravno, sofoni sa lakoćom sprečavaju taj plan na najefikasniji i najtragičniji mogući način. U naporu da osmisle odbranu koji sofoni neće uspeti da prepoznaju, zemaljske vlade biraju četvoricu strategičara u Wallfacer Project: ideja je tu bila da se iskoristi nesposobnost Trisolaraca da prepoznaju fenomen "netačne informacije", ili prostije rečeno - laganja. Među tom četvoricom je i Luo Ji, kojeg je Ye Wenjie ohrabrila da razvije svoju teoriju kosmičke sociologije, i on upravo time postaje centralni lik The Dark Forestzapleta. Naravno, deo ljudske rase koji se priklonio Trisolarcima spremno kontrira tom planu, smišljajući strategiju kroz svoju Wallbreaker ekipu, koja uz podršku sofona uspeva da eliminiše jednu po jednu Wallfacer strategiju.
U kontrastu sa prvom knjigom, The Dark Forest ima izrazito manje plastične likove, što bukvalno znači da je Luo Ji jedini dovoljno pamtljiv, mada je i on prilično plošan i na momente neubedljiv. U istom kontrastu, The Dark Forest nudi zaplet koji je na momente toliko bizaran da naprosto ne uspeva da bude dovoljno uverljiv, čak ni uz ogromnu dozu suspendovane neverice kakvu palp ove vrste podrazumeva. Kao rezultat, naracija sve lakše skreće u stilski i književno naivan (a u nekim segmentima i poprilično traljav) pokušaj da se melodramom obezbedi čitalačka pažnja.
Ipak, čak i uz te manjkavosti, The Dark Forest je veoma zanimljiva knjiga, možda ponaviše zbog svetonazora koji je, recimo i to, ipak proizišao u jednom sasvim drugačijem istorijskom i kulturnom okruženju. Čak i u poređenju sa najdesničarskijom strujom anglosaksonskog žanra (a ta je baš sada prilično u fokusu oko Hugo nagrade), The Dark Forest na momente uspeva da ih ubedljivo nadmaši na terenu nacionalizma i šovinizma uopšte. Taj autorov svetonazor se naprosto ne može sakriti, čak i da jeste bilo pokušaja u tom pravcu. (A verovatno nije, bar što se autora tiče.)
Naravno, meni taj svetonazor niti je stran niti odbojan, ali biće zanimljivo videti reakcije svih onih koje je prva knjiga oduševila.
Kako bilo, i The Dark Forest uspeva da jednoj dobro poznatoj žanrovskoj temi priđe na nesumljivo svež i neistrošen način, nudeći pri tom mnoge dovitljive i originalne pristupe. Jedan od njih je i vickasto rešenje Fermijevog paradoksa koje Luo Ji ponudi kao sasvim prosto i očiglednu činjenicu: "The universe is a dark forest. Every civilization is an armed hunter stalking through the trees like a ghost, gently pushing aside branches that block the path and trying to tread without sound. Even breathing is done with care. The hunter has to be careful, because everywhere in the forest are stealthy hunters like him. If he finds other life—another hunter, an angel or a demon, a delicate infant or a tottering old man, a fairy or a demigod—there's only one thing he can do: open fire and eliminate them. In this forest, hell is other people. An eternal threat that any life that exposes its own existence will be swiftly wiped out. This is the picture of cosmic civilization. It's the explanation for the Fermi Paradox."
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F09%2Fdownstation400.jpg%3Fresize%3D232%252C400&hash=f958c4ae5fe0ef95191eb9f2df37ab63e53ec722)
Gollancz has announced that they'll release Down Station by Simon Morden, a post apocalyptic dark fantasy, in February 2016 (UK). Check it out!
About the book
A small group of commuters and tube workers witness a fiery apocalypse overtaking London. They make their escape through a service tunnel. Reaching a door they step through...and find themselves on a wild shore backed by cliffs and rolling grassland. The way back is blocked. Making their way inland they meet a man dressed in a wolf's cloak and with wolves by his side. He speaks English and has heard of a place called London – other people have arrived here down the ages – all escaping from a London that is burning. None of them have returned. Except one – who travels between the two worlds at will. The group begin a quest to find this one survivor; the one who holds the key to their return and to the safety of London.
And as they travel this world, meeting mythical and legendary creatures,split between North and South by a mighty river and bordered by The White City and The Crystal Palace they realise they are in a world defined by all the London's there have ever been.
Reminiscent of Michael Moorcock and Julian May this is a grand and sweeping science fantasy built on the ideas, the legends, the memories of every London there has ever been.
Richard Paul Russo je jedan od onih tihih, nenametljivih pisaca koji postojano izbacuju odlične žanrovske romane, bez da se mnogo eksponiraju u fandomskom delu žanra. Dvaput dobitnik Philip K. Dick nagrade, Russo ostavlja utisak pomalo skrajnutog autora, verovatno zato jer niti aktivno bloguje, niti urednikuje antologije, niti se bilo kakvim alternativnim aktivnostima dokopava onog danas tako važnog žanrovskog lajmlajta.
Russoova proza je žanrovski veoma fluidna, a tematski ozbiljna i iskrena, što rezultuje u fascinantnom amalgamu naučne fantastike sa horor i fentezi nijansama, suptilno uobličene u vrlo intenzivnu emotivnu karakterizaciju snažnih individualnih priča.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41rNRGDI24L.jpg&hash=e3f0d0ea4d9af9ff085584f23e768dcfca49e557)
Moj prvi susret sa Russoom je Ship of Fools. Dobitnik 2001 Philip K. Dick nagrade, Ship of Fools je priča o Argonosu - generacijskom brodu koji tako dugo putuje međuzvezdanim prostorom da su ljudi na njemu već odavno zaboravili i da li im je krajnji cilj kolonizacija ili misionarstvo, a kamoli kuda su to zapravo originalno krenuli. U dugim vekovima brodskog putovanja, zemaljska tehnologija ih je odavno pretekla, teraformirajući mnogobrojne planete na koje Argonos ponekad svrati u nabavku. Na jednoj od tih planeta Argonos je zatekao jezive scene pobijenih kolonista a nedaleko same planete naišao je i na napušteni međuzvezdani brod. Ubrzo po pristanku na taj brod, stanovnici Argonosa otkrivaju ne samo da je u pitanju brod nezemaljskog porekla, nego i da je upravo njegova neobjašnjivo odsutna posada izvršila masakr nedužnih kolonista.
Odani žanrovci vole da temi Prvog kontakta priđu i iz psihološkog ugla, ali daleko ređe uspevaju da pri tom ostanu i ozbiljni, bez guranja likova u groteskne, utopijske ili naprosto patološke pejzaže. Russo u tome uspeva bez očiglednog napora, kao da po tom pitanju i ne postoje opcije. Njegov fokus uvek ostaje na protagonistima, na njihovim grčevitim naporima da pronađu vlastitu svrhu, to u životu i misiji jednako. Otud je Russo u Ship of Fools neminovno i pesimista: za Russoa to je norma koja je ujedno i baza organskog intelekta, i on je secira u njenom najprirodnijem ambijentu – u religioznoj kontemplaciji.
Argonos je originalno možda bio misionarski brod, i njegova životna filozofija je i dalje tome podređena: u veličanstvenoj katedrali broda, sveštenici se trude da pomire nepomirljive krajnosti, da nađu balans između duhovnih i materijalnih vrednosti, između dobra i zla generalno. Kao i inače u životu, oni najiskreniji su ujedno i najmanje uspešni, a oni najodaniji idealima su i najpodložniji dezintegraciji. Suočeni sa činjenicom da je smrt kazna za greh taman koliko je i nagrada za vrlinu, stanovnici Argonosa lebde u vrtlogu sopstvenog duhovnog pada, u haosu i korupciji beizlaza i beznađa. Russo prikazuje kumulativni efekat tih stanja kao jedinu stvarnost koju je čovek u stanju sebi da priušti.
Sve u svemu, odličan roman iz pera neobjašnjivo skrajnutog pisca.
Svojedobno je Norman Spinrad u svom eseju "Imperator Svega" svojski obradio možda najkorišteniji žanrovski obrazac epske sage o borbi Dobra i Zla – skrajnutog Heroja, koji priču počinje kao naivni mladić, stiče mentora & misiju, razvija svoje moći do maksimuma, borbom krči sebi put to Sedišta Zla, usput stiče princezu i lojalne prijatelje, a onda otkriva svoj tajni identitet i, naravno, na kraju svojeručno pobeđuje Zlo.
Naravno, Spinrad je tu fabulu radnje najpre secirao u njenom "Ratovi zvezda" najpopularnijem obrascu, koji je (onda i danas jednako) formula za ogroman procenat žanrovskog korpusa. Nije nikakva tajna da, kako je Spinrad rekao, police knjižara stenju pod količinom šunda proizvedenog po upravo tom konkretnom obrascu. Ipak, on dalje nalazi kako se isti taj kalup da otkriti i u žanrovskim delima kao što su Dina, Neuromanser, Knjiga Novog sunca, Zvezde moje odredište, glavnina dorsajskog ciklusa Gordona Diksona, Gospodar prstenova, Tri stigmate Palmera Eldriča, Gospodar svetlosti, Nova, Ajnštajnovski presek, knjige o rečnom svetu Filipa Hozea Farmera, Stranac u stranoj zemlji, Tri srca i tri lava, a da stvar bude još interesantnija, i u delima kao što su Knjiga o egzodusu, i Novi zavet, i Bagavad Gita, i legende o kralju Arturu, pa i Robin Hud, Zigfrid, Barbarosa, Musaši Murakami, i karijere Aleksandra Velikog, Napoleona, Džordža Vašingtona, Simona Bolivara, Tokugave Iejasua, Lorensa od Arabije i Fidela Kastra, a da i ne pominjemo knjige Atlas je slegnuo ramenima, Američki san, Grof Monte Kristo, David Koperfild, Čovek koji je mogao da čini čuda, i Supermena, i još mnogo, mnogo drugih istinski književno vrednih romana. Dakle, reč je o arhetipskoj priči koja prevazilazi rasne, kulturne, društvene, kontinentalne, vremenske i raznorazne druge barijere, a njena kakvoća ovisi ponajviše o estetici samog autora i, naravno, čitaoca kojem je namenjena.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61GYAYMZH2L.jpg&hash=ccf6675dbf81a75da7608c995845f96a11f5eb64)
Russo uzima taj obrazac u njegovom najprepoznatljivijem žanrovskom obliku i kroz njega daje klasičnu spejs operu u sebi svojstvenom žanrovski fluidnom formatu. Epska saga o izgubljenom dečaku, o njegovom surovom odrastanju, o naporu da pronađe mesto gde pripada, ili bolje – da pronađe sebe.
U The Rosetta Codex, Russo toj standardnoj i na stotine puta ispričanoj priči daje ton i boju koja je unikatno njegova. Njegov Cole gaji daleko manje entuzijazma i za otkrivanje sopstvene prošlosti i familije kojoj pripada, a kamoli ikakva druga herojstva. Isto tako, Cole je uvek spreman da prizna kako on retko kad može i da prepozna granicu između Dobra i Zla, a kamoli da se na efikasan način bori protiv jednog a u korist drugog. Tamo gde su standardni "heroji" ovakvih saga puni energične odmazde i gneva pravednika, Cole je ambivalentan a ponekad možda i samo umoran od siline zahteva kojim se takva vrst glavnih junaka bičuje kroz narativ. U kompleksnom svetu u kojem Cole živi, dobro i zlo su veoma duboko isprepleteni, pa otud ni dobre namere ne rezultuju nužno i dobrim delima.
Paradoks je da se upravo to jedno i jedino odstupanje od dobro utabane staze generičkog obrasca postavilo kao prepreka između odlične knjige i njenog prirodnog čitaoca. Većina osvrta na ovaj roman kao da zamera autoru što nije kategoričnije pokazao da dobro obavezno trijumfuje nad zlim, pravda neizostavno pobeđuje, heroj se uvek ženi idealnom Princezom i postaje Imprerator svega, i svi žive srećno od sad pa za vjeki vjekov ili bar dok ne dođe vreme da se iscedi nastavak.
No, roman će se zasigurno dopasti svima koji mogu da izdrže autorovo traganje za književnom vizijom u žanrovskom svetu koji je (baš kao i onaj stvarni, uostalom) ekstremno kompleksan, pa otud i često ambivalentan.
oktobarska ponuda:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0763677566.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=32f3fd4cb7e0db814926671ab51c6f53583ba847)
In a near-future world of exurban decay studded with big box stores, daily routine revolves around shopping—for those who can. For Zoë, the mission is simpler: live.
Last girl Zoë Zindleman, numerical ID 009-99-9999, is starting work at AllMART, where "your smile is the AllMART welcome mat." Her living arrangements are equally bleak: she can wait for her home to be foreclosed and stripped of anything valuable now that AnnaMom has moved away, leaving Zoë behind, or move to the Warren, an abandoned strip-mall-turned-refuge for other left-behinds. With a handful of other disaffected, forgotten kids, Zoë must find her place in a world that has consumed itself beyond redemption. She may be a last girl, but her name means "life," and Zoë isn't ready to disappear into the AllMART abyss. Zoë wants to live.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1771680385.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=de09b558a0db0fa40f12f198a92b5fe1b640d65e)
Casey Schillinge is a vivacious young woman on the verge of making her mark on the world. While backpacking, she is struck down by a tropical disease and suffers cardiac failure. But at the eleventh hour, Casey receives a life-saving heart transplant - and a rare second chance to begin again. Three years later, Casey has become a withdrawn shell of her former self. Still highly intelligent, she is estranged from her loved ones, afraid of open spaces and rides the line between legitimate and criminal work in software development. The worst of her troubles come in the form of violent night terrors; so frightening that she resorts to extreme measures to keep herself from sleeping. When she can take no more, she embarks on a desperate search for the source of her dreams. In so doing, she makes a shocking discovery surrounding the tragic fate of the donor whose heart now beats inside her chest. As she delves deeper into the mystery of her donor, she realizes her dreams are not a figment of her imagination, but a real life nightmare.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1770864547.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=ffebbadb060dc0e9ed7e87e5b7c53bb9afa98db3)
Medical science has found a way to remove diseases from the sick. The catch? They can only transfer the diseases into other living humans. The government now uses the technology to cure the innocent by infecting criminals. It is into this world that Talia Hale is born. Now sixteen and the daughter of a prime ministerial candidate, she discovers that the effort to ensure bad things happen only to bad people has turned a once-thriving community into a slum and has made life perilous for two new friends.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51V0YF9jE7L.jpg&hash=5f89ab59758681c714e890f91486770c28e45cd1)
Science fiction and fantasy enjoy a long literary tradition, stretching from Mary Shelley, H. G. Wells, and Jules Verne to Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and William Gibson. In The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy award-winning editor John Joseph Adams delivers a diverse and vibrant collection of stories published in the previous year. Featuring writers with deep science fiction and fantasy backgrounds, along with those who are infusing traditional fiction with speculative elements, these stories uphold a longstanding tradition in both genres—looking at the world and asking, What if . . . ?
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015 includes
Kelly Link, Neil Gaiman, Karen Russell
T. C. Boyle, Sofia Samatar, Jo Walton, Cat Rambo
Daniel H. Wilson, Seanan McGuire, Jess Row
and others
Luna: New Moon je najbolji roman Iana McDonalda. :-D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41B9MgI2sKL.jpg&hash=9d3de513f33553ca7c6eaa964130c359aa1e2fe1)
Iskrena da budem, nisam verovala da ću to reći ni za jedan njegov naslov posle Brazila, ali opet, to mi nije bilo ni toliko važno, jer jednom kad autor napiše takav roman, ja mu nekako i ne uzimam za zlo ako ostatak karijere izdremucka na lovorikama. Srećom po sve nas, Ian McDonald ne misli tako.
Luna nudi milion i po ljudi u koloniji na Mesecu, u neo-feudalnom društvu kojim upravlja Pet Zmajeva, odnosno pet dinastija koje kontrolišu bazično rudarsku zbilju Mesečeve ekonomije. Luna izbliza prati najmlađu od njih, Corta Helio dinastiju: matrijarha Adrianu Corta i petoro njene dece.
Da, model podseća na onaj iz Kuma: Adrianinih četiri sina i jedna ćerka vrlo, vrlo liče na svoje filmske pandane, ali to samo u najboljem mogućem smislu te paralele. Isto tako, politika između dinastija vrlo, vrlo liči na "kapo režime" hijerarhiju u Kumu, ali opet, samo u najnajboljem mogućem smislu te paralele. Sve ostalo je McDonaldovo.
A to "ostalo" je maestralan i potpuno sumanuto izdetaljisan fenimenalno delikatan svet u kom je svaki ali baš svaki pomenuti pojedinac toliko verno i toliko plastično predstavljen da ga ne samo upamtite, nego maltene znate i njegovu težinu, visinu i boju očiju, taman kao da lično poznajete. Malo ko osim McDonalda može da uspe u tome, da vam sa jednim romanom proširi krug poznanika za jedno pedesetak ljudi koje silno ili volite ili mrzite, zavisno od toga kako se njemu prohtelo.
Za sve ostale, život na Mesecu je surov: sve košta i sve se mora platiti, to od gutljaja vode pa do udaha vazduha, i naravno, siromašni plitko dišu a nesposobni kratko žive. Luna je surov svet, ali ni izbliza surova koliko ljudi koji su je kolonizovali.
Ni izbliza surova koliko i sam McDonald, uostalom, koji je roman završio najbrutalnijim mogućim klifhangerom što prosto vapi za nastavkom, i to baš u godini u kojoj su se svi žanrovski teškaši sinhronizovano latili opsade čitalaštva zaista odličnim romanima.
Berba 2015-te će biti hajlajt decenije, tu sad više i nema sumnje, a Luna: New Moon je jedan od njenih najimpresivnijih romana.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0374281130.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=503eb803b9757ce96fe34e90a6a9d9ba446c4e89)
In his ambitious and fiercely inventive new novel, The Lost Time Accidents, John Wray takes us from turn-of-the-century Viennese salons buzzing with rumors about Einstein's radical new theory to the death camps of World War Two, from the golden age of postwar pulp science fiction to a startling discovery in a Manhattan apartment packed to the ceiling with artifacts of modern life.
Haunted by a failed love affair and the darkest of family secrets, Waldemar 'Waldy' Tolliver wakes one morning to discover that he has been exiled from the flow of time. The world continues to turn, and Waldy is desperate to find his way back-a journey that forces him to reckon not only with the betrayal at the heart of his doomed romance but also the legacy of his great-grandfather's fatal pursuit of the hidden nature of time itself.
Part madcap adventure, part harrowing family drama, part scientific mystery–and never less than wildly entertaining–The Lost Time Accidents is a bold and epic saga set against the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.
E pa, nakupila se gomila odličnih stvari :):
Najpre The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, skroz opičena i ultrazabavna spejs opera, nekakav sumanuti hibrid Fireflya i Babilona 5, sa referencama na svaki bogovetni saj-faj uradak koji vam je ikad ostao u sećanju. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet je pokupio Kitchie nominaciju za najbolji debi roman, a ugledao je svetlo dana kroz kikstartet kampanju, da bi se na kraju izdavači bukvalno otimali o njega, tu ponajviše Harper Voyager i Hodder & Stoughton.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51UUmX8orFL.jpg&hash=df69a02d6a7369fc58390d3f7e1cb9e762fab502)
Onda je tu prva knjiga Carlucci trilogije, Destroying Angel, opet Richard Paul Russo. Prija mi njegov nenametljiv stil, iako je takvom konkretno hibridu kiberpanka i noar krimića odavno izbledela ona početna zavodljivost.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51JUku%252Bll8L._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=771bc5a23291d09f0d75cd7550207a30a0b445d4)
Pa je tu Chasing the Phoenix, drugi nastavak Darger & Surplus sage, jednako sumanut i over-the-top koliko i prethodnik, ovog puta smešten u Kinu jedne moguće budućnosti. Genijalan je Svonvik, šta drugo reći nakon svih ovih godina divnog poznanstva :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51DF5tplX7L.jpg&hash=8abcd4514321d01c34f4a5edd8faadc9ccf692ef)
pa je tu onda sumanuti Ričard Nikson u svetu modelisanom rukom Lavkrafta lično! Zapravo je u pitanju žanr za sebe, nekakav uber-weird/alternativna istorija štalijaznamšta sve ne, ali genijalno napisano, zaista. Jedno vreme čovek nije mogao da otvori internet a da se ne spotakne o neki hvalospev ovom romanu, i šta da se radi – zasluženi su potpuno.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41wx8HB9zkL.jpg&hash=1925b9e2e6daf3492ecc393639552ef291a94685)
Od krimića tu je fascinantni debi roman žene koja je jedna od mojih omiljenih blogera - Sarah Ward.
Misterija stara trideset godina najzad se raspliće na način koji ujedno i dublje rasvetljava suštinske kulturne promene ne samo u UK.
Vrlo ambiciozan debi roman, vrlo angažovan i zanatski odlično isporučen, brižljivo tempiran i vrlo, vrlo emotivan. A to upravo i treba savremenom krimiću, koliko god da ja uživala u njegovoj kul mačo dimenziji. :mrgreen:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ZycTUHp-L.jpg&hash=5658a60bef2b79434c0bea1149a72f25f10b5747)
Ali ovo... ovo je ceo svet za sebe. Najozbiljnije.
Krimi zaplet, istorijski kurioziteti i – matematika. U formatu u kom jedno opslužuje drugo i proizvodi nešto treće. Genijalna knjiga, zaista. :D
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51xnTT5YorL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=e5c16a7da7737f232b304d08393bd56813570117)
"Papagajeva teorema" još odavno postoji na srpskom.
http://www.geopoetika.com/book.php?id=120 (http://www.geopoetika.com/book.php?id=120)
e to je prijatna vest. :) drago mi je, jer u pitanju je stvarno fenomenalna knjiga.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41QXsmvB59L._UY250_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51vtW5pPdRL._UY250_.jpg)
Sea-Fi: When SF Plumbs the Ocean Depths (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2015/10/guest-post-brian-burt-blood-tide-sea-fi-sf-plumbs-ocean-depths/)
When I was nine, my parents took us on a dream vacation to Hawaii. That was the first time my brother and sister and I, three small-town Indiana kids, had ever seen an actual ocean. We were competitive swimmers, cocky about our mastery of all things aquatic, and we attacked the churning breakers on one of Maui's prime bodysurfing beaches with reckless abandon. Swimming pools are not adequate preparation for throwing yourself in front of towering ocean waves. One of those monsters picked me up, slammed me down onto the sandy bottom hard enough to knock the breath out of my lungs, then tumbled me all the way to the beach where I crawled to safety, choking and sobbing and suitably humbled.
That was my introduction to the immense, indifferent power of the sea. Several days of snorkeling over nearshore coral reefs instilled an awe for its beauty that complemented that healthy dose of fear. The ocean is a force to be reckoned with, and I would not underestimate its might again. I cherished the memories of that trip and never forgot the lesson. So, when I recently began a trilogy exploring the potential effects of climate change, and an attempt to geoengineer a solution that goes horribly wrong, Mother Ocean became a central character.
The Aquarius Rising novels explore the world of Aquarians, human-dolphin hybrids who have built thriving reef communities amid the ruins of drowned coastal human cities. For a landlocked Midwesterner, this was a daunting setting to create... but it also captures the essence of what I absolutely love about speculative fiction. For writers and readers of SF, the only boundaries that exist are the ones we impose on ourselves. If our genre can transport us to distant stars or galaxies, why not to the depths of our own oceans, an exotic alien environment we've mapped less thoroughly than the surface of the Moon or Mars? Even someone stranded thousands of miles from the nearest seashore can still use imagination—and the precious resources of the modern internet—to dive far beneath the waves with a race of marine humanoids leading the way.
I had a blast building Aquarius and doing the research to make the experience as believable as possible for readers. A wonderful group of marine biologists and oceanographers patiently answered my questions on online forums; three of them even graciously volunteered to critique early drafts of the first novel. I was able to weave some amazing facts into my imaginary world with the benefit of their insights. For example, how do cetaceans (whales and dolphins) avoid drowning when they sleep? My expert sources explained that they only shut down half of their brain at a time, so that the active half can keep them surfacing and breathing. For an SF writer, curiosity and conjecture ensue: what would Aquarians' dream states be like? Would they have vivid hallucinatory visions that blur the line between dreaming and reality?
Research and experts are invaluable, but ultimately, science fiction vaults over the limits of current knowledge to take us somewhere new. Aquarius provided countless opportunities to do that. Electronics and hardware would be challenging for marine humanoids, so maybe they'd use DNA instead of circuit boards, "biosculpting" organic solutions to their unique problems. Life itself becomes their core technology. Instead of computer storage, Aquarians use Living Reefs: essentially gigantic floating brains inside tough outer membranes anchored to the seafloor that store their tribal history and knowledge. If these "brain-reefs" achieved a sort of sentience over time, how would they be perceived by the Aquarians? Would they become another member of the undersea community, perhaps the most indispensible member, fundamental to a reef-city's identity?
The ocean is a vast, magical, mysterious realm that offers endless story possibilities. A forest of giant kelp electrified to repel overgrazing predators can become the flashing, flickering, shadowy refuge of mutated monstrosities. With a few genetic tweaks, wolf-eels morph into dragon-eels; spider-crabs begin weaving sticky nets between the stalks of lightning-kelp; vampire squid become creepily similar to their supernatural namesakes; devilfish transform into hellish creatures. Nature's imagination is better than mine, but I can certainly follow her lead and revel in the journey.
Some would argue that modern science fiction was born beneath the waves with Jules Verne's immortal Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. We've come a long way as a genre, ventured well beyond our comfort zone to explore the farthest reaches of space and time. But, sometimes, it's worthwhile to return to our origins. Earth's oceans offer everything that alien worlds offer, fiction-wise: deadly and exotic environments, mesmerizing scenery, bizarre life forms that can inspire and terrify us. You don't have to board a spaceship to visit another world. Just take a deep breath, catch the wave of aquatic science fiction, and enjoy the ride!
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51GpWJZU3RL.jpg&hash=03448abc41460b3dd2ec2b789f8bce9b67b7bcef)
Elem, dakle, Mitchell se vraća Atemporalcima iz The Bone Clocks, ali ovaj put iz perspektive njihovih žrtava. Sad tu već imamo ceo univerz protagonista i zbivanja i istorije, uz svu infrastrukturu koja uz to ide, od neologizama pa dalje: imamo lakunu i orison i psihovoltažu i dve struje besmrtnika: jedna je rođena sa darom besmrtnosti, dok je druga zapravo neka vrst vampira koja tu besmrtnost postiže usisavanjem duše odabranih ljudi, nejmli onih koji poseduju visoku psihovoltažu.
Mitchel je kreirao zaista duboko fascinantan svet, a u Slade House ga frenetično i ingeniozno istražuje.
Roman se sastoji od pet poglavlja, koja predstavljaju pet naratora, ili bolje rečeno četiri žrtve i Marinus. Sad već čuvena Mitchellova intertekstualnost ovde dobija dodatni teren – autoreference su česte taman koliko i one generalno popkulturne, a likovi iz prethodnih romana se pominju taman dovoljno često da cementiraju istoriju worldbuildinga.
Žanrovski gledano, ovaj Mitchellov univerz isto tako postaje svet za sebe, sa blendom paranormalnog, natprirodnog i priče-o-duhovima delom horora, ali sa rezultatom koji definitivno ne spade u žanr horora. Već to je, samo po sebi, straobalno postignuće koje je u Slade House daleko očiglednije nego u The Bone Clocks. Isto tako, Slade House nije pisan u Mitchellovom sad već prepoznatljivom 'priča-u-priči, roman-u-romanu' konvolutnom stilu, nego je poprilično linearan, bar onoliko koliko se može biti sa tajmlajnom u kom naratore / segmente deli tačno devet godina. Također je kratak, što je isto tako dodatni kvalitet, to bar meni :): navodno je ovaj roman začet na tviteru, neposredno po objavljivanju The Bone Clocks... trenutak inspiracije, valjda. U svakom slučaju, Slade House je prilično rasterećen ne samo po pitanju pitkije i manje kompleksne fabule, nego i po ležernom (na momente čak i zdravo humorističnom) Mitchellovom pristupu koji mu dozvoljava revamp ne samo horor tropa nego onih uvek aktuelnih egzistencijalnih dilema, kao što je ideja o životu posle smrti, recimo.
Opušten i dobro raspoložen, Mitchellov Slade House je ne samo odlično nadopunio The Bone Clocks, nego i stoji prilično impresivno kao zaseban roman.
Hugo-nominated editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt's latest anthology, Mission: Tomorrow, a hard science fiction anthology of near future stories about space travel in a post-NASA age, released Tuesday November 4th from Baen and has been getting great reviews in Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal and more. Here's the third in a series of SF Signal interviews with some of the contributors about their stories.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1476780943.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=e2592a45b9068f8571cbf628323397af23b6e5e5)
NEW STORIES OF THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION. Original anthology of stories about near-future space exploration from top authors. Includes stories by Jack McDevitt, Michael F. Flynn, Sarah A. Hoyt, Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, and many more.
In Mission: Tomorrow, science fiction writers imagine the future of space exploration with NASA no longer dominant. Will private companies rule the stars or will new governments take up the call? From Brazilians to Russians to Chinese, the characters in these stories deal with everything from strange encounters, to troubled satellites and space ships, to competition for funding and getting there first. Nineteen stories of what-if spanning the gamut from Mercury to Pluto and beyond, assembled by critically praised editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1597808458.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=fb027f4567dc9afe50cea9548d0a1e53b684def0)
Posted on November 11, 2015 by Paul Weimer (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2015/11/the-promise-of-the-child-by-tom-toner-is-an-intense-and-ambitious-work-of-posthuman-sf/)
PROS: Intense, bold writing; inventive worldbuilding; excellent plotting.
CONS: Took time to warm up to the main character.
BOTTOM LINE: A very strong and ambitious debut.
Posthuman space opera is a tough act for a writer, triply so for a debut novelist. Making transhuman characters relatable to the reader is no trivial task. Not only do they often think differently, but the very environment in which they exist can be indecipherably complex for 21st century readers. It's no wonder the number of successful posthuman novels are vanishingly few, and why few debut novelists would dare to attempt to add to that number.
And yet, here's The Promise of the Child by Tom Toner, which adeptly delivers top-notch worldbuilding. After it begins with a strange opening in medieval Prague, it shifts to a relatively low-tech setting and introduces the hominid main character Lycaste. By first showing us the "low end" of an ultimately vast tech spectrum known as the Amaranthine Firmament, the author eases readers into his 147th century, or one of them. By the time more complex and stranger realms are shown, the reader is prepared for them. This is especially true when Lycaste eventually sets out from his home and journeys across the landscape and all of its fulminating weirdness in a manner reminiscent of Severian's journey in Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. Like Severian, Lycaste has quite the long journey ahead in a world that he is very ill-prepared to deal with. It's a clever and interesting world, with something new always coming across the horizon, more wonders as yet unreached. I ate it up with a spoon.
On its technical merits, the novel is first rate. How does one write a posthuman story with lots going on, while making it easy to follow and palatable? The plotting is crackerjack, the various strands drawing together expertly as the story progresses. The language, too, is beautiful; well-sculpted and evocative. Although there are not a lot of technical details given about the posthuman technology, the feel of the posthuman world comes across and immerses the reader into it. The story's structure, which contains multiple point-of-view shifts, lacks chapters yet manages to carry the reader back and forth between the various plots and characters.
The major flaw in the book was the ostensible main character, Lycaste. His exile and wanderjahr across the landscape make up the backbone of The Promise of the Child, and it's the greater world beyond his small corner that really helps bring the novel into full focus. However, until he leaves and for some time thereafter, Lycaste just didn't resonate with me as someone I wanted to spend time with. At the story's beginning, he's shallow, callow and not terribly bright. It wasn't until he started on his journey that he started to grow as a character. I couldn't wait for those scenes to end to get back to the many other more interesting things that were happening. Once Lycaste is exiled and we get to see him react in the world beyond his garden, he warmed up to me as a character and I finally found myself more interested in him than in the other plot lines. I began to see him as more in the mold of a Severian. But, until his exile, Lycaste's thread was almost too much of a chore to read.
The Promise of the Child is an ambitious novel that aims high. It doesn't always reach the firmament of the stars, but it rises high enough that I eagerly look forward to returning to that world. It helps that it sets up great promise for the next volume.
Jaredu se dopala Claire North mini- trilogija:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthecarnivoreproject.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8345295c269e201bb088fc36c970d-800wi&hash=fa8f66a8057e76733df6f0b3a6f33d1d423e8ad0)
Claire North's Gameshouse trilogy (2015), with apologies, as I did my frothing fanboy thing on Twitter, but, these are simply brilliant. The trilogy is comprised of three novelettes (novellas? long shorts? maxistories? minibooks?), each with a different narrator, setting and - wonderfully - tense. All three feature players in the enigmatic Gameshouse - a location/organisation for those that gamble, and gamble to win. The outer room is for the games we all know and love. The inner room is for the real players, the ones that manipulate lives and nations.
The first volume, The Serpent, takes place in 17th century Venice, where a young woman named Thene discovers, at the risk of sounding wanky, 'her true self'. Treated all her life as a pawn, the Gameshouse allows her the freedom to control not only her own life, but also the lives of those around her. Pretty seductive.
The second book, The Thief, skips forward to 1930, where another player - a more experienced one named Remy - has foolishly engaged in a round of Hide and Seek. Of course, with Gameshouse rules, this involves running around Thailand, frantically deploying 'pieces' (people!) in the desperate hope of staying alive long enough to become the Hunter...
The third, The Master, is set in the present day, and is the most abstract - but also the most powerful - of all. As two people compete for the control of the Gameshouse itself, we learn how Thene and Remy's games fit in to a single, greater game. Coupled with tantilising fragments of the Gameshouse's own history, and the stories of the behind behind it.
There's a real danger of spoiling the stories, and I don't want to do that, because the three games are immensely fun. Think Iain Banks' The Player of Games, but set in various periods of our own history, and told with the drily comic, deadpan humour of KJ Parker. But that's selling the book short - the theme, which slowly, steadily, sneakily and irrevocably comes to life - is that we're more than the games we play. The costs of victory are discussed, as well as the role for humanity: to play, and win, a game, do we give up something of ourselves, and our connections to others?
The ending to the three books is, I suspect, controversial, but it is also absolutely perfect. I'm not sure how this will work with awards consideration, but the Gameshouse, as a whole, is one of the best books of the year - a subtle masterpiece that deserves to sweep all the chips from the table.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51ByNp8y7EL._SX326_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=c98d34d462e0ba47ec0f2532f362d21980aa1f23)
This is an exceptional, contemporary, heart-breaking novel. Toby's life was perfectly normal ...until it was unravelled by something as simple as a blood test. Taken from his family, Toby now lives in the Death House; an out-of-time existence far from the modern world, where he, and the others who live there, are studied by Matron and her team of nurses. They're looking for any sign of sickness. Any sign of their wards changing. Any sign that it's time to take them to the sanatorium. No one returns from the sanatorium. Withdrawn from his house-mates and living in his memories of the past, Toby spends his days fighting his fear. But then a new arrival in the house shatters the fragile peace, and everything changes.
Because everybody dies. It's how you choose to live that counts.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1942712561.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=efd3ca8ece45538e80c409cc77f7f4bf1c8946aa)
The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft is coming and it has a hell of an author lineup (and all new stories!!) I wanted to share the table of contents with you and get it on your radar. Each author gets a god, and there is commentary on each deity by Donald Tyson. It will be out December 1st from JournalStone.
The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft: a brand new anthology that collects the twelve principal deities of the Lovecraftian Mythos and sets them loose within its pages. Featuring the biggest names in horror and dark fantasy, including many NY Times bestsellers, full of original fiction and artwork, and individual commentary on each of the deities by Donald Tyson. About the book: Lovecraft's bestiary of gods has had a major influence on the horror scene from the time these sacred names were first evoked. Cthulhu, Azathoth, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth-this pantheon of the horrific calls to mind the very worst of cosmic nightmares and the very darkest signs of human nature.
Table of contents:
1."Call the Name" by Adam LG Nevill (Cthulhu)
2."The Dark Gates" by Martha Wells (Yog-Sothoth)
3."We Smoke the Northern Lights" by Laird Barron (Azathoth)
4."Petohtalrayn" by Bentley Little (Nyarlathotep)
5."The Doors that Never Close and the Doors that Are Always Open" by David Liss (Shub-Niggurath)
6."The Apotheosis of a Rodeo Clown" by Brett J. Talley (Tsathoggua)
7."Rattled" by Douglas Wynne (Yig)
8."In Their Presence" by Christopher Golden & James A. Moore (The Mi-Go)
9."Dream a Little Dream of Me" by Jonathan Maberry (Nightgaunts)
10."In the Mad Mountains" by Joe R. Lansdale (Elder Things)
11."A Dying of the Light" by Rachel Caine (Great Race of Yith)
12."Down, Deep Down, Below the Waves" by Seanan McGuire (The Deep Ones)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0143208128.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=0ca259920db4741170c76d459324f0dee9101b97)
When a traveler from China crash-lands on Mars, he finds himself in a country inhabited entirely by Cat People. Befriended by a local cat-man, he becomes acquainted in all aspects of cat-life: he learns to speak Felinese, masters cat-poetry, and appreciates the narcotic effects of the reverie leaf—their food staple. But curiosity turns to despair when he ventures further into the heart of the country and the culture, and realizes that he is witnessing the bleak decline of a civilization.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765377101.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=0acf3b5d933dc929078d00afc192258e5df4788e)
With The Three-Body Problem, English-speaking readers got their first chance to experience the multiple-award-winning and bestselling Three-Body Trilogy by China's most beloved science fiction author, Cixin Liu. Three-Body was released to great acclaim including coverage in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. It was also named a finalist for the Nebula Award, making it the first translated novel to be nominated for a major SF award since Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities in 1976.
Now this epic trilogy concludes with Death's End. Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But the peace has also made humanity complacent.
Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early 21st century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings with her knowledge of a long-forgotten program dating from the beginning of the Trisolar Crisis, and her very presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?
evo jedna super novost: LUMEN je objavio Ekaterinu Sediu, z prevodilačkog pera kolege Fančovića, tako da su tu u pitanju maksimalne preporuke sa svih strana....
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lumenizdavastvo.hr%2Fuploads%2FNaslovnice%2FTajna_povijest_Moskve.jpg&hash=2ab370d6a68733268a24531dec56c0d9c95a9278)
Svaki grad ima svoja tajna mjesta...
Tako je i u Moskvi u burnim devedesetim godinama, a njeni građani traže sigurnost u svijetu ispod ulica – tamnom, spiljastom svijetu magije, drveća koje plače i albino vrana, gdje izgnani paganski bogovi i stvorenja iz bajke šapuću čudne priče onima koji ih žele slušati.
Galina je djevojka uhvaćena u bezakonju nove Rusije. Usred toga kaosa, njena sestra Marija pretvori se u vranu i odleti – potakavši Galinu da se udruži s Jakovom, policajcem koji istražuje cijelu seriju nedavnih nestanaka. Njihova će ih potraga odvesti u prostor skrivenih isitina i arhetipova, i odvesti ih između stvarnosti i mita, prošlosti i sadašnjosti, časti i izdaje... u tajnu povijest Moskve.
Ruski magijski realizam kakav još niste vidjeli.
http://www.lumenizdavastvo.hr/najava/tajna-povijest-moskve/113 (http://www.lumenizdavastvo.hr/najava/tajna-povijest-moskve/113)
Nebula Suggested Reading List (http://www.sfwa.org/forum/index.php?app=readinglist)
Niall Alexander je neskriveno oduševljen sinopsisom za novu knjigu Claire North:
Forget Me Not: Claire North's Next (http://www.tor.com/2015/11/06/claire-north-the-sudden-appearance-of-hope-orbit-books/#more-195668)
na Barnes & Noble sajtu knjiga je najavljena ali bez naslovnice:
The Sudden Appearance of Hope (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sudden-appearance-of-hope-claire-north/1122824440?ean=9780316335997)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1781084513.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=448792edf774753742cf39f312768d461be252e3)
The brand new anthology from multi-award winning editor Jonathan Strahan, featuring stories set in futures wracked by the deluge, from some the best writers in SF, including Kim Stanley Robinson, Ken Liu, Paul McAuley, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Charlie Jane Anders, Lavie Tidhar, Jeffrey Ford, and James Morrow.
We stand at the beginning of one of the greatest ecological disasters in the time on Man. The world is warming and seas are rising. We may deny it, but we can't hide when the water comes. Already the streets of Miami flood regularly and Mick Jones looks more and more prescient when he sang that "London is drowning and I, I live by the river!" all those years ago.
And yet water is life. It brings change. Where one thing is wiped away, another rises in its place. There has always been romance and adventure in the streets of a drowned London or on gorgeous sailing cities spanning a submerged world, sleek ships exploring as land gets ever rarer.
Drowned Worlds looks at the future we might have if the oceans rise, good or bad. Here you'll find stories of action, adventure, romance and, yes, warning and apocalypse. Stories inspired by Ballard's The Drowned World, Sterling's Islands in the Net, and Ryman's The Child Garden. Stories that allow that things may get worse, but remembers that such times also bring out the best in us all.
nego::)
Here's a cool treat from Open Road Media, who is publishing an eBook version of Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions today. It's Poul Anderson's very first story!
But first, in case you haven't read the classic Three Hearts and Three Lions, here's what it's about (see Open Road Media's page for more info):
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB016CQUL4U.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=ef2552f773cc00a57dcc647e3e259e2c434f86ae)
A World War II freedom fighter is transported to a medieval realm of magic and myth to undertake a great but perilous quest in this classic fantasy adventure
Holger Carlsen is a rational man of science. A Danish engineer working with the Resistance to defeat the Nazis, he's wounded during an engagement with the enemy and awakens in an unfamiliar parallel universe where the forces of Law are locked in eternal combat with the forces of Chaos. Against a medieval backdrop, brave knights must take up arms against magical creatures of myth and faerie, battling dragons, trolls, werewolves, and giants.
Though Holger has no recollection of this world, he discovers he's already well-known throughout the lands, a hero revered as a Champion of Law. He finds weaponry and armor awaiting him—precisely fitted to his form—and a shield with three hearts and three lions emblazoned upon it. As he journeys through a realm filled with wonders in search of the key to his past, Holger will call upon the scientific knowledge of his home dimension—the destinies of both worlds hanging in the balance.
Before Thomas Covenant, Roger Zelazny's Amber, and J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the great Poul Anderson introduced readers to the Middle World and the legendary hero Ogier the Dane. Inventive and exciting, Three Hearts and Three Lions is a foray into fantasy that employs touches of science fiction from an award-winning master of the speculative.
And now, the treat! It's the first story ever written by Anderson. Looks like his first critic was his teacher, who called the story "Good". Judge for yourself...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2FPoulAndersonStory-1.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=acfd6bb8d775b2ee634281e6836afb4c1e90f0c5)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2FPoulAndersonStory-2.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=a8d56012a8f2b9c6447f96339dd7345d57233aa9)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupcoming4.me%2Fimages%2F810KlbTR-iL._SL1500_.jpg&hash=ab8f72f264bec7388fb56d8d553c13e4a6a0dcec)
A Borrowed Man: a new science fiction novel, from Gene Wolfe, the celebrated author of the Book of the New Sun series.
It is perhaps a hundred years in the future, our civilization is gone, and another is in place in North America, but it retains many familiar things and structures. Although the population is now small, there is advanced technology, there are robots, and there are clones.
E. A. Smithe is a borrowed person. He is a clone who lives on a third-tier shelf in a public library, and his personality is an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer. Smithe is a piece of property, not a legal human.
A wealthy patron, Colette Coldbrook, takes him from the library because he is the surviving personality of the author of Murder on Mars. A physical copy of that book was in the possession of her murdered father, and it contains an important secret, the key to immense family wealth. It is lost, and Colette is afraid of the police. She borrows Smithe to help her find the book and to find out what the secret is. And then the plot gets complicated.
Elem, otkako je drama sa kučadi razbucala fandomski red & poredak, u žanru nam je sve jači začinski dašak Orijenta. I mada ima trunke istine u tvrdnji da je Cixin Liu tu profitirao tek kao autsajder pored dvaju zaraćenih strana, istina je i da ima sve više interesovanja za egzotičnu verziju dalekoistočne fantastike. Naravno, tu je negde zasigurno prisutna i spoznaja o uzajamnoj koristi: kinesko tržište je ogromno i dokazano gladno fantastike, pa je tako J.K. Rowling skoro uzela 2.5 miliona dolara godišnje samo na kineskim rojaltima za Hari Potera. A van bestseler preporuka, idući najbolji način su svakako – poznanstva. (Ken Liu je tu svakako jak adut za Tor.)
S druge strane, na japance daleko ređe nailazim, kad je o kratkoj formi reč, ali srećom je sada tu Haikasoru, što se romana tiče. No, pošto mi na lageru dugo vremena čuče stariji japanski naslovi, rešila sam da startujem upravo sa Paprikom, ponajviše konteksta radi, pa zatim intrigantne teme, a onda i zato što nisam gledala anime verziju, a verovatno i neću, jer mi naprosto ne polazi za rukom da se zagrejem za taj medij.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F416U8Cxt7JL._SX322_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=8e8d981b76d6be051f467337a56d9d1af4f06e74)
Tsutsui je Papriku napisao 1993 a Satoshi Kon je filmovao verziju 2006. Znalci koji su overili oba uratka nedvosmisleno se slažu kako je filmovana verzija superiorna književnom predlošku, a ja samo mogu na to da dodam kako mi je skroz lako u to poverovati.
Paprika je alter ego mlade i perspektivne naučnice Atsuko Chiba, koja je zajedno sa kolegom Koshaku Tokita na tragu senzacionalnog i radikalnog lečenja neuroza kroz manipulaciju snovima pacijenata. I mada su zbog tog otkrića Chiba i Tokita viđeni kao sigurni kandidati za Nobelovu nagradu u polju istraživanja, neke kolege sa Instituta su sve samo ne ponosni, i aktivno rade na zloupotrebi i propasti rečenog projekta. Trudeći se da u tako delikatnoj političkoj situaciji pribavi što više pristalica i konkretne podrške, Chiba privatno leči značajne i uticajne ličnosti pod krinkom Paprike. Da, premisa je bogomdano polje za istinsku i duboku dramu i misteriju, otud je šteta što je autor odlučio da je oblikuje isključivo alatom apsurda koji je u velikom procentu nehotičan, pa otud i trivijalan, usprkos očiglednoj zabavnosti.
Tsutsui je u Paprici vrlo sličan Suzukiju sa romanom Edge: obojica konstruišu zapletne zavrzlame na naučnim premisama sa kojima se suštinski apsolutno ne razumeju. To nije posledica manjka relevantne informacije – ako išta, obojica didaktički maltene preopterećuju tekst sa informacijom iz relevantnih domena – nego je naprosto posledica suštinskog neshvatanja naučnog mehanizma u relevantnom domenu.
I dobro sad, često se desi da žanrovski autori (bilo u svom neznanju ili sasvim namerno) prezentuju sofisticirani naučni domen kao pseudo-nauku – to se taman dovoljno često dešava da je samim time odavno deo legitimnog žanrovskog repertoara – ali Tsutsui i Suzuki taj pristup neguju i u svim ostalim narativnim domenima: karakterizacija im je groteskno karikaturalna, a sam narativ je decidirano operisan od logike, pa čak i one najprostije matematičke. U celokupnoj fabuli kao da ne postoji niti jedan momenat u kom bi bilo koji protagonista uradio logično predvidivu i očekivanu stvar: a ako se to kojim slučajem i dogodi, već naknadni potez protagoniste obaveštava da je to bila naprosto slučajnost.
U tako sumanuto proizvoljnom sledu zbivanja ne vredi ni ozbiljno razmišljati o tome zašto je bilo koji akter romana rekao, postao ili uradio bilo šta, nego je preporučljivije prepustiti se samoj estetici. Koja u Tsutsuijevom sličaju, fer je priznati, ipak jeste daleko ekspresivnija i dopadljivija od turobno trivijalne Suzukijeve (što ga nije sprečilo da bude viđen za Shirley Jackson Award, ionako :mrgreen: ).
Taj nivo pseudo-naučnog pristupa intrigantnim savremenim naukama i fenomenima je prepoznatljiv kao ekvivalent ranog zlatnog doba u anglosaksonskoj verziji sf žanra, sa jednim od svojih reprezentativnijih uzoraka upravo u Planeti majmuna (*treptrep* u pravcu Miće :lol: ), ali su čak i takvi primerci onomad imali prepoznatljiviju književnu dubinu, makar i time što su relevantnost postizali kroz metaforičnost.
Naravno, ostaje otvoreno pitanje koliko Paprika (i Edge, uostalom) pruža relevantnosti prosečnom Japacu umesto meni, no ipak, ovde su u pitanju priznati i poznati pop-kulturni fenomeni i unutar zapadnjačkog referentnog sistema, a to možda prevazilazi gore pomenuta trvenja unutar zapadnjačkog fandoma. Možda.
Pomalo je paradoksalno da Paprika nudi zaplet koji je brutalno predvidiv usprkos svim proizvoljnostima. Isto tako je paradoksalno da bi Tutsui (baš kao i Suzuki, uostalom) bio daleko impresivniji upravo kroz suštinskije poznavanje domena u koji smešta svoj zaplet. Ovako ostaje dojam nenamerne parodije domena sa kojima su autori očigledno duboko fascinirani, a to pak dalje ukazuje na određenu odvojenost od realnosti koja je lako prepoznatljiva kod obojice. Naravno, način na koji ova dvojica autora tumače fenomene o kojima govore svakako ima svoju zabavnu vrednost (uz nekoliko kulturoloških pride, naravno) ali i pored svega toga, ostavljaju dojam da im autori imaju određene probleme sa shvatanjem kao procesom.
Što, naravno, ima svojih čari, ali to uglavnom kod mlađe populacije.
A evo i šta nam obećavajućeg donosi kraj godine:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1503950433.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=7b37675e5f90a7e9f9aacbc4bcf1bcbee5efe04a)
History is storytelling. But some stories remain untold.
In fifteenth-century Italy, Paolo Uccello recognizes the artistic talent of his young daughter, Antonia, and teaches her how to create a masterpiece. The girl composes a painting of her mother and inadvertently sparks an enduring mystery.
In the present day, a copyist painter receives a commission from a wealthy Chinese businessman to duplicate a Paolo Uccello painting. Together, the painter and his teenage daughter visit China, and in doing so they begin their escape from a tragic family past.
In the twenty-second century, a painting is discovered that's rumored to be the work of Paolo Uccello's daughter. This reawakens an art historian's dream of elevating Antonia Uccello, an artist ignored by history because of her gender.
Stories untold. Secrets uncovered. But maybe some mysteries should remain shrouded.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0374114374.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=42529154e3731189f932dec2e6777431f02bafc9)
Garin, a district doctor, is desperately trying to reach the village of Dolgoye, where a mysterious epidemic is turning people into zombies. He carries with him a vaccine that will prevent the spread of this terrible disease, but is stymied in his travels by an impenetrable blizzard. A trip that should last no more than a few hours turns into a metaphysical journey, an expedition filled with extraordinary encounters, dangerous escapades, torturous imaginings, and amorous adventures.
Trapped in an existential storm, Vladimir Sorokin's characters fight their way across a landscape that owes as much to Chekhov's Russian countryside as it does to the postapocalyptic terrain of science fiction. Hypnotic, fascinating, and richly drawn, The Blizzard is a seminal work from one of the most inventive authors writing today. Sorokin has created yet another boldly original work, which combines an avant-garde sensibility with a taste for the absurd and the grotesque, all while delivering stinging truths about contemporary life and modern-day Russia.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00SRVA78Y.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=530b671194dcef1b215d7c3ad6277c7309da9022)
Adam Roberts turns his attention to answering the Fermi Paradox with a taut and claustrophobic tale that echoes John Carpenters' The Thing.
Two men while away the days in an Antarctic research station. Tensions between them build as they argue over a love-letter one of them has received. One is practical and open. The other surly, superior and obsessed with reading one book - by the philosopher Kant.
As a storm brews and they lose contact with the outside world they debate Kant, reality and the emptiness of the universe. The come to hate each other, and they learn that they are not alone.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1623656591.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=241a4f78529156f2fd51327bb8b18a2950540ce2)
This imaginative and unconventional debut novel is set centuries in the future. An unnamed event has wiped out most of humanity, scattering its remnants across vast and now barren lands reminiscent of the 19th century western frontier of America. Small clusters of humans still cling to existence in a post-apocalyptic world that is increasingly overrun by those who have risen from the dead--or, as the living call them, the Walkin'.
Thomas, a thirty-two year old conscripted soldier, homeward bound to the small frontier town of Barkley after fighting in a devastating civil war, is filled with hope at the thought of being reunited with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Mary, both named after characters in the Good Book. As it turns out, he also happens to be among the Walkin'.
Devoid of a pulse or sense of pain, but with his memories and hopes intact, Thomas soon realizes that the living, who are increasingly drawn to the followers of the Good Book, are not kindly disposed to the likes of him. And when he learns what the good people of Barkley intend to do to him, and to his family, he realizes he may just have to kidnap his daughter to save her from a fate worse than becoming a member of the undead.
When the people of Barkley send out a posse in pursuit of father and daughter, the race for survival truly begins...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB01860LZKY.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=5704ff29be3694a9b306f7ffee5ad5b96221f58c)
Brothers Macbeth and Drederick Tooms should have it made as fair-haired scions of an impossibly rich and powerful family of industrialists. Alas, life is complicated in mid-1950s USA when you're child heirs to the throne of Sword Enterprises, a corporation that has enshrined Machiavelli's The Prince as its operating manual and whose patriarch believes, Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds, would be a swell company logo.
Consider also those long, cruel winters at the Mountain Leopard boarding school for assassins in the Himalayas, or that Dad may be a supervillain, while an uncle occasionally slaughters his nephews and nieces for sport; and the space flight research division of Sword Enterprises "accidentally" sent a probe through a wormhole into outer darkness and contacted an alien god. Now a bloodthirsty cult and an equally vicious rival firm suspect the Tooms boys know something and will spare no expense, nor innocent life, to get their claws on them.
Between the machinations of the disciples of black gods and good old corporate skullduggery, it's winding up to be of a hell of a summer vacation for the lads.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB017JOQX5A.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=f680cbb54eeb73ab037fd27c0f48eab4c0a657d8)
In an unspecified country that combines elements of Chile under its military regime, South Africa under apartheid, and Italy under fascism, fifteen-year-old Karel Roeder asks only to be left alone to learn from Albert, his mentor at the zoo's reptile house, and to devote himself to his girlfriend, Leda. But both Leda and Albert lead him into increasingly proscribed areas of thought and speech, and thus into conflict with a newly ascendant party that intends to prosecute a border war against an officially despised ethnic group and criminalize dissent. Citizens have been disappearing and surveillance in the name of safety has become all-pervasive. When Kehr, a special assistant of the civil guard, billets himself at Karel's house for unknown reasons, Karel finds his already tenuous hold on his own innocence crushed as Kehr—tribune, inquisitor, and metaphysician of terror—instructs his unwilling protégé in those moments when history is let off the leash.
Lights Out in the Reptile House is at once a dystopian political parable, a meditation on totalitarianism, and a moving coming-of-age story, as its protagonist struggles to understand his own values and meaning even in the most extreme of crucibles.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB017EA75W4.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=adc15c28ddc0d521fb4295011749ecc6a85384fa)
The Night Plague devastated humanity. In a trailer by a forest, retired school teacher Cory O'Neal composes a history of the plague. But the more he writes, the more his history resembles a confession. His one mistake as a teacher, forging a special bond with a troubled female student, ended his career. It may also end mankind.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1633880907.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=901a8fa0b37d849dcab9e5683074b0a436897e61)
The Nebula Awards Showcase volumes have been published annually since 1966, reprinting the winning and nominated stories of the Nebula Awards, voted on by the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
The editor of this year's volume, selected by SFWA's anthology Committee (chaired by Mike Resnick), is American science fiction and fantasy writer Greg Bear, author of over thirty novels, including the Nebula Award-winning Darwin's Radio and Moving Mars.
This anthology includes the winners of the Andre Norton, Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master, Rhysling, and Dwarf Stars Awards, as well as the Nebula Award winners, and features Ann Leckie, Nalo Hopkinson, Rachel Swirsky, Aliette de Bodard, and Vylar Kaftan, with additional articles and poems by authors such as Robin Wayne Bailey, Samuel R. Delany, Terry A. Garey, Deborah P Kolodji, and Andrew Robert Sutton.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1596067519.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=a3d82fb2156cd54d4662515447cbf8bbf4aa9f55)
Strokes be damned! Ellison's still here! HE's still writing! And with more new books published in the last ten years than any preceding decade of his career, his third act is proving to be the kind other living legends envy.
Dakle, pošto je Paprika stvarno fascinantan roman, i pošto tako maestralno oslikava finu razliku između dvaju glavnih struja iracionalnosti (iracionalno vs. racionalnog-sa-greškom), stvarno zaslužuje da se pominje kao maltene udžbenički predstavnik svog tipa.
I mada se u svrhu ilustracije može ponuditi doslovno na stotine kontradikcija iz samog romana, sami incidenti i nisu toliko značajni: daleko je značajnije ono što ih proizvodi, nejmli Tsutsuijeva specifična percepcija stvarnosti.
Na samom početku romana, u ranoj worldbuilding fazi, Tsutsui kreće od sasvim realističnih i prepoznatljivo stvarnih premisa: Chiba i Tokita su ne samo timski kolege na Institutu, nego i prijatelji slaš platonski ljubavnici, znači vrlo blizak i funkcionalan dvojac, a njihovo otkriće (gedžet spomoću kojeg spoljni promatrač može da aktivno učestvuje u snovima pacijenta) ih fiksira kao gotovo sigurne dobitnike Nobelove nagrade. Kao njihov direktni protivnik na Insititutu se izdvaja makijavelistični doktor Seijiro Inui, koji je svojevremeno i sam bio viđen kao siguran kandidat za Nobela, ali mu je nagrada izmakla na krajnje sumnjiv način, naime, neko mu je «ukrao izum».
Naravno, već tu je pomalo vidljivo da Tsutsui u najmanju ima veoma fleksibilno viđenje ne samo Nobelove nagrade, nego određenih naučnih mehanizama uopšte, ali dobro, takve kreativne varijacije ne moraju nužno da naruše sam realizam postavke. A temelji Tsutsuijevog worlbuildinga su u toj ranoj fazi dvostruko efikasni, jer pored baze za zaplet ujedno nude i temelj same karakterizacije: maltene se podrazumeva da je Inui zavidni i pakosni negativac koji zbog ljubomore oko Nobela ne preza da mladi tandem sapliće na najcrnje moguće načine, sve pod maksimom «nek i mom komšiji crkne krava, kad već ja svoje nemam». U ciglih nekoliko početnih poglavlja, čitaocu ta karakterizacija biva kristalno jasna, sve do onih najsuptilnih nijansi ko je tu zapravo dobar, ko loš, a ko samo ružan.
Ali onda, alas, dolazi vreme da se sa tim finim premisama nešto konkretno i uradi. Za prvi potez je, naravno, zadužen negativac: Inui i njegova klika kidnapuju Tokitu i nekoliko minijaturnih prototipa gedžeta koji omogućuje ulazak u snove bespomoćnih ljudi. I već na tom prvom koraku saznajemo da niko, ali zaista apsolutno niko na Institutu ne zna ama baš ništa konkretno o tim gedžetima, u smislu da ih se bar onesposobi pre Inuijeve zloupotrebe. Sama Chiba isključivo ume da koristi rečene gedžete na način na koji ja koristim mikropećnicu, bez i trunke ideje šta da sa njom radim kad vidim da mi ista ne reaguje na pritisak izvesnog dugmića. Ubrzo nam postaje jasno da Tsutsui srlja u suštinski konflikt sa sopstvenim worlbuildingom: sve nam je jasnije da je on zapravo imao na umu model «ludog naučnika koji samsamcit uradi neke hororično straobalne stvari».
To samo po sebi uopšte nije loše, naprotiv: to je Faust/Frankenštajn/dr Moro/dr. Džekil prastari model naučne fantastike, recimo neka vrst prometejskog arhetipa koji je proizveo na stotine impresivnih avatara u svim slojevima i delovima literature i ostalih medija (setimo se samo fenomenalne MUVE), ali alas, niko od njih nije bio kandidat ni za kakvu gromoglasnu nagradu, to ne zato što njihova otkrića nisu bila dostojna bilo kog vrhunskog priznanja, nego prosto zato što su ta otkrića uvek bila... pa eto, tajna. Baš kao što je i Tokitin gedžet tajna, za koju je par ljudi možda čulo, ali niko živ osim Tokite ne zna kako zapravo funkcioniše, i šta to zapravo radi, i kako se zapravo isključuje.
Naravno, jednom kad se razbije osnovna premisa worldbuidinga, ostatak gradnje polako kolabira ka novim (logično nižim, da ne kažem inferiornijim) oblicima: taj strašni negativac Inui, taj zlobni i pakosni manipulant postepeno dobija mogućnost da i sam nešto izgovori, umesto što nam ga serviraju i tumače drugi protagonisti: a kad on sam krene da priča, eee, to onda već postaje bukvalno priča-za-sebe.
Jer eto, Inui tvrdi da je rečeni gedžet ekstremno opasan u rukama nesavesnog (ili neukog, recimo) operatera; da nesavesna (ili neuka, recimo) invazija u čovekove snove može da ih inficira «sastojcima» koje oni originalno uopšte nisu imali; da je u tom slučaju sama dijagnoza suštinski korumpirana; da nesavesni (dakle, neuki) operater može da mnoge benigne neuroze alteriše u psihopatske simptome; da je gedžetom moguće ubiti čoveka na psihičkom nivou, ostavivši ga da telesno vegetira u kvazi-komi; da je gedžetom moguće transferisati neuroze na (neukog) operatera, a wifi medijom i na sve nedužne ljude unutar određenog radijusa; ali najviše od svega, Inui se dernja kako je upotreba gedžeta zapravo nasilna, brutalna, nezakonita i nemoralna invazija čovekove privatnosti.
I eto, toliko o negativcu. :lol:
Da stvar bude gora, nema šanse da Inuija sad više smatrate lažovom, jer u romanu se dešava upravo sve ono što je on nabrojao. Istina, on sam inicira ta zbivanja (ali ne iz osvete za tamo neku Nobelovu, nego iz očigledne potrebe da ilustruje istinitost sopstvenih tvrdnji) i što roman više odmiče, to vam Inui sve više postaje jedini racionalan čovek u gomili... pa, recimo iracionalnih, da ne koristimo sad neke grube reči. Jer, ljudi umiru na sve strane. Ljudi lude na sve strane. Neurotične halucinacije prelaze u realnost i ubijaju ljude na sve strane. A sve to omogućava upravo taj supertajni gedžet o kom niko ništa ne zna, sem da će svom tvorcu doneti Nobelovu nagradu.
Taj moment kad shvatite da su autoru krahirali temelji worlbuildinga a da on sam toga uopšte nije svestan, taj moment je stvarno... dirljiv. Jer zaista je fascinatno kad otkrijete da autor nije u stanju da racionalno opstane čak ni u svetu kojeg je sam kreirao, po sopstvenoj želji, meri, nahođenju i afinitietima. Otud i smatram da je Paprika fenomenalno štivo za čitanje, knjiga koja istinski proširuje horizonte. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61NDPeT82CL.jpg&hash=0fdf479f6ee56982e7e26e66d7cd10c2d8217eee)
Penguin Books seems to surprisingly good at find crime fiction that feel fresh as soon as you open it and Oscar De Muriel's The Strings of Murder is another example of that trend. Similarly to "The Sea Detective" which I've reviewed earlier in the week, De Muriel's story is built upon the elements that you wouldn't normally associate with the murder investigation and yet, that very fact turns out to be its most appealing characteristic, the very trait that sets it apart from the rest.
"The Strings of Murder" takes place in Edinburgh in 1888 and open with a brutal murder of a virtuoso violinist. The murder occurred in the safety of his home under mysterious circumstances. The maid swears that just before the murder she heard three musicians playing and yet the murder happened inside the locked practice room. Scotland Yard's Inspector Ian Frey is assigned to the case after failing to make any headway in Jack the Ripper case that is unfolding at the same time. Frey actively dislikes Scotland. There's no other way to put it but he simply has no choice. It's either that or being dismissed from the police force. He is taking the investigation under the guise of a pretend police department which specialises in the occult. Frey doesn't actually believe in the supernatural but his boss, Detective Adolpho 'Nine Nails' McGray actually does which really grates on Frey. And it's not their only difference between the two. Half of the time they're just bluntly insulting each other. And that's before you even mention the London - Edinburgh rivalry. It's an interesting and rewarding setup that works tremendously well once the duo finds their dynamic. As the body count increases, Frey once again comes under that tremendous pressure that followed him all the way through the Ripper case but if anything, this series of murders seems to be even harder to understand. There's no obvious connection between the victims except of the fact that they were all violinists.
Oscar De Muriel's fiendishly clever "The Strings of Murder" is a wonderful debut. It has all the hallmarks of a great Gothic detective novel and with a cast such as Frey & McGray it could just be the series that might last for a very long time. It will be interesting seeing where he takes his characters next as "The Strings of Murder" will definitely be a tough act to follow. We won't have long to wait as the sequel to it, "A Fever of the Blood", is just around the corner.
Health of Hard Science Fiction in 2015 (Short Fiction) (http://www.rocketstackrank.com/2015/11/hard-science-fiction-in-2015-short.html)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-5-a6NfGG8mo%2FVlztQIkH_lI%2FAAAAAAAAAf4%2FhRJOEEyBZH8%2Fs1600%2FHard%252BSF%252B2-560D.png&hash=6ddf17503f7470b20d7f794beae9c87c23978db4)
A few points to take from this chart:
•Hard SF accounted for one-eighth of the good stories we read this year.
•If you include situational SF, then hard SF accounted for over a quarter.
•If you think of soft-SF as "fantasy science," then fantasy of one sort or another accounted for almost two-thirds of all the stories.
If you've ever stared into the bottom of a glass and wondered if you're experiencing divine revelation or just drunk, you'll love Philip K Dick. The American sci-fi writer died in 1982 with little money or fame.
Four months later, his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (1968) was released in cinemas as Blade Runner and his reputation was transformed. Numerous adaptations of his books followed, including Total Recall (1990), Minority Report (2002), the Adjustment Bureau (2011), and now The Man in the High Castle – a TV series produced by Amazon about life in an alternative universe where the Germans and Japanese won the war and occupied opposite coasts of the United States.We join the story in 1962 as the resistance is promoting a documentary film that shows the Allies winning the war. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/blade-runner/philip-k-dick-the-man-in-the-high-castle-movies/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Ffilm%2Fblade-runner%2Fdick-xlarge.jpg&hash=236379f5389413fe8d91565dcb2470eacfdd530a)
Amazonov predlog o 100 za-citanje-obaveznih SF knjiga:
http://www.amazon.com/b?node=12661600011 (http://www.amazon.com/b?node=12661600011)
Odmah da upozorim kako slede spojleri, i to poveliki: kad je Vulf u pitanju, spojleri se naprosto ne mogu izbeći. Vulfov glas je toliko unikatan, a njegov žanrovski ton toliko specifičan, da pričati o njegovoj prozi bez spojlera znači reći bukvalno - ništa. A ovde je u pitanju Vulfov potpuno nov imaginarni pejzaž, iako je po svojoj prirodi lako prepoznatljiv, znači - tipično Vulfovski: dremljivo dekadentni futurizam, ne odviše blizak ali ipak taman dovoljno ne-udaljen da se prihvati kao moguća ekstrapolacija. Ukratko, ovo je jedna od mogućih (ali ne nužno i verovatnih) nam budućnosti, 2 ili 3 veka udaljene od današnjice.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51zz-siUuBL._SX332_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=c265b4b5e03124a4b9e452a59f5ee9ebc531e4aa)
Ern A. Smithe je klonirani potomak pisca koji je živeo pre 150 godina: Ern je fizički apsolutno identičan svom pokojnom «ocu», em povrh toga ima implantirana sva njegova sećanja i svo njegovo znanje. Ali i pored toga, Ern je samostalna individua koja pravi jasnu i preciznu razliku između sopstvenih sećanja i doživljaja i onih koji su mu implantirani.
Ernovo kloniranje je platila biblioteka, otud je on vlasništvo iste te biblioteke: on živi na polici za prozu u toj biblioteci, u skučenom prostoru veličine garsonjere, čekajući da mu priđe neko od članova biblioteke, to uglavnom da ga konsultuje o prozi koju je napisao originalni Ern A. Smithe (naime, Ernu-klonu nije dozvoljeno da piše, samo da tumači prozu čoveka čiji je klon). Ti članovi biblioteke mogu Erna i da iznajme, znači da ga odvedu kući, na određeno vreme, a ukoliko ga na bilo koji način «oštete», platiće zbog toga biblioteci odgovarajuću novčanu nadoknadu. Ukoliko ga oštete do stepena dalje neupotrebljivosti, Ern će biti spaljen u krematorijumu, a u njegovu garsonjeru na polici biblioteke biti će stavljen novi Ern A. Smithe-klon, identično uzgojen na bazi genetskih podataka originalnog pisca.
Otud se Ern trudi da živi svoj život izbegavajući situacije koje bi ga oštetile do tačke spaljivanja u krematorijumu. No, i opreznost mora da ima svoje granice: ako ga niko od članova biblioteke ne konsultuje, ako ga niko ne iznajmi i ne pokaže bilo kakvo interesovanje za njegovu prozu, Ern će opet završiti u krematorijumu, a njegova garsonjera biće data klonu nekog drugog, malko popularnijeg pisca.
Originalni Ern A. Smithe je bio pisac krimića, to preciznije detektivskog romana. Otud, kad se na Ernovoj polici pojavi mlada žena imenom Collete Coldbrook, sa iskrenim i dubokim interesovanjem za jedan od 'njegovih' detektivskih romana - interesovanjem dovoljno velikim da Erna iznajmi na celu nedelju dana, da plati ogroman depozit i odvede ga u svoju kuću da tamo detaljnije i intimnije naširoko razgovaraju o rečenom romanu – Ern je isprva presrećan. Tako impresivno interesovanje za njegovu prozu će mu obezbediti ne samo bolju hranu i kojekakav sitan luksuz, nego će ga i držati podalje od krematorijuma za znatan broj meseci, a možda čak i par godina. Ali onda se ispostavi da Colette ima i sopstvenu misteriju za rešavanje, misteriju direktno povezanu sa samim Ernovim detektivskim romanom: njen otac i brat su brutalno ubijeni, a motiv za ubistvo je očigledno imao neke direktne veze sa samom knjigom.
Okej, što se samih spojlera tiče, ovo do sada i nije bog zna kakav: sve nabrojano čini tek podlogu za zaplet, i minimalno utiče na sam doživljaj romana. A doživljaj je... pa eto, totalno Vulfovski.
Već pominjana dekadencija Vulfovog futurizma i ovde ima svetonazorske kvalitete: da, u pitanju je distopija, i da, apsolutno ima postapokaliptični okvir i ton, ali isvejedno, i tu je prisutna ona tako specifično Vulfovska dimenzija svrhovitosti, koja vam između redova saopštava da je svet u koji ste kročili nastao namerno, a ne slučajno. Kao i uvek kod Vulfa, njegovi svetovi ne daju naznake da su rezultat haosa koji obavezno sledi apokalipsu, haosa u kome se modeli ljudskog življenja zubima i noktima bore za prevlast, pa otud neminovno i pobedi upravo onaj koji je bio najzubatiji, da ne kažemo najopakiji... Baš kao i svet iz The Book of the New Sun, i ovaj se doima kao strogo dizajniran, nikako slučajan ili nedajbože nasumičan: u ovom svetu postoji samo milijarda ljudi, a iza svih zbivanja koje roman prikazuje oseća se nota apsolutnog konsenzusa cele te milijarde, bez obzira na stepen apsurda koji ta zbivanja u vama proizvode. A apsurd ovog sveta je ravan onome iz Novog sunca, to bar u onim delovima u kojima ga otvoreno ne nadmašuje: apsurd kontrasta jedne sulude realnosti i jednog pomalo izmeštenog drugorazrednog bića koji se ipak bori za svoj opstanak u njoj.
A Borrowed Man, baš kao i sva ostala Vulfova proza, ne poznaje zadrške. Vulf svaki svoj komad proze piše kao da mu je jedini koji će ikada napisati, otud i ništa ne ostavlja za kasnije, pa su tako u Vulfovim kreacijama čak i otirači za noge od čistog zlata, i ništa se ne doima kao privremeno, slučajno ili lako zaboravljivo. Ta lakoća pisanja (i čitanja) je varljiva, jer kod Vulfa ništa nije prosto niti jednostavno a ponajmanje nevažno. U centru sve ove krajnje dekadentne raskoši Vulf nam nudi i kapiju za drugi svet, drugu dimenziju ili bog zna šta je već u pitanju: materijal od kog drugi pisci prave dodatne romane Vulf servira tek kao dodatni sastojak koji tek nonšalantno i krajnje dekorativno upotpunjuje već ionako obilnu i raskošnu celinu.
A tu negde i virka jedna jedina manjkavost romana: naprosto mu nije dovoljan sopstveni broj strana. Jer eto, Vulfu nikad nisu ni bile dovoljne puke strane, Vulfu trebaju eoni i parseci, otud se i u romanu često uočavaju rapidni krajevi pedantno izgrađenog domena, kao kad stignete na kraj virtuelnog konstrukta koji je u svakom svom detaljnom kubnom milimetru bio apsolutno savršen, ali onda na kraju ulice dođete do... ništavila. praznine. Kao u filmu "the 13th floor", recimo, ili "Dark city".
Naravno, u planu je nastavak, i šta drugo reći nego - jedva čekam.
U jednom svom uredničkom predgovoru Nick Mamatas je priznao kako je pre urednikovanja za Haikasoru delio široko rasprostranjenu zabludu da u Japanu pisci favorizuju kiberpank sa bušido filozofijom oličenom u jakuza herojima pod vazda svetlucavim neonom... :mrgreen:
Nema sumnje da su za tu pretpostavku "krive" ponajviše mange, ali kad je o prozi reč, to ubeđenje se lako razotkrije kao zabluda. Iz celog mog kopanja po Haikasoru mogu da prijavim samo jedan kiberpank roman, otud me i obuzeo silan poriv da ga na grudi privijem i šibnem mu petaka na gudridsu. Srećom pa je ovaj roman to pošteno i zaslužio - Gene Mapper (Taiyo Fujii, 2013).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F4136xcT02hL.jpg&hash=9a1e51119bd81f525bc64494a70f4b6f7334eb55)
I naravno sad da nas od ikonografije Neuromancera deli cele tri decenije življenja kiberpanka, a to življenje je bilo do te mere intenzivno da je malo ko osećao i potrebu da kiberpank povrh toga i čita... Digitalna kultura koja je u međuvremenu preoblikovala kiberpank zahteva tehnološku pismenost kojoj sama proza kao da teško parira, ma koliko se trudila da bude fantastična. Kiberpankovski identitet zahtevao je vrst virtuelne arhitekture koju daleko lakše nudi film, otud se i pronašao više u Matriksu negoli u minimum desetku dobrih kiberpank naslova koji se svake godine objave. A da zatečeno stanje bude još kompleksnije, prozna varijanta kiberpanka evoluirala je van sopstvene ikonografije, otkrivajući svoju suštinu u hibridnim mutacijama sa bio- i eko-pankom.
U tim sitnim mutacijama koje nam evoluciju znače, prozni kiberpank je najzad spoznao i vlastitu suštinu, koja u filmskim verzijama kao da je još uvek malko zamagljena ikonografijom: naime, kiberpank u svojoj suštini nudi prevrat, ponajbolje oličen u premisi da sofisticirana tehnologija uvek stremi da pronađe (pa otud redovito i pronalazi) svoju uličnu primenu.
Znači, glavninu onog što supertajni vojni R&D otkrije – od dronova pa do dizajner virusa – naći ćete u dvorištu svog komšije gika, koji te svoje visoko upotrebljive varijante sklapa na budžetu od prosečnog džeparca i ingeniozne free4all piraterije.
Hayashida je genetski inžinjer zadužen za mapiranja i dizajn genetskih karakteristika pirinča. Najnovija šesta generacija besprekorno dizajniranog pirinča na jednom od eksperimentalnih polja doživljava kolaps koji nedvosmisleno ukazuje na genetski podbačaj. Hayashida, naravno, sumnja da je u pitanju sabotaža, sa specifičnim scenarijom da se upravo njegov genetski dizajn izdvoji kao glavni krivac. Uz podršku firme kojoj dizajn pripada, Hayašida se laća detektivskog istraživanja zbog čega je to SR06 posrnula u mutacije.
Dakle, ima tu ama baš svega relevatnog, svih božjih kontroverzi kojih smo uopšte svesni, od GMO dilema do dizajner biološkog oružja, od augmentirane virtuelne stvarnosti do veoma specifičnog AI modela, kojeg kao da je upravo Elon Musk sledio kao bazu za svoj OpenAI koncept.
sve u svemu, genijalno osmišljeno i odlično izvedeno, pravi mali biser u Haikasoru ponudi. :) [size=78%] [/size]
Idući Haikasoru biser je ujedno i moja mejnstrim knjiga godine: Belka, why don't you bark? (Hideo Furukawa, "Beruka, hoenainoka?", engleski prevod 2012, naslov originalno objavljen 2005).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F411Xio79fRL._SX329_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=4f316f3961f91d0e2b15724e68adfd7d6fa0ba70)
Belka je roman istinskog apsurda, ali ne od one nadrealističke provincijencije, nego prosto apsurda sa kojim svakodnevno živimo, apsurda u kom nam se specifično ludilo pojedinca nameće kao stvarnost koju moramo da proživimo. Naravno, Furukawa ovde koristi istorijsko-politički model sa uglavnom državnim ličnostima čije je specifično ludilo postalo naša stvarnost, oličena ne samo u WW2, nego u našem konstantnom življenju pre i posle toga. Ali model je lako prepoznatljiv, pa otud i lako primenjiv na sve situacije u kojima čovek nema izbora nego da dopusti tuđem ludilu da mu definiše stvarnost.
I naravno sad da je korpus svetske literature krcat proznim kontemplacijama o besmislu rata i svim popratnim filozofskim spoznajama koje iz toga slede, ali koliko god da je taj korpus postao distinkcija ljudskoj književnoj ostavštini, toliko je malo šta konkretnog pridoneo savremenoj političkoj svesti. No, zahvaljujući našoj sposobnosti i voljnosti da racionalizujemo apsurd oko sebe, mi danas kao da i nismo svesni koliko to zapravo specifično ludilo gvirka iza državnih politika.
Otud Furukawa sagledava našu savremenu istoriju kroz sočivo koje se ljudima bavi taman u srazmeri koju oni i zaslužuju, naime u srazmeri pukog instrumenta koji sprovodi politiku ludila. Onu pravu istoriju, onaj istinski sled zbivanja nametnut nam od strane ludila, Furukawa sagledava primarno kroz zenicu psa.
Još u prvom svetskom ratu, psi su postali neprocenjivo vredan deo vojnog ljudstva, a u periodu nakon rata, njihova korisnost je eksplodirala, da tako kažemo. Trenirani su kao stražari i kao kuriri, kao čistači minskih polja i kušači raznolikih otrova, kao izvidnice i bombaške kamikaze, kao čuvari magacina i napuštenih postaja, i, najzad, kao zlu-ne-trebala opsrkba mesom za kuvanje, kad konvoji za snabdevanje zataje. Osim konja u prvom svetskom ratu, malo ko je na svojim plećima tako stoički izneo najstrastveniju ljudsku zanimaciju kao što ju je izneo pas.
Furukawa prati sudbinu četvoro pasa koje su japanski vojnici ostavili nakon Ke-go operacije na ostrvu Narukami: Kita je bio hokaido pas, ili Ainu pas, kako su ga tad zvali, cenjen zbog svoje mišićavosti i otpornosti na hladnoću. Ostala tri psa su bili nemački ovčari: Masao i Katsu, također trenirani u japaskoj vojsci, i Explosion, kučka preoteta zarobljenoj američkoj izvidnici. Ta četiri psa je kasnije spasao američki destrojer koji je na ostrvo svratio misleći da je na njemu još uvek aktivna japanska baza. Shvatajući visoku cenu već dresiranog vojnog psa, amerikanci su spašenu četvorku vratili u "program vojnog treniranja", a činjenica da se o takvim psima vodila brižna evidencija po pitanju pedigrea i vojne sposobnosti dopustila je Furukawi da kroz dokumentaciju o ratnim psima ponudi dokumentaciju i ratne istorije.
A ta se dalje preko Hruščova dokopala pedigre linije Belke i Strelke, psećeg para koji je hrabro lansiran tamo gde je pre njih jedino Lajka otišla da umre. Hruščov je bio silno ponosan na ruski pedigree "svemirskog psa", pa je naredio da se Belka i Strelka po povratku besomučno koriste kao genetska baza za savršenog psa, baš kao što je naredio i prvoj ženi-kosmonautu, Valentini Tereškovoj, da ruskom narodu obezbedi nešto slično sa Andrianom Nikolajevim, koji je bio na Vostoku 3.
I tako je jedan pedantno beleženi vojni pedigre četvoro napuštenih vojnih pasa i genetske ostavštine Belke i Strelke dao Furukawi obilan materijal da pobliže prouči istoriju ratova, ljudi i ludila generalno.
Da, ima mnogo humora u romanu, uglavnom crnog i gorkog. Kako bi inače čovek preživeo ogromnost apsurda kojeg je prisiljen da živi?
Fenomenalan prevod nudi silnu egzotiku Furukawine jezičke i stilske specifičnosti, a njegov neuobičajeni pristup tako ogromnoj bazi podataka čini štivo do te mere fascinantnim i zaraznim da prosto zahteva drugo čitanje, i to odmah nakon što završite sa prvim. A svaka knjiga koja kod čitaoca probudi taj poriv definitivno zaslužuje da bude knjiga godine, tako da po tom pitanju uopšte nije bilo dileme.
i zato, evo nam malo Furukawe glavom i bradom, u omaž mom mejnstrim romanu godine :) :
http://youtu.be/cZIDTOy7VWg (http://youtu.be/cZIDTOy7VWg)
PTY, je li A Borrowed Man zaokružena celina koja nije morala da bude nastavljana ili je deo veće priče? Inače me mrzi da čitam knjige na kompu na engleskom, ali za Volfa bih napravio izuzetak, ako je ovo prvo u pitanju.
pa, što se samog zapleta tiče, onog sa Colette Coldbrook i njenim problemom, celina je zaokružena, problem je rešen i tu se stane baš kao i kod bilo kog detektivskog zapleta. Ali što se samog sveta tiče, tu se definitivno vidi da će biti nastavaka, jer ih prosto mora biti, jer mi znamo da Vulf nije tip pisca koji ostavlja svet nedorađen... :)
to mi je nekako slično kao i sa Novim suncem: knjiga se možda i doima kao završena celina, ali tek kad pročitaš iduću knjigu shvatiš da ona to zapravo i nije bila. Tako i ovde: zaplet je kompletiran ali worldbuilding ostavlja prostora za detaljisanja, i to će ti itekako fali na kraju knjige, jer shvatiš da te zanimaju upravo ti detalji, isto koliko te zanimao sam zaplet.
Nastavak je najavljen, ali nisam htela da tražim detalje po pitanju sinopsisa, nekako bih rađe da to sama otkrijem pri čitanju. Jer svet jeste fenomenalan, nema tu zbora, a Vulf itekako ima imaginativne snage, jer ovo je nešto stvarno novo-iz-temelja izgrađeno.
Odlično, onda mogu da izbunarim knjigu i bacim se na čitanje. Hvala, jedvba čekam da otkrijem kakav je ludi svet ovaj put zamislio.
Inače, zamisao o glavnom junaku me je u startu asocirala na Severijan-Tekla simbiozu iz Novog Sunca, ali prepostavljam da je ta ideja ovde razrađena na sasvim drugačiji i još luđi način.
da, ima ovde aspekta "podeljene ličnosti": Ern jeste kopija originalnog pisca, u smislu da je njegova genetska replika plus njegove implantirane memorije, ali Ern ima i sopstveni život, sopstvena iskustva i prijateljstva i sve ostalo što ga je "nadogradilo", da tako kažem, od te početne matrice sa kojom je startovao. A ta podvojenost se vidi čak i u Ernovom vokabularu: kada se izražava kao Ernov klon, on koristi striktno vokabular i sintaksu originalnog Erna, ali kada govori o svojim ličnim doživljajima, taj izraz se suptilno menja, i Vulf to tako delikatno predočava da ja prosto sumnjam kako bi to opstalo u prevodu. Najozbiljnije, ovo je definitivno štivo koje se naprosto mora čitati u originalu, jer ne verujem da bi te finese opstale, pošto su čisto jezičke, i to na način na koji ne mogu da vidim ekvivalent u prevodu. to je naprosto isuviše delikatno, tek jezička nijansa koja se u engleskom jasno vidi ali bi se sigurno izgubila u prevodu. možda ne sasvim, ali u dovoljnoj meri da ne bude dovoljno primetna, pa otud ni značajna koliko zapravo jeste u romanu.
Čitanje orginalnog teksta zvuči kao sve bolja i bolja ideja. :lol:
Tražio sam Vulfa kad sam poslednji put bio u inostranstvu, ali ne nađoh. Nekako mi ne ide da ovo čitam sa kompjutera.
Svetogrđe.
Avaj, u mom slučaju je ili to, ili da ne čitam uopšte. :cry: Bar dok ne dobijem narednu povišicu ili istekne kredit, šta se prvo zbude.
Види. Узмеш кредит за рефинансирање кредита и остане који еврић на картици за Вулфа.
Клин се клином избија... xcheers
А можда и банка пропадне, избије Трећи светски рат, штагод. Ако ми не можемо да смислимо варијанту пропасти света, ко ће... :)
Nije loša zamisao. xcheers
aha, dobro, od vas papir-fetišista bi verovatno trebalo kriti fakt da sam tu (i ne samo tu) knjigu dobrim delom slistila na telefonu.
:mrgreen: :lol: :lol:
a ako se ne dokopate knjige u papiru, pokušajte sa audiobook verzijom. Ja doduše ne mogu da se za taj fenomen zagrejem ama baš nikako, ali ovo je svakako jedna od knjiga koju bi vredelo upoznati baš u tom formatu, jer kod Vulfa je jezik naprosto prelep.
Trebalo bi... :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB018Q0XARU.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL280_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=f6b41f727a5611a495ee7c2380c3de0af0f85532)
Praise for Brian Evenson:
"Brian Evenson is one of the treasures of American story writing, a true successor both to the generation of Coover, Barthelme, Hawkes and Co., but also to Edgar Allan Poe."—Jonathan Lethem
"One of the most provocative, inventive, and talented writers we have working today."—The Believer
"There is not a more intense, prolific, or apocalyptic writer of fiction in America than Brian Evenson."—George Saunders
"Packed with enough atrocities to give Thomas Harris pause. . . . Not many writers have the imagination or the audacity to transform what looks like salvation into an utterly original outpost of hell."—Bookforum
A stuffed bear's heart beats with the rhythm of a dead baby; Reno keeps receding to the east no matter how far you drive; and in a mine on another planet, the dust won't stop seeping in. In these stories, Brian Evenson unsettles us with the everyday and the extraordinary—the terror of living with the knowledge of all we cannot know.
Praised by Peter Straub for going "furthest out on the sheerest, least sheltered narrative precipice," Brian Evenson has been a finalist for the Edgar Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and is the World Fantasy Award and the winner of the International Horror Guild Award, the American Library Association's award for Best Horror Novel, and one of Time Out New York's top books.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1101967323.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL280_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=c9627667684b53f7a17ab348ddf174a37df45483)
In a remote house on a hilltop, a lonely boy witnesses a profoundly traumatic event. He tries—and fails—to flee. Left alone with his increasingly deranged parent, he dreams of safety, of joining the other children in the town below, of escape.
When at last a stranger knocks at his door, the boy senses that his days of isolation might be over.
But by what authority does this man keep the meticulous records he carries? What is the purpose behind his questions? Is he friend? Enemy? Or something else altogether?
Filled with beauty, terror, and strangeness, This Census-Taker is a poignant and riveting exploration of memory and identity.
Advance praise for This Census-Taker
"A thought-provoking fairy tale for adults . . . [This Census-Taker] resembles the narrative style, quirkiness, and plotting found in the works of Karen Russell, Aimee Bender, or Steven Millhauser."—Booklist
"Brief and dreamlike . . . a deceptively simple story whose plot could be taken as a symbolic representation of an aspect of humanity as big as an entire society and as small as a single soul."—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for China Miéville
"Even when he is orbiting somewhere in a galaxy too far away for normal human comprehension . . . Miéville is dazzling."—The New York Times
"[Miéville's] wit dazzles, his humour is lively, and the pure vitality of his imagination is astonishing."—Ursula K. Le Guin
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0544526708.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL280_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a87cf266eedd06f54bd97226d33f15b4f8637260)
Ruth and Nat are orphans, packed into a house full of abandoned children run by a religious fanatic. To entertain their siblings, they channel the dead. Decades later, Ruth's niece, Cora, finds herself accidentally pregnant. After years of absence, Aunt Ruth appears, mute and full of intention. She is on a mysterious mission, leading Cora on an odyssey across the entire state of New York on foot. Where is Ruth taking them? Where has she been? And who — or what — has she hidden in the woods at the end of the road?
In an ingeniously structured dual narrative, two separate timelines move toward the same point of crisis. Their merging will upend and reinvent the whole. A subversive ghost story that is carefully plotted and elegantly constructed, Mr. Splitfoot will set your heart racing and your brain churning. Mysteries abound, criminals roam free, utopian communities show their age, the mundane world intrudes on the supernatural and vice versa.
Making good on the extraordinary acclaim for her previous books, Samantha Hunt continues to be "dazzling" (Vanity Fair) and to deliver fiction that is "daring and delicious" (Chicago Tribune).
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1612194680.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL280_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=e1ed20a2d4486ebbc305f8960d25f7ef054a6813)
In The Deep Sea Diver's Syndrome, lucid dreamers called mediums dive into their dreams to retrieve ectoplasms—sticky blobs with curiously soothing properties that are the only form of art in the world. The more elaborate the dream, the better the ectoplasm.
David Sarella is a medium whose dream identity is a professional thief. With his beautiful accomplice Nadia, he breaks into jewelry stores and museums, lifts precious diamonds, and when he wakes, the loot turns into ectoplasms to be sold and displayed.
Only the dives require an extraordinary amount of physical effort, and as David ages, they become more difficult. His dream world—or is it the real world?—grows unstable. Any dive could be his last, forever tearing him away from Nadia and their high-octane, Bond-like adventures.
David decides to go down one final time, in the deepest, most extravagant dive ever attempted. But midway through, he begins to lose control, and the figures in the massive painting he's trying to steal suddenly come to life . . . and start shooting.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0857664999.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=025b96cdfe2561ec3605959f20b88d2fe9e7c7da)
Manchester, 2025. Local mechanic Sol steals old vehicles to meet the demand for spares. But when Sol's partner impulsively jacks a luxury model, Sol finds himself caught up in a nightmarish trans-dimensional human trafficking conspiracy.
Hidden in the stolen car is a voiceless, three-armed woman called Y. She's had her memory removed and undertaken a harrowing journey into a world she only vaguely recognises. And someone waiting in the UK expects her delivery at all costs.
Now Sol and Y are on the run from both Y's traffickers and the organisation's faithful products. With the help of a dangerous triggerman and Sol's ex, they must uncover the true, terrifying extent of the trafficking operation, or it's all over.
Not that there was much hope to start with.
A novel about the horror of exploitation and the weight of love, Graft imagines a country in which too many people are only worth what's on their price tag.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1613471335.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a3876750bcf61e70a09a6ad3217735dbf1e9cac1)
A modern bestiary of made-up fantastical creatures organized from A to Z, along with an ampersand and an invisible letter, featuring some of the best and most respected fantasists from around the world, including Karen Lord, Dexter Palmer, Brian Evenson, China Mieville, Felix Gilman, Catherynne M. Valente, Rikki Ducornet, and Karin Lowachee.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0756411386.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=0c070d23595c7900f6b155f0a7b226bc1f80616b)
The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy contains the three groundbreaking, award-winning novels that established Mercedes Lackey as a fantasy tour-de-force and her Kingdom of Valdemar as a place millions of readers returned to again and again.
This Lambda Award-winning trilogy tells the story of Vanyel, persecuted and abused son of a Valdemaran noble, who finds acceptance at Haven when he is Chosen by the Companion Yfandes. Companions like Yfandes are magical horse-like beings with the power to communicate and bond with their Chosen, and trigger the potential for psychic abilities—and magic.
But Vanyel discovers other things about himself at Haven as well.... He discovers love in an unexpected place, and loses it, and nearly his own life. With Yfandes and his aunt, Herald Savil, he will travel to the home of the mysterious Hawkbrothers in search of healing and training, and will grow from a troubled and heartbroken Trainee to become the most powerful Herald-Mage in the history of Valdemar—and the one hope for Valdemar against an implacable foe bent on eradicating magic from the Kingdom entirely
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0553534106.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=8799bdc4cf20f807e36348d5ca0037435032e799)
Sully is a sphere dealer at a flea market. It doesn't pay much—Alex Holliday's stores have muscled out most of the independent sellers—but it helps him and his mom make the rent.
No one knows where the brilliant-colored spheres came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair and they make you a little better: an inch taller, skilled at math, better-looking. The rarer the sphere, the greater the improvement—and the more expensive the sphere.
When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres, the two start searching together. One day they find a Gold—a color no one has ever seen. And when Alex Holliday learns what they have, he will go to any lengths, will use all of his wealth and power, to take it from them.
There's no question the Gold is priceless, but what does it actually do? None of them is aware of it yet, but the fate of the world rests on this little golden orb. Because all the world fights over the spheres, but no one knows where they come from, what their powers are, or why they're here.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0486802922.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=6e56f93706ba8e44238e1816357c450bb11dc837)
"A chillingly realistic work of science fiction." ― The New York Times.
After dropping anchor for the night near a small island to the south of Japan, a crew of fishermen awaken to find that the island has vanished without a trace. An investigating scientist theorizes that the tiny island has succumbed to the same force that divided the Japanese archipelago from the mainland ― and that the disastrous shifting of a fault in the Japan Trench has placed the entire country in danger of being swallowed by the sea.
Based on rigorous scientific speculation, Japan Sinks recounts a completely credible series of geological events. The story unfolds from multiple points of view, offering fascinating perspectives on the catastrophe's political, social, and psychological effects. Winner of the Mystery Writers of Japan Award and the Seiun Award, this prescient 1973 science-fiction novel foreshadowed the consequences of the 1995 Osaka-Kobe earthquake and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765376474.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=1938851d62dedd5c5330319e82e3dd9d89289ccf)
Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift, and into Black London.
In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games-an extravagent international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries-a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.
But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again-and so to keep magic's balance, another London must fall.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1611176336.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=b6303fbf691fc34abcac36485c982e70409765f1)
Gerald Alva Miller Jr.'s Understanding William Gibson is a thoughtful examination of the life and work of William Gibson, author of eleven novels and twenty short stories. Gibson is the recipient of many notable awards for science fiction writing including the Nebula, Hugo, and Philip K. Dick awards. Gibson's iconic novel, Neuromancer, popularized the concept of cyberspace. With his early stories and his first trilogy of novels,Gibson became the father figure for a new genre of science fiction called "cyberpunk" that brought a gritty realism to its cerebral plots involving hackers and artificial intelligences.
This study situates Gibson as a major figure in both science fiction history and contemporary American fiction, and it traces how his aesthetic affected both areas of literature. Miller follows a brief biographical sketch and a survey of the works that influenced him with an examination that divides Gibson's body of work into early stories, his three major novel trilogies, and his standalone works. Miller does not confine his study to major works but instead also delves into Gibson's obscure stories, published and unpublished screenplays, major essays, and collaborations with other authors.
Miller's exploration starts by connecting Gibson to the major countercultural movements that influenced him (the Beat Generation, the hippies, and the punk rock movement) while also placing him within the history of science fiction and examining how his early works reacted against contemporaneous trends in the genre. These early works also exhibit the development of his unique aesthetic that would influence science fiction and literature more generally. Next a lengthy chapter explicates his groundbreaking Sprawl Trilogy, which began with Neuromancer.
Miller then traces Gibson's aesthetic transformations across his two subsequent novel trilogies that increasingly eschew distant futures either to focus on our contemporary historical moment as a kind of science fiction itself or to imagine technological singularities that might lie just around the corner. These chapters detail how Gibson's aesthetic has morphed along with social, cultural, and technological changes in the real world. The study also looks at such standalone works as his collaborative steampunk novel, his attempts at screenwriting, his major essays, and even his experimental hypertext poetry. The study concludes with a discussion of Gibson's lasting influence and a brief examination of his most recent novel, The Peripheral, which signals yet another radical change in Gibson's aesthetic.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0307907597.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=ef21c842dff8f68d98b66d3c6bc0006dc9c9782a)
The acclaimed author of The Dream of Perpetual Motion returns with a compelling novel about the effects of science and technology on our friendships, our love lives, and our sense of self.
Rebecca Wright has reclaimed her life, finding her way out of her grief and depression following a personal tragedy years ago. She spends her days working in customer support for the internet dating site where she first met her husband. But she has a strange, persistent sense that everything around her is somewhat off-kilter: she constantly feels as if she has walked into a room and forgotten what she intended to do there; on TV, the President seems to be the wrong person in the wrong place; her dreams are full of disquiet. Meanwhile, her husband's decade-long dedication to his invention, the causality violation device (which he would greatly prefer you not call a "time machine") has effectively stalled his career and made him a laughingstock in the physics community. But he may be closer to success than either of them knows or can possibly imagine.
Version Control is about a possible near future, but it's also about the way we live now. It's about smart phones and self-driving cars and what we believe about the people we meet on the Internet. It's about a couple, Rebecca and Philip, who have experienced a tragedy, and about how they help--and fail to help--each other through it. Emotionally powerful and stunningly visionary, Version Control will alter the way you see your future and your present.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316219657.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a23541036882055c5933af17e41617805ec9dcd0)
Peter Higgins's superb and original creation, a perfect melding of fantasy, myth, SF and political thriller, reaches its extraordinary conclusion.
Nekako se podrazumeva da se u januaru malko osvrnemo preko ramena na minulu godinu, tek da bolje sagledamo kakva je ona to bila u celini. A u celini gledano, 2015-ta je bila zaista krcata obiljem u svakom pogledu: berbu je ponajviše iznela elita dokazanih i cenjenih, kao što su Gene Wolfe (The Borrowed Man), Margaret Atwood (The Hearth Goes Last), Neal Stephenson (Seveneves), David Mitchell (Slade House), Michael Moorcock (The Wispering Swarm), Linda Nagata (sa dva dela The Red trilogije), Kazuo Ishiguro (The Buried Giant), Paul McAuley (Something coming trough), Ian McDonald (Luna: New Moon)i KS Robinson (Aurora).
Toj impresivnoj produkciji se pridružilo mnogo novijih autora čiji naslovi također sa lakoćom ispunjavaju sva naša tradicionalno visoka očekivanja, kao recimo Bacigalupi sa The Water Knife, Ann Leckie sa Ancillary Mercy, Okorafor sa The Book of Phoenix i Binti, Valente sa Radiance, Chris Beckett sa The Mother of Eden, Ned Beauman sa Glow, Claire North sa Touch, Wesley Chu sa The Rebirths of Tao, Ramez Naam sa Apex, Jo Walton sa The Just City i The Philosopher Kings, ili Wilson sa The Affinities, a da ne pominjem sad neke od veoma popularnih autora iz žanrovskih niša koje slabije pratim (James S.A. Corey ili Ernest Cline, na primer), ili moje personalne favorite kao što su Ted Kosmatka sa The Flicker Man i Blithe Woolston sa MARTians, ili nekoliko zaista odličnih prvenaca poput Tomorrow & Tomorrow (Thomas Sweterlitsch) i The Country of Ice Cream Star (Sandra Newman). U nekoj standardnijoj godini mnogi od ovih naslova mogli bi lako da ponesu titulu romana godine, ali 2015ta je u svakom pogledu bila nestandardna, i to ne samo po obilju od kojeg ja ovde pominjem tek mali deo kojem sam uspela da bliže priđem.
Nema sumnje da ćemo mnogo ovih naslova viđati po nominacijama za žanrovske nagrade, a moguće i za neke glavnotokovske: KS Robinson je već dobio Robert A. Heinlein Award za "outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space", i mada ta nagrada ide na račun svih naslova koje je objavio , njegova odlična Aurora je itekako imala uticaja po tom pitanju.
Naravno, takvo obilje podrazumeva i silnu raznovrsnost, ali ipak, neke teme i pristupi kao da dominiraju, pogotovo u žanrovskom jezgru gde obitavaju priznata imena i njihovi još priznatiji tiraži. Otud KSR, Stephenson, McDonald, Beckett i McAuley ove godine kao da dele zajedničku fascinaciju, a ona bi se najlakše mogla prepoznati kao "perspektiva nezemaljskog horizonta".
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41B9MgI2sKL.jpg&hash=9d3de513f33553ca7c6eaa964130c359aa1e2fe1)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nealstephenson.com%2Fassets%2Fgallery%2F3%2F113.jpg&hash=0c136b948c8e9b456b0cc36d68bd7e6eb42ba8c7)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kimstanleyrobinson.info%2Fimages%2Farticles%2F201501_aurora.jpg&hash=c4ba3cae3c3517df54617c5f6c93c4d7f384c661)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61yIm3vk9bL.jpg&hash=98fbd38d24e2476adbe3790533de7dcc9e8d6e0d)
definitivno sad za tu perspektivu možemo reći da je odvajkada bila centralna preokupacija SFa, ali ipak, ekipa gorepomenutih imena joj prilazi sa nekom vrstom hladne intelektualne znatiželje koju nepogrešivo prepoznajemo kao čedo upravo novog milenijuma. Jer, ovo nisu naivno zabavni i eskapistički nezemaljski horizonti Ratova zvezda (mada, kao što vidimo, ostalo je mesta i za njih, itekako), niti epske sanjarije o galaksijama i u njima kojekakvim našim Imperijama, a definitivno nisu maštarije o replikatorima i nadsvetlosnim brzinama i super-pogonima i super-štitovima i super-transporterima... ako išta, ove fascinacije se daleko više drže brutalnosti realizma negoli eskapizma mašte.
Ambiciozni u književnom i tematskom smislu jednako, KSR, Stephenson, McDonald i McAuley kao da složno razbijaju naše naivne i decenijama brižljivo građene iluzije o romantičnim i herojskim svemirskim putovanjima. Naprotiv, kod njih je sve krv i znoj užasa koji prati opstanak pod nemogućim okolnostima: tu su ubistava i samoubistava, tragedije i mizerije olako izgubljenih života, i ogromna psihička cena koja preživele čeka tek nakon i povrh one surove fizičke. KSR, Stephenson, McDonald kao da su rešili da nam obznane ono što i sami odvajkada slutili – jednom van zaštite ove "kolevke" zvane Zemlja, nejaki smo i nemoćni do te mere da sva naša tehnologija i sva naša inteligencija može da nam obezbedi tek goli minimum opstanka.
Da li je fenomenalna berba 2015-te zapravo grandiozno otvaranje ere žanrovskog pesimizma?
Pa, jedna od naistrajnijih žica koja se provlači kroz sve romane je pomalo setna spoznaja da kratkovido i zdušno uništavamo jedinu "kuću" koja će ikada biti naš mali ali idealni dvorac, svo vreme se zavaravajući da zapravo imamo gde da odemo. Ta naivna samoobmana kao da se bliži isteku roka trajanja, dok trezvene anti-utopije uporno i razložno skreću pažnju da čak i na rodnoj planeti mi udobno opstajemo samo u skromnoj niši idealne temperature i vlage. I mada čovekov pionirski duh lako poveruje u beskrajna svemirska prostranstva koja samo čekaju da budu otkrivena i prisvojena, šanse su da ih van Zemlje ima daleko manje nego što nam se to čini. Ili bolje rečeno, većinom su toliko nepodesna za život da nisu vredna truda oko otkrivanja, a ona iole podesnija su već zauzeta od strane života koji je upravo za njih idealan.
Ta spoznaja je centralna upravo kod ovih starih žanrovskih lavova, koji kao da ne polažu odviše nade u sposobnost čovečanstva da zadrži ni dobro vaspitanje a kamoli inteligenciju u situacijama ekstremnih iskušenja koja neminovno idu u paketu sa napuštanjem te blage "kolevke" zvane Zemlja.
Druga grupacija navedenog korpusa se odlučila da posmatra ovozemaljske horizonte, i tu, naravno, kao da nastaje problem: takva proza se neminovno doživljava kao isključivo distopična.
Da stvar bude gora, vlasnici takvih doživljaja se ne uzdržavaju od generalisanja, pa se otud često čuju i primedbe duž linije da je SF "već decenijama distopičan".
Generalne iskaze uvek lakše primerima potvrditi nego oboriti, no ipak, to ih ne čini nužno tačnima, samo opšteprihvaćenima, ali pošto smo sad već na terenu u kom je opšteprihvaćenost neke tvrdnje sasvim lako zameniti za njenu istinitost, to nam je onda to.
Kako bilo, opšteprihvaćenost te konkretno tvdnje bazira ponajviše na onom najpopulističkijem i najkomercijalnijem delu SFa, čiji su proizvodi namenjeni najširem i najmasovnijem tržištu – znači omladinskom, ili tu negde. Dakle, generičke distopije tipa Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Passage ili Wool, koje nakon brzog i ogromnog uspeha u knjiškom obliku lako dosegnu i druge medije, i tu postižući jednako impresivan uspeh i impakt, prosto zato što se i dalje obraćaju uglavnom istoj publici. Vrednovati žanr na bazi tih dela jednako je vrednovanju kulinarstva na bazi mekdonald ili burger king brze hrane, pa je o tom ovde uzaludno i raspravljati.
Suvin kaže da distopija nije žanr sam po sebi, nego tek društveno-politički podžanr naučne fantastike, otud i treba naglasiti razdvajanje ozbiljnih promišljanja od gore pominjanih generičkih kvazi-futurističkih modela. A ako krenemo od datosti da distopični futurizam (baš kao i utopija, uostalom) nudi svrhovito konstruisano društvo, onda se već postavlja pitanje da li (i koliko) futurizam uopšte može i da bude ponuđen van utopija/distopija modela.
A to nas dovodi do nemilosrdnog realizma u berbi 2015. :)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51mxLFfUYXL.jpg&hash=51fc0e16edf5f8dcb8795d2526d6a8e76dcf4f60)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41k7KOXu13L.jpg&hash=186188fd59050df0164ca855dfc19d0da5bdc417)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51CfHFP3WwL.jpg&hash=f03ca08991d289dd7c4de4cfb661fcbaae759c95)(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51zz-siUuBL.jpg&hash=4b27889b9d39fcc4d831af81e328984f3dda3d65)
Margaret Atwood (The Hearth Goes Last) i Blithe Woolston (MARTinas) nude ekstrapolaciju zatečenog stanja koje je odavno već vidljivo i osetno: u ganjanju profita, kapitalizam munjevitom brzinom premešta svoje proizvodne pogone tamo gde je radna snaga jeftinija, ostavljajući iza sebe pustoš nezaposlenosti.
U okvirima društvene zajednice, bilo na nivou samog grada ili šire, to zaista može da bude ravno apokaliptičnom zbivanju – jednom kad se ljudima uskrati mogućnost da legalno zarade za život, na scenu neminovno stupaju zakonitosti iz distopičnog asortimana. Otud u distopiji koju Atwood nudi mladi bračni par gubi sve što ima onog momenta kad muž izgubi dobro plaćen posao. Njihov život se ubrzo svodi na život beskućnika koji žive u automobilu a hrane se otpacima iz kontejnera, i kad im se ponudi prilika da učestvuju u nekoj vrsti istraživačkog društvenog eksperimenta oni tu priliku prihvataju skoro bez razmišljanja. Brzina kojom su oni pristali da učestvuju u dubioznom eksperimentu verovatno je jednaka brzini sa kojom mnogi ljudi u stvarnom životu pristaju da učestvuju u bilo kom alternativnom sticanju izvora neophodnog prihoda.
Woolston pak nudi petnaestogodišnjakinju čija se životna perspektiva svela da radi u AllMartu za minimalnu nadnicu koja jedva može da obezbedi najskromniju prehranu, otud ona čak i sa tim kobajagi "radnim mestom" i dalje ostaje polugladan beskućnik, upravo kao i Atwoodovi protagonisti.
Beznađe sa kojim se ti ljudi suočavaju jeste distopično, ali da li to znači da je i svet u tim romanima distopičan? U kojim to okolnostima se može imati svet (bilo stvaran ili fiktivan) u kom neće biti takvih krajnosti? Atwood i Woolston nude blisku budućnost u kojoj se nastavlja trend koji već danas prepoznajemo kao dominantan: gubitak takozvane srednje klase, koja živi isključivo od sopstvene zarade, i za koju gubitak jedne plate znači pad u beznađe iz kojeg je gotovo nemoguće izaći bez pomoći i podrške šire društvene zajednice.
Paolo Bacigalupi (The Water Knife) nudi svet koji je tek nominalno futuristički, ako se uzme u obzir Gibsonovo pravilo o "neravnomerno raspoređenoj budućnosti": Bacigalupi razmatra licencu na vodu upravo onako kako se danas razmatra licenca na GMO hranu. Gene Wulfe, na svoj karakteristični više fantazijski način, nudi distopiju poteklu iz nejasne apokalipse, ne sasvim neprepoznatljive ali taman dovoljno maglovite da joj se razazna istinsko poreklo, osim nekog generalnog društvenog jaza koji kao da ukazuje na postojanje ultrabogatih na jednoj i obespravljenih na drugoj strani.
tako da... u redu, neka bude da je tu u pitanju distopični futurizam. Ali samo u onoj meri u kojoj se za današnjicu može reći da je distopična.
Ah, kako mi je nedostajao jedan ovakav reader's digest, hvala Lidija! xjap xjap xjap Nego, sad imam ambivalentna osecanja :( Sa jedne strane zavidim ti sto imas priliku da citas sve ovo, sa druge strane mrzim sebe sto vec jednom ne izvadim svoj engleski iz ormara, ispeglam ga i ponovo stavim u upotrebu da bih i ja mogao isto ovo da citam umesto sto kukam na sugav izbor domacih izdavaca.
Pitanjce: Atvudova me je gadno razocarala u Godini potopa, gde je ladno potopila prethodnu savrsenu apokalipticnu pricu dodajuci joj nepotreban nastavak koji usput razara osnovne postavke Antilope i Kosca. Vredi li sta njena nova knjiga ili i ona konacno pokazuje zamor materijala?
Quote from: Berserker on 08-02-2016, 11:44:53
Ah, kako mi je nedostajao jedan ovakav reader's digest, hvala Lidija! xjap xjap xjap Nego, sad imam ambivalentna osecanja :( Sa jedne strane zavidim ti sto imas priliku da citas sve ovo, sa druge strane mrzim sebe sto vec jednom ne izvadim svoj engleski iz ormara, ispeglam ga i ponovo stavim u upotrebu da bih i ja mogao isto ovo da citam umesto sto kukam na sugav izbor domacih izdavaca.
Pitanjce: Atvudova me je gadno razocarala u Godini potopa, gde je ladno potopila prethodnu savrsenu apokalipticnu pricu dodajuci joj nepotreban nastavak koji usput razara osnovne postavke Antilope i Kosca. Vredi li sta njena nova knjiga ili i ona konacno pokazuje zamor materijala?
Nije zamor materijala ali... ima tu neka humorna žica koja mi nekako nije legla, kao da dodatno trivijalizuje već ionako apsurdnu postavku... ako te je Maddaddam na bilo koji način razočarao, teško da će te ovo oduševiti.
Ali opet, štajaznam, možda je samo do mene, ja ne mogu da dovršim ni novog Umberta Eka, iz skoro pa identičnog razloga, nekako mi je nepotrebno banalno i jedno i drugo. :(
I naravno sad da žanrovska najdublja i najpoštenija promišljanja futurizma dolaze od radikalnih levičara, to od Legvinove pa do KSRa, ali izgleda da je i njima bilo lakše dok su worldbuilding odmicali sa lica Zemlje: ponuditi uverljiv blisko-futuristički model bez kapitalizma je praktično nemoguće.
Odnosno, možda jeste moguće, ali teško da bi bilo dovoljno uverljivo, nakon ubedljivog kraha ideje o zdravom komunističkom uređenju. A povrh toga, tu je i ono zlatno pravilo destilisano iz svih političkih uređenja u čovekovoj istoriji: zaista nije nužno da svi delovi društveno-političkog uređenja budu napredni da bi se sam napredak ostvario. Naprotiv, u vreme kad je prvi čovek kročio na Mesec, u istoj toj zemlji crnac nije imao prava ni da sedne na sedište rezervisano za belca, i kako onda ne gledati taj period kao distopičan? Što se žanrovske produkcije tiče, izgelda da se worldbuidnig dezignira kao distopičan i za daleko manje od toga – kao da sve manje razlučujemo između istinske distopije u proznom svetu i njene prezentacije singularnog (i na propast osuđenog) političkog i/ili društvenog fenomena.
Na sreću, intelektualna jasnoća i književna artikulisanost današnjih žanrovskih frontmena dobro parira šablonskoj komercijali, pa otud i McDonald eksperimentalno isprobava jedino društveno uređenje nepoznato nam iz prakse – anarhizam. Da, da, najzad društveno uređenje bez države i kojekakvih joj organa... :D sama ta činjenica bi bila dovoljno da Lunu izdvojim kao knjigu godine, ali iz iskustva sam skeptična prema serijalima, tako da ću ipak da sačekam nastavke.
Ali to je, po meni, nepobitno najveći kvalitet Lune, jer zaista smatram da jeste eksperiment vredan svakog poštovanja. E sad, ako se nekog i Luna doima kao distopična, onda... šta da se radi. Distopija je očigledno u oku posmatrača. :)
Čuj, danas ko piše delo smešteno u blisku budućnost, a ne piše neku vrstu distopije, ima neku ozbiljnu falinku. Ili je na platnom spisku.
Optimistični ja... :)
PS: I, da... Mrzim te što toliko čitaš... :cry:
Ako uzmemo u obzir Stivensonovih 5 milenijuma post-human budućnosti u ovom romanu, i Eganovih isto toliko sa postDNA čovečanstvom iz njegovih romana Diaspora ili Schild's Ladder, doći ćemo do zaključka da tu u pitanju menjanje SF paradigme. A to naravno da zauzvrat menja i ciljeve bliske budućnosti, pa ista iz ugla gledanja stare paradigme sve više izgleda distopično.
Ali zapravo uopšte nije, naprotiv.
I skinite bre više besplatnu kindle aplikaciju na telefon, ti i Berserker... :)
шта ради та апликација?
ja nemam smartphone :(
sledeci post u nizu bi trebao da glasi:
sta je to telefon?
QuoteAko uzmemo u obzir Stivensonovih 5 milenijuma post-human budućnosti u ovom romanu, i Eganovih isto toliko sa postDNA čovečanstvom iz njegovih romana Diaspora ili Schild's Ladder, doći ćemo do zaključka da tu u pitanju menjanje SF paradigme. A to naravno da zauzvrat menja i ciljeve bliske budućnosti, pa ista iz ugla gledanja stare paradigme sve više izgleda distopično.
Sad mi je jasno zašto se bezbednije osećam u Vinaverovim pseudo-SF pričama... :(
Uzgred,
kako da pročitam Seveneves? Uzeo sam pre dva meseca knjigu u Beču u ruke i uplašio se... Preko 600 strana. Pa ni godišnji odmor (koga nemam) mi ne bi bio dovoljan... Odustao sam... Pišite, bre, kraće...
U čemu je, uzgred, stvar? Svi kukaju da nemaju vremena, a romani sve deblji...
wikipedia kaže da ima 880 strana :shock: :shock: :shock:
Pa dobro, to je Stivenson, manje se od njega ni ne očekuje. O slatka uspomeno čitanja Kriptonomikona sa zaobljenog CRT monitora u .txt formatu :lol:
E, fala ti, ko bratu... Što znaš da utešiš... :)
Ja i dalje ne kapiram zasto je Nil Stivenson toliko cenjen pisac. Ako mu je Histericni sneg najbolje sto je napisao, on jedva dobacuje do osrednjeg. Jes da je to jedini njegov roman koji sam procitao, ali sam ga 100 puta vidjao na raznoraznim proizvoljnim best-of listamaa i otprilike svuda se navodi kao njegovo remek delo. A ta knjiga jedino ima dobar pocetak, osrednju sredinu i njesra kraj. Prosto ne bih mogao da se nateram da citam jos nesto njegovo pa i da mi poklone. Ima li nesto njegovo sto nadmasuje Histericni sneg? I ako ima, zasto?
Quote from: Berserker on 08-02-2016, 22:24:08
Ja i dalje ne kapiram zasto je Nil Stivenson toliko cenjen pisac.
:cry:
Kako, pa Stivenson puca od erudicije i ideja! Normalno je da mnogima to nije dovoljno, i da traže zanimljivosti na nivou likova ili jezika. U ovom drugom aspektu, Vilijam Gibson je neko kome bih se uvek radije okrenuo, ali meni je Stivenson sasvim dovoljan za to što predstavlja. Dugačke digresije na neku zanimljivu temu mi uopšte ne smetaju, čak sam siguran da su doprinele Stivensonovoj gikovskoj reputaciji. A na listi želja je još uvek Barokna trilogija na prvom mestu - ako hoćeš objašnjenje, zanima me tema, i mislim da joj Stivensonov stil savršeno odgovara. Ali to je oko 2700 stranica, na engleskom, u nekim mekokoričenim izdanjima, plus što se tu uklapa i Kriptonomikon kao četvrta knjiga...
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 08-02-2016, 18:59:00
QuoteAko uzmemo u obzir Stivensonovih 5 milenijuma post-human budućnosti u ovom romanu, i Eganovih isto toliko sa postDNA čovečanstvom iz njegovih romana Diaspora ili Schild's Ladder, doći ćemo do zaključka da tu u pitanju menjanje SF paradigme. A to naravno da zauzvrat menja i ciljeve bliske budućnosti, pa ista iz ugla gledanja stare paradigme sve više izgleda distopično.
Sad mi je jasno zašto se bezbednije osećam u Vinaverovim pseudo-SF pričama... :(
Pa, jeste da se smena nezaustavljivo odvija, ali mi smo privilegovana generacija koja može da uživa i u starom i u novom jednako. :)
Što se mene tiče, ja to vidim kao upravo klasičan MO naučne fantastike: gleda se na najdalji horizont i na njemu se izabere fokus – pa bio taj fokus teraformiranje ili prvi kontakt ili AI, svejedno – a onda se traže načini da se do toga dođe. I nisu sve to pravolinijski putevi, ima tu strašno puno meandriranja, ali to je ok, jer žanru je samo putovanje uvek bilo jednako važno i jednako zanimljivo koliko i odredište. Isto tako, nije to nužno fiksacija, nego naprosto radni fokus, a postDNA ima tu privilegiju da zapravo objedinjuje mnoge dosadašnje, tako da je finalno (bar za sada) odredište upravo zbog svoje kompletnosti.
A to meandriranje ima odjeka i tamo gde sam fokus uopšte nije primaran, pa je tako celokupna garda koja danas dominira dala svoj doprinos: Maddaddam je stvarno kapitalna trilogija po tom pitanju, baš kao i KSRov Mars ili Wattsov Fireflies ili Eganov Ortogonal, jer ovo jeste tema koja lako prevazilazi stand alone romane. S tim što je Maddaddam tu možda i najkompleksnija trilogija, jer to su tri knjige koje obrađuju isti događaj, samo iz različitih uglova, što celu trilogiju zapravo čini kao nekakvim uputstvom za 3D priter: ako se ne pročita u celosti, finalna slika naprosto nije potpuna. :lol:
E sad, fakt da je fokus tako konkretizovan svakako utiče i na kratkoročni futurizam, pa recimo da se tu sad već vidi i konkretan svetonazorni pomak, pogotovo u društvenjačkom delu SFa. Primera radi, Baćigalupijev roman praktično nije SF, u tom futurizmu zapravo nema novuma, ili ga ima bar kilo manje nego trenutno u Flintu. Ali ono što je tu bitno su upravo društvenjačke dileme, jer šta da ti radiš sa gradom 100 hiljada ljudi bez vode? Da im doniraš vodu na bilo koji način je logistički nemoguće, čak i kao striktno privremeno rešenje, a da sve te ljude relociraš, pa to je politički nezivodivo. Otud se danas radi jedino moguće u hipokriziji demokratije – traži se krivac i valja se katranom i perjem, samo da se skine fokus sa fakta da tu postoji samo jedno adekvatno rešenje, ono koje Baćigalupi nudi: ljudima se da izbor ili da žive pod šatorom u kampovima ili da ostanu u gradu bez vode i umru od žeđi ili bolesti. Društvenjački SF sve više suočava dilemu da se neki ljudi ne mogu spasiti, jer nivo brige koji oni zahtevaju infrastruktura jednostavno ne može da pruži. A jednom kad se nađeš u situaciji da selektivno biraš koga da spasiš a koga ne, e tu ideološki okvir ima sve manju ulogu, jer sve te selekcije su jednako porazne i jednako nehumane, bez obzira koja i kakva opravdanja iza njih stajala.
Quote from: ridiculus on 09-02-2016, 00:19:52
Quote from: Berserker on 08-02-2016, 22:24:08
Ja i dalje ne kapiram zasto je Nil Stivenson toliko cenjen pisac.
:cry:
Kako, pa Stivenson puca od erudicije i ideja!
Stivenson je za SF isto što Neil deGrasee Tyson za nauku. :)
Quote from: PTY on 09-02-2016, 09:01:50
Quote from: ridiculus on 09-02-2016, 00:19:52
Quote from: Berserker on 08-02-2016, 22:24:08
Ja i dalje ne kapiram zasto je Nil Stivenson toliko cenjen pisac.
:cry:
Kako, pa Stivenson puca od erudicije i ideja!
Stivenson je za SF isto što Neil deGrasee Tyson za nauku. :)
помпезни, самобитни, умишљени сероња?
Pa, ako me pitaš za lično mišljenje o njemu, recimo samo da ja generalno prezirem sve hiperžovijalne modele komunikacije, tako da i on tu definitivno spada.
Ali objektivno govoreći, prepoznajem da velik broj ljudi pozitivno reaguje na korisnosti takvog modela komunikacije i popularizacije, tako da ipak uspevam da udobno živim sa time.
попу поп а бобу боб...ништа више од тога :)
Tako nekako... jedna od za mene potresnijih životnih spoznaja je da svet u mojoj diktaturi možda i ne bi bio bog zna kako prijatno mesto za življenje... ;)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765385155.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=6e49bdacc0d1b052dd628f4dc3bc7d211f152809)
June 7, 2016
It's been twenty years and two election cycles since Information, a powerful search engine monopoly, pioneered the switch from warring nation-states to global microdemocracy. The corporate coalition party Heritage has won the last two elections. With another election on the horizon, the Supermajority is in tight contention, and everything's on the line.
With power comes corruption. For Ken, this is his chance to do right by the idealistic Policy1st party and get a steady job in the big leagues. For Domaine, the election represents another staging ground in his ongoing struggle against the pax democratica. For Mishima, a dangerous Information operative, the whole situation is a puzzle: how do you keep the wheels running on the biggest political experiment of all time, when so many have so much to gain?
Infomocracy is Malka Older's debut novel.
PRAISE FOR INFOMOCRACY
"A fast-paced, post-cyberpunk political thriller... If you always wanted to put The West Wing in a particle accelerator with Snow Crash to see what would happen, read this book." ―Max Gladstone, author of Last First Snow
"Smart, ambitious, bursting with provocative extrapolations, Infomocracy is the big-data-big-ideas-techno-analytical-microdemoglobal-post-everything political thriller we've been waiting for." ―Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings
"In the mid-21st century, your biggest threat isn't Artificial Intelligence―it's other people. Yet the passionate, partisan, political and ultimately fallible men and women fighting for their beliefs are also Infomocracy's greatest hope. An inspiring book about what we frail humans could still achieve, if we learn to work together." ―Karl Schroeder, author of Lockstep and the Virga saga
The British Science Fiction Association has announced the nominees for this year's BSFA Awards, to be presented on the evening of Saturday, March 26, at the Hilton Deansgate in Manchester, during Mancunicon, the 67th British National Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon). BSFA members may vote until mid-afternoon on Marcdh 26.
Best Novel
•Europe at Midnight, by Dave Hutchinson
•Mother of Eden, by Chris Beckett
•The House of Shattered Wings, by Aliette de Bodard
•Luna: New Moon, by Ian McDonald
•Glorious Angels, by Justina Robson
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41HGjrvDxgL._AA160_.jpg&hash=897c33b383dcdf5b58d6e05023d21a3b8172744a)
A woman with wings that exist in another dimension. A man trapped in his own body by a killer. A briefcase that is a door to hell. A conspiracy that reaches beyond our world. Breathtaking SF from a Clarke Award-winning author.
Tricia Sullivan has written an extraordinary, genre defining novel that begins with the mystery of a woman who barely knows herself and ends with a discovery that transcends space and time. On the way we follow our heroine as she attempts to track down a killer in the body of another man, and the man who has been taken over, his will trapped inside the mind of the being that has taken him over.
And at the centre of it all a briefcase that contains countless possible realities.
Tricia Sullivan returns to the genre with a book that will define the conversation within the genre and will show what it is capable of for years to come. This is the best book yet from a writer of exceedingly rare talent who is much loved in the genre world.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51Qghc5XadL._AA160_.jpg&hash=dc5b639245aa3ffca563de27ae0921c3563fe9a8)
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji Shimada (Author), Ross Mackenzie (Translator), Shika Mackenzie (Translator)
Astrologer, fortuneteller, and self-styled detective Kiyoshi Mitarai must in one week solve a macabre murder mystery that has baffled Japan for 40 years. Who murdered the artist Umezawa, raped and killed his daughter, and then chopped up the bodies of six others to create Azoth, the supreme woman? With maps, charts, and other illustrations, this story of magic and illusion, pieced together like a great stage tragedy, challenges the reader to unravel the mystery before the final curtain.
I još malo o prošloj godini - evo kako su se moji SF favoriti kotirali u godišnjem Goodreads izboru najčitanijih knjiga:
Glasalo je 142446 glasača a u dvadeset najčitanijih knjiga ušli su
- Seveneves – Neal Stephenson (15710 glasova)
- The Heart Goes Last – Margaret Atwood (14147 glasova)
- The Water Knife – Paolo Bacigalupi (11574 glasova)
- The Fold – Peter Clines (5504 glasova)
- K.S R. – Aurora (826 glasova)
Prijatno iznenađenje je tu Ann Leckie (8042) i Scalzi (6192), a svakako i The Fold, koji je zapravo originalno objavljen 2014-te ali su ga reizdanja prenela u iduću godinu.
Pobednik je Pierce Brown sa Golden Son (32225 glasača) i koliko kapiram, to je nastavak Darrow serijala, kojeg reklamiraju ovako: With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender's Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown's genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown's continuing status as one of fiction's most exciting new voices.
Dakle, eto... :mrgreen:
https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-science-fiction-books-2015 (https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-science-fiction-books-2015)
A takvo stanje stvari dobrano frustrira najbolje pisce SFa, pa je otud čak i Watts na svom blogu rezignirano izjavio sledeće:
QuoteThey know about this in Poland. They've known it for over a month now. So it seems only fair that I bring the rest of you up to speed on the latest: my imminent retirement from the field of science fiction.
Genre SF has been in decline for a number of years. My own work has been declining even faster. They say Young Adult is where the action is, but I suspect in time even that fad will run its course. YA is but one step on a staircase heading down into the basement. As humanity grows ever-dumber, readers will inevitably gravitate towards simpler tales that don't tax the intellect and which never stray from familiar, predictable paths (anyone who's read the Harry Potter books will know what I mean).
When readers reach the bottom of that incline, I intend to be waiting for them there. Henceforth I will be writing only storybooks for children aged four through eight. I have already begun. (Although given the sudden dismaying popularity of— I kid you not— Coloring Books for Adults, you have to wonder if even writing for preschoolers is aiming low enough.)
... a za kratku formu, evo linkovi za čitalački izbor (Asimov's):
http://www.asimovs.com/about-asimovs/readers-awards-finalists/ (http://www.asimovs.com/about-asimovs/readers-awards-finalists/)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61Xvt01lraL.jpg&hash=0f6dbd4313601f91d422ee00392f8b52bed8e1d3)
I am rather chuffed by the fact that "Down Station" is published by Gollancz. I love Orbit Books but I've always thought that Simon Morden's kind of madcap science fiction would fit better within Gollancz's line-up. And if I'm to be completely honest, I am especially pleased by the fact that the transition happened with "Down Station", by far his finest novel so far.
If you ever went down into the bowels of earth using one of the escalators you were probably impressed by the size of the thing. London underground always seemed to me to be a different world. You can easily imagine everything changing up there on the surface while you are traveling below and this is exactly the premise of sweeping "Down Station". A multicultural group of commuters and tube workers lead by Mary and Dalip are caught in the middle of a horrific event and try to escape thought he service tunnel only to come out to a weird realm filled with weird creatures and stranded people all across the history. The only thing connecting them all is the fact they have all came here a time when a London was burning. No one has since returned to London but one person seems to be different and is able to come and go at will. Perhaps there's still hope of returning home from Down? Brilliantly, the world they travel through is defined by London's landmarks. London is everywhere and everything in this strange place. And yet, it's the stuff of fantasy. There's monsters aplenty, looking for a quick bite and a lost traveler. Completely surprisingly, Morden has managed to even include a fully fleshed out magic system in the proceeding. If it sounds chaotic, it certainly is but Morden know how to do both science fiction and fantasy, and "Down Station" is, if anything, a perfect amalgam of the two.
"Down Station" takes its cue from previous Morden's works. There's are quite a few leaps of imagination and action sequences that are reminiscent of his Philip K. Dick award winning Samuil Petrovitch / Metrozone series that spanned four novels and his take on London's mythology and legends has probably been shaped and moulded by the experiences of writing "Arcanum". To put it simply, "Down Station" is a fiercely innovative take on the London's underground that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as all other classics of this increasingly crowded sub-genre such as Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere or China Mieville's Un Lun Dun. There's more good news. Judging by the ending, there's plenty more to come. "Down Station" feels like a beginning of a series but so far, so great!
http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-down-station-by-simon-morden (http://upcoming4.me/book-news/review-down-station-by-simon-morden)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1942712863.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=33151deaf829eb622890cd769cc297b93a823a01)
I will ready anything that Laird Barron writes, so I'm very excited about his upcoming novella, Man With No Name! Check it out!
About the book:
Nanashi was born into a life of violence. Delivered from the mean streets by the Heron Clan, he mastered the way of the gun and knife and swiftly ascended through yakuza ranks to become a dreaded enforcer. His latest task? He and an entourage of expert killers are commanded to kidnap Muzaki, a retired world-renowned wrestler under protection of the rival Dragon Syndicate. It should be business as bloody usual for Nanashi and his ruthless brothers in arms, except for the detail that Muzaki possesses a terrifying secret. A secret that will spawn a no-holds barred gang war and send Nanashi on a personal odyssey into immortal darkness.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51qEzW5ViJL.jpg&hash=ea8f7c750dbd26bed86dd7a234d8164e8ab936b5)
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman.
The fireman is coming. Stay cool.
No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it's Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies—before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe.
Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she's discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob's dismay, Harper wants to live—at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child.
Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads—armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn't as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter's jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged.
In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman's secrets before her life—and that of her unborn child—goes up in smoke.
malko u nastavak na Wattsov rant:
Staying on the Cutting Edge of Science Fiction (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/02/staying-on-the-cutting-edge-of-science-fiction/#comment-150326)
BEST NOVEL (Nebula nominacije)
◾Raising Caine, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)
◾The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
◾Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
◾The Grace of Kings, Ken Liu (Saga)
◾Uprooted, Naomi Novik (Del Rey)
◾Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard, Lawrence M. Schoen (Tor)
◾Updraft, Fran Wilde (Tor)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1501135392.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=8fa96505c95fc9b873aa87c1ada38194f2b85b7e)
Jeffrey Lockhart's father, Ross, is a billionaire in his sixties, with a younger wife, Artis Martineau, whose health is failing. Ross is the primary investor in a remote and secret compound where death is exquisitely controlled and bodies are preserved until a future time when biomedical advances and new technologies can return them to a life of transcendent promise. Jeff joins Ross and Artis at the compound to say "an uncertain farewell" to her as she surrenders her body.
"We are born without choosing to be. Should we have to die in the same manner? Isn't it a human glory to refuse to accept a certain fate?"
These are the questions that haunt the novel and its memorable characters, and it is Ross Lockhart, most particularly, who feels a deep need to enter another dimension and awake to a new world. For his son, this is indefensible. Jeff, the book's narrator, is committed to living, to experiencing "the mingled astonishments of our time, here, on earth."
Don DeLillo's seductive, spectacularly observed and brilliant new novel weighs the darkness of the world—terrorism, floods, fires, famine, plague—against the beauty and humanity of everyday life; love, awe, "the intimate touch of earth and sun."
Zero K is glorious.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765383551.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=fb9db2f5d2e1ef2ba22558bb3131ce1ecc9bc3f1)
Day One
No one can remember anything–who they are, family and friends, or even how to read. Reality has fragmented and Earth consists of an islands of rock floating in an endless sky. Food, water, electricity–gone, except for what people can find, and they can't find much.
Faller's pockets contain tantalizing clues: a photo of himself and a woman he can't remember, a toy solider with a parachute, and a mysterious map drawn in blood. With only these materials as a guide, he makes a leap of faith from the edge of the world to find the woman and set things right.
He encounters other floating islands, impossible replicas of himself and others, and learns that one man hates him enough to take revenge for actions Faller can't even remember.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1616962402.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=2421bd89d6f2889eba22fd805bfbd4959ff1e674)
In her edgy, satiric debut collection, award-winning South African journalist and author 1616962402 Beukes (The Shining Girls, Moxyland) never holds back. Nothing is simple and everything is perilous when humans are involved: greed, corruption, struggle, and even love (of a sort).
A permanent corporate branding gives a young woman enhanced physical abilities and a nearly-constant high
Recruits lifted out of poverty find a far worse fate collecting biohazardous plants on an inhospitable world
The only adult survivor of the apocalypse decides he will be the savior of teenagers; the teenagers are not amused.
Finalisti za overavanje:
Dmitar:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00V2GDJCC.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL275_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=910cedee89c73a442cec47c33c8ab330ea24305e)
Mark is a Day Boy.
In a post-traumatic future the Masters—formerly human, now practically immortal—rule a world that bends to their will and a human population upon which they feed. Invincible by night, all but helpless by day, each relies on his Day Boy to serve and protect him.
Mark has been lucky in his Master: Dain has treated him well. But as he grows to manhood and his time as a Day Boy draws to a close, there are choices to be made.
Will Mark undergo the Change and become, himself, a Master—or throw in his lot with his fellow humans? As the tensions in his conflicted world reach crisis point, Mark's decision may be crucial.
In Day Boy Trent Jamieson reimagines the elements of the vampire myth in a wholly original way. This is a beautifully written and surprisingly tender novel about fathers and sons, and what it may mean to become a man.
Or to remain one.
Bram Stoker:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB010MZ8KQI.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL225_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=e6aaf0fff6e3496bd8d06b02dab13dc89d779ae3)
There are places we were never meant to go...
***
A woman searching for a sister lost at sea. A man bent on finding lost treasure. A mother who has lost all hope. A maniac who believes all life exists for his pleasure. The man who would keep them all safe.
Together, they will all seek below the waves for treasures long buried, and riches beyond belief. But those treasures hide something. Something ancient, something dark. A creature that exists only to feed on those that would enter into its realm. A creature... of The Deep.
Kitschies:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1612194494.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=4fcfd6d0b3646f0b429627da827254b732e64b78)
Hugo Wilcken's first novel, The Execution—a taut, psychological mystery about an average person who commits an accidental murder—got the kind of rave reviews authors dream of: He was compared to Camus and Hitchcock.
Now, in his second novel, The Reflection, the comparisons seem even more appropriate: It's a smart, creepy, steadily absorbing mystery about an average law-abiding citizen who finds himself inexplicably caught up in a case of mistaken identities—with one of his own patients.
When psychiatrist David Manne is asked by a friend who's a New York City Police detective to consult on an unusual case, he finds himself being asked to evaluate a criminal who's the exact opposite of himself—an uneducated laborer from the Midwest who seems overwhelmed by modern day Manhattan circa 1948. But when that laborer tells David that he's not who the police say he is, David slowly begins to believe it may be true
Unable to stop himself, David begins to look into how the police handle the man, and the hospital they take him to . . . and begins to suspect that the man is caught up in some kind of secret governmental medical testing. Realizing he's got to rescue his patient, David quickly finds himself battling forces that seem to be even bigger than he suspected, and that now have him in their sights.
When he suddenly finds himself caught with a patient's i.d. papers on him, he decides on a risky course that seems his only way out: To change his identity, and enter even deeper into the conspiracy, if he's to find out how to escape it.
Written in relentlessly probing prose with a delicious plot complication seemingly on every page, this is one of the most thought-provoking, chilling, and suspenseful novels you'll ever read.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51zZBIlFlrL.jpg&hash=5b4d8dbc87598e064ee5b9d86d1d67209c29c0e3)
Genijalni, vispreni, šarmantni Adam Roberts koga je uvek zadovoljstvo čitati ovde je razradio svoju kratku priču u roman koji po format pomalo asocira na Mitchellov Cloud Atlas, sa fino zaokruženim segmentima koji na kraju sklapaju stvarno impresivnu celinu. Odlična ideja pretočena u odličan roman kroz sijaset briljantnih filozofskih ideja i argumenata... svakako pisac čiji se opus mora pobliže upoznati. (a da je prolifičan, to jeste, maltene knjiga godišnje.)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41Hhuj2RIbL.jpg&hash=63b116b922b7d3a40b55223e37a9aaf60601c4dd)
Jedna od mučnijih eko-apokalipsi, pedantno vođena i emotivno impresivna u svojoj depresivnoj, ekstremno pesimističnoj vizuri... I mada generalno baš i nisam ljubitelj rezignirane apokaliptičnosti, ovaj roman naprosto nisam mogla da ispustim iz ruke.
Quote from: PTY on 29-02-2016, 09:03:47
maltene knjiga godišnje
Ponekad i šes (http://www.adamroberts.com/2014/12/18/my-six-best-books-of-2014/).
Uzeo sam i ja da čitam Stvar po sebi, ostalo mi još dvaes strana.
Holi šmoli, taj čovek verovatno uopšte ne spava. :lol:
Elem, meni je ovo njegova prva, iako imam malu gomilu na lageru, ali se svo ovo vreme silno femkam, jer stvarno ga do koske obožavam kao rivjuistu, prosto ne pamtim da smo se ikad razišli u mišljenju, pa kao, strepila sam da to ne pokvarim, u slučaju da mu proza ne ispuni moja sad već strašno visoka očekivanja... ali ovo me je oduvalo i oduševilo skroz.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB015ERLZ8Y.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=1ca2fae5bf825b168e33bb7ebbba121cba33163d)
Humanity's future has been disrupted and shaped by the mysterious alien Jackaroo. We spread to the planets they gave us, and we discovered the ruins of a dozen previous civilistions. All previous clients of the Jackaroo, all dead. So far we have escaped that fate - but we have also escaped from the Jackaroo's planets and begun to explore the galaxy. The discovery of ancient spaceships, and the unlocking of their mysteries, has led to a new way of life. But humanity's failings and conflicts are always with us.
A woman living a quiet secluded life, with only her dog and her demons for company. The dissolute heir to a powerful merchant family. The laminated brain of the woman who led us into the universe. A policeman, seemingly working for the Jackaroo. All of these people are on the edges of a vast plan, one which will span decades and light years. A piece of alien code has awakened, and the end of our species may be happening around us.
And we may finally discover if the aliens really are here to help us.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765382156.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=ab98ac0141465366bbd07ea82b2b0431b70e37c5)
Written by a highly regarded expert on space travel and exploration, Allen Steele's Arkwright features the precision of hard science fiction with a compelling cast of characters. In the vein of classic authors such as Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke, Nathan Arkwright is a seminal author of the twentieth century. At the end of his life he becomes reclusive and cantankerous, refusing to appear before or interact with his legion of fans. Little did anyone know, Nathan was putting into motion his true, timeless legacy.
Convinced that humanity cannot survive on Earth, his Arkwright Foundation dedicates itself to creating a colony on an Earth-like planet several light years distant. Fueled by Nathan's legacy, generations of Arkwrights are drawn together, and pulled apart, by the enormity of the task and weight of their name.
This is classic, epic science fiction and engaging character-driven storytelling, which will appeal to devotees of the genre as well as fans of current major motion pictures such as Gravity and Interstellar.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765380927.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=3a24f01981a63714d83bf4b32dc4fab538297bc7)
Transgalactic: the latest novel in Hugo Award Winner James Gunn's SF Grandmaster Career!
When Riley and Asha finally reached the planet Terminal and found the Transcendental Machine, a matter transmission device built by an ancient race, they chose to be "translated." Now in possession of intellectual and physical powers that set them above human limitations, the machine has transported them to two, separate, unknown planets among a possibility of billions.
Riley and Asha know that together they can change the galaxy, so they attempt to do the impossible--find each other.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB01BSMZKVC.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=7360ad3ef61dbabfa6b56707a200aebe5b815639)
A strange people have appeared out of nowhere. Their speech is impossible to understand for most human beings; their agenda, they say, is to colonize the "right place". The interpreter Mika accompanies one of their ambassadors to the little moon Kiruna. Here, celestial bodies play havoc with sound, and reality may not be what it appears. (A sequel to SING)
A sad, za drugara nam Micu :), evo mog prvog gromoglasnog ovogodišnjeg otkrića:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51V8uSVRi3L._UY250_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XuN-dXrVL._UY250_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/515TkVx84qL._UY250_.jpg)
Konvencionalna mudrost tvrdi da čitalac zapravo i ne zna šta voli, sve dok mu vrsni umetnik to ne servira: u ovom konkretno slučaju, recimo da jesam znala kako volim žanrovski minimalizam, ali nisam znala šta sve žanrovski minimalizam u hororu zapravo može da bude, sve do Evensona.
Oduševljeni rivjuisti Evensonove proze nisu štedeli komplimente, pa tako cirkulišu bobmastični blarbovi koji njegovu prozu upoređuju sa piscima kao što je Beckett, E.A. Poe, Ballard i McCarthy, a jedan od mojih favorita tvrdi da je Evenson "like Garcia Marquez on really, really bad acid" :mrgreen:, no daleko je bliže istini reći da je Evenson singularno unikatan književni glas kojem se teško nalaze presedani ili prepoznaju uzori. Naprosto, Evenson je do te mere prepoznatljivo originalan - ne samo u svom pristupu temama koje ga fasciniraju, nego i jezikom i stilom a ponaviše svetonazorom - da njegova proza slabo asocira na bilo kog šire poznatog autora, pogotovo unutar samog žanr horora.
Evensonova ekstremna kompleksnost predočena je krajnjom jednostavnošću u kojoj kao da nema mesta čak ni za neophodni kontekst: od početne rečenice pa nadalje, čitalac je potpuno (ne)milosti teksta, bez oslonca u ikakvom vanjskom / sopstvenom redu ili logici, moralu ili zakonu, stvarnosti ili svetonazoru. Zbivanja se nižu, događaji smenjuju jedan drugi, a čitalac i dalje nije siguran da li je ijedan od tih događaja zapravo "dobar" ili "loš", da li su sami protagonisti pozitivci ili ne, čak ni da li je zbivanje prepoznatljiva stvarnost kojom upravlja logika i kauzalnost... kod Evensona, košmar koji proza nudi prevazilazi ne samo tekst, nego i papir na kom je tekst odštampan.
Ako je ikada postojao pisac kojem je vlastita prozna briljantnost temeljito urnisala privatni život, onda je to Evenson: u vreme objavljivanja prve zbirke priča (Altmann's Tongue, 1994) Evenson je bio ne samo profesor na Mormonskom univerzitetu, nego i visoki sveštenik mormonske crkve, a kontroverza po objavljivanju zbirke koštala ga je ne samo obaju pozicija, nego i braka pride. Teško da postoji savremeni pisac koji je tako visokom privatnom cenom platio svoje pisanje. (No opet, da se ne lažemo, teško da postoji savremeni horor pisac čija proza jeste vredna te cene. :lol:)
Evensonova proza kod čitaoca proizvodi reakciju kakvoj horor upravo stremi, otud i jeste sofisticirana alatka za precizno postizanje istog: proizvodi nelagodu, strepnju a eventualno i čist, koncentrisan užas: da li smo mi zaista takvi? Da li je moguće da se uopšte može biti takav?
Mormonska zajednica je na Evensonovu prozu reagovala onako kako socijalizovani ljudi uglavnom i reaguju kada se suoče sa ekstremnim stanjima ljudskog duha – užasnuli su se. U sklopu mormonskih religioznih konvencija je i verovanje da govoriti o zlu ujedno podrazumeva i prizivati ga – maltene ga otelotvoriti iz domena apstraktnog u domen materijalnog. Evenson, naravno, misli drugačije: on smatra da je upravo ćutanje sposobno za takva magična otelotvorenja, a stvarni život kao da ga podržava dokazima (ne samo u mormonskoj nego u gotovo svim organizovanim religijama, čega smo svakodnevni svedoci).
Otud se Evensonova proza zapravo i ne bavi religijom, nego više birokratijom religije, koja proizvodi isključivo ritualnu pseudo-religioznost. Evenson to dočarava zaista maestralno, uz inventivnu i nadasve originalnu primenu tropa psihološkog horora. Last Days nudi brutalnu ilustraciju doktrine kultova, u ovom slučaju kulta automutilacije. Radi se o religioznom obredu flagelacije koji je – naravno, uparen sa SM tendencijama – doveden do kultističkog apsurda, potencirajući danas tako rasprostranjena doslovna tumačenja metaforičkih biblijskih referenci. Evenson nudi Last Days u formatu detektivskog noara, sa klasičnim zapletom o undercover policajcu koji istražuje kult čiji je i sam bio žrtva.
S druge strane, Immobility je po formatu čist i besprekoran post-apokaliptični SF, sa protagonistom koji je prevremeno probuđen iz kriogenog sna samo da bi ga se poslalo na tajanstvenu misiju da ukrade isto tako tajanstveni cilindar iz udaljene tvrđave u kojoj takođe obitava šačica preživelih. Pošto je svet nakon ,,Kolapsa" radioaktivan do mere da čak ni bubašvabe nisu preživele, protagonista je ucenjen na tu misiju pod pretnjom da će mu se dalji kriogeni tretman uskratiti.
Oba romana su čist i prepoznatljiv horor, i pored tako jasno prepoznatljivih žanrovskih motiva: horor stanja duha protagonista koji konstantno osciliraju između nade i očaja, angsta i depresije, panike i strepnje.
Fugue State je zbirka priča za koju najozbiljnije savetujem da se ne čita pre spavanja. Znam da je ta fraza silno otrcana (zlo)upotrebom, ali nakon čitanja Briana Evensona, teško da ću je ikada olako upotrebiti. Ako i uopšte.
Konačno! Bog stvori Zemlju i kafansku pevačicu za sedam dana, a ti... :)
Kmek... ali jesam pokušala nekoliko puta preko vikenda, samo forum nije bilo blagonaklon za postovanja...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1523922451.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=92c33e03b85a405db57497df7986a6cb26956e76)
REVIEW SUMMARY: A fun thriller designed specifically for gamers and sci-fi fans.
MY RATING:
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: After watching too much reality television a sentient machine decides to wipe out humanity in a preemptive strike to ensure its own survival. All that stands between the A.I. and its goal are a few gamers.
MY REVIEW
PROS: An original vision of the future, lots of fun pop culture references, a great A.I. antagonist, an unconventional protagonist you love to cheer for, social commentary.
CONS: Uneven characterization, some areas of plot are rushed.
BOTTOM LINE: Fans of Ready Player One looking for their next gaming-fiction fix will devour Nick Cole's CTRL ALT Revolt!
CTRL ALT Revolt! is the prequel to Cole's Soda Pop Soldier, a widely acclaimed title that didn't leave me with the best of impressions. As such I probably wouldn't have read CTRL ALT Revolt! if I hadn't been so thoroughly sold on the premise. It's an unholy union of The Terminator, Night of the Living Dead, Snow Crash, and War Games. It's got some rough edges but it's also an insanely fun and inventive blending of genres.
From the first page there's no doubt that CTRL ALT Revolt! is the prequel to Soda Pop Soldier. Nick Cole writes like Ernest Cline's demented doppelgänger mainlining Adderall and Red Bull, a man constantly impressed by the speed and depth of his own imagination — and I mean that in the best possible way. This leaves me asking why I found it so much more successful a story. It's worth noting that Soda Pop Soldier was very well received by everyone not me so it's entirely possible that at the time I wasn't in the right state of mind for Cole's quirky, pop-culture-laced, shenanigans. I do think that one area where the prequel is noticeably more effective is in communicating the real world stakes. That is one of the pitfalls of writing a book that takes place primarily within a video game: your character might die in cyberspace but what are the consequences in meatspace? The impending robot apocalypse is a pretty major consequence to the in-game failure of our protagonists. It also helps that a portion of the action takes place in meatspace with an army of repurposed robots closing in. There were real life consequences to the gaming in Soda Pop Soldier, some major ones at that, but it never felt all that dire.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F006221022X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a729a3299bc44a2746325304ea69856f11cf1ab8)
Another area that Cole steps up his game (pardon the pun) is in characterization. There are a lot of characters with potential for greatness and while I'll admit that the depth of characters in CTRL ALT Revolt! is uneven and only some of them reach their potential, when Cole takes the time to develop a character he succeeds. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that SILAS, the "evil" self-aware A.I., is probably the best character of all. But maybe that shouldn't be such a surprise given the popularity of rogue machines in the science fiction genre. And really, how could you not love an A.I. that decides humanity's continued existence cannot be permitted after watching too many episodes of reality television? Cole's decision to round out SILAS by giving it internal conflict in the form of the Consensus (a group of programs that don't always agree). For example, SILAS's commander of military operations, BAT, is obsessed with A Clockwork Orange and ultra-violence.
The best of the human protagonists is easily Mara Bennett, a young woman who suffers from a mild form of cerebral palsy in meatspace but in the virtual reality of the Make she's a decorated starfleet captain. Mara overcomes her own limitations and self doubt in order to win the biggest game of her life. Likewise her nemesis, JasonDare, is another compelling character. He's not as sympathetic as Mara but I'd say he has the most satisfying arc of any of the characters. I wish that we could have gotten more of Ninety-Nine Fishbein (or Fish for short), Rapp (a character who takes cosplaying Ash from The Evil Dead to a whole new level), and Peabody Case (the highly capable assistant) but I'm still pleased with how SILAS, Mara, and JasonDare turned out.
The real star of CTRL ALT Revolt! isn't any one character. In fact the it isn't any character at all. No, the real draw is the awesome sandbox Cole builds to play in. The campus for video game developer WonderSoft is like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory but for super rich nerds. Reading this book I was tempted to brush up my resume and send it in to a fictional company. It's that cool! Cole's mind must run at 12 parsecs a minute because he's throwing out one awesome idea after another. Occasionally this saturation means that some of the creativity gets lost in the shuffle but you're too busy picking your jaw up off the floor to notice. I would love to play Ninety-Nine Fishbein's game that's essentially Grand Theft Auto Somalia and Mara's favorite game would have any Star Trek fan bursting with glee. I think that Cole's idea of a reality tv show live streamed from virtual reality via Twitch is brilliant and probably not far from reality (again pardon the pun) given the popularity of the platform and that style of content.
Cole's cyberpunk vision is slightly absurd but given that it's frequently hard to tell real news from an Onion article it could be a plausible future. Like the best science fiction it makes some statements about the world that we live in and the direction we could be headed in but if you don't like having your worldview challenged you really shouldn't be reading sci-fi to begin with. CTRL ALT Revolt! likely will bother some people, but more than anything it's a fun romp through a ridiculous future that displays the sheer imagination and creativity Nick Cole has to offer. If you liked Soda Pop Soldier I suspect you'll love CTRL ALT Revolt! and even if you weren't a fan or if you've never even read it, this book is worth your valuable time.
:D
Adaptation Watch: THE TERROR by Dan Simmons Optioned for Television
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0316017442.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=91e9c2013e5b424b289830c95a5df6372e60ccb3)
Daily Dead is reporting that AMC has greenlit a television adaptation of Dan Simmon's novel The Terror as a limited television series. Specifically, the plan is to produce a 10-episode anthology drama series adaptation of the 2007 suspense/horror novel.
It will be written by David Kajganich, who will also act as the show's co-showrunner along with Soo Hugh. Executive producers include Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Alexandra Milchan, Scott Lambert, and Guymon Casady.
The series is set in 1847, when a mysterious predator attacks a Royal Naval expedition crew searching for the Northwest Passage, leading to a desperate game of survival.
For comparison, here is how the book is described:
The men on board HMS Terror have every expectation of triumph. As part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage, they are as scientifically supported an enterprise as has ever set forth. As they enter a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, though, they are stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness. Endlessly cold, with diminishing rations, 126 men fight to survive with poisonous food, a dwindling supply of coal, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is far more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid darkness: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror constantly clawing to get in.When the expedition's leader, Sir John Franklin, meets a terrible death, Captain Francis Crozier takes command and leads his surviving crewmen on a last, desperate attempt to flee south across the ice. With them travels an Inuit woman who cannot speak and who may be the key to survival, or the harbinger of their deaths. But as another winter approaches, as scurvy and starvation grow more terrible, and as the terror on the ice stalks them southward, Crozier and his men begin to fear that there is no escape. The Terror swells with the heart-stopping suspense and heroic adventure that have won Dan Simmons praise as "a writer who not only makes big promises but keeps them" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). With a haunting and constantly surprising story based on actual historical events, The Terror is a novel that will chill you to your core.
... I malo probranih martovskih gudiza:
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1616205903.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=678e3954419318de25df4d5d67c73d4a2d702eff)
"With evocative language, a shifting timeline and more than one unreliable narrator, Suma subtly explores the balance of power between the talented and the mediocre, the rich and the poor, the brave and the cowardly . . . To reveal more would be to uncover the bloody heart that beats beneath the floorboards of this urban-legend-tinged tale." —The New York Times
The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices--one still living and one dead. On the outside, there's Violet, an eighteen-year-old ballerina days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls' juvenile detention center, there's Amber, locked up for so long she can't imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls' darkest mysteries: What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve--in this life or in another one?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1443886947.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=edb72729f570f5860cec2b5e9faa8976d182a58a)
This book examines the recent popularity of the dystopian genre in literature and film, as well as connecting contemporary manifestations of dystopia to cultural trends and the implications of technological and social changes on the individual and society as a whole. Dystopia, as a genre, reflects our greatest fears of what the future might bring, based on analysis of the present. This book connects traditional dystopian works with their contexts and compares these with contemporary versions. It centers around two main questions: Why is dystopia so popular now? And, why is dystopia so popular with young adult audiences? Since dystopia reflects the fears of society as a whole, this book will have broad appeal for any reader, and will be particularly useful to teachers in a variety of settings, such as in a high school or college-level classroom to teach dystopian literature, or in a comparative literature classroom to show how the genre has appeared in multiple locales at different times. Indeed, the books interdisciplinary nature allows it to be of use in classes focussing on politics, bioethics, privacy issues, womens studies, and any number of additional topics.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1594634637.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=d35d32ab50f0512eae3679452714c1d6fe94e4dd)
Playful, ambitious, and exquisitely imagined, What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours is cleverly built around the idea of keys, literal and metaphorical. The key to a house, the key to a heart, the key to a secret—Oyeyemi's keys not only unlock elements of her characters' lives, they promise further labyrinths on the other side. In "Books and Roses" one special key opens a library, a garden, and clues to at least two lovers' fates. In "Is Your Blood as Red as This?" an unlikely key opens the heart of a student at a puppeteering school. "'Sorry' Doesn't Sweeten Her Tea" involves a "house of locks," where doors can be closed only with a key—with surprising, unobservable developments. And in "If a Book Is Locked There's Probably a Good Reason for That Don't You Think," a key keeps a mystical diary locked (for good reason).
Oyeyemi's tales span multiple times and landscapes as they tease boundaries between coexisting realities. Is a key a gate, a gift, or an invitation? What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours captivates as it explores the many possible answers.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1118922611.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=47d8b24496c63d6ff090e33e8127c6d076bfb4b9)
Featuring numerous updates and enhancements, Science Fiction and Philosophy, 2nd Edition, presents a collection of readings that utilize concepts developed from science fiction to explore a variety of classic and contemporary philosophical issues.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41juqpOMRuL.jpg&hash=108a7db35245e47334eb9509506ae4707f8bdf48)
Grand dame of American literature, Joyce Carol Oates, doesn't seems to slow down. If anything, I am under the impression that she has sped up her output in recent years, publishing a diverse selection of works that are both thought provoking and challenging, as well as immensely readable. Her latest book, The Man without a Shadow, which has just been published by Harper Collins / Ecco is no exception. It is an intriguing tale which explores the boundaries of relationship and what it means to be human.
"The Man without a Shadow" is Elihu Hooper, a medical phenomenon and something of a star within the scientics exploring the mysteries of the mind. Elihu owes this dubious privilege to the fact that due to an infection he can only retain the last seventy seconds of his memory. As you can imagine, for Elihu this is an absolute nightmare. With memory as locked as his is, every new day is a challenge and voyage of discovery. Neuroscientist Margot Sharpe meets Elihu in 1965 and since then their lives are intertwined. For Margot, Elihu is more than a patient and a scientific interest. She is charmed by this withdrawn and gentle man up to a point where she puts her own life behind just to try to find another idea, another new approach to cure Elihu's condition. It's a very interesting premise because, think, Elihu never remembers meeting Margot and yet, for Margot, Elihu is a person she knows and loves deeply. It's incredibly difficult situation which occasionally turned disturbing. Margot can take liberties which she usually wouldn't because she knows Elihu will forget them mere seventy seconds later. It's riveting stuff.
"The Man without a Shadow" is wonderful new addition to ever-growing Joyce Carol Oates' bibliography and this complex emotional rollercoaster is without a doubt one of my favourite works of her. The relationship between the doctor and the patient in these circumstances opens up many difficult questions about the nature of love and ethics but I can't help but thinking that Oates was the perfect person to explore them. At the heart of it "The Man without a Shadow" is a love story, one that's heart-breaking to read but, in a strange way, still life-affirming because love somehow always finds a way - even if it's just for seventy seconds.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41tXN5ztpmL._SX331_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=01e20a01b742543c8be8b5b4bce1502f74651059)
Marion Pauw is another one of those fantastic authors that you probably haven't heard of but that are absolutely huge in the countries and non-English speaking world. Marion is originally from Netherlands and currently lives in Amsterdam where she, so far, published more than a dozen of book out of which "Girl in the Dark" is her first book published in the USA and, if I'm not mistaken, her first book translated to English (original title Daglicht). As such, "Girl in the Dark" is a force to be reckoned with, a formidable brooding psychological thriller that stays with you for a long time.
As "Girl in the Dark" opens, Iris is living an ordinary, if slightly, stressed out life. She has a difficult son, Aaron, who due to his behaviour issues is often a handful and a job that demands a lot of her. She's finding it increasingly hard to handle both, especially Aaron who's erratic and his increasingly aggressive behaviour is starting to scare her. Her mother, Agatha, is not helping either. Always quick to judge her, she often makes Iris feel like a bad mother. It all changes when one day Iris makes a stunning discovery after helping out with the fish tank. She learns that she apparently has an older brother called Ray.
As she digs deeper, she discovers that Ray is currently in an institution for the criminally insane for committing a murder of his neighbour and her little girl. But after meeting him, Iris leaves with doubts. Is he really "The Monster Next Door" as the media dubs him? Ray is certainly odd but he's also autistic and is having difficulty communicating. Since a lot about Ray remind her of her own son Aaron, Iris decides to find out the truth.
"Girl in the Dark" is told clinically through both Iris and Ray and despite its coldness, it is actually a story about a family willing to stick together, no matter what. Pauw tackles difficult issues with ease and mostly manages to pull it off thanks to superbly written characters who know how to be both strong and vulnerable. Iris is an inspiration, someone despite everything that's going on in her life, is still managing to keep it all together. It is also impossible not to mention an ending - it comes out of the blue and is completely surprising. "Girl in the Dark" is a fine English debut for Marion Pauw and well worth checking out if you need a psychological thriller to spend a night with.
Christopher Priest's next novel is The Gradual. Gollancz has posted the UK cover (see below for a bigger version), featuring a design by Julyan Bayes of Us-Now. The UK release date is August 2017. (The book is being released in September 2016 by Titan in the U.S., according to Amazon.)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fwww.sfsignal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F03%2FTheGradual-400.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=5bf606536a68732f258d97032f1d725740dc5d54)
In the latest novel from one of the UK's greatest writers we return to the Dream Archipelago, a string of islands that no one can map or explain. Alesandro Sussken is a composer, and we see his life as he grows up in a fascist state constantly at war with another equally faceless opponent. His brother is sent off to fight; his family is destroyed by grief. Occasionally Alesandro catches glimpses of islands in the far distance from the shore, and they feed into his music – music for which he is feted. But all knowledge of the other islands is forbidden by the junta, until he is unexpectedly sent on a cultural tour. And what he discovers on his journey will change his perceptions of his country, his music and the ways of the islands themselves. Playing with the lot of the creative mind, the rigours of living under war and the nature of time itself, this is Christopher Priest at his absolute best.
Tja. Nažalost ništa od "Arhipelaga Snova" kod nas nije prevedeno - ni priče sa kraja sedamdesetih ni neke docnije sakupljene u istoimenu zbirku, ni roman The Islanders (2011). U stvari, osim Invertiranog sveta i Prestiža, nijedan njegov roman nije ni preveden. Da ne bi filma, ni Prestiž ne bi stigao do nas... Od priča meni je u sećanju ostalo "Beskrajno leto" iz sjajne Karove zbirke odabranih svetskih SF priča iz 1976. godine koja je neobjašnjivim putevima gospodnjim objavljena 1979. u Zagrebu od strane izdavača od koga se to nikako ne bi očekivalo...
Čini mi se da Priesta smatraju za 'zahtevnog' pisca - štagod sad pa to značilo – a to kao da kod izdavača generiše strepnju da će se slabo prodavati.
A ne znam zašto, stvarno, treba samo overiti njegov eXistenZ pa da se uvere kako je baja zapravo strašno palpičan. :lol:
The winners for the 2015 BSFA Award
Best Novel
◾The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard (Gollancz)
Best Short Story
◾"Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight" by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 1/15)
WINNERS: 2016 Ditmar Awards
Best Novel
◾Lament for the Afterlife, Lisa L. Hannett (ChiZine Publications)
WINNER: 2016 Philip K. Dick Award
◾Apex by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot Books)
A special citation was given to:
◾Archangel by Marguerite Reed (Arche Press)
WINNERS: 2015 Aurealis Awards
◾BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA: "By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers", Garth Nix (Old Venus, Random House)
◾BEST HORROR NOVELLA: "The Miseducation of Mara Lys", Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
◾BEST FANTASY NOVELLA: "Defy the Grey Kings", Jason Fischer (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Firkin Press)
:roll: Ceđenje drenovine:
Here's the cover and synopsis for the upcoming novel Daughter of Eden by Chris Beckett, sequel to Dark Eden and Mother of Eden.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1782392386.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=6bb4942ad9bc0154cf65689b5281a5b01fe12b38)
Angie Redlantern is the first to spot the boats – five abreast with men in metal masks and spears standing proud, ready for the fight to come. As the people of New Earth declare war on the people of Mainground, a dangerous era has dawned for Eden. After generations of division and disagreement, the two populations of Eden have finally broken their tentative peace, giving way to bloodshed and slaughter. Angie must flee with her family across the pitch black of Snowy Dark to the place where it all started, the stone circle where the people from Earth first landed, where the story of Gela – the mother of them all – began. It is there that Angie witnesses the most extraordinary event, one that will change the history of Eden forever. It will alter their future and re-shape their past. It is both a beginning and an ending. It is the true story of Eden.
QuoteThe winners for the 2015 BSFA AwardBest Novel◾The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard (Gollancz)Best Short Story◾"Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight" by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 1/15)
Jesi li čitala ovaj roman? Priče su joj zanimljive... Jedan od onih pisaca koji profitira iz puke činjenice da je na razmeđu kultura i da ima sposobnost da se pomeri iz uobičajenog pogleda na svet. "Immersion" je zaista lepa priča...
Nisam čitala ništa njenog u dužoj formi.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1616962364.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=1bf508a5f1fbbb881f52fdd1ec96186ed0891376)
Who are these bold rebels pillaging their European neighbors in the name of revolution? The Futurists! Utopian pirate warriors of the diminutive Regency of Carnaro, scourge of the Adriatic Sea. Mortal enemies of communists, capitalists, and even fascists (to whom they are not entirely unsympathetic).
The ambitious Soldier-Citizens of Carnaro are lead by a brilliant and passionate coterie of the perhaps insane. Lorenzo Secondari, World War I veteran, engineering genius, and leader of Croatian raiders. Frau Piffer, Syndicalist manufacturer of torpedos at a factory run by and for women. The Ace of Hearts, a dashing Milanese aristocrat, spymaster, and tactical savant. And the Prophet, a seductive warrior-poet who leads via free love and military ruthlessness.
Fresh off of a worldwide demonstration of their might, can the Futurists engage the aid of sinister American traitors and establish world domination?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1101967323.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=da84582d57ddfbc81e896060329e99ec7afc807a)
REVIEW SUMMARY: This seemingly vague novella may just be one of Miéville's most insightful works to date.
(Tyran Grillo is a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University, where he specializes in the representation of animals in contemporary Japanese fiction. He is an avid music critic, a voracious reader, and a prolific translator, having translated nine novels from Japanese to English across a range of genres, from science fiction to historical murder mysteries. Maybe, one day, he'll write his own.)
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A boy's shocking admission turns into a deeply psychological fight for accountability.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: An immersive first-person narrative inlaid with hints of magic and clandestine technologies.
CONS: The writing can be too beautiful for its own good, obscuring what amounts to a skeletal plot at best; those seeking firm resolution may be disappointed.
BOTTOM LINE: Despite its vague world-building, this novella is a rewarding meditation on trauma that believably mirrors its protagonist's fragmentary memories.
China Miéville may be a pioneer among writers of the New Weird, but his latest, This Census-Taker, recasts the genre as more of the Old Familiar. Miéville's oddities, intricate as they are, would be nothing without their consensus elements, and these he draws from a well of mythological tropism as dry as it is deep. In this instance, however, we cannot attribute askew narrative moments to weirdness for its own sake, tending as they do to the novella's central theme.
About that theme there can be no mistake as the first sentences jump into your retinas: "A boy ran down a hill path screaming. The boy was I." Said boy, anonymous and writing now as an adult, insists his father killed his mother. Or was it the other way around? At first he can't be sure and must piece together the flow of events barely consummated in order to convince the stunned townsfolk of his witness. Though his interruption may wound their drab landscape — a rural outpost, likewise unnamed — he paints the town as a place un-locatable on any maps but the ones readers unfurl with hands of expectation. As if torn from the pages of Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, it's a place that loses touch with security the higher it is off the ground. Wherever and whenever it exists, it is a postwar bastion of antebellum ways, whispering magic through its abundance of "weather-watchers and hermits and witches," and where electricity is a luxury relegated to occasional use of generators.
The boy unloads his shock before strangers, thus lighting a fuse that burns to a dud. This is, I think, what Miéville wants. The point of this story is to have none. Not that he fails to mark his narrative trail with landmarks along the way, each of which facilitates informed conclusions about denouement. We know the boy is an "uphiller," a derogatory term used by those below in reference to those who live above; that his home is a desolate one, nestled in hilly rock, where his main contacts are with the local feral animal population; and that his mother's death has permanently stained his domestic comfort zone, despite the father's best efforts to wipe its horrors away. In light of the murder, imagined though it might be, we must therefore take the inside flap's press language, which promises "a poignant and riveting exploration of memory and identity," with caution. Memory is vital to its telling, but would wither in the absence of trauma. It is not an exploration but a reconstruction of memory, riveting only in the sense of fastening together disparate pasts into a coherent mental overlay.
Of his memory we have so little that it ceases to matter. He remembers his mother as a beautiful, if weather-beaten, caregiver who allowed her son to figure out much of life on his own. But the current of his recollection is shored up by memories of father, whose reputable problem-solving meets the needs of his customers by means of a mystery craft. The meticulousness of his work says much about his lack thereof in childrearing. The boy is rarely alone with his father, more often watching, concealed by horror, as the paternal figure kills a dog from the local hills, if for no other reason than the thrill of it — thereby revealing a binary theme of animality that is intimately linked with the mother's disappearance. Patriarchal control of the family sphere is part and parcel of pastoralism, and while theirs isn't an agrarian economy, an abundance of wildlife — some innocuous, some threatening — nevertheless creeps in on all sides like a gang of potential fatalities in the flesh.
Physical elements achieve symbolic realism in the story. A derelict bridge, for one, runs through the center of the town and weighs not transport but squatter dwellings overrun by orphaned children. The trees, for another, constitute a living, architectural force that shapes the town as much as its everyday activities. Yet the most vital aspect of the boy's life is the dump-hole into which his father drops their trash and, presumably, the occasional prey. When the eponymous census-taker arrives at last to take stock of the father's past, to know where everyone stands in the wake of an alluded war, he asks to see the hole in question. He spelunks into it, emerges with no explanation of its depths, and adopts the boy as his intern. Miéville's commitment to ambiguity is in solidarity with his protagonist's own. His victim narrative matters above all as a navigation of the past, putting enough boards over the hole in his personal cave to avoid joining the pile of corpses his father has left behind.
That Miéville falls into the common authorial trap of (animal) killing for mere sake of human character development could be a detriment in other contexts but here deems the narrator worthy of his impressions. Trauma memories are filed differently from other memories in the brain, their access as much a question of kind as degree. Over time, these memories become an ongoing mechanism of survival. And so, expressive violence indicates the father's own traumas, remainders of the elusive war. Which is why, in an effort to feel connected to nature again, the narrator's memories of mother find her gardening and cooking, and those of his father in the delivery of animal fatalities, because the boy yearns for some connection to the landscape never otherwise encouraged.
The narrator's occasional switch between first and second person indicates a corporeal disconnect. In order to combat fear of embodiment, he turns trauma into a tool. Census-taking is an ideal vocation for such a one. It requires categorization by letters and numbers, each person fitting neatly into an indexical spectrum of judgment. It gives him the illusion of control — writing, after all, under guard in a modern city — over his mortality. Where his father has cultivated loss into an abscess of violence, the grown boy protects the emptiness within, an emptiness born of pacifism, at all costs. The novella's title — note This, not The — is therefore more than accusatory, even if it is a direct quote from an angered father losing his emotional battles, for one may further interpret the title as a self-referencing mechanism on the narrator's part, a way of seeing the ending in the beginning. Intrigue thus proliferates around the novella's inarticulate center, not unlike that persistent hole: the core truth he cannot ever grasp by purchase of remembrance. The reason we are not gifted with its secrets is because they are not ours to own.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fwww.badmenagerie.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F02%2FAnthoCover3_400.png%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bresize%3D200%252C300&hash=742aeb94263eed2e7040e6ec47a2e25e3a60158b)
Ovo se može skinuti besplatno do kraja marta.
http://www.badmenagerie.com/up-and-coming-stories-from-the-2016-campbell-eligible-writers/ (http://www.badmenagerie.com/up-and-coming-stories-from-the-2016-campbell-eligible-writers/)
QuoteWho are these bold rebels pillaging their European neighbors in the name of revolution? The Futurists! Utopian pirate warriors of the diminutive Regency of Carnaro, scourge of the Adriatic Sea. Mortal enemies of communists, capitalists, and even fascists (to whom they are not entirely unsympathetic).
Izgleda da se Sterling, dok je bio u Beogradu, dobrano uputio u Bakićev opus... :)
QuoteOvo se može skinuti besplatno do kraja marta.
Ajde seljaku meni prebaci u pdf i pošalji...
Zapravo sam skoro nekoliko puta naišla na taj motiv, tamo u gomili Haikasoru priča: eko-distopije sa vrlo aktivnom "industrijom" vremeplovne piraterije... veoma zanimljivo, japanci su totalno otkačeni kad puste mašti na volju. :)
Mislio sam na Futuriste...
pa i ja: ti pirati se zovu 'futuristi' i jadna raja iz prošlosti ratuje sa njima jer im ovi bukvalno kradu sve, od hrane do tehnologije. xcheers
ps. poslala sam ti antologiju u pdfu.
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/076/538/215/3/9780765382153.jpg)
Elem, dakle, Allan Steele i njegov roman Arkwright.
Kao prvo, roman je bulvalno omaž svemu žanrovskom: piscima, pogotovo Hajnlajnu i Asimovu i Klarku; temama, pogotovo interstelarnom putovanju i kolonizaciji; erama, pogotovo onoj zlatnodopskoj; stilovima, pogotovo spejsopera palpičnom; ali ponaviše je omaž svetonazoru, i to onom sf-kon entuzijastičnom, koji je označio ne samo svetonazor nego i cajtgajst.
Dakle, jednom rečju prelepo. Ko god se sa gorenavedenim razume, taj će se naprosto topiti od sreće pri čitanju, jer format jeste 'ondašnji' ali sasvim prijatno osavremenjen, to tematski i jezički jednako. Meni Steele nikad nije bio nešto preterano blizak, u njegov Coyote univerz nekako nisam mogla da se uživim pa nisam ni insistirala, ali Arkwright je stvarno prelepo kodiran tekst, i ko može ta kod da 'provali', da tako kažem, uživaće u njemu silno. DeNardo kaže da je roman zapravo "ljubavno pismo fandomu", i to je tako tačno da tu stvarno nema šta da se doda. :)
Priča startuje sa četvoro prijatelja koji se upoznaju na ranim konvencijama još iz Rodenberi ere, i, naravno, bacaju se u SF. Najuspešniji je Nathan Arkwright, čiji prvenac Galaxy Patrol postaje cenjen i popularan temelj franšize. Ali Nathan ima ideju kako da iskoristi silne pare od franšize, pa sa prijateljima osniva zadudžbinu čiaj je jedina svrha da napravi intergalaktički brod kojim bi se dosegao Gliese 667, i tako se pravi Galactique i upućuje na dalek put. Roman prati generacije Arkwrightovih naslednika na zemlji, koji upravljaju fondacijom, i prati samu Galactique, nakon što stigne na odredište i startuje koloniju.
Šta da kažem, pravi mali dragulj, zabavno i maštovito i nostalgično i prelepo palpično, prepuno omaža svemu i svačemu i svakome – ukratko, a must read naslov.
Coming Soon: RED ALERT: MARXIST APPROACHES TO SCIENCE FICTION CINEMA Edited by Ewa Mazierska and Alfredo Suppia
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0814340113.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=5e64a3918462d1b94709ec3c0c733358c8ef32e6)
Explores the intersections of science fiction cinema and Marxism.
In Red Alert: Marxist Approaches to Science Fiction Cinema, editors Ewa Mazierska and Alfredo Suppia argue that Marxist philosophy, science fiction, and film share important connections concerning imaginings of the future. Contributors look at themes across a wide variety of films, including many international co-productions to explore individualism versus collectivism, technological obstacles to travel through time and space, the accumulation of capital and colonization, struggles of oppressed groups, the dangers of false ideologies, and the extension of the concept of labor due to technological advances.
Red Alert considers a wide swath of contemporary international films, from the rarely studied to mainstream science fiction blockbusters like The Matrix. Contributors explore early Czechoslovak science fiction, the Polish-Estonian co-productions of director Marek Piestrak, and science fiction elements in 1970s American blaxploitation films. The collection includes analyses of recent films like Transfer (Damir Lukacevic), Avalon (Mamoru Oshii), Gamer (Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor), and District 9 and Elysium (Neill Blomkamp), along with more obscure films like Alex Rivera's materialist science fiction works and the Latin American zombie films of Pablo Parés, Hernán Sáez, and Alejandro Brugués. Contributors show that the ambivalence and inner contradictions highlighted by the films illustrate both the richness of Marx's legacy and the heterogeneity and complexity of the science fiction genre.
This collection challenges the perception that science fiction cinema is a Western or specifically American genre, showing that a broader, transnational approach is necessary to fully understand its scope. Scholars and students of film, science fiction, and Marxist culture will enjoy Red Alert.
Peter F. Hamilton Next Space Opera: A NIGHT WITHOUT STARS
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0345547225.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=ae178adc5b4d339146837427fc7ab0f641dab03b)
The follow-up novel to Peter F. Hamilton's The Abyss Beyond Dreams will be called A Night Without Stars. Here's the cover and synopsis:
Bestselling author Peter F. Hamilton returns to his acclaimed Commonwealth series in this thrilling follow-up to The Abyss Beyond Dreams. Featuring Hamilton's trademark blend of intricate plotting, riveting suspense, high-concept science, and vivid characters, A Night Without Stars brings the story to a fully satisfying finish.
After centuries trapped inside the Void, the planet Bienvenido—along with its inhabitants, both human and Faller—has been expelled into normal space. But the survivors are millions of light-years from the Commonwealth, which knows nothing of their existence. As the two races plunge into mortal conflict for sole possession of the planet, the humans seem destined to lose—despite the assistance of the mysterious Warrior Angel, who possesses forbidden Commonwealth technology.
With the Fallers' numbers growing, and their ability to mimic humans allowing them to infiltrate all levels of society, it's only a matter of time before they surge to victory. Then, on a routine space flight, Major Ry Evine inadvertently frees a captive vessel that crash-lands on Bienvenido carrying the last, best hope for human survival: a baby. But a far from ordinary one.
The child not only ages at a remarkable rate but demonstrates knowledge and abilities far beyond those of Bienvenido's humans. Hunted by Fallers and humans alike, she is a crucial link to humanity's lost past—and a glorious future already almost out of reach.
I dok čekamo Angry Robot da bar objavi naslovnicu septembarskog Nectrotecha, bar imamo sinopsis:
Street thug Riko has some serious issues—memories wiped, reputation tanked, girlfriend turned into a tech-fueled zombie. And the only people who can help are the mercenaries who think she screwed them over.
In an apathetic society devoid of ethics or regulation, where fusing tech and flesh can mean a killing edge or a killer conversion, a massive conspiracy is unfolding that will alter the course of the human condition forever. With corporate meatheads on her ass and a necro-tech blight between her and salvation, Riko is going to have to fight meaner, work smarter, and push harder than she's ever had to. And that's just to make it through the day.
a upoznajemo pomalo i autorku:
K.C. Alexander (NECROTECH) on Transhumanism in Science Fiction
Transhumanism is Now
by K.C. Alexander
At its core, transhumanism is the belief that the use of technology can overcome or surpass human limitation. It sounds good, doesn't it? To be able to transition from the weak, often flawed meatbag bodies we were born with to something stronger, faster, unbroken, unlimited, even simply different. To surpass the limits of evolution itself is a tempting lure that haunts many of our more long-reaching dreams.
The process, the science and the art of utilizing technology to blow through the limits of our human ability, is not a new one. Although earlier efforts might seem primitive to us, we have been augmenting ourselves and our capabilities for centuries. The arc of technological progress gets steeper even as it gets exponentially shorter; our society has witnessed incredible advances in shorter bursts of time.
In my lifetime, I witnessed the rise of cell phones—bricks to clams to miniature computers—and the comparatively sharper incline of the internet. I remember a time when you had to call a friend's landline and leave a message on an answering machine if they weren't home. I remember when snail mail was just called mail. When text was the content of a book, and speaking of books, I remember when you had to go to a book store to buy one.
I'm barely into my thirties. In less than half a lifetime, we have a reached a technological state where smartphones are integrated so smoothly into everyday life that entire industries have had to adapt or die. When adults who scorn the concept of a "cyberpunk" future check the news on their laptops, smart TVs, phones, tablets, just to see which too big to fail corporation is getting away with breaking what laws.
I live in a world where the excesses and criminal activity of our corporations and government are more widely covered and reported on, but are followed by a total lack of the legal follow-through we thought protected us. In this world, this reality's Beast and Smiler are stepping up to square off in a presidential race that seems to have been carved out of the very fiber of Hollywood script factories,
And if the comparison to Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan doesn't scare you, you are made of sterner stuff than I.
But it's not all bad, either. Because of these smartphones and the widespread adoption of the internet, we are more connected than we have ever been in any lifetime. Video calls connect family and loved ones, strangers sharing a common hobby, even school rooms across the world. We text at a moment's notice, enrich our minds with books we download in seconds, learn languages and make friends without ever having to leave the house.
And oh, did I mention the physical augmentation?
In this age we live in, prosthetics are being actively manufactured with direct ties to the brain. Utilizing signals sent when a person thinks about moving the missing limb, the prosthetic senses what nerves and muscles are reacting to the wavelength, and behaves accordingly. Fingers move. Wrists rotate. How awesome is that? Neurociences are mapping the mysteries of the mind and coming up with incredible medical marvels we could only speculate about thirty years ago. Nanos aren't too far away—every year, brilliant doctors, professors and engineers write papers on the subject of medical nano use.
At the rate we're going, can you imagine what comes after?
Nanos for preventative care. For general health. For everyday care. And then, probably not even a blink behind, for cosmetics. Prosthetics to replace missing limbs. Then to augment existing limbs. And then, because you know it's going to happen, to replace weaker limbs the user no longer wants. Why not?
Transhumanism, as a rule, says nothing about morals or ethics.
And that's why I write about it.
Years ago, I read the afore-mentioned Transmetropolitan, and to this day, I maintain that Warren Ellis had perhaps the clearest vision of the future we march inexorably to. As more and more of that world creeps into ours—the corporations labeled as "people", religious sects behaving in more outlandish and disruptive ways, mass shootings that lead to the government choosing money over safety, and pressing safety in exchange for the civil freedoms of its people—I watch that Transmet world loom ever closer.
We are destroying our world, and seem unable to stop our leaders from advancing its destruction. We turn furiously to our Twitter and Facebook and texts and Reddit and 4chan and light the flames of revolution, and succeed mostly in victimizing innocent people, setting our little corners of our media on fire, and then turning on the news to see it all ignored in favor of Hollywood glamor and farcical politics.
We have proven time and again that we will push what we learn to its farthest capability and then we will break something to push it farther. When we speak of transhumanism, it doesn't end with curing cancer, replacing a veteran's lost limb, or growing an ear. We speak of a world where what is flawed is no longer acceptable, where a new paradigm of social classism bears the scars of augmentation. We speak of advancement beyond human limitation—forgetting that so often, limitation is what reminds us that we are all human, all flawed, and all in this great rat race together.
As we overcome the limitations of our world, be it physical or social, we forget to be kind. To be good.
We forget to be human. Or is it that we will have transcended human?
I write about these questions. About a world that has fallen to easy gains and battered apathy. Where the concept of humanity has become a measure of how crowded a city is, not the ethos by which they live, and the technology pressed into service to do it. I write the future I see, in all its vicious, dynamic, ugly, vibrant, bloody glory.
When we as a species have no more limitations, what are we most likely to do? To ourselves? To each other? To anyone not "one of us"?
Adapt or die.
Necrotech is what happens when everyone disagrees on who should do which one.
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/147/679/785/4/9781476797854.jpg)
Los Angeles Times Book Prize nominee Ariel S. Winter explores the secret legacy of an enigmatic family in this thrillingly atmospheric novel with a compelling and unexpected twist.
Sapien is a relic of a bygone age, searching for meaning in a world where his outdated allegiances to a time long past have left him isolated and hopeless. Seeking peace and quiet, he retires to a beach house at Barren Cove, a stately Victorian manor even more antiquated than he.
He becomes increasingly fascinated with the family whose lives are entwined with the home—angry and rebellious Clark; flamboyant Kent; fragile, beautiful Mary; and most of all, Beachstone, the mysterious man whose history may hold all the answers Sapien has been searching for. As Sapien unlocks their secret loves and betrayals, the dangerous past of Barren Cove will indelibly change him...and who he is fated to become.
A brilliantly imaginative and poignant tale in the tradition of Kazuo Ishiguro and Neil Gaiman, Barren Cove is a luminous and surprising exploration of legacy, loss, and humanity itself.
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/161/695/670/7/9781616956707.jpg)
What if you could live multiple lives simultaneously, have constant, perfect companionship, and never die? That's the promise of Join, a revolutionary technology that allows small groups of minds to unite, forming a single consciousness that experiences the world through multiple bodies. But as two best friends discover, the light of that miracle may be blinding the world to its horrors.
Chance and Leap are jolted out of their professional routines by a terrifying stranger—a remorseless killer who freely manipulates the networks that regulate life in the post-Join world. Their quest for answers—and survival—brings them from the networks and spire communities they've known to the scarred heart of an environmentally ravaged North American continent and an underground community of the "ferals" left behind by the rush of technology.
In the storytelling tradition of classic speculative fiction from writers like David Mitchell and Michael Chabon, Join offers a pulse-pounding story that poses the largest possible questions: How long can human life be sustained on our planet in the face of environmental catastrophe? What does it mean to be human, and what happens when humanity takes the next step in its evolution? If the individual mind becomes obsolete, what have we lost and gained, and what is still worth fighting for?
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/110/188/669/4/9781101886694.jpg)
A page-turning debut in the tradition of Michael Crichton, World War Z, and The Martian, Sleeping Giants is a thriller fueled by an earthshaking mystery—and a fight to control a gargantuan power.
A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.
Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.
But some can never stop searching for answers.
Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of relic. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history's most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?
(https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/086/547/913/5/9780865479135.jpg)
"Brilliant. Nothing but." ―Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
At the bitter end of the 1960s, after surviving multiple assassination attempts, President John F. Kennedy has created a vast federal agency, the Psych Corps, dedicated to maintaining the nation's mental hygiene by any means necessary. Soldiers returning from Vietnam have their battlefield traumas "enfolded"--wiped from their memories through drugs and therapy--while veterans too damaged to be enfolded roam at will in Michigan, evading the Psych Corps and reenacting atrocities on civilians.
This destabilized, alternate version of American history is the vision of the twenty-two-year-old veteran Eugene Allen, who has returned from Vietnam to write the book at the center of Hystopia, the long-awaited first novel by David Means. The critic James Wood has written that Means's language "offers an exquisitely precise and sensuous register of an often crazy American reality." In Hystopia, Means brings his full talent to bear on the crazy reality of trauma, both national and personal. Outlandish and tender, funny and violent, timely and historical, Hystopia invites us to consider whether our traumas can ever be truly overcome. The answers it offers are wildly inventive, deeply rooted in its characters, and wrung from the author's own heart.
(https://d3myrwj42s63no.cloudfront.net/180/978/110/198/876/3/9781101988763.jpg)
A fast-paced and gripping near-future science fiction debut about the gritty world of competitive gaming...
Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV.
She's died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...
The RAGE tournaments—the Virtual Gaming League's elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a no-holds-barred fight to the digital death. Every bloody kill is broadcast to millions. Every player is a modern gladiator—leading a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses.
And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.
Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world—until one of her teammates overdoses. Now, she must confront the truth about the tournament. Because it is much more than a game—and even in the real world, not everything is as it seems.
The VGL hides dark secrets. And the only way to change the rules is to fight from the inside...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pspublishing.co.uk%2Fekmps%2Fshops%2Fappleworld%2Fimages%2Fwaking-in-winter-hardcover-by-deborah-biancotti-3825-p%255Bekm%255D298x385%255Bekm%255D.jpg&hash=d26bd104eeac2952a76cb9990a30551e2457c412)
ABOUT THE BOOK
On a far, frozen desert world, Muir the pilot discovers an ancient artefact in the ice. She sees a mermaid at first, but later comes to wonder if it is Ningyo, a fish god from her homeland in Japan. A god that brings misfortune and storm. A god that—by all means possible—should be returned to the sea. The rest of Base Station Un see something else. Bayoumi the lab rat sees Sekhmet the lioness goddess, daughter of the sun god. Partholon the creep finds in its shape a 'good, old-fashioned cruxifix'. But all of them want to possess it. All of them want it for themselves.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0062201832.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=9ddce2b866a6ac0dfa04d79dd97c7c676dea3e53)
Benji's lived his whole life in the same sleepy midwestern town—the same town his father grew up in, and his grandfather. But he wants nothing more than to put his past in the rearview mirror as soon as he graduates high school. Benji yearns for a Moment—the Moment that will redeem and transform his ordinary life. The Moment that will propel him into a new, star-bright future.
Then one night, the Moment happens: Benji and his tight group of friends—CR, Ellie, and Zeeko—accidentally shoot down a flying saucer in the local quarry. At Benji's urging, they decide to keep it a secret and solve its mysteries on their own. But as they face threats both earthly and alien, and old tensions among the friends surface, Benji begins to question whether this Moment is the miracle he's always dreamed of—or a curse that could destroy them all.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1632862158.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=7d0332892979ec56bf6dd04839070d8c1c7630bf)
On a searing summer Friday, Eddie Chapman has been stuck for hours in a traffic jam. There are accidents along the highway, but ambulances and police are conspicuously absent. When he decides to abandon his car and run home, he sees that the trees along the edge of a stream have been burnt, and the water in the streambed is gone. Something is very wrong.
When he arrives home, the power is out and there is no running water. The pipes everywhere, it seems, have gone dry. Eddie and his wife, Laura, find themselves thrust together with their neighbors while a sense of unease thickens in the stifling night air.
Thirst takes place in the immediate aftermath of a mysterious disaster--the Chapmans and their neighbors suffer the effects of the heat, their thirst, and the terrifying realization that no one is coming to help. As violence rips through the community, Eddie and Laura are forced to recall secrets from their past and question their present humanity. In crisp and convincing prose, Ben Warner compels readers to do the same. What might you do to survive?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1587674335.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=9234f2f1b355ea1a694b41186fd94caddfdf15ec)
Twenty-five years ago, Noah Berkley's childhood was stolen from him.
Twenty-five years ago, he lost the first and only love of his life.
Twenty-five years ago, someone died at his hand.
Only now after all these years and spurred by the death of his father does Noah Berkley believe he can face the memories he buried in the winter of 1984.
But sometimes memories aren't the only things we recover when we reopen the wounds of the past...
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB01C89PKDC.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=8295874aa5b5c551f3d89c9eedee25508c63da88)
DARKNESS PAST MEETS DARKNESS PRESENT
Claire, a private and outwardly content librarian, carries a secret: she is wracked with guilt over her twin brother Sam's accidental death fifteen years earlier. Claire's quiet life is threatened when Justin, an aggressive business developer, announces the renovation of Farmington's oldest textile factory, which is the scene of Sam's death, along with many other mysterious accidents throughout its long history. Claire not only feels a personal connection to the factory, but she also begins to receive "visitations" from her brother, which cause her to question her sanity. As Justin moves forward with his plans to renew the factory, Claire—and the town as a whole—discover that in Farmington, there is no clear line between the past and the present.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1770412298.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=af7fdea74fe65f3407f37f363d8e64dfcbbeed68)
A nuanced story about artificial intelligence and digital immortality, Freenet plunges readers into the far future, when humans have closed distances in time and space through wormhole tunnels between interplanetary colonies. Consciousness has been digitized and cybersouls uploaded to a near-omniscient data matrix in a world where information is currency and the truth belongs to whoever has the greatest bandwidth.
When Simara Ying crash-lands on the desert planet Bali, she finds herself trapped in a cave-dwelling culture with no social network for support. Her rescuer, Zen Valda, is yanked into a new universe of complications he can scarcely grasp and into an infinite network of data he never knew existed. When brash V-net anchorman Roni Hendrik starts investigating how Simara became the subject of an interplanetary manhunt, he finds a dangerous emergence in the network that threatens all human life.
Freenet is an exciting new novel about the power of information, as well as the strength of love, in a post-digital age.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1770531041.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=5bc00bbaf1af45c3b17cac46270ac6ad0552a39a)
The history of humanity is about to change forever... On 5 December 1945, five TBM Avenger bombers embarked on a training mission off the coast of Florida and mysteriously vanish without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle. A PBY search and rescue plane with thirteen crewmen aboard sets out to find the Avengers ... and never returns. In 2168, a mysterious five-sided pyramid is discovered on the ocean floor of Jupiter's icy moon, Europa. Commander Mac O'Bryant and her team of astronauts are among the first to enter the pyramid's central chamber. They find the body of a missing World War II pilot, whose hands clutch a journal detailing what happened to him after he and his crew were abducted by aliens and taken to a place with no recognizable stars. As the pyramid walls begin to collapse around Mac and her team, their names mysteriously appear within its pages and they find themselves lost on an alien world. Stranded with no way home, Mac decides to retrace the pilot's steps. She never expects to find the man alive. And if the man has yet to die, what does that mean for her and the rest of her crew?
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1405277351.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=0c6d002492515fe7e71afcba3c06d0691b54281d)
One for sorrow, two for death...On Wrath, a dump-world for human outcasts, identical twins are feared. Only one will grow up human, while the other becomes a condemned monster with 'twisted' blood. When sixteen-year-old Kyle is betrayed, he flees for his life with the help of Sky, a rebel pilot with trust issues. As the hunt intensifies, Kyle soon realises that he is no ordinary runaway - although he has no idea why he warrants this level of pursuit. The hideous truth they discover could change the fate of Wrath and its harsh laws forever. Their reluctant, conflicted partnership will either save them - or bring about their destruction.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0062418084.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=75f6f4b652c01f8c74d37077339863e313d3b6b7)
From the Pulitzer Prize winning Michael Chabon comes this bestselling novel for readers of all ages that blends fantasy and folklore with that most American coming-of-age ritual: baseball—now in a new edition, with an original introduction by the author.
Ethan Feld is having a terrible summer: his father has moved them to Clam Island, Washington, where Ethan has quickly established himself as the least gifted baseball player the island has ever seen. Ethan's luck begins to change, however, when a mysterious baseball scout named Ringfinger Brown and a seven-hundred-and-sixty-five-year-old werefox enter his life, dragging Ethan into another world called the Summerlands. But this beautiful, winter-less place is facing destruction at the hands of the villainous Coyote, and it has been prophesized that only Ethan can save it.
In this cherished modern classic, the New York Times bestselling, Pulitzer Prize winning author brings his masterful storytelling, dexterous plotting, and singularly envisioned characters to a coming-of-age novel for readers of all ages.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0062389548.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=300aa19004352cd32c630f052105c5be841863ed)
Reminiscent of the edgy, offbeat humor of Chris Moore and Matt Ruff, the first entry in a whimsical, fast-paced supernatural series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Sandman Slim novels—a dark and humorous story involving a doomsday gizmo, a horde of baddies determined to possess its power, and a clever thief who must steal it back . . . again and again.
22000 B.C. A beautiful, ambitious angel stands on a mountaintop, surveying the world and its little inhabitants below. He smiles because soon, the last of humanity who survived the great flood will meet its end, too. And he should know. He's going to play a big part in it. Our angel usually doesn't get to do field work, and if he does well, he's certain he'll get a big promotion.
And now it's time . . . .
The angel reaches into his pocket for the instrument of humanity's doom. Must be in the other pocket. Then he frantically begins to pat himself down. Dejected, he realizes he has lost the object. Looking over the Earth at all that could have been, the majestic angel utters a single word.
"Crap."
2015. A thief named Coop—a specialist in purloining magic objects—steals and delivers a small box to the mysterious client who engaged his services. Coop doesn't know that his latest job could be the end of him—and the rest of the world. Suddenly he finds himself in the company of The Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome enforcement agency that polices the odd and strange. The box isn't just a supernatural heirloom with quaint powers, they tell him.
It's a doomsday device. They think . . .
And suddenly, everyone is out to get it.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1781384541.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=95c038c6e1a8a09eb23011714a6a7cb8647f7ff2)
Terraforming: Ecopolitical Transformations and Environmentalism in Science Fiction (Liverpool Science Fiction Texts & Studies) by Chris Pak (Liverpool University Press)
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB01B1E9P7M.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=3ebc0e1c7b5e1098ffc15728f25bab53dedf759b)
"I read Bridges with much pleasure... Chilling and fascinating." – Ursula K. Le Guin
In a modern day South Africa where Apartheid still holds sway, Sibusiso Mchunu, a young amaZulu man, finds himself the unwitting focus of momentous events when he falls foul of the system and comes into possession of a secret that may just offer hope to his entire people. Pursued by the ANC on one side and Special Branch agents on the other, Sibusiso has little choice but to run.
Azanian Bridges is a truly ground-breaking book from South African-born author Nick Wood. This, his debut novel, is a socially acute fast-paced thriller that propels the reader into a world of intrigue and threat, leading to possibilities that examine the conscience of a nation.
"A very good novel indeed; the emotional intelligence is as high as its political insightfulness – the whole is compelling and moving." – Adam Roberts
"A deeply-felt examination of Apartheid and its lingering effects through the lens of speculative fiction... challenging and thought-provoking." – Lavie Tidhar
"This is a gut-puncher of a novel; original, brilliantly written, and a page-turner of note." – Sarah Lotz
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1597808563.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=56d438727c68148dba12f1d884960c67a025365e)
Dominic Lancaster hoped to prove himself to his family by excelling in the Navy during World War II. Instead he is wounded while serving as a gunner and loses his leg. Still recovering from his wounds and the trauma of his amputation when the Blitz begins, Dominic finds himself shuffled off to the countryside by his family, along with his partially deaf sister, Octavia. The crumbling family estate on the shores of Ullswater is an old, much-neglected place that doesn't seem to promise much in the way of happiness or recovery.
Something more than a friendship begins to flourish between Dominic and his nurse, Rose, in the late autumn of that English countryside, as he struggles to come to terms with his new life as an amputee. Another thing that seems to be flourishing is Octavia's hearing.
As winter descends, sinister forces seem to be materializing around Octavia, who is hearing voices of children. After seeing things that no one else can see and hearing things that no one else can hear, Octavia is afflicted with a sickness that cannot be explained. With Rose's help, Dominic sets out to find the truth behind the voices that have haunted his sister. In doing so, he uncovers an even older, darker evil that threatens not only Octavia, but Rose and himself.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F031639081X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=ff6f4dc2a69e77de7b15020450a71c0fe93761e6)
Sharp Ends is the ultimate collection of award winning tales and exclusive new short stories from the master of grimdark fantasy, Joe Abercrombie. Violence explodes, treachery abounds, and the words are as deadly as the weapons in this rogue's gallery of side-shows, back-stories, and sharp endings from the world of the First Law.
The Union army may be full of bastards, but there's only one who thinks he can save the day single-handed when the Gurkish come calling: the incomparable Colonel Sand dan Glokta.
Curnden Craw and his dozen are out to recover a mysterious item from beyond the Crinna. Only one small problem: no one seems to know what the item is.
Shevedieh, the self-styled best thief in Styria, lurches from disaster to catastrophe alongside her best friend and greatest enemy, Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp.
And after years of bloodshed, the idealistic chieftain Bethod is desperate to bring peace to the North. There's only one obstacle left - his own lunatic champion, the most feared man in the North: the Bloody-Nine . . .
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1596067888.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=0a2827f3884dfe7b22e4c68dcf47f34e0f9cc6f1)
Cameron Tan wouldn't have even been in Greece if he hadn't gotten a 'D' in Art History.
Instead of spending the summer after college completing his training as a Prophus operative, he's doing a study abroad program in Greece, enjoying a normal life—spending time with friends and getting teased about his crush on a classmate.
Then the emergency notification comes in: a Prophus agent with vital information needs immediate extraction, and Cameron is the only agent on the ground, responsible for getting the other agent and data out of the country. The Prophus are relying on him to uncomplicate things.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0765378809.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a782cf5c55b936f8b10ca40e348a9e146191bf0f)
The English language debut of the bestselling Dutch novel, Hex, from Thomas Olde Heuvelt--a Hugo and World Fantasy award nominated talent to watch
Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay 'til death. Whoever settles, never leaves.
Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Muzzled, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children's bed for nights on end. Everybody knows that her eyes may never be opened or the consequences will be too terrible to bear.
The elders of Black Spring have virtually quarantined the town by using high-tech surveillance to prevent their curse from spreading. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break their strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into dark, medieval practices of the distant past.
This chilling novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in mainstream horror and dark fantasy.
The winners of the 2015 James Tiptree, Jr. Award, presented annually to works of science fiction or fantasy that explore and expand gender roles, were announced
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F0763676357.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL400_.jpg%3Fzoom%3D2%26amp%3Bw%3D620&hash=a86f6577b8a73419db792efc9ad123367eee967a)
In a futuristic society run by an all-powerful Gov, a bender teen on the cusp of adulthood has choices to make that will change her life—and maybe the world.
Fifteen-year-old bender Kivali has had a rough time in a gender-rigid culture. Abandoned as a baby and raised by Sheila, an ardent nonconformist, Kivali has always been surrounded by uncertainty. Where did she come from? Is it true what Sheila says, that she was deposited on Earth by the mysterious saurians? What are you? people ask, and Kivali isn't sure. Boy/girl? Human/lizard? Both/neither? Now she's in CropCamp, with all of its schedules and regs, and the first real friends she's ever had. Strange occurrences and complicated relationships raise questions Kivali has never before had to consider. But she has a gift—the power to enter a trancelike state to harness the "knowings" inside her. She has Lizard Radio. Will it be enough to save her? A coming-of-age story rich in friendships and the shattering emotions of first love, this deeply felt novel will resonate with teens just emerging as adults in a sometimes hostile world.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51LHnpzJDzL.jpg&hash=c1fe651a52f024c226d1f66a73533466cfa60e68)
Roberto Constantini is back with The Memory of Evil, final part of his extraordinary trilogy that shocks and delights in equal measure, and it's he has never been better. The first two instalments were some of the finest Italian literature of recent times. Constantini's brutal realism is completely opposite to Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano novel lighthearted novels but but both stem from a same place. This is partly helped by Constantini being born in Tripoli and being fearless to ruffle up some feathers. This is a no mean feat in Italy where even recently touching anything Church related is still enough to incur the wrath of censors.
Tying up a tale that stretches over five decades we encounter investigative journalist Linda Nardi in Tripoli in the aftermath of her failed relationship with Commissario Michele Balistreri. The story opens up with a horrific massacre in Zawiya where Colonel Gadaffi's mercenaries heartlessly massacre a helpless villagers accused of being rebels. Linda, completely detached from events ends up being on a trail of an international money laundering operation that involves some of the Vatican's most powerful men. The final piece of the puzzle is revealed when she goes back to Nairobi and disguising herself into femme fatales manages to seduce Signor Gabriele Cascio and get the contents of his safe. However, the weight of what she has found only strikes Linda once Melanija and Tanja, a mother and daughter who asked for her help, are found dead under pretenses that Melanija killed Tanja. This is a horrifying developments. In parallel Michele Balistreri finally gets out of his stupor and is tackling the very same case.
The Memory of Evil ties up the knot of the overarching story nicely but never pretends that Italy's are anywhere near to being solved. It's an imposingly complex situation but Constantini brings his best weapon – a pen. This is once again a terrifyingly good read from Constantini that succeeds where it's most important – in making you think about issues raised within the book. Having said that, Constantini shares a lot with another contemporary of his, Henning Mankell. Both used crime fiction as a way to bring the point home and both have been equally successful.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1616205210.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=4d04cbbc4c25e7d5e2d2157831162e8f7b915c1a)
In this stunning debut, legends collide with reality when a boy is swept into the magical, dangerous world of a girl filled with poison.
Everyone knows the legends about the cursed girl--Isabel, the one the senoras whisper about. They say she has green skin and grass for hair, and she feeds on the poisonous plants that fill her family's Caribbean island garden. Some say she can grant wishes; some say her touch can kill.
Seventeen-year-old Lucas lives on the mainland most of the year but spends summers with his hotel-developer father in Puerto Rico. He's grown up hearing stories about the cursed girl, and he wants to believe in Isabel and her magic. When letters from Isabel begin mysteriously appearing in his room the same day his new girlfriend disappears, Lucas turns to Isabel for answers--and finds himself lured into her strange and enchanted world. But time is running out for the girl filled with poison, and the more entangled Lucas becomes with Isabel, the less certain he is of escaping with his own life.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison beautifully blends magical realism with a page-turning mystery and a dark, starcrossed romance--all delivered in lush, urgent prose.
"A breathtaking story in which myths come to frightening life and buried wishes might actually come true. This is a hypnotic debut by a remarkable talent." —Nova Ren Suma, author of The Walls Around Us and Imaginary Girls
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2F1634059085.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SL300_.jpg%3Fw%3D620&hash=21f854ef8de5547b4c1343d0124081826a6dc6e7)
This dark comedy explores the lost universes of disgraced idol Dylan Greenyears. Dylan had always wanted to live as many lives as he could--that was the appeal of being an actor. But at the end of a brief, bright stint as a Hollywood heartthrob, Dylan loses the lead in Titanic and exiles himself and his wife to a recently settled exoplanet called New Taiwan.
At first, life beyond Earth seems uncannily un-wondrous. Dylan teaches at an American prep school, raises a family with his high school sweetheart, and lives out his restlessness through literature. But then a box of old fan mail (and the hint of a galaxy-wide conspiracy) offers Dylan a chance to recapture the past. As he tries to balance this transdimensional midlife crisis against family life, Dylan encounters a cast of extraordinary characters: a supercomputer with aspirations of godhood, a Mormon-fundamentalist superfan, an old-school psychoanalyst, a sampling of his alternate selves, and, once again, the love of his lives.
King of the Worlds throws cosmology, technology, nineties pop culture, and religion into an existential blender for a mix that is by turns tragic and absurd, elegiac and filled with wonder.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51eJyHTbSkL._SX329_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg&hash=a92a383fdc504fecdbfb8a4dbe743e996450fc9b)
Prolifična Joyce Carol Oates ima 77 godina i sa najnovijim romanom THE MAN WITHOUT A SHADOW je nezaustavljiva i moćnija no ikad.
Kao i sve prozne veličine, Oates funkcioniše pod maksimom da je 'life stranger than fiction', a to lako može da ubije u pojam svakog ko se nada da su izmaštane premise po pravilu impresivnije. Što opet dalje znači da njenu prozu treba administrirati sa oprezom sa kojim bi i arsenik, jer tolike količine nelagodne i uznemiravajuće svakodnevice mogu da smožde čitaoca taman koliko su i protagoniste.
THE MAN WITHOUT A SHADOW se bazira na neuropsihološkom istraživanju jednog amnezijaka sa kratkoročnom memorijom u spanu od svega nekoliko desetaka sekundi. Oates je bazu za zaplet uzela iz istraživačkog rada Suzanne Corkin i još nekolicine neuropsiholoških studija o kratkoročnoj memoriji, otud i nudi fenomen kroz prizmu striktno objektivnog, naučnog istraživanja.
Elihu Hoopes je u 37moj oboleo od encefalitisa prouzrokovanog visokom temperaturom, i od tada njegova kratkoročna memorija ne prelazi span od 70tak sekundi. Svakog minuta iznova, Elihu se se zatiče u nepoznatoj oklini, okružen nepoznatim ljudima, bez saznanja kako se tu zatekao. Margot Sharpe ima 24 godine i obećavajuću naučnu budućnost u području neuropsihijatrije, pod mentorom koji je svetski priznat u domenu: Elihu je njihov najdragoceniji izvor saznanja, ekstremno redak subjekt proučavanja na kom se grade karijere i stiču Nobelove nagrade. Svakih 70 sekundi, Elihu ne prepoznaje čoveka sa kojim razgovara niti se seća testa kojim je upravo testiran: njegova urođena dobrostivost i karakterna blagost suočava se sa nesmiljenim okolnostima u kontroliranim uslovima testiranja, sve sa ciljem da se merljivo prepozna koliko nas to upravo naša memorija oblikuje. I mada se Elihu savršeno dobro seća svog života pre bolesti, neka od traumatičnijih zbivanja iz tog perioda prisiljavaju ga da istu što više zaboravi: naravno, baš kao što je nesposoban da sačuva nova sećanja, isto je tako nesposoban da pobegne od starih.
Oates nudi više od tri decenije te neobične veze, nesumnjivo jedne od najimpresivnijih i najšokantnijih u savremenoj književnosti. Taj precizan i nesmiljen portret ljudi zarobljenih u kavezu sopstvenog uma, u razočarenju i frustraciji duhovne izolacije, je ponajviše zastrašujući upravo zbog prepoznatljivosti samog mehanizma, njegove običnosti i svakodnevnosti. Oates insistira na naučnom (dakle, pedantnom, objektivnom, gotovo dnevničkom) beleženju samog procesa koji je samo naizgled statičan, dok je zapravo stravično detaljna analiza zurenja u ambis.
Posle Oates, preporučljivo je uzeti nešto zabavno, lepršavo, elokventno i sadržajno benigno :) recimo nešto od meni do sad nepoznatog fentezi autora imenom Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Njegova kratka skaska The Ink Readers of Doi Saket svakako ukazuje na mladi talenat vredan pobližeg upoznavanja.
Pre par dana u carstvujušćem gradu Vienni kupih Auroru KSR-a, pa, pre čitanja, potražih po ZS-u tvoj review i ne nađoh ga. Je l' sam načisto oćoravio, il' ga stvarno nema...
moguće da i nema, dosta toga me mrzelo da kopipejstujem na obe strane a i zatrpa se lako ovde na forumu, ali na Perinovom blogu je praktičnije da se sve to pronađe... :)
http://www.klub-knjige.blogspot.hr/p/prikazi-knjiga.html (http://www.klub-knjige.blogspot.hr/p/prikazi-knjiga.html)
Sram te bilo. A na mene ne misliš... Ovo mi je prozor u svet, a tebe mrzi da kopipejstuješ... xtwak
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8177/8034511945_d35c8af587_b.jpg)
:cry: :cry: :(
nego, kad smo kod madam Oates: računala sam kako sam sad totalno u stanju da se uhvatimo u koštac, pročitala sam i Carthage, sve u roku od 52 sata. Pa sam sad još više ubeđena da madam Oates treba dozirati onako kako ona samu sebe dozira - ne više od knjige godišnje.
Čitam Auroru i nerviram se... 120 stranica, nakog velike borbe na početku...
Osećanja podeljena - pre svega, zar KSR zaista misli da ne mogu da zapamtim karakterteristike planete, pa mora pola stranice da potroši da ponovi ono što je već napisao. Iste informacije!!! Istim rečima!!! Čitavi pasusi!!!
Pa, i ako ga plaćaju po rečima, mnogo je...
Ili...
Možda je cena koju mora da plati da bi ga čitali spuštanje nivoa teksta do razumljivosti i poluobrazovanim čitaocima.
Otuda i narativna strategija gde brod uči da piše, pa kobajagi objašnjava i najrazumljivije aluzije (Sibir - hladnoća - logori).
Da li su baš svima razumljive, ili da probamo da ugrabimo još kojeg čitaoca? I ponovimo mu ono što smo već rekli
pre pedesetak stranica, šta smeta... možda je zaboravio...
Jebem li ga, više mi se sviđao kad je pisao Short Sharp Shock... (verovatno zbog mojih novotalasnih korenova).
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :-D
da, da, to je to, bez kompromisa, bez bestselerske formulaičnosti...
na kraju će ti se isplati u zaokruženju.
(a možda i neće, taj pikarski deo nekog može i da odbije, priznajem... :lol: )
Hauever, taj deo o AI buđenju nije višak: sračunato implicira da je proza - tekst, prozna revaluacija informacije - zapravo baza intelekta.
AI je u tom pisanju hronike prisiljen da usvoji stranu (tuđu) tačku gledišta: da pretpostavi šta je to čitaocu bitno, i da onda samo to zabeleži. Naravno, AI ima svoj koncept "bitnosti informacije" i on je radikalno drugačiji, iak oje činjenično, faktografski bitniji: ali Devi insistira da je to nebitno, da se info mora klasifikovati, što za Ai ujedno znači i vrednovati: mora da proceni šta je bitno a šta ne, a za kompjuter to podrazumeva uvoženje novih parametara. Na neki način, to je paralela sa pisanjem - da pisac žrtvuje ono što želi da kaže, u korist onoga što će čitalac rađe hteti da pročita.
zapravo me strašno zabavio upravo taj deo. :)
Ali, ženo božija, on mi dvaput objašnjava da mesec planete F sadrži toliko i toliko procenata kiseonika, da mu je pritisak na površini toliki i toliki. Isti pasusi! Zašto?
zašto? :)
pa, sad kad to pominješ, moram da priznam kako ja toga uopšte nisam svesna, u mojoj rekapitulaciji knjige. Što dalje znači da mi to nije zapalo za oko onomad pri čitanju - meni je prirodno da se određena informacija ponavlja ne nužno iz didaktičkih razloga, nego iz dramskih također, ukoliko to situacija ili dijalog zahtevaju ili slično...
to generalno govoreći, naravno, ne samo u ovom konkretno slučaju.
Ali fakt da si ti toga svestan pri čitanju, a ja uopšte nisam bila, također govori dosta o dimenzijama samog doživljaja.
Ma, ne. Nema nikakvog opravdanja u tekstu za tako nešto. Naprosto, kao da je pisac svestan da piše za publiku koja ne može da zapamti šta joj je rečeno pre pedeset stranica. Citiraću ti kada dođem kući šta je u pitanju. Ekstremno me nerviraju takve stvari.
Ja još pamtim kakvo sam zadovoljstvo imao kao mlad čovek kod čitanja Dišovog "Logora koncentracije". E, ovo je suprotno od toga.
Uzgred, nekako paralelno sa čitanjem Aurore dopao mi je pod ruku novi roman Iana McEwana - meni tematski prilično nezanimljiva priča o mladiću koji boluje od leukemije, ali ne želi iz verskih razloga da dopusti transfuziju krvi. Sve je prilično izveštačeno i nategnuto i nije to neki spektakularan roman, ali, jebi ga, i takav McEwanov roman sam lakše i tečnije pročitao nego Auroru.
Jebi ga, mator sam, nije sve u zanimljivosti tematike. Ima nešto i u umjetničkom dojmu. Fale mi Milkini opisi šljokica na dresu...
ah, Diš... što više starim to ga više cenim - kad god me nešto razočara, "lečim" se njegovim romanima... trenutno su mi na tapetu Genocidi, poglavlje ili dva, kad god treba da sperem gorki okus proznog razočarenja... :)
ok, ali da se ipak razumemo: to što ti sad hoćeš, toga malo ima u Aurori. Ne zato što KSR to ne ume, nego jednostavno, ovaj roman se fokusira na malko drugačiji pristup, zato, rađe uzmi njegov Galileo's Dream, tu on nudi baš to što ti sad treba.
Ili još bolje, ako hoćeš to, onda čitaj Eganov Incandescence ili Distress ili Teranesia... bilo šta od ta tri.
Ukratko, čitaj knjigu prema svom raspoloženju, a ne obratno... :lol:
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 05-05-2016, 13:09:39
Čitam Auroru i nerviram se... 120 stranica, nakog velike borbe na početku...
Osećanja podeljena - pre svega, zar KSR zaista misli da ne mogu da zapamtim karakterteristike planete, pa mora pola stranice da potroši da ponovi ono što je već napisao. Iste informacije!!! Istim rečima!!! Čitavi pasusi!!!
Pa, i ako ga plaćaju po rečima, mnogo je...
Mene je slično osećanje odbilo kod njegove trilogije o Marsu, u toj meri da sam odustao u sredini druge knjige. Knjiga koju mnogi navode kao njegovo kapitalno delo i uvode je u all-time top liste je interesantna dok se čita Crveni Mars, dok u Zelenom Marsu počinje da vrti iste motive i likove, preradjujući ih taman onoliko koliko je dovoljno da nemamo osećaj da čitamo opet prvu knjigu. Ali tu je sve, isti ljudi, isti sukobi, isti pokretači radnje, sve začinjeno hard science faktima dovoljno puta ponovljenim da se osetimo kao da smo doktorirali fiziku i biologiju zajedno, sve se vrti u krug. Pukao sam na sred druge knjige, i od tad zaobilazim KSR u širokom luku, jer vidim da svaka njegova naredna knjiga pokazuje sve veću ciglarsku tendenciju, tj u pitanju su sve deblje cigle, što me je odbilo i kod Dena Simonsa a kamoli neće kod trećerazrednih pisaca tipa Alister Rejnolds ili Ričard Morgan (KSR je negde u sredini; na žalost, vrlo ga cenim kao hard SF pisca ali ne mogu da oprostim razvlačenje). Vidim da Aurora ima bednih (po njegovim merilima) 460 strana, nije valjda da je u pitanju stand alone roman? Prosto mi nemoguće da se on zadvolji ovakvim romančićem, jel planirani nastavci?
Quote from: Berserker on 05-05-2016, 18:02:27
Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 05-05-2016, 13:09:39
Čitam Auroru i nerviram se... 120 stranica, nakog velike borbe na početku...
Osećanja podeljena - pre svega, zar KSR zaista misli da ne mogu da zapamtim karakterteristike planete, pa mora pola stranice da potroši da ponovi ono što je već napisao. Iste informacije!!! Istim rečima!!! Čitavi pasusi!!!
Pa, i ako ga plaćaju po rečima, mnogo je...
Mene je slično osećanje odbilo kod njegove trilogije o Marsu, u toj meri da sam odustao u sredini druge knjige. Knjiga koju mnogi navode kao njegovo kapitalno delo i uvode je u all-time top liste je interesantna dok se čita Crveni Mars, dok u Zelenom Marsu počinje da vrti iste motive i likove, preradjujući ih taman onoliko koliko je dovoljno da nemamo osećaj da čitamo opet prvu knjigu. Ali tu je sve, isti ljudi, isti sukobi, isti pokretači radnje, sve začinjeno hard science faktima dovoljno puta ponovljenim da se osetimo kao da smo doktorirali fiziku i biologiju zajedno, sve se vrti u krug. Pukao sam na sred druge knjige, i od tad zaobilazim KSR u širokom luku, jer vidim da svaka njegova naredna knjiga pokazuje sve veću ciglarsku tendenciju, tj u pitanju su sve deblje cigle, što me je odbilo i kod Dena Simonsa a kamoli neće kod trećerazrednih pisaca tipa Alister Rejnolds ili Ričard Morgan (KSR je negde u sredini; na žalost, vrlo ga cenim kao hard SF pisca ali ne mogu da oprostim razvlačenje). Vidim da Aurora ima bednih (po njegovim merilima) 460 strana, nije valjda da je u pitanju stand alone roman? Prosto mi nemoguće da se on zadvolji ovakvim romančićem, jel planirani nastavci?
+1 имао сам идентичан доживљај, на страну то што ми његов стил писања, у најмању руку, не прија (да не кажем неку тежу реч)
Elem, dakle, Mars. :)
Kao prvo, da priznam kako ni ja nisam dovršila treći deo, ali to svakako ne zbog bilo kakve konkretne primedbe na KSRov bilo stil, bilo izvedbu: naprosto, meni se daleko više dopalo upravo ono što je samom KSRu bilo sekundarno, dakle, samo teraformiranje. Što ne znači da mi je taj primarni aspekt društvenog inžinjeringa bio odbojan, nego prosto rečeno, to prihvatanje kod mene uvelike ovisi o raznim sporednim pojedinostima, počev od simpatetičnih protagonista pa nadalje, a one su me nekako slabo motivisale na dalje čitanje, tako da sam Plavi Mars ostavila za neka bolja vremena, koja do današnjeg dana nisu došla.
Ali ipak, ne mogu da osporim kako je sama trilogija veoma poštena analiza fenomena kojim se žanr danas sve manje bavi, pa sam i sama odavno već došla do zaključka da ću Mars, baš takav kakav je, od blata da pravim. :cry: Ta vrst kontempliranja utopije odavno nije dovoljno ekonomski popularna da bi se ozbiljni pisci njome ozbiljno pozabavili, otud i dobijamo uglavnom generičke kvazi-distopije pisaca koji su tako temeljito deca demokratije da gotovo i ne vide svrhu u bilo kakvoj analizi ozbiljnih sistemskih promena.
Videćemo šta će Mekdonald da uradi sa Lunom, to je svakako odlična prilika za upravo takvu analizu, a i konstruisana je na gotovo istoj premisi: šansa za istinski društveni inžinjering leži upravo u konkretnom odlasku sa Zemlje, u tim maltene laboratorijskim uslovima radikalnog razlaza sa tradicijom, u uslovima novog početka for better or worse. Ali do tada, moram da priznam kako Mars ostaje neprikosnoven upravo zbog svog poštenja i temeljitosti, ako već ne i dovoljnih količina pitke palpičnosti...
Vi ste, ljudi, jako tolerantni. Ja mislim da nisam uspeo da dovrsim ni prvu knjigu, ako se dobro secam.
Ja sam pročitala prvu, i odustala negde na pola druge.
Pa zar i ti, sine Endži... :cry: :cry: :lol:
Priznajem... :cry: :lol:
ту нема ничег тужног, марс је досадан до зла бога, херојски чин је почети другу књигу после онакве прве :)
Ima li ovde uopšte nekog ko je pročitao celokupnu trilogiju od Marsu KSR? Ispade kao za klasičnu lektiru, svi pričaju da je treba čitati, a potajno je svi izbegavaju...
Nego, da se vratim skoro pročitnaim knjigama.
(https://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51s0A9MIbTL.jpg&hash=fc3e860e79989f2adee8d27d42585a8e4291e07c)
uh.
Prvenac Anne Charnock, A Calculated Life, se našao u užem izboru za Philip K. Dick Award i oh kako je to bio fenomenalan prvenac! Anne svakako nije početnik nego samo late starter kad je o prozi reč i taj roman je bio istinski fascinantan, i po izboru teme i po njenoj obradi.
The Sleeping Embers of an Ordinary Mind je također prelepo napisan, sa odličnom premisom i vrlo suptilnom strukturom trolinijskog narativa, ali, ali, Anne ovog puta nije imala uredničke sreće i sve je to ostalo neiskorišteno i nezavršeno... kakva šteta.
Roman prati život triju žena (da, da, Anne ostaje pri svojoj fascinaciji) - Toni iz naše sadašnjice, Toniah iz 22og veka, i Antonie Uccelo, kćerke poznatog italijanskog slikara iz 15 veka, sa sve delikatnim filigranom njihovog specifičnog življenja. I to jeste veoma impresivno i veoma delikatno sročeno ali onda dođemo do kraja knjige i – ništa! Niti ima ikakve konkretne veze između tih triju žena (mada nas sličnost u imenima i izvesne sličnosti svetonazora na to stalno upućuju), niti zaokruživanja paralele između njihovih specifičnih sudbina. Ukratko, prelepo napisano, ali potpuno nesvrhovito kao celina.
Ali sećanje na njen odličan prvenac i nada da ćei sa trećom knjigom ostati u žanru i uspeti u naumu me navelo da joj dam 4 na goodreadsu... (a ionako je za sve to kriv urednik, stvarno ne znam otkud to da 47North ovako omane... :()
Imaju još dve mogućnosti:
a) ništa nisi razumela, s obzirom na to da si odrasla u vreme Neuromancera (kako ono beše: cajtgajst)... :)
b) čeka se nastavak... :(
pa, teško da je ovo drugo, jer Anne piše žanr ali definitivno nije žanrovac. :mrgreen: a falinka je očigledno urednička, roman je naprosto nezavršen, u smislu da je konstrukcija ostavlja prostora za adekvatnu završnicu, ali je Anne kasnije malko zalutala u sopstvenoj kreaciji, jer tu govori o dvema temama koje je strastveno zanimaju: istorija umetnosti i identitet i sloboda žene. Paolo je znao da mu je ćerka talentovana za slikanje pa joj je dao bogat miraz i otpravio je u manastir: jedini način da joj obezbedi slobodu da upražnjava svoj talenat. Ništa od njenih radova nije preživelo, ali Anne je već na početku knjige ubacila mogućnost da jedan portret možda jeste, i sa tim detaljom povezala Toniah, koja je kao istoričar umetnosti trebalo da potvrdi to otkriće. A toniah je inače treća generacija partenogeneze, što opet sa druge strane ojačava koncept ženske slobode... ali negde usput Anne je zalutala i od svega toga nije ispalo ništa, iako je to moglo da se obavi i u epilogu. zato i kažem da je u pitanju urednička greška, to naprosto nije završeno...
a što se prvog tiče, hm... znaš koja je najsadržajnija maksima kiberpanka? The premature arrival of the future. 8)
stigla mi aurora a i free time je tu. dočitao neko osim libe?
Ja sam vec dva meseca negde na trecini i bojim se da cu ostati tu...
Ja sam odustao na nekih 20%...