I have peeked at the endings of "Quake Zone" and "Camouflage", and
that makes two auditions in a row.

Wednesday 8 November 2023

When *will* I learn to date quickly-jotted notes to be developed
later?

I've renewed the book twice, and I'm still not halfway through.

"Guardian Angel", Mike Resnick

A fine example of noir. Most of my recent trips to medical facilities
have precluded reading in the waiting room, so it's been a while since
I read it, but most of the plot and characters came back to me when I
glanced at a couple of pages.

"In the Quake Zone", David Gerrold

Part of the denoument is a discussion of the difficulty
pre-Singularity people would have in understanding a post-Singularity
world. It's the other way around: a lot of pre-Singularity people
regard a lot of the features of the Post world as bugs, but they get
along fine. People born after the Singularity can't grasp life before
at all.

On a re-enactor's mailing list, there was a prolonged discussion of
the "bedgown"; not indecent, but not worn into town. After reading a
few dozen posts, the dime dropped: the bedgown was equivalent to blue
jeans!

And in the same instant, I realized that I'd never be able to explain
the status of blue jeans to people born after they became a fashion
statement.

"The City of Cries", Catherine Asaro
I'm saving this one for last because comparing the novella to the
novel was my main reason for checking the book out.

"Camouflage", Robert Reed

Primary appeal is the gradual revelation of how the world works. I do
hope that we find out what the captain did before the story ends. I
suspect that we need a *lot* of background before we can understand
why it was so awful.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:20:56 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

>
> "Camouflage", Robert Reed
>
> Primary appeal is the gradual revelation of how the world works. I do
> hope that we find out what the captain did before the story ends. I
> suspect that we need a *lot* of background before we can understand
> why it was so awful.

We didn't.

I'm not seeking out more stories in this world.

During the climactic next-to-the-last scene, I had no idea who was
doing what or why. Of course, I did have drops in my eyes, and was
expecting to get interrupted at any moment.

In retrospect, it's amusing that the doctor asked whether I could see
the computer screen before showing me the results of the tests. The
dentist never does that.

Good news and bad news: I'm not going to go blind, but I have three
appointments to get a needle stuck into my eye. I'm assured that it
is a very fine needle, and will go in through the sclera.

"The Big Downtown", Jack McDavitt, starts out very PI, except that the
distraught client is male.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

Joy Beeson wrote:

>On Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:20:56 -0500, Joy Beeson
><jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Camouflage", Robert Reed
>>
>> Primary appeal is the gradual revelation of how the world works.
>>I do hope that we find out what the captain did before the story
>>ends. I suspect that we need a lot of background before we can
>>understand why it was so awful.
>
>
>We didn't.
>
>I'm not seeking out more stories in this world.

I generally enjoyed the "Great Ship" stories. I've read pretty much all
of them at one time or another.

Brian

On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 21:58:16 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

> "The Big Downtown", Jack McDavitt, starts out very PI, except that the
> distraught client is male.

Yup, very PI right to the end. Pretty good; the SF elements weren't
pivotal to the plot, save in the sense that cell phones are pivotal to
contemporary PI plots.

That is, the story wasn't *about* the changes tech made in society,
they were just there, as utter dependence on automobiles is just there
in here-and-now stories.

Next up: "Identity Theft".

No details, because as soon as I finished "The Big Downtown", I put
the book into a plastic bag and went on with re-organizing my go bag.
With any luck, I'll next use the bag on Wednesday of next week, for a
routine check-up. Weather Underground says that there's a good chance
I'll move the stuff into a bag I can carry on my bike.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On Thu, 07 Dec 2023 20:56:31 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

> With any luck, I'll next use the bag on Wednesday of next week,

Used it this morning about seven.

Getting old . . . beats the alternative.

I've gotten to the part of Identity Theft where the body is
discovered.

Also ate one of the food bars.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net

On Fri, 08 Dec 2023 21:38:01 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

>
> I've gotten to the part of Identity Theft where the body is
> discovered.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday, 13 December 2023) I arrived for my
semi-annual check-up and finished the story. (Also got half a page
into City of Cries while waiting for my turn to get blood drawn.)

Intelligent deduction, a couple of twists, a satisfactory ending --
facilitated by a detective who can think on his feet.

A world with a rather nasty feature: The story revolves around a
company that, for a fee, will copy your mind into a custom-designed
robot and then murder you. The society thinks that "transferring" is
perfectly normal, and the only downside is that it's expensive.

Friday, 15 December 2023

Some detail of the plot bugged me after I shut down the computer last
night, but I can't remember what it is, so it must not be too glaring.

Dark Spaceways is on its final renewal; I'd better *make* time to read
"City of Cries".

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:02:39 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

> Dark Spaceways is on its final renewal; I'd better *make* time to read
> "City of Cries".

12:05 AM 2/18/2024

A few days ago I checked out _Dark Spaceways_, _Undercity_, and
_Pebble in the Skyk_, and have been reading "City of Cries" in
snippets and looking at _Undercity_ after each one.

So far, the biggest difference between the two editions is that the
chapter breaks are in different places.

No clue as to whether the book is an expansion of the story or the
story was an excerpt from a work in progress.

This would be a good time to read some more, but I don't want to turn
on a white light and wake myself up.

I got _Pebble_ because it was a paperback in library binding, and the
library has been weeding those of late. Turned out to be perfect for
stashing in my go bag, but I don't expect to have time to read it on
my next excursion on Monday. A premeditated trip! (I know how to
find the ladies room in three different ER suites.)

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On 30/11/2023 02:58, Joy Beeson wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:20:56 -0500, Joy Beeson
> <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Camouflage", Robert Reed
>>
>> Primary appeal is the gradual revelation of how the world works. I do
>> hope that we find out what the captain did before the story ends. I
>> suspect that we need a *lot* of background before we can understand
>> why it was so awful.
>
>
> We didn't.
>
> I'm not seeking out more stories in this world.
>
> During the climactic next-to-the-last scene, I had no idea who was
> doing what or why. Of course, I did have drops in my eyes, and was
> expecting to get interrupted at any moment.
>
> In retrospect, it's amusing that the doctor asked whether I could see
> the computer screen before showing me the results of the tests. The
> dentist never does that.
>
> Good news and bad news: I'm not going to go blind, but I have three
> appointments to get a needle stuck into my eye. I'm assured that it
> is a very fine needle, and will go in through the sclera.
>
>
> "The Big Downtown", Jack McDavitt, starts out very PI, except that the
> distraught client is male.

Surely that happens sometimes.

I could reach and include Agatha Christie's
_Murder on the Orient Express_, where
a character tries to hire Hercule Poirot
to investigate a stalker.

On Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:18:05 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

[snip]

> 12:05 AM 2/18/2024
>
> A few days ago I checked out _Dark Spaceways_, _Undercity_, and
> _Pebble in the Skyk_, and have been reading "City of Cries" in
> snippets and looking at _Undercity_ after each one.
>
[sbip]

> I got _Pebble_ because it was a paperback in library binding, and the
> library has been weeding those of late. Turned out to be perfect for
> stashing in my go bag, but I don't expect to have time to read it on
> my next excursion on Monday. A premeditated trip! (I know how to
> find the ladies room in three different ER suites.)

Eye appointment today, and I got several pages in despite being
dilated. I didn't remember that there were so *many* inbelieveable
co-incidences in the book. But it's a plot point that the Ancients
didn't believe them, and came up with even-more improbable
explanations.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/
http://wlweather.net/PAGESEW/

On 2/28/24 1:31 AM, Joy Beeson wrote:
> On Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:18:05 -0500, Joy Beeson
> <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>> 12:05 AM 2/18/2024
>>
>> A few days ago I checked out _Dark Spaceways_, _Undercity_, and
>> _Pebble in the Skyk_, and have been reading "City of Cries" in
>> snippets and looking at _Undercity_ after each one.
>>
> [sbip]
>
>> I got _Pebble_ because it was a paperback in library binding, and the
>> library has been weeding those of late. Turned out to be perfect for
>> stashing in my go bag, but I don't expect to have time to read it on
>> my next excursion on Monday. A premeditated trip! (I know how to
>> find the ladies room in three different ER suites.)
>
> Eye appointment today, and I got several pages in despite being
> dilated. I didn't remember that there were so *many* inbelieveable
> co-incidences in the book. But it's a plot point that the Ancients
> didn't believe them, and came up with even-more improbable
> explanations.
>

Thanks for this - I've been thinking about sprinkling in an Asimov
re-read here and there, and your thoughts make me wonder if I should
stay away from this one.

Tony

On Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:18:05 -0500, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:

> I got _Pebble_ because it was a paperback in library binding, and the
> library has been weeding those of late. Turned out to be perfect for
> stashing in my go bag, but I don't expect to have time to read it on
> my next excursion on Monday.

From Beeson Banner, Sunday, 4 February 2024

</p><p> I took _Pebble in the Sky_ just to keep it
from being weeded, but it's the right size to put into my go bag, and
the passages I looked at don't seem familiar &mdash; I was probably a
teenager when I read it the first time.&nbsp; Indeed, I thought it
was _The Currents of Space_, and was a bit baffled when the opening
paragraphs about the tailor didn't fit into that plot.&nbsp; I do
remember how the next few pages will go:&nbsp; the rag doll sliced in
half, and the sliver off the heel of his shoe are pretty memorable. We
shall see whether what I remember is in the book!

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

Tuesday, 5 February 2024

Had a long wait yesterday, and finished the book in bed that night.

I didn't remember anything after the farmers took him to Chico, except
for a remark about lead shorts that came near the middle.

It was a romannce? Pure-quill love-at-first-sight romance. Turn your
WSOD on max. (Accept the axioms and enjoy seeing what they imply.)

There's a heavy dose of another fantasy, which makes the co-incidences
more acceptable even though there was no postulated cause for them. It
helps even more that all the co-incidences were at the beginning,
setting up the situation, and none were used to resolve it.

There *was* a Checkov's gun.

I'd love to see a fanfic in which someone tells Lt. Claudy that he has
saved Earth from destruction.

I never quite grasped why Dr. Shekt was willing to risk so much to try
his machine on a random stranger. He did have data from the
sanctioned treatments.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/
http://wlweather.net/PAGESEW/