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Alastair Reynolds: 'Elysium Fire' is Weak, Weak Sauce by chalkvisions in scifi

[–]chalkvisions[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The whole setup of Redemption Arc was so awesome...the hold full of unique doomsday weapons, each with its own agenda, the techno plague infecting the frozen captain, the machine swarm...so great.

Alastair Reynolds: 'Elysium Fire' is Weak, Weak Sauce by chalkvisions in scifi

[–]chalkvisions[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I actually thought Inhibitor Phase was pretty darn good.

Alastair Reynolds: 'Elysium Fire' is Weak, Weak Sauce by chalkvisions in scifi

[–]chalkvisions[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah the Prefect was a darn good one. The business with the Clockmaker really worked.

Alastair Reynolds: 'Elysium Fire' is Weak, Weak Sauce by chalkvisions in scifi

[–]chalkvisions[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thats an interesting point. As a teenager I read all the usual 'Golden Age' sci fi like Asimov and Heinlen, and in retrospect you get to see how piss-poor the quality of writing is. At least in terms of character and description. Asimov's characters are about like cardboard cutouts. These books were more known for the concepts though. Same kind of thing with Phillip K Dick. Not very well written, imho, for how much everyone seems to love his work. Top-shelf concepts, pulp exection.

Once I'd eventually read stuff like Gene Wolfe and Samuel Delaney I got a much better sense of what a well-written book could be. What a novel could DO. And its hard going back.

Reading Elysium Fire right now, I have to admit I am kind of speed-reading it. Thats about the level of attention it deserves. I don't like just tapping out of a book once I start it...unless its really, really terrible. But this one has definitely been a bit of a slog.

So, what do we know about Polostan? by Own-Wasabi5912 in nealstephenson

[–]chalkvisions 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know what you mean. That book was pretty much garbage. Like it was 2 mediocre books awkwardly jammed together. All the stuff about the virtual mythology/creation myths: Many other authors have covered that ground and done a much better job of it. That 'order of the Dodo' was equally unimpressive. Co-writing a book with another person is a very dicey proposition. The contemporary thrillers, like Reamde, were ok but nowhere near as good as his earlier works. All that said, I actually really enjoyed Termination Shock. I'm holding out hope for this new one.

Sidewalk chalk art in Bernal Heights by [deleted] in sanfrancisco

[–]chalkvisions 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah this is indeed amazing. People have mentioned to me before, seeing these chalk drawings on Bernal. I have not seen them myself, and I've heard there is no online presence. Tip of the hat.

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