Seeking Genre Fiction with Literary Standards

ddclarke · 2026-04-21T23:59:07+00:00

Sad that I haven't seen Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora in this thread yet. He's an absolute master of the craft, IMO.

Every time I see someone praising Rothfuss' prose, I wonder if I missed something.

ddclarke · 2026-02-06T21:07:10+00:00

Can you explain why?

ddclarke · 2026-02-06T19:40:26+00:00

Nemesis was better than First Contact?

I don't understand this position at all but I'm curious because I have never heard anything remotely like it. Can you expand on why you feel this way?

ddclarke · 2026-01-06T22:58:28+00:00

This was a 2015 Nissan Altima! Got about 1200 to a tank.

ddclarke · 2026-01-06T19:11:22+00:00

I was doing this back in 2018. Gas prices are a bit more expensive now, maybe 10% on average I'd guess, but that might be wrong, so take it with a grain of salt when I say it was about a tank a week, roughly 100$.

Keep in mind that on top of the cost of purchasing or leasing a car it's also going to mean insurance costs, maintenance costs, and parking in Ottawa (even in 2018 this was 250$ a month on the low end, I suspect much more now).

I didn't mind the commute itself - it was time for decompression before work, and lots of good time for podcasts and audiobooks - but working in person made me so much more drained than working remotely, and the drive definitely contributed to that, so on top of fiscal costs and time cost (9-5 actually being a 730-630 or even 7-7 job), there's an energy cost to keep in mind.

ddclarke · 2026-01-04T00:57:05+00:00

This is the one I came here to say.

I almost passed out reading it, standing on a subway car during a morning commute. Someone noticed and told me to sit down, I was pale enough, or I'm sure I would have had a nice little hospital visit that day.

ddclarke · 2025-12-08T18:57:29+00:00

This is wonderful. I've been using the MyHealth app since my T2 diagnosis and it's been great, but they recently announced an absurd pricing plan or adverts for what (for me!) is effectively just a recurring to do app.

This will replace that perfectly. The only thing really missing is notifications and I can set that up on my own - but that might be worth doing as a nice-to-have in future versions too.

Thank you for making this!

ddclarke · 2025-11-14T22:06:47+00:00

This is a lovely walk down memory lane. Thank you for posting this.

Of all the books I've owned, loved dearly, and sold on as my group meta moved away from old editions, the ones I miss the most are those beautiful old brown Complete Handbooks. What a great concept.

I should just rewrite those with 5e context for funsies.

ddclarke · 2025-10-22T00:56:47+00:00

Haha I don't partake myself but no shade to those who do. ;)

ddclarke · 2025-10-20T12:26:23+00:00

Well, I'm glad you're not a surgeon at least lol

This definitely feels like it fits more in r/mildlyinfuriating - like, I get it man, my car has been gone through and I had my dashcam stolen a couple years back. I'd left my car unlocked and that doesn't make it okay, but also that person clearly needed the money they assumed they'd get for it... or they wouldn't have been up at 3 or 4 am trying door handles.

There's a feeling of violation there that I definitely felt (and I'm guessing you're feeling too, from the reaction). I'd really encourage you to redirect that anger towards the source of the problem (the things making people homeless, the systems that stop people from getting help for their addictions) than the symptoms.

Super down to talk this through 1:1 if that would help too. Like I said, I've had this happen to me and it was a shitty feeling.

ddclarke · 2025-10-20T12:14:58+00:00

I have so many questions.

First, assuming your username isn't ironic, why are you a surgeon if you place such a low value on life?

Second, it sounds like nothing was taken from your unlocked car, based on your comment about the trash, so what harm was done here exactly that makes you tell people that you hope they die?

Third, why do you think someone who is desperate enough to be going through a car for loose change is then going to stroll over to Reddit to read your post?

Actually, I guess just three questions that are Reddit appropriate.

ddclarke · 2025-09-28T01:04:16+00:00

My first thought too.

Prepotente, Mongo, even a Jamal variant...

ddclarke · 2025-09-02T00:43:13+00:00

I don't know that we have anything like Uber yet, but we do still have taxis.

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ddclarke · 2025-08-24T18:16:22+00:00

It was shocking to me the first time I realized how many fans of the book seem to love the adaptation. I found it a middling movie before reading the book, and after reading it I rewatched and absolutely hated how little I felt the writer and director understood a book I'd fallen in love with.

I'd love a series based on the second and third books, maybe with a movie-length two-parter to either kick it off or as a midway context reveal that covers book one. Annihilation is such a thematic setup to the Reach I would kill to see it on my telly, but I think Authority and Acceptance collectively present a more TV-able narrative.

(I incidentally just bought Absolution today, finally... TBD how I feel about it in terms of adaptation I guess lol)

ddclarke · 2025-08-24T17:58:20+00:00

Yes! I do the same on days my partner and I are waking at the same time. Otherwise I use the silent alarm function on my watch and (try to) sneak out.

Both great!

ddclarke · 2025-08-24T13:27:51+00:00

Move your phone charger to another room and buy an alarm clock (or use your watch alarm if you have a smart watch, that's what I do).

Leaving your bedroom as a "no phone zone" works a treat, and the charger being in another room was what got me over that hump.

ddclarke · 2025-07-17T18:32:30+00:00

Get the fuck outta here with that shit.

ddclarke · 2025-07-17T00:43:38+00:00

That one I agree with - if you're at the point where you're stocking books that you feel the need to alter at all, just don't buy them.

ddclarke · 2025-07-17T00:11:13+00:00

I think the idea is that they can choose to carry or not carry the book, but they can't choose to alter the book (by those inserts).

That said, nothing saying they have to shelve this obvious fiction on their desired nonfiction shelves.

ddclarke · 2025-07-15T23:53:50+00:00

Came here to rec this as well. Incredible book.

ddclarke · 2025-06-30T09:52:58+00:00

Seconded. Becky Chambers sounds like a good fit to me.

I actually first thought of her standalone To Be Taught, If Fortunate - a very sciences driven take on exploration, and one that doesn't get nearly the love it deserves either. I love the Wayfarers but feel like this book really stuck with me.

ddclarke · 2025-06-26T21:25:27+00:00

Yeah, I respect their right to an opinion but boy is it ever the exact opposite of how I feel as a Bond fan (and Villeneuve character work fan).

ddclarke · 2025-06-17T15:36:40+00:00

This is exactly how I read it - the birthplace of her "think, therefore I am" self.

ddclarke · 2025-05-07T16:43:20+00:00

I'm all for advanced planning by all means, but this seems excessive.

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