Two freebies at Baen

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by khalleron

I only go to Baen for Bujold.

Try 1632 from the free library. Sequels optional.
Also Boundary, if you like hard SF.
For space opera, EMPIRE FROM THE ASHES - early Weber, less wordy, more things blowing up. Unabashedly pulpy. The bad guys are so bad they can't stand themselves.

For all the bashing John Ringo gets, VORPAL BLADE is simply 50's style adventure SF.
(The voyages of a submarine turned starship.)
The sequels run in the same vein, the precursor being more of a tongue in cheek romp.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by TheLongshot

I remember reading "Into The Looking Glass" and was amused by his Mary Sueish athletic conservative scientist ubermench main character.)

You follow up to the (much better) sequels?

His female counterpart is hysterical. The super-macho navy warriors blanche when they hear her say: "I'm bored!"
She's smarter, weirder, and hyperkinetic.
And always right.
Drives the old-school navy captain bonkers.
I like her kitty cat.
And the ship's encounter with the dreaded Anime Zone.

One of the advantages of webscriptions is you get exposed to a lot of writers you wouldn't pay attention to otherwise. Based on his reputation I never would've expected Ringo to even know what anime is much less understand its tropes and conventions.

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I guess I don't understand the concern. I am a leftwinger by political philosophy and certainly think the far-rightwingers here in the U.S. are missing a nut or two, but I don't understand the concern when it comes to novels.

I guess I read novels at a superficial level, merely for their entertainment value. I don't delve into the political tripe that some authors espouse in their books, largely because I only want to read a decently written story that entertains.

I've read posts here at MR that complain about David Weber's Honor Harrington series being rightwing and hawkish, but I've never noticed his political leanings. The stories have been entertaining and decently written, so I buy them and read them. I don't analyze them -- they are fiction, they are entertainment, they are nothing more to me. I read them once, then I dispose of them.

I guess what I don't understand is why do some fiction readers more intensely read a novel in an attempt to discern a writer's political philosophy? Why not read it just for the entertainment value, a more surface reading?

[EDIT: I should say I have not read any books or stories written by Kratman. I have downloaded the 2 free ebooks and added them to my TBR pile.]

i just finished On Basilisk Station (the 1st Honor Harrington) a few days ago. unless things change further into the series, both conservatives and liberals were portrayed with equal disdain.

i'm currently reading Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia, another Baen series. i havent sensed any political bias though the author himself is openly libertarian.

i like Baen a lot. theyre certainly making the right moves especially in the ebook business.

personally i fail to see whats so wrong with a publisher having a generally conservative bent. the media at large bends so far left that its tipping over so of course i guess it would be shocking to see things break outside of that mind-set.

though i will say that john ringo is an asshat lol. his "Ghost" series is nothing more than BDSM porn in a tom clancy wrapper. kind of shocking to those expecting more poseleen war novels lol.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

kind of shocking to those expecting more poseleen war novels lol.

Uh, more Posleen? Why?
Even Ringo says there's only so many ways to kill alien hordes.

I got three novels deep and moved on.
Unlike the Honorverse novels that can be read back to back to back, the Posleen novels tend to blur together for me.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i just finished On Basilisk Station (the 1st Honor Harrington) a few days ago. unless things change further into the series, both conservatives and liberals were portrayed with equal disdain.

It doesn't change.

Trying to map manticoran politics to contemporary definitions is a futile exercise.
First, there are four parties in the mix.
Second, the politicians and their parties' positions exist to serve the plot.
(The series *is* space opera, not shakespeare.)
For example, the Conservative association is generally presented as vile isolationist reactionaries, say republicans as portrayed by a Harvard Liberal; the liberals are naive condescending bleeding hearts, say Patrick Buchanan's idea of democrats. Both are equally corrupt, amoral, and power hungry. Both are led by old money aristocrats. Both are eventually found to be involved in the genetic slave trade and both team up to prolong a war in order to avoid calling an election keep their coalition government in power. The third party is the middle of the road merchantilist, nouveau riche, New Men. Their bloc is so middle of the road they will happily work with any party, as long as the price is right.
The good guys are royalists who support the queen and her power bloc, the commoners. They are smart, honest, civic-minded, and far-sighted. They are fiscally conservative but socially liberal.
In other words, totally unlike any political party on earth.

I did say the series is space opera, no?

When it comes to politics and SF it is easy to read entirely too much into the stories.
Most of the time it is best to just go with the flow to see where it takes you. The best will take you some place new.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by khalleron

I only go to Baen for Bujold.

I've picked up a bunch of freebies and bundles from time to time, but I honestly haven't found ONE book or author there I enjoyed.

Baen's picked up Lee and Miller's Liaden books which have a lot of the same kind of appeal that Bujold does IMO. You should check out the sample chapters of some--Crystal Soldier, Local Custom, or Agent of Change are good entry points to the series.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Baen's picked up Lee and Miller's Liaden books which have a lot of the same kind of appeal that Bujold does IMO. You should check out the sample chapters of some--Crystal Soldier, Local Custom, or Agent of Change are good entry points to the series.

I hate to admit it (remember me? I don't read romance novels...) I'm glad I got pointed at the Liaden books. They're a fun read and well worth looking at also.

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by khalleron

I only go to Baen for Bujold.

I tried to read Cordelia's Honor and after 2 kindle sized pages I closed the file and went off on an epic rant at the person who recommended it to me. Purple prose much?

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

They are smart, honest, civic-minded, and far-sighted. They are fiscally conservative but socially liberal.
In other words, totally unlike any political party on earth.

http://www.lp.org/platform

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by Iphinome

I tried to read Cordelia's Honor and after 2 kindle sized pages I closed the file and went off on an epic rant at the person who recommended it to me. Purple prose much?

Shards of Honor, the 1st book in the CH omnibus, is the most romance-y of the lot, and quite frankly, one of the weaker books as it was written much earlier than the really good stuff and specifically as a get-together story to establish the relationship. Barrayar, the 2nd part written years later and kind of the back half of the story, is considerably stronger (in fact I read it long before SoH since the library had an old copy as an individual title).

If you're willing to give Bujold another chance, I suggest trying The Borders of Infinity (available on the Cryoburn cd hosted on the Fifth Imperium) and/or The Mountains of Mourning (directly in the Baen Free Library) standalone novellas, which I consider to be far better representative encapsulations of the "Admiral Naismith" and "Lord Vorkosigan" aspects of the books, respectively, not to mention being some of the very best storytelling in the series.

Also, count me in as another person who loves Baen's approach to e-books, but wishes they had some more variety in their modern catalogue selection. I really like the idea of Webscriptions, but generally, at least half the books in a given month flat-out don't appeal to me so I stick to buying the discounted author bundles and such.

But at least it looks like they're slowly starting to digitize more of their old comedic and urban/epic fantasy backlists to go along with the tonnes of current MilSF.

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

If you're willing to give Bujold another chance, I suggest trying The Borders of Infinity (available on the Cryoburn cd hosted on the Fifth Imperium) and/or The Mountains of Mourning (directly in the Baen Free Library) standalone novellas, which I consider to be far better representative encapsulations of the "Admiral Naismith" and "Lord Vorkosigan" aspects of the books, respectively, not to mention being some of the very best storytelling in the series.

Okay I'll take your advise and look into it in a few weeks, my reading list is set in stone right now due to a pre-order's release date coming up.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

http://www.lp.org/platform

I'm a philosophical libertarian myself but the "libertarian party" itself isn't much of a *political* party; most electoral cycles it is run by a bunch of academics and reactionary old coots obsessed with the gold standard. Witness their inability to get anybody elected dog catcher, much less to congress.

For all the media-induced polarization in the country, the US is pretty much a center-right, broadly libertarian nation. Most folks just don't realize it.

If we had a party anything like the Manticore Crown loyalists it would win 45 of the 50 states hands down. But right now what we have is two populist parties catering to single-issue fanatics on both ends.

Why d'ya think sf and fantasy are so popular on TV and in the movies these days?
Tough times are good times for escapist fiction.
And fiction is the only place to find competent *and* principled politicians.

Wrapping around to the OP, one of the warnings in CALIPHATE pertains precisely to how unscrupulous politicians playing off mob emotion can wreck an entire civilization or three.

[fjtorres]

+1 to MOUNTAINS OF MOURNING.

A lot of people miscategorize the early Vorkosigan books as military SF and Barrayar as a glorification of militaristic culture. Both are merely superficial reads.

From the very beginning Bujold was playing a very diferent game and what she hints at in the other books is laid bare in MOUNTAINS. You can't really appreciate Miles or Barrayar without reading it.

Another key illumination of Bujold's milieau is CETAGANDA, free in the CRYOBURN promo from the FIFTH IMPERIUM. Also highly recommended. But then, so is the entire series.

That CRYOBURN CD is easily one of the best freebies BAEN has released.

[WT Sharpe]

Just a friendly reminder that political opinions outside of the Politics and Religion Forum is taboo. If you wish to discuss the political ramifications of these books, please open a thread there.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by Iphinome

Okay I'll take your advise and look into it in a few weeks, my reading list is set in stone right now due to a pre-order's release date coming up.

I generally start people off with 'The Warrior's Apprentice', but my personal favorite is 'Mirror Dance'.

Aside, if you think 'Shards of Honor' was purple, your normal reading must be positively astringent.