Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 1843

RobertLCollins · 10-27-2018, 10:07 AM

Last night I finished A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. Such a lovely read! Not much action or drama, but some excellent characterization. It also filled out the universe Chambers created in Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I'm hoping to start on the next novel in this universe, Record of a Spaceborn Few, in the next few days.

pdurrant · 10-28-2018, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

Ooh... I missed that! I checked my OED but obviously didn't look far enough. A "sleeping bag" sense could cover the context in the book. That would make the mistake mine (I assumed she meant in the modern sense, being unaware of the old sense). I should have known better than to doubt Miss Amelia Peabody!

Thanks for the correction.

I looked up the context.

"The watchers were not to interfere with him until they saw him actually in his disguise. They would then apprehend him; one would hold him captive while the other ran to give us the news. In a body bag we would haul the miscreant back to the village and expose his trickery."

Yes, it certainly seems that sleeping bag is the intended meaning. An archaeological expedition is much more likely to have a sleeping bag than a (modern meaning) body bag.

MickeyC · 10-28-2018, 07:12 PM

Just finished Holy Ghost by John Sandford and it was a typically great Sandford read.

Now reading Brief Answers to Big Questions by Steven Hawking which he was still working on on when he passed away recently. So far, very interesting and insightful.

pdurrant · 10-29-2018, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Analog SFF, Nov/Dec 2018. (Also: More about Paddington)

More about Paddington was fun. The updating of money was a little less successful this time. Perhaps it would have been better to have left well alone. Explaining the money seems a small thing compared to explaining to today's children about no central heating, and the complete unimportance of Halloween.

The Analog is looking good so far.

stuartjmz · 10-29-2018, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

and the complete unimportance of Halloween.

Growing up in the 70s, and as late as the early 90s, before coca-colanisation imposed this odium on us, Halloween was completely unimportant here

astrangerhere · 10-29-2018, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertLCollins

Last night I finished A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. Such a lovely read! Not much action or drama, but some excellent characterization. It also filled out the universe Chambers created in Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I'm hoping to start on the next novel in this universe, Record of a Spaceborn Few, in the next few days.

I found Closed and Common Orbit to be MUCH better than Angry Planet. Angry Planet wasn't bad, but the cast was too large and the world building left a bit to be desired. I think she really hit her stride in Closed and Common though!

DiapDealer · 10-29-2018, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I found Closed and Common Orbit to be MUCH better than Angry Planet. Angry Planet wasn't bad, but the cast was too large and the world building left a bit to be desired. I think she really hit her stride in Closed and Common though!

Same here.
But I will admit to be being slightly let down by Record of a Spaceborn Few. It's got some great moments, and she's got a ton of talent, but the other two books had a better balance to them (character/culture study vs action), I think.

PurpleStar · 10-29-2018, 01:51 PM

Just started The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor for a creepy Halloween read. At least it’s supposed to be creepy. We shall see.

Dngrsone · 10-29-2018, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Same here.
But I will admit to be being slightly let down by Record of a Spaceborn Few. It's got some great moments, and she's got a ton of talent, but the other two books had a better balance to them (character/culture study vs action), I think.

I tend to agree.

Just finished Shaken by J. A. Konrath, the seventh "Jack" Daniels book.

I am now reading Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie

issybird · 10-29-2018, 06:11 PM

I'm reading Kate Atkinson's latest, Transcription. It's early, but it's already got the funniest seduction scene I've ever read.

A couple of issues: a reference to a restaurant "frequented occasionally." Ouch. And to a "Ryvita cracker." I assume this is translation into American; surely Ryvita (available in my market now) wasn't a cracker in 1940 London?

jackie_w · 10-29-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I assume this is translation into American; surely Ryvita (available in my market now) wasn't a cracker in 1940 London?

I don't think Ryvita has ever been called a cracker in London, either 1940 or now. It's always been called a crispbread, as far as I know. According to Wikipedia the company was founded in 1930 and Ryvita holds a royal warrant

poohbear_nc · 10-29-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm reading Kate Atkinson's latest, Transcription. It's early, but it's already got the funniest seduction scene I've ever read.

A couple of issues: a reference to a restaurant "frequented occasionally." Ouch. And to a "Ryvita cracker." I assume this is translation into American; surely Ryvita (available in my market now) wasn't a cracker in 1940 London?

I read this last month - thoroughly enjoyed it - even with the occasional anachronism ...

issybird · 10-29-2018, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I don't think Ryvita has ever been called a cracker in London, either 1940 or now. It's always been called a crispbread, as far as I know. According to Wikipedia the company was founded in 1930 and Ryvita holds a royal warrant

Thanks, Jackie. It seemed awfully incongruous to me. I wish, oh, how I wish! that publishers didn't think they need to translate British books into American. We're not as stupid as all that. It's akin to updating the money in Paddington; it doesn't work.

And you make a good point. I don't think Ryvita is called a cracker here, either, now that you mention it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I read this last month - thoroughly enjoyed it - even with the occasional anachronism ...

Unfortunately, anachronisms make all my hairs rise. Enough of them and a book is spoilt.

pdurrant · 10-30-2018, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm reading Kate Atkinson's latest, Transcription. It's early, but it's already got the funniest seduction scene I've ever read.

A couple of issues: a reference to a restaurant "frequented occasionally." Ouch. And to a "Ryvita cracker." I assume this is translation into American; surely Ryvita (available in my market now) wasn't a cracker in 1940 London?

Ryvita is (was?) a British company, and had its first UK factory in 1932.

It was certainly available in 1940 (there was a new tin launched in 1940, according to their history website), but always as a "crispbread", not a "cracker" which is not a British English term.

stuartjmz · 10-30-2018, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Ryvita is (was?) a British company, and had its first UK factory in 1932.

It was certainly available in 1940 (there was a new tin launched in 1940, according to their history website), but always as a "crispbread", not a "cracker" which is not a British English term.

Perhaps not so much an anachronism, as a transpondian translation, like "Sorcerer's Stone" for "Philosopher's Stone"?

10-28-2018, 07:12 PM	#27633
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Just finished Holy Ghost by John Sandford and it was a typically great Sandford read. Now reading Brief Answers to Big Questions by Steven Hawking which he was still working on on when he passed away recently. So far, very interesting and insightful. Last edited by MickeyC; 10-28-2018 at 07:15 PM.

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10-27-2018, 10:07 AM	#27631
RobertLCollins Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 1735704 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kansas Device: iPhone	Last night I finished A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. Such a lovely read! Not much action or drama, but some excellent characterization. It also filled out the universe Chambers created in Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I'm hoping to start on the next novel in this universe, Record of a Spaceborn Few, in the next few days.

10-29-2018, 01:51 PM	#27638
PurpleStar Wizard Posts: 1,625 Karma: 11387182 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Clara BW, Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen)	Just started The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor for a creepy Halloween read. At least it’s supposed to be creepy. We shall see.

10-29-2018, 06:11 PM	#27640
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,325 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I'm reading Kate Atkinson's latest, Transcription. It's early, but it's already got the funniest seduction scene I've ever read. A couple of issues: a reference to a restaurant "frequented occasionally." Ouch. And to a "Ryvita cracker." I assume this is translation into American; surely Ryvita (available in my market now) wasn't a cracker in 1940 London?