FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Just an FYI - this book is written in Present Tense.

Many books are. Same with first person.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Just an FYI - this book is written in Present Tense. I couldn't get through the first paragraph. And for what it's worth, I absolutely love KKR's Retrieval Artist series and very much wanted to love this too. I just couldn't finish it.

When I first saw this series, it intrigued me as it made me think of some books I'd read as a teenager about marine salvage. But, the comments about them being in present tense put me off for a while. When I did read them, I had no problem with the tense and read the first three very quickly. I enjoyed them a lot. And I should get the some more.

[salty-horse]

Amazon.com deals:

Jack Glass by Adam Roberts is $1.99 (50% off) - Link

A collection of the Powder Mage trilogy by Brian McClellan is $9.99 (64% off) - Link

[tch65721]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

Amazon.com deals:

Jack Glass by Adam Roberts is $1.99 (50% off) - Link

A murder mystery set in space...
WINNER OF THE BSFA AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL

[DNSB]

Not sure if this qualifies for this forum but a few years back, I read a story which going by my memory seemed to be prophetic of today's world. I couldn't remember the author or the story name but Tor's newsletter featured the story under "Didn’t I Write This Story Already? When Your Fictional Pandemic Becomes Reality" which linked to the story at So Much Cooking — by Naomi Kritzer

Hey, it was science fiction/fantasy when it was written and it's free to read.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not sure if this qualifies for this forum but a few years back, I read a story which going by my memory seemed to be prophetic of today's world. I couldn't remember the author or the story name but Tor's newsletter featured the story under "Didn’t I Write This Story Already? When Your Fictional Pandemic Becomes Reality" which linked to the story at So Much Cooking — by Naomi Kritzer

Hey, it was science fiction/fantasy when it was written and it's free to read.

Sadly all that post-apocalyptic science fiction of recent years is starting to look too little like fiction.

[salty-horse]

Originally Posted by DNSB

So Much Cooking — by Naomi Kritzer

Since you're on the topic, Kritzer mentions the recent interest in the story in her latest appearance in the Coode Street podcast, which now features daily short interviews with authors about books they're reading now.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

Many books are. Same with first person.

I always appreciate being told if they're in present tense. It's an automatic reject for me.

[Richwood]

Dune is currently $1.99 on Amazon USA with a free audible version optionally available with the purchase. Listed in the Kindle Nation daily digest email.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B7NPRY8/?tag=kndpr00-20

[ZodWallop]

Elminster: The Making of a Mage by Ed Greenwood is $1.99 at Amazon US.

This is a D&D Forgotten Realms novel by the guy that created the Realms originally.

Elminster the Mage’s origins—the first in a series of magical fantasy novels set in Dungeons & Dragons’ Forgotten Realms

In ancient days, sorcerers sought to learn the One True Spell that would give them power over all the world and understanding of all magic. The One True Spell was a woman, and her name was Mystra—and her kisses were wonderful.

It is the time before Myth Drannor, when the Heartlands are home to barbarians, and wicked dragons rule the skies. In these ancient days, Elminster is but a shepherd boy, dreaming of adventure and heroics. But when a dragon-riding magelord sweeps down upon him, the boy is thrust into a world of harsh realities, corrupt rulers, and evil sorcerers.

With patience and grit, Elminster sets about to change all that. The result of his labors is a world reborn—and a mage made.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

I always appreciate being told if they're in present tense. It's an automatic reject for me.

As long as a book’s written in English and the subject interests me, I could not care less whether it’s written in first person, third person, present tense, or past tense. Second person or future tense might make me scratch my head, but I’d be game.

I just don’t understand the “no present tense” and “no first person” thing at all.

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

As long as a book’s written in English and the subject interests me, I could not care less whether it’s written in first person, third person, present tense, or past tense. Second person or future tense might make me scratch my head, but I’d be game.

I just don’t understand the “no present tense” and “no first person” thing at all.

same here

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

I just don’t understand the “no present tense” and “no first person” thing at all.

I was once thinking about the first person narrative and was thinking that it ought to be limiting since everything has to be filtered through the narrator. With a third person narrative the writer can switch to different characters or tell you what other characters are thinking. But in practice I've never read a first person narrative where I was aware of that; good books are written in the first person narrative as well as the third person narrative. And a first person narrative is how we live our lives so maybe that's also part of why they can work well.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by hobnail

I was once thinking about the first person narrative and was thinking that it ought to be limiting since everything has to be filtered through the narrator. With a third person narrative the writer can switch to different characters or tell you what other characters are thinking. But in practice I've never read a first person narrative where I was aware of that; good books are written in the first person narrative as well as the third person narrative. And a first person narrative is how we live our lives so maybe that's also part of why they can work well.

One of my first editing projects was a novel written in multiple first person – different narrators for different sections – and although it was primarily done in past tense, it had some sections that were deliberately written in present tense to induce a sense that something was not quite right. (They’re dream sequences, something that’s not obvious until the end of the first one. The author told me they always feel like dreams happen in the eternal now, so present tense felt natural for conveying that.)

The multi-narrator first person device works really well for showing things from different perspectives; in one case from that novel, the reader gets to see the same conversation as experienced by both speakers… including an important misunderstood word. It’s also really good for displaying paranoia or insecurity, because even though the reader may know better, sometimes characters jump to the wrong conclusions because they’re human and fallible. From an authorial perspective, first person is an excellent way to conceal plot cards; the reader is stuck in the narrator’s head, so they only know what the narrator notices. It can be harder to justify hiding some things from an omniscient third-person narrator.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

I just don’t understand the “no present tense” and “no first person” thing at all.

Because most first person narratives are rather poorly written from a technical perspective which leads to reader confusion or sudden disconnects of immersion with the narrator-protagonist.