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

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The Onuissance Cells by Steve Jordan.

Well, I got off to a shaky start because of the title. Onuissance is said to be the name given to the (future) time period in which the book is set, with the root word Onus, and I think by analogy to the Renaissance. But in that case, the word should be onusnaissance or onunaissance or even onaissance. There's even a pronunciation guide to the word, but it never stuck with me, and I still hate the title.

The book itself is a series of short scenes or stories set in a large building/city. It could have done with some kind of overall plot, rather than a series of windows into this future world.

And the future world is pretty utopian. There some minor prejudices still, but essentially everyone gets along and there are no shortages of power, food or materials.

It was OK. I'll probably read the sequel eventually, but I'm in no hurry. I think this is one of Steve's first books (his actual first book?), and I think he would be better off using one of his later books (assuming they improve) as his freebie.


Ok, onto an SF classic now. Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity. No longer on sale at Fictionwise. It's currently $11.99 at Amazon. I got it for $4.38 net from fictionwise. I'm going to miss the fictionwise micropay rebates.

I'm sure I've read this before, but not in ebook form, and it will be good to revist it and see how it stands up against more recent stuff. (The End of Eternity was first published in 1955.)

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by beppe

I have a nice thing to tell you, dear Florence. It is not true that you are an Unknown Genius.

I like your poule. I find it genial. There you go.

Thank you!

[dreams]

Originally Posted by dreams

Almost finished with The Second Coming by David Burton. It's about what happens to and in the world a few hundred years after the Earth shifted on its axis. It's a chilling future that I was drawn into with his realistic descriptions of action and scenery.

Finished and I have a feeling that the way it ended that there is a sequel coming.

Just started Radium Halos by Shelly Stout and Tracking Magic by Maria E. Schneider (both MR author members). I'm also listening to The Oort Perimeter by Steven Lake (also a MR author member) that I picked up last year when he offered it. (he is offering a free ePub format on MR).

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity.

It holds up fairly well and was a quick, fun read. Not too bad a way of handling time paradoxes either.

Now for Torch of Freedom by David Weber and Eric Flint. A side novel in Weber's Honor Harrington series, and the only one I haven't read yet.

[MelC]

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

About to start The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.

I finished that one recently and hugely enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

Mel

[Bluesman7]

Originally Posted by MelC

I finished that one recently and hugely enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

Mel

Thanks, Mel. I just started it last night.

Knowing the area and having a fairly good command of Spanish seems to give me a leg up.

I'll be interested in seeing how this one plays out. I wasn't familiar with the author but after seeing the book mentioned on a number of "best of the decade" lists (from "The Millions" et al) I decided to give the book a shot.

You don't read a lot about Dominican nerds by and large.

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

Thanks, Mel. I just started it last night.

Knowing the area and having a fairly good command of Spanish seems to give me a leg up.

I'll be interested in seeing how this one plays out. I wasn't familiar with the author but after seeing the book mentioned on a number of "best of the decade" lists (from "The Millions" et al) I decided to give the book a shot.

You don't read a lot about Dominican nerds by and large.

Yes, knowing Spanish helps. I don't, and sometimes there were whole sentences in Spanish that I didn't get. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book very much. I hope you do too!

[MelC]

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

Thanks, Mel. I just started it last night.

Knowing the area and having a fairly good command of Spanish seems to give me a leg up.

I'll be interested in seeing how this one plays out. I wasn't familiar with the author but after seeing the book mentioned on a number of "best of the decade" lists (from "The Millions" et al) I decided to give the book a shot.

You don't read a lot about Dominican nerds by and large.

It also won the Pullitzer in 2008.

I know a little Spanish but not really up to Dominican slang standards. There was one word in particular that puzzled me. I don't have a copy of the book on me but I remember being confused that the word (began with a "p") that was used to describe the barriers erected by the Trujillo regime from foreign influence was also used at one point to describe Oscar physically or characterwise. Of course, my Spanish is limited enough that it could have been a slightly different word where the difference made all the difference.

Mel

[Bluesman7]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Yes, knowing Spanish helps. I don't, and sometimes there were whole sentences in Spanish that I didn't get. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book very much. I hope you do too!

I'm encouraged that it didn't diminish your enjoyment.

Since moving to NC, my Spanish isn't what it was while living in NYC and South Florida previously.

[MelC]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Yes, knowing Spanish helps. I don't, and sometimes there were whole sentences in Spanish that I didn't get. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book very much. I hope you do too!

I actually thought it improved my appreciation for the book since it made the narrator more credible - I was hearing the story from the voice of someone who was looking at it from a particular perspective and that perspective wasn't watered down by translation. The narrator was presenting himself as a true dominican american and setting himself apart from not only the non-Dominican population but also from people like Oscar who had adopted north american speech. The language helped to emphasize Oscar's differentness and how he didn't fit in in more than just the physical sense.

Mel

[Bluesman7]

Originally Posted by MelC

It also won the Pullitzer in 2008.

I know a little Spanish but not really up to Dominican slang standards. There was one word in particular that puzzled me. I don't have a copy of the book on me but I remember being confused that the word (began with a "p") that was used to describe the barriers erected by the Trujillo regime from foreign influence was also used at one point to describe Oscar physically or characterwise. Of course, my Spanish is limited enough that it could have been a slightly different word where the difference made all the difference.

Mel

I think this is the term you are referring to:

1. Pariguayo

A pariguayo is Dominican slang for a guy thats all talk and no action. Someone who is full of shit. A punk, poser, bull shitter, etc.
Oye,tu si habla mierda.Tu lo que es un tremendo pariguayo.
chump bullshitter poser big mouth shit talker
by Jose Luis Lopez Sep 1, 2006 share this

2. pariguayo

Domincan word for someone who is a chump. Usually this person is also bad with the ladies.
Julio: Loco, viste a ese tipo tratando de bajaserlo a esa tipa?
Pancho: Si loco, ese tipo un pariguayo.
by Domexicano Mar 17, 2005 share this

(definitions provided by Urban Dictionary)

[MelC]

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

I think this is the term you are referring to:

[b]1. Pariguayo

Nope. I did some fishing around and I think the term was Plataneros which seems to mean banana republic or people of the banana republic which I guess makes sense in the context but I would have to go back and double check.

Mel

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

I'm encouraged that it didn't diminish your enjoyment.

Since moving to NC, my Spanish isn't what it was while living in NYC and South Florida previously.

Well, being French, I recognized many of the individual words he used, but not all. The complete sentences also lost me. But I've been reading book in English (not my mother tongue, that is) for over 25 years, and I don't let a few words stop me

[Traye]

I'm coming to the end of Contagious by Scott Sigler ( paper book ), which is the second book in a trilogy about alien invaders.
Gory in some parts and funny in others. The predecessor, Infected was rather gory too.

[Billjr13]

Originally Posted by Traye

I'm coming to the end of Contagious by Scott Sigler ( paper book ), which is the second book in a trilogy about alien invaders.
Gory in some parts and funny in others. The predecessor, Infected was rather gory too.

I wanted to try Infected, sis you like it? ?