Currently Reading

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Alan
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Fri Oct 09, 2020 7:57 am

After the corn that seemed normal. :-k
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Alan
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:01 pm



Well I timed that well. Always knew Guinan had a thing for corn.



Ive also been listening to the 4th Bobiverse "Heavens River" by Dennis E Taylor and really enjoying that too! Its much smaller scope than the first three which had multiple threads stretching across galaxies where this one is mostly focused on on system but with homeworld politics happening too. Still as smartly written as the previous books which I'm thinking about going back to again because they're so enjoyable!


Also listening because I'm impatient and the book version isn't out for 4 months. (Woop for Audible trials!) Taylors breakdown of why was quite interesting I thought...
Question: Where’s the Kindle version?

Answer: Audible likes to have an exclusivity deal with authors. During negotiations, they will try for up to a six month gap before the text versions are produced. The inducements to the author are: Audible pays for the narrator, Audible pays for the cover, Audible does marketing, Audible offers a much larger advance. Audible is also responsible for about 2/3 of my total income, so they are by definition my primary publisher.

Fortunately my agent, who is a bit of a pit bull, has kept the exclusive period down to four months. So the text version (for the current contracts, anyway) will always come out 4 months after the Audible version.

Question: Where’s the epub or other version?

Answer: Amazon only lists your work in Kindle Unlimited if you go exclusive with Amazon for the electronic version. That means no epub or Kobo or Google Play version. Before you ask, KU is probably about 25% of my non-Audible revenue, and that’s still a serious chunk of change. See below for discussion of fiduciary greed.

Question: So it’s all about money?

The answer is oh hell yes. This writing thing isn’t a hobby, and I’m not independently wealthy–I have to pay a mortgage, and I’ve grown accustomed to eating regularly. I literally quit my day job so I could write full-time, which means I can produce books a lot more quickly, but also means I have to be concerned about the financial aspects of my ‘job’. So when they wave a wad of bills under my nose, I pay attention. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.
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Snowy
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Snowy » Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:03 pm

Completely understandable. I remember at the David Gemmell signing I went to, he was chatting to everyone as we queued to get books signed. One guy a few ahead of me in the queue bemoaned the cover revisions on the books (this was pre-Kindle days) saying that he had inadvertantly bought additional copies of books he already owned as he didn't recognise the cover. Gemmel just smiled and when others of us in the queue suggested that was exactly why they got re-branded, he said that was absolutely one part of it.
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Alan
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Thu Dec 10, 2020 6:52 pm

Read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig after a gushing recommendation and its fairly pants. Is just a very obvious story with a very obvious ending that’s not that interesting. Maybe it’s aimed more at the YA market but it was recommended to me by a grown ass adult.


On the last quarter of Clive Barkers Imajica now. Earth is the 5th realm and not joined with the other realms but it may be time for it to rejoin the other realms but not before we go on a sprawling adventure. Barkers always said it was his best work but the length made me put it off. Quite enjoying it. I think Barker is my favorite author from a sentence structure and language use front, I keep thinking of the word “delicious“ even when he’s describing the most gorey sploodge. I also think I prefer his shorter stories be it Hellbound Heart or Books Of Blood (which I really love). So yeah Imajica, it’s good, maybe a touch baggy but not as much as it’s 900pages would suggest. It’s got some great characters and places. It also delves into some things that for the early 90s was a bit ahead of its time like gender fluidity. It’s also a bit ropey in places plot wise and it uses 2 plot devices that I hate (but would be spoilers). It’s an enjoyable mixed bag.

Honestly I thought I was more positive about it before I wrote this post :lol:
Last edited by Alan on Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Animalmother
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Animalmother » Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:45 am

That the one about people living in a carpet?

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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:01 am

That’s Weaveworld :lol:
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Animalmother » Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:46 am

So it is. Tried reading it once but it was about people living in a fucking rug...

Books of Blood are indeed great.

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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Sat Dec 12, 2020 9:36 am

I mean he does write stuff like In The Hills The Cities where two cities tie all their inhabitants together to form two giants so they can have a fistfight.... and it’s great! So why not people in a rug? :lol:




Just noticed Midnight Library won goodreads best fiction of the year. Must have been a shit year! [-(
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Snowy » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:52 pm

Weaveworld and Imagica are both great books.
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Thu Dec 31, 2020 12:46 pm

It wraps up nicely, I think on the whole I did really like it.


Then I read possibly the worst book I've ever read - Life And Loves Of A She Devil. Feminist revenge thing which imho (as not the demography) it was neither. I think it was actually the opposite. Maybe in the 80's it was? :/

Then a very enjoyable book in Piranesi about a fellow mostly alone in a strange labyrinth filled with statues. i thought this was great and quite enthralling, imaginative, whimsical and rather lovely. Quick read too at under 300 pages. Actually longer than She Devil but felt much quicker!
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Snowy » Fri Jan 01, 2021 12:02 pm

For some reason I decided to start reading the Wheel of Time again from the beginning. Currently on book 5 of 14, man it is slow going, these books are fucking huge.
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:11 am

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
I had a quick scan of the blurb and thought I was getting a daft light hearted japanese story about a magical girl with her friend a sentient plushie hedgehog. Figured something light and breezy might be just what I was in the mood for. I was not prepared for what is actually a book about abuse and its effects on the development of the brain filtered through a very Japanese filter. Its such a bizzare book but it works. Its funny at times and at other times fucking sickening but it works in what it seems to be trying to do. The finale is just.... I dont know what to say about it :lol:
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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Animalmother » Sat May 08, 2021 1:15 pm

The Walking Dead
Just started this yesterday and already on part 12 I think (just found the prison). It's really good and I like how it's different enough from the TV show that I don't exactly know what's going to happen. I gave up on the show around season 7, too slow and dull as dish water. Comic moves along at a good pace and the characters are actually likeable, unlike the show.

Found a website that has them all so not exactly technically 100% totally all that legal but I'm not downloading them so I don't feel too guilty.

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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Medicine Man » Sat May 08, 2021 2:06 pm

I found the comic infinitely better than the tv show. Maybe a time and place thing, but despite multiple tries I just can’t get into the he show.

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Re: Currently Reading

Post by Alan » Mon May 10, 2021 10:09 am

The Thief Of Always -Clive Barker
So this is Barkers go at a kids book. Bearing in mind that I’m around a quarter century past it’s demographic I bloody loved it! It’sa perfect kids horror and is good enough to be thoroughly entertaining to an adult. I wish I had read it as a kid but I’m glad I read it as an adult.

Convenience Store Woman - Sayaka Murata
I really liked her newer book Earthlings and I really liked this one too. It is very similar to Earthlings though much more tame (both for good and bad) witch makes me worry she’s a bit one note but I also look forward to whatever she puts out next.

Gentleman In Moscow - Amor Towes
I think Mantis recommended this and it was a good shout, it’s lovely! Beautifully written and though the plot is quite meandering it never bored me. It kind of feels like tv series where every episode has a different little adventure all taking place under a loose arc that comes together nicely in the end.


Cell - Stephen King
Utter fucking gash! Oh my fucking fuck what a massive train wreck of pish!
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