Eating Muffins in an Agitated Manner

Books of -17

Posted by Sari

I continued with the idea of setting myself the target of 52 books a year. It worked well last year and did so again this year. I have ended up with 62 finished books outside work literature.  The fact that I binge read post-apocalyptic novels for NeNoReMo helped to drive the figure up.

That was a very good thing, because I used the beginning of the year re-reading Dorothy Dunnett’s House of Niccolo -series: eight denser than dense historical novels about trade and power in 15^th-century Europe, Africa and Near-East. It took some time. It has wickedly convoluted plot and a cast of hundreds, but the best thing about it is how Dunnett is able to transport you to Trebizond, Timbuktu, Iceland or Venice. I am not quite sure if I even now wholly get all the twists and turns of the plot, but that just means I have a reason to do another re-read in near future. There really is nothing like Dorothy Dunnett in historical fiction.

The most interesting SF I read this year were Dave Hutchinson’s Europe in Winter and Yoon Ha Lee’s Ninefox Gambit. Europe in Winter is the third part of Hutchinson’s fractured Europe -series and like its predecessors it is excellent and – with Brexit and Catalonia – really uncanny. He really should have won every possible award with this series. Ninefox Gambit was shortlisted for Hugo and would not have been a bad winner. Its science fiction is high-concept and uncompromising and the book works on every level.

I read surpisingly litte fantasy this year, the best of the lot were Lois McMaster Bujold’s Penric-novellas (Penric’s Mission, Mira’s Last Dance and Prisoner of Limnos), and Megan Whalen Turner’s King of Attolia, which I re-read again. It still is among my absolute favourite fantasies.

I did read more non-fiction this year than previously. Quite a lot of it was about Great Siege of Malta as we were on Malta on a holiday. Of that lot, Roger Crawley’s narrative history of the Mediterranean warfare in the 16^th-century The Empires of the Sea, is a good introduction to the subject, and has a little more perspective than books concentrating just on the siege. Other non-fiction I found interesting were China Miéville’s unapologetically Marxist but riveting retelling of the October Revolution in Russia and Bill Hayes’ touchingly beautiful tribute to New York and Oliver Sacks, The Insomniac City.

This year, there were no books I bounced off as hard as I did last year with Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend. I was kind of “meh” with Charlie Jane Andrews’ All the Birds in the Sky, which I found predictable and surprisingly stereotypical in its gender roles.

So there you are. I’ll continue with setting the target at 52 books next year, lets hope I make it!

Eve of De... Xmas

Posted by jukkahoo

After careful consideration, I have decided to not add anything to my quick thoughts about The Last Jedi. I don't think that would be very fruitful or interesting. Yes, the film is entertaining fluff, and yes, it is not a very good movie. Kudos to all you, who manage to have Opinions and Points of Views, you are occasionally funny, insigthful and darn good at that. And at times, just silly. 

Unfortunately, I have found out that I've become a petty curmudgeon. I haven't really been all that enthusiastic about anything recent, be it literature, fillum, tv series or comics. Or fannish things in general. I see too many negatives, faults and (probably very) minor details that don't allow me to just enjoy my entertainment pleasure. That's pretty #sad. 

I blame the getting older -bit and my burnout with W75. And especially this general "getting tired of the way the world is going to Hell fast" -atmosphere we have going on. There should be more joyous things. Fun, laughter and merriment. I want to have that in my life. 

So, I better stop grumbling and feeling sorry for myself. I need to start enjoying my life. After all, I have a wonderful partner, two stopid fun dogs, a good job and frieds, whom I see and talk to far too seldom. Let's do something fun! Who wants to go to Vinter 2018? I hear February is really nice in Uppsala. 

23rd of December

Posted by jukkahoo

Twenty-second of December

Posted by jukkahoo

I wrote this on Facebook:

"So, I went and saw The Last Jedi with missus. Here are some thoughts.

It's entertaining. It's too long. It's funny. It has plot holes the size of some very large objects in space. It has glorious scenes. It has acting, both good and less good.

I liked them puffins, a lot. I was underwhelmed by Po. Servalan was magnificent. I didn't get the Casino-world. I was really positively surprised by the Reyna/Emo Ren chemistry. Why was Snore animated? Like, really, why?

And since this was more or less a copy of ESB, will episode IX be like TRotJ? I hope they keep them puffins as ewoks. And give Joonas more to do.

But in the end, I liked it. It was far superior to the remake of Star Wars, and I think I liked it more than RougeOne, which was as silly as SW-films are, but not very funny. On my list, it goes to 3rd. It's a good Star Wars movie, not a great scifi-film, but I'm happy that I've seen it.

Still, with this much money and resources available..."

Maybe more tomorrow (aka Today). 

Rush Day

Posted by jukkahoo

Being 50 feels like.., being 49. Old. 

Yesterday was very laid back. We had my bro, sis, dad and goodson over, and there was a general easy does it written all over the day. Bigger party will most likely happen when Sari gets to be L as well, so May Day, May Day!

Managed to go to Bauhaus and buy myself a bday prezzie. 

 

He is called Magnus. 'Cause, obviously. 

Today we went to get Arda manipulated by an osteopath. It's one of those things that sound like voodoo medicine, but when the end result sees the pet feeling better and very healthy, I'm willing to let them do their thing. It looks a lot like massaging to me and there's nothing wrong with that. 

Also in the news: I got me The Two of Swords part 3, so I can start reading the part 2 with the knowledge that the 3rd book is here, if (and when) I need to binge read it as well. Yay!

Tomorrow will be the mad shopping day, including The Last Jedi. Yes, TLJ. Some Star Wars nostalgia in the morn, followed by dash through Tuomaan markkinat and their cosy cabins full of expensive xmas paraphenalia. And some lovely fish-products, "saaristolaisleipä" and wooden appliances for xmas table. And again, followed by the actual xmas food shopping at our local Prisma around midnight. Should be slightly less crowded than the rush hours. 

Now, some K. J. Parker!

L

Posted by jukkahoo

Here's to all us 'Alf a Centenarians!

December 19th

Posted by jukkahoo

I've been reading this book called Great Tales From English History: Cheddar Man to DNA: A Treasury of True Stories of the Extraordinary People Who Made Britain Great by Robert Lacey in portions, a tale or ten at a time. These short, couple of pages long sbbreviations of history, are well-written and while not revealing anything outstanding (at least not yet) or unheard of, they manage to entertain me splendidly. 

Which begs the question: should one do something similar about a subject near and dear to one's heart? Like, fandom? And Finnish fandom especially. I'm thinking this might be something to ponder and wonder, and then either give it up or just do it. 

At some point. When I've retired from active fandom. Like, now? I mean. at some point, now that I am retired. 

Relaxing day of walking the dogs and cleaning the kitchen. And cooking some really nice and creamy thick sweet potato soup. I read the recipe from the latest Vihreä Lanka (the youth attachment), was enchanted by the pleasing way how it was written ("when you have forgotten to cut the sweet potato, take the pan away from the cooker" or "and mix it all in at some point, I don't really have schedule for this"), and decided to have a go. Forgot to get some ginger, so I was well in line with the spirit of the recipe. The result was tasty, if  bit too rich, methinks. Less cream next time.

 

December the 18th

Posted by jukkahoo

Did you enjoy Becky Chambers's Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and it's sequoia A Closed and Common Orbit? There's a third part of the Wayfarers-series coming next Summer called Record of a Spaceborn Few. I have enjoyed the first two and expect to be entertained by the third innstallment as well. I think these are well-written light space opera with nice characterisations and a very fine story flow. 

Which brings me to my latest read, The Wrong Stars by Tim Pratt. It took me far too long to read this book, but there were a number of things that minimised my reading time. I have read Pratt a bit before, but nothing in the vein of far-flung space adventure. I had sort of categorised him as a purveyor of rpg-novels and "low-profile, high-concept" weird fiction (and YA-stuff with a pseudonym), whose fiction is readable and solid entertainment, but not necessarily someone I would be looking forward to putting out his next novel. 

Which is where The Wrong Stars comes along and changes all that. And, no, Tim Pratt is still not in the same league as China Miéville, or the late and lamented David Gemmell, or K. J. Parker, as an author whose next book I will buy as soon as it is available, but his Axiom-series will be one such. 

This was very enjoyable novel. Self-contained, but clearly one that will have sequels (The Dreaming Stars will be the next one), cast of characters that are truly a variable bunch, effortlessly flowing story that almost reads itself, and with a sense of humour that seems natural. Most of all, it was a fun read. Barring the kitchen sink, this book has a lot going on: mysterious aliens and artefacts, pirates, space travel, romance, issues, you name it.

Sure, it's not going to win a Nobel for Pratt, probably not even a Hugo-nomination, but it is a solid adventure. There's delightfully little in the way of padding, though I wouldn't have minded if some of the pages on the first 300 would've been cut, and added to the last 50. It all ends with a bit of a rush, foreshadowing the sequels. Here I'm reminded of a number of books by master Gemmell, who had this problem with his earlier works. And John Maddox Roberts's Space Angel, which is clearly made of the same material as this one. 

I was well entertained, higly recommended to most of you, especially if you enjoyed Chambers. 

In other news: offially the first day of my xmas holiday! w00T!

December 17th

Posted by jukkahoo

Went golfing. 

No, that's not quite the way to put it. I went to the golf course with Arda. She was ecstatic and run around on a leash. If only I could've let her run free and be sure that she'd return. She'd probably do that, but then again, possibly not. 

Not too much snow yet, thankfully. Though it was a very healthy morning slog in the dark of the morn. Very refreshing. 

It is looking exceedingly less than likely that I would be going to USA in any time near future. The shitstorm of a president, clusterfuck of a congress, stunningly inept and hateful government, and pusillanimous media is making the place look like something out of a horror movie, only worse. Skipping W76 will save me a wad of dosh though. Still, very #sad.

Better finish The Wrong Stars now. After I have taken the dogs out first. Golf course, here we come. 

 

December 14-16

Posted by jukkahoo

Somehow I managed to miss the 14th altogether. Long night the day before and then quite a lot to do at work, so that when I finally made it home, I was knackered. Slept like a log. There was some buzzsawing as well. 

Then, on 15th, the Typepad wasn't working. There I was, ready to type some nonsense, when the page just wouldn't open. No access. Drat.

Today, I have been mostly having fun with Arda, since I was left alone with her, when Sari went to see her aunt in the wilds of Tavastia. Arda is a weird dog. Never seen a dog as cat-like as she, but for the love of all things beautiful and gracful, she is a blood-thirsty beast when she doesn't like something. And she doesn't like most things. It would be adorable, if it wouldn't be a it frightful at the same time.

But when she is there, all quiet and pretty as a picture, you're just head over heels in love with this little monster. She knows what she wants and it is rarely something you are offering to her. 

In other news, got back to The Wrong Stars. It is still good and very recommendable to any space opera fan. Aliens, mysterious space ships, fun dialogue, an entertaining read. 

Today was the Helsinki Uni SF Club 'pikkujoulut'. I wasn't there, partly because of Arda, but mainly because it is still hard to see myself getting back to the swing of things with fandom. One moment I'm thinking it would be fun, the next I'm shutting down the thought of it - and finding something else to think about. What do I want? I don't know. I just don't know. 

This is really stupid.