14 March 2009: Armada

[13:56] Jago Constantine: Hi, Bryce, welcome :)
[13:56] Bryce Galbraith: Hi Jago
[13:56] Jago Constantine: You're the first to arrive :)
[13:56] Bryce Galbraith: :)
[13:57] Jago Constantine: That means you get to find a seat with the best pose lol
[13:57] Bryce Galbraith: maybe I'll wait for the room to finish rezzing before trying to move around... / :)
[13:57] Jago Constantine: lol yes
[13:58] Bryce Galbraith: I like the cat there...
[13:58] Jago Constantine: Yes it's cute / I think its from damiani / Damani, yes
[13:59] Bryce Galbraith: brb....
[13:59] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: hello
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Hey, Eddi :) / heh nice pose
[14:01] Bryce Galbraith: Hi Eddi
[14:01] Eddi Haskell: hi / my computer is messed up / and i dont know what to do LOL
[14:01] Bryce Galbraith: Well, you can always re-install the OS .:)
[14:01] Eddi Haskell: that wont help
[14:01] Bryce Galbraith: That might be a bit extreme....but effective! / Hi Lewis
[14:01] Jago Constantine: Hey, Lewis :)
[14:01] Eddi Haskell: if you look at the picture i gave you
[14:02] Lewis Luminos: hi everyone
[14:02] Eddi Haskell: you can see triangles / that is what is wrong / hi lewid / l;ewis
[14:02] Lewis Luminos: waiting for things to rez
[14:02] Jago Constantine: Sure :)
[14:02] Bryce Galbraith: Ah.... this is just in SL....not the rest of your computer then, right Eddi?
[14:03] Jago Constantine: Oh nice costume Lewis :)
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: heh its the same coat I wore last week
[14:03] Jago Constantine: I am kind of appropriate, my clothes could be anywhen from edwardian onwards
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: with cap and pipe instead of punk hair and cyber gear
[14:04] Bryce Galbraith: Hi Redgrrl
[14:04] Jago Constantine: Gentlemen, this is Redgrrl, the owner here :)
[14:04] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Welcome to my Club and Reading Room!
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: hi redgrrl
[14:04] Redgrrl Llewellyn: i'm so glad you could visit us! .....and happy to have you here! / i'm also a librarian RL so i couldn't resist to listen in
[14:05] Jago Constantine: There is a tip jar on the bar which I encourage you to use :)
[14:05] Redgrrl Llewellyn: thank you Mr. Constantine too kind / and please everyone drink up!
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Thankyou for letting us meet here :)
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Ok, for Bryce and Redgrrl, the meeting usually works like this
[14:06] Jago Constantine: we go round the group and discuss the last book we read
[14:06] Jago Constantine: after that, we talk about what we plan to read next
[14:07] Jago Constantine: but there's plenty of latitude for meandering conversation :)
[14:07] Lewis Luminos: we do tend to meander quite a bit *g*
[14:07] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:07] Bryce Galbraith: :) / sounds good....
[14:07] Jago Constantine: Anyway last week I read this novel by Brian Herbert, Sidney's Comet
[14:08] Jago Constantine: This week I read the sequel, The Garbage Chronicles
[14:08] Jago Constantine: They're satirical sci fi about consumerism
[14:09] Jago Constantine: and I really liked them, as I said last week, I wish Brian had kept writing that instead of going on to write Dune sequels
[14:10] Jago Constantine: The Garbage Chronicles is much better than his first book, he really improved quickly from his debut
[14:10] Bryce Galbraith: Interesting...I wasn't familiar with either of those. I guess the 'Dune' franchise has a higher profile...
[14:11] Jago Constantine: Yes, I suppose you can't blame him. His early books were whimsical and funny, but he was no Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett
[14:12] Bryce Galbraith: I noticed on Amazon.com that there is a (relatively) new release of Sidney's Comet (Jan. 2008)..
[14:12] Jago Constantine: must be due to the popularity of the new dune books
[14:13] Bryce Galbraith: I haven't read anything by Brian Herbert actually. Both of these books were written earlier in his career though it looks like -- mid 80's....
[14:13] Jago Constantine: Yes, and you can tell they're from the 80s
[14:13] Lewis Luminos: really? that long ago?
[14:13] Jago Constantine: yes / Actually, Sidney's Comet reminded me of the movie Wall-E
[14:14] Bryce Galbraith: The synopsis reminded me of an episode of Futurama :)
[14:14] Jago Constantine: That too :)
[14:14] Redgrrl Llewellyn: my favourite book is Time and Again by Jack Finney...time travel illustrated and Victtorian
[14:14] Jago Constantine: I haven't read it / What is it about?
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: is there a bart simpson character in futurama? that is what i feel like at these discussions
[14:14] Redgrrl Llewellyn: its' a great Sci Fi
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:15] Jago Constantine: lol eddi / you should read more sci fi
[14:15] Redgrrl Llewellyn: a modern guy is recruited to travel back in time to solve a mystery
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: i got snow crash / im startng
[14:15] Jago Constantine: oh sounds interesting, redgrrl
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: sounds like just my sort of thing redgrrl
[14:15] Redgrrl Llewellyn: the last book i read was Fingersmith by Sarah Walters..."novel is awash with all manner of gloomy Dickensian leitmotifs: pickpockets, orphans, grim prisons, lunatic asylums, "laughing villains," and, of course, "stolen fortunes and girls made out to be mad."
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Yes I thought of making up a bingo card of victorian cliche
[14:16] Redgrrl Llewellyn: and that's's all i'm going to add gents! enjoy your meeting!
[14:16] Jago Constantine: absinthe, pickpockets, etc
[14:16] Redgrrl Llewellyn: omg that would be brilliant! / twirling mustaches
[14:16] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:16] Jago Constantine: thanks for coming, redgrrl!
[14:17] Redgrrl Llewellyn: cheers dears and the secret opium den upstairs is open to you , too!
[14:17] Bryce Galbraith: Bye Redgrrl!
[14:17] Bryce Galbraith: :)
[14:17] Jago Constantine: Ok, Lewis, how did you go this week? / sci fi wise
[14:18] Lewis Luminos: nothing at all until Thursday, then guess what I bought? *grins*
[14:18] Jago Constantine: lol The Scar?
[14:18] Lewis Luminos: Yep :-D
[14:18] Jago Constantine: awesome :)
[14:18] Lewis Luminos: not very far into it let but loving it
[14:18] Lewis Luminos: *yet
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Have a look around here later, the whole region is built on boats
[14:19] Lewis Luminos: yeah I did have a zoom out with the camera and a bit opf a look round that way
[14:19] Bryce Galbraith: This is by China Mieville, right?
[14:19] Lewis Luminos: yes
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Yes
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: I read Perdido Street about 3 weeks ago
[14:20] Jago Constantine: This sim is based on the book
[14:20] Bryce Galbraith: Ah, okay :)
[14:20] Jago Constantine: It's set on a floating city called Armada / I liked The Scar more than Perdido Street Station
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: I'm not sure yet. I really liked Perdido so its a hard act to follow
[14:21] Jago Constantine: I suppose if you haven't read much you might not be on the floating city yet, Lewis, so I won't say anything :P
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: and I'm only about 5-6 chapters into the Scar so far / oh yeah we got to the floating city
[14:22] Jago Constantine: It's a really unique concept I think / offhand I can't recall anything else like it
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: made me think of the Raft in snow crash
[14:22] Jago Constantine: other than waterworld
[14:23] Lewis Luminos: only I guess Armada is a lot bigger than the Raft
[14:23] Jago Constantine: true ... and the raft wasn't the setting for a whole book / so not as detailed
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: it wasnt as complex anyway. The Raft had only been going a short while. The Armada... didnt it say some of the ships in it had been there hundreds of years?
[14:24] Jago Constantine: I think so yes
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: great concept though
[14:25] Jago Constantine: some with big trees growing on them
[14:25] Bryce Galbraith: Yeah, it's been a while since I read Snow Crash but the Raft was just one of the locations and it felt like a transitive point in the novel. A cool idea that Stephenson came up with but didn't feel the need to explore in more depth :)
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: I wondered whether they grew plant food in Armada / or just steal it
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Well, he has so many cool ideas I guess he has to skip over them
[14:26] Jago Constantine: So what have you read lately, Bryce?
[14:26] Bryce Galbraith: Last week I finished 'Death: A Life' by George Pendle. Not exactly science fiction, but definitely a good, fun read :)
[14:26] Jago Constantine: What's it about?
[14:27] Bryce Galbraith: It's basically the autobiography of Death and along the way a funny re-tell of the Creation up to modern times.
[14:27] Bryce Galbraith: Very irreverent too...
[14:27] Bryce Galbraith: :)
[14:27] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:27] Jago Constantine: I have seen biographies of God and the Devil before
[14:27] Bryce Galbraith: Before that I read Charles Stross' 'Saturn's Children'
[14:27] Lewis Luminos likes irreverent
[14:27] Jago Constantine: I loved Saturn's Children / the concept was great
[14:28] Bryce Galbraith: Yeah, I loved that book too! Lots of real interesting ideas, but also the way the story unfolded was really interesting too.
[14:28] Bryce Galbraith: I like the take on robots and the Three Laws...
[14:28] Jago Constantine: Basically Lewis, robots in the future are programmed to obey humans / Humans died out tho
[14:29] Bryce Galbraith: And then humans go extinct without giving any final instructions or, more specifically, giving robots freedom.
[14:29] Jago Constantine: so robots manage their own affairs, but a plot arises to resurrect a human from dna
[14:30] Jago Constantine: and raise it under the control of some group
[14:30] Jago Constantine: that will have control of all robots by proxy
[14:30] Jago Constantine: it's a lot more clever than it sounds from my description :P
[14:31] Bryce Galbraith: I think what makes the book work is that Stross also explores what this robot civilization is like along the way.
[14:31] Bryce Galbraith: The robots are basically very flawed too -- just like their human creators.
[14:31] Jago Constantine: yes, it's rather ruthless
[14:32] Bryce Galbraith: They can be cruel and ruthless, but also have emotions too.
[14:32] Jago Constantine: they buy and sell each other
[14:32] Jago Constantine: the protagonist is a sex robot whose ultimate erotic object is a human male ... but they are extinct
[14:32] Bryce Galbraith: At best they are able to own themselves because they create these shell corporations that they control which in turn owns them.
[14:33] Bryce Galbraith: An interesting departure from Asimov's robots is that most of the robots are not human-shaped, in the era the book takes place in.
[14:33] Bryce Galbraith: The robots are more compact and some have very functional shapes.
[14:34] Jago Constantine: Yes, I think androids are a really limited design
[14:35] Bryce Galbraith: Just like in the new Battlestar Galactica, where the cylon raiders _are_ the robots, in Saturn's Children the spaceships and buildings in cities even are basically robots.
[14:36] Jago Constantine: So at the moment, I'm reading a cheap thriller, I should finish it in a few days ... not sure what sci fi I will read next
[14:36] Jago Constantine: I guess Lewis will be reading The Scar :)
[14:36] Lewis Luminos: yeah I think that will keep me going the rest of this week
[14:36] Bryce Galbraith: I just started 'Evolution' by Stephen Baxter...just got started though the other night so I'm only a couple chapters in.
[14:37] Jago Constantine: it's nice and thick, good value for money lol / Oh cool, I've been reading some Stephen Baxter / I think I read Evolution a while back / what is the plot again?
[14:38] Bryce Galbraith: Well, I just started so I can't say much :) But it looks to be basically a novel of the evolution of life on earth...
[14:38] Jago Constantine: Hi, Fourside, thanks for coming :)
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: back
[14:39] Bryce Galbraith: starting in the Cretaceous...then going back a bit actually to the Jurassic.
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Baxter writes a lot of evolutionary sci fi
[14:39] Fourside Janus: Hi, still rezzing.
[14:39] Bryce Galbraith: I'm interested to see what he does with it. :)
[14:39] Bryce Galbraith: I really loved Baxter's sequence to The Time Machine ... The Time Ships.
[14:39] Jago Constantine: A lot of his books and stories involve human evolutionary twists
[14:39] Jago Constantine: I didn't read that, I should :)
[14:40] Bryce Galbraith: Yeah, seems like he likes to write in long long time frames -- millions of years!
[14:40] Jago Constantine: yes lol
[14:40] Bryce Galbraith: Yeah, I highly recommend Time Ships...
[14:40] Jago Constantine: the last book of his I read took just 10000 years :P
[14:40] Bryce Galbraith: Oh, short then ;)
[14:40] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:40] Lewis Luminos: lol is that all?
[14:40] Bryce Galbraith: Hi Fourside...
[14:41] Jago Constantine: Hi, fourside, have you read any good sci fi lately?
[14:42] Fourside Janus: Ah, finnally rezzed!
[14:42] Jago Constantine: By the way, Bryce and Fourside, would you like an invite to the group?
[14:42] Bryce Galbraith: Yes, please
[14:43] Fourside Janus: Sure.
[14:43] Jago Constantine: Great :)
[14:43] Jago Constantine: I send out notices of where the next meeting will be
[14:43] Jago Constantine: and if you like, you can always talk about sci fi during the week :)
[14:44] Fourside Janus: Sounds interesting.
[14:44] Jago Constantine: The next meeting will either be at the Museum of Robots, or at the Channel Island Asylum :)
[14:45] Bryce Galbraith: ok...
[14:45] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:45] Fourside Janus: O.o
[14:45] Jago Constantine: The asylum is a nice linden-build
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Creepy
[14:46] Jago Constantine: it's haunted
[14:46] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:46] Bryce Galbraith: It's running on a server... of course it's haunted! :) / Ghosts in the machine...
[14:46] Jago Constantine: lol / So Fourside, have you read any good sci fi, or do you plan to?
[14:48] Fourside Janus: Funny, i could remember them all before you asked... >_>
[14:48] Bryce Galbraith: :)
[14:49] Jago Constantine: heh yes I just went blank before about the title of the last Stephen Baxter I read / lol
[14:49] Bryce Galbraith: Another book I read a couple months ago that I thought was real interesting was a book called 'Inverted World' by Christopher Priest. / The book was written in the 1970s sometime actually..
[14:50] Jago Constantine: hmm it is set in a world where space is distorted, right?
[14:50] Bryce Galbraith: Yep...exactly.
[14:51] Fourside Janus: How so?
[14:51] Bryce Galbraith: The inhabitants of the city are always trying to move the city forward on rails.
[14:51] Bryce Galbraith: So it is sort of like a train car where people are laying track in front of it and removing it from behind.
[14:51] Jago Constantine: I like the concept of a moving city :)
[14:52] Bryce Galbraith: All in an effort to reach the 'optimum' , which is sort of a zone of normality... but it's always moving.
[14:52] Bryce Galbraith: SO the city has to keep moving.
[14:52] Jago Constantine: There's a nice book, Calenture, by Storm Constantine, set in a world of moving cities
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: I've read some of hers but not that one
[14:53] Jago Constantine: it's good, kind of surreal / a little steampunk
[14:54] Lewis Luminos has met Storm in RL :-D
[14:54] Jago Constantine: wow cool!
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: guys i have to run
[14:54] Jago Constantine: Ok babe
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: make a quick appearance at an opening / i will be on later / take care gusy thanks
[14:54] Bryce Galbraith: Looks interesting... Calenture. I'll have to check that out.
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: bye Eddi
[14:55] Bryce Galbraith: Bye Eddi
[14:55] Eddi Haskell: bye all!
[14:55] Bryce Galbraith: Actually I should be heading out as well.
[14:55] Fourside Janus: bye
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Well, it's almost the hour :)
[14:55] Bryce Galbraith: Nice talking with you all :)
[14:55] Jago Constantine: And we've gone through everyone
[14:55] Lewis Luminos: always a pleasure
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Hope to see you next week!
[14:55] Bryce Galbraith: Yep! Nice meeting you all.
[14:55] Fourside Janus: Glad I could catch the end. Bye!
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I will send out a landmark to the group / otherwise search for science fiction in events / we're the only one lol
[14:56] Lewis Luminos: well I think I'm going to explore the sim :)
[14:57] Jago Constantine: oh here is something for you
[14:57] Fourside Janus: I'm checiking out a newly opened Edo Period sim next...
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Redgrrl gave it to me / There are some nice japanese sims around / Ok, bye Lewis, Fourside!
[14:58] Lewis Luminos: thanks Jago
[14:58] Fourside Janus: Take care! ^_^
[14:58] Jago Constantine: If you like the sim, tip the jar here :)

7 March 2009: Insilico (Blue Ant Bar)

[14:03] Jago Constantine: What was the last science fiction book you read, Eddi :)
[14:03] Eddi Haskell: i hve to think / not for a while / you should recommend some / probalby something by thomas pynchon / is there a sci fi group? / you should put me in ti
[14:04] Lewis Luminos accepted your inventory offer.
[14:04] Eddi Haskell: i want to read snow whatever
[14:04] Eddi Haskell: the vrr book
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: nope
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: i know which books i read
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: a big series
[14:05] Lewis Luminos: lm works :)
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Hi, Lewis :)
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: its about lizards
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: hi lewis
[14:05] Lewis Luminos: hi Eddi, Jago
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Lizards?
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: who change the outcome of world war 2 / hi lewis
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Oh by Harry Turtledove
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Did you like the series?
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: world war
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: in up to volume 2.5
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: i need torfinish it
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: i have all of them
[14:06] Jago Constantine: heh I didn't :P
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: yeah it is hard to read 2000 pages of one author
[14:07] Jago Constantine: lol yes / I don't like his books generally
[14:07] Lewis Luminos: (still can't see anyone yet)
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: it is very slow to rez
[14:07] Jago Constantine: Yeah but it's worth the wait lol
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: and slow to teleport here i crashed
[14:07] Jago Constantine: did you set your graphics low?
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: hi lewis
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: no
[14:07] Lewis Luminos: now I see you :)
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: they were on ultra
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:08] Jago Constantine: lol eddi / no wonder / Lewis this is my partner, Eddi / Eddi, Lewis is a regular for the group :)
[14:08] Eddi Haskell: hi lewis
[14:08] Lewis Luminos: hi Eddi.
[14:08] Eddi Haskell: nice to meet you
[14:08] Lewis Luminos doesnt usually dress like this
[14:08] Jago Constantine: How was your philosophy discussion group?
[14:08] Eddi Haskell: how do you usually dress
[14:09] Lewis Luminos: not too shabby. Actually had people turn up which surprised me
[14:09] Jago Constantine: Hi, Arch
[14:09] Jago Constantine: We're using the Blue Ant for a science fiction discussion, if you want to join us
[14:09] Lewis Luminos: usually just flanell and jeans :-D
[14:09] Eddi Haskell: yeah like me / hi arch
[14:09] Lewis Luminos: <= grungy old hippie

[14:10] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:10] Jago Constantine: Well you look pretty cyberpunk today
[14:10] Jago Constantine: Heh
[14:10] Eddi Haskell: = space cadet
[14:10] Lewis Luminos: heh
[14:11] Jago Constantine: Anyway Eddi so you like Harry Turtledove and I don't :P
[14:11] Eddi Haskell: well its ok
[14:11] Eddi Haskell: i liked the scene where the lizards became sushi
[14:11] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:11] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:11] Jago Constantine: Well I was going to read an anthology of short stories
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: which one
[14:12] Jago Constantine: but ended up reading Sidney's Comet by Brian Herbert / It was Galactic Dreamers, secondhand one I found
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: iven been reading alot of alterntative history but that it not necessarily science fiction
[14:13] Jago Constantine: I say it is :)
[14:13] Lewis Luminos: it can be
[14:13] Jago Constantine: What have you read?
[14:13] Jago Constantine: lately
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: a series of short essarys on alternative history but it is in the past
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: i dont know the author i read it last night
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Essays so not stories?
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: i want to read virtual reality alternative fiction / yes / science fiction / i should wirte a novel about my experiences here no one would beleive it
[14:14] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: if I wrote about my experiences in SL no-one would want to read it
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: no-one wants to be that bored
[14:14] Jago Constantine: ha
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Are you having trouble sitting, lewis?
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: no but the seat made me sit with my back to you and it felt wrong
[14:15] Jago Constantine: there's a seat behind eddi that might suit / cool
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: ah thats better
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Anyway this book Sidney's Comet
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: the experiences that ibm has had here in sl would make for an interesting novel
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:16] Jago Constantine: it's by Brian Herbert, who is Frank Herbert's son
[14:16] Jago Constantine: who wrote Dune
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: does he show any influence?
[14:17] Jago Constantine: It's nothing like Dune, it's a satire
[14:17] Jago Constantine: or a parody
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: cool
[14:17] Jago Constantine: or silly / kind of funny / I'm enjoying it, basically in the future, the human race sends garbage into space
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: why is it funny
[14:18] Jago Constantine: then aliens send it all back at once in a huge asteroid, so we have to try and deflect it
[14:18] Jago Constantine: it's written humorously
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:18] Lewis Luminos: haha
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: i dont think people in new jersey wuold like it
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: cause they get all new yorks garbage
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:18] Jago Constantine: lol / In this future, everyone shares jobs / so a typing pool in an office have like a 50th of a job each and type different keys
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:20] Jago Constantine: it's pretty silly
[14:20] Jago Constantine: It was Brian Herbert's first book ... recently he's been writing new books in the Dune series
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: sounds like fun.
[14:20] Jago Constantine: they suck :P
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: hmm someone else writing Dune stuff sounds less fun
[14:20] Jago Constantine: lol / yeah, he's basically capitalising on his father's work for cash / he co-writes with kevin anderson / their books are nowhere near as deep or detailed as the originals
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: theyre a hard act to follow
[14:22] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: phenomenal world-building there
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: most sequels are
[14:22] Jago Constantine: it's a shame because Brian Herbert clearly has a unique voice as an author, distinct from his father's
[14:22] Jago Constantine: as shown in this book and his other non-dune ones
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: maybe he should have stuck to writing comerdy
[14:23] Jago Constantine: yes he should have ... but they wouldn't sell as well / lol
[14:23] Eddi Haskell: there is nothing wrong with being an A plus writer of B material
[14:23] Lewis Luminos: Terry Pratchett did fine...
[14:23] Jago Constantine: I suspect that Kevin Anderson writes the new dune books and Brian Herbert puts the name herbert on the cover
[14:24] Jago Constantine: I loved terry pratchett for about the first dozen books
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: I actually never could get into them at all
[14:24] Jago Constantine: but he went downhill for a patch
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: can you guys give me someting to read
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: im serious
[14:25] Jago Constantine: when the books started being 'this one parodies opera', this one parodies rock, this one parodies australia
[14:25] Jago Constantine: a suggestion?
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: lol / yes
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Why not read Snow Crash you keep saying you want to
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: hmm, the last book I read that I really enjoyed was Perdido Street Station
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: oh yeah thats very good too
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: what is perfido about
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: a must-read if you want to read on Virtual Worlds
[14:26] Jago Constantine: Oh Lewis, next time we have a group excursion, there's a China Mieville-based sim we can visit
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: perdido, is a sort of steampunk city bug-hunt
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: ooh
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: :)
[14:26] Jago Constantine: It's based on The Scar actually lol / so you need to read that :P
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: I need to get a copy of that
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: yeah definitely
[14:27] Lewis Luminos: one to buy
[14:27] Arch Optera watches the humans chat as she idly lies there.
[14:27] Jago Constantine: the sim is a bunch of boats joined together
[14:27] Jago Constantine: Hi, Miroirs, thanks for coming :)
[14:27] Miroirs Hax: hello
[14:27] Jago Constantine: Slow rezzing here, set your graphics low for a bit
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: hi miroirs
[14:27] Lewis Luminos: hi Miroirs / so my latest book wasn't as good
[14:28] Jago Constantine: ok what was it again?
[14:28] Lewis Luminos: Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
[14:28] Jago Constantine: oh thats right
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: supposedly a thriller but it wasnt very thrilling
[14:29] Jago Constantine: would you recommend her works?
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: I wouldnt reccomend this one unles you've got a particular interest in the topic
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: which in this case is autism and medical ethics
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: set in the near future
[14:29] Jago Constantine: hmm not really
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: i just read it
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: where they've inventd a cure for autism
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: the synposis
[14:29] Jago Constantine: though I liked The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night Time / Hey Miroirs, have you read any good books lately?
[14:30] Lewis Luminos: and its an exploration of whether it's right to make people have the treatment against their will
[14:30] Miroirs Hax: think i'm almost rezzed, woa, nice location!
[14:30] Jago Constantine: yes isn;t it cool :)
[14:31] Lewis Luminos: while at the same time convicted criminals get forced to have their brais altered, and it's practically the same thing
[14:31] Jago Constantine: This is our first meet where we visit a new location
[14:31] Lewis Luminos: *brains
[14:31] Arch Optera: Welcome to Insilico.
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: i like to photo here
[14:32] Jago Constantine: Basically Miroirs, we go through what we read last, then what we're going to read next at these meets :)
[14:32] Miroirs Hax: sounds nice, sorry for being late
[14:32] Lewis Luminos: I dont have anything else lined up yet, will have to see whats int he library on Monday
[14:33] Jago Constantine: no worries, Miroirs
[14:33] Lewis Luminos: unless I can buy a copy of Scar
[14:33] Jago Constantine: You could try it as an ebook / it might be online
[14:33] Lewis Luminos: trouble with that is I do all my reading while I'm commuting
[14:33] Jago Constantine: ah
[14:33] Lewis Luminos: and I dont have anything I can use to take an ebook with me
[14:33] Jago Constantine: I wish we had Kindles in australia / I use my pda sometimes
[14:34] Lewis Luminos: to be honest I prefer my books to be made of paper
[14:34] Jago Constantine: me too, but a lot of people say that then love kindles :P
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: xerox has has paper that can change text electronically for many years
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: it will come to the market soon
[14:35] Jago Constantine: cool / There is an ebook of The Scar available for the record :)
[14:35] Lewis Luminos: I'd like to have a pda that never runs out of battery, and is still easy to read when the sun;s shining on the screen
[14:35] Lewis Luminos: then I'll be happy :)
[14:35] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:36] Jago Constantine: Once I finish this Sidney's Comet book I will read the sequel The Garbage Chronicles :P
[14:36] Jago Constantine: I picked them both up at once
[14:37] Jago Constantine: Not sure what the sequel is about, apart from garbage again and the same characters
[14:38] Jago Constantine: Hey Miroirs, are you rezzed? Would you like to discuss a book or are you happy to listen :)
[14:39] Miroirs Hax: i've not been able to read any sci-fi lately, sadly, so i'll mostly listen if that's ok
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Sure
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Oh can I invite you to join our group?
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: invite me please
[14:40] Miroirs Hax: sure, thanks
[14:40] Jago Constantine: Great / I send out notices for our saturday meetings through it / also, if you want to discuss sci fi in chat, feel free to use group / So you all like the venue for this week's meeting?
[14:42] Lewis Luminos: it looks great
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: i do
[14:42] Jago Constantine: take some time to look around later it's worth it
[14:42] Miroirs Hax: yes, sure sets the mood, did you create this?
[14:42] Jago Constantine: oh no
[14:42] Jago Constantine: I just asked the creator if we could meet here
[14:42] Jago Constantine: it's a roleplay sim
[14:43] Jago Constantine: this bar is Out of Character
[14:43] Miroirs Hax: :)
[14:43] Jago Constantine: or its allowed here / This isn't book related, but I went to see The Watchmen yesterday :)
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: so did I :)
[14:44] Jago Constantine: I really liked it
[14:44] Eddi Haskell: is it good?
[14:44] Jago Constantine: It's kind of like Sin City
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: I... actually didn't, to be honest
[14:44] Jago Constantine: with superheroes
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: though I didnt like the book much either
[14:45] Jago Constantine: I never got a chance to read the comics
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: I'd hesitate to use the word "heroes" in there
[14:45] Jago Constantine: well yeah / the characters are all flawed
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: very much so
[14:45] Miroirs Hax: i've only just learned about the watchmen, i sure liked sin city though
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: If you like very, very dark, and very very gruesomely violent
[14:46] Jago Constantine: yes, this is just as stylised and violent
[14:46] Jago Constantine: its from the director of 300 I think
[14:46] Arch Optera: Frank Miller, yes.
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: then you'll like it
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: and you dont mind that the "heroes" are rapists and murderers
[14:47] Arch Optera: Don't mind me boys since we're ooc here I am just listening.
[14:47] Miroirs Hax: that's a lot of criticism in a recommendation Lewis :)
[14:47] Jago Constantine: I understand that it was kind of the point of the comic to try and depict the kind of people who might become masked vigilantes in RL
[14:47] Lewis Luminos: no I actually do think its a good film, just not my type of film
[14:47] Lewis Luminos: it was very true to the book, well-executed
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Feel free to comment, Arch :)
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Some criticism I heard was that it was too true to the books
[14:48] Lewis Luminos: could that even be a criticism?
[14:48] Lewis Luminos: heh
[14:49] Jago Constantine: well I read a quote once, a book is hundreds of pages
[14:49] Jago Constantine: a script is 40 pages
[14:49] Jago Constantine: you can't try to force everything in
[14:49] Arch Optera: I always like to see how they translate book to film, unfortunately sometimes they suck. But each director always has an interesting interperetation.
[14:49] Jago Constantine: Hi, Ji NI, thanks for coming
[14:49] Lewis Luminos: I'm not particularly squeamish but there were several scenes I just couldn't watch
[14:49] Ji Ni: hello :)
[14:50] Jago Constantine: there were times when I felt the movie was trying to fill in a lot of backstory
[14:50] Eddi Haskell: hi Ji Ni
[14:50] Miroirs Hax: hello
[14:50] Jago Constantine: I didn't mind that
[14:50] Lewis Luminos: the movie was easier to follow than the book
[14:50] Lewis Luminos: maybe it was dumbed down a bit
[14:50] Jago Constantine: We're talking about The Watchmen movie, Ji
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Definitely
[14:50] Lewis Luminos: or maybe I was too young when I read it
[14:51] Ji Ni: i havent seen it yet :(
[14:51] Jago Constantine: I think they wanted Terry Gilliam to film it at one stage, and he said it was unfilmable :P
[14:51] Lewis Luminos: probably was, then. Movie-making technology has come a long way since then
[14:52] Jago Constantine: no cgi :)
[14:52] Jago Constantine: yes, Terry Gilliam would have done it old school :)
[14:52] Eddi Haskell: with humour
[14:52] Jago Constantine: this had humour, as dark as Gilliams
[14:53] Jago Constantine: well darker maybe
[14:53] Jago Constantine: less absurd
[14:53] Jago Constantine: How are you going, Ji, rezzed?
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: I thought some of the humour in Watchmen was inappropriate
[14:54] Jago Constantine: Can you say without spoiling which bits?
[14:54] Jago Constantine: without spoilers
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: hmm... choice of certain bits of soundtrack
[14:54] Ji Ni: meh, holy rez mania
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: making reference to other pop-culture icons...
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Hmm I can't figure the parts you mean lol
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Did you set your graphics low Ji?
[14:55] Lewis Luminos: Apocalypse Now
[14:55] Jago Constantine: oh yeah
[14:55] Ji Ni: mine are low as they can go, shitty puter though
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I liked that bit
[14:56] Jago Constantine: I thought it was just how a superhero would be used in RL
[14:56] Lewis Luminos: yeah I agree
[14:56] Jago Constantine: but the music subverted it
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: but there I was laughing at the music and watching that, and suddenly thought "why the hell am I laughing at this?"
[14:57] Jago Constantine: yeah it was conflicting
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: it felt wrong
[14:57] Jago Constantine: one of the parts I felt worst seeing was the kennedy assassination
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: oh god yeah
[14:58] Lewis Luminos: worst bit for me was the prison scene
[14:58] Lewis Luminos: the bit with the saw
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: your making me want to see it
[14:58] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:58] Miroirs Hax: heh, same here
[14:58] Jago Constantine: well that was so over the top
[14:58] Jago Constantine: you should go!
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: i will
[14:59] Jago Constantine: Ji, would you like an invite to our group?
[14:59] Lewis Luminos: yeah. I didnt actually like it but I still think it was a good film
[14:59] Ji Ni: sure :)
[15:00] Jago Constantine: We
[15:00] Jago Constantine: re winding up now, so this will help you know where the next meet is
[15:00] Ji Ni: Will you put it into the Search events listing?
[15:00] Jago Constantine: It could be back at my and Eddi's land, or it could be at a China Mieville theme sim
[15:00] Jago Constantine: yes, I will
[15:01] Jago Constantine: so it will be easy to find
[15:01] spyVspy Aeon: hi there
[15:01] Ji Ni: ok, that is best, i only have 25 group slots :(
[15:01] Miroirs Hax: hello
[15:01] Jago Constantine: sure
[15:01] Jago Constantine: it's the only science fiction event I know :P
[15:01] Jago Constantine: Hi, spy
[15:01] Lewis Luminos: I'm nearly out of group slots too
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: well
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: i am going to put more inisilico photos up at my gallery
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: so you can see my photos
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: there is an inisilico photo from me in metaverse
[15:02] Miroirs Hax: nice to meet you, thanks for the event
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: the sl newspaper
[15:02] Ji Ni: Its a great topic, I luvz the scifi
[15:02] Jago Constantine: me too ... I'm surprised there weren't sci fi discussion groups already
[15:02] Jago Constantine: I had to make one :)
[15:03] Lewis Luminos: I'm glad you did, its fun
[15:03] Lewis Luminos: its also got me reading more :-D
[15:03] Ji Ni: ive seen the odd sci fi book discussed in general fantasy groups but ya, its good to see specifically sci fi
[15:03] spyVspy Aeon: :) scifi lover too
[15:04] Jago Constantine: I think our next meeting will be at my land like last week, and we'll do the excursion after that
[15:04] Jago Constantine: would you like a group invite, spy?
[15:04] Jago Constantine: We have sci fi discussion saturdays at 2
[15:04] spyVspy Aeon: yay sounds really cool
[15:04] spyVspy Aeon: need to know if I have time lol too much things to do
[15:05] Jago Constantine: Sure
[15:05] spyVspy Aeon: thnks
[15:05] spyVspy Aeon: right now doing a machinima
[15:05] Jago Constantine: any time you want
[15:05] Jago Constantine: You can also discuss sci fi in group chat
[15:05] spyVspy Aeon: :) I will need for the storyboards
[15:05] Lewis Luminos: Jago I gotta say I love that Tony-Stark style heart thing you're wearing there :)
[15:06] Jago Constantine: heh thanks I bought it in the mall here
[15:06] Saskia Bowie: Hello everyone
[15:06] Jago Constantine: Hi, Saskia :)
[15:06] Lewis Luminos: hi Saskia
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: hi saskia
[15:07] Jago Constantine: Ok, I might log and have breakfast :)
[15:07] Saskia Bowie: hmm, no rp?
[15:07] Astolio Krell: hello
[15:07] Jago Constantine: thanks for coming I will send a group notice with the next location
[15:07] Jago Constantine: we just had a sci fi discussion event
[15:08] Lewis Luminos: I have to go too
[15:08] Lewis Luminos: nice meeting you Eddi