Transcripts from Science Fiction Saturday, a regular event in Second Life. Hosted by the group Science Fiction Discussion each Saturday at 2.00 p.m. SL time.

Showing posts with label Neal Asher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neal Asher. Show all posts

Saturday, February 21, 2009

21 February 2009: Liberation Square

[13:58] Jago Constantine: Hi, Lewis
[13:58] Lewis Luminos: hi Jago
[13:58] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming :)
[13:58] Lewis Luminos: youre welcome
[13:58] Jago Constantine: I thought we'd have it in the park in the rotunda / Hi, Xeno :)
[13:59] Xeno Octavia: hi this the sci fi-ers
[13:59] Jago Constantine: Yes it is :) / Over here :) / try clicking closer to the inner edge, Xeno
[14:01] Lewis Luminos: if you stand inside the ring facing the seat it should work
[14:01] Xeno Octavia: lol we meet out in the street!!ty
[14:01] Jago Constantine: It's a little laggy, I've been building
[14:01] Lewis Luminos: is this place all new?
[14:01] Jago Constantine: It was good to see some replies on the forum, I didn't know if anyone would come / Yes, well, built since february / Anyway, I've never even been in a book club before, so I'm just winging it here
[14:02] Lewis Luminos: me neither actually
[14:03] Jago Constantine: Maybe I'll start by saying what I'm reading / I've just finished a couple of Neal Asher novels / in his Polity series / He owes a lot to Iain Banks I think / Have either of you read him?
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: no
[14:04] Xeno Octavia: i havnt
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: keep meaning to
[14:04] Jago Constantine: Ok, well like Banks, they're in a human society run largely by AIs / Maybe a bit more actiony than banks
[14:04] Xeno Octavia: how are u on Mary Doria Russell
[14:05] Jago Constantine: I read The Sparrow and Children of God / Has she written any sci fi since?
[14:05] Xeno Octavia: kool i'm reading Dreamers of the Day
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Sci fi?
[14:05] Xeno Octavia: is it sci fi --maybe
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Heh what is it about so far?
[14:07] Xeno Octavia: ive read it --wont twell where may become sci fi --but is about pre WW1 america and the peace conf in mid east 1921 and then ---
[14:07] Lewis Luminos: ah I love books that cross genre boundaries
[14:08] Jago Constantine: Sounds interesting
[14:08] Xeno Octavia: actually a western divide of mid east conf
[14:08] Jago Constantine: So ... alternate history?
[14:08] Ingrid Northmead: oh wow / hey Lewis
[14:08] Jago Constantine: Hey Ingrid :)
[14:08] Lewis Luminos: hi Ingrid :)
[14:08] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming
[14:08] Ingrid Northmead: fancy meeting you here
[14:08] Lewis Luminos: lol
[14:09] Xeno Octavia: no actual history but alternates after history and is about how our sucky worls came about
[14:09] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:09] Xeno Octavia: hi ingrid
[14:09] Ingrid Northmead: hey hey
[14:10] Xeno Octavia: am also reading James Hillman's A Terrible Love of War / which takes off where russell leAVES OFF
[14:10] Jago Constantine: Was it a deliberate choice to pick those two at once? / Or a coincidence? / Hey Toad :) / I should ask if this time and day is good for everyone?
[14:12] Xeno Octavia: YES HI TOAD
[14:12] Jago Constantine: lol Xeno
[14:13] Xeno Octavia: dont kno --i b erratic
[14:13] Lewis Luminos: its good for me / although once I start my own little group, I might be late sometimes
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Oh, your philosophy group?
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: *nod*
[14:14] Xeno Octavia: yes jago they go together they were possib choices for another book club --which chose dreamers
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Nice
[14:14] ToadOfToadHall Aquila: bye guys -- server slow.
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Ok Toad, sorry bout that / What are you reading atm, Lewis?
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: I'm about 4/5ths through Perdido Street Station
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Oh nice :)
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: by China Mieville / Really good book, classic sort of sci-fi plot, but fairly low tech / grungy setting
[14:15] Jago Constantine: I loved it / I liked The Scar better
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: Havent read any of his others yet / but I certainy will do after this
[14:16] Jago Constantine: It's good cos they're so thick, you get value for money lol
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: yeah :)
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Seriously, it's a great steampunk sort of setting
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: The characters are so well-thought-out too
[14:17] Jago Constantine: yes, they have depth
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: brb 2 min
[14:17] Jago Constantine: ok / Ingrid? Read any good books?
[14:18] Ingrid Northmead: Oh, actually I've been meaning to check out Michael Moorcock.. have heard very good things about him and read some of his essays but I'm a bit overwhelmed at where to start
[14:18] Jago Constantine: I love his Dancers at the End of Time series best / They're a lot of fun
[14:18] julo Dixon: hello everybody
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Julo :)
[14:19] julo Dixon: ty jago
[14:19] Lewis Luminos: back
[14:19] Jago Constantine: We're going round the circle saying what we're reading / Is this how AA works? / lol
[14:19] Xeno Octavia: hi julo
[14:19] julo Dixon: hi xeno
[14:20] Ingrid Northmead: yes and after the meeting we all read trashy fantasy novels and then feel ashamed
[14:20] Xeno Octavia: no we skipping the porno
[14:20] Jago Constantine: lol / You can visit my sex furniture museum after if you want porno
[14:20] julo Dixon: lol
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: I never feel ashamed of trashy fantasy :)
[14:20] Jago Constantine: Heh, well China Mieville is arguably fantasy / not trashy tho
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: yeah but the storyline is pure sci-fi, / Alien-hunting
[14:21] Jago Constantine: the lines blur, and similar with Moorcock
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: *nods* / like I said, I enjoy books where the lines are blurred
[14:22] Jago Constantine: So Ingrid, I'd recomment Moorcock's Dancers series, or actually Gloriana / That's a stand alone novel set in an alternate history England
[14:22] Ingrid Northmead: well I'll check those out then... always sort of the matter of cracking open a certain universe, if that makes sense
[14:22] Jago Constantine: it doesn't quite :P / the matter?
[14:23] Ingrid Northmead: haha well never mind then :p
[14:24] Jago Constantine: So Julo ... what book is on your night stand at the moment?
[14:24] julo Dixon: oooo i m reading nothing
[14:24] Xeno Octavia: i remember that was quite good
[14:24] julo Dixon: just want to listen you
[14:24] Jago Constantine: aw shucks :)
[14:25] Xeno Octavia: dont remember who wrote it tho
[14:25] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: it was that guy, Anon. / Very prolific writer
[14:25] Ingrid Northmead: He's so prolific.
[14:25] Jago Constantine: I should mention that Neal Asher needs a better editor
[14:25] Ingrid Northmead: oh jinx.
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: :)
[14:25] Jago Constantine: I've never read a major writer with such inelegant prose / and simple mistakes too, like new for knew
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: heh try Roger Zelazny
[14:26] Jago Constantine: really? I read a few of his / Lord of Light
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: Nine Princes is full of errors
[14:27] Jago Constantine: I couldn't get into the Amber series / at all
[14:27] Ingrid Northmead: worst I've ever read was Mary Gentle
[14:27] Lewis Luminos: I've been warned off hers.
[14:27] Jago Constantine: Really? I recently read Golden Witchbreed / It seemed ok
[14:27] Xeno Octavia: have u read Wilson's 'Spin' and/or 'Axis'
[14:27] Ingrid Northmead: oh I haven't read that one, but I didn't finish any of her books that I started, which is really unusual for me
[14:28] Jago Constantine: I LOVED her book Ash / Loved it / one of my favourites / I read Spin, it was ok
[14:28] Xeno Octavia: gess ok not very good
[14:28] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:29] Ingrid Northmead: Ooh, SL drama emergency is calling my name. Sorry guys, gotta run :)
[14:29] Jago Constantine: It won awards obviously, so some people like it
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: lol ok
[14:29] Ingrid Northmead: see ya~
[14:29] Jago Constantine: Cya later Ingrid, mayne next week
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: bye Ingrid / Out of curiosity, who here has read Snow Crash?
[14:29] Jago Constantine: Me :)
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: :)
[14:29] Jago Constantine: It's kind of de rigeur for SL isn't it :P
[14:30] Lewis Luminos: yeah thats why I asked / I read it a couple of months ago / thought it was pretty good
[14:30] Jago Constantine: It's another of my favourites / And Diamond Age
[14:30] Lewis Luminos: havent read any of his others
[14:31] Jago Constantine: The last one I read was Anathem, which was ... monumental :P
[14:32] Lewis Luminos: I dont think my local library has any of his. :(
[14:32] Jago Constantine: It wasn't his best, but the world building was great
[14:32] Lewis Luminos: I loved the Snow Crash world
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Yeah Snow Crash's burbclaves are a lot of fun
[14:33] Sharon Raynier: Hi
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Hi, Sharon, welcome :)
[14:33] Lewis Luminos: hi Sharon
[14:33] Sharon Raynier: I don't know too much about science fiction - I'm challenged enough dealing with reality lol
[14:33] Xeno Octavia: snow crASH WAS MUCHLY kooler than Neuromancer
[14:34] Jago Constantine: Yeah, I've never been into William Gibson that much / Especially his later things
[14:34] Lewis Luminos: I tried Neuromancer and gave it up / brb again
[14:34] Jago Constantine: What was the last science fiction you read, Sharon? / Sharon?
[14:36] Sharon Raynier: Sorry
[14:36] Jago Constantine: No worries :)
[14:36] Sharon Raynier: : - ) / Did you ask something?
[14:37] Jago Constantine: What was the last sci fi you read?
[14:37] Sharon Raynier: I am hear to listen more than contribute / The last sci fi....
[14:37] Jago Constantine: That's ok :)
[14:37] julo Dixon: lol like me
[14:37] Sharon Raynier: Well in all this talk about Abraham Lincoln these weeks / I am reminded of a Twilight Zone story I read years ago
[14:37] Lewis Luminos: back
[14:38] Jago Constantine: Oh?
[14:38] Sharon Raynier: especially a tragic one / What if someone were transported in time to right before a historic event occurred, / and the person had knowledge, what would / be the impact of the person being at that place and time
[14:38] julo Dixon: ok i m going bye
[14:39] Xeno Octavia: intressin meet but i must leave - TY jago
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming, Julo!
[14:39] Lewis Luminos: bye julo
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Maybe next week?
[14:39] Sharon Raynier: take care
[14:39] Lewis Luminos: Your story Sharon, reminds me of another I read / Changewar, by Fritz Leiber / all about timetravelling
[14:40] Sharon Raynier: What happened in that story?
[14:40] Lewis Luminos: and two rival factions at war with each other, keep going back and changing things
[14:40] Jago Constantine: Sounds familiar
[14:40] Lewis Luminos: and the other faction goes back further and changes their change...
[14:41] Sharon Raynier: Oh Australia, eh?
[14:41] Lewis Luminos: its fascinating
[14:41] Jago Constantine: Yes :) / I think there are a few series about time wars
[14:41] Sharon Raynier: I'm in Florida USA / There's a movie on HBO tonight about the Iraq War I think / about an officer who is escorting the body of a private, an ordinary soldier, home after being killed in action
[14:42] Jago Constantine: ok? / Is it science fiction?
[14:42] Sharon Raynier: I am really looking forward to seeing it but I imagine it will be sad / There's a lot of people who would like to be able to go back in time and change things about that war
[14:43] Jago Constantine: True / It would be interesting to see or read something like that about Iraq / If you went back in time and said there are no WMDs / would you be believed? / Oh, Lewis (and Sharon) / If you can't get books in your local library, you might try Bookmooch
[14:44] Sharon Raynier: Or that Saddam is not the threat that Bush is making him out to be
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: whats that?
[14:44] Jago Constantine: It's a book sharing website
[14:45] Sharon Raynier: Bookmooch - that's a funny name
[14:45] Jago Constantine: You offer to share books / and you get points for the ones you send out / and spend points to get books posted from other people
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: hmm does it depend pn having a reliable postal service? A lot of things go missing here, I dont trust 'em
[14:46] Jago Constantine: heh well, I just got a book from the UK, and sent one to singapore and they both arrived / it depends if you trust your postal service
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: I think its a local issue here Jago / a dodgy postman or something
[14:46] Sharon Raynier: I'll have to look into that / I have a ton of books I don't really look at
[14:46] Jago Constantine: Yes well packages could be tempting
[14:46] Sharon Raynier: Where are you Lewis?
[14:46] Jago Constantine: I'm rather strict with my books
[14:47] Lewis Luminos: UK
[14:47] Jago Constantine: I look at them and say will I ever read this again? / Then I take them to the book exchange
[14:47] Lewis Luminos: I have plenty at home I've not read yet so I'm good for a while
[14:47] Sharon Raynier: book exchagne?
[14:47] Jago Constantine: Hi, Charr
[14:48] Sharon Raynier: Hi Charr!
[14:48] Jago Constantine: A store that buys and sells used books?
[14:48] charr Philter: Hello Jago / Hi Sharon
[14:48] Arii Arida: Hello all :))
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Hi, Arii, sorry I didn't notice you over there
[14:48] Sharon Raynier: The major place in my home which I need to declutter is my books / Hi Arii / I tend to hang on to them
[14:49] Jago Constantine: Yeah, books take up so much space so quickly / We've been talking about what we're reading at the moment / Arii, got anything good going?
[14:50] Lewis Luminos: hi Arii
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Nice sit pose, by the way
[14:50] Arii Arida: lol....oops
[14:50] Jago Constantine: No, I wasn't making fun, it looks cool
[14:50] Arii Arida: well...I just finished Greg Iles Footprints of God
[14:51] Jago Constantine: I haven't read anything by him / Is it good?
[14:51] Arii Arida: I liked it...was a fairly easy read.....scary waqht can happen with computers and mans ambition to rule the world
[14:52] Jago Constantine: Is it part of a series?
[14:52] Arii Arida: Dan Brown recomends this book / no
[14:52] Jago Constantine: I like Dan Brown a little / he's kind of sci fi too
[14:52] Arii Arida: right now I'm reading Deception Point / so far...it's pretty good
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Is that the meteorite one?
[14:53] Arii Arida: again...about science ect / yup
[14:53] Jago Constantine: I get it confused with Digital Fortress
[14:53] Arii Arida: dont tell me anthing
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: I like dan brown too :)
[14:53] Arii Arida: about the meterite,lol
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Technothrillers like that are really science fiction in the present :P / Hey, Charr, how about you? Reading anything good?
[14:54] Arii Arida: yes...I am a huge sci fi fan.....so I like that kind of read
[14:54] charr Philter: so are we camping?
[14:54] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:55] Sharon Raynier: Do two things at once / That would make sense - to have a club meeting at someone's camping bench lol
[14:55] Arii Arida: lol....I agree
[14:55] Jago Constantine: heh I think the good company is enough value without camping chairs :)
[14:55] Sharon Raynier: Absolutely
[14:56] Arii Arida: oh...you had to take the high road.lol
[14:56] Lewis Luminos: anyway in an hour you'd only make L$1, at the going rate
[14:56] charr Philter: so are we having a book club sit in?
[14:56] Sharon Raynier: My son found a Transformers avatar of the character "Bumblebee" here in 2nd life / He loves it / His hero is Tony Stark
[14:56] Jago Constantine: wow
[14:56] Sharon Raynier: of Ironman / Do you know the story?
[14:56] Lewis Luminos: heh Tony Stark is my hero too :)
[14:57] Jago Constantine: I actually have to run, folks / Thanks so much for coming
[14:57] Arii Arida: ok
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: aw ok
[14:57] Sharon Raynier: OK Jago - very nice to meet you
[14:57] Jago Constantine: I have a wedding to attend
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: It was fun
[14:57] Arii Arida: I'm sorry I was late
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Same time next week
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: have a good day Jago
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Search for science fiction in events
[14:57] Sharon Raynier: Congratulations to the Bride and Groom / Thanks Jago
[14:57] Arii Arida: I was at a Dr who event last night
[14:57] Sharon Raynier: Cool