technology filter: Books

What Happened to Paraglyph Press?

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 23:00:01 GMT

Finished a review of Paraglyph Press' Degunking Windows 2nd Edition on SMB IT today. It's actually more of a power user's book, but still useful to SMB sys admins--especially consultants with a bunch of SMB power user clients.

Only problem: I got the review book about 6 weeks ago and still no mention of it on Amazon or Paraglyph's own Web site. Kinda makes me wonder if I've got the only copy. If so, you should still look for the first edition. SAlmost the same book--2nd Edition is updated only around Windows Media Player and the Service Pack 2 stuff.

Anyone finds a copy, let me know.

George R.R. Martin Book Signing in New York

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 15:22:33 GMT

So as I'm training a whole bunch of customers on our new software in NYC yesterday, I get wind that George R.R. Martin is doing a book signing at B&N on Astor Place that night. Mr. Martin is the author of the very excellent Song of Ice and Fire Trilogy, the last installment of which, A Feast for Crows, is finally out after three years delay. That's three years!

Forget going home and watching TV, I'm there. And I thought about calling Costa, but apparently he was screening calls. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You can tell I was there from this brilliantly retro photograph I took from the back of the room.

The signing was amazingly well attended. I'm figuring a couple hundred people showed up, though only those of us who got there early enough to get green arm bands were allowed to sit. The line to get your book signed was unreal. Most of the 2nd floor was taken up with it, all of the coffee shop and it stretched down the stairs to the first level and then on down to the basement.

That's one popular series.

For those wondering why the last book was so late, Mr. Martin answers (paraphrased):

Originally, he wanted to start this book five years into the story's future. Give the kiddies a chance to grow up. But though he beat his not inconsiderable noggin against this concept for over a year, he couldn't make it work for the adults. That wasted a year. Then he started the story we're reading now, but couldn't get all the characters to their next stopping point inside of 1200 pages. Not even 1500. In fact, even within 1500 pages he couldn't even get all the characters started.

So he and his eds decided to divide this book by geography rather than chronology. So Feat for Crows really only concerns the battle for the Iron Throne. Nothing in this one about Dani, the Eastern continent or the North. That's for the next book (Dance of Dragons, I believe), which he promises by next year because he's already got 500 pages written. This book will mirror the same timeline as Feast for Crows, but will do it across the rest of the map. (We hope.)

Geek Book Review: Silverheart

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 15:15:28 GMT

Elric, the Eternal Hero, Castle Brass, the Dreamthief's little girl, I've read it all. Michael Moorcock rules. Storm Constantine's Wraethuthuthi stuff was diverting as well, though I had a little trouble relating. Her latest Sea Dragon Heir series opener left me a little flat, too, though I did finish it.

Normally, I don't go for publishers hawking "up and coming" writers by allowing them to play around in worlds created by already successful authors. But Constantine isn't some complete unknown; she has some chops all her own. So I figured I'd give her and Moorcock the benefit of the doubt. Picked up a copy of Silverheart and chewed through it this past weekend. Chew, unfortunately, being the operative word there.

Wow, was that ever predictable. It's Moorcock's multiverse all right, but there's none of his magic, and precious little of what Constantine is known for, either. It's formula start to finish with a heavy handed meld-reason-with-science (magic) message.

Folks are blaming Constantine for the book's failure, but I'm betting she didn't want to write it any more than I want to re-read it. I smell greedy agent and grasping publisher behind this one.

Verdict: Avoid.

Another thing Available in November

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 16:26:32 GMT

Speaking of things available in November: I'm sniffing through Borders, as usual hopped up on caffeine and waffle mix, when I notice that George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones has been re-released yet again in paperback. When the first book of a series gets re-tossed at the public like that it can mean only one thing:

Feast For Crows must finally be nigh. Sure enough, Amazon reports that AFFC will be out in early November. Damn George!! What could possibly have taken so long. You're killing me!

For those of you who were as captured by the first three books as I was, you no doubt want to punch out Georgie Martin, too. Took this mook three years to barf this thing up. I'm halfway thinking about not buying it in some masochistic display of passive-aggressive protest. But I don't have the will power.