Updates

So, I joined twitter for some comedic relief and for more at-the-source news of a few people, mostly authors, bloggers and/or artists.

You'll find my timeline just on the right beneath Blog Archive. Getting it there was a chore in and of itself and from now on there's where you'll find a lighter side to go with things whenever the blog gets a little too heavy, or even just on the regular days.

I'll refrain from sharing the depressing stuff, anything to do with sports and I'll certainly not touch politics, not even with a ten foot stick. I'm restraining myself purely to the light, the funny things and whatever I find cool enough to share.

Up next on the blog front is Ancient Blood, a warhammer novel concerning vampires with a dash of racial stereotyping on the side (which I'm taking a look at, or I might not), the continuation of the Sartre short story collection the Wall, and after that... I suppose I'll have to really kick myself back into reading Paradise Lost book 3 before I do anything else.

There's also some neat stuff coming accompanied by what is hopefully an overall better picture quality and some few purchased books that I'd like to share.

Positivity, sir.

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And to completely undercut that I'll just leave you with this quote from Matthew Stover's magnificent Heroes Die giving a mighty shitty look on escapism in books and fiction in general.

The Prince-Regent lies propped on pillows larger than my whole bed and snores happily, the silver hairs of his mustache puffing in and out with each wheeze.
A book lies face-down across his ample chest: One of Kimlarthen's series of Korish romances.
This draws another smile out of my dry mouth; who would have figured the Lion of Prorithun for a sentimentalist?

Fairy Tales - simple stories for simple minds, a breath of air to cool brows overheated by the complexities of real life.

Does he mean fiction in general though? There's probably some specific few genres that Stover via Caine is talking about. And I would assume Heroes Die doesn't lie among those because no author willingly takes the sledgehammer of disapproval to his own creation, especially not at the start of the novel.

It's instead a mild stay-away sign directed at the ones who are here for pure escapist comfort, those looking for a story without meaning, a story existing only within the confines of its own creation, with the plot tailored specifically to appeal to the masses, pre-chewed and readily familiar, to slot neatly into the tracks of dull, worn minds, enabling to groove all those easy ideas and opinions just a little deeper. Don't challenge, don't question, queu up and shut your mouth. Eyes front, hands behind your back and whatever you do, don't look at the terrified disillusion screaming behind every complacent, smiling face.

He reads quite fluently though, huh?

Small note, picture is actually from Caine Black Knife,
Book 3 of the acts of Caine.

No, he's definitely not talking about Heroes Die.