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Well, it's not as bad as _The Cat Who Could Walk Through Walls_ by Heinlein. That book's protagonist is a gruff-yet-lovable aging sci-fi writer who, despite hi

by mundo 10y ago

Well, it's not as bad as _The Cat Who Could Walk Through Walls_ by Heinlein. That book's protagonist is a gruff-yet-lovable aging sci-fi writer who, despite his advanced age, has hand-to-hand combat training, a hot young wife, and a huge dick. I kid you not, like with specific numbers, in centimeters. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out the Laundry Files. I have read one book by Stross (Accelerando) and liked it well enough.

qwertyuiop924 10y ago
Huh, I'd have thought Heinlein would have known better. Writing yourself is a hard trick to pull off, as you can't be too perfect, nor too flawed. One of the few I think could have pullled it off was the late, great Terry Pratchett (I didn't reccomend his books to you already, as I assume you've already read him). He has the sense of humor to make it work. A slight warning: the first Laundry Files novel is kind of in-jokey. Not that the others aren't (it is about a programmer/magician (there isn't really much difference, in-universe) stuck inside a government bureau whose job is to fight Lovecraftian horrors from another dimension, after all), but the in the first book they can be kind of grating, even for us, the intended audience. So if the offhand references to Symbolics, Alan Turing formalizing magic, in part by disproving the Church-Turing thesis (but that may have been retconned?), Volume 4 of Knuth, and other geeky in-jokes sound like nails on a chalkboard to you, don't worry, it gets better (by the end of the book, actually. The jokes pretty much disappear once you reach The Archives).
- mundo 10y ago
  Thanks, sounds like good fun and I will check it out! And in return, I presume you've probably read Diamond Age and Snowcrash, but if not, get thee hence, they're both great.
  - qwertyuiop924 10y ago
    Of course! Who do you take me for? Well, I haven't finished Diamond Age yet... But I will, really soon!

by mundo 10y ago

qwertyuiop924 10y ago

Huh, I'd have thought Heinlein would have known better. Writing yourself is a hard trick to pull off, as you can't be too perfect, nor too flawed. One of the few I think could have pullled it off was the late, great Terry Pratchett (I didn't reccomend his books to you already, as I assume you've already read him). He has the sense of humor to make it work. A slight warning: the first Laundry Files novel is kind of in-jokey. Not that the others aren't (it is about a programmer/magician (there isn't really much difference, in-universe) stuck inside a government bureau whose job is to fight Lovecraftian horrors from another dimension, after all), but the in the first book they can be kind of grating, even for us, the intended audience. So if the offhand references to Symbolics, Alan Turing formalizing magic, in part by disproving the Church-Turing thesis (but that may have been retconned?), Volume 4 of Knuth, and other geeky in-jokes sound like nails on a chalkboard to you, don't worry, it gets better (by the end of the book, actually. The jokes pretty much disappear once you reach The Archives).

mundo 10y ago
Thanks, sounds like good fun and I will check it out! And in return, I presume you've probably read Diamond Age and Snowcrash, but if not, get thee hence, they're both great.
- qwertyuiop924 10y ago
  Of course! Who do you take me for? Well, I haven't finished Diamond Age yet... But I will, really soon!