Fandom and other web finds: pointy latex ears NOT necessary
Have you ever looked into science fiction or fantasy fandom? When I was researching my favourite authors, I found loads of material on their appearances at different conventions. Sometimes their speeches are transcribed on the web, sometimes a whole discussion panel of authors is transcribed or condensed, and in one place I found 40 minute cybercast by LM Bujold and many other great authors at the 2004 National Book Festival. http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/04/cybercasts/index.html
I first discovered this wealth of book related material when I was an exchange student in Germany, where books in English cost and arm and a leg. It took me about four months before I was reading in German, so before then I was DESPERATE for reading matter, and found all sorts of insane and fascinating material on the web. No, you do not need to put on fake pointy ears or Bajoran earrings or something to enjoy the world of fandom. If I lived in a bigger city, I would try to hit up some conventions myself and meet some of my favourite authors. Until then, sometimes the material on an author's site can be a great way to distract myself before the publication of their next book. www.RobinMcKinley.com has stuff on it that is frankly more entertaining than some of the author's books, and I think her books are great.
Apart from the fandom stuff I found the first few chapters of many novels, some whole entire novels, and many, many interviews of authors. For free writing, I recommend the Baen Free Library http://www.baen.com/library. Some of the books are the first books in good series. Some of the books are not so good. But hey, free is free. The introduction to the Baen Free Library was actually interesting (or maybe in my media-desperate state I just thought it was at the time).
Lois McMaster Bujold has a lot of free chapters on the web on the Baen site, and one free novella. I can't say how much I love her work. Just start reading it, and I won't have to. She has won the most Nebulas and Hugos since Asimov, if that helps. It is all adult stuff, though I wish I had found it sooner. The mix of humour and action, philosphy and drama is perfect. Her characterization is so good that people keep asking her if she has psychology training. She has two series, and one stand alone novel. However, each of her novels can stand alone, though they are still best read as a series. In her (Science Fiction) Vorkosigan series, start with Shards of Honor or Cordelia's Honor (which is a compendium of Shards of Honor and the next book in the series, Barrayar). The Warrior's Apprentice is the third book in the series, but also a good place to start, because the torch is passed to a new main character. Note that Young Miles has the third and fourth books in the series, and the novella that occurs in between. The Curse of Chalion is the first of the more serious fantasy series. The Spirit Ring is fantasy, and stands alone. http://www.dendarii.com/ebooks.html
I first discovered this wealth of book related material when I was an exchange student in Germany, where books in English cost and arm and a leg. It took me about four months before I was reading in German, so before then I was DESPERATE for reading matter, and found all sorts of insane and fascinating material on the web. No, you do not need to put on fake pointy ears or Bajoran earrings or something to enjoy the world of fandom. If I lived in a bigger city, I would try to hit up some conventions myself and meet some of my favourite authors. Until then, sometimes the material on an author's site can be a great way to distract myself before the publication of their next book. www.RobinMcKinley.com has stuff on it that is frankly more entertaining than some of the author's books, and I think her books are great.
Apart from the fandom stuff I found the first few chapters of many novels, some whole entire novels, and many, many interviews of authors. For free writing, I recommend the Baen Free Library http://www.baen.com/library. Some of the books are the first books in good series. Some of the books are not so good. But hey, free is free. The introduction to the Baen Free Library was actually interesting (or maybe in my media-desperate state I just thought it was at the time).
Lois McMaster Bujold has a lot of free chapters on the web on the Baen site, and one free novella. I can't say how much I love her work. Just start reading it, and I won't have to. She has won the most Nebulas and Hugos since Asimov, if that helps. It is all adult stuff, though I wish I had found it sooner. The mix of humour and action, philosphy and drama is perfect. Her characterization is so good that people keep asking her if she has psychology training. She has two series, and one stand alone novel. However, each of her novels can stand alone, though they are still best read as a series. In her (Science Fiction) Vorkosigan series, start with Shards of Honor or Cordelia's Honor (which is a compendium of Shards of Honor and the next book in the series, Barrayar). The Warrior's Apprentice is the third book in the series, but also a good place to start, because the torch is passed to a new main character. Note that Young Miles has the third and fourth books in the series, and the novella that occurs in between. The Curse of Chalion is the first of the more serious fantasy series. The Spirit Ring is fantasy, and stands alone. http://www.dendarii.com/ebooks.html
posted by Lu Hill at 5:14 p.m.
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