Abi (abigailb) wrote,
Abi
abigailb
Since I got my new glasses, I've been reading things a bit faster! Um, yes. Oops. Embassytown was great. Although I don't understand people saying it's about language. It's not. It's about culture and lying, and the actual linguistic component of it is very handwavy... After that I got on to Whispers Under Ground, the third in the series of Peter Grant novels by that Ben Aaronovitch. Which I enjoyed, although it could have done with being more subplotty.

After this I have been reading The Also People, also by Mr. Aaronovitch, a Virgin New Adventures novel. This is basically a mashup of Doctor Who and Iain M. Banks's The Culture (represented here as the "people", who live on a Dyson sphere, run by a Mindgiant AI called "Hubgod". the humans are people, and the amusingly named ships are AIs and considered to be also people, and the entire society regretfully had a war with Idiranssome religious insectoids, which resulted in orbitalsrings being destroyed). I've only just started this really, but it's already provided an interesting look at childrearing in the Culturepeople, that I can't really remember Banks having done. Also, it has provided what might be my favourite line ever at the moment:


"Of course I'm not sentient", said the table. "I'm a table. I have two functions, one is to hold material objects at a convenient height by virtue of my rigid structure and the other is to take your order. What would be the point in a sentient table?"

Bernice considered this. She had to admit it was a good point.


This entry was originally posted at http://morwen.dreamwidth.org/390822.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Subscribe

  • setlist 12/11/13

    I made my London DJ debut at the Monarch in Camden tonight, at Time-Space Quizualiser event. I think there was some kind of quiz going on in between…

  • (no subject)

    Does anyone fancy coming along to these things? I bought extra tickets on the basis I would try and persuade friends to come along with me. So,…

  • (no subject)

    hmm, i seem to be going to see Nine Inch Nails in Nottingham tomorrow. woo!

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 0 comments