Rumours of the Rain Wilds

I've been feeding my Robin Hobb addiction furiously in preparation for the third book of her current Trilogy coming out (Renegade's Magic). It has surely robbed me of many hours of sleep and exercise and kept me from the internet and away from the newspaper. However, I've read a shocking rumour - started by none other than Ms. Hobb herself on her newsgroup. She is toying with the idea of writing a book about the Rainwilds. Oh... I could make a list of things I want to know about. Actually, I'd love a prequel to her books about the events that around the time when things started to go wrong (long into antiquity) And I can't even write them here for fearing to create spoilers.. I guess those of you among the readed - we'll just have to brain storm it privately. At any rate, I really don't care what she writes about, I've yet to read anything bad she's written - although I'll grant that I'm not sure that the Gypsy was a favourite - but that was Megan Lindholm - and her writing style is different anyways.

:D

Jennith

Now surely someone will comment on this post :P

Thou shalt not be thyself

It has been a long while since I've reference a Star article here, but this one was a particularly eye opening account of what it means to be normal run of the mill Muslim who is trapped between the suspicions of the general public and the extreme element of their own culture that induced the suspicion in the first place. It sounds like a rather lonely place to be.

Ah spiritually, so dangerously politicized as religion. I've toyed with and rejected the idea of reading the Hitchen's book for now - my own religious influences may be many and unfocused, but I find the idea of denying anyones spiritual experiences distasteful - I somehow do not see how replacing all religions with atheism will be an improvement. Of course, I haven't read the book and I suspect that that isn't his message at all, but I have little enough time to read to waste my time trying to read a book that won't hold my interest. So, I find my parables between the covers of sci fi-fantasy paperbacks and wonder why anyone would chose a less interesting text for this purpose. The religious texts I've been exposed to, no offense meant, read somewhere between a history text and a legal document (approaching the legal document more closely). Oh, there are bits that are interesting and ideas that are valuable - which I assume one would find in most religious texts, but the story isn't written in my own dialect, nor was it written to captivate the audience of the 21st century. What is the result - everything between extremism and spiritual and moral bankruptcy. Could you not imagine a distant future where folk study Heinlein's "Stranger in a strange land", Jacqueline Carey's exploration of the D'angeline faith and Robin Hobb's "Liveship Traders" trilogy or even the philosophies of Star Trek. Are we so certain our gods have have left us in ancient times - that nothing written since then is divinely inspired? Shall we reject the basic truths embedded in these writings to cling to tradition? I think we'd be a poorer species for it.

Updaticus

All right, another speed post in the moments of insanity between the lines of sanity on the pages of obscuritus internetus blogiae.

I've added a few new links - mostly to author's webpages - look left. I'd recomend Diana Gabaldon's in particular as she has a quirky sense of humour. On that topic, I read her Outlander series on the advice of my cousin "Liz" starting at girl guide camp - so the book, which has a few smutty moments got passed around among the senior staff. (Truth be told compare to a lot of books its fairly tame - if you want something a bit more riske - may I recomend any of the excellent books by Jacqueline Carey.) I also finally got my brother, his wife and my boyfriend reading the series. It might not be the deepest series I ever read, but boy is it fun. :D Her next book - well, eventually - but not coming soon.

Robin Hobb on the other hand is busily finishing the last book of her Soldier's Son Trilogy - It'll be a while before its out, but still exciting. Jacqueline Carey, the same as above, has a book scheduled to come out in June (YEAH! maybe by then I'll have time to read). Robert Jorden has been very ill - and may never finish his series, but the lastest news is good and it appears he is on the mend. Even David Usher is finishing his new album with the first single out soon and an upcoming tour. I guess I'd better get all my work done cause I have a ton to read - starting with Terie Garrison's Autumnquest. As for George R. R. Martin - he's also a bit behind on his next book and worrisomely old. Terry Goodkind also had dramatic health issues - appearantly resolved with good results - but no news on the last Wizard book.

Anywho,

Must run,

Jennith