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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Books Reading Tonight: Big Day for Fantasy Nerds

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 10:25 AM

There's a poetry slam tonight, and a gardening book, a book about climate change, and several other events, too.

There will be several fancy readings tonight. Fancy reading the first: Cornel West at the University Village Barnes and Noble. The political activist and star of The Matrix sequels (?!) discusses his new memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud.

Fancy reading the second: Ken Croswell reads at Pacific Science Center. The Lives of Stars is a book about those bags of gas we stare at at night. Croswell is a star expert, which is awesome.

Fancy reading the third: Elliott Bay Book Company is hosting an event called Madeline DeFrees: Celebrating a Poet at 90. Poets will read DeFrees's work and pay tribute to her and then DeFrees herself will cut the birthday cake. This looks undeniably sweet. You can read more about DeFrees here.

But many of you out there don't care about any of the above. You only care that Brandon Sanderson is going to sign The Gathering Storm, which is book 12 in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, at University Book Store tonight. Jordan, of course, passed away and left his work unfinished. Sanderson is finishing the job. Over here, you can see photos of a release party for this book at Brigham Young University. You will note the leather-jacketed man who is raising a sword in the air and screaming as he waits in line. Be careful at this reading, nerds. We don't want you to get hacked to death by an overzealous fan.

The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here. And if you're planning on staying in and you're looking for personalized book recommendations, feel free to tell me the books you like and ask me what to read next over at Questionland.

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The are many reasons not to gather with people who like the same books as you do. It's always the guy in the outfit w/ a sword that attracts the attention, not the guy three rows behind him embarrassed and trying to ignore said guy in the outfit w/ a sword.

Posted by clearlyhere

on November 18, 2009 at 10:43 AM

I wish I could care about the Wheel of Time series anymore. It was such a joy to read in the 90's and I always waited with impatient anticipation for the next book. But somewhere about 3 or so books ago it became tired and boring, like watching your favorite tv show air far past it's prime. Such a slow, sad decline of a once great series.

Posted by danewood on November 18, 2009 at 10:49 AM

Cornel West is a member of the council of Zion in Matrix Reloaded. No one will probably be dressed in tight black leather at that reading though.

Posted by Corey Kahler on November 18, 2009 at 10:58 AM

The Wheel of Time lost its spokes after book 6 (Lord of Chaos?). I think I made it to book 9 or 10, but then gave up. It was nothing more than an endless series of side and subplots, and Navanenanenan pulling on her braid and pouting. Rand in love with 19 different beautiful girls, but only 18 loved him back! Then there was a punch bowl or something that made it hot. I got annoyed that Jordan kept bringing characters back who hadn't been around since 3 or 4 books back and not including any information about them in the glossary. I do remember books 3 - 6 being very good, especially 6, when I was a teenager.

Posted by Lilting Missive on November 18, 2009 at 10:59 AM

The Gathering Storm, horrible title because it remind me of Churchill, was great. Book 8 and 9 were slightly annoying.

Brandon Sanderson has a deft comic touch.

Posted by clearlyhere

on November 18, 2009 at 11:04 AM

I stopped reading the wheel series when it took 1200 pages to make it through one day in the story

Posted by wisepunk on November 18, 2009 at 11:08 AM

Fuck WoT.

Posted by kersy on November 18, 2009 at 11:16 AM

the wheel series was ok.

oh, Tim Butcher's book "Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart" is interesting if you're into history and exploration and all that (only part done). Got that at SLOG Happy.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on November 18, 2009 at 11:17 AM

That is a truly terrible book cover.

Posted by dwight moody on November 18, 2009 at 11:50 AM

agreed

Posted by clearlyhere

on November 18, 2009 at 1:20 PM

"The Gathering Storm" is about gay marriage! That man on the book cover is the gayest wizard I ever saw!

Why do gays want to force their lifestyles on everyone? Oh my. We'll all be converted!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_N…

http://www.videosift.com/video/Stephen-C…

Posted by passionate_jus on November 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM

I got out after book 3; it was just getting too boring with Rand spending half his time sitting around / being crazy and the other half fighting the same damn enemy again and again and again. Oh, and the constant battle of the sexes was more rote and tired than The Honeymooners.

Posted by Greg on November 18, 2009 at 2:14 PM

I never understood why this series was so popular. I made it about 7 or 8 volumes before I gave up. Compared to the Belgariad it was pretty weak.

Posted by DavidC on November 18, 2009 at 4:51 PM

I gave up when three chicks decided to share Rand, not because of any compelling reason (politics/they were into each other too/different cultural structures/etc., but because it seemed as if Jordan couldn't pick one. Eww.

Posted by Grossed Out on November 18, 2009 at 11:13 PM