π So I’ve decided to work through all Alan Dean Foster’s standalone novels set in the Humanx Commonwealth. I’m reading them in in-universe chronological order, not the order they were written. Not Crystal Tears is the first, and is the first contact novel of the meeting of the human and thranx civilizations. Started #2 last night, Voyage to the City of the Dead. One chapter in, it is pretty good. Foster knows how to tell a story.
I’m not going to read these one after the other, but I’m making it a project to read them all over the next couple of years.
Currently reading: Voyage to the City of the Dead by Alan Dean Foster π
Well, August was another good reading month for me. Knocked out four books! I read the Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy by Alan Dean Foster and Dumarest 19 by E.C. Tubb.
It is really nice to have reading. To be a reader. To be an SF reader.
Finished reading 2023: The Quillian Sector by E.C. Tubb π
This was a pretty good one. A skilled hunter is after Earl.
A few months ago we had the floors replaced in the last parts of our house that needed it. We took advantage of that situation to really declutter the rooms. This is my home office/podcasting room. Previously it had stuff all over the walls. I liked it, but it needed a change. Since remodeling our house we are keeping things a lot more open and airy, so that’s the goal in the office as well. Just got these movie posters hung yesterday. The room needs a few acoustic panels for sound quality on the podcasts, but I’m really enjoying the new atmosphere. Still waiting on a larger 2001: A Space Odyssey poster that should be here in a couple of weeks.
Podcast Episode 16
In this episode, I give a reading update after a weekend of traveling, and talk to you at a couple of movies and TV shows. ποΈ
Geeking out. I wrote an email to Alan Dean Foster just to say how much I’ve enjoyed his novels and thank him.
He emailed me back, thanking me for the kind words.
!!!!!!!
A very nice man.
Currently reading: The Quillian Sector by E.C. Tubb π
Taking a break from Alan Dean Foster to continue the Dumarest Saga. Will be a quick read. This one is fun already.
Podcast Episode 15
In this episode, I wrap up my comments about the Founding of the C yes ommonwealth trilogy by Alan Dean Foster, and talk a little bit about a podcast. I just discovered. ποΈ
As I have mentioned numerous times on this blog, I have been reading (and just finished) the Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy, by Alan Dean Foster, and I suppose its prequel, Nor Crystal Tears.
When I began my SF reading project for this year and this blog I did not intend to read trilogies. But this one is so good - delightful actually - that I just couldn’t help myself.
How to talk about his without spoilers?
Well, first, I want to say that Foster’s characters are sooooooo not what you expect them to be. Human or alien, they are all unique and rich. In these relatively short novels, Foster manages to really develop nearly everyone and give them motivations you might not expect. In particular, the Thranx characters are really wonderful. Given the premise of insectoid aliens who evolved from a hive structure, a lazy writer might give them very rigidly defined personalities. Not so here. ADF creates Thranx characters with complex motivations who act unexpectedly. You see all the diversity of personality, thought, and action in the Thranx that you would in a human character. The same holds true of the AAnn (the reptile-like aliens who tend to a be antagonists in the books).
The Founding of the Commonwealth books are fairly recent work, published in 1999, 2000, and 2002. There’s a lot in these books that speaks to current sensibilities. In particular, that idea of “shapeism” - bigotry against sentient beings because they are of a different species (or shape). As human and thranx societies struggle to find a way to meld, this bigotry plays a massive part in both civilizations.
“Good” characters do questionable or even horrible things for noble reasons, and “bad” characters act nobly for the wrong reasons. Even the AAnn are not represented as being “evil,” but rather simply different. A product of their own evolution.
There’s a lot going on in these novels. Yes, there is space travel, futuristic technology, and all manner of science fiction tropes, but that makes these novels work is the quality of the writing and depth of the storytelling. It’s amazing who some of these older writers and do all this in fairly short novels.
There is a very heavy mystery left at the end of the series which I hope Alan Dean Foster will explore in an future novel.
Reading these books has given me a lot of inspiration and ideas for my Traveller RPG campaign, in particular the motivations of characters, both human and non-human.
Currently reading: Voyage to the City of the Dead by Alan Dean Foster π
OK, it looks like in addition to the Dumarest novels I am reading the Humanx Commonwealth novels by Alan Dean Foster. I’m reading them not in order of publication, but in chronological in-universe order.
I will likely read them all, including the short stories, and then turn my attention to the Pip & Flynx novels, also in in-universe order.
Finished reading 2023: Diuturnity’s Dawn by Alan Dean Foster π
We are having what might be called “False Fall” here in North Texas. That means that for the last two mornings we’ve gotten up to walk the dog and it has been a very pleasant 71 degrees F, rather than, say, 86, at 6:30am. The temperature will peak today at about 95. If you don’t live in a hot place, let me assure you, 95 is a relieve. Sadly it will be back to peaking at 107 tomorrow.
Sometimes during the summer I’m reminded of the Phillip K. Dick novel, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. In that book, global temperatures have risen so high that people can’t go outside during the day without wearing special cooling gear. Man, that is a crazy book. I recommend it.
It was nice enough by 8pm last night (only 90 F) to take the dog for a good walk, so I didn’t get started reading until about 8:45pm, but I still managed to read 10% of Diurtnity’s Dawn. The “read at least 5% of a book every day” method of strengthening the reading habit is working well.
Iβm pretty happy to have gotten this book. Itβs a third edition GURPS source book about Alan Dean Fosterβs Humanx Commonwealth.
Steve Jackson Games, in Austin, Texas, does the best source books for their system. Iβve barely had time to look through this yet, but I can already tell they did an absolutely brilliant job of representing the source material in their game system. Itβs really a shame that more people donβt use GURPS.
Podcast Episode 14
A quick update, on my reading of Alan Dean Fosterβs Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy. ποΈ
Currently reading: Diuturnity’s Dawn by Alan Dean Foster π
Finished reading 2023: Dirge by Alan Dean Foster π
Going to dive right into the final book of the trilogy today. On track for 4 novels this month.
Podcast Episode 13
Just a very quick podcast, updating my reading activities and an idea for a Science Fiction discussion group. ποΈ
I picked up these two paperbacks several years ago, and finally read both of these books on my Kindle in the last month. I just have a hard time reading an actually paperback now. The ability to increase the font size on my Kindle improves my reading experience a lot, and since it is lit we can have the lights down low and I can still read.
Still – I am so drawn to collecting these books as paperbacks or hardbacks (if I can get them). Why? Just to have them? Yes, pretty much. There is something pleasing about having shelves full of the books you love, even if you rarely if ever go back and read them again. It’s so dumb, and yet true. I love the idea of having a library full of SF novels, but I don’t want all that stuff in our house. Having a house devoid of clutter gives me a lot more satisfaction, and more importantly tranquility, than having a bunch of shelves full of books. Yet still…I…am…drawn…
But in ten years I don’t want to be back at Half Price Books selling my stuff just to get it out the house again.
