tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post112791586619250211..comments2024-03-06T03:15:58.539-05:00Comments on <b>THE NEW REFORM CLUB</b>: Baa, Baa Bayh SheepHunter Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1128000032339834552005-09-29T09:20:00.000-04:002005-09-29T09:20:00.000-04:00Be sure to put that on your annual review!Be sure to put that on your annual review!Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127965529856128482005-09-28T23:45:00.000-04:002005-09-28T23:45:00.000-04:00How do you guys find time to read and be married a...How do you guys find time to read and be married and parent and make a living AND write blog commentary?Jay D. Homnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714671338316275833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127949329640857412005-09-28T19:15:00.000-04:002005-09-28T19:15:00.000-04:00I don't need to agree with a writer's world-view t...I don't need to agree with a writer's world-view to like their writing. Stephenson is, bar none, one of the finest writers working in English today.<BR/><BR/>I like Ender's Game, even if Card is an insane card-carrying member of the capitalist-fascisti fanclub. Terry Goodkind is great, even if he's a libertarian wingnut. Frank Herbert will piss you (i.e. religio-conservatives) off, but he's incredibly intelligent and eloquent, so worth the read. R. Scott Bakker is a PhD. in philosophy at Vanderbilt. His whole series is a discussion on moral relativism versus absolutism (and it's by no means easy to see where he falls). Steven Erikson is simply the finest author of fantasy I have ever read, period. For science-fiction, my current favorite is Richard K. Morgan, but you'll hate him because he's anti-free market capitalism.James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127948861980302132005-09-28T19:07:00.000-04:002005-09-28T19:07:00.000-04:00Can't miss a chance to agree with JFE. Neal Steph...Can't miss a chance to agree with JFE. Neal Stephenson rocks, but I can't see how a lefty would ever like him. I think he's an anarcho-capitalist.Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127948795472371302005-09-28T19:06:00.000-04:002005-09-28T19:06:00.000-04:00I never read Herbert, probably because I made the ...I never read Herbert, probably because I made the mistake of seeing the Dune film first. Should I remedy this defect?<BR/><BR/>When it comes to sci-fi, I'm an Orson Scott Card man first, last, and always. I do love Asimov, though. Heinlein didn't interest me as much, although I find him diverting. Probably has a lot to do with radical difference of worldview on that one. Actually, I'd be Heinlein if I hadn't become a Christian.<BR/><BR/>Oh, one final note. I strongly urge anyone who likes sci-fi to read John Steakley's Armor. It's so good it hurts.Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127947252271162082005-09-28T18:40:00.000-04:002005-09-28T18:40:00.000-04:00I, too, read way too much Anthony as a child. I ac...I, too, read way too much Anthony as a child. I actually only read the first three Herbert books this past year, and I have to say, they were AWESOME. Truly, truly intelligent pieces of work.<BR/><BR/>Two "new" authors that might be of interest are Steven Erikson and R. Scott Bakker (I think Hunter would find the latter most interesting).James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127945046233250192005-09-28T18:04:00.000-04:002005-09-28T18:04:00.000-04:00In light of the comments made, I am very sorry to ...In light of the comments made, I am very sorry to have to admit having read massive amounts of Piers Anthony as a teenager. I read all the Xanth and two of his other series (Out of Phase about the future and the one about the different incarnations of Time, Death, etc.).Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127943752854541532005-09-28T17:42:00.000-04:002005-09-28T17:42:00.000-04:00Dude. You wound me. Terry Pratchett is fine (not g...Dude. You wound me. Terry Pratchett is fine (not great, but fine). Piers Anthony is for twelve-year olds with sex obsessions.<BR/><BR/>Now, if you want some good reading, go pick up Neal Stephenson or Richard K. Morgan. Stephenson's spontaneous, syphilis-induced hallucination of a musical number on the streets of 17th century Paris is (I contend) one of the greatest literary moments in modern fiction.James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127938955124298232005-09-28T16:22:00.000-04:002005-09-28T16:22:00.000-04:00Terry Pratchett kicks Piers Anthony's behind acros...Terry Pratchett kicks Piers Anthony's behind across whole continents. Pratchett is <I>much</I> more intelligent and the puns are much more palatable, in so much as a pun can be.James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127934607965694962005-09-28T15:10:00.000-04:002005-09-28T15:10:00.000-04:00Kum-bayh-ahKum-bayh-ahBarry Vanhoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04006891046091646808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127934319438498482005-09-28T15:05:00.000-04:002005-09-28T15:05:00.000-04:00Oh, so bad. Shame on you! Make the punning stop!Oh, so bad. Shame on you! Make the punning stop!James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127926101501666052005-09-28T12:48:00.000-04:002005-09-28T12:48:00.000-04:00Hunter, here's an alternative title: "Bayh, Bayh B...Hunter, here's an alternative title: "Bayh, Bayh Byrd-y?".Jay D. Homnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714671338316275833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1127916955489616202005-09-28T10:15:00.000-04:002005-09-28T10:15:00.000-04:00Good observation, Hunter, and thanks for the link....Good observation, Hunter, and thanks for the link. As I pointed out last year on this blog, Bayh is positioning himself for a run for the presidency and feels the need to show some leftward bona fides. This is another manifestation of that process. It's interesting to see Sen. Clinton tack to the right while Bayh moves to the left. It's a natural thing.S. T. Karnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05971214612730402709noreply@blogger.com