Sunday Morning Book Thread - 6-1-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

(HT: Ace)

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

PIC NOTE

Ace posted this in the sidebar recently. I really like the concept behind this book. The author licensed a number of science fiction cover art pictures then constructed an entire "future history" around the pictures, giving each spaceship depicted therein a reason for its existence within this "future history" and how it shaped that history in a conflict between humans, the inhabitants of Alpha Centauri, and the inhabitants of nearby Proxima Centauri. It's the kind of book that would be an excellent resource for a space-based role playing game. For example, GURPS would be able to incorporate this without any trouble. Just add a few stat blocks for the ships and you could create a tabletop strategy game as well.

THE NIGHTMARE IS OVER!

After three seasons, Amazon has finally cancelled the execrable abomination known as Amazon's Wheel of Time!

Ace mentioned this last week:

Amazon cancelled the ludicrously-expensive woke adaptation of the "Wheel of Time" series of fantasy books after three woke seasons. I am not familiar with the books or the series. I've seen a couple of YouTube videos about each. Here are some of the issues that many have with the series:

• The show was blatant about forced diversity in its casting
• The show pushed gay storylines and propaganda not present in the books
• The books' main character, a Chosen One type savior, is male, but the series downplayed his importance and elevated the importance of a female character
• A conceit of the series was the division between the sexes as far as magic -- both sexes could work magic, but each sex had its own style of magic -- but the show downplayed this to create a kind of magical gender equality which ran against a major point of the book

I really have to repeat that I know nothing about the books or the show and all of my "knowledge" is of the second-hand, "barely care" variety. Everything I just wrote could be wrong.

But I doubt it.

--Ace

I pointed out that Ace was 100% spot-on with his analysis, despite the fact that he's never read the books nor has he ever watched the show. His comments are based entirely on what little he's seen on the interwebs. Let's take a closer look and see WHY Ace is right on every single point.

The show was blatant about forced diversity in its casting

In the books, Jordan does an amazing job creating a vibrant, diverse world, where every realm has a unique and distinct culture, so that when he mentions "Aiel," "Cairhienin," or "Shienaran," you can easily picture in your mind what people from those lands look like. The Two Rivers, where the story begins, is no different. It's a small region that has been isolated for hundreds of years. As a result, everyone has the same general features due to a lack of genetic diversity. Rand Al'Thor, the main character, stands out because of he was an orphan that was brought into the Two Rivers by his adoptive father, Tam. Rand's height and hair and eye color are all distinct.

In the show, we see that the Two Rivers is much more cosmopolitan, with a wide variety of facial features, hair colors, and skin tones. It makes no sense. The creators of the show even "diversify" those from outside the Two Rivers by casting people who look nothing like the descriptions of characters in the books. Min Farshaw, for instance, is a 40-year-old Asian woman instead of being a Caucasian woman in her early 20s, as she's portrayed in the books. (She's from Andor, which is a distinctly Caucasian realm. She also becomes one of Rand's main love interests in the story, which makes the television version of her seem even weirder, as she's much, much older than Rand in the show.)

The show pushed gay storylines and propaganda not present in the books

In the books, Jordan does NOT include blatant gay themes or relationships. As most, there are hints of such, but it's ambiguous enough that readers can apply their own interpretation as they see fit. It's not explicit at all.

In the show, Rafe Judkins, the showrunner, makes it VERY clear early in the show, that there are a lot of explicitly gay relationships. The male Warders who are bonded with their female Aes Sedai, for instance, often engage in orgies where everyone participates with everyone else, regardless of gender. Moiraine, the main viewpoint character of the show, is in a lesbian relationship with her superior, Siuan Sanche, as one whole episode features them getting away from it all for some "alone time." None of that is in the book at all. Both Moiraine and Siuan are straight, eventually finding themselves attached to men by the end of the series. They are portrayed in the books as driven by their mission (finding the Dragon Reborn) to the exclusion of all other concerns, which is why they don't exhibit much interest in men within the books.

The books' main character, a Chosen One type savior, is male, but the series downplayed his importance and elevated the importance of a female character

This is one of the more egregious violations of the lore. The books are explicitly about the journey of Rand Al'Thor as he goes through the five stages of grief before finally accepting his destiny as the Messianic hero, the Dragon Reborn, who is prophecied to break the world again even as he restores the balance between Darkness and Light. Although he's not the main character in every book, overall, this is HIS story. Jordan is very clear about that almost from page 1. Oh, and the Dragon Reborn is most definitely a MALE figure in every Age. Always and forever.

In the show, Moiraine is given the top billing, even in the promotional materials. She begins the show with a narration of events (completely divorced from the book) explaining the story so far. All of the events in the show revolve around HER choices and struggles. Rand, Mat, and Perrin (the main Power Trio) are background characters at best. Mat and Perrin are both descended to extras within their own story arcs. It's infuriating since all three have pretty cool storylines within the books. Mat, in particular, is one of the most beloved characters by fans of the books, but here he's barely given anything to do.

A conceit of the series was the division between the sexes as far as magic -- both sexes could work magic, but each sex had its own style of magic -- but the show downplayed this to create a kind of magical gender equality which ran against a major point of the book

If there is a central theme to the books, it's that the world is divided into male and female halves. Both men and women have important, complementary roles to play within the world. You cannot have one without the other. When either men or women are dominant, that leads to chaos and division. We see that constantly throughout the story. The One Power is divided into the male half (saidin) and the female half (saidar). The greatest feats of magic are performed when both halves of the One Power are wielded together, which doesn't start to happen until the end of the series when saidin is finally cleansed of the Dark One's taint (it's complicated). Almost all politics is divided among men and women in various ways at both the local and national levels. In the Two Rivers, for instance, the men serve on the Village Council and the women serve in the Women's Circle. Nearly all of the problems that occur in the story are a result of men and women refusing to communicate with each other. In fact, the main conflict is the result of women choosing not to participate in restoring the Dark One's prison thousands of years ago, leaving it to Lews Therin Telamon and his Hundred Companions (all male) to try and clean up the mess. They only partially succeeded.

In the show, they changed everything. From the very opening narration, it's made clear that MEN are responsible for all the ills of the world. The all-female Aes Sedai look upon men with thinly (and sometimes not-so-thinly) veiled contempt. The heroic characters from the books (Rand, Perrin, and Mat) have been replaced by the other Power Trio (Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne). Nynaeve in the show gets her own moment at the end of Season 1 when she single-handedly defeates a horde of Trollocs at Tarwin's Gap, a feat which was accomplished by Rand Al'Thor in the books and is the definitive moment when we see him for what he is: The Dragon Reborn. The show even goes so far as to imply that WOMEN can be the Dragon Reborn.

All in all, I'm very glad that this abomination of a series is finally OVER. The main problem with this series, and other franchises that are currently bombing, such as Doctor Who, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc., is that the source materials of Wheel of Time and other franchises present NORMAL relationships and characters. People that the vast majority of us can relate to. Sure, those characterizations are exaggerated for dramatic effect, but we understand them as they are familiar to our own life experiences. However, the showrunners who develop these intellectual properties are so steeped in Hollyweirdness that they do not understand "normal" anymore. They are surrounded and immersed within the deviant lifestyle to the point that THAT is normal to them and they cannot understand why normies hate it. Until they figure it out, which they can never do, as that would invalidate their existence, they will continue to produce terrible stories that alienate viewers and readers alike.

BOOKS BY MORONS

After a long, long hiatus from writing, I've published a pair of books. The style is Douglas Adams crossed with John Ringo. And the short version is, these are classic space operas about an evil galactic empire and the rowdy band of rebels that are trying to bring it down. The twist is, they are from the empire's point of view.

The Baddies - Ogden "OK" Kevitch meant to join the Rebel Pact. Really, he did. But through a series of bad decisions, he's joined the Imperial Scorpion Horde instead. Recruited into a food service detail on a Horde battlecruiser, he plots to sabotage the Imperium from within, but his well-intentioned attempts at resistance keep backfiring in the empire's favor.

Hell Yeah! We're the Baddies - Lena "Midnight" Morrigan used to be a top Horde intelligence operative. But after a major screw-up, she's been demoted and sent down to the same battle cruiser OK is serving on. Her only chance to restore her power and reputation is by exterminating the Rebel Pact.

Both of these books wrap around the same series of planetary invasions, attacks on rebel bases, and secret missions amid an escalating war. OK gets the view from the trenches, Morrigan gets the view from the bridge.

Anyway, appreciate you bringing attention to this. Thank you.
Victor Tango Kilo

The Baddies

Hell Yeah! We're the Baddies!

MEET A MORON AUTHOR!

Moron Author Celia Hayes will be visiting a couple of bookstores in June:

• June 7 - The Twig Book Shop in the Pearl Brewery complex in San Antonio, Texas. There is a very nice and well-attended Farmer's Market on the grounds of the Pearl complex at weekends, with lots of local vendors selling artisan foods, vegetables, honey, candy, organic meats and eggs of all kinds, so it would be worth a look-in for any Texas book fans anyway.
• June 14 - The Boerne Bookshop in Boerne Texas, a small town just outside San Antonio. The Boerne event is a multi-author event, in conjunction with their two-day market on the old Town Square - so that might be another draw for Texas readers who don't want to go all the way to downtown San Antonio.

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

My guiltiest reading pleasure a children's book, Shadow Castle by Marian Cockrell. Purchased the paperback from Scholastic books in grade school. Probably still have it around somewhere in the attic, however I purchased it for my iPad through Kindle. Read every couple years.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at May 25, 2025 10:01 AM (2NHgQ)

Comment: When I read the synopsis of this book, it sounded very familiar. In fact, it sounds a lot like the plot to C.S. Lewis' classic The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Though I suspect the actual story is quite a bit different. This book was originally published in 1946, so it's possible Lewis used it for inspiration.

HOLY SHIT. That Terran Trade Authority Handbook on the 70s Mystery Click ... not only do I remember it, I read it cover to cover many times as a kid.

Back then, I probably could recite the book's words from memory. Even looking at it now, I remember the names of many of the ships. My dad was a big sci-fi and fantasy fan. A full wall in our living room was bookcases from floor to ceiling. He had 100s of books. If there was a sci-fi or fantasy book from Jules Verne to later Niven, he had it. Even some oddballs like The Iron Dream.

Anyway, I was a little kid when I found the " Trade Authority" among the collection. Great book, very clever and some great illustrations for the time. I wonder where I can get a hard copy?

Posted by: Elric Blade at May 30, 2025 12:16 PM (iFTx/)

Comment: This book provides an interesting "future history" of events as mankind leaves the boundaries of our solar system and explores the nearby star systems, especially the Alpha Centauri system.

MORE MORON RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE: AoSHQ - Book Thread Recommendations

WHAT I'VE ACQUIRED THIS PAST WEEK:

• From Eros to Gaia by Freeman Dyson -- NaCly Dog recommended this a couple of weeks ago and it sounded interesting. I was able to find a copy on Amazon for only $6. However, it's in pretty rough shape, though still readable. BONUS: It's signed by the author!
• The Hammer and the Cross by Harry Harrison -- An alternate history/fantasy involving a conflict between a Viking and the Church set in medieval England (AD 865).
• A Trio for Lute by R.A. MacAvoy
• The Spell of the Black Dagger by Lawrence Watt-Evans

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

After reviewing some of OregonMuse's old Book Threads, I thought I'd try something a bit different. Instead of just listing WHAT I'm reading, I'll include commentary as well. Unless otherwise specified, you can interpret this as an implied recommendation, though as always your mileage may vary.

King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist

This was one of those weird novels that is part of a feedback loop with George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books. Martin was clearly influenced by authors of epic fantasy like Tad Williams and Raymond E. Feist. In a twist, both Williams' and Feist's recent books show a clear influence from George R.R. Martin. King of Ashes has quite a bit of political intrigue among factions, with very little magic in play, at least until the end, when it's obvious that magical factions are influencing events. It's not one of Feist's better works, so I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series any time soon.

Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont

This is a standalone novel set in the Malazan universe. Esslemont co-created the setting with Steven Erickson. Both of them are archaeologist/anthropologists and they developed a very unique, interesting world. Return of the Crimson Guard is set sometime during the events of Malazan Books of the Fallen. Empress Laseen is struggling to consolidate her hold on the continent of Quon Tali. The Crimson Guard is all that stands in her way. They have taken a mystical Vow to end the Malazan Empire. The most dedicated--called the Avowed--are so driven by their Vow that they are nearly impossible to kill.

As with most of the books in the Malazan world, there's a lot of moral ambiguity between factions. No faction is completely in the right here and it almost seems pointless that they are fighting at all. Because of the forces that are unleashed on the battlefield, entire cities and countries are laid waste during the conflict. Malazan is a world of badass, as most of the important characters all get a moment to shine, performing heroic deeds that go beyond mere mortal capability. These deeds are how certain mortals can "Ascend" to godhood. It's a wild series and very enjoyable, with lots of fantastic military action.

PREVIOUS SUNDAY MORNING BOOK THREAD - 6-25-2025 (NOTE: Do NOT comment on old threads!)

Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.

Disclaimer: No Morons were physically harmed in the making of this Sunday Morning Book Thread.

posted by Open Blogger at 09:00 AM

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