Ace: aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com
Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com
CBD: cbd at cutjibnewsletter.com
joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me
MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com
J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published.
Contact OrangeEnt for info: maildrop62 at proton dot me
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 12-07-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
(HT: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing) (Click image for larger view.)
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 (sonic screwdriver not included). 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, pour yourself a nice cup of eggnog (with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla), and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
PIC NOTE
MP4, what does your home library look like?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at November 30, 2025 11:15 AM (kpS4V)
Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (or MP4 for short) is a gentleman, so in answer to All Hail Eris' request he kindly sent me a few pictures of his home library. The one up top is only a portion of his library. If you look at the right side of the photo, you can see that the library extends into the next room. He sent me a picture of those books as well. He also said that there's a lot more books in his attic office space, where he does a lot of his writing. What I love about this library is that it's clearly the library of a scholar. It's meant to be USED, not just there for showing off. It's an amazing library and I appreciate MP4 being willing to display it for the Horde.
He also sent me a picture of his amazing DVD collection. Again, it's overflowing, which is only right and proper.
(Click image for larger view.)
REAL MEN BUILD LIBRARIES
Civilization as we know it today would not be possible without men building libraries. Libraries preserve the knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors, guiding us in our current and future endeavors. When civilization comes crashing down again, as it always does, will we even have access to the digital content in abundance right now? Or will we look to the men who built libraries to save civilization once again?
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Admit it...we've all been there.
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WHY IS READING SO COMPETITIVE NOW?
In a sense, the video above highlights a point that's opposite of the "Real Men Build Libraries" video. She points out that social media is changing the way we read and interact with books. How many of us read one book after another in order to simply rack up a book count? I know I'm guilty of this. Being the curator of the Sunday Morning Book Thread does impose a certain amount of subtle peer pressure to read more and more books. If I don't read multiple books a week, am I letting you guys down?
A lot of this competitive atmosphere in reading seems to be driven by one thing: FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). People get so focused on what's trending in their preferred reading that they want to keep up with each other, so it really does become a competitive sport of sorts. Especially if you use a reading app that tracks your progress and then lets you see the progress of others. People can also be quite judgemental about others' reading habits and will make themselves known in social media for looking down on someone of they don't read the "right books" or don't read them in the "right way." Lots of social pressure to conform to the current trend of the day.
As for me, while I do try to read quite a few books and I have a standard goal of reading ten books a month, since that's about average for me, I don't worry about what's trendy or cool. That's the nice thing about being 29+. You don't care so much about what others think. Instead, I try to find books that *I* want to read because they sound interesting to *me.* Moron Recommendations are very useful in this respect because I can look for something that interests me AND has a substantial recommendation from one of you to provide evidence that I might enjoy it.
You all know what I read since I post those books every week. Some of it is quality material, but a lot of might be considered "trash" by the literati since it doesn't meet their standard of quality. Whatever. I don't care. It's not about THEM. I read what I like, and so should you. I'm constantly amazed by the breadth and depth of the Moron Horde reading tastes. Collectively, we are among the most well-read group of people on the planet, on par with any BookTok or BookTube community out there. Let's all be proud of that fact.
The only person you should be competing against when it comes to reading is yourself.
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MORON RECOMMENDATIONS
I love my Kindle (eyesight issues), and this week picked up John Ringo's Not That Kind of Good Guy, part 1 of his new Shadow Path series. First impression,...
OMG, HOLY CHRIST ON A CUPCAKE!!!!!
I say that, not because of the storytelling, but the political/social commentary. This is Illuminati plus Atlas Shrugged mixed with a little Logan's Run.
Ringo delivers an EPIC takedown of crime and social failure in Baltimore right at the beginning of the book. It's vicious and pointed. Living out here, it misses a few things, but the topics he hits on, are items that have been on WBFF for the last couple years.
Only halfway through it, but that's because I've had to re-read some sections because of the depth to make sure I understand what Ringo is really saying. This isn't your normal Ringo book. Sometimes I think sarcastically to myself, "So how do you REALLY feel, John?!?"
-SLV
Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at November 30, 2025 09:49 AM (e/Osv)
Comment: I'm so glad I live in a small semi-rural community. Sure, we have our problems. Lots of drugs flow through here because we're on a major drug route. Still, it's a nice enough community that you can go to Walmart and accidentally leave your car unlocked and the chances that someone will steal everything in your vehicle are somewhat remote. I would not be surprised if the cities continue to devolve to the point where only those who truly cannot leave remain.
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James Kahn's novelization of Return of the Jedi is brilliant. It formed the core of my inspiration to write the Man of Destiny series, which was a correction to the terrible prequel films.
As in most novelizations, there are some expanded dialogue sequences, thus Luke and Obi-wan go deeper into the history, which was likely in the script but cut. It totally undermines the prequels, which are a direct contradiction. Anakin was not a kid, but an adult, about the same age as Luke when his adventure began.
This was central to my reimagining the story and while I'm biased, others (some in the Horde) will agree with me.
Kahn also has a nice turn of phrase, and the book includes a twist on the Death Star attack, which is that when the shield generator is actually taken out, the Emperor orders the station to destroy Endor in order to further enrage Luke. A bit much for the movie, but a nice touch.
My favorite part was the character portrait of Jerjerrod, the Death Star's commander.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at November 30, 2025 09:59 AM (ZOv7s)
Comment: I'll have to go back and reread this book. It's been sitting on my shelves for decades now. Like a lot of movie novelizations that came out at the time, it includes several full-color photos from the movie, such as a picture of ace in his younger years, as well as the sexiest picture of Sy Snootles ever captured on film, as I'm sure Admiral Ackbar would agree.
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Speaking of James Bond, however: I finished Anthony Horowitz's "continuation" novel, Trigger Mortis, and enjoyed it immensely. He has Fleming's style down pat, and there is plenty of action -- a car race, shootouts, a live burial, and a climactic scene aboard a racing train. It's set in 1957, right after the events of Goldfinger, with a featured appearance by Miss Pussy Galore. Never fear, being "with" Bond, as we saw at the end of GF, has not tamed her or her DC preferences in the least.
Highly recommended for Bond fans. I need to buy a copy for my shelf.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 30, 2025 09:17 AM (wzUl9)
Comment: Some authors are able to continue a previous author's works if they are able to capture the spirit of the previous author. Not every author is successful at this. Brian Herbert teamed up with Kevin J. Anderson to continue Frank Herbert's Dune series and I've heard it's a mixed bag. I think to be successful, you really need to understand what made the original work so well. In the example above, it sounds like Horowitz knew how a James Bond novel was supposed to work and then mirrored Fleming's style to bring those elements together. The result is a James Bond novel that works.
I enjoyed Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds, so I went ahead and picked up a few more books in the series. Curiously, two of them are listed as Book 2 of the Inhibitors Trilogy on Amazon, but only one of them counts, I think. Chasm City is a standalone novel set in the same universe (it's referenced quite a bit in Revelation Space).
Inhibitor Trilogy Book 2 - Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
Inhibitor Space by Alastair Reynolds
WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:
Mystery Walk by Robert R. McCammon
This is a reread for me, separated by about 40 years. I first read this when I was in sixth grade. My family had just moved to Germany and for our first Thanksgiving my dad decided to take us on a chartered bus trip to Costa Brava, Spain, near Barcelona. It's a long way from Grafenwoehr, Germany to Spain. Naturally I took along several books, among which was Mystery Walk, that was loaned to me by a friend.
Mystery Walk is the story of two young men who are blessed--or cursed--with supernatural abilities. Billy Creekmore is able to see those who are about to die and also assist their weary spirits in crossing over to the other side. Wayne Falconer is the son of a bible-thumping tent-revivalist and he has the power to heal some people, but not everyone. Turns out Wayne and Billy have a deep connection as a result of their supernatural abilities. The evil shape-changer is ever-present in the shadows of their lives, twisting their abilities to serve his own purposes (mostly feeding on them).
As horror books go, the build-up is a bit slow, but it really gets moving in the middle and later parts of the books as the boys age into adulthood and take on the responsibilities and obligations of their powers.
Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz
I decided to stick with horror for the next read after Mystery Walk so I turned to one of my recent favorite authors--Dean Koontz. He rarely disappoints.
Christopher Snow isn't ordinary, but he wants to lead an ordinary life. He's afflicted with a horrible condition that prevents him from enjoying the sunlight. He's extremely sensitive to UV radiation to the point where prolonged exposure will kill him in short order. Nevertheless, he manages to lead a happy, well-adjusted life in Midnight Cove, California. That is, until his father's corpse is body-snatched right out from under his nose. Now Chris is being hunted by shadowy, not-quite-human pursuers through the darkened streets of Midnight Cove. Chris has no idea what's going on, but he suspects his dead parents were hiding secrets from him, though they loved him till the end.
What's really going on in Midnight Cove? Was the nearby Army base shut down eighteen months ago, or is the government continuing mad science experiments in secret down in the bowels of the earth?
