Bakker XXXV: Tyrant of Rat Nation, Worshipped as Rat of Rats

[Rhom]

Same here. I felt certain that the book would be published in the first half of this year. Even did a reread of the series in anticipation. Hopefully we get some confirmation of a publication date sooner rather that later.

I did too. :(

[Kalbear]

If they're trying to deal with new editors that's a fairly substantial barrier to entry. Typically non-big listers take anywhere from 3-6 months after manuscript to set a date. The problem is that likely the 3 months is too short from now (given that they're turning over new editors) and the 6 month time is eaten up entirely by the christmas season. Basically if it doesn't come out by, like, July, chances are good that we wouldn't see it until 2016.

And that assumes that the editors don't force changes on it. That's unlikely given a number of things, but it is possible.

[Larry of the Lawn]

Plus the editorial staff has to to slog through all these threads to get up to speed. We should probabky start sending them hardcopies of the forum to expedite the process, or send them a few eljus in person.

[Guest]

Actually, it seems horrifying that there's been an editorial change. There are undoubtedly lots of folks that feel that Bakker is unpublishable. Are the new editors those people?

Etiquette question: do we really need to use spoilers for Knife of Many Hands? I feel like the stock OP suggests not. Anyhow, finally read it and had some thoughts and questions.

[Hello World]

There was a separate thread during pt1 discussions that seems too have been abandoned,

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/121591-spoilers-the-new-bakker-story-or-the-first-half-anyways/page-13

[Madness]

Lol - the last post in that thread was you suggesting we can talk about The Knife of Many Hands in this thread ;).

Trisk, I modified HE's eternal OP to reflect TKOMH's release. I don't see why we can't talk about it sans spoiler tags. I'm sure many people who regularly post in or read this thread probably haven't read the other two Atrocity Tales or even all the books.

[Guest]

OK - Did anyone else sense a little Dunyain philosophy in one of the flashbacks to our main character and his older teacher? I don't have the quote handy, but I swear it was there; something about mastering the self.

[kuenjato]

Lol - the last post in that thread was you suggesting we can talk about The Knife of Many Hands in this thread ;).

How does it stack up as an atrocity tale? In comparison to The False Sun, at least. It seems a couple people were disappointed.

[Guest]

How does it stack up as an atrocity tale? In comparison to The False Sun, at least. It seems a couple people were disappointed.

I enjoyed it but didn't like it as much as False-Sun.

That said, I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't garnered more discussion.

[Madness]

I honestly don't think many people have bought Grimdark.

EDIT: I enjoyed it. On Trisk's question, I actually think there's a really cool constrast between Ratakila and Cnaiur. They're essentially the same character except one is corrupted by a Dunyain whereas Stitti seems to try and empower and uplift Ratakila.

[Hello World]

Lol - the last post in that thread was you suggesting we can talk about The Knife of Many Hands in this thread ;).

Actually, I was only referring to the discussion about Eänna and the Xiuhianni, which was derailing the KoMH thread.

[Happy Ent]

How does it stack up as an atrocity tale? In comparison to The False Sun, at least. It seems a couple people were disappointed.

SPOILER-FREE:

Oh, it’s a fine story.

Of course, False Sun is stupendously great. On the other hand, it must be completely opaque and highly unsatisfying to a reader who doesn’t already live in Eärwa. It wouldn’t work as an isolated short story at all.

Knife is much more straightforward. Basically Conan in Carythusal. Very solid, very polished.

It’s still difficult to follow in the sense that there are multiple flashbacks and the resolution becomes clear only after some headscratching. But it is quite self-contained, largely independent of both plot, back-story and metaphysics in Second Apocalypse, and contains a lot of description of the setting. In particular, Carythusal is fleshed out nicely. New readers may be a bit puzzled by how Chorae work, and the Few, but that’s about it.

The usual Bakkerisms abound: incredibly self-reflective internal monologues, whores, measuring of tongues, and annoyingly inconclusive descriptions including sentences that are ….

As for the big picture, the story plays during the height of the scholastic wars and gives us some political machinations of historical import. And there are interesting insights into Bakker’s “magic system” re possession, the Mark, and demons.

[Happy Ent]

I honestly don't think many people have bought Grimdark.

Yes, I don’t understand this. I found it insanely convenient. Click a few buttons, pay the equivalent of a coffee, and then you can read it on your phone or computer after a few seconds.

[Wise Fool]

But if it had simply been a question of whether the character had, say, a photographic memory, would you have raised the issue that the character can't have a photographic memory for being fictional?

What's the difference with free will?

I wouldn't have, of course, but that's because the question of whether or not a fictional character has a photographic memory doesn't have quite so many philosophical considerations as whether they have free will.

[Melphis Amekia]

Yes, I don’t understand this. I found it insanely convenient. Click a few buttons, pay the equivalent of a coffee, and then you can read it on your phone or computer after a few seconds.

The equivalent of a coffee in your country (USA if I'm not mistaken) is around 7 times the equivalent of a coffee in my country. That makes it very expensive for me, else I would have bought it straight away.

[Happy Ent]

The equivalent of a coffee in your country (USA if I'm not mistaken) is around 7 times the equivalent of a coffee in my country. That makes it very expensive for me, else I would have bought it straight away.

Not the US, but with similar coffee prices… Still, point taken. I hope I didn’t come off as an idiot.

[Melphis Amekia]

Not the US, but with similar coffee prices… Still, point taken. I hope I didn’t come off as an idiot.

Nope. You couldn't have known that info... but your point does stand in better off countries, mine isn't one of those.

[Madness]

Actually, I was only referring to the discussion about Eänna and the Xiuhianni, which was derailing the KoMH thread.

Lol - I was only poking fun, regardless ;).

SPOILER-FREE:

...

+1, HE, that was great.

Yes, I don’t understand this. I found it insanely convenient. Click a few buttons, pay the equivalent of a coffee, and then you can read it on your phone or computer after a few seconds.

The equivalent of a coffee in your country (USA if I'm not mistaken) is around 7 times the equivalent of a coffee in my country. That makes it very expensive for me, else I would have bought it straight away.

That's unfortunate. I hope it's not prohibitively expensive because TKOMH is definitely worth reading for fans and non-fans alike.

[Melphis Amekia]

That's unfortunate. I hope it's not prohibitively expensive because TKOMH is definitely worth reading for fans and non-fans alike.

I could afford it, but I have to take care of some things first(like getting the hell out of this town to my own place after I at least get a seasonal job, which is proving to be a pain), but as soon as I can, I'll get it.

[lokisnow]

What ent said, but I didn't think it was any good.