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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   1413 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 8, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

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So, what are you reading?

I'm still on the Iliad, Dialectic of Enlightenment and McLuhan's The Classical Trivium. Picking up Nudge: The Final Edition.

Daring (Pax Arcana Book 2), by Elliott James.

@Titanium Butterfly, City was quite thought-provoking! Not at all surprising coming from Simak, and I'm really glad that someone has dedicated themselves to getting his stuff published. I've probably read at least one book that was directly influenced by it--don't remember the exact name of it, maybe Manta's Gift, but it was by Timothy Zahn.

Glad you liked it. Simak was so far ahead of his time. Particularly the part where everyone goes off to try another mode of existence and nobody comes back stays with me. But the whole book has such a vibe to it and I think it ages well. Definitely one I'll be getting my kids to read.

A few years ago I was up in Seattle on business and found a first edition in fantastic shape at Twice Sold Tales. Very happy with it.

Meanwhile I'm on book 2 of 12 Miles Below. So far it feels not quite as good as the first but definitely willing to give it time. Thanks again for the rec.

12 Miles Below has been steadily getting worse over time, but it started at such a high point that it's still okay. I won't spoil the later books, but it gets increasingly self-aware and the humor becomes obnoxious.

Interesting - I still love it (and relevant to here, especially for its representation of AI).

When do you feel it started to go off the rails?

I read it on royal road so it's not really split into books in my head. And it's been a couple years. But I'd say maybe book four. I love the action scenes, and the worldbuilding is good too, but more and more attention gets focused on comparatively irrelevant stuff, the pacing gets worse, and there's a particular plotline that's been dragged on for AGES with no progress.

Honestly still love it though, those action scenes are just delicious.

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