1 - starexplorer
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Received book gift from my lost decade
So last night I traveled several hours to the birthday party of a dear friend. It was one of those celebrations of a year ending in a zero.
The attendees were largely a number of newer associates, people whom I like a lot, but don’t really know too well yet. But folks I feel a kinship with from the start.
To my surprise, one person seemed excited to see me, and it turned out he had an offering. He knew I liked science fiction, and he presented me with one of his favorite books, and asked me whether I had read it. I had not. He had a the big smile reserved for occasions where one expects the other is in for a treat, about to make first contact with an enjoyable and escapist adventure.
I don’t know this book. Or the author. And I’m not looking for any spoilers, as I’m starting to read it. But I should explain that this book came out during my lost decade. That was the 1980s, the decade I was intensely involved in professional training, and I had almost no cultural awareness during that time. It is why I only came to Her works much later, reading Downbelow Station only in 2006. I will never forget that gripping and masterly introduction that told me definitively that I was in the hands of a trusted author. Shortly thereafter, Sk8er found me posting on an old Yahoo! message board about it, and she kindly directed me to this community.
Anyway, that may be why I am utterly ignorant of this book and author. I’m wondering whether others are familiar with it? It’s Liege-Killer by Christopher Hinz.
Or is it merely the idiosyncratic preference of a lone individual?
One world -- or none
- Surtac
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
No. That's not a name or title I recognise at all, Star,
But I will investigate.
It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
Surtac wrote:
No. That's not a name or title I recognise at all, Star,
But I will investigate.
Hmm. Interesting. Now I’m a little concerned. I look forward to any investigative conclusions!
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Thread Starter- Felicitous Sk8er
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
"Shortly thereafter, Sk8er found me posting on an old Yahoo! message board about it, and she kindly directed me to this community."
Off topic, but I have absolutely no memory of this. Star, perhaps you are not the only one who has experienced a lost decade? In any event, I'm thankful we have all found our way here, by whatever path.
- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
"Shortly thereafter, Sk8er found me posting on an old Yahoo! message board about it, and she kindly directed me to this community."
Off topic, but I have absolutely no memory of this. Star, perhaps you are not the only one who has experienced a lost decade? In any event, I'm thankful we have all found our way here, by whatever path.
You are probably right. (Do you have anyone in mind?) To this day I still find things I missed. I thought this book may have been one, but I’m now leaning toward the notion that this guy happened to like the book, and my expectations are more measured.
But yes, you found me wandering, lost in the wilderness, and brought me to a warm place with tea and cakes and good people who love books 💕
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Thread Starter- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
Sk8er, at the time I had the idea that you had taken on the mission of looking for people who might appreciate the Shejidan community.
I just remembered another detail. I had gotten into a dispute with another poster on yahoo who made the claim that CJC had a very different ending in mind for one of her books, but that her publisher insisted on a different outcome and paid her extra money to change the ending. I told the person that this was patently absurd, and why. You reached out and agreed fully, and escorted me out before things got violent!
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Thread Starter- Surtac
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
Ok, from what I can see, Hinz is primarily known as a comics writer, mostly for DC. He seems to have been most active after I myself gave up regularly reading comics in the late 80s..
I'm sure I've never read the book in question, nor any of his other work, for that matter.
It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
Thanks ’tac. I saw the comics history on his Wikipedia page, but not much else.
However, I searched his name on Locus Mag, and interestingly came up with an entry that included this:“Angry Robot presents the re-release of Chris Hinz’s award-winning ’80s cult-classic science fiction masterpiece, The Paratwa Saga. Remastered and reimagined with never-before-seen additional material!50% off pre-orders until March 31, 2021.”
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Thread Starter- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
The Paratwa Saga is a trilogy, of which Liege-Killer is the first volume.
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Thread Starter- starexplorer
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Re: Received book gift from my lost decade
And this from the publisher’s site:
Christopher Hinz is the author of nine science fiction novels. Liege-Killer won the Compton Crook award for best first novel and was nominated for the John W. Campbell award for best new writer. The book launched the Paratwa Saga (Ash Ock, The Paratwa, Binary Storm). Other novels include Refraction, Starship Alchemon and Spartan X. He has scripted comics for DC and Marvel and co-authored with Etan Ilfeld a novelette, Duchamp Versus Einstein. A former newspaper staff writer and technical director of a community TV station, he lives in Lower Alsace Township near Reading, Pennsylvania.
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