Another Sky Press Forums Tag: reviews

Another Sky Press Forums Tag: reviews http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Another Sky Press Forums Tag: reviews en Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:30:39 +0000 kristopher on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-410 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:43:09 +0000 kristopher 410@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Thanks for all the kind words... but sequel? Wouldn't that sort of retroactively determine the resolution/conclusion of Click? I'm not sure I'm interested in ever doing that. That said, there are definitely some concepts in Click I could see revisiting someday... perhaps a sequel that isn't a sequel? lbi on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-398 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:16:45 +0000 lbi 398@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ i look forward to a sequel with the protagonist further exploring the implications of his powers and dealing with others who have already transitioned. the tension and interest this section of 'click' created left me wanting another 100 pages. with the character and concept already developed a sequel would be can't put it down, start to finish. Craig on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-327 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 21:59:51 +0000 Craig 327@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ lbi wrote:<blockquote> the chapter involving the grandfather's death was one of my favorites also. the author's excellent handling of the family politics involved increased my personal connection with the main character. ....as far as the ending is concerned i choose to be optimistic and assume he survives. </blockquote> I believe the protagonist survives, as well. I've mentioned a sequel Kristopher, eventually. There is so much more he can tell, so many levels to which his concept can be taken. SPOILER: the protagonist comes into control of his powers at the end, whereas he was out of control and learning discipline in the rest of the novel. So I say sequel (someday) to see what effect this super-powered sentinel of justice can have on the corrupt facets of the populace... kristopher on "Mungbeing reviewed Click!" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/mungbeing-reviewed-click#post-182 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:04:58 +0000 kristopher 182@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ lbi - The magic eight ball says 'Ask Again Later'. So I asked it again about 10 seconds later and the reply was 'Most Likely'. kristopher lbi on "Mungbeing reviewed Click!" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/mungbeing-reviewed-click#post-180 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:43:14 +0000 lbi 180@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ a very good and well deserved review, congratulations !!! off topic: will you have a short story in 'falling from the sky'? camden on "Mungbeing reviewed Click!" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/mungbeing-reviewed-click#post-179 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:30:48 +0000 camden 179@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ "There are no unnecessary stylistic conceits or linguistic experiments.-------You couldn't get a bigger compliment!!!!!" Oh wait-- "The novel is both intuitive and masterful in execution, and in this regard it shares more with the spirit of modernist painting than it does with postmodern literature."----thats really nice----- "author has pulled off a rare and amazing literary feat: he has crafted a work that is highly personal and gut-wrenchingly real, yet surreal, dream-like and convincingly fantastic."------------------- I'm so excited for you!! !!!!Celebrate!!! kristopher on "Mungbeing reviewed Click!" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/mungbeing-reviewed-click#post-178 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:51:45 +0000 kristopher 178@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Well, Mungbeing just reviewed Click. They're an amazing magazine that covers the outsider, the fringe, the bizarre. They've had interviews with Robert Anton Wilson, Billy Childish, Alex Grey, Gus Fink and more... quite simply, they are an amazing resource. The second I discovered them I sent in a copy of Click for review. And they not only did a review, but they also loved Jesse Reno's artwork (my friend, and outsider artist who did the cover for Click) that they did a spread on his artwork too! In a bizarre case of synchronicity, they also reviewed author Gina Ranalli - who I just met a few days ago on Myspace (randomly) and did a book trade with yesterday. From Click's review: "...the author has pulled off a rare and amazing literary feat: he has crafted a work that is highly personal and gut-wrenchingly real, yet surreal, dream-like and convincingly fantastic. The novel is both intuitive and masterful in execution, and in this regard it shares more with the spirit of modernist painting than it does with postmodern literature. Young speaks to us in a voice that is authentic and thoroughly lacking in pretension." The full review is here: <a href="http://www.mungbeing.com/issue_10.html?page=79&sub_id=575#575">http://www.mungbeing.com/issue_10.html?page=79&sub_id=575#575</a> but make sure you check out Jesse's art (in this month's magazine, linked from sidebar) and then the rest of the issue, and then the back issues. Amazing! (You can find more of Jesse at <a href="http://www.jessereno.com">http://www.jessereno.com</a>) (Can you tell I'm riding high from reading that review? Made my week!) camden on "review - of sorts" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/review-of-sorts#post-177 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:49:03 +0000 camden 177@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ This is so precious---beautifully done-- lbi on "review - of sorts" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/review-of-sorts#post-118 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 13:31:51 +0000 lbi 118@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ i just received my copy of 'outside the lines'. beautiful job! it's almost a crime to call it a coloring book. ps the drawing on the inside cover is great too! kristopher on "Click review - amazon.com (6-14-06)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review-amazon#post-77 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:12:55 +0000 kristopher 77@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ "Section to wonderful section, you're never quite sure if Young's anti-hero is awake, asleep, somewhere in between. Living? Dreaming? Hallucinating? You almost want drugs to be involved, but they aren't, which just makes the book more alive, aware, awake." Thank you. I loved everything about your review (it's always good to hear such kind words from someone I've never met) but the above quote in particular struck me just right. I fought hard to maintain that... balance of instability, and there were times when I had no idea how readers would engage with it. There are chapters which can be read as any of the above: awake/asleep/between/hallucinating/etc - and that decision is intentionally left up to the reader. As a result I always find it interesting to hear different readers' interpretations of both the book as a whole and of specific chapters - some readers are downright positive that he's crazy; others are positive he's not. And both are correct in their own way - reader interpretation is just as important as author intention (especially if part of the intent is to provide multiple interpretations). So, again, thank you. It's all about what you said - never being sure. Not knowing. Just like him. localroger on "Click review - amazon.com (6-14-06)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review-amazon#post-70 Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:21:57 +0000 localroger 70@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ What Chris said! I've been trying to put into words how I felt about Click since I read it, and you did a wonderful job of saying it for me. barcodeart on "Click review - amazon.com (6-14-06)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review-amazon#post-69 Tue, 20 Jun 2006 21:14:04 +0000 barcodeart 69@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Picture perfect - Click clicks! Perfect! Kristopher Young has written a superb novel! The words click, the sections click, the book just clicks! From Jesse Reno cover to cover. Similar in style to much of what I read, but unlike anything I've ever read before. Love it! Young's protagonist is a horrible, wonderful, crazy mess, but with good intentions. Control eludes this poor creature. Whatever control he gains over his rapid life, it's quickly disrupted by external things, internal things, things in between. Torn. Young gives Click such a great energy, pace. First page a starter's pistol. The story never lets up, barely takes time to blink or breathe. Love everything about this book. Best thing about Click? If forced to choose, couple things... 1) Young can write. Click is easily one of the best books I've read recently, and I read a lot. I'll proudly stack Click on top of books by some of my favorite authors. Not because these books have everything in common necessarily - except in tone perhaps. But because Young is a wonderfully talented and unique author - as is Chuck Palahniuk, as is A.M. Homes, as is William Gibson, as is Carlton Mellick III, etc. All for very different reasons. Great author = great book. 2) Click is violent, yes. But Young doesn't glorify/deify this violence. His protagonist spends most of the book trying to avoid or prevent this violence. It's forced upon him. It's a product of where he lives, the people around him, his 'gift'. Young doesn't celebrate this violence, but explores it, taps and pokes at it with a stick until it springs. Why? It's here, makes sense that it would be there. 3) Section to wonderful section, you're never quite sure if Young's anti-hero is awake, asleep, somewhere in between. Living? Dreaming? Hallucinating? You almost want drugs to be involved, but they aren't, which just makes the book more alive, aware, awake. OK. That's my pitch. No snake oil in this bottle. No cure, but whatever it is, it's real. Read this book. Tell your friends - they'll thank you! Not only is Click amazing, but the creative machine behind it - Another Sky Press - is positively revolutionary! Check out their site. Support this book, this author, this press! Please visit <a href="http://anothersky.org">anothersky.org</a> & <a href="http://jessereno.com">jessereno.com</a>. Thank you for your time! Chris Roberts <a href="http://bar-code-art.com">bar-code-art.com</a> superk on "CLICK review" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review#post-68 Mon, 19 Jun 2006 08:10:11 +0000 superk 68@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Hehe, didn't expect that ;) That's the beauty of posting on a forum which the author might read :) This adventure would never have been possible without the Net. We have to remember ourselves from time to time that the Net has only been around «grand public» for 10 years. Anyhow, sure will remember Kristopher. K kristopher on "CLICK review" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review#post-59 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:59:32 +0000 kristopher 59@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Superk, you just totally made my night. Make a note that you're superk when you buy it and I'll make sure you get a signed copy. kristopher superk on "CLICK review" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review#post-58 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:35:39 +0000 superk 58@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ It's late. I just found this on slashdot. Here's how I usually decide if I like a book or not. I read two or three paragraphs and that's it. I'm either seduced or forerver turned away. Click rocks. It reminds me of the rhythm I found in Christian Gailly's "K. 622", a French novelist who writes about a weirdo's crazy passion for Mozart (http://www.leseditionsdeminuit.fr/catalogue/litterature-france-roman.htm). Clic is visibly passionate, deranged and sexy. No doubt about it. I'll buy the book ASAP. K P.S.: and yes, I've del.icio.us-ed it: <a href="http://del.icio.us/superk" rel="nofollow">http://del.icio.us/superk</a> Lotus on "CLICK review" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/click-review#post-38 Fri, 19 May 2006 17:11:24 +0000 Lotus 38@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ CLICK by Kristopher Young (2006, Another Sky Press) He plays the percentages, the muzzle of a pistol lodged in his mouth. He pulls the trigger, the hammer falls, the barrel shifts, and there is the click. And he is still alive. He arcs, loops. Out of work and maybe out of his mind, he walks among the populace. It is here that he almost unwittingly alters tiny destinies, one incident - one potential victim - at a time. Revolution through evolution. Click. One man's [s]apparent[/s] escalating insanity and the mental anguish he endures due to a bizarre, visceral evolution in the mental state. The story occurs in a de-personalized urban maze of dirty streets and narrow alleyways that most closely resembles New York but is not far from Gibson's Sprawl. But it could be anywhere, today, tomorrow. What could be perceived as slow narrative build-up is simply the establishment of the character(s) and the arc of the book - not filler or unnecessary exposition, but necessary for events soon to unfold. Every line bears meaning toward the greater whole. As for influences, Alfred Bester has been mentioned. The "Bester style" is noticeable not in the prose, but in the theme of evolution. For instance, in The Stars My Destination, the anti-hero of Gulliver Foyle progresses with his "Jaunte" ability beyond the rest of humanity. Similarly the nameless protagonist of Click finds himself in a similar situation - the ability to manipulate newfound mental powers without others, for much of the book, being able to relate. Unlike the callow, unrefined Foyle, Click's hero is an erudite narrator with strength of conscience and a keen sense of justice, as well as empathy for the lower echelons of society. Of course, Click's main man seems to be losing his mind with a mixed blessing of time and event manipulation, as well as varieties of often-imagined physical carnage and self-abuse. There is also a hallucinatory shade to Click, which reminds to a slight degree of Philip K. Dick, mainly the mind-bending novel A Scanner Darkly. However, it feels like less of a direct influence and more of a detached association. One might even sense the Cronenberg film Scanners as an inspiration, as well. And there is the Palahniuk factor. Chuck can generally be seen as influential on many contemporary works that could be described as "dark," "moody," "intellectual," or "edgy." However, like any talented writer, Kristopher Young defines his own voice throughout the novel. The relation to a "Chuck book" can be noticed in the idea of a lone male central character that has become disconnected from the rest of the world in some manner (see Fight Club, Survivor, Choke). This character has experienced an upheaval, often of the psychological variety. The hero of Click might even inhabit the same universe as a Palahniuk protagonist - or at least a parallel galaxy. The Palahniuk factor is a badge of honor when the vitality and punch of Chuck's writing is taken under consideration. And as a final word on this, if the correlation must be made, then Chuck finds himself in good company with Young, and vice-versa. If there is any criticism, it would be that the build-up to the climax occurs too quickly. The concept of the lone character on the run from his enemies, fleeing from nameless town to the next nameless town in order to survive gives the hero odds that seem insurmountable. The reader is never sure how all of this is going to end. And to have had a little more of the fugitive life and perhaps a couple of (additional) close calls with those in "authority" might have provided even more suspense and build-up to the prodigious mind-warp of an ending. The positive side to this is that the pace is brisk and the reader's interest does not wane. Perhaps the desire to keep the book going just a little longer brought on this minor critical point. Though each chapter is concise and absorbing, there are standouts. Without delving too far into spoiler territory, the chapter to forever be deemed "The Night of the Living Dead chapter" and its metaphor of hunger, decay, and single-minded obsession comes to mind. The perspective of narrator experiencing "life" through the eyes and mind of the "undead" - provides superb zombie-point of view writing. It is especially fun for horror and zombie movie fans, so Romero fans take notice. Another standout chapter concerns the death of a family member, told emotionally but without sap. The chapter titled "Broken World" reads almost like the prologue to a political (or anti-political) manifesto. But it's not out of place - it seamlessly fits the realm of the book and the protagonist's mindset and belief system. There are words that describe the skewed world we inhabit right now. "They bind through creating a world which blinds." "They unwittingly spread the lies of the oppressors..." And one of the finest lines in the novel: "'their pessimistic passivity pollutes the collective consciousness and helps to build the conceptual cage for everyone else - one based on fear, distrust, futility, and distraction." The "Accidental Perfection" chapter lays claim to the espousal of certain beliefs - to "strive" to make the world a better place. "The mechanics of the universe" is a kind of universal truth for anyone who thinks beyond what is seen, what we do (or are allegedly supposed to do), who we are. An attempt to understand infinite concepts of life, and finding it rewarding in its futility. Rewarding because it is still worthwhile to try and grasp the larger complexities, even if it does not temper the yearning. Perhaps the older man driving the car is a rearview mirror reflection of the author. With the wordplay apocalypse of the final chapter comes the big payoff. There is a note of ambiguity in the closing sentences Click, and the reader's imagination takes over after the last word, and befittingly so. Much like life and the desire to evolve, the ability and the answers are not always easily defined. camden on "a startling click" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/a-startling-click#post-37 Fri, 19 May 2006 10:06:32 +0000 camden 37@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Radish--I really liked the message the book left you with I love the way the city is alive--you feel the earth under you,the people,everything! This book has so much intensity----Click has you leaning agaist the walls--peeking around the corners in all its glorious paranoia.You just need to get to the end. I love the ending. localroger on "a startling click" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/a-startling-click#post-35 Thu, 18 May 2006 18:28:55 +0000 localroger 35@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ so what does it mean that it is such a pleasure to read? Have you noticed that we only seem to be really fulfilled and happy in moments that could best be described as madness? We seek out these moments at great cost and peril, from the temporary oblivion of orgasm to the thrill of pointless challenges like climbing mountains, sailing tiny boats around the world, and going into battle. Humans are never so human as when we are acting completely insane, and Click spotlights that paradox in a wonderfully different and unexpected way. And I think it's worth mentioning that I don't know Kristopher at all personally, so I went into Click with zero expectations; as some wags like to point out, most of what's published for free online is worth the price. I was delighted to find myself reading one of those rare stories that manage to make the whole world look completely different for awhile. All the books I have ever read that have had that quality would fit on a rather short bookshelf. lbi on "a startling click" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/a-startling-click#post-34 Thu, 18 May 2006 17:40:37 +0000 lbi 34@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ i had the same experience with the second half: what stopped me from turning pages was there weren't any left to turn. it really moved and took me with it. also agree the imagery throughout the novel is superb. radish on "a startling click" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/a-startling-click#post-33 Thu, 18 May 2006 13:12:31 +0000 radish 33@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ they say the subject matter is extreme, psychotic even. so what does it mean that it is such a pleasure to read? i finished the second half of the book in one sitting, it was beautiful, didn't want it to end. a rare gift of literature, and from someone i know! ran around telling friends, brandishing book wide-eyed, my friend wrote this! amazing! literature has exited the realm of the intangible for me, because it is not some ephemeral entity who authored this piece. that's just splendid. and i wouldn't say it lends a bias with which to read the work. rather, it's just pretty neat to have proof that something so amazing was made by an actual person. the means are excellent as well: books not rotting nor dying forgotten upon shelves. liberated publication, distribution. ideology in action. the story lives because we read it, and the barriers to reading have been removed. the portrait of the city is pretty awesome. the subway, the streets and dirty sidewalks, the multitude of people, alienation of being stuck in an apartment, and then breaking down isolation by talking to random people in the arena of the park bench. a lively space. the characters and relationships are very real as well. the story moved me: i gasped, lamented, exalted. i told kristopher that it was like after watching peter pan movies as a child, the determination of "okay: today i am going to learn to fly," and i set out to find a hill to jump off of. i believed. it is the same way with Click. i set out that day to alter the universe. and after i realized that i didn't know how to do what the protagonist does (not to discourage any one else from trying), i realized that the message, for me, could be that, no matter what the scale or reach of it, we each are able to change things around us significantly. all right! thanks, kristopher! heart, radish camden on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-29 Sat, 13 May 2006 20:55:29 +0000 camden 29@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ optimistic as well lbi on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-28 Sat, 13 May 2006 13:21:51 +0000 lbi 28@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ the chapter involving the grandfather's death was one of my favorites also. the author's excellent handling of the family politics involved increased my personal connection with the main character. ....as far as the ending is concerned i choose to be optimistic and assume he survives. camden on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-27 Fri, 12 May 2006 05:33:22 +0000 camden 27@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Yes it is a rare book and I love that you can pick out a chapter at ramdom and be totaly involved in it . The one that comes to mind is the main character's grandfather---(GOING BACK) pg.65---I find this very touching with a bit of sanity. You may pick out another chapter and its like OMG --STOP! STOP! and its only a short chapter and has you feeling his crazyness. I have a special fondness forthe old man with the alien implants.(similar scars) p21 Don't you want to have alien implants? Kudra on "I loved this book..............." http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/i-loved-this-book#post-26 Thu, 11 May 2006 20:22:33 +0000 Kudra 26@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ This is one of those rare books/movies that come along in my life when I can never really tell what is going on the entire time I'm reading it, and then you get to the end, and all I can think is: NOOOOOOOOO! I never found out ANYTHING! It left me thinking and I'm anxious to read it again soon because I think there will be a lot of things I'll pick up on the second time around that I didn't catch the first time. kristopher on "Received my copy today (mod: some spoilers in thread)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/received-my-copy-today#post-23 Mon, 08 May 2006 10:18:41 +0000 kristopher 23@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Heh, for some reason, when you mentioned Bester I was thinking you mean there were stylistic similarities. Bester has that certain rhythmic style to him, almost pulp, almost like a screenplay, at times more visual (including how it's set on the page) than textual. And so when you mentioned him, I was trying to figure out how Click compared to Bester in that way. But yes, now that you've got me thinking in themes, yes, certainly, there are definite similarities. As mentioned earlier in this thread, the ending of The Stars My Destination has always meant a lot to me. It illustrates many of my own thoughts about the risk/value of change... aiming for the postive even though you can never know the results ahead of time. And yes, Click hits that question head on (with slightly different results). But it deals with the same issues, the ramifications of power, of change, responsibility and potential (and responsibility to your potential). I'm glad the ending read to you in that way; it's essentially the intended ending, forcing a reader to contemplate exactly the issues that you mention. That said, the intentionally ambiguous plot/ending allow quite a wide variety of interpretations (also intentional) and some people make up their mind earlier in the book and therefore only 'see' one ending. Which is fine - art is more interpretation than intention, sometimes. But it's always nice to know it works as intended, too, if you know what I mean. And while I never would have linked Click to the movements you mentioned myself (at least in part due to my own lack of knowledge of those movements), I can definitely see what you're getting at. Because yes, Click is a product of its time. Relativity, confusion, memes, language as a means to positive change, media saturation, information overload, the promise of godhood/stardom everpresent yet always out of reach. enjoy your beer! kristopher localroger on "Received my copy today (mod: some spoilers in thread)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/received-my-copy-today#post-22 Fri, 05 May 2006 19:29:30 +0000 localroger 22@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ I think there are very strong parallels between Click! and The Stars My Destination. Consider: In TSMD the human aptitude to "jaunte" is discovered because an individual person whose life is in danger does it by accident. The event is unambiguously recorded by the space station security system, and a massive research effort is launched, which involves subjecting volunteers to a variety of intensely lethal situations until someone else gets the trick. The original person never jauntes again, leaving the interesting implication that he would be one of the second-class citizens of the world that evolved thanks to his contribution. In TSMD there is also a great problem, that nobody can jaunte out of the Solar System, and at the novel's climax the protagonist solves this problem in almost the same way that the ability was discovered -- his life is endangered. It develops that not only can he jaunte to other stars, he can jaunte through time, and has used this ability to prep the person who guides him through his sense-scrambled discovery of the technique with the particular cues he needs to make it through. In Click! the protagonist discovers his power by accident, but the difference is the ambiguity about whether the power really exists or not -- even to the first-person narrator. The implication the protagonist draws, though, that his power is one that everyone potentially shares, mirrors the idea in TSMD that everyone could jaunte if they got the trick. Also, Click! ends with the protagonist essentially solving every problem that exists (if you accept that interpretation of the deliberately ambiguous ending). As in TSMD, this is only possible because the protagonist is put up against a wall. I would say that Click! has the same relationship to TSMD that the movie Unbreakable has to superhero comics in general. It's about the discovery of powers as opposed to their ultimate expression. Of course, much of the drama involves the question of whether the powers are even real. The ending of Click is a wonderful dichotomy, either being the salvation of all of us or just another lame suicide. Not much room for interpretation in between. If you choose the former interpretation, it's extremely similar to TSMD. Of course, the fact that the latter possibility remains open makes Click! a much more interesting story to me. This isn't to knock Bester; he wrote TSMD almost forty years ago. It would really suck if nobody had managed to extend its ideas in all that time. It's also worth considering that the idea of a "Click!" cementing a change in one's perspective originated with the feminist movement in the 1970's. This is the kind of idea the New Wavers were trying to anticipate, but their success was mixed. Before the 1960's gradualism was the order of the day in all of the sciences, and it was considered a radical idea that catastrophic change was even possible. This is why it took so long for the most obvious interpretation of the K-T iridium layer to be accepted. And that's just one of thousands of examples of how "acceptable" thinking has changed in the last 40 years. Anyway, I have more ideas but I have an even bigger craving for another beer. Later... kristopher on "Received my copy today (mod: some spoilers in thread)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/received-my-copy-today#post-21 Fri, 05 May 2006 09:26:04 +0000 kristopher 21@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ Thanks for all the kind words; I don't even know how to begin to reply. Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination is one of my all time favorites - and your statement "Except that Click manages to do for its entire length what Bester achieves only in occasional passages in, say, The Stars my Destination" has pretty much floored me. It's a grand compliment. I think I had to read it a few times just for it to properly register. That said, I would never have even considered Bester as an influence; a like mind in some ways, sure, but an influence...? But yes, after thinking it through it's rather obvious that he's affected me; The Demolished Man's jingle "'Tenser', said the Tensor; tension apprehension and dissension have begun" still rings through my head sometimes (a classic example of a memetic virus before the concept of a 'meme' was even coined) and well, the finale of The Stars my Destination deserves all the attention the book has recieved. You're likely right about Philip K. Dick, though I've only dabbled in his short stories - but Blade Runner is an all time favorite film. Hunter S. Thompson and Pahlaniuk... all these names you mention are certainly taken as high compliments. I'd add a few more less obvious names to the list; Antoine de Saint Exupéry and Richard Bach, for example. And true, Click is nothing like either of those books... well, at first glance, at least... but I know books such as The Little Prince and Jonathan Livingston Seagull have deeply affected me. Katherine Dunn's Geek Love, too, certainly. The first paragraph of that book is taped to one of my binders; it's my favorite opening line of all time, cryptic and poetic and ultimately a dead on description of all that's to come. Any future work will have to list Hubert Selby, Jr. as an influence - though I hadn't been exposed to his work until after finishing Click. I could go on listing authors... but I'm actually more interested in hearing the comments of other. I'd rather leave a bunch off the list to see who other people might name. As far as keeping the water muddy - again, thanks for the compliments. Strange dreams and stranger lives, kristopher localroger on "Received my copy today (mod: some spoilers in thread)" http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/topic/received-my-copy-today#post-17 Mon, 01 May 2006 19:35:11 +0000 localroger 17@http://www.anothersky.org/asp/forums/ No telling when it actually arrived; this was my first day back at the office since last Monday. It was on my chair waiting when I got in this morning. The production job is excellent. It's every bit as good as what Lulu provides, and apparently about half the raw price (though you do have to do your own packing and shipping). The bookmarks and sticker are also cool and you can't do that through Lulu. I also liked the inscription. As for the story -- well, not bad. Not bad at all. I have to admit I groaned a bit when I saw the no uppercase schtick, but after reading a few pages I saw that it actually fits the character. It's a very hard type of story to tell, keeping the waters muddy about what's real and what's fantasy to that degree, and especially to keep them as muddy as they are even after the plot is "clarified" 4/5 of the way through. It is very well done just on a technical level. The story is kind of slow for the first half of the book, but how else could you tell it? This is definitely one of those stories where the payoff is at the end. You could do it faster and clearer and less confusingly, but that would lose the whole point of the POV character. I tend to think of my own book as a collaboration between Philip K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, and the Marquis de Sade. Click definitely has the Dick contribution, though the others -- Hunter S. Thompson maybe? Chuck Pahlaniuk? Alfred Bester is in there, I think. Except that Click manages to do for its entire length what Bester achieves only in occasional passages in, say, The Stars my Destination. In fact, both of our stories remind me of the very height of the New Wave movement in SF, which peaked in the late 1960's and early 1970's with a small number of very daring and experimental works by people like Bester, Michael Moorcock, and the novel Harlan Ellison kept promising but never did write. K.W. Jeter's Dr. Adder was part of that, and probably resembles MOPI more than Click, but after Jeter spent 10 years finding a publisher and then got himself a career his later stuff wasn't like that. Even Norman Spinrad, whose work was never at the outer edge of New Waviness, can hardly get published nowadays. Click isn't as out there with the sex and violence as MOPI, but it has a few passages which I think would curl the eyebrows of a modern day publisher, and which are better left in. (For that matter I bet Stephen King wouldn't be able to get Carrie published nowadays either for the same reason, if he wasn't already the Great and Powerful Stephen King.) You simply can't tell a story about these grand themes without describing the mess. Hell, back before Disney got ahold of them even fairy tales described the mess. Well it's getting late and I'm probably gonna have very strange dreams tonight thanks to this book. Which is a good measure of artistic success. Kudos!