I like quite a lot of Wexler’s books but would agree that characterisation (and dialogue) is not his strongest suit - he’s better at atmosphere (mostly grim) and certain sorts of world-building. FWIW I’ve read his Forbidden Library, Wells of Sorcery, and Dark Lord Davi books, and also Hard Reboot, which I probably liked most. He’s good at making you feel that you’re playing a certain sort of computer RPG, if you like that sort of thing. I wouldn’t have thought that he’d be at his best writing in someone else’s setting, though of course he is a gamer and has played plenty of D&D.
What are you reading in 2025?
- Thread starter Elodan
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overgeeked
Cheers to the Tin Man
Just finished Perry Rhodan #5, Twilight of the Gods. Perry Rhodan and Co get a brain upgrade from alien super science, evolving them and giving them mutant powers. Perry Rhodan gets a subtle hypnotic gaze. There’s no mention of what Reginald Bell gets. There’s a long side plot introducing four other mutants. A telepath, a telekinetic, a teleporter, and a prescient. The human alliance builds a tunnel under Perry Rhodan’s camp and is going to detonate a hydrogen bomb. A second teleporter happens to sympathize with Perry Rhodan and bamfs into the camp to warn them. Alien super science solves the trouble in the press of a button.
In a weird twist, Reginald Bell objects to having his mind read when he meets the telepath. Complaining about his privacy being violated. This is the same Bell who gleefully used mind control in the last four stories. When he meets a teleporter, Bell wants to learn teleportation to spy on women changing clothes. Ah, the 1960s.
And apparently half the named characters in the series so far that have been presented as villains are all secretly on Perry Rhodan’s side.
The stories are written by a team of writers but these first few are one guy. His writing ticks are shining through. Lots of “as you know, Bob” dialogue, exclamation point whispers, and long retellings of the current situation when the characters are in immediate and imminent danger.
In a weird twist, Reginald Bell objects to having his mind read when he meets the telepath. Complaining about his privacy being violated. This is the same Bell who gleefully used mind control in the last four stories. When he meets a teleporter, Bell wants to learn teleportation to spy on women changing clothes. Ah, the 1960s.
And apparently half the named characters in the series so far that have been presented as villains are all secretly on Perry Rhodan’s side.
The stories are written by a team of writers but these first few are one guy. His writing ticks are shining through. Lots of “as you know, Bob” dialogue, exclamation point whispers, and long retellings of the current situation when the characters are in immediate and imminent danger.
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In a bowl with fava beans and a nice chianti?My free time reading consists of John Scalzi’s Head On and Stanley Tucci’s What I Ate In One Year.
I like mixing food and near-future sci-fi.
I wonder if I need to go back and re-read the Old Man's War books? Or if you are like me and read them close upon release, does he give enough context in ShatPeace that I can just pick it up and go?
Yeah, if you’ve read them then he certainly gives enough reminders to get you back up to speed. The main character is a friend of Zoe from Roanoke, so remembering Zoe, the Obin, the Consu, and what happened on Roanoke, is what you need to know.
How did you know?!?
overgeeked
Cheers to the Tin Man
Anyone big on alternate history novels? I'm looking for stuff where the point of divergence is Germany wins the Great War (aka WW1). I'm aware of Kaiserreich. Anyone have any recs?
trappedslider
Legend
yes, Robert Conroy's 1920: America's Great War posits a scenario in which the U.S., having remained neutral (and the Central Powers thus having won the Great War) is faced with an assault by Germany into California from a German-allied Mexico
Curious Notions By Harry Turttledove is part of his Crosstime Traffic series in the late 21st century of our timeline, and follows the employees of Crosstime Traffic, an organization that sends secret traders to various timelines (the people in our world know, but the alternate people don't). Each work is set in a different timeline, and effectively acts as a standalone novel.
Curious Notions is set in the San Francisco of a world where Germany won World War I.
Those are the only two I am aware of
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