Autumnal
Bruce Baugh, Writer of Fortune
Reading challenge continues: books 4-7/100.
How the Gospels Became History: Jesus and Mediterranean Myths, by M. David Litwa. More neat stuff from Litwa, this time about the forms of classical history covering remarkable and miraculous events. He takes up examples from around 500 BC to 400 AD or so, discussing attitudes toward miracles among historians (from very credulous to harshly skeptical). He places the canonical gospels into this context, showing specific ways their writers drew on those forms to buttress their claims to truth. Really a pleasure to read. First time.
Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters, by John Langan. A collection of five horror stories, of which I’d rate at least three as truly top-notch. This was Langan’s first collection, and he another author who roared right out of the starting gate with superb work. “On Skua Island” is practically a modern-day Robert E. Howard story, and “Mr. Gaunt” has that gripping sense of outrage at a morally offensive wrong done. First time.
Red Square (Arkady Renko #3), by Martin Cruz Smith. This is the best fictional treatment of the immediate post-Soviet moment I know of, contrasting Moscow with Munich and Berlin, making clear how many ways the efforts at a new democratic era were being destroyed before they’d even really begun. It also picks up some important threads from the 1980 of Gorky Park, in twisting and satisfying ways. Reread.
Demon in White (Sun Eater #3), by Christopher Ruocchio. Honestly, this guy has no business being this good. The scope of the story continues to widen, things get weirder for Hadrian Marlowe - drawing the attention of vastly transhuman entities is sometimes not a lot of fun - linguistic and cultural development continues, there is awesome action. Something I haven’t commented on is how well Ruocchio handles time skips, briefly describing the events of decades and suggesting events as awesome as the ones spelled out. I’m going to have to take a look at the Expanse-like interstitial novellas and short stories he’s written. This is really amazing work. First time.
How the Gospels Became History: Jesus and Mediterranean Myths, by M. David Litwa. More neat stuff from Litwa, this time about the forms of classical history covering remarkable and miraculous events. He takes up examples from around 500 BC to 400 AD or so, discussing attitudes toward miracles among historians (from very credulous to harshly skeptical). He places the canonical gospels into this context, showing specific ways their writers drew on those forms to buttress their claims to truth. Really a pleasure to read. First time.
Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters, by John Langan. A collection of five horror stories, of which I’d rate at least three as truly top-notch. This was Langan’s first collection, and he another author who roared right out of the starting gate with superb work. “On Skua Island” is practically a modern-day Robert E. Howard story, and “Mr. Gaunt” has that gripping sense of outrage at a morally offensive wrong done. First time.
Red Square (Arkady Renko #3), by Martin Cruz Smith. This is the best fictional treatment of the immediate post-Soviet moment I know of, contrasting Moscow with Munich and Berlin, making clear how many ways the efforts at a new democratic era were being destroyed before they’d even really begun. It also picks up some important threads from the 1980 of Gorky Park, in twisting and satisfying ways. Reread.
Demon in White (Sun Eater #3), by Christopher Ruocchio. Honestly, this guy has no business being this good. The scope of the story continues to widen, things get weirder for Hadrian Marlowe - drawing the attention of vastly transhuman entities is sometimes not a lot of fun - linguistic and cultural development continues, there is awesome action. Something I haven’t commented on is how well Ruocchio handles time skips, briefly describing the events of decades and suggesting events as awesome as the ones spelled out. I’m going to have to take a look at the Expanse-like interstitial novellas and short stories he’s written. This is really amazing work. First time.
