Comments on: The Big Idea: Alan DeNiro

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:13:04 +0000

Great book, Mr. DeNiro.

By: Pam Adams

Pam Adams — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:50:15 +0000

Just got it, and read it in one sitting. (Voice in head- Uh, you do have to go to work tomorrow. Me- Stop whining, there’s only 50 pages to go!) Like LIAR, this is a book I’m going to have to read again to get the bits I missed in my mad dash to the finish line. I love Macy- her voice is what really makes the book.

By: B. Minich

B. Minich — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:53:27 +0000

Well then! Scythians! And an Empire that has to be Rome (who fought several of these Steppe peoples, if not the Scythians specifically). As soon as the words “a mysterious Empire” were mentioned, I knew it was Roman in origin (after all, the Byzantines are simply the continuation of the Roman Empire). This looks excellent.

By: Alan DeNiro

Alan DeNiro — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:41:19 +0000

Thanks to John, first of all, for the Big Idea invite. Greatly and humbly appreciated.

@14: The Alans do indeed make an appearance! Along with Goths (not goths).

@19: It’s funny you mention that, the cover artist based that silhouette on the description in the book. It turned out to look pretty much like one of our dogs, a Carolina Dog.

Happy reading, everyone!

ajd

By: Rembrant

Rembrant — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:08:37 +0000

Is the dog silhouette on the cover a basenji?

By: Tzi

Tzi — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:09:30 +0000

Found this book in the Staff Recommendation display at the local indy bookstore. I grabbed it and did a happy dance because it’s mine now. Mine, mine, mine!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:56:39 +0000

I have just bought this and Patrick Lee’s book (as ebooks) on the strength of the postings here – I would likely have missed them both otherwise – so chalk up 2 more sales to the “Scalzi effect”.

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:22:35 +0000

Curatoria,

When you want to read about the politics, focus on the capital. When you want to study the history, focus on the country. :)

By: curatoria

curatoria — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:01:21 +0000

@Alan #14

Thanks for such a concise and useful summary.

Remembering it was called the Parthian shot would have given me a clue! A little learning is the problem here. I have hazy memories of learning about these different groups during a Classics degree 20 years ago but I was really more interested in what was going on in Rome itself and so obviously wasn’t paying proper attention.

I love Whatever for just this reason. Come for Sci Fi, leave with ancient history!

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:38:22 +0000

Alan,

As a fellow Alan I must ask, do the Alans show up in the book? :)

More seriously, have you read SM Stirlings Dies the Fire and the follow on books? Sounds to me like you have a different look at The Change in your work. A gentler Change, but still a calamitous Change all things considered.

For curatoria @#5

The Parthians (an Iranian clan) are the ones who got the credit for the parthian shot. I suspect they picked it up from somebody else. It may have been the Scythians via their successors, the Sarmatians. Central Eurasian nomads are known to have used the parthian shot, with the Huns (once a Sarmatian subject tribe) using it to good effect in their conquest of modern day European Russia and the Sarmatian trading empire. That prelude to their invasion of Central and Western Europe and the Roman Empire.