On The List for Things What Don’t Suck
Posted on August 17, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 22 Comments
At this very second, The Last Colony being #3 on the Amazon SF list, behind Fahrenheit 451 and The Road. Stupid Pulitzer Prize winners, always in my way. Hate that. Zoe’s Tale is at #11, which is also up there on the list of Not Sucking. Thank you, folks.
Also what don’t suck: ArmadilloCon, which wrapped for me about an hour ago with a really fun reading. I’m spending a few moments catching my breath before we head out to the end-of-con dinner. I’ll make a full report once I get back home, but for now suffice to say these folks have taken care of me really well, and I’ve had a marvelous time. It’s high on my list of conventions to recommend.
Hope your weekend’s going well too.
Hi John,
I recieved a Subterranean Press e-mail today letting me know that several of their books were being printed. The two of interest were Jim Butcher’s Backup (Yay!), and of course your own work Your Hatemail Will Be Graded. The e-mail was notification that the books were soon to be printed and about a month away from shipment.
Which leads to the respectful question, has the hate mail been graded? If so, when can we expect the results?
Oh and I forgot to mention, the fact that the books were being printed soon is something that does not suck.
Patrick:
Yes, the mail has been graded and we have winners. I’m waiting on a couple of things to announce.
I’ve purchased Old Mans War, Ghost Brigades,and Last Colony from Amazon. I read and liked the first two, and am now reading Last Colony. Zoe’s Tale will definitely be my next purchase.
I like your books and I appreciate this opportunity to let you know what I think of them. I hope to enjoy your books for years to come.
Oh, before I go there was one character in Ghost Brigades that reminded me so much of a fellow I used to work with. Nobody could stand to be around him but he was a good man to have around when TSHTF.
Congratulations, John. I must admit that when I read the afterword of TLC, I was disappointed and doubtful at the same time. (“Does this guy think that he’s really NOT going to write anything else from this awesome multi-verse that’s been created? I DONT THINK SO.)
Ironically, I dipped in first in the series at TLC, buying the book at the airport in Phoenix on my way to a 10-day family vacation. Instructions from wife: “Thou shalt do no work.” That means get a good fiction book and just start enjoying it.
I had never read about your work before, never heard of you, never read Whatever, and didn’t know a thing about the series. Bought it off the shelf, cold.
Loved it, and when we got to New Jersey, I stopped in at B&N and bought the other two books.
Glad to hear that ZT is coming out and can’t wait to read it.
Also, posted an article on my blog about your Brain-Pal world and a recent Newsweek article (Newsweek article is here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/145949)
All the best!
You can probably blame high school reading lists for keeping you out of second.
The Road is the best book I never ever want to read in a million years.
Gah…read again. Otherwise, that made no sense.
Steve Burnap
The Road is the best book I never ever want to read [again] in a million years.
Oh, man. I so hear you on that. Totally absorbing book, in a “hey, check out horrific 12-car pile up” kind of way. I kept wanting to put it down out of sheer despair, but just couldn’t do it.
Once I finished it, it was a relief to return it to the library, but it was such a well-written book I simply can’t bring myself to regret having read it. But still, yeah, wouldn’t mind having the actual content of the book removed from my skull, without removing the enjoyment of the writing itself.
I has a Zoe’s Tale tracking number! Must finish current book by tomorrow night.
Hi John,
I attended the first two days of Armadillocon (actually the first con I ever attended) before returning to my home in North Texas on Saturday evening. It was a great experience and the folks running the show did a wonderful job. Hats off to them! Anyway, as I was driving home and reflecting on my experiences there, I was struck by the thought that you should consider stand up comedy as a side job. I really enjoyed your insightful feedback during panel discussions and the Guest of Honor Q&A, but I also thought you were incredibly funny. Keep up the great work not only with your writing, but also in your interactions with your fans.
John,
Zoe’s Tale made me cry at chapter 20, which I just finished right now. You bastard.
ZT is your best work yet. You really filled out what was missing from The Last Colony. Zoe sounds like a real teenage girl, smart and with cooler comebacks than I had at that age, but also vulnerable in all the ways teenagers are. You made me think again about certain events and characters in TLC. And as always, you also made me laugh.
And there is also much awesome Hickory-Dickory-ness. The Obin fairy-tale? AWESOME.
ZT is made of win.
back to finishing ZT tonight because it is awesome
If Zoe’s Tale is at the Borders near my office, I’ll be picking it up at lunch.
Excellent timing on this blogpost, as it gives me enough of an excuse to laud _The Last Colony._ A wonderfully done closure to the trilogy, which I just finished reading about two days ago. Just plain good writing through the series– I especially found the concept of aliens who are intelligent, but not conscious, a fascinating concept. Can’t wait for _Zoe’s Tale_ to be in paperback– and do please keep doing whatever you do to do so well!
Finally read TLC on our just-completed family vacation, after months of it staring at me on my nightstand – a terrific conclusion to the trilogy. I’ll try to pick up ZT this week; I told Unfocused Girl I’d read it first, but she’s really looking forward to getting her hands on it.
I think you’ll be unsurprised to hear that my weekend also went quite well.
It was a pleasure meeting you, and I’m enjoying Zoe’s Tale very much, thanks!
I’ve been raving about Zoë’s Tale to everyone who will listen ever since I read the ARC. I’ve been remiss in putting that in writing, but I’ll rectify that soon.
I deeply hope it’s not the last book in that universe, or even with those characters. But I know better than to do more than hope! No “helpful suggestions” will be forthcoming from this quarter.
Well, you could try winning the Pulitzer yourself. Just for fun.
Seems the long way around, Josh.
I was going to say that they don’t usually give the Pulitzer to SF/F authors, but Cormac McCarthy did get it for The Road.
(I’ve read some people argue that The Road is not strictly SF.)
Still, if they ever hand that medal to anyone for a novel with spaceships, interstellar battles, and alien worlds, I’ll check the window for winged pigs soaring in the thermals.
Zoe’s Tale and Bucknell’s Sly Mongoose both release tomorrow…I am almost giddy. There are some long nights in my future.
I have a really stupid question. So how did some of you cool kids get copies of ZT to read? Were they ARCs or were you otherwise well-connected?
I’ll be hoofing it down to Elliott Bay Books tomorrow instead.
There were a few available at Armadillocon, Jeri, by whatever voodoo means the booksellers there acquired them. And Xopher got his as an ARC from Tor.