@mvilain@sfba.social
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mvilain

@[email protected]

recovering sysadmin
Certified Advanced Rolfer™

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

chiraag, to bookstodon
@chiraag@mastodon.online avatar

@bookstodon
I really can't recommend Gordon Doherty's Empires of Bronze series enough - it's written really well and he clearly has done his research. What's really fascinating is that the story is ultimately a sad one - the Sea Peoples essentially end up wiping out most Bronze Age civs (other than the Egyptians), but the story has a hopeful ending. The author also does a great job of separating fact from fiction.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/47582

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@MonarchLady @chiraag @bookstodon Harry's latest novel is WAGES OF SIN. It's about what life would be like if AIDS struck the world in the early 1500 instead of the 1980s. Can't wait to read it.

The_BookishWolf, to bookstodon
@The_BookishWolf@bookstodon.com avatar

The movie will never be better than the book. I’ll say it again for those in the back. Star picks up megaphone star “the movie will never be better than the book!“ @bookstodon @romancelandia @alttextgroup

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@The_BookishWolf @bookstodon @romancelandia @alttextgroup Obviously, haven't seen THE PELICAN BRIEF. They added the car chase to give it some drama. THE FIRM made the lawyer a hero using mail fraud to get the bad guys because Tom Cruise would never have starred in a film where he's lost his law license because he worked for bad guys. The ending of Greg McGuire's WICKED epically fails but the musical is amazing.

dbsalk, to bookstodon
@dbsalk@mastodon.social avatar

I'm a sucker for time travel books, but not convinced they work well as audiobooks. It's not as easy for me to follow the time jumps - or in the case of Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell - the various temporal versions of the main character without the pages in front of me.

I do like the concept of this book, which is a murder mystery where all the suspects are the same person.

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@dbsalk @bookstodon I have a very niche time travel story for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Broadway-Revival-Laura-Frankos-ebook/dp/B09MR3MPNH

After his husband dies from a Tantalus-3 addiction in 2079, David Greenbaum pulls himself out of despair with an outrageous plan. He couldn’t save Ramon, but he might make a difference in other lives cut short. He hijacks his brother Nate’s time machine, the SlingShot, and jumps to 1934 to save George Gershwin from the brain tumor that killed him at age thirty-eight.

appassionato, to bookstodon
@appassionato@mastodon.social avatar

Size

From the New York Times bestselling author of How the World Really Works, a wide-ranging look at the most fundamental governing principle of our world: size, whose laws, limits, and peculiarities offer the key to understanding health, wealth, and even happiness.

@bookstodon



mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@appassionato @bookstodon I can image the forward without ever seeing the book.

"Everyone is a size queen"

chestas, to bookstodon
@chestas@aus.social avatar

I've just seen the Netflix series All The Light We Cannot See, based on the novel by Anthony Doerr which is sitting on my bookcase. It has tempted me to read and/or reread some novels based in WWII.

Does anyone have any recommendations of novels based historically in or around WWII?

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@chestas @bookstodon

Tim Power's DECLARE. Excellent WW II spy thriller with supernatural stuff as only Tim can write it. Superb.

https://www.amazon.com/Declare-Tim-Powers-audiobook/dp/B004INR34Q

hlseward, to bookstodon
@hlseward@mstdn.social avatar

This is a fascinating book that I think all school leaders and those with the ability to create culture should read: "What Makes Teachers Unhappy and What Can You Do About It?" by Mark Solomons and Fran Abrams. Less about doughnuts in the staff room and 'optional' yoga workshops, more about real, systemic change @education @bookstodon

mvilain,
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@hlseward @education @bookstodon I know what one of my clients who teaches at a local school would say.

Fire the asshole Principle. They don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

The_BookishWolf, to bookstodon
@The_BookishWolf@bookstodon.com avatar

I am in the process of reading a book by an author who I've read before. This book came with a warning at the front that the trigger warnings were at the back of the book because the warnings themselves contained spoilers. One chapter contained the hugest trigger for me, and that trigger warning should have been at the front. You don't wait 500 pages to warn people of triggers. You don’t bury triggers for the sake of spoilers. @bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@The_BookishWolf @bookstodon I've come across some SF authors who had a form of mind control like Killgrave in JESSICA JONES. I view that as a form of rape/abuse and torture. It triggers me.

I won't read V.E. Schawb because there's chapter in one of her novels about an alternate London ruled by mind controlling telepaths. I picked up John Evan's Exadelic on the blurb alone but several chapters in a character abducts and abuses the main character. Nope.

Such authors are permanently on my black list. If I can't trust an author to torture their characters, I won't read them no matter how well their written.

mvilain, to bookstodon
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@bookstodon @seananmcguire I stumbled across this burb for an upcoming WHAT-IF crossover comic. I couldn't sign up fast enough for the pre-sale.

Now I have to wait until next July for it. 😢

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593725697

Shut up and take my money

jason_w_karpf, to bookstodon
@jason_w_karpf@mastodonbooks.net avatar

The Space-Based Drug Factory That Can’t Come Home - IEEE Spectrum

First space race was about pride. This one will be about profit.

@bookstodon @religion https://apple.news/AHhMdzETZSl264syXlqKduA

mvilain,
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@jason_w_karpf @bookstodon @religion

Since I don't use Apple News, is this posted anywhere else?

surya, to bookstodon
@surya@hachyderm.io avatar

I am Lawful neutral and chaotic good. 🤓

But lol at chaotic evil. :P

Feel free to tag yourself fellow bookworms. ❤️

cc: @goodreads

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@surya @bookstodon Then there's the habbit I picked up from my mom. I sometimes used a slip of toilet paper as it was right there when I picked up the book en route.

Not an issue any more with the kindle. Also, the typesize is adjustable, unlike some books.

DejahEntendu, to bookstodon
@DejahEntendu@dice.camp avatar

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Very interesting novella. Wells puts us in the mind of a security robot that's slipped its leash. The book takes us through its struggles, and the struggles of those around it, to wrestle with its humanity. I really enjoyed this, and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@noodlemaz @DejahEntendu @bookstodon It's a much better read for me than WITCH KING. I was initially drawn into that world but after a couple chapters, the layers and layers of world building weighed on me and I put it down.

Systems Red didn't have that. I could jump right in and felt at home.

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

I am sorry for scaring some of you with my earlier post about Lacie. I have great news: I was able to feed her enough treats to help her survive until she got dinner. Now, she’s so so happy, though she is showing signs of being hungry again.

The apex predator of suburban America is letting out a battle cry in the background, head held high, mid howl.
I don’t even know how to explain this one. It’s a white dog on green grass, mid roll on top of a rock. Because that apparently feels good. All 4 paws are in the air and it looks like she just fell off a ladder.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@jerry
I'm so excited.
Can you tell?

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

I partially solved an Infosec mystery recently. The mystery is “why do most incidents always happen on a Friday? And especially the Friday before a long weekend?”

Well friends, after a lot of empirical data gathering I can announce that it’s because people who realized something was wrong had been sitting on the knowledge of something being wrong, but didn’t want to let it sit through a weekend, and especially not a long weekend.

So like that last push to production on the way out the door Friday afternoon, people are often submitting incident reports as they take off for the weekend with a clear conscience and a spring in their step.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@jerry I don't know how many product managers have asked me to "just make quick change to production".

Even my boss when "an important customer" is really anxious for a new feature we're implementing. Nevermind that the QA person who would be doing the testing is out getting engaged in India. He asked me to push out the latest update to production and of course it crashed.

Then I had to figure out how to back out of the changes. None of their CI workflow ever considered "rolling back" to a previous state. It was a nightmare that consumed most of the day. At least it wasn't Friday.

tannat, to bookstodon
@tannat@toot.community avatar

When will authors learn that readers won't follow them to specific platforms? I'm tired of books disappearing to Kindle Unlimited's walled garden.

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@paul_e_cooley @tannat @bookstodon @pluralistic is definitely an outlier where he uses publishing houses for his books but reserves the right to publish them digitally himself. That means you'll never see any of his work on Amazon because of their required DRM. Nor will you ever hear it on Audible.

Instead, he crowd-sources production of his audio books on Kickstarter and sells them on his web site. Other authors (Hugh Howie and Andy Weir) wrote and posted their initial works on their blogs before Amazon and other publishers came calling. All this required some ability to administer your web site that sells your work like @dianeduane.

That approach is not for everyone. @cstross and @hntdove just want to write and leave the publishing and marketing to their publishers.

YMMV.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@paul_e_cooley @tannat @bookstodon @pluralistic @dianeduane @cstross @hntdove

Cory goes on and on about how he'll never publish audio books on Audible because they require DRM. So he crowd-sources his own audiobooks through Kickstarter.

He also makes versions of his books in other formats besides Kindle without DRM which he sells on his site. Amazon will sell the Kindle version only. There are tools that will convert an Amazon-purchased eBook on a Kindle to other formats, but I usually just look for a epub version and go the other way.

Cory has mentioned that those same audiobooks he sells on his site will show up on Amazon's self-publishing arm ACX(?) same with his books. But he has his agent go after Amazon to take down the pirated work.

Where are you publishing audiobooks without DRM on Amazon?

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@cstross @paul_e_cooley @tannat @bookstodon @pluralistic @dianeduane @hntdove This example has the DRM'ed version of RED TEAM BLUES for the Kindle only, the hardback, and the paperback version. It doesn't have the audio book.

Paul, where are they publishing DRM-free versions of your stuff on Amazon? Yes, you can download it from your web site, but you said Amazon would publish it if I'm not mistaken.

When Andy Weir published his WIP novel THE MARTIAN on his web site, it was a PDF file. Then he created a downloadable KINDLE version for 99¢ because people are lazy and didn't want to figure out how to download the PDF and upload it to their devices. It ended up generating $3K/mo by the time a publisher came calling. They insisted he take down the free PDF version but Amazon proudly offers the official DRM'ed version.

You're lucky your contract allows your books to be on other platforms. If Recorded Books did the audiobook, it would only be on Amazon.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@paul_e_cooley @cstross @tannat @bookstodon @pluralistic @dianeduane @hntdove

That's very interesting. You can upload Word, epub, and mobi format files. But Amazon only sells Kindle files for their reader. Publishers want your manuscript in Word format. They'll publish the ebook in whatever format their store supports.

Do you have your books available on epub or PDF format on Amazon? That's my point. You can provide the files BUT I think Amazon only sells DRM-ed versions of the for the Kindle.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@cstross @paul_e_cooley @tannat @bookstodon @pluralistic @dianeduane @hntdove

Cory goes on at great length here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/red-team-blues-another-audiobook-that-amazon-wont-sell/posts/3788112

to describe how Audible audiobooks can only be sold on Amazon with DRM turned on. The kindle version of his books is sold with DRM turned on but the DRM free version of the files are on his web site. He hasn't said one way or the other if his publisher is the one controlling the DRM for his books on Amazon.

Diane offers her ebooks through an on-line story in whatever format you want (mobi, pdf, epub) DRM free.

Granted Cory is talking about audiobooks specifically and not his eBooks.

owlislost, to bookstodon
@owlislost@nerdculture.de avatar

Happy weekend, everyone! What are you ?? I'm reading a bunch of archiving, design, and metadata books for school, but also finally reading Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, which is amazing of course, and listening to This Time Tomorrow, which is good fun so far and I haven't even gotten to the premise yet. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594998/this-time-tomorrow-by-emma-straub/ I also picked up Immigrant Girl, Radical Woman from the library https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501709845/immigrant-girl-radical-woman/
@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@phoenixashes76 @owlislost @bookstodon I was starting my first full-time job back in the 80s when we hired a 50-ish engineer.

I could not stop laughing when he asked me over lunch

"So, are you an unindicted co-conspirator?"

I should make a t-shirt.

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

Finished my last dose of paxlovid this morning. Looking forward to my taste buds returning to normal. I am finally feeling human again, but I get tired really fast and my mind is still very cloudy. Thanks for the concern and well wishes.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@jerry You know what this means now?

Private
mvilain,
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@haikushack @bookstodon This was one case where the Wachowskis did a better job with the material as a movie than Alan Moore did with the graphic novel.

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

Here is my periodic reminder that the fediverse is brought to you for free, but those services cost the fine people managing your instance their time, attention, and money. Admins do it out of love and a belief that there is a better way to operate social media.

Most instance admins rely on donations to offset the cost of operating the service you use. If you love the service you are getting and are in a position to donate, I would ask you to take a few moments and navigate to the “about” page of your instance instancename.social/about (ex. https://Infosec.exchange/about) and find the directions to support your instance. Many thanks to those of you who already do. And a special thanks to those awesome people who donate to the Infosec family of instances :blobheartcat:​

I ask this of all parts of the fediverse. We are stronger and healthier together.

Thanks

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@jerry Thanks for everything you do. Switch my donation from Patreon to Kofi.

And get well soon.

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

Maui is probably my favorite place in the world and the banyan tree is unreal. It sounds like all that may be gone now 😢

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@jerry 😢😢😢

The Lahaina Banyan Tree gone is a tragedy. I was in Maui (and Lahaina) for Rolfing™ classes some years ago. It's a magical place.

Private
mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@DarkMatterZine @ExcessivelyDiverting @bookstodon The movie was execrable. The fun of the "voice" of Austen's Pride and Prejudice with zombies and ninjas was what kept me reading. I gave the book to my sister-in-law and even though she looked at me with a "You've got to be kidding" glare, I told her to regift it to her son. Because Zombies and Ninjas.

Private
mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@Flyspeck @lunalein @bookstodon It could be worse. You could have picked up one of Dan Brown's earlier novels before he stumbled on the Da Vinci Code formula. They're much much worse.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@SteveClough @Flyspeck @lunalein @bookstodon

For every couple Robin Cooks, there's a Michael Crichton.

BonnettsBooks, to bookstodon
@BonnettsBooks@mastodonbooks.net avatar

Closed today & tomorrow. Back on Saturday! Here's a bit of what I've been working on...

The "Dangerous Visions" series, created and edited by the late Harlan Ellison, is highly acclaimed in speculative fiction circles and includes short stories by some of the greatest names in fantasy & sci-fi history. The first was published in 1971, "Again..." in 1972, and a third, titled "Last Dangerous Visions" was planned for 1973, but remains unpublished to date, 50 years later.

@bookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@TomMarcinko @DarkMatterZine @BonnettsBooks @peachfront @bookstodon

The real "T" of the book was that it was Phillip K. Dick making fun of Robert A. Heinlein. Heinlein, a conservative Libertarian, got real tired of "the great unwashed" -- essentially hippies -- knocking on his door in Santa Cruz to "grok" about STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. So he built a barbed wire fence around his house becoming "The Man in the High Castle". Heinlein had his name and address on Bonny Dune Road in the phone book, so part of that is his own fault.

Private
mvilain,
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@AnnieTheBook @bookstodon I was disappointed that it was only Volume 1 of 2. I don't know when Vol 2 is out. I've had enough of this with other graphic novels and won't bother buying Vol 2.

thorncoyle, to bookstodon
@thorncoyle@wandering.shop avatar

Broke? Love books filled with magic, justice, and queer goodness?

My ebooks are 75% off until July 31 as part of Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/T._ThornCoyle

@bookstodon @lgbtbookstodon

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@thorncoyle @bookstodon @lgbtbookstodon

ottsatwork, to bookstodon
@ottsatwork@artsio.com avatar

Book 2: “Cat Burglar Black” by .

I saw some of his art online and thought it looked like “Invisible Hands” from Liquid Television, which I LOVED. Same artist! This didn’t have quite the same level of twisted, creepiness as that animated series, but I was so happy to find his work in comic form. There’s more too.

Someone stitched together all the “”. The voice acting is 🤌🏽 https://youtu.be/n5sP4yRb8Mw

@bookstodon

Panel 1, someone in bed, their head covered in bandages, eyes staring and teeth bared. A weak whisper: "Come closer, Katherine. Let me see you..." Panel 2 a severe looking older woman with her hands around the shoulders of a tentative, white-haired teen: "Don't be shy. Say hello to your aunt."

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@ottsatwork @bookstodon I stopped reading it after the women took over that nation state and started treating the men like they were being treated. I won't watch the Amazon show.

Laking86, to random
@Laking86@nerdculture.de avatar

1 of 2023

The Penultimate Truth
Philip K. Dick

Part of the SF Masterworks Collection. Despite being nearly 60 years old the narrative around the manipulation of the truth feels incredibly prescient. Wondering whether David Whitaker had read it before he came up with story The Enemy of the World.

mvilain,
@mvilain@sfba.social avatar

@Laking86 @bookstodon

Einstein's Fridge by Paul Sen

Another book that does a fabulous job of explaining science. I took Thermodynamics in college almost 50 years ago with all the math and equations. Even though the professor was terrific, this book gives context to where the science of the study of energy transfer came from. It also gives historical context.

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