If I already like ...

Dave Lebling · 18 Apr 2012, 01:05 · from 2012-April.txt.gz

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From: dlebling at hyraxes.com (Dave Lebling)
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:05:32 -0400
Subject: (urth) If I already like ...
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I find Sterling's short stories better than his novels, in general. I am 
particularly fond of "Bicycle Repairman" and its sequel, "Taklamantan." 
His collaboration with Rucker, "Big Jelly," is pretty good too. His 
"Schismatrix" stories (and the novel of the same name) are excellent. I 
actually thought "Holy Fire" was one of his weaker novels; perhaps I 
should give it another try. "The Difference Engine" (with Gibson) has 
grown on me with re-reading.

At this point I'm reminded of Neal Stephenson as well. The Baroque Cycle 
is rather Wolfean and Powersian, in my opinion, infodumps aside.

I believe there's a big difference between the people who like Wolfe 
(and Lewis, Tolkien, and some others) largely because their work is 
heavily influenced by their Catholicism, and those who like Wolfe 
because of his pre-post-modern-ish (to coin a phrase) sensibility. I'm 
one of the latter, although the Catholicism works fine for me as a 
background.

Dave Lebling

On 4/17/2012 8:09 PM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> *From:* Dave Lebling <mailto:dlebling at hyraxes.com>
>
> > To introduce another author, some Bruce Sterling really hits the same
> > buttons for me as Rucker, Powers, and Lafferty. Wolfe is in a class by
> > himself, or a category, if you will.
> Sterling can't plot to save his life.  But _Holy Fire_ is great.
> - Gerry Quinn
>
>
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