On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, Johne Cook wrote: @> I picked up an Amber prequel awhile back (not written by Roger Zelazny) and @> was wincing for the few chapters that I could get through. I really should @> finish the book just out of respect for Roger and the series that I have @> such fondness for, but at this point, it feels like work. I don't know @> anything about the author and won't disparage him here because I'm not sure @> it's his fault that he's not Roger (freaking) Zelazny, but still, he's not, @> and that's all there is to it. I'm not sure if it's me being a Zelazny snob @> or the work not being up to snuff, all I know is that I didn't like it. I couldn't manage to make myself read those in the first place, probably because I read somewhere (i.e. everywhere) that Zelazny considered Amber to be really personal and didn't want other people writing in that universe. And then, he died and some people decided they could make more money by not respecting his wishes. A more succinct version (albeit with a different author): http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-10-15&res=l @> With that said, I've been having a /great/ time reading David Brin's _Kiln @> People_, which reassures me that there is still some good Sci Fi out there. @> He's pulling off the trick of sketching what appears to be a /practically/ @> impossible plot and making it not only work, but sing. It inspires me. If @> he can animate clay golems, I tell myself I can surely animate real people. Just finished reading that, and agree on every particular. (Although the ending was typically bizarre.)