The Controversy Regarding Baen's Bar: My Response

(ETA: I wholly endorse Larry Correia's open letter. Every. Single. Word.)

BLUF: Looks like somebody is angling for a Hugo Award in the Related Works category. 

Quite a few folks associated with Baen - including David Weber, Eric Flint, Larry Correia, and Toni Weisskopf - have already responded to this transparent attempt to cancel a significant SFF publisher -- but I'd like to add my $.02 because the cherry-picking, the hypocrisy, the ideologically-induced reading comprehension failures, and the princess-and-the-pea prissiness of this guy's post are all deeply offensive and should be called out as often and by as many people as possible.

Let's take each claim in turn.

Major Claim #1: "Baen’s Bar has also become well-known in the genre community as a place where racism, sexism, homophobia and general fascism continually pop up."

The link provided in this sentence takes us to a forum thread on another website in which the transgender originator shares screen caps of people in Tom Kratman's conference being rude to her. Now, I'm no fan of rudeness as a general rule, but there are a couple of things I notice about this link:

1. It's from 2014. If this behavior were a persistent and wide-spread problem on the Bar, surely more recent evidence would've been provided.
2. The complainant at the link self-servingly elides her own contributions to the flame war while insisting that she's been perfectly reasonable the whole time and that the response of the folks in this conference is an over-the-top and bigoted reaction to what she said. Yeah, sure. Because the Bar is down, I can't search for the entire argument. However, the Barflies I know don't pop off like that for absolutely no reason.   

Now to zoom out a little bit: When a leftist claims that something is -ist, my first instinct is not to believe it. And, I think, I have a very good reason to initially approach such assertions with skepticism. As we all know, bourgie progressives like the writer of the above "exposé" (and the individual whose negative run-in with the Kratskeller he's using as an example) are absolutely obsessed with how we all talk to each other. But in my personal view, policing our words is often a way to look like you're doing good while actually unconscionably imposing upon other people's freedom and peacocking about your superior social status. 

The pronoun thing, for instance, definitely falls into this category. I will use people's pronouns if I know them. But it should be said that pronouns are only used when you're talking about someone -- so demanding that we use your preferred pronouns is in fact demanding control over how we talk about you beyond your earshot. Who gave you the right to expect total acquiescence to your preferences at all times and in all places from people who most likely have no personal relationship with you whatsoever? Further, people who aren't from one particular rarefied class in our society don't really understand radical gender ideology (because it's mostly nonsense if we're being perfectly frank) and find the singular "they" (or the ever expanding slate of invented pronouns) confusing -- so taking people to task for resisting pronoun edicts is, in many cases, taking people to task for being poorer and less "educated" than you are. (And I put "educated" in scare quotes here because a sheepskin is no longer a reliable signal that you are genuinely learned. I've got one of those things - and from a pretty prestigious public Ivy too - but I don't even think I'm truly educated. And I've been trying to fix that for my entire adult life.)

From what I've observed in my own interactions with the Barflies, a lot of the people who are active on the Bar come from working class and/or military backgrounds; in said milieus, rough discourse is a way of life. Indeed, as a military brat myself, I have personally witnessed how our servicemen routinely roast each other using epithets that would absolutely get a lefty upper-middle-class fella's ears all a-smokin'. At the same time, I have also witnessed how well people handle racial and cultural differences in the very same military contexts. A group of diverse Marines may toss no-no words around like they're candy, but fundamentally, respect reigns among them regardless of race.

Mind you, I'm not trying to say that the people in Kratman's conference at that link were somehow being respectful in a different way. They weren't. Nor am I trying to say that we should just drop all concern about the language people use. We shouldn't. But I still think it's worth pointing out that different classes in our society have different communication styles because it speaks to the shallowness of the left's linguistically-focused approach to justice. Judging people solely by their adherence - or lack of adherence - to the exquisitely sensitive standards of speech of the progressive Brahmandarins is a piss-poor way to find real racists/sexists/homophobes/etc. You have to look deeper. You have to consider action, intent and context. And that brings me to...

Sub-Claim #1a: "For example, a Baen’s Bar user from India was nicknamed “The Swarthy Menace” on the forum by author Tom Kratman. People on the forum thought that was the height of clever humor."

This is what I mean when I say this take-down of the Bar is prissy. The user in question was a willing participant in this particular joke. "The Swarthy Menace" has the same exact energy as "White Mormon Men with Fantastic Racks," which is what we lady-Pups called ourselves in response to false claims that the Sad Puppies were all cishet white men. From the link provided: "This came about due to a left winger from Space Babies claimed Arun was afraid of the Swarthy Menace while debating one of the Colonels books. What made it funny is that Arun is from India." (sic) As you can see, in both cases, the intent was perfectly legitimate: to make fun of people's stupid assumptions. Yet here come the conversation cops to tell all of us that ackchyually, we're being super racist and having fun wrong -- even though literally no one involved was insulted. Mind your own bee's wax, you buttinsky.

Sub-Claim #1b: "Racist comments and innuendos frequently appear in many forum discussions. In a thread last year titled 'Soft Civil War & Trump’s Army,' user Captrandy wrote that political conflicts in the USA could be solved if 'all the angry and non angry white males should stop going to work for a month or so.'"

Okay, let's consider the context in which this was uttered. For the past several years - or more - the commentariat has pushed the idea that white people - especially white men - are the fount of all evil. And in response, the education system, the corporate boardroom, and the government have all consented to the further propagation of this toxic worldview by bankrolling so-called "diversity training" in which whites are singled out solely due to their skin color and subjected to Maoist struggle sessions in which they're forced to confess to crimes they did not commit and to prejudices of which they are not aware.* If you're shocked that this has led to resentment - and to a desire to assert (truthfully, I might add) that white men have contributed and do contribute in a positive way to our nation and the world - then you, cupcake, have zero idea how human beings actually work.**

(*Note: I'm happy to talk to folks about the unique disadvantages certain groups face in this country -- but not if it involves blaming all living white people for circumstances most of them had no hand in generating or holding them responsible for things that might lurk deep inside their ids. Most white people - particularly po' whites - are not all that powerful. And berating people for so-called "unconscious bias" is like throwing people in jail for their dreams. It's ridiculous -- and abusive.) 

(**And now the boogaloo: I think it's a bad idea for white people to develop a "white identity." But if you want to stop that from happening, the last thing you should do is start treating white people as if they're an undifferentiated mass of malefactors. As we can see right now in freakin' real time, all that does is remind white people that, waitaminute, they're white.) 

(And now I think it's time to put a jump on this before this post eats my whole front page...)

Book Recommendation, 7/19/20

At the End of the World, Charles E. Gannon

Full disclosure, as always: I've talked to Chuck in person on several occasions and we're friends on Facebook. As a matter of fact, right now, we're trading pings with each other in an ongoing discussion of the MCU. But there's a reason why I approached him in the first place: I like his stuff. As I've noted many times in the past, Chuck is crazy-smart and always thinks through the details -- yet somehow, at the same time, he refrains from showing off. He often deals with big ideas (like, for example, the tension between freedom and safety), but he writes in a style that's accessible and fast-paced.

At the End of the World, is, essentially, licensed fan fiction for John Ringo's Black Tide Rising universe. (As I understand it, he was asked to write a story for one of the anthologies when Baen decided to open things up to other writers and - er - got a little carried away.) And yes: it lines up with the spirit of the "canon" perfectly. Like the novels that inspired it, At the End of the World features engaging, generally competent characters who, in the face of the zombie apocalypse, decide the survival of civilization is the only acceptable outcome.

Chuck builds his story here with a series of first-person journal entries. It's a different choice for him, but I like it, as it allows readers to really get into the head of his main character and keeps the story moving at a page-turning clip. Also worth noting is the organic diversity of Chuck's cast. Alvaro, the male lead, is Hispanic. The female lead, Chloe, is an indigenous Alaskan. But neither of these two facts is belabored to the point of obnoxiousness -- and both characters are fully realized, not mouthpieces.

I happily recommend this to anyone in my audience who's a fan of the other Black Tide Rising books. It's definitely a solid "beach read"

Geeky Recommendation, 1/15/20

The Best of Jerry Pournelle, Ed. John F. Carr

Jerry Pournelle loomed large in my early development as a science fiction fan. As a matter of fact, one novel he co-authored with Larry Niven was among the very first science fiction novels I read as a kid (Lucifer's Hammer, for those who are curious). Therefore, in the Right Geek household, Jerry occupies a place of honor. Indeed, years back, my late father and I both kept up with his occasional blogging at Chaos Manor; in particular, I respected his commentary on reading education, which, in my experience, was essentially accurate.

Jerry had a strong personality and strong opinions. He was definitely a hard conservative and didn't suffer fools gladly. But he was far too intelligent to be dismissed out of hand -- even if you disagreed with elements of his worldview. And this is not just my impression; this is also the impression of those who worked closely with him over the course of his career, as revealed by the personal reflections published in the above anthology.

On Facebook, I described Carr's "best of" collection as a "Jerry 101" course; it gives you a sampling of each of Jerry's major works, thereby assembling a "further reading" list for anyone who's curious about this particular old master and his contributions to the field. And by the way, said contributions are considerable and generally enjoyable to read. My absolute favorite is probably The Mote in God's Eye (also co-authored with Niven), but if you like mil-SF, expansive future histories, and discussions of nuclear power (among other things), you'll probably like Jerry's oeuvre as a whole.

One final note: Lately, the petty social justice tyrants of SF (whom I will not name so as not to give them undue attention) have been dancing on Jerry's grave because he was an obstacle to their ambitions. Well sorry, cupcakes, but you have been the aggressors and bullies all along. If you'd simply focused on creating the very best SF you could, you would've been welcomed with little complaint (as, in reality, many so-called "marginalized" writers have been over the years). But instead, you've decided to terrorize your fellow writers for not meeting your exacting-yet-ever-changing specifications -- and further, you've attempted to coerce people into agreeing with your delusional radical politics through intimidation, disinvitations, shit-campaigns and the like. So frankly, I'm not surprised - or particularly bothered - that Jerry fought you (and maybe got a little grouchy about it in the process). Boo-freakin'-hoo. As The Best of... illustrates, you're unlikely to erase Jerry's impact no matter how rude you are -- and no matter how much you stamp your feet and hold your breath. You might as well grow the hell up, develop some intellectual humility, and allow yourself to learn from those giants - like Jerry - who preceded you.

One Quick Geeky Recommendation

The Chronicles of Davids, David Afsharirad (ed.)

Apparently, there are a lot of people named David who write good science fiction, and Baen recently decided to collect a bunch of their stories in one volume just for novelty's sake. All in harmless fun, right?

Well, if you're normal, you recognize this for what it is. But if you're a petty social justice bully, you get butt-mad because this one book doesn't meet your exacting specifications.

I find it funny - and by "funny," I mean "really freaking obnoxious and hypocritical" - that these people never live by their own rules. They keep telling us "it wasn't made for you" or "make your own" or "don't like, don't read," but as soon as someone on our side starts having what SJW's designate as Wrongfun, the knives come out.

To steal a phrase Sarah Hoyt used today on social media, it's sick-of-this-nonsense o' clock.

Today, publishing a book is insanely easy -- once you have it written, that is. The barriers to entry are essentially nonexistent if you're willing to do the work required to promote your stuff. The result? Whatever your esoteric tastes, you can probably find something to read on Amazon, the Great Bastion of Dino Porn. You don't need to force everyone else to cater to your whims.

So let me throw your platitudes back in your face, dear wokescolds: if you don't like this particular anthology, then don't purchase it. Go buy one of the many "diverse" anthologies that are out there, as I'm sure they'll be more suited to your tastes. Don't just sit there and bitch; buzz off and let other people enjoy things.

And to those on my side: this book ropes in proven talents. Buy it and enjoy.

Geeky Recommendations, 8/21/19

Books

Monster Hunter Guardian, Larry Correia & Sarah A. Hoyt

The Monster Hunter series is an absolute blast (see reviews I've written of other installments here and here), and this book is no exception. Do you like naughty acronyms for government agencies? Do you like fantasy creatures re-imagined for the modern world? Do you like well-written action sequences -- or sly commentary on the idiocy of thinking that the undead are anything but dangerous? This book has all of that -- plus a pissed off mother who will do anything to save her kid. Julie Shackleford kicks some serious ass here -- and Mr. Trash Bags, Julie's pet shoggoth, is still weirdly adorable.

A Star-Wheeled Sky, Brad R. Torgersen

All the rumors you've heard about Brad are absolute bunk, and this space opera - presumably the first of a series - is proof. Many of the features of this story are traditional for the genre; unsurprisingly, there are battling star-states, ancient alien artifacts, and a mysterious threat to the known universe. But strikingly, the bulk of the action is dominated by the decisions of female characters. Women head up both competing fleets -- and yet another woman is a source of knowledge that will have a critical impact on the story going forward. If Brad is trying to "keep women out of science fiction," he's doing a piss-poor job of it.

(By the way, this one's up for the Dragon Award this year, so if you haven't read it already, pick it up before the August 31 deadline!)

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Comics

The Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 3, Various

The link is to the omnibus containing the Busiek/Chen issues. The first forty issues, are, I think, the best - after that, the art gets really inconsistent - but writing-wise, there are good concepts to be found throughout the 89-issue run, including: Tony getting attacked by evil sentient armor (which sounds dumb but is actually legitimately terrifying); a former friend torturing Tony via virtual reality; Tony reaching out to Carol Danvers when she starts hitting the bottle; Tony serving temporarily as the Secretary of Defense; and yet another stellar arc in which Tony is hassled by the legacy of the Mandarin. Hell, even the stuff that didn't impress me all that much didn't make me want to rage-quit in disgust, which is more than I can say for volume 2 or the unspeakably bad final issues of volume 1 mentioned last week.

This week's "Iron Man Blogging" installment is going to be fun.

Geeky Recommendations, 8/14/19 (One Day Late)

Books

Marque of Caine (Caine Riordan, Book 5), Charles E. Gannon

I'm always down for a book by Chuck Gannon (see also: my reviews of the first and second book of this particular series). The man - to whom, full disclosure, I've spoken often enough that I earned myself a brief cameo in, I believe, the third book - is frighteningly intelligent and erudite, and it's reflected in everything he writes. He doesn't just hand-wave his FTL travel, battle tactics, or cultural anthropology; he thinks all of that through.

(Not that handwavium's necessarily bad; I just marvel when an author manages to avoid it.)

So what did I like about this particular installment (in which Caine and the reader are treated to an up-close, fascinating look at the Dornaani Collective and its dysfunctions)? What did I dog-ear like a God-damned barbarian? Well, here's a little taste:

His eyes opened. "Human, it is your species that possesses the truly decisive power: the inner drive that pushes you outward, the uncritical confidence in your own immanence and will to create."

Caine heard a last-second caesura. "But?"

"But that confidence can also make a race dangerous. A race capable of limitless creation is also capable of the hubris that comes with it. We traded away that vigor and risk for a serene and longer life. Only later did we discover that without vigor and risk, we were no longer living; we were merely surviving. We became accustomed to food without taste, excitement without vulnerability, accomplishment without sacrifice."

Intrigued yet? You should be. This is a book about trade-offs -- specifically about what is lost when safety and comfort are chosen over danger and challenge. It's a fine meditation that holds up well next to Chuck's previous work.

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Comics

The Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 1 (1968), Various

Yes, I've finally finished the entire first run of Iron Man and can now offer up an official recommendation. While there are aspects to these comics that are jarring to modern sensibilities, I ultimately connected to this early version of Tony Stark on a deep emotional level. One caveat, though: stop at issue #318. DO NOT READ ALL THE WAY TO #332 FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. I did because I'm an inveterate completist, and NOW I WANT TO ERASE MY MEMORY OF THAT ABSOLUTE TRASH.

Ahem. Sorry about that. Anyway, check back here tomorrow if you want to read more details (and screaming, probably) about volume 1, as that will be the subject of this week's "Iron Man Blogging" episode.

(By the way, the link above is to the Marvel Masterworks collection that contains the first issue. You can continue from there.)

Iron Man: Fatal Frontier, Al Ewing, Kieron Gillen, Lan Medina, Neil Edwards, et. al.

Yes, I jumped ahead quite a bit to read this one; it's a stand-alone mini-series, and I have enough working knowledge of recent canon that I was able to follow the references. At any rate: this features Tony policing a boom-town on the moon and becoming increasingly megalomaniacal because he's being poisoned by a magical MacGuffin. It sounds stupid, but I promise you, it's not. It actually features some amazing reflection, on Tony's part, on the true source of Iron Man's power -- and on his status as a "necessary monster." And it involves Tony going dark-side for actual reasons, which is more than I can say for A Certain Plot I Refuse to Acknowledge as Canon.

Operation Galactic Storm, Bob Harras, Roy Thomas, et. al.

I picked this one up when I hit the Iron Man tie-ins in volume 1 and realized I really did need to read the whole story to grok it. In this event, all of the Avengers get thrown into the middle of a war between the Kree and the Shi'ar, and much intrigue - and action, of course - ensues. I won't spoil it, but the ending is legitimately shocking. And - well - if you click the cut, you'll see another thing that, for me, made the whole book worth it:

Geeky Recommendations, 4/10/19 (One Day Late)

Books

Voices of the Fall, Ed. John Ringo, Gary Poole

This is the second anthology in the Black Tide Rising universe - collecting short stories based on radio transmissions from the Fall (aka, the zombie apocalypse) - and I'm happy to report that the story quality here is consistently solid and in keeping with the thrust of the series as a whole. What is that thrust, you may ask? I'll explain it in two words: competence porn. From the straggling NASA scientists trying to rescue their astronauts on the ISS to the nukes trying to avoid sinking in their damaged submarine, the heroes here are neither nihilistic nor incapable of getting stuff done.

The Green Ember & The Black Star of Kingston, S.D. Smith

Youtuber #1 Marmaduke Fan pointed me to this series, and oh boy, am I so glad he did! S.D. Smith is a magnificent storyteller; indeed, I don't think it's overblown to say that he gets everything right.

World building? His rabbit civilization has a lore so thoughtfully conceived that it feels real. Obviously, Smith has studied the mythological archetypes -- or he simply has a natural understanding of their primary features.

Main characters? All sympathetic -- including Picket, who starts off a brat but at least has the self-awareness to feel guilty about it.

Plot? The action scenes - like, for example, the several-chapters-long flight from Nick Hollow in The Green Ember - are exciting as hell. And when the story in said novel quiets down, Smith still expertly maintains our interest by emphasizing the questions surrounding Heather and Picket's true heritage.

Themes? The Black Star of Kingston - a novella that recounts one of the legends of Natalia - features a positively Petersonian hero who decides he must leave the safety of his coastal settlement to confront the darkness of the mountains beyond. The principal story, meanwhile, explores the reality of a fallen world in which evil lurks and life is not always fair -- and counsels us all to cope with the tragedy of being by fixing our sights on a goal beyond ourselves. What a beautiful, universal message!

Oh, and one last thing: Smith knows how to nest smaller stories inside a larger cycle! The Green Ember - despite being the first of a trilogy - feels complete on its own.

Am I going to read the rest of this series and discuss it further in the coming weeks? You betcha! This is probably the best middle grade/YA series I've come across since The Wingfeather Saga. I wish I'd read it sooner.

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Now Playing

I went to see Shazam early this week and liked it. While I wouldn't call it the film of the century, I enjoyed its sly lampooning of selfie culture and its emphasis on the importance of family. Also notable? The fact that the main character has to grow into his role. Unlike, say, a certain overrated female Marvel hero, Billy is initially overwhelmed - and tempted - by his new powers, and he ends up doing a lot of stupid and/or reckless things before he learns to be mature and take responsibility. That is a focused, decently-crafted story with a healthy moral core.

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Comics

Daredevil: To Know Fear, Chip Zdarsky

Issues 1-3 of this story are out as of this week, and they are good. The mystery is compelling - did Matt actually kill somebody by accident, or is someone framing him? - the action scenes are excellent, and the Catholic elements are respectfully handled. I stand with Our Boi Zack in crowning Zdarsky the once and future "kweeng" of Marvel.

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Weeb Stuff

World Trigger, (Vol. 1), Daisuke Ashihara

This straightforward sci-fi adventure story doesn't seem particularly groundbreaking so far, but it presents a few intriguing questions that have convinced me to read the next few volumes (at least). First of all, why is Yuma in Japan? Secondly, why are the monstrous "Neighbors" attempting to invade, and why are they appearing outside the emergence area? Are they following Yuma? And lastly, just what sort of world lies beyond the interdimensional portals? I suppose I'll have to see!

Why Steph Reads Baened Books

A couple of Twitter doofuses have decided that today is the day to mock Baen Books and its customers -- which means today is apparently the day for me to explain why Baen inspires my loyalty. Yes, this is going to be one of those dreaded listicles -- but at least it's short.

Reason 1: Baen's business practices are overwhelmingly pro-consumer. First of all, in offering access to an extensive "Free Library," Baen makes it remarkably easy for newcomers to find the earliest books of popular series. Secondly, in releasing its titles without DRM, Baen frees us to do with our books whatever we wish. Both policies send the implicit message that we are valued as customers and considered trustworthy -- an attitude that also heavily infuses Toni Weisskopf's convention-based presentations, where questions, friendly heckling, and general carrying on are encouraged with gusto. At both Dragon Con and Liberty Con, the Baen Road Show and Traveling Prize Patrol is usually one of the highlights of my weekend because the enthusiasm is just so damned infectious.

And their promotion materials are incredibly cool.

Reason 2: Baen is good to its authors. I interact with a lot of Baen authors online, and I have never once heard them complain about their contracts or their relationships with their editors. In fact, to a man, they are fiercely in love with Toni and her consummate professionalism. Here's Larry Correia's take, for instance: "Editor Toni Weisskopf is a professional’s professional. She has run one of the main sci-fi publishing houses for a decade. She has edited hundreds of books. She has discovered, taught, and nurtured a huge stable of authors, many of whom are extremely popular bestsellers. You will often hear authors complain about their editors and their publishers, but you’re pretty hard pressed to find anyone who has written for her who has anything but glowing praise for Toni." And here's Brad Torgersen on the same subject: "If other publishers operated very much according to corporate sensibilities with a corporate mindset, Baen still retained something of the personal touch. A smaller, almost family affair. Editors were congenial and approachable. You could converse with the editor-in-chief on a personal basis. The contracts were straightforward and possessed minimal legalistic jargon. Thus you could work successfully with Baen without relying on an agent or an IP lawyer to run interference for you. The company had absolutely no political or ideological litmus tests. And once you had been accepted into the fold, as an author, the company would really work with you to help you become successful. Not just because it was good for the company, but because the company really did care (as a company ethic) about what it was putting out into the world."

Reason 3: Baen publishes books I like. No duh, right? Baen's principal goal is to entertain its audience, not "improve" it; consequently, it publishes books that are just more fun to read. And by the way, contrary to the stereotype beloved by Puppy Kickers and SJW's throughout the Twitterverse, said books do include strong female characters, gay characters, and characters of color and aren't just mindless "shoot-em-ups". The difference here is that Baen doesn't adopt the pretensions of high litrachure and thus doesn't make a big production out of being "virtuous."

A positive company culture and enjoyable books: This is Baen's secret formula. If being devoted to such a brand makes me a "cultist," then I shall proudly wear the label. Ia! Ia! Baen Fhtagn! Ph'nglui mglw'nfah Baen R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

Steph Reads Baened Books: Brad Torgersen's The Chaplain's War

"My sleep schedule is completely messed up now. I woke up at midnight last night and didn't get back to sleep until four."

"Did you do any reading in the meantime?"

"Yes!"

"Well, then at least the time wasn't wasted."

"As a matter of fact, I finished Brad Torgersen's book, The Chaplain's War."

"Did the chaplain win?"

It was here in the above conversation with my father that I paused -- for while the novel does end on a high note, I'm not sure said conclusion could be classified as a "win" in the way Dad intended it. Despite its title and its nods to the traditions of military science fiction, The Chaplain's War isn't that kind of story; it's more about fostering peace than about triumphing in combat.

For Analog readers - and for those of you who have read Brad's first anthology, Lights in the Deep
- some of the ground covered in The Chaplain's War will be very familiar, as the book includes (and then extends) the full texts of "The Chaplain's Assistant" and The Chaplain's Legacy (the latter of which I reviewed here in one of my 2014 Hugo posts).  The story follows Harrison Barlow, a military enlistee who, despite his agnosticism, has fallen into an assignment with the chaplain's corps because he doesn't really fit in anywhere else. Barlow is sent with a Fleet contingent to capture a world held by the mantes - an insectoid/cyborg race that has attacked several of Earth's outlying colonies - and is ultimately taken prisoner when Earth's badly outmatched forces are roundly defeated. In the valley where he and his fellow soldiers are contained by a deadly forcefield, Barlow constructs and maintains a small multi-denominational chapel in order to fulfill a promise to his chaplain and superior officer. There, he stumbles on an opportunity to stop the human/mantes war in its tracks.

The new material Brad has added to this novel includes a series of flashbacks covering Barlow's enlistment and early Fleet experiences and a denouement in which Barlow and the Queen Mother deal with the consequences of the events in The Chaplain's Legacy. And it's funny: Despite this book's piece-wise construction, old and new fit together extremely well. Just one example: In boot camp, a young Barlow encounters a bully who seems to determined to make his life hell. What Barlow does about this - and the lesson he learns along the way - only amplifies the theme of the original tale on which this novel is based. To put it another way: The additions are wholly organic and feel like they've always belonged in the story; they do not appear to be afterthoughts.

And the aforementioned theme, as I noted above, is peace - in particular, how it might be honorably achieved. In a way, I think it's appropriate to see The Chaplain's War as an extended reply to Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. While the earlier work - at least in part - emphasized the sad necessity of violence, Brad invites us to consider a more optimistic alternative. Could we coexist? Could intercultural dialog actually foster understanding? I don't know -- but I think it's important that we don't completely dismiss the possibility. (By the way: The parallelism I see between The Chaplain's War and Starship Troopers is why I can't agree with the one Amazon reviewer who complained that the boot camp scenes in the former were "unoriginal." Brad's use of familiar military science fiction tropes in those scenes, I feel, is a deliberate call-back, not a creative failure -- and when you read said scenes in context, you realize that their purpose actually diverges from the standard.)

There are also several secondary themes that cannot be ignored. For instance, Brad has a great deal to say about God. He doesn't preach, mind you; his presentation is carefully ecumenical and respectful of divergent views. But the sense that there is Something Greater in charge of the universe is an integral feature of The Chaplain's War -- one that, I feel, qualifies the novel for the burgeoning "Superversive" Movement. (Indeed, I invite John C. Wright and his wife to read the scene in the observation dome between Barlow and the Queen Mother and see whether they agree.) Brad also evinces a skepticism in re: transhumanism that deserves to be taken just as seriously. True: These messages may turn off those with more militant atheistic viewpoints, but for me, they made the reading experience all the more enjoyable. Unlike some, I don't believe spirituality and science fiction should never mix -- or that religiosity and rational knowability are in radical conflict.

I could say more, but I'll finish with this: If the "Superversive" or "Human Wave" movements appeal to you, you need to read this book. If you've been following the historical conversation in the science fiction genre in re: "battling the bugs," you need to read this book. If you're just looking for a good, positive read, you need to read this book. Hell -- if you like traditional science fiction, you need to read this book. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

The (Late) Wednesday Short: K.D. Julicher's The Golden Knight

"What we want to see: Adventure fantasy with heroes you want to root for. Warriors either modern or medieval, who solve problems with their wits or with their sword--and we have nothing against dragons, elves, dwarves, castles under siege, urban fantasy, damsels in distress, or damsels who can’t be bothered to be distressed. What we don't want to see: Political drama with no action, angst-ridden teens pining over vampire lovers, religious allegory, novel segments, your gaming adventure transcript, anything set in any universe not your own, “it was all a dream” endings, or screenplays."

When these content guidelines for Baen's first Fantasy Adventure Award were announced, the usual suspects sneered. After all, Larry Correia was named as a judge, and as the International Lord of Hate, Larry is just as evil as they come. How could anything of "quality" seize the prize?

Well. Far be it for me to contradict my social betters in the SFF universe, but the recently-announced grand prize winner - "The Golden Knight" - is actually pretty damned great. Indeed, I hope this will not be last we see from "K.D. Julicher," which, I understand, is a pen name for a husband-and-wife writing team. If this, their first professional publication, spurs them to continue churning out stories in the fantasy genre, I predict we'll see great things from them.

The protagonist of "The Golden Knight" is a man in hiding. The only survivor of a disastrous shipwreck, he has allowed his guilt over the loss of his men to overwhelm his identity as a warrior and a king. But then a kid - a self-declared "squire" who hasn't even outgrown his peach fuzz - arrives, declaring that he's looking for his master, and what ensues is the story of a mentor-pupil relationship that ultimately brings a lost soul back from the brink.

As anyone familiar with my past fannish history probably knows, I love, love, love platonic elder-younger pairings in which the younger's boundless loyalty and innocence in some way redeem the elder. Such stories, I feel, speak to the more profound spiritual reason why most of us become parents (and why I, in the absence of a spouse, have elected to work as a teacher). Biological imperatives to reproduce aside, there is also an instinctual recognition that caring for our children is a salvific enterprise -- and the fact that many succumb to the pop culture's distorted and idolatrous visions of parenting does not in any way negate the nobility of the animating impulse.

To put it another way: Unlike many of the short stories that have recently attracted the plaudits of the fandom's clerisy, "The Golden Knight" actually achieves one of literature's primary functions: It taps into our authentic humanity. For that reason alone, it is well worth a read.

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Steph Reads Baened Books: Fortunes of the Imperium (View from the Imperium, Book 2)

For our last big review, we tackled a story that involved high-stakes intergalactic politics and an exploration of the human condition that was both well-written and genuinely insightful. As I noted then, such books are the true bread-and-butter of "literary" science fiction and the principle reason why the genre exists. Still -- don't you feel like turning your brain off every once in a while? I know I do -- and that's why I'm glad that Jody Lynn Nye's View from the Imperium and its recently published sequel, Fortunes of the Imperium, exist. Sometimes, I just want to read something totally ridiculous without having to worry too much about "meaning" or "logic" -- and books that are explicitly sold under the tagline "Jeeves and Wooster... IN SPAAAAAAACE" definitely fit that bill.

As revealed by the Amazon reviews, this series is very polarizing: People either like it or they hate it. I happen to fall in the "like" column, but I can definitely see the detractors' points. Yes -- the climax of Fortunes is over-the-top. Yes -- even I was rolling my eyes over how much time was spent describing everyone's outfits. But I tend to accept those features as intentional. Lord Thomas is essentially a science-fictional version of a Hollywood trust-fund baby; he is going to pay inordinate attention to other characters' sartorial choices because that's the world he knows.

The good news, though, is that Thomas is an intelligent fop. In Fortunes, he is preoccupied with tarot cards, crystals, and other trappings of the occult not because he actually believes in their power but because he's curious about the belief of others. He is also self-aware enough to admit when something goes beyond his limited areas of expertise -- and amiable enough to desire friendship with people outside his social class. Conceited? Actually, no -- and that's why I'm willing to roll with Thomas' silly fancies even though I couldn't care less about their real-world analogs.  

Final Verdict: Recommended... but Your Mileage May Vary.

The Wednesday Short: Brad Torgersen's Picket Ship

I don't necessarily have a problem with dark and/or dystopic stories. At their best, said stories do communicate ideas that are both important and beautiful. But in a genre that is healthy and vibrant - in a genre that honestly connects with the reality of human nature - the light should be permitted to counterbalance the dark (or, to borrow from Jewish tradition, the yetzer hatov should be permitted to counterpose the yetzer hara). If everything in your story is grim and hopeless - if good never wins - then you, as a writer, have not tapped into something true.

In recent years, the sci-fi/fantasy genre seems to have lost sight of this critical need for balance -- and that's why I have become one of Brad Torgersen's most aggressive boosters. Brad, you see, doesn't wallow in the pit of pseudo-profound despair. Even when he destroys the world, he leaves open the possibility of resurrection and triumph. Case in point: "Picket Ship," a short story published by Baen to drum up interest in Brad's soon-to-be-released debut novel, The Chaplain's War. (Kindle users: The e-book is already available!)

Now, I'll be upfront: I think "Picket Ship" - which takes place elsewhere in the Chaplain-verse and features other characters - is only an average story for Brad. Even so, it still manages to display his refreshing optimism. The story opens with a group of stranded soldiers who are being pursued by a mantis patrol on the colony planet of New Earth -- which is currently losing its fight against the mantis fleet. The odds against our protagonists, in other words, couldn't be more astronomical -- and yet they manage to seize at least one significant victory. True -- there are costs. True -- New Earth is ultimately abandoned. But Amelia and the others leave knowing that their enemy is not invincible.

The David-vs-Goliath trope Brad uses here is very familiar -- but as I noted in Monday's post, the fact that something is a trope does not mean it is bad. Tropes are often tropes because they speak to essential longings in the human psyche; they persist because they are reflections of our deepest selves. And if you doubt that sympathy for the underdog is one of those authentically human impulses, then your anthropology is seriously warped.

Once again, I do think Brad has written better stories. But if, just once, you'd like to read something that concludes on a reasonably upbeat note, "Picket Ship" is a solid choice.

Final Verdict: Recommended. 

Steph Reads Baened Books: Charles E. Gannon's Trial by Fire (Caine Riordan, Book 2)

In Chuck Gannon's Fire with Fire (which I reviewed back in April), journalist and polymath Caine Riordan discovered that mankind was neither alone nor safe in the universe. In Trial by Fire, the sequel released just last month, hostile alien forces finally arrive on our doorstep -- and what results is a very intelligent take on the "alien invasion" trope that rivals some of the best works I've read in the genre.

If you have read Trial by Fire and you know me, you can probably guess what I liked best: the aliens. I just go absolutely mad when an author thinks through his alien physiology and psychology and invents a society that is both utterly foreign and utterly comprehensible. And yes: Chuck's careful rendering of the Arat Kur in this novel rivals the work of Vernor Vinge in A Fire Upon The Deep -- or the work of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle in Footfall or The Mote in God's Eye. Darzhee Kut and the other invaders are not faceless bugs; they are, instead, worthy adversaries with clear and sympathetic motivations who are honestly struggling to understand the humans they fight. The scenes in which the Arat Kur and their allies debate their tactics and their goals are all among my favorites.

The other thing that makes this novel very interesting is that it doesn't assume human solidarity. Indeed, the Arat Kur are able to establish a beachhead on Earth because certain human interest groups invite them in the belief that these aliens will give them power or coin in the new world order that will result from man's capitulation. Which brings us to the novel's dominant theme: the fact that man is divided within his very nature. On the one hand, we can be utterly ruthless guards of our own self-interest -- even to the point that we'd consider genocide or treason against our fellows. On the other hand, we are also capable of great virtue and compassion -- and can even build bridges with civilizations that are quite different from our own. I won't spoil it for you, but the way Chuck dramatizes this conflict - and, ultimately, externalizes it - is absolutely amazing. This, guys, is what "literary" science fiction should do: grapple with universals, not obsess over transitory "causes."

Fair warning: This is not casual beach reading. It's thick, it's meaty, and it takes a while to finish and absorb. However, it is definitely worth the extra time required.

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Steph Reads Baened Books: John Ringo's Islands of Rage and Hope (Black Tide Rising, Book 3)

Back when I reviewed Larry Correia's latest summer-blockbuster-in-book-form, I remarked that I had made a mistake in omitting discussion of the Monster Hunter International series until that moment. Well, today, we're going to discover another reason why I'm a hideous failure as a blogger and reviewer: John Ringo's Black Tide Rising series. No -- I didn't review the first two books (which you should definitely purchase here and here). Yes -- this does make me an idiot.

The Black Tide Rising series had a rather ironic genesis. You see, Ringo actually hates zombie apocalypse stories; as he remarked at, I believe, Dragon Con 2013, he finds most such tales to be completely nonsensical. So, of course, it was only natural that he would be hit with a zombie apocalypse idea that would seize his consciousness so completely that he would go on to write four complete novels in one sitting at breakneck speed. Since then, Baen has been polishing and doling these books out every few months.

To update you on the story so far: An as-yet-unidentified terrorist has unleashed a weaponized virus upon the world that in its first stage looks like a severe flu but in its second stage causes the destruction of all higher brain functions. (Note: Because Ringo consulted some experts before penning these books, his zombies are reasonably grounded in science. They are not the reanimated corpses of traditional zombie stories, but living beings who are irreversibly brain damaged and murderously insane.) The Smith family - the protagonists - have escaped this world-ending plague by taking to the sea; along the way, they have assembled a flotilla - complete with a much-attenuated Navy and Marine Corps - whose primary mission is to rescue survivors, produce a vaccine, and (in the long term) work to rebuild civilization.

In Islands of Rage and Hope, which was released just last month, the aforementioned rag-tag band has now started clearing Caribbean islands as well as boats in its search for more qualified personnel -- and for the materials necessary to produce vaccine. There are also quite a few side plots going on as well: The astronauts left behind on the ISS make an appearance, as do a cadre of reality show television stars; a mystery emerges as to the true identity of one "Thomas Walker," who seems to have a much more impressive background than he's initially willing to admit; the flotilla contends with an imminent baby boom; and Faith Smith spends most of this installment struggling to shift her mindset from "me kill zombies good" to that of a competent Marine Corps officer. Through it all, everyone is looking for reasons to carry on in the face of impossible odds.

The indisputable thematic heart of this book is the passage in which Sophia Smith goes to watch the flotilla's newly created propaganda film:

...The views faded to a shot of Earth's surface, by night, dated the day the Plague was announced. There were more as the plague progressed and the sparkling strands of light slowly began to turn off, portion by portion, Africa went before South America went before Asia went before North America went before Europe until the entire world was cloaked in preindustrial darkness... 

...Then the shots zoomed down, pre-Plague satellite images of New York, Beijing, Moscow, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, filled with people and life and laughter, the cities bright by day and night with a trillion incandescent and fluorescent and neon and LED lights proclaiming to the heavens that Here Was Man. 

And then the same cities, in current satellite shots, with avenues choked with decaying vehicles, and raven-picked bodies, and naked infected roaming the streets... 

...The music ended. All there was was a scrolling night shot of the dead world from a satellite. It seemed like the movie had ended, and Sophia almost got up, wondering why anyone would want to see this montage of horror. They'd all lived it. 

Then there was the sound of a scratch of a match...

Typing those snippets out made me tear up a little bit. Human Wave? You betcha -- and that's why, I think, this series has become such an overwhelming success. Unlike the writers of other well-known zombie apocalypse series, Ringo doesn't create a world that is irretrievably grim; instead, he supposes that competent and determined people might actually succeed in pulling mankind out of the abyss -- after, of course, a great deal of hard work, suffering, and personal sacrifice. Ringo also incorporates enough of his textbook humor to keep things leavened, and he succeeds in crafting a plot that keeps you hooked from cover to cover.

Have you picked up any of the books in the Black Tide Rising series? If not, I urge you to do so posthaste. In the immortal words of Wolf Squadron's aforementioned film, "The hell with the darkness. Light a candle."

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Steph Reads Baened Books: Les Johnson & Ben Bova's Rescue Mode

Are you guys ready for another Mars story? Of course you are! You're reading this blog, are you not?

It's hard not to compare Les Johnson and Ben Bova's latest, Rescue Mode, to Andy Weir's The Martian (which I reviewed back in May). They are both about missions to Mars that run into potentially fatal trouble. They are both what I would call "diamond-hard science fiction"; in other words, the authors of both pay fastidious attention to technological and scientific plausibility (which may put off the reader who's unaccustomed to the genre). But while The Martian focuses on one man's struggle to survive on the inhospitable surface of Mars, Rescue Mode backs up and takes in the broader view. Johnson and Bova, you see, are more concerned with the politics of manned missions to Mars -- and with demonstrating that they're actually possible and desirable.

The Martian, I think, is the superior work. The characterization in Rescue Mode isn't bad necessarily, but none of Johnson and Bova's protagonists are quite as interesting as Weir's Mark -- mainly because the authors fail to fire all the guns they place on the wall in the first act. In one scene, for example, the Japanese doctor on the Mars mission suddenly finds herself struggling with claustrophobia -- but this potential source of conflict is never used. Similarly, the rivalry between the American astronaut and the Canadian commander basically fizzles to nothing -- as does the rivalry between the Russian meteorologist and one of the mission geologists. Now, you can argue - validly - that said rivalries should become less important once their lives are in real danger, but I think more time could've been spent on how this happens and why.

I also think the first person narration in The Martian helps you to feel the suspense more keenly. To be sure, Johnson and Bova do throw some frightening roadblocks in their characters' path -- like the meteoroid that nearly destroys their ship and leaves them critically short on water. But because these events are told from a third-person distance, you can sort of fool yourself into thinking that everything will be all right -- something you can't do while reading about Mark's travails.

Still, if you're desperate for more realistic tales of manned missions to Mars, Rescue Mode is a decent - and certainly informative - find. Any space enthusiast should find it a worthwhile read.

Final Verdict: Recommended, But With Notes.

Steph Reads Baened Books: Larry Correia's Monster Hunter Nemesis

At the moment, I'm sitting in front of my laptop cackling madly. Why? Well, this always happens after I've read a book by Larry Correia. And you know, I've really done this blog a disservice by failing to publicly review any of Larry's work (besides Monster Hunter International, which I capsule reviewed back in 2011) until today. After all, everyone should know why Larry's been able to quit his day job and write full time after only a few years in the business -- and no, it's not because he's appealing to a rising swell of fascist/racist/homophobic/misogynistic/whatever-ist urban fantasy fans. It's because Larry Correia is one of the best action writers alive. Seriously: The people who produce our standard crop of summer blockbusters need to hire the hell out of the man. Movie-makers would rake in millions not because Larry is a purveyor of brainless gore, but because he writes violence with smarts.

This summer, Larry's blockbuster is Monster Hunter Nemesis, the fifth book in the MHI universe and a novel that focuses on the life and times of Agent Franks. For those readers who are, sadly, not acquainted with this character, Franks is Larry's version of Frankenstein's monster: a reanimated mass of cadaver parts inhabited by a demon. Franks doesn't grasp human concepts like compassion and mercy; indeed, he thinks Mary Shelley's version of his life was insultingly emo. He triple parks in handicapped spaces, loves killing things, and doesn't really worry about collateral damage. But Franks has also made a deal with God: If he protects humanity by destroying all the unholy monsters who are even worse than he is, he gets to stay out of Hell.

Now, I'm certainly not going to insult Franks by claiming that Nemesis "humanizes" him. Oh no! Those of you who heard Larry was writing a book about Franks and immediately thought "Yay! Cue destruction and mayhem!" will not be disappointed. The promised bloodshed is all there, and it's all Franks; indeed, one of the advantages of making the POV character a ridiculously overpowered, almost immortal demonic being is all the opportunities that provides for humorous understatement of the "the demon shot a bullet through one of Franks' hearts and it really threw off his aim" variety. But Nemesis - like all of Larry's other novels - isn't just about the violence. Larry also fills in Franks' back story, and it's really damned interesting -- and wholly deserving of the "violence with smarts" label I used above. (True: The cosmology is a little theologically suspect, but - hand wave, hand wave - I think the Rule of Cool applies.) Additionally, Nemesis rewards established readers by following up on Stricken's clandestine schemes at Special Task Force Unicorn (or STFU; don't think I don't see what you did there, Larry!) -- and by continuing to drop hints about the even bigger threats to mankind that loom on the horizon.

Overall, Larry seems to be ramping up to an epic climax, and I for one can't wait to see what happens next!

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Steph Reads Baened Books: Charles E. Gannon's Fire with Fire

If you want clear proof that certain fen have been radicalized beyond all hope of sanity, I present Chuck Gannon's Fire with Fire as Exhibit A. That the aforementioned novel is up for the Nebula apparently bothers fandom leftists -- and personally, that strikes me as absolutely bizarre. For heaven's sake, Gannon's primary antagonist is a multinational oil company. Shouldn't that be right up these folks' alley?

To summarize without spoiling: Gannon's main character, a journalist and polymath by the name of Caine Riordan, stumbles upon a sensational secret on the moon and, for his trouble, is stuck in the freezer for thirteen years. When his handlers finally deign to wake him up, they rope him into their covert intelligence outfit and send him to Delta Pavonis III to determine whether Exxon's future iteration, which has set up operations on the planet in the hopes of cornering the oil market in the outlying colonies, is hiding evidence of sapient native life. Riordan's role in this mission - and what he eventually discovers - makes him the target of some very persistent assassins. It also pulls him into a dicey diplomatic adventure that may very well bring doom to Earth.

This is Gannon's first solo novel, I believe, and the start of a series -- and on the whole, I liked it. Gannon strikes a good balance between penning a story that feels satisfying and complete and introducing some new questions that will no doubt be tackled in book two. I particularly enjoyed the final segment; once the aliens show up, the political intrigue that results is masterfully written. Watching the alien powers in question jockeying for position - and watching poor Earth getting caught in the middle - was absolutely fascinating. 

There were a few things that bothered me about Fire with Fire, though. I'm not a fan of large corporations, but I do think Gannon misses - or at least fails to mention - how government has played a role in their ascendancy. I also think Riordan is just a little too perfect. Renaissance man though he may be, he would've been more sympathetic if, at least a few times, something turned out to be beyond his multiple areas of expertise.

Still, when I read reviews such as the one discussed in Amanda Green's post above, I boggle. Said reviewer complains, for example, that Riordan doesn't react with sufficient emotion to losing thirteen years plus a hundred hours of his life -- which prompts me to wonder if we've even read the same book because I saw plenty of signs that he isn't happy with his situation and is especially motivated to find out why he was effectively pulled out of circulation. What did this reviewer want exactly? Oh, right -- crying in the bathtub. But here's a newsflash: people don't all react to trauma in the same way. Riordan does not appear to have personal attachments that would have been wrenched by a thirteen year displacement (except for the one which, for spoilery reasons, he doesn't remember anyway). What's more, he strikes me as a stoic; it makes sense, therefore, that instead of bemoaning his fate, he would put on the hat of the investigative journalist and seek to uncover what the hell happened -- with, of course, some liberal amounts of snark directed at the people responsible for his predicament.

And the claim that Gannon's characters are indifferent to genocide? Based on what I read, that's completely off-base. When Riordan discovers that atrocities are indeed being perpetrated against the natives on Delta Pavonis III, he does do something about it -- but because he doesn't spend pages nursing a useless rage about future!Exxon's malfeasance, that fact evidently fails to register on the GHH radar.      

This is a book about people who act in a deliberate and considered way based on high ideals and a mature sense of the universe's dangers. The title - Fire with Fire - refers to the existential crisis Earth ultimately faces and to the sad reality that those tasked with protecting the innocent are often forced to dirty their own noses on their charges' behalf. Upon reflection, I suspect this is probably what bothers the above-discussed detractor most. Many would like to imagine that there is no need for the cloak and dagger -- that there is no need for government secrecy, honeypot spies, and all the rest. But the wolves are at the door, and we do in fact need our own dogs to drive them away. That is the state of the fallen world in which we live.

Final Verdict: Recommended