Thursday 11 January 2018

A Brief Digression

I have persevered to the end of the first story in The King In Yellow, finding it emotionally unpleasant, and do not intend to read the remaining stories. This book was a digression from SM Stirling's The Sea Peoples to which I will return.

Expected reading in 2018 remains Volumes II and III of Poul Anderson's The Complete Psychotechnic League, a new alternative history trilogy by SM Stirling and who knows what else. However, right now I need to heed the advice that evening use of a lap top disrupts sleep. Till tomorrow...

5 comments:

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Kaor, Paul!

I had wondered if I should find a copy of THE KING IN YELLOW. But your comments here makes me think it was the kind of horror story I would be averse to--as I'm averse to Stephen King's PET SEMATERY (not sure I got the title right). A compulsively readable book but, as you said of THE KING IN YELLOW, "emotionally unpleasant."

Sean


S.M. Stirling said...

Note that "The King In Yellow" is an early (and rather extreme) example of what's technically known as an 'unreliable narrator'.

That is, the narrative 'voice' cannot be relied on -- what it says is not necessarily true -in the context of the story-.

Eg., the narrator thinks he has a jeweled crown in a timer-controlled safe. His cousin thinks he has some costume jewelry in a breadbox. You can't tell who's right.

Is the "repairer of reputations' superaturally wise... or a loathsome madman... or both?

This is a story that has to be read in full-on ironic mode.

Jim Baerg said...

"evening use of a lap top disrupts sleep"

My understanding is that disruption is less if the screen is set up to emit less blue light.
I set my computer to turn on "night light" at 8:30 pm.
See if you can find that in the settings of your computer.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Thank you. I seem to be getting used to late night use of the computer in any case.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim!

And I am all too used to Night Owl hours!

Ad astra! Sean