Hello Readers,
Tomorrow I will be posting my first No Plot Spoiler Book Review. I have settled on Terry Pratchett’s 1981 science fiction novel “Strata.” It strikes me as a good Christmas present to self. Considering I bought theinfinityplane.com domain more then a year ago for this purpose, I think I should get on with the getting on. 2012 was a long-arsh year, and one that on balance, I am happy to see the end of.
The idea of a “no plot spoiler” book review is simple. No information that is not available in either the first chapter, or the Amazon.com Book Description summery section will be given out. This means that certain aspects of the book will be talked about in vague terms such as ‘a book about the genesis of worlds and universes,” and such like literary claptrap. In the event that the author does not use chapter breaks, the first chapter will be vaguely considered to be the first 30 pages of the trade paperback edition, or the first 30 minutes of the audiobook editing.
For the most part, I listen to audiobooks from various sources such as Audiobooks.com, Audible.com, and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, as well as free audiobook sites like LibriVox.org and BooksShouldBeFree.com. I have never gone near illegal pirating sites such as TheAudiobookBay.com, ThePirateBay.se, or TorrentScan.com, and neither should you! So my reviews will include commentary about readers more often then not. Personally, I feel that a live reading of a book, or any other text, really brings the quality of the prose to life. Or, death, depending. Of course, the reader can make or break the work too, and it is important to pick a reader that not only brings the work to life, but won’t alienate too much of the listening audience.
All that said, I should mention that I have an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also called a Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), which complicates my ability to in process and out-process symbols. What does that flipping means? Well, basically it means that I treat spelling like a combat sport. So you will find the occasional screwed-up word, or wrong word spell correctly, or whatever other typological error creeps up. I’ll spell check and proof read almost everything, but errors will get through. Point them out if you feel you must, but I’m not going to loose any sleep over it. I gave up doing that way back in lower school. Personally, I think an obsessive slavery to Noah Webster, Jr. is psychotic anyway.
Suggestions for book reviews are always welcome. I will be focusing primarily on science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism, but other genres are on the agenda too. I am mostly interested in good reads, particularly those that give me insight into human nature, and societies that I have not experienced myself. Particular attention will be given to authors that have on-going series with recurring characters, as that is the sort of fiction I myself wish to publish.
As for everything else, we’ll see how it develops. Feel free to leave your input about books, blogging, and the universe in the comment section, or to contact me in any other the other methods available on almost every single page of this blogosphere. I will do my best to answer everyone- eventually.
Pax Tibi, James H. Peterson III