We went shopping to Perth this afternoon and I saw the book on the right in Waterstones. It is a collection of biographies and fascinating details about early science and scientists. I had a look and it looked most interesting. Just the sort of things the Ducal Society in Tradgardland undertakes or is it undertook?I rose earlyish today and did some work on my first 48 figure infantry unit for Saschen-Vindow. It will be made up of RSM figures and should be quite impressive en masse. I browsed thru Wargames Illustrated in WH Smiths. An interesting article on syw rules was illustrated by beautifully painted figures- painted well,well beyond my standard. It initially made my morale sink but I guess its more about fun than expertise. Eye candy can be useful to spur one on at times. I must realise it is not a competition but a hobby!!
I read on the grimsby mariner blog about an author called Greg Heyes ( I think) who writes alternate universe novels about the 18th century. These are totally unknown to me and I wondered if any of you were familiar with them? I would be interested in your thoughts...
I have finally chosen a figure for The Duke of Tradgardland and have been working on him too. I hope you are all having a good weekend- enjoy!
Probably J. Gregory Keyes (= Greg Keyes)'s tetralogy The Age of Unreason: Newton's Cannon, A Calculus of Angels, Empire of Unreason, The Shadows of God.
ReplyDeleteA little 'mystic-heavy' at times, but on the whole very original and quite entertaining, with Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Newton among the major characters, Peter the Great, Charles XII, Blackbeard... as secondary roles...
Fantasy rather than "Sci-Fi in tricorns" (I call 'Lacepunk'), even if superficially the difference is feeble: airboats, submarines, automatons... but here propelled by 'angels', not by engines.
(Google warning: Susan Jacoby's "The Age of Unreason" is obviously totally different!).
Jean-Louis
Looking forward to pics of the Sachsen-Vindow infantry and the duke himself when you get them painted! :-)
ReplyDeleteJean- Louis
ReplyDeleteAny recomendations in the Lacepunk to share with us for winter reading?
Alan
So there is a market for 18th century-based fiction? Hmm! ;)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry too much about the painting capabilities of others. You can always compare to my lack of output to feel better ;)
ReplyDeleteMe, the thing I find disheartening looking at others' stuff is checking the price tags on certain really cool ideas. ;)
The only 'almost true' Sci-Fi in pre-Victorian times (pre-VSF) novel I read, Stephen Hunt’s "For the Crown and the Dragon", is set in an ‘alternative’ early 19th C. Europe has been shattered by a catastrophic attempt to save the Roman Empire by massive use of High Magick. Thus this quasi-Napoleonic setting has a rather ‘post-nuke’ feeling, with aggressive mutant fauna and flora and orc-like ‘Demi-sapis’. Sorcery seems no longer at work, and a few ‘steampunk’ vehicles (steam-powered carriages and warships, a dirigible) occasionally appear.
ReplyDeleteNot a great book imho, with limited military content - and set too late for the Lace Wars.
Orson Scott Card’s "Tales of Alvin Maker" series, also set in Napoleonic times, is purely fantasy, without large battles / military content and parochially yankee
I read on TMP about a series of military 'Napoleonic' novels with squadrons of rided 'dragons'? Reminding Dinotopia, but the flying mounts seem to breath flames. Would be very efficient against wooden Men-O'-War, I guess. Napoleonic Sci-Fi - sorry, I forgot the references.
Two novels I did not read (as yet) seem to be set in a kind of 'very, very alternate' 18th C. "Monster Blood tattoo" appears to mix ‘magic’ and alchemy, and to be poor in military content; while the soldiers on the cover wear shakos, "Fires of Memory" is said to be more '18thC.-compatible', and to offer battles (at least, the book was advertised on the TMP 18thC. forum)?
Not a wide choice, indeed! Will an 'EvE' member with novelist ambitions take the plunge?
Jean-Louis