I, Claudius by Robert Graves! Then will read Hyperion
So What Are you Reading?: Generations
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Although I quite enjoyed Graves' book, I, Claudius is one of the very few books I've read in which I thought the adaptation was richer than the book itself. One of the all-time greats. (In fairness, the adaptation covers both I, Claudius and Claudius the God).
My current reading is pretty delightful. In the Enterprise books, I still like A Choice of Futures and its celebration of cooperation and diplomacy over saber-rattling and warfare.
I have a minor question about Tower of Babel. What goes into the decision to make the first section a prologue versus just calling it Chapter 1? This book's prologue read like a regular chapter of the Rise of the Federation series to me.
I am also loving my reread of Star Wars: Dark Disciple.
I have a minor question about Tower of Babel. What goes into the decision to make the first section a prologue versus just calling it Chapter 1? This book's prologue read like a regular chapter of the Rise of the Federation series to me.
I am also loving my reread of Star Wars: Dark Disciple.
It was because the events of the prologue happened months earlier than the main body of the novel and were distinct situations that set the stage for the story that followed, establishing the
astropolitical situation and issues that would catalyze the main story. That's usually what a prologue is, I think -- Wikipedia defines it as "an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information."
I've heard that some readers think of prologues as optional and skip over them, but that makes no sense. The prologue wouldn't be there if it weren't a significant part of the story; it's just that the story is structured in such a way that some of the groundwork is laid before the main plot kicks in. Think of Raiders of the Lost Ark -- the prologue adventure in the Hovitos temple establishes who Indiana Jones is, his skill with a whip, his rivalry with Belloq, his hatred of snakes, etc., so that you know all that stuff going into the main story about the Ark. The prologue informs the main story that follows, so it's as essential as the rest.
Think of it in film terms as the part that comes before you see the movie titles appear on the screen.
Beverly Lewis's Amish books differentiate the prologue from the rest of the book by writing it in the first person, then the rest of the book in the third person.
In some cases, prologues are shorter than regular chapters, and may follow a character who has died by the time the main story opens, or who hasn't been born yet.
Beverly Lewis's Amish books differentiate the prologue from the rest of the book by writing it in the first person, then the rest of the book in the third person.
In some cases, prologues are shorter than regular chapters, and may follow a character who has died by the time the main story opens, or who hasn't been born yet.
And as it happens, I did miss the first few minutes of Nemesis. Though not intentionally, I assure you.
*** Wednesday ***
Now 16 cantos into Inferno, in the Divine Comedy. This went a bit more slowly because of difficulties with the imagery (even reading the Binyon and the Longfellow side-by-side, line-by-line. Along with various distractions.
In the June 1942 Railroad Magazine, I finally got to the end of the nearly 50 page memoir, "Wrecking Engineer." It seems that all the death and destruction he'd seen had finally given him a nervous breakdown, leading to his retirement. His wife helped him through it. Didn't even crack the magazine yesterday, since my lunch break was entirely consumed with a visit to my urologist (which held no unpleasant surprises). Next up in the magazine is a piece called "Rawhide Run."
And I've begun actually writing the short story that I'd begun mentally drafting earlier this month, that takes a whole scene of my novel from another point of view.
Hmm. "Rawhide Run" appears to be a short story, set back in the pre-Janney, pre-Westinghouse days of link-and-pin couplers and no air brakes.
*** Wednesday ***
Now 16 cantos into Inferno, in the Divine Comedy. This went a bit more slowly because of difficulties with the imagery (even reading the Binyon and the Longfellow side-by-side, line-by-line. Along with various distractions.
In the June 1942 Railroad Magazine, I finally got to the end of the nearly 50 page memoir, "Wrecking Engineer." It seems that all the death and destruction he'd seen had finally given him a nervous breakdown, leading to his retirement. His wife helped him through it. Didn't even crack the magazine yesterday, since my lunch break was entirely consumed with a visit to my urologist (which held no unpleasant surprises). Next up in the magazine is a piece called "Rawhide Run."
And I've begun actually writing the short story that I'd begun mentally drafting earlier this month, that takes a whole scene of my novel from another point of view.
Hmm. "Rawhide Run" appears to be a short story, set back in the pre-Janney, pre-Westinghouse days of link-and-pin couplers and no air brakes.
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Finished From Slavery to the Stars (audiobook) by Andreea Kindryd yesterday. It was wonderful. Thanks to @Therin of Andor for bringing it to my attention!
My “Books Read in April 2025” report…
“Star Trek Explorer Presents: A Year to the Day That I Saw Myself Die and Other Stories” (2024, Titan) (collection of Star Trek short stories originally released in Star Trek Explorer magazine; authors include Walter Koenig with Chris McAuley, Una McCormack, Greg Cox, David Mack, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Chris Dows, Jake Black, Michael Collins, Peter Holmstrom, and Michael Dismuke). (And Rich Handley! Who I somehow overlooked last night when I first posted this!)
“X-Men” (2013 series) Vol. 1: “Primer” (Marvel) by Brian Wood, art by Olivier Coipel and David Lopez.*
“Wolverine and the X-Men” (2011 series) Vol. 5 (2013, Marvel) by Jason Aaron, art by Nick Bradshaw and Steven Sanders.*
“X-Men: Legacy” (2012 series): “Legion, Vol. 1: Prodigal” (2013, Marvel) by Simon Spurrier, art by Tan Eng Haut and Jorge Molina.*
(* Logged on my GoodReads by these collected editions but actually read via the individual comic book issues via Marvel Unlimited digital service)
2025 GoodReads reading challenge: 75. Number read by end of April: 12 (16%).
— David Young
“Star Trek Explorer Presents: A Year to the Day That I Saw Myself Die and Other Stories” (2024, Titan) (collection of Star Trek short stories originally released in Star Trek Explorer magazine; authors include Walter Koenig with Chris McAuley, Una McCormack, Greg Cox, David Mack, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Chris Dows, Jake Black, Michael Collins, Peter Holmstrom, and Michael Dismuke). (And Rich Handley! Who I somehow overlooked last night when I first posted this!)
“X-Men” (2013 series) Vol. 1: “Primer” (Marvel) by Brian Wood, art by Olivier Coipel and David Lopez.*
“Wolverine and the X-Men” (2011 series) Vol. 5 (2013, Marvel) by Jason Aaron, art by Nick Bradshaw and Steven Sanders.*
“X-Men: Legacy” (2012 series): “Legion, Vol. 1: Prodigal” (2013, Marvel) by Simon Spurrier, art by Tan Eng Haut and Jorge Molina.*
(* Logged on my GoodReads by these collected editions but actually read via the individual comic book issues via Marvel Unlimited digital service)
2025 GoodReads reading challenge: 75. Number read by end of April: 12 (16%).
— David Young
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22 cantos into Inferno, in the Divine Comedy, and nearly halfway through the nearly-83-year-old magazine I've been keeping on my lunch table at the office.
I thought of making a smart-alecky remark about "you haven't read "I, Claudius" until you've read it in the original Latin" (that's Tacitus' Annals which is the source material) but it would not be true. I, Claudius and Claudius the God are great reading. Much the best of Graves novels although I like Count Belisaurus and the Sergeant Lamb novels too.
I sometimes wonder if Tacitus was the kind of writer who left a lot of things unsaid...
Pun my word.
Just finished Canto 27 of Inferno, in the Divine Comedy. Binyon does manage to maintain Dante's terza rima system without torturing too many rhymes. At least not giving the rhymes any more punishment than the Damned are getting. Although some of the word choices used to maintain it are as amusing as some of the punishments (like flatterers being perpetually drowned in their own shit).
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