The Hero
Here's where things begin to get interesting, I think. Though his stories are, for the most part, unconnected, it would be a good idea to try and remember some of the terms and names used.
That being said, what did you guys think of it? Kagen's fate at the end, was it truly a good thing, to keep him from visiting Earth, or did he deserve to see humanity's homeworld, the world he'd been fighting for? What similarities do you see with present day soldiers serving overseas?
The Exit to San Breta
Personally, I find this story to be...ethereal, almost, I guess. Fitting, then, that it is, in essence, a ghost story. I don't really have any major questions for it, just want to know what were your thoughts?
The Second Kind of Lonliness
Ahh, here we are, one of my favorites. How well did you think Martin did in showing how lonely the man is? How about describing the Cerberus Star Ring? It was a monstrous, insane thing the man did, activating the Star Ring and killing his replacement, ultimately sealing him away from humanity (at least for god knows how long), yet in a way is he really responsible? A single man, left alone for so very long...eats away at the mind.
With Morning Comes Mistfall
Another favorite. This one truly speaks to me, the message within the interesting setting of Wraithworld.
First off though, what did you think of Wraithworld? Could you see yourself coming there, if only to see the Mistfalls and Mistrise? Maybe try and see the mysterious Wraiths?
But the core thing here is whether or not we should investigate everything. Sanders argues that man needs "mystery, and poetry, and romance. I think he needs a few unanswered questions to make him brood and wonder." Do you agree with this way of thinking? Or do you agree with Dubowski, about needing to know the answers?
Next Week: Part 3 - The Light of Distant Stars
Again, my apologies for being late. Will do my best not to let that happen again. So, I'll try to have the next post up the Sunday after Thanksgiving (since I'm sure most will be busy, and this next section is rather large). So next set is part 3, which encompasses the following stories:
- A Song for Lya
- This Tower of Ashes
- And Seven Times Never Kill Man
- The Stone City
- Bitterblooms
- The Way of Cross and Dragon
I hope you enjoy!
3 comments:
I enjoyed this section of reading, and it reminded me very much of Ray Bradbury and the short stories of his that I've read.
I really like the ambiguity of the stories. Martin lays it all out, but he doesn't necessarily tell us what to think. We, the reader, have to make the determination on whether we agree or disagree. I like that, because it really does cause us to think. Much of what he has written in these sections that we've read thus far have very real-life applicability in today's world.
The Hero is a perfect example. I do not pretend to understand in the slightest the strain and pressure and stress and emotional turmoil that our service men and women go through every day for us fighting on the front lines. I think we're still very far behind in our help to them when they come home, helping them to adjust. Earlier this week I heard a segment on the radio about how Obama spoke, I think on Veteran's Day, about encouraging businesses to higher veterans. I don't think we do enough to honor these men and women, and it's unfortunate that so many do fall through the cracks when they are through with their tour of duty.
In the story, it seems like the society didn't know how to handle a situation with a retiring member of their armed forces. Either they didn't know how to handle it, or they didn't care to try. I thought it was awful what they did, and it further made me question the morality of what they were doing in the first place, conquering all these different places.
The Exit to San Breta was really fun to read for me. I think it's very American at its core as well. Can we even imagine a time when the automobile will be considered a relic? I don't know. But, the great stretching highways across our landscape is very American, and I enjoyed the nostalgic feel to the story.
The Second Kind of Loneliness. Okay, so my first thought was: why is this guy out there in the middle of nowhere for months on end all by himself?! It seems totally irresponsible for the powers in charge to think this is even a remotely good idea. Not to mention that what happens if the guy needs to man the controls when he's outside doing maintenance or something? It seemed that there is no schedule, that he is basically on call to man the star ring, so yeah...he shouldn't have been alone.
With Morning Comes Mistfall...well, I would not consider myself very adventurous. I like things planned out and I am in no way a risk taker. So, I probably wouldn't visit a world like Wraithworld if I ever had the chance.
I think this is an interesting question to consider - is it best to know the truth or is it best to let things just be. What moral responsibility does one have when one knows the truth? I think the right decision was made in the story, although I wasn't sure what was going to happen until the very end. I don't like my ignorance to be taken advantage of, and while the mystery made the world enticing, I think it was hyped up for profit at the visitors' expense. I think that there is plenty of poetry and mystery in life for those who look to find it.
I'm glad you got the post up. I haven't known what to read next so I've been waiting. Looking forward to this next selection of reading. The further we get into the book, the more I am enjoying the writing.
Finally finished reading, I got distracted by Soul Eater. Anyway, here goes.
The Hero: I found myself appalled at the way a man who has served loyally was treated, and it made me think more of the corruption of those in power than about whether killing this man was the right thing or not. That said, I think that anyone who has seen and done what he has would struggle with reintegrating into normal society, and that perhaps that was some part of the reason they were keeping him from it.
The Exit to San Breta: I agree with Kate on this one, it felt so much like the sort of folk story one hears growing up in small towns, listening to grandparents and that generation talk about the formative years of the area, when there was the one general store, everyone knew each other, and every traveler was essentially a newspaper. It frightens me, as the kid of a mechanic, to think of a time when cars and cruising and those dark, lonely highways will be completely obsolete. It used to be a family pastime to get in the truck and just go driving, out into the hills or up into the mountains, just to drive, talking, singing along with the radio, and looking at the sights. I caught my first glimpses of deer, elk, and wild horses on these drives, learned about different kinds of trees, and heard my share of ghost stories.
The Second Kind of Loneliness: From a standpoint of pure practicality, just to avoid this kind of scenario, one would only hope that the ones in charge would never send someone out to this kind of job solo like they did. Space does things to people's minds, any sci-fi story will tell you that in so many words. Infinity is a hard concept to grasp, and a scary one, and that's exactly what space is. Being confronted with it day after day like that is just asking this guy to do something drastic. Just like a soldier, I dunno that this guy would be able to go back to normal life even when he did make it home.
With Morning Comes Mistfall: I could totally see myself visiting this world, watching in awe as the sun and the mist engaged in their daily battle. I could imagine the expeditions into the Mist, seeing rockcats, making myself shiver as I imagined the Wraiths. I have to agree with Sanders, what fun is the world without a little mystery? We'll know we're dead as a society when we all know how to read and write but there's nothing left to read and write about.
I have really enjoyed reading the short stories. Unfortunately, I had to return the book to the library (I had reached my renewal limit). I can recheck the book out, but for now, I think I will wait since I think we're all pretty busy right now, and it's only going to get busier with the season. Just wanted to give you all a heads up. Thanks!
Post a Comment