Be Afraid...

The ultimate crossover? Be very afraid.

Full Disclosure

Dear Federal Trade Commission. Following your new rules for full disclosure, I will notify my readers (since you don't specify how I'm supposed to exactly do this yet) when I get a "freebie". Please note that most of the books I review are purchased...or I get a freebie after I purchase...or I get a free electronic edition while I purchase a deadtree...or a third party sends me something to review...or...

Sigh. Just what we need. More rules and regulations.

Addendum: A fascinating interview with the FTC's Richard Cleland. It is very clear he has little knowledge of how reviewers work at newspapers. Does he really think that books received by reviewers (editors, etc.) are the property of the publication? Want to bet the publication ignores them, doesn't want the, tells the reviewer to keep them? I am supposed to return books that are given to me? What about electronic books (files)? ARC's (photocopies)?

Addendum: Wired.com on the news.

Fred's Reading Report (September 2009)

On with the show, this is it!

Books read, year to date? 244! My eyes are melting! My brain is bleeding! Brrrraaaaaaiiiinnnzzzzz.....

Books read in September included...

Glen Cook: The Black Company, Shadows Linger, The White Rose. All included in a Tor Books omnibus edition, the first of three (so far). Good stuff. Why Cook isn't on more "good fantasy author" lists, I'll never know.

Freeman Dyson: The Scientist as Rebel.

Richard P. Feynman: "You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman" and "What Do You Care What Other People Think?" Good collections built up from oral history and previously published written works. Funny, sad, serious...an excellent mix all around.

Diana Wynne Jones: Howl's Moving Castle and Castle in the Air. The first was the basis for a film, and the book was very different from the movie. The second was interesting in that, while a sequel, the characters from the first don't show up for quite a while! Just picked up the third book in the series recently. My daughter has now read the first and is reading the second.

Masashi Kishimoto: Naruto 42. Rationing myself as I only have three more to go. New volumes expected shortly...

Scott McCloud: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. Saw this recommended by a webcomic artist. I now understand the importance of the gutter! Actually, a very good book that will give you an overview of the history of the "graphic novel" and a very good understanding of the theory behind the art.

Sir Terry Pratchett: Eric, Making Money, Jingo and The Truth (combined review here). It's Pratchett. It's the Discworld. 'Nuff said.

John Ringo: Hell's Faire. The last of the initial trilogy in the Posleen tales. The horsies finally get their tails kicked.

Spider Robinson: The Callahan Chronicals (three books). Yup, read them again. It was that kind of month.

Jack Vance: This Is Me, Jack Vance! (Or, More Properly, This Is "I"). The autobiography of a writer that strangely had very little to do with writing.

David Weber: The Honor of the Queen, The Short Victorious War. More re-reads. Trying to go through the whole series again before the several new books that are coming out this year and next all hit the bookshelves and add themselves to Mount Toberead.

Short works, year-to-date? 387, and that is an undercount (as usual)!

My eyes...my eyes...

What am I complaining about? It sure beats television!