Author Topic: PC140: Terrible Ones  (Read 25681 times)

Rain

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Reply #25 on: January 24, 2011, 05:23:37 PM
Tim Pratt is my favorite Escape Artists writer, and so i am sorry to say that i didnt not like this story at all.

Reading some of the comments i think it is based on a play? Beyond the mention in the introduction i really dont know what a greek chorus is, or who any of the other mythological characters were supposed to be.

It would probably help if i knew all of this, but as it is this story felt like the middle part of a play, and it felt like there was a lot missing for this to be a complete story.



tinygaia

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Reply #26 on: January 24, 2011, 05:52:24 PM
I've got a bucket full of wrath right here for people who don't return their library books on time or scratch the DVDs or who don't understand the concepts of 'opening' and 'closing' times...

I’m with Loz on this one. We’ll need an especially devious punishment for the patrons who check out the brand new books the day after you’ve spent tedious hours processing them, only to lose them before you’ve even washed the book glue off your hands, condemning you to repeat the entire purchasing and processing routine again.

I enjoyed this story. From the moment Zara steps outside and finds a Greek chorus of all things, I wanted to see where Pratt was going with this. I love the line, “Go on. My heart trembles with fear.” The words hit my ears and magically transformed into “Bring it.” I couldn’t stop laughing.



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Reply #27 on: January 25, 2011, 01:59:20 AM
Were you also less-than-delighted with the art in The Kindly Ones? Because I seem to be in a vanishingly small minority there.

I can't recall in which particular volumes of Sandman this happens, but I do remember thinking a lot of the story art was pretty average.


Rhio2k

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Reply #28 on: January 25, 2011, 02:19:42 AM
Um...pronunciation seems to be a problem here as it was in a previous story set in Japan, with the word "kitsune" (Keet-su-neh, not kit-soon). In every greek name I've heard for a woman that ended with "one", the last part was pronounced "ehnee/uhnee", not "oan".  Persephone would be "Per-CE-fuh-nee". Thisiphone (or whatever the name is, I couldn't quite make it out) would be pronounced Thi-SI-fuh-nee.



Max e^{i pi}

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Reply #29 on: January 26, 2011, 07:47:45 PM
I am not a student of the classics, although I have read my fair share of them. So I'm not going to nitpick that.
Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I found myself completely immersed in the story's world, following the players with open-mouthed wonder. I had to literally shake myself when the theme music came back on at the end.
That is the mark of a wonderful story.
Also the idea of Furry being a bad-assed punk girl with a penchant for showing people that they are idiots appeals to me.
Even if she just plays at being a bad-ass over the summer.

And I realize that I just gave Tim my second glowing praise in 10 minutes.
Yes, he is that great. Also this might be a good time (since I see that he's on the thread) to mention that I really enjoyed his playful romp at the center of the multiverse in his serialized novel The Nex. If you haven't read it yet, you owe it to yourself to go check it out. (It's completed now, but I've been following it from the beginning, waiting for each Monday with baited breath and anticipation. Never have I appreciated Mondays like that before, or since.)

One last thing, would it be really cool to have a Greek chorus flash-mob?

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iamafish

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Reply #30 on: January 26, 2011, 10:34:33 PM
Um...pronunciation seems to be a problem here as it was in a previous story set in Japan, with the word "kitsune" (Keet-su-neh, not kit-soon). In every greek name I've heard for a woman that ended with "one", the last part was pronounced "ehnee/uhnee", not "oan".  Persephone would be "Per-CE-fuh-nee". Thisiphone (or whatever the name is, I couldn't quite make it out) would be pronounced Thi-SI-fuh-nee.

I meant to comment on the pronunciation, then forgot. This is entirely correct. 'e's at the end of words in Greek are not silent. Antigone, Persephone, Penelope, Thisiphone, etc. should all be pronounced as above.


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Reply #31 on: January 26, 2011, 10:38:03 PM
I meant to comment on the pronunciation, then forgot. This is entirely correct. 'e's at the end of words in Greek are not silent. Antigone, Persephone, Penelope, Thisiphone, etc. should all be pronounced as above.

I like to pronounce "Penelope" like it rhymes with "antelope".

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iamafish

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Reply #32 on: January 26, 2011, 10:40:16 PM
QC has ruined that name for me as well


Wilson Fowlie

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Reply #33 on: January 27, 2011, 03:47:21 AM
There's a Canadian theatre series that takes place in the fictional setting of ultra-rural Persephone township.  The protagonist moves there, pronouncing it correctly ("Per-SEH-fuh-nee") and discovers that the denizens call it "PER-se-fohn".

"People commonly use the word 'procrastination' to describe what they do on the Internet. It seems to me too mild to describe what's happening as merely not-doing-work. We don't call it procrastination when someone gets drunk instead of working." - Paul Graham


iamafish

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Reply #34 on: January 27, 2011, 03:56:30 AM
There's a Canadian theatre series that takes place in the fictional setting of ultra-rural Persephone township.  The protagonist moves there, pronouncing it correctly ("Per-SEH-fuh-nee") and discovers that the denizens call it "PER-se-fohn".

understandable, I mean they are American*.

*Disclaimer: this statement was designed to be as offensive to as many people on this forum as possible.


blueeyeddevil

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Reply #35 on: January 27, 2011, 11:48:05 AM
QC has ruined that name for me as well

Actually, I think that joke got made first in 'club dread' but I'm sure Jeph would be happy to know he's done lasting damage.



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Reply #36 on: January 27, 2011, 02:28:48 PM
There's a Canadian theatre series that takes place in the fictional setting of ultra-rural Persephone township.  The protagonist moves there, pronouncing it correctly ("Per-SEH-fuh-nee") and discovers that the denizens call it "PER-se-fohn".

I don't think that's all that rare for a town name's pronunciation to change like that.  For example, Pierre is the capital of South Dakota, and it looks like the French name pronounce something like "Pee-yair".  But if you pronounce it that way in SD you will be marking yourself as someone from out-of-state because the town's name is a single syllable and sounds like "peer".



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Reply #37 on: January 27, 2011, 02:29:15 PM
One last thing, would it be really cool to have a Greek chorus flash-mob?

Where do I sign up?



yicheng

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Reply #38 on: January 27, 2011, 04:51:51 PM
A shot in the dark, here:  But, why does it seem like Strong Female Protagonist, almost always equates to her being Pissed-off/Annoyed for most of the story? 



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Reply #39 on: January 27, 2011, 04:56:57 PM
I'm confused. Are you talking about PC stories, or stories in general?


Talia

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Reply #40 on: January 27, 2011, 05:06:55 PM
A shot in the dark, here:  But, why does it seem like Strong Female Protagonist, almost always equates to her being Pissed-off/Annoyed for most of the story? 

I think that's the way things are sometimes percieved, but I don't really feel that's accurate. I've read plenty of stories with female protagonists who I'd define as strong, but who weren't angry.

What about, say, the protagonist of Cat Rambo's 'Sugar?' she had issues but I felt she was strong. Or the girl from 'Kingspeaker'? (that might be a better example).



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Reply #41 on: January 27, 2011, 05:14:59 PM
A shot in the dark, here:  But, why does it seem like Strong Female Protagonist, almost always equates to her being Pissed-off/Annoyed for most of the story? 

I think that's the way things are sometimes percieved, but I don't really feel that's accurate. I've read plenty of stories with female protagonists who I'd define as strong, but who weren't angry.

What about, say, the protagonist of Cat Rambo's 'Sugar?' she had issues but I felt she was strong. Or the girl from 'Kingspeaker'? (that might be a better example).

I agree with Talia.  There are plenty of examples of strong females that are not pissed off for the whole story.  I think it may just seem that way because willingness to speak up when wronged is a form of strength and one which makes itself immediately visible.



yicheng

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Reply #42 on: January 27, 2011, 05:28:47 PM
Yes, I admit, after reviewing the past Podcastle stories, the Pissed-off Female Protagonist (Songdogs, Dead Languages, KachiKachi Yama -- I know, I know, it's EP, ) motif may just be more memorable to me.



Wilson Fowlie

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Reply #43 on: January 27, 2011, 11:21:08 PM
There's a Canadian theatre series that takes place in the fictional setting of ultra-rural Persephone township.  The protagonist moves there, pronouncing it correctly ("Per-SEH-fuh-nee") and discovers that the denizens call it "PER-se-fohn".

understandable, I mean they are American*.

Well, no, they're rural Canadians, somewhere north and (I've always assumed) a little west of Toronto.

*Disclaimer: this statement was designed to be as offensive to as many people on this forum as possible.

Was the above mistake actually not a mistake but meant to be part of the offence?  Just curious.

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iamafish

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Reply #44 on: January 28, 2011, 06:14:45 AM
that was the idea, yes. I was not only saying that all Americans are stupid, I was also calling Canadians Americans, so I was basically pissing off all the North American forumites, and I'm sure any Mexicans would be annoyed at being left out...


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Reply #45 on: February 04, 2011, 09:41:19 PM
I really enjoyed this.  Without going into specifics, it amused me and I came away with a smile.

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ElectricPaladin

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Reply #46 on: February 04, 2011, 09:54:29 PM
I really enjoyed this.  Without going into specifics, it amused me and I came away with a smile.

Dude, going into specifics is what the forums are for. Tell us all about it.

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Reply #47 on: February 07, 2011, 05:05:08 PM
I really enjoyed this.  Without going into specifics, it amused me and I came away with a smile.

Dude, going into specifics is what the forums are for. Tell us all about it.

Yes, please!  Don't worry about spoiling the story here.  If someone's worried about spoilers then they shouldn't be in that story's feedback thread.



Listener

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Reply #48 on: February 09, 2011, 02:22:18 AM
I enjoyed the story, although I felt it was somewhat overwritten in places and, while Zara's sideline as a BDSM club mistress gave Doug a reason to come after her, it felt slightly forced. Also, the scene with Nikki, Zara, and the Fates felt very, very long.

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LaShawn

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Reply #49 on: March 10, 2011, 05:23:29 PM
First of all before I respond to anything...

Tim Pratt is my favorite Escape Artists writer, and so i am sorry to say that i didnt not like this story at all. Reading some of the comments i think it is based on a play? Beyond the mention in the introduction i really dont know what a greek chorus is, or who any of the other mythological characters were supposed to be.

Rain. Honey. Stop what you're doing right now. Go to your iPod and order up some Greek classics. Oedipus Rex. The Illiad. The Odyssey. And don't get the namsy pansy twentieth century updates. Go old school. Go way old school and get the original text. I don't care how...start with Wikipedia and look up "Greek chorus" and go from there. But please, *learn* what the Greek classics was about. Even Aesops Fables.

<rant>
MY GOD, WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING KIDS IN SCHOOLS THESE DAYS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW GREEK MYTHS AT ALL?!?!
</rant>

Okay, I can continue on. This was a good story and I enjoyed it, but for some reason, I found myself far more interested in the Furies than I was in Zara. It tickled me that the Furies lived in San Franscico and occassionally got muddled enough to live in other people's houses before realizing they were in the wrong place. I wanted to see this story from *their* point of view. I wanted to follow their story from beginning to end. I wanted to see them deal with the fall-out of no longer being furies, and coming to terms of their mortality. Would they be happy? Sad? Befuddled?

Don't get me wrong, I liked this story; I just want to see it from another angle.

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