Category: About Writing
Reading ‘Weaponized’
Reading Weaponized by Neal asher (2023) was a marathon.
There are a couple of Asher’s novels I’ve enjoyed, The Skinner and The Voyage of the Sable Keech, for example, the first two instalments of the Spatterjay trilogy, published in the early 2000s.
I found those inventive and engrossing. I still think with fondness about the living ship. The Polity novels that intervene between those and Weaponized are set in a human universe ruled by AIs.
In Weaponized a bunch of human characters from the polity intend to colonize an outer planet. They’re all in their second or third century and are bored. They intend to go back to basics somewhere new.
Ursula Ossect Treloon is their leader. The plot is a relentless competition for superiority between the human would-be settlers, and the native wildlife.
Neither of them wins when both appear to be taken over by superior Jain technology, from yet another universe. The end is is circular, a mystery, when a fragment of Ursula is saved by the Polity mole.
Most of the story is the ‘science’ describing the adaptations that need to be made to continue the struggle to survive an ever evolving enemy.
And this is an evolution happening at a daily at most week’s pace. The actual plot was told with a series of one liners buried in the almost baroquely detailed descriptions of the technology. Non-stop action as the back cover promises.
By about a third of the way through, I was wishing for a bit of ordinary narrative, describing the settlers ordinary time. But if anything proceedings notched up, there was never any relief.
Overdoing it led …
To catching a bug
Which led to a respiratory inflammation
Which led to a fatigue, coughing, and everything else that goes with it event
Which led to a three week furlough
Today I thought I had recovered. Wishful thinking, obviously. Went to a meeting with about a hundred attendees. I was OK sitting down.
Then got a call. I’d forgotten to silence the little mobile beggar. Ran out to wring its neck, but ended up sitting outside in the solitary quiet taking the call.
And afterwards thought I should have a go at the greet and meet after the meeting. Found a chair, unfortunately just got in at the tail end of the last question about gardening.
Still, the development map on the drop-down screen showed a wide yellow road covering the place where I though to plant some veges. Guess I’ll rethink that one.
Suddenly everyone was up, either pushing to the front for the afternoon snacks and apparatif or toward the back to make their getaway. I drifted to the puzzles table and completed the roof of a shed in the time that it took for the scrum to subside.
When I looked up there were only people with a glass in one hand and juggling a plate piled with scones cake and cream puffs. But lots of them. I saw two people I’ve met but didn’t get to talk with them.
I found a the gluten free dairy free section and had a couple of meat balls and six grapes. The place to get a hotwater drink was inaccessible and anyway I had the weirdest feeling.
Like I was a square ball bearing, had a lot of people coasting wordlessly by me, my hearing aids did not cope either. You start questioning your sanity for even being there.
Found out a few facts. I am one of 133 new people these last 6 months. There are now 241 residents. I can totally understand that the people who were here last year are feeling swamped. I feel swamped with them.
But, not to forget, I’ve never been one for crowds. I’ve always run in the outer edges of the herd, where you can easily take time out.
On my way home met a couple walking their dog, which was a relief, and picked up my mail. Finally, A Little Course in Dreams by Robert Bosnak. Started reading it right away.
One of eight books with bookmarks in them. Plenty to write about. Though not today. Just finding a pic now to accompany this mournful screed.
Lego: Bosley & Co, 15
15. The Bunkhouse
Finally the day arrived when Bosley felt ready to put together the bunkhouse. He now had all the necessary elements stored here and there, and there was no reason, not even inclement weather, to hold off any longer.
He, Drew and Dan and Dan’s trusty four-wheel drive moved the components of the shadoof to the garage. While Drew helped Bosley put the shadoof together, Dan fetched the front beam to tie the side walls together and support the roof over the garage.
Drew and Dan between them managed that hiccup without Bosley’s input, though none were happy with the lack of control over the vertical movement. “Which is the bit that does the lifting, after all,” Drew said.
“Hmm,” Bosley said. “Think I’m going to need a lever. Have a holiday, Dan. It’s back to the drawing board.”
Dan went away and a little while later returned with Nin Wiz and the most northerly wall balanced on the truck. They stood it ready. Went back to fetch the south wall. Bosley and Drew took the shadoof arm off the upright frame and threaded a lever handle onto it. Stood the contraption back up.
With Nin Wizard supporting the walls as they were raised, the work proceeded so smoothly that Drew quite forgot to take the snapshots they’d decided on. He only remembered when Bosley said, “Stop. Wait.”
“What?” Drew said.
“I’m not happy about that window hole,” Bosley said. He pointed.
“We only have windscreens and French doors in our window store,” Dan said.
“Fine,” Bosley said. “In making do, we’ll invent something better.”
“We’ll sling a tarp and sleep up here,” Dan said. “I like what you did in the corner.”
Next morning, while Dan, Drew and Nin raised a further two courses of bricks on the walls so that people wouldn’t hit their heads on the ceiling, Bosley invented his preferred front window using a glass door on its side and a few modified blocks.
After re-installing the shadoof, the front wall was lifted into place.
Then the furniture, with Drew back on the drag-line.
“Let’s celebrate!” Trish called. She brought a stack of cups and mugs while Tim followed with the bubbly. They admired the bunkhouse, Bosley & Co’s first permanent dwelling, and partied into the night.
And after they went to bed, nobody got any sleep, Nin Wizard so busy with his build.
Clatter bang rattle! Something fell a long way down.
“What was that?” Dan grumbled.
“You’re all right,” Drew said. “Sleeping in the bunkhouse. I’m just lucky it missed me!”
Next morning, they one by one climbed the two and a half ladders to compliment Nin on his new abode, and exclaim politely over the corner-post that had clattered all the way to ground-level.
Nin shrugged. Ran out of magic, he indicated. Only Trish stayed to plan the new bathroom annex and her and Nin’s share-garden, and have a cup of celebratory tea.
‘Seeding’ info in stories on the go …
What I’m writing now in Lodestar contains a few events that for better a better reading experience, should’ve had their beginnings seeded into earlier chapters. For example, you will meet Moab, one of the Marl-Family. He was thought lost/dead, never mentioned because that’s the herder/hunter folk’s tradition.
The chapter being wrangled into existence is one of my so-called bridges from section to section. The timeline is complex at this point. I may later post a map.
Snippet 2
Once everybody crossed the channel there was a confab among the Kuri-Family group. Since they were last to cross, their decisions would stay private a while longer. Jenk gave Moss, Kyle and Io his instructions, to explore the road west, mark the water-crossing somehow, and rest in the new grazing grounds. Discover its seasons. He gave more than half the herd into their care, consisting of most of the brood animals, young females and a few sires. Plus they had their own riding camels and stringers, of course.
“A few herdies wouldn’t go amiss,” Kyle said.
“Suggestions?” Jenk said tersely. …
“Lewit and Jeldie? Not her fault she’s a Jovat. Not his fault he’s a Lomack. Merin and Kier? Same again,” Kyle said.
“Marl-Fa might want to come totally,” Moss said. “What’s against asking him? I’m young for chiefing, anyone wanting to grab the chance will say. And then? We have exactly three defenders?”
“The Marl-Family and all their camels?” Jenk said. “We don’t know how much grazing there will be. But I hear you.”
“Jenk,” Kuri-Chief said. “Camp with them this side of the Red Channel. The tidal flats, sea-lettuce grazing will last a day or two. One or the other of the young men and Ivy can cross the water, see the lay of the land. The grazing, campsite near any freshwater supply. Once they return, you rejoin us.” She gestured at Kes and herself. “We’ll speak with Marl, Kier and Merin, when we arrive at the Party Camp.”
Kuri-Chief at the head of the column, and Kestrel at the rear, swung into east with the remaining third of their herd. Nearly all of the remaining animals were stringers and trained riding camels, carrying the Kuri-Family’s tent, a couple of annexes and also all the numbers fostering children. With a few additional animals destined for slaughter, they were a lean and mean herd.
About Lodestar
About Lodestar Part IV
Lodestar, up to this point, was written from more or less one viewpoint per part.
This fourth installment is in effect a series of short installments (novellas, probably) where some of the main minor characters are sidelined and others drawn forward. One or two important characters are only just now being introduced.
The various people whom I asked to critique the series fifteen years ago, advised against introducing important new characters at this late stage. I thought it through at the time, but quailed at the work involved in the restructuring. Put The Lodestar series aside. Years passed while I worked on a new series. Different, I thought.
But my ‘unconscious’ a marvelous entity I am only now learning about, was well and truly in charge, and encouraged me to write multiple stories featuring a main character being invaded and controlled by a foreign influence.
I’m laughing now when I read those lines, knowing that I am absolutely ruled by my unconscious, as you are by yours whatever you may believe. Fifteen years ago, I wasn’t writing unknowingly about my own personal unconscious mind, but about an alien, about an invasive computer program, and about the implant.
Without me realizing, which is the part that still amazes me. Until I had three mostly polished novels, ready to be professionally edited. That’s when I realized. At the time I was poor and troubled, and could afford to have only one of them edited professionally. So I decided to forward the most recent work, which was ‘Mongrel’.
Five years ago my life fell apart as long-time readers will know, and after the chemo, when I set about picking up the pieces, I decided I was done with marketing. The stress of dealing with giant corporations was not doing me any good. I decided that life is too short to hanker after the pittance that I would earn for not writing in the mainstream.
That’s not to say I won’t publish them at all. They’d be a lot easier to read as novel lengths than a chapter at the time.
Fast forward to the idea of the ‘story-debt’. It really grabbed me, for after I labored over The Lodestar world for ten years, its characters and their lives stayed with me. It’s like they are real people somewhere out there. I wondered if by paying off my story-debt, by ‘publishing’ them here, on my blog, these characters would then stop haunting me?
t’s a work in progress. Below a snippet …
The Implant, 1
‘I can almost feel the textures of the nutrient jelly I rest in. I’ve imagined them so often it must be that I now feel them. The heat of my skin melts the material near me, making it silky and fluid. It’s firmer further out. A spider webbing of fibrous supports grows among and between my miniaturized cables.
Fresh nutrient mix is added to the bottom of my housing, its floor is gridded and sits on a saucer, the whole is very like the design for a bird-feeder I have somewhere in my memory banks, though the action of the nutrient mix is opposite to that in the bird-feeder.
I don’t like remembering that I don’t have a skin and that I still don’t have a body. It is not my imagination that I feel a frizzle of anger pass along my synapses. If I’d had a body to use, I would’ve been able to express myself more satisfactorily. Where is that minx Ahni? The speaker fitting is clogged and I cannot call out. I’m not happy with the level of carelessness in this place. Who is on duty? I shouldn’t have to worry about utilities. That was always the work of the host.’
Lego: Bosley’s Builders, 14
14. The Stairs Go-to Crew
Bosley studied the staircase Tim put together to get people to their accommodation after the complaints about the ready-made he conveniently installed at the end of the block right by his and Trish’s quarters, with no access by anyone else.
He shook his head. Nice staircase but a heavy use of materials. And bulky. And not used now that that half of the crew were absent. Wendy and Jackie were at the hospital, Wendy at her midwifing. Dan was away somewhere salvaging. And Jed … Who knew if he’d even turn up again.
Think we scared him off. Not a happy young man. Just the six of us here, counting Nin Wiz who is a silent fella, Ruff who is not a noisy type either, Trish, Tim, Drew and me.
He looked around. Drew stood on the hardware store’s front terrace, gesticulating. Hard at work discussing the hardware store’s fire-stair with Ms Bee and Ms Sander that looked like. All three engrossed in the discussion.
Bosley listened for the rest of the crew. He heard Tim and Trish discussing the next stage on their cabin with a throw-away comment every so often at Nin. Sounded like they were all quite busy too.
He chuckled at the offending staircase. So I’m safe disappearing this object of despair? Object despite that it couldn’t be shifted without breaking it down. Despair because of the heartache the building of it caused the builder. Disappear because it’s in the wrong place, takes up too much space and I need it gone.
With each thought he jimmied off a tread. Stacked them back in Tim’s container. Then he fetched a brick separator and levered off bricks starting from the top. The clattering of the blocks on the ground brought only Ruff.
What idea haven’t I used yet to get a good stair go-to crew? Bosley ruminated. Well, I know we already have him, it’s just that he’s hiding his talents under a constant stream of denials. So. Idea?
“Before we begin on the bunkhouse,” Bosley said next morning. “I’d like for us to put together a semi-permanent stair or ladder to get to the top of the walls. Who’s going to give that a go? Drew?”
“Drew?” Drew said. “Drew gets to build the stairs?”
“What?” Boz said in an injured tone. “I thought you said that way back. That you wouldn’t mind being the stair-go-to guy?”
“I really really don’t remember that,” Drew said. “What about Tim?” he said at Tim, who just arrived at their little confab.
“What about Tim?” Tim said.
“Nope,” Bosley said. “Tim put his hand up for the freshwater supply.”
Tim spluttered. Changed tack. “This is about stairs? I saw you pointing. Shouldn’t be too hard to install a ready-made since we already have the scramble stair. But …”
“With Ruff the only user?” Bosley interrupted.
They all looked at Ruff scrambling up the uneven bricks, plates and tiles rising to roof-level.
“I don’t know how he doesn’t fall,” Drew said.
“I think Nin helps him to not fall,” Tim said.
“I want to see that, that ‘shouldn’t-be-too-hard’,” Drew said.
“Fine,” Tim said. “I’ll do the ready-made, you do a …whatever. A thing with which we can with our best foot forward rise from a floor to the floor above.”
“May the fastest man win the go-to-stairs moniker,” Bosley said. “The other one can be the freshwater supply guy.”
Drew and Tim went away together to think through their options. “Because,” Drew said, “The water supply is at least as big, if not bigger, than a handful of stairs.”
“Well, keep it under your hat,” Tim said. “But I’m better at walls and roofs than either of the other two.”
Drew laughed. “Me? I’m better at numbers and figures.”
Tim laughed too. “So let’s stay friendly. We’ll work at night. Keep the rest in the dark. I help you, you help me. Nin Wiz will help us both. Let’s do a kind of scramble-stair up to the half-floor …”
“With a brown three-rung ladder to the bunk house?” Drew said. “That way we’ll save the yellow ladder for us mortals to get up to Nin Wiz’s abode.”
“Nice,” Tim said. “Let’s now go locate the components without remarking on them and then knock off for the day.” He chortled. “Should keep everybody guessing.”
“See you at midnight?” Drew said.
“Make that 3 AM, when everybody is in their deepest sleep, and I’ll see you here.”
They separated, prowled around and fixed the different components on their internal maps. Met at 3 AM. Worked. Installed the stairs with Nin’s help.
Drew’s stair to the half floor.
Tim, caught by daylight, and needing all kinds of help.
Bosley studied the ready-made stair on its pedestal with him. “Why?” he said.
“The windows?” Tim said. “Umm.”
“Why the pedestal?” Bosley said. “And how do we get up onto the bottom step?”
“Mmm, I don’t know yet,” Tim said. “I was thinking that we’d need stairs something like this to get to our cabin, which will probably end up being on the same level as bunkhouse and so …”
“Tim, relax,” Bosley said. “I fully expect Drew to solve that problem. He’s probably already puzzling on it. I need you to start thinking about the freshwater supply.”
“We’ll need to get the power on first,” Tim said.
Rita de Heer 