http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:32:38 +0000 MyBB http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8726 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:24:47 +0000 Drunk Monk]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8726
This has been recommended to me by many for so many reasons. I picked it up for my vacay reading, got hooked, and finished it in one day. Kuang is a fine writer, a compelling storyteller but parallel to Greg’s reviews, she doesn’t stick landings. This is a story of a hack writer who witnessed her literary star friend choke and die, then steals a manuscript she was working in to build her own success story. It’s labels lee as comedy horror, but it’s neither. It’s more of a thriller.

What complicates the plagiarism is the dead star is Asian and the plagiarist is white. The race cards are brilliantly played, many translucent autobiographical moments. It’s also a great leak into the world of publishing. Both are topics I’m intimately familiar with - when she mentions the struggles on knee publishers, trolls, SDCC & Barcon, I couldn’t help but smirk. Sharp observations and witty takes on AAPI book publishing.

It was a great ride until the conclusion, which was lacking. Such a let down but at least it was at the very end. It had me thinking of alternate better endings. 

Not D00M recommended, except maybe for Greg, in case he wants to get Kuanged once more (masochist that he is, he seems to like it, and that’s ok - we still accept him here because it boosts our schadenfreude).]]>
This has been recommended to me by many for so many reasons. I picked it up for my vacay reading, got hooked, and finished it in one day. Kuang is a fine writer, a compelling storyteller but parallel to Greg’s reviews, she doesn’t stick landings. This is a story of a hack writer who witnessed her literary star friend choke and die, then steals a manuscript she was working in to build her own success story. It’s labels lee as comedy horror, but it’s neither. It’s more of a thriller.

What complicates the plagiarism is the dead star is Asian and the plagiarist is white. The race cards are brilliantly played, many translucent autobiographical moments. It’s also a great leak into the world of publishing. Both are topics I’m intimately familiar with - when she mentions the struggles on knee publishers, trolls, SDCC & Barcon, I couldn’t help but smirk. Sharp observations and witty takes on AAPI book publishing.

It was a great ride until the conclusion, which was lacking. Such a let down but at least it was at the very end. It had me thinking of alternate better endings. 

Not D00M recommended, except maybe for Greg, in case he wants to get Kuanged once more (masochist that he is, he seems to like it, and that’s ok - we still accept him here because it boosts our schadenfreude).]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8723 Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:42:30 +0000 Greg]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8723 January

Walking with Ghosts by Gabriel Byrne Jan 2, 2026 Rating B
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite Jan 3, 2026 (Book 1 of a series) Rating B
Spying on the South by Peter Horwitz Jan 4 , 2026 Rating B
King Sorrow by Joe Hill Jan 10, 2026 Rating A
The Shattering Peace by Joe Scalzi Jan 14, 2026 (Book 7 in a series) Rating B
Saltcrop by Yumi Kitasei Rating B
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Book 1 of a series) Rating A

February
Wicked Problems by Max Gladstone Feb 1, 2026 (Book 2 in a series) Rating A
Dead Hand Rule by Max Gladsone Feb 5, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B+
Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman Feb 7, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B+
Black Tide by Peter Temple Feb 13, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow Feb 15, 2026 Rating A
Future Boy by Michael J. Fox Feb 16, 2026 Rating B
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman (Book 4 of a series) Rating B

March
The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman March 1, 2026(Book 5 of a series) Rating B
There is no Antimemetics Division by Qntm March 3, 2026 Rating B
The Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman March 12, 2026(Book 6 of a series) Rating B
Twelve Months by Jim Butcher March 14, 2026 (Book 20 of a series) Rating B+
Pretenders to the Throne of Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky March 20, 2026 (Book 4 of a series) Rating A
This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman March 31, 20226 (Book 7 of a series) Rating B

April
Vagabond by Tim Curry April 3, 2026 Rating B-
Clown Town by Mick Herron April 9, 2026 (Book 8 of a series) Rating B
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist April 14, 2026 (Book 1 of a series) Rating B
You can never die by Harry Bliss April 18, 2026 Rating B
The Hard Line by Mark Greaney April 22, 2026 (Book 12 of a series) Rating B+
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky April 29, 2026 Rating B+

May
Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist May 4, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B
Master of Furies by Raymond E. Feist May 10, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
The Incandescent by Emily Tisch May 16, 2026 Rating B+
Out Law by Jim Butcher May 17, 2026 (Set in Dresden Files World) Rating B+
The Keeper by Tana French May 24, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman May 31, 2026 Rating B+

June

A Parade of Horrible by Matt Dinniman June 7, 2026 (Book 8 of a series) Rating B]]> January

Walking with Ghosts by Gabriel Byrne Jan 2, 2026 Rating B
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite Jan 3, 2026 (Book 1 of a series) Rating B
Spying on the South by Peter Horwitz Jan 4 , 2026 Rating B
King Sorrow by Joe Hill Jan 10, 2026 Rating A
The Shattering Peace by Joe Scalzi Jan 14, 2026 (Book 7 in a series) Rating B
Saltcrop by Yumi Kitasei Rating B
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Book 1 of a series) Rating A

February
Wicked Problems by Max Gladstone Feb 1, 2026 (Book 2 in a series) Rating A
Dead Hand Rule by Max Gladsone Feb 5, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B+
Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman Feb 7, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B+
Black Tide by Peter Temple Feb 13, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow Feb 15, 2026 Rating A
Future Boy by Michael J. Fox Feb 16, 2026 Rating B
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman (Book 4 of a series) Rating B

March
The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman March 1, 2026(Book 5 of a series) Rating B
There is no Antimemetics Division by Qntm March 3, 2026 Rating B
The Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman March 12, 2026(Book 6 of a series) Rating B
Twelve Months by Jim Butcher March 14, 2026 (Book 20 of a series) Rating B+
Pretenders to the Throne of Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky March 20, 2026 (Book 4 of a series) Rating A
This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman March 31, 20226 (Book 7 of a series) Rating B

April
Vagabond by Tim Curry April 3, 2026 Rating B-
Clown Town by Mick Herron April 9, 2026 (Book 8 of a series) Rating B
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist April 14, 2026 (Book 1 of a series) Rating B
You can never die by Harry Bliss April 18, 2026 Rating B
The Hard Line by Mark Greaney April 22, 2026 (Book 12 of a series) Rating B+
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky April 29, 2026 Rating B+

May
Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist May 4, 2026 (Book 2 of a series) Rating B
Master of Furies by Raymond E. Feist May 10, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
The Incandescent by Emily Tisch May 16, 2026 Rating B+
Out Law by Jim Butcher May 17, 2026 (Set in Dresden Files World) Rating B+
The Keeper by Tana French May 24, 2026 (Book 3 of a series) Rating B
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman May 31, 2026 Rating B+

June

A Parade of Horrible by Matt Dinniman June 7, 2026 (Book 8 of a series) Rating B]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8719 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 05:41:58 +0000 The Queen]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8719 http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8625 Sun, 19 Oct 2025 03:17:53 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8625 There was a bunch amusing trivia, such as:

• He made a demo to try to get a record deal (with help from Andy Partridge, who refused to be paid). He didn't get a deal, but Mutt Lange heard it and liked the synth sound, so he hired him to play on Foreigner 4. With the money he made, he was able to get the gear to make his first album.
  
• He was in a Band with Trevor Horne in 1979, then was in Lene Lovich's band and he wrote "New Toy" for her.
  
• He produced and played on an album for George Clinton, and was in the band at a James Brown tribute show at the Apollo.
  
• He did the soundtracks for "Howard the Duck" and Ken Russell's "Gothic."
  
• Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia appear on his fourth album, but Jerry was (as he kindly put it) "out of it" and played poorly. But the tape was running while Jerry noodled, so Dolby cut up bits of that and spliced together a part from them.
  

The first half is recommended, and was one of the better musician's memoirs I've read. Although as is often the case, debauchery and drugs go pretty much unmentioned. The second half I don't recommend, although might interest TG since he's been in tech so long.]]> There was a bunch amusing trivia, such as:

• He made a demo to try to get a record deal (with help from Andy Partridge, who refused to be paid). He didn't get a deal, but Mutt Lange heard it and liked the synth sound, so he hired him to play on Foreigner 4. With the money he made, he was able to get the gear to make his first album.
  
• He was in a Band with Trevor Horne in 1979, then was in Lene Lovich's band and he wrote "New Toy" for her.
  
• He produced and played on an album for George Clinton, and was in the band at a James Brown tribute show at the Apollo.
  
• He did the soundtracks for "Howard the Duck" and Ken Russell's "Gothic."
  
• Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia appear on his fourth album, but Jerry was (as he kindly put it) "out of it" and played poorly. But the tape was running while Jerry noodled, so Dolby cut up bits of that and spliced together a part from them.
  

The first half is recommended, and was one of the better musician's memoirs I've read. Although as is often the case, debauchery and drugs go pretty much unmentioned. The second half I don't recommend, although might interest TG since he's been in tech so long.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8621 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 22:47:02 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8621 It was a bit leisurely, but picked up speed towards the end. Characters were pretty well drawn I thought. The writing was good. Possibly the mystery aspect would be weak to Greg, although he might enjoy the Irish setting. (The author is from Mayo.) The Yeti might enjoy the magical realist bits.]]> It was a bit leisurely, but picked up speed towards the end. Characters were pretty well drawn I thought. The writing was good. Possibly the mystery aspect would be weak to Greg, although he might enjoy the Irish setting. (The author is from Mayo.) The Yeti might enjoy the magical realist bits.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8551 Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:26:56 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8551 There is some amusing trivia though:

• OMD started out performing with a reel to reel tape machine for some parts of the songs; when they added another musician and technology got better, they did a farewell concert for it, and the machine is now in a museum (I think in Manchester).
  
• Thomas Dolby played on Whodini's first album
  
• Afrika Bambaataa loved Kraftwerk (apparently they were also popular among the originators of Detroit techno) and Planet Rock uses part of Trans-Europe Express, not sampled, but played by a musician in the studio
  
• Neal Tennant was a music journalist before he was in the Pet Shop Boys, and they took the name because they had friends who worked in a pet shop.
  

Not recommended. Instead I'd recommend Simon Reynolds' Rip It Up and Start Again, which is about post-punk and covers some of the same ground but is more enjoyable.]]> There is some amusing trivia though:

• OMD started out performing with a reel to reel tape machine for some parts of the songs; when they added another musician and technology got better, they did a farewell concert for it, and the machine is now in a museum (I think in Manchester).
  
• Thomas Dolby played on Whodini's first album
  
• Afrika Bambaataa loved Kraftwerk (apparently they were also popular among the originators of Detroit techno) and Planet Rock uses part of Trans-Europe Express, not sampled, but played by a musician in the studio
  
• Neal Tennant was a music journalist before he was in the Pet Shop Boys, and they took the name because they had friends who worked in a pet shop.
  

Not recommended. Instead I'd recommend Simon Reynolds' Rip It Up and Start Again, which is about post-punk and covers some of the same ground but is more enjoyable.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8500 Tue, 15 Jul 2025 22:46:51 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8500
Recommended if you want some detailed info on the subject.

TG - I'll pass this one on to you.]]>
Recommended if you want some detailed info on the subject.

TG - I'll pass this one on to you.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8442 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 02:32:12 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8442 The Galway Series by Ken Bruen

Synge went to the Aran islands c. 1900 and the book is entries from his journal. Because of that, it's in short sections with no linear narrative, jumping between topics. It was an interesting read, full of details of the islanders' way of life, and he includes some stories and songs they told him. Plus there were a few nice illustrations by Jack Yeats (brother of the poet). 

Probably of no interest to any of you except perhaps Greg.]]> The Galway Series by Ken Bruen

Synge went to the Aran islands c. 1900 and the book is entries from his journal. Because of that, it's in short sections with no linear narrative, jumping between topics. It was an interesting read, full of details of the islanders' way of life, and he includes some stories and songs they told him. Plus there were a few nice illustrations by Jack Yeats (brother of the poet). 

Probably of no interest to any of you except perhaps Greg.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8419 Sun, 25 May 2025 19:14:08 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8419
Probably not DOOM recommended unless you have an interest in animal intelligence experiments, but it was a quick and entertaining read.]]>
Probably not DOOM recommended unless you have an interest in animal intelligence experiments, but it was a quick and entertaining read.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8371 Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:43:42 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8371 http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8364 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:09:30 +0000 Drunk Monk]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8364 http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8357 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 04:33:52 +0000 thatguy]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8357
It's a well written, easy read. As a skilled songcrafter, she dropped in little bits, like some Seattle area serial murderer, that she pulls in later to connect the whole narrative together. It's not too heavy handed, but I noticed it. She's of a similar age, so her world growing up resonates a bit. 

Her story is pretty rough, and the first half of the book is dedicated to her childhood, mostly in the Pacific Northwest. Eventually she talks a little about music, but those early mentions are mostly asides...like she played drums in this band or that, like the path to getting the drums and learning them, and meeting other people to play with was skipped over...but then the tone of the book switches over to her solo career, being on the road, living in different places. She talks about how she got into playing tenor guitars (a 4-string guitar, just like a 6-string minus the 2 heaviest gauge strings). 

She talks a bit about feminism, but it's not overly. She talks about horses...overly, but it's ok. 

I wanted more about the music and that path. For example, the inner sleeve bio thoughts that she's one of the founding members of The New Pornographers (a name I know, but I'm not familiar with their music). TNP gets about 1 or 2 paragraphs later in the book... but it's her memoir and music is just a piece...

I enjoyed it and read it in a few days...

Recommended if you like music bios and/or Neko Case.

--tg]]>
It's a well written, easy read. As a skilled songcrafter, she dropped in little bits, like some Seattle area serial murderer, that she pulls in later to connect the whole narrative together. It's not too heavy handed, but I noticed it. She's of a similar age, so her world growing up resonates a bit. 

Her story is pretty rough, and the first half of the book is dedicated to her childhood, mostly in the Pacific Northwest. Eventually she talks a little about music, but those early mentions are mostly asides...like she played drums in this band or that, like the path to getting the drums and learning them, and meeting other people to play with was skipped over...but then the tone of the book switches over to her solo career, being on the road, living in different places. She talks about how she got into playing tenor guitars (a 4-string guitar, just like a 6-string minus the 2 heaviest gauge strings). 

She talks a bit about feminism, but it's not overly. She talks about horses...overly, but it's ok. 

I wanted more about the music and that path. For example, the inner sleeve bio thoughts that she's one of the founding members of The New Pornographers (a name I know, but I'm not familiar with their music). TNP gets about 1 or 2 paragraphs later in the book... but it's her memoir and music is just a piece...

I enjoyed it and read it in a few days...

Recommended if you like music bios and/or Neko Case.

--tg]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8346 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:33:55 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8346
Because of this focus, Marley is barely touched on. He admits that Jamaicans hailed him as the international face of reggae, but his music didn't figure in the world of the sound systems after his early days, and so, from this angle, was not a major stylistic influence. Marley was very influential on making rasta a lyrical focus, and hugely raising the visibility and popularity of dreadlocks, but not so much musically.

I think the big complaint would be that it's just too long, over 500 pages, and in many places, particularly early on, there was a lot of discussion of artists I was not familiar with. Therefore I'd recommend skimming and digging in when it gets interesting. The chapter on dub is excellent.]]>
Because of this focus, Marley is barely touched on. He admits that Jamaicans hailed him as the international face of reggae, but his music didn't figure in the world of the sound systems after his early days, and so, from this angle, was not a major stylistic influence. Marley was very influential on making rasta a lyrical focus, and hugely raising the visibility and popularity of dreadlocks, but not so much musically.

I think the big complaint would be that it's just too long, over 500 pages, and in many places, particularly early on, there was a lot of discussion of artists I was not familiar with. Therefore I'd recommend skimming and digging in when it gets interesting. The chapter on dub is excellent.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8307 Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:06:56 +0000 King Bob]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8307
TG - I remember you telling me that Peter Buck had only been playing the guitar for three years when they got together. It turns out that was a lie he told because the Athens bands took an anti-commercial stance and were often deliberately amateurish. He had actually been playing for over ten years.

Recommended if you're into the band, but it's a bit long at over 400 pages.]]>
TG - I remember you telling me that Peter Buck had only been playing the guitar for three years when they got together. It turns out that was a lie he told because the Athens bands took an anti-commercial stance and were often deliberately amateurish. He had actually been playing for over ten years.

Recommended if you're into the band, but it's a bit long at over 400 pages.]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8279 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 22:46:24 +0000 Drunk Monk]]> http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8279
Hunter allegedly reworked this over the years and never meant to publish it, but his estate had other ideas. And despite the money grab, I’m glad for it. It’s a charming portrait of Jer, full of mischief and constantly practicing, constantly exploring music, and constantly being dismissed as someone who won’t amount to anything. Hunter’s tale of when they formed a duet for a while, then Jer broke it up because Hunter wasn’t a serious musician is one of those road not travelled moments. 

Honestly it’s a lot of teenage navel gazing from someone who would become a powerhouse of a poet, something that would be dismissible if not for the charming portrait of Jer. It made me smile a lot, reminding me what it was like at the start of a long, strange trip.]]>
Hunter allegedly reworked this over the years and never meant to publish it, but his estate had other ideas. And despite the money grab, I’m glad for it. It’s a charming portrait of Jer, full of mischief and constantly practicing, constantly exploring music, and constantly being dismissed as someone who won’t amount to anything. Hunter’s tale of when they formed a duet for a while, then Jer broke it up because Hunter wasn’t a serious musician is one of those road not travelled moments. 

Honestly it’s a lot of teenage navel gazing from someone who would become a powerhouse of a poet, something that would be dismissible if not for the charming portrait of Jer. It made me smile a lot, reminding me what it was like at the start of a long, strange trip.]]>