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  • #1

    Straczynski Unplugged

    I picked this puppy up a while back 2nd hand and when reorganising my shelves (i.w. last minute searching for something pre trip tomorrow) I came accross it and decided to read it.

    I've just finished the first story (Say hello to Mr Quigley) and wanted to get my thoughts on it down while they were still fresh.

    Firstly it reads like a twilight zone episode, could almost see the pictures in my head as I read it, the multi act structure was clear, also the endng was definitely not what I was expecting.

    JMS hits themes he has mentioned from his own childhood and in a short amount of pages still creates compelling main character, evoking emotion and empathy.

    I've hopefully avoided spoiling the book for anyone who hasn't read it but your thoughts would intrigue me and I'll continue to post as I work my way through the rest of the book
    "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "
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  • #2
    Originally posted by phazedout View Post
    Firstly it reads like a twilight zone episode, could almost see the pictures in my head as I read it, the multi act structure was clear, also the endng was definitely not what I was expecting.
    "Say 'Hello,' Mr. Quigley" was conceived as a Twilight Zone episode. It wasn't produced, so JMS adapted it to prose and it was published in--I think--an issue of Pulphouse.

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    • #3
      Pretty sure Jason's right about it being Pulphouse. IIRC, JMS mentions that the Quigley story scared everybody on TZ because of the incest/child molestation aspect.

      ETA: I think the main place where Quigley appeared was Midnight Graffiti.

      Jan
      Last edited by Jan; 06-21-2015, 02:53 PM.
      "As empathy spreads, civilization spreads. As empathy contracts, civilization contracts...as we're seeing now.

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      • #4
        OHad a mad busy weekend in Helsinki so although I read this one a couple of days ago, only getting ti write it up now. Episode (ahem) story "dream me a life". Definitely went in odd directions, I kept expecting it to go dark and horrific and it didn't.

        As to the feel so far, perhaps it was because JMS was just coming off babylon five or perhaps becuase his writing is primarily in a visual medium, or again, it is simply that good, it just felt like a tv episode. Not in a bad way you understand but I could clearly see pictures in my head, imagine the home and so on.

        I'll be reading the next one tonight before sleep "rendezvous in a dark place" perhaps this one might be more horror gendre?

        Phaze
        on the "sleep pattern screwed up by combo of odd weekend and it still being daylight at 00:00" ID
        "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "

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        • #5
          Last nigths tale was "A dark Rendezvous". Intriguing and an anthropomorphic personification of death more like that I've read in Pratchett, someone doing a job, not a rapacious ravening stealer of life but a kinder view, still implaccable though-.

          I'm tired so may not read a tale this evening, but will post again after I've read the next one.
          "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by phazedout View Post
            Last nigths tale was "A dark Rendezvous". Intriguing and an anthropomorphic personification of death more like that I've read in Pratchett, someone doing a job, not a rapacious ravening stealer of life but a kinder view, still implaccable though-.

            I'm tired so may not read a tale this evening, but will post again after I've read the next one.
            If you want to read an intersting take on Death similar to this, check out Piers Anthony's On a Pale Horse the first book in his incarnations of Immortality series.

            One of my favorites by Anthony.
            All generalizations are false, including this one.

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            • #7
              Oh I've read that and many other books by anthony, where do you think my online Identtiy (now old enough to drink alcohol in the U.S of A) came from.

              Last night's storyt "The Call" touched me. I suppose at some point in our lives we've always wanted to find someone, somebody who would listen and "get" us. I'm also fairly certain that this story has been ripped off by some anthology show, the outer limits, the traveller or twilight zone. I'm not sure which. I could almost see the image, the words burned like fire in my mind. I will read another tonight.
              Alan
              Last edited by phazedout; 06-27-2015, 01:03 PM.
              "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "

              Comment

              • #8
                Ripped off? "The Call" is from Twilight Zone! As are four or five others from that book. JMS turned them into short stories for his TZ book and apparently reprinted some of his faves in this one.

                Jan
                "As empathy spreads, civilization spreads. As empathy contracts, civilization contracts...as we're seeing now.

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                • #9
                  Well I presumed they had stolen it rather than vice versa, curse my almost perfect memory

                  Apologies for casting aspersions on the tv show in question
                  "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "

                  Comment

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