Fics and space

[auroracloud]

I don't seem to get around to actually writing posts these days. Well, let me post just a few random important things.

Finishing Torchwood S2 was certainly bad for my overall productivity. I mean, now there's so much more fanfic I can read. And do you have any idea how much fanfic there is in that fandom, including well-written and thought-out stuff, with interesting plots and delicious smut, and how much of it's is bloody epic in length? I could spend the rest of the year doing nothing but reading fics. I'm trying not to.

Well, I am still succeeding at reading Things That Are Actual Books, still, and one of the books I'm currently reading is Chris Hadfield's An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth. In the case you don't know, he's a Canadian astronaut who has, oh, been Commander of the International Space Station and recorded a version of David Bowie's Space Oddity in space, and so forth, and the book is his memoirs of how to become an astronaut and how to be one and what we all can learn from it and how awesome space is and stuff. I'm having a grand time reading it.

I possibly had other things to write, but I can't recall them. Well, let me record that I had a good writing day today.

Comments

[enkanowen.livejournal.com]

not counting all the audioplays and really well-written books there are, too! I have a stack of them. So. good.

I read the Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth a while ago, and was really excited because I watched a bunch of those spacewalks on NASAtv. It's super interesting though I found that it could have used some more editing with the pacing. He really tends to jump around a bit.

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

not counting all the audioplays and really well-written books there are, too! I have a stack of them. So. good.

Any particular recommendations? I'd love to try those, too, but hardly know where to start.

It's a pity I wasn't following space news that much during the time Hadfield was up there at the ISS, so I missed that when it was happening! But plenty of things to watch now. :-) Yeah, he does jump around quite a bit, but I don't mind too much. I cut a bit of slack for people who aren't professional writers (in the sense of producing a lot of writing all the time etc.) and who are telling interesting things about their own fascinating field.

[enkanowen.livejournal.com]

Lost Souls which happens after Exit Wounds is great and takes place at CERN (it was part of the celebrations when CERN turned on the Hadron Collider for the first time). For books I liked Pack Animals and Bay of the Dead but they're all pretty good from the ones I have read.

Yeah, it's not so much his issue as it would be his editor's issue, but it was still an interesting read. Though I did read it right after reading The Martian which probably didn't help because the flow in that book is perfection.

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Torchwood and CERN? I'm in!

Thanks for the book recs! And ooh, I should also check out The Martian, finally.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Chris Hadfield's book sounds interesting. I've seen a couple of videos from him on io9.

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

The book is definitely worth a read! I need to watch more of the videos, too!

[trobadora]

Yay for Torchwood s2!

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

I still need to do my "thoughts and reactions to everything Torchwood S2" post because I really want to, but there are just so many thoughts and I haven't been very energetic at getting posts written lately, so I've not got around to it yet. Maybe soon... But yes, it was awesome.

[trobadora]

I'm looking forward to it!

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm also looking forward to getting around to writing it!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I did not know Hadfield had a book. Must go find it. THanks

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

Always happy to share book recs! Hope you find it, I really enjoy it!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Same here re: books.

I'll check out the local library (also might make a nice father's day gift for dad)

[tinny]

Just rewatched his Is Someone Singing with the BNL. Still makes me tear up. Nobody else was impressed. (Heathens! ;D)

I didn't know he'd written a book. I'd read it.

Torchwood fanfic is ... a lot. If you find any good ones, feel free to rec!

[auroracloud.livejournal.com]

He mentioned that in the book, and it seemed to be one of the things he's proudest of. He's really big on making science and space stuff accessible and attractive to the general public, and I love that. I ran across the book when I got impressed by his videos and looked up information on him, and then I found out our local library has it, so I had to put myself on the waiting list. I much recommend the book, it was a really enjoyable to read.

I've found quite a lot of good fanfics, but it varies who likes what. Some of it is too fluffy, some so dark I can't stomach it - the right balance and the right characterizations are hard to find. I've been mostly sailing from rec lists to others, and when I find something I like, I see what else they've written and what they've liked. I should start putting together a recs list of my own, partly so I don't lose sight of everything I've enjoyed!