What are you currently reading?

[RonClinton]

I keep hearing praise for Beuhlman and, in particular, this book. Maybe I need to pull the trigger on it. Like another person posted on the forum (maybe RonClinton? sorry if I'm wrong on that), I was rather turned off by the decision of the author to alter one of his books for Midworld Press. I'm still hesitant to buy from Midworld for a couple reasons, but maybe I'll pull the trigger on a paperback.

You're likely remembering correctly...I wasn't wild about the author's decision to edit his previous work in the manner he did so as to 1). minimize the risk of triggering those who sensibilities are too fragile to read things in historical context, and 2). undermine the historical accuracy and attitudes of the era that he once chose to depict appropriately and honestly. That said, I did end up picking up the novel in its original trade-paperback, and generally enjoyed it -- so it is worth reading. I don't know if there was other sanitization of the text other than the deletion of the offensive term. I'll also say I hardly noticed (and certainly wasn't offended by) the very occasional use of the trigger word that either he and/or his publisher were worried about. The people who fret about editorial issues of that type are typically the ones worrying about the attitudinal minority that they themselves inhabit...the majority of us are able to reasonably put things into their proper context and place without the need of abridgement and trigger warnings. I know Beuhlman took responsibility for the editorial changes, but given the swift and rather pugnacious newsletter the publisher later sent out when simply queried by someone (not me, though Iwas passably wondering the same thing when I saw it) puzzled about the cover of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS since the character didn't match the text and, like me, the emailer apparently didn't even know there *was* a movie made of it, I do kind of wonder if other elements were in play, but who knows. I will just say that it was disappointing to see the guy (or gal) who emailed get raked over the coals in such public (but anonymous, IIRC) fashion, and his/her query labeled as something it clearly wasn't with a kneejerk quickness.

I will say THOSE ACROSS THE RIVER is worth reading in whatever edition one chooses to enjoy...I liked it better than THE SUICIDE MOTOR CLUB, which has an awesome cover on the HC 1st (though the newest tpb reprint has a distinct fantasy bent to it, apparently now marketing it to his fantasy fans), but just didn't quite have the sustained narrative to match it. I haven't read anything else by him...now that he seems to have largely gone the way of fantasy fiction, I probably won't, unfortunately, but it's great to see a deserving author achieve a new level of success.

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[sholloman81]

I keep hearing praise for Beuhlman and, in particular, this book.  Maybe I need to pull the trigger on it.  Like another person posted on the forum (maybe RonClinton? sorry if I'm wrong on that), I was rather turned off by the decision of the author to alter one of his books for Midworld Press.  I'm still hesitant to buy from Midworld for a couple reasons, but maybe I'll pull the trigger on a paperback.

I would highly recommend at least reading Between Two Fires as it's a special book IMO. I too was annoyed by the author's decision to edit his text on Those Across the River for Midworld and have chosen not to purchase that title from Midworld because of it; however, that didn't lessen my enjoyment for any of his other Midworld books whatsoever. Also, I can confirm that Midworld's Beuhlman books do not have any of the prior issues that some of Midworld's earlier titles encountered. 

[Sock Monkey]

It reminds me of THE ROCKFORD FILES

 

Never has one sentence sold me so quickly on a book...and I wasn't even a part of this conversation!  

[Sock Monkey]

Just finished reading Christopher Beuhlman's "Between Two Fires". This was my first read of 2024, and if it ends up being my best read, I would not be surprised. This book was a complete gamechanger for me, and I could not have loved it more. Everything about it was so freaking good! And boy did that ending wreck me. After reading this book, as well as The Blacktongue Theif, I might just be a Beuhlman fanboy.

I keep hearing praise for Beuhlman and, in particular, this book.  Maybe I need to pull the trigger on it.  Like another person posted on the forum (maybe RonClinton? sorry if I'm wrong on that), I was rather turned off by the decision of the author to alter one of his books for Midworld Press.  I'm still hesitant to buy from Midworld for a couple reasons, but maybe I'll pull the trigger on a paperback.

[RonClinton]

I grabbed this from the library today based on your quick description. Looking forward to starting it tonight.

Wonderful -- hope you enjoy it as much as I did!