Book Clubbing

Alexandru over at The Dacian has a cunning plan.  Every two weeks he will pick a short story worthy of discussion and give the stalwart Old Guard fans a chance to read and discuss across blogs.  In his own words, he hopes to:

foster an environment rich in community and discussion, a network of readers and writers that share that can discuss novels, short stories, movies, and art across multiple platforms.

In my words, this is a great chance to shift the conversation.  Breaking down the ineptitude of the ‘creatives’ (and even with air quotes I use that term lightly) who have grabbed the wheel of once beloved IPs has its uses.  Post-mortems on dead patients can tell a doctor how they died, but they cannot tell the survivors how to live.  For that, you have to find adventurous souls and seek to emulate their practices.  You have to find quality minds brimming with so many good ideas they leak out onto the page.  You have to surround yourself not with the shambling zombies, but with the sort of live, laugh, slay warriors of culture and master wordsmiths that inspire you.

And I can think of no better first choice for such a stone-cold and remorseless muse than Schuyler Hernstrom.  I‘ve already read and discussed The White Citybut that won’t stop me from joining a massive on-line water cooler discussion about this great work.

Particularly when great minds like Alexander Hellene are involved.  His Last Ancestor is a great read in its own right, but more than his fiction, I admire the man’s keen insights.  His review of the Russian film, The Island, opened up new insights to the film and really made me appreciate it all the more.  Particularly given his own Greek Orthodox views on the matter – more than any other OrthoBro, Alex has showed me in practical terms how close a bond a Romish fella like me can forge with his eastern rite cousins.

With my piece already stated, I now eagerly await the study and commentary of those who will join us on this journey of discovery.