<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I don't know if I'd say "required" but it is he only way to make sense of what went on in the first four books. Well, as much sense as anything ever makes.<div><br></div><div>Lane</div><div><br><div><div>On May 13, 2008, at 1:48 PM, Chris Laybourn wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div class="hmmessage" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; ">So, apologies for the very newbie-esque question. I just finished Book of the New Sun. Found it very challenging but very rewarding by the end. Is "Urth of the New Sun" now required reading for me? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br> <br>Also - Is there a consensus on what Wolfe's best non-New Sun work is? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br>> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 11:38:33 -0700<br>> From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:danldo@gmail.com">danldo@gmail.com</a><br>> To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@lists.urth.net">urth@lists.urth.net</a><br>> Subject: Re: (urth) Steampunk books<br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>> Yes, very much so.<br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>> On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 11:23 AM, Chris Laybourn<br>> <<a href="mailto:laybournchris@hotmail.com">laybournchris@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>> ><br>> > So that disaster of a Will Smith film "Wild Wild West" had elements of<br>> > steampunk? Thanks<br>> ><br>> > > Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 14:17:24 -0400<br>> ><br>> > > From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:k.benton@gmail.com">k.benton@gmail.com</a><br>> > > To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@lists.urth.net">urth@lists.urth.net</a><br>> ><br>> > > Subject: Re: (urth) Steampunk books<br>> > ><br>> > > It's basically a sort of homage to Jules Verne, et al in my mind.<br>> > ><br>> > > Steampunk fiction tends to anachronisms featuring steam power,<br>> > > clockwork, and other Victorian-era technology (and frequently societal<br>> > > elements) providing the impetus for machines and devices that are<br>> > > firmly in the realm of science fiction (giant walking weapons<br>> > > platforms, for example, as in the anime Steamboy).<br>> > ><br>> > > That's my quick 2 cent synopsis, anyway ;)<br>> > ><br>> > > -k<br>> > ><br>> > > On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 2:02 PM, Chris Laybourn<br>> > > <<a href="mailto:laybournchris@hotmail.com">laybournchris@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>> > > ><br>> > > > Sorry, I'm a little new. Can someone fill me in on "steampunk?"<br>> > > ><br>> > > > > Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 13:30:24 -0400<br>> > > > > From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:k.benton@gmail.com">k.benton@gmail.com</a><br>> > > > > To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@lists.urth.net">urth@lists.urth.net</a><br>> > > > > CC:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > > > > Subject: Re: (urth) Steampunk books<br>> > > ><br>> > > ><br>> > > > ><br>> > > > > I'll second the rec. for MAINSPRING. I'm not a steampunk aficionado<br>> > > > > by any stretch, but I quite enjoyed Lake's style and unexpectedly<br>> > > > > twisting story. Quite cool.<br>> > > > ><br>> > > > > -k<br>> > > > ><br>> > > > ><br>> > > > ><br>> > > > > On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 2:37 AM, Nicholas Gevers<br>> > <<a href="mailto:vermoulian@yahoo.com">vermoulian@yahoo.com</a>><br>> > > > wrote:<br>> > > > > > In addition to the VanderMeer Steampunk reprint<br>> > > > > > anthology already mentioned in the current discussion,<br>> > > > > > I myself have an original steampunk anthology coming<br>> > > > > > out from Solaris in October: EXTRAORDINARY ENGINES.<br>> > > > > > All new stories from Kage Baker, Keith Brooke, Jeffrey<br>> > > > > > Ford, James Morrow, Ian R. MacLeod, Robert Reed, Jay<br>> > > > > > Lake, Adam Roberts, Marly Youmans, Jeff VanderMeer,<br>> > > > > > Margo Lanagan, and James Lovegrove.<br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > > For Wolfe fans, I'd recommend Jay Lake's steampunk<br>> > > > > > novel MAINSPRING--he's a big Wolfe admirer, and there<br>> > > > > > are certainly Wolfean echoes in the book.<br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > > Another steampunk epic worth reading is Brian<br>> > > > > > Stableford's Werewolves of London trilogy--lots of<br>> > > > > > metaphysics.<br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > > --Nick Gevers.<br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > > __________________________________________________________<br>> > > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail.<br>> > > > > > A Smarter Email<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html">http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html</a><br>> > > > > > _______________________________________________<br>> > > > > > Urth Mailing List<br>> > > > > > To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > > > > > Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br>> > > > > ><br>> > > > > _______________________________________________<br>> > > > > Urth Mailing List<br>> > > > > To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > > > > Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br>> > > ><br>> > > > ________________________________<br>> > > > Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. Start<br>> > > > sharing.<br>> > > > _______________________________________________<br>> > > > Urth Mailing List<br>> > > > To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > > > Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br>> > > ><br>> > > _______________________________________________<br>> > > Urth Mailing List<br>> > > To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > > Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br>> ><br>> > ________________________________<br>> > Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. Start<br>> > sharing.<br>> > _______________________________________________<br>> > Urth Mailing List<br>> > To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> > Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br>> ><br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>> --<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>> Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, writer, trainer, bon vivant<br>> -----<br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/sturgeonslawyer">http://www.livejournal.com/users/sturgeonslawyer</a><br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.danehyoakes.com">http://www.danehyoakes.com</a><br>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>> I once absend-mindedly ordered Three Mile Island dressing in a<br>> restaurant and, with great presence of mind, they brought Thousand<br>> Island Dressing and a bottle of chili sauce. -- T. Pratchett<br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Urth Mailing List<br>> To post, write<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>> Subscription/information:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.urth.net">http://www.urth.net</a><br><br><br><hr>With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you.</div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>