March 2010 – From the Editor

Welcome to the March issue of the Musings of the Othar.  This month’s Feature Article will be taking a look at Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother.

Doctorow was recommended to me by a colleague when I asked for a recommendation on science fiction or fantasy authors that they had enjoyed recently.  I was also looking for something relatively new, and I simply selected Doctorow at random from the list of authors provided.  Little Brother was chosen at random as well since I had not read anything previously by Doctorow.  In hindsight, Little Brother was perhaps more political than I would have liked, and while I don’t agree with much of Doctorow’s assessment of post 9/11 current affairs, I enjoyed the book nonetheless.  This did leave me wondering, however, if the author would have extended the same to a work that did not adhere to the rigid political perspective espoused in Little Brother – more on this subject in the Feature Article.

The Fayersae Histories continue this month, as the story shifts to Bran, who finds himself completely immersed in the affairs of House Triumon, just as Findian has been in the most recent installments.  The goal now will be to balance the quickening pace of the coming battle with the introspection of learning more about Brancynn and Blonhaft’s parents.  I’m still struggling with keeping the characters in this series limited while providing enough depth to allow the broader story to unfold.  I’m aware that I am making references to external parties whose names get dropped with little background or follow-up, and again, I ask for a little indulgence here as I attempt to keep this storyline focused on a limited cast.  If it helps, the read can find a family tree on the Heart of Hauden web site under the Art & Maps section.

Speaking of Heart of Hauden, downloads for most eBook formats are now available from various locations.  Visit the Heart of Hauden home page for links. Progress on the Harmony of the Othar Saga can also be found in this month’s update.

I also finally broke down and purchased an eBook reader a few weeks ago.  I kept it simple and picked up a Sony Pocket Reader, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision.  The most interesting thing I’ve discovered was how it changed my reading habits.  I had never been one to read multiple books at once, simply doing what I suspect most people do by keeping just one on hand and only moving to the next one on the list when the current one was completed.  With an eReader, however, everything changed.  I have not only found it convenient to read multiple titles at the same time, but I found it very enjoyable as well.  Book-marking a half-dozen titles and then flipping between them as my mood dictates has enhanced rather than confused my reading experience.

Yours Truly

P.A. Seasholtz, Editor