tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post2285166572937167405..comments2023-06-13T00:56:08.694-07:00Comments on Dancing to Dirges: Epic SucceedTim Akershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749644135364065658noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-70427179551744132912008-07-14T08:20:00.000-07:002008-07-14T08:20:00.000-07:00Hmmm, I'm more of an "Algorithm" fan myself. I thi...Hmmm, I'm more of an "Algorithm" fan myself. I think it has something to do with me being more on the SF than the F side of the fence. Whilst I could appreciate the thematic arguments of "Toke", I had a harder time suspending disbelief.<BR/><BR/>I suspect the Readers' Poll is rather a small sample, with no doubt some influence of croneyism in the voting.<BR/><BR/>I was really surprised by the winner - it was no more than an also-ran for me. But that's obviously just one person's opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-32834034435433527752008-06-30T05:34:00.000-07:002008-06-30T05:34:00.000-07:00curse Noscript, the above comment was mine.curse Noscript, the above comment was mine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-72830857708670634242008-06-30T05:33:00.000-07:002008-06-30T05:33:00.000-07:00I liked Toke better than Algorithm. Why? Toke ha...I liked Toke better than Algorithm. Why? Toke had a more ... well visceral is a good word, but it's already been used. It was more human, in that nasty way that humans lie to themselves and are willing to step on other people to get what they want. Algorithm felt very ivory-tower-ish, like it was an elvish thing that humans couldn't fully understand. It had a very ethereal quality to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-51911692539176756052008-06-12T14:25:00.000-07:002008-06-12T14:25:00.000-07:00Yeah, repairs complete. New roof on garage and the...Yeah, repairs complete. New roof on garage and the addition, lawnmower is being fixed right now and the spring for my garage door opener is replaced. Hopefully everything else will hold together for a while.<BR/><BR/>I appreciate all the kind words, folks. I just expect a lot from myself.Tim Akershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01749644135364065658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-76658730047040745532008-06-12T14:19:00.000-07:002008-06-12T14:19:00.000-07:00If you're looking at commercial success, though, y...If you're looking at commercial success, though, you can just as easily make it with a "love it or hate it" book as a book which is broadly "liked." Because the negative votes don't count for much. Only the positives will buy your book, and if there are lots of them, that's good. The negatives can go [expletive deleted].<BR/><BR/>I just think there probably weren't enough votes to make the IZ rankings particularly significant. For example "all the stories got at least two positive votes." Two? And the top two stories got the same number of positive votes. That suggests the spread between winners and losers isn't that big here, in terms of actual numbers of people.<BR/><BR/>Just you keep on sharing that no fun, mister. Did you get those repairs you were going to do with your advance done yet?colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14244453791724435617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-47992878630433331002008-06-12T13:43:00.000-07:002008-06-12T13:43:00.000-07:00It's random in the specific, but telling in the ab...It's random in the specific, but telling in the abstract, I think. You're going to get specific examples of people who really like or really don't like a given story. It's only once you aggregate a bunch of those opinions that you're able to get a feel for what is popular and what isn't.<BR/><BR/>Take Heartstrung. Like the editorial said, on pure popular votes it's in the top five. But it doesn't even place because it got so many negative votes. A divisive story. I wouldn't call it a controversial story, personally, just one that you're going to love or hate. <BR/><BR/>Anyway. I really am feeling pretty good about all this. Just lying there last night, staring up at the ceiling, was no fun. And I like to share my no fun with you lugs.Tim Akershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01749644135364065658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-61783189900496335612008-06-12T12:27:00.000-07:002008-06-12T12:27:00.000-07:00Did you read the accompanying editorial? First com...Did you read the accompanying editorial? First commenter (Phillip Eagle) disses the number one story in the poll as "a threadbare tale of petty and unpleasant hipsters with a grafted on SF ending." Ouch. Anyway, it's (nearly) random.colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14244453791724435617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-75676381150439083422008-06-12T12:21:00.000-07:002008-06-12T12:21:00.000-07:00FWIW, I thought "The Algorithm" was the superior s...FWIW, I thought "The Algorithm" was the superior story, as well. And there were some stories missing in the top 20 that I would have put there. <BR/><BR/>But the IZ poll is not the be all and end all. And you've got a novel coming out.<BR/><BR/>Keep writing, keep getting better. I sure wish I had more time for writing.Jetse de Vrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09995292305473339386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16766354.post-19061006468721517492008-06-12T12:19:00.000-07:002008-06-12T12:19:00.000-07:00I'm not sure that Algorithm is the "best" story of...I'm not sure that <I>Algorithm</I> is the "best" story of the two. Perhaps it will sound new-agey of me, but they are good for different reasons. <I>Toke</I> is good for the visceral punch. It's a very aggressive story. <I>Algorithm</I> feels deeper, and I do like that, but it's more philosophical. It wants to draw you into a longer exploration of the world, whereas <I>Toke</I> is more self-contained.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, these things are far too random to pay much attention to. It's only slightly better than the "most listened" stats from last.fm for the WGB group.<BR/><BR/>(E.g. The art rankings. How did the 211 cover lose to the 213 and particularly the 209? I have no idea, but so it goes.)colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14244453791724435617noreply@blogger.com