The Mongoliad - Neal Stephenson et al - on offer

[Vertigo]

I've never read anything by Neal Stephenson, but I notice the Kindle edition of book 1 of the Mongoliad is on offer on Amazon at the moment (in the UK at least) at £1.99 (the paperback is £8.99). This is actually by Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo and four other authors. I'm pretty sure, though, that it is a novel not an anthology.

At that price I might conisder giving it a go. However I'm not sure exactly what genre it is. Does anyone know if it is historical or alternate history?

 

[Ursa major]

I can't answer your question, but according to Wiki:

The work is intended to be distributed primarily as a series of applications ("apps") for smartphones, which the Corporation views as a new model for publishing storytelling.

At the project's core is a narrative of adventure fiction following the exploits of a small group of fighters and mystics in medieval Europe around the time of the Mongol conquests. As well as speculative fiction authors Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Nicole Galland, Mark Teppo and others, collaborators include filmmakers, computer programmers, graphic artists, martial artists and combat choreographers, video game designers, and a professional editor. In a departure from conventional fiction, much of the content of The Mongoliad will be in forms other than text, not bound to any single medium and not in the service of the central narrative. Once the project develops momentum, the Corporation envisions fans of the work contributing, expanding and enriching the narrative and the fictional universe in which it takes place.

 

[Vertigo]

OK thanks for that Ursa I hadn't thought to go look on wiki. I usually just look on fantastic fiction. I'm afraid, though, that I might not be quite ready for that sort of thing. Despite working in IT since 1980 I'm really a bit of a luddite about some things. My mobile phone makes telephone calls and very very occasionally takes photos. It wouldn't know what to do with an app!

 

[Timba]

OK thanks for that Ursa I hadn't thought to go look on wiki. I usually just look on fantastic fiction. I'm afraid, though, that I might not be quite ready for that sort of thing. Despite working in IT since 1980 I'm really a bit of a luddite about some things. My mobile phone makes telephone calls and very very occasionally takes photos. It wouldn't know what to do with an app!

I spent some time reading this online as it developed at http://mongoliad.com/

I enjoyed what I read. I have an android tablet so I tried that but frankly it never seemed to work just right, not sure if that was my tablet or the app. Easy to read on-line though. I bought a membership for awhile and dropped in there now and then and like I say the story was pretty good. I sort of faded out on it, I am not sure why.

 

[Vertigo]

I suppose the question is does the book stand on it's own or would you really need to get into all the other stuff as well? £1.99 is still pretty cheap for a 450 page book.

 

[Timba]

I suppose the question is does the book stand on it's own or would you really need to get into all the other stuff as well? £1.99 is still pretty cheap for a 450 page book.

I think the book would stand on its own, in fact I think I will go ahead and get it. I found the extra stuff did not flow seamlessly and distracted from my reading.

 

[Timba]

I suppose the question is does the book stand on it's own or would you really need to get into all the other stuff as well? £1.99 is still pretty cheap for a 450 page book.

Curious, when I went out to get it at Amazon I realized I was not thinking straight and the price you quoted was in your currency. At US dollars it is 7.99 so I guess exchange rate is about $4.00 a pound which surprises me for some reason. Another effect of being in fly over country here and not really grasping international affairs very clearly as they seldom make the news here, ridiculous really.

Still surprise aside I think you will find it a fine read.

 

[Vertigo]

Don't think that would be the exchange rate! I suspect they just haven't got the same offer in the US, probably just an offer restricted to the UK Usually Amazon book prices are pretty close to being the same in sterling and dollars.

 

[Pyan]

At £1.99, I couldn't turn it down, especially as one of the authors is the splendidly-named Cooper Moo...

 

[Vertigo]

Yup, me neither, though I don't think it is my ususal fare.

 

[Timba]

Don't think that would be the exchange rate! I suspect they just haven't got the same offer in the US, probably just an offer restricted to the UK Usually Amazon book prices are pretty close to being the same in sterling and dollars.

Went out and looked at the exchange rate and you are certainly correct. Basically you are getting it for about half the price it is here and I think it is a good buy at my price. Let us know what you think of it.

 

[Vertigo]

I notice Stephenson saying it has been significantly rewritten from the serialised online version which is probably a good thing. Apart from anything else apparently the serialised version was written to have weekly cliff hangers which they felt would be a little too much in a book (quite rightly IMO).

One annoying thing is that there are maps and things in the online subscription site but not in the book (not the ebook anyway). I notice that the site has the ability to have coupons and I think anyone buying the book should have received such a coupon so they can at least access the maps.

 

[GOLLUM]

If you've never read anything by Stephenson before personally I would recommend his best known works like Snowcrash, The Diamond Age or the magnificent Baroque cycle or equally clever Cryptonomicon.

Regarding the maps etc.. Vertigo you are correct in your assessment. Neither the book or ebook equivalent has the maps the online project contained, a criticism that may in part have made me decide to not buy into this one despite the fact I have everything Neal has had published to date...also the fact its not just Neal but a bunch of other folk involved in this production, which is not to say the other contributors are not good writers, I'm just being a little ruthless on space right now on my library shelves and prefer a work generally by the one author.

 

[Vertigo]

Well I'm committed now Gollum, bought it already. I'm not actually reading it yet but did read the first few pages and seemed pretty comfortable with it so far.

 

[Vertigo]

Have now finished the Mongoliad: Book One. And it could have been so much better. Here's my comments from the May Reading thread:

Finished The Mongoliad: Book One by Neal Stephenson et al. Although it was a reasonably enjoyable whilst reading, I was actually quite disappointed.

Firstly the 'et al' in this case is four other authors (so five including NS) and, to be honest, it felt a bit like it was written by five authors. The writing varied from good gritty stuff, through moderately good but rather purple prose, to naive clumsy writing.

The book/series was originally serialised online and then re-jigged to publish in book form and to be frank that showed as well. Rather annoyingly buying the book gains you no access to the subscription website which includes maps and other background information not included in the book (the ebook edition at least).

On the plus side the series grew out of the authors' desire to understand Western Martial arts better (medieval sword, staff, mace etc.) by joining a Western Martial Arts study group. This came across well with very interesting fight scenes that were clearly well thought out without being overburdening.

However the final blow to my enjoyment was that it had no ending at all; nil, nada, nothing; it just stopped. There were I think 5 major POVs and everyone of the them was in the middle of doing something when the book simply stopped, in fact one of them had only been introduced relatively recently and had only just started to do something of interest. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing was resolved, finished, tied off. It felt more like the end of a chapter. I now feel like I've almost been blackmailed into buying the second book otherwise my time reading the first is completely wasted. Not sure if I will though.

As stated this is from 5 authors and I have heard good things about NS so, although this is my first Neal Stephenson, I won't give up on him, but I'm certainly not encouraged.

As stated I felt this book could have been so much better. It was well researched, takes place at a fascinating time in history, the characters are interesting (though ultimately are the fairly standard fare of characters for a fantasy quest story). Despite my grumbles about the writing it was readable and mostly enjoyably so, despite the odd slide into a distinctly naive YA feel. But really when I look back at it nothing much is actually accomplised in all the 400 odd pages.

 

[Timba]

That is disappointing to hear. I was considering buying it but perhaps I will hold off at least until a sequel is done, I do not care for a lack of ending. When I was reading it on line I sort of faded away from it and I suspect your comments about the different writing styles may have been why although I was not consciously aware of it at that time. I chalked it up to having to wait far too long for the next installment in some cases so thought having it in a finished book would resolve that issue but the idea of no real end does not appeal.

 

[Vertigo]

The sequel is already available but I suspect there are more to come.

Quite frankly, although I've not even looked at the second book, it seems to me that book 1 and 2 shoudl have been a single book even if it meant they had to be 1000 pages. I really can't stress enough just how mid action the ending is. I could almost tell you exactly how each thread ends without it even being a spoiler!

 

[Timba]

Yes, took a look at Amazon and I see the sequel is out. Sadly that would be $16.00 for 2 parts of a trilogy. perhaps I will wait until the third part is out, also I find myself wondering if my library will possibly pick this up. I think I will just keep it in the mulling stage at this point. If I decide to bite the bullet and become an Amazon prime member both books are free but that is still in the contemplative stage also.

 

[Vertigo]

Yes I think I would recommend a library option if that is available.

I hadn't heard of the Amazon Prime thing but it seems to be a little different in the UK. As far as I could tell in the UK it is only for free shipping, there is no mention of the video downloads or kindle borrowing.

 

[Timba]

Yes I think I would recommend a library option if that is available.

I hadn't heard of the Amazon Prime thing but it seems to be a little different in the UK. As far as I could tell in the UK it is only for free shipping, there is no mention of the video downloads or kindle borrowing.

Interesting, over here there is a book a month loan program and while I have not looked into it some sort of deal on videos and games I think. Since I do not have enough time to read as it is and my cable company already provides more movies than I am willing to watch I did not did into that but I see the free offer on books for prime members all the time. I really do have to look into the specifics I suppose if I am going to mull it with any sort of rational thought.