The Thousandfold Thought (NON-SPOILER THREAD)

[saintjon]

Nothing is more gratifying than backup from the mods. lol

 

[JonLaidlow]

Nothing is more gratifying than backup from the mods. lol

This is a new word, isn't it, deriving from trilogy. Has it made it into the OED yet?

Edit - not in the 1989 OED. I just wondered what word we used before duology? Delany called his unfinished duology that began with "Stars in my Pocket" a "diptych", and I've heard "duet" used before.

J

 

[Rob B]

Now we are being pedantic, aren't we? Seriously though, I've seen two book series referred to this for a while now. I know specifically Greg Keyes Chosen of the Changeling was and is referred to as a duology. Granted, that series is only about 8 years old, but still.

 

[JonLaidlow]

Now we are being pedantic, aren't we?

Sorry - didn't mean to sound pedantic. I wish I could remember what we used to call them.

Looking forward to Thousandfold Thought! (drags himself back on topic)...

J

 

[Scott Bakker]

I'm glad you liked the books, Mikey!

"Duology" has been around for a long time - since the seventies, I think.

Whats this? Is Aspect Emperor the title of a new series Scott? Can you tell us any more than that if it is?

I'm actually just putting the finishing touches on the proposal for TAE now, Leiali. In fact, the question of whether it should be a duology or a trilogy is killing me. I know it's bigger than ONE book, but for the life of me, I'm not sure by how much.

It picks up the story some 20 years after the end of TTT. And just for the record, it follows my original blocking of the story of the Second Apocalypse some twenty years back - when I assumed it would never see the light of day. (I'm a little touchy about that, ever since I had lunch with John Clute and Guy Kay and I was accused of 'milking the franchise'... I don't like milk, and for me, 'franchise' is a word only drunks use in the drive thru (as in, 'I want a booger and franchise.'))

Sorry for being offline for so long, btw. It was a combination of technical problems, holidays, psychological debility, and good ol' fashion laziness.

 

[Rob B]

ever since I had lunch with John Clute and Guy Kay and I was accused of 'milking the franchise'... I don't like milk, and for me, 'franchise' is a word only drunks use in the drive thru (as in, 'I want a booger and franchise.'))

Look at you name-dropping!

Seriously though, good to see you back here Scott. Day after tomorrow: GAME ON!

 

[painbird]

i can't wait to read TTT. just send me an ARC so i can get to it.

 

[Grr Hick]

Best books ever!

Hey Scott, your PoN series is amazing, i've never read anything by you besides book 1 and 2, but I must say your books have added something special to my life..I honestly think I could never read anything that would compare to the power of your books.They have been somehat of an affirmation of my unlimited potential in life.

Kellhus is what I think anyone who meditates and becomes aware of all life could be like.. it makes me think more and more how much more there is to life then what we see day to day..it makes me realize that the only thing holding me back from being anything and everything I want to be is me.

I feel like somehow your book has helped me move on down my path toward the true goal of my existence, which I feel is to spread the most powerful yet most simple tool, which is meditation... I feel that is my goal in life, i just don't know the exact path to take..

Anyways i'll stop blabbing I just get a little excited about things I can't wait to read Book 3..... it shall be amazing... you are a very gifted person to be able to create such complex and realistic novels.... I wish you the best and hope to hear a reply back from ya!

By the way, im just assuming you meditate??

 

[Leiali]

Kellhus is what I think anyone who meditates and becomes aware of all life could be like.. it makes me think more and more how much more there is to life then what we see day to day..it makes me realize that the only thing holding me back from being anything and everything I want to be is me.

Welcome Grr Hick, I have a question. Do you find Kellhus to be a role model? Do you admire his viewpoint (if you can fathom it!), or just the tools he uses?

 

[Scott Bakker]

I'm glad you enjoyed the books, Grr Hick. I've never meditated in my life. I've always been afraid that it would calm and clarify my mind. For me, a conflicted, complicated soul is a human soul, and I can't help but think that when we (ironically) wage war against that conflict (either through faith, drugs, denial, sentimentalism, meditation, etc.,), we're actually narrowing the bandwidth of human experience - the very thing that fiction celebrates.

 

[SiberianSamurai]

Hey Scott,

Great job on the PoN series. Highly enjoyed it and waiting with great anticipation for TTT.

Keep up the good work. Honestly, it is books such as yours that keep many of us reading and believing in fantasy as a viable artistic medium.


-SS

 

[Zee]

Just recently discovered the Prince of Nothing series after it was recommended to me by someone who read Game of Thrones. I remembered the title, then saw it in the Calgary airport on my way back to Toronto so I picked it up and got right into it on the plane.

Great start to the series, i'm only about 150 pages in but i'm really getting into the story right now.

Gee I'm late to all these series as I just started the George R R Martin series and now I've gotten into another series. I think I'll alternate books between them

 

[Scott Bakker]

Thank you, SS! Personally, I think it's THE medium, but then everybody thinks what they're doing is THE something or another.

Thany you too, Zee, though I must say I would feel far more comfortable if you alternated my books with someone OTHER than Martin!!

 

[Zee]

Thank you, SS! Personally, I think it's THE medium, but then everybody thinks what they're doing is THE something or another.

Thany you too, Zee, though I must say I would feel far more comfortable if you alternated my books with someone OTHER than Martin!!

WHAT? You don't like Martin?

My heart is crushed.

 

[Scott Bakker]

Exactly the opposite!

 

[Grr Hick]

Reply, Kellhus and Meditation

Hey, About Kellhus being a role model.. I do think he has some good properties of a new age kind of role model. But all the killing and thought controlling stuff... haha not really role model type qualities are they??, lol

And to Scott, I find your view very interesting.. But for me all meditation brings about is the ability to be more aware which in turn helps us learn more and get more out of lives situations. I feel it speeds up our spiritual evolution. And by learning more in a smaller time, and understanding things at such a faster pace it makes us happier and more connected with everything in life.

I feel meditation helps us see through the fog in front of our eyes and notice the things off in the distance that have always been there but have been just out of our reach. It helps us truly get the whole picture of life.

But anyways I'll stop pushing my product so to speak, haha

I'd love to hear what anyone elses experiences are with meditation????

 

[Zee]

Exactly the opposite!

OH I misunderstood -- it's just you being humble C'mon you're both human beings and both writers. While I enjoyed the first book of the Martin series, I find yours much more "intense" of a read if that's a good word. I frequently find myself stopping and thinking about something I've just read whereas in the Martin series it's more of a frollocking good yarn that I can breeze through.

With our baby due soon, I fear my reading time will be severly depleted very soon. Lord only knows when i'll be able to finish both series

 

[Scott Bakker]

Martin is a master storyteller, Zee. One of my big artistic goals is to be able to blend all the literary elements I incorporate into self-propelling storytelling like his.

You should start a meditation thread, Grr Hick. I'm certainly interested in hearing more. What I'm deeply skeptical of is the notion that experience possesses layers that can be measured by value-laden terms like 'purity' or 'profundity.' I think it's all a profound mess. I'm also deeply skeptical of the notion that it's the key to reaching higher orders of reality.

What we seem to be learning about it in cognitive science, for instance, is trending in the opposite direction.

 

[Grr Hick]

Meditation Forum Idea

Thanks for the suggestion Scott, all I can say for you my friend is that the only way to discover what meditation is would be to give it a try! Im certain you won't be disappointed.

Anyone can go into deep details about meditation and what it does or creates but it does nothing compared with actually experiencing for yourself what it gives you. No one can make another person understand what it does, what it is or what it means.

I myself am not to the point of knowing whether higher orders of reality can exist. But I do know i've experienced a kind of oneness, which was the most powerful and beautiful thing i've encountered in my life.

The only thing I really know for myself is that meditation brings me to a higher level of awareness, which in turn lets me get more out of my experiences in life. It lets me see things I wouldn't see otherwise.

One other thing I might add is that everyone meditates whether they realize it or not. They meditate on varying degrees, people when reading or doing other relaxing, peaceful things for them get into deep slow brainwave patterns, which are associated with states of meditation. But concentrated meditation in which you conciously try and clear your mind bring you a lot deeper.

Please anyone else with any input check out my meditation forum and throw out some ideas, experiences or anything else related to meditation. Thanks Scott it's great to hear what such an amazing writer thinks and I wish you the best on completing TTT!!! can't wait to read it!!

 

[Rob B]

Guess what arrived in my mailbox yesterday?