NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm in the middle of reading Flight of the Mayflower, by Mark Carew.

My freiend came accross the book at a bookstore in Australia, and just loaned it to me.

It's a SF/thriller. It's not meant to be funny, but it is quite funny because of how bad it is.

The first point of notice is the editing. There are the Randomly Capitalised Words. He also abuses punctuation. The writing is stilted. And the spacing is just plain odd.

It's chock full of scientific and technical errors. He has a "Titan b" missile ("designed in the mid 80's) launched from a submarine. His scientist refer to "Einstiens's Law of cause and effect". The mission to Alpha Centauri (planned at the "NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory" - I wonder if Caltech knows?) is named the "Intergalactic Space Flight Hypothesis". The list goes on and on.

But the errors give the book a great deal of charm. It's rather like certain animals that are so ugly they achieve a certain cuteness in many peoples minds.

But the best part is that it's self published, and edited by the authors wife. If it had been published by a mass paperback publisher, the charm would have almost certainly been edited out, and this would have been a D- pot boiler of a novel. As it, I'm actually quite enjoying it.

Why, that sounds even better than the Doom novels.

EDIT - Oooh, it's at a really major chain bookstore, should be easy to find. Heh, and he's doing a book signing tour. Mwahahaha.

Perhaps the book is an homage to L. Ron Hubbard.

Perhaps the book is an homage to L. Ron Hubbard.

More likely Kilgore Trout. ;)

Oh, and another fun comment: He didn't have quotes from reviews, but "readers comments". It's quite a coincidence that the exact same list of names appears in the acknowledgements.

The best on is from a K. Carew, who says that it's only the second SF novel she's ever read. The book is edited by his wife Kimberly. Coincidence?

Perhaps the book is an homage to L. Ron Hubbard.

Hahahahaha. Perhaps we can form a religion from this one. :D

hmm...an homage? or a homage? Which is gramatically right? They both sound clumsy. (i'm not picking, that's a serious question.) WWMCD?

Hahahahaha. Perhaps we can form a religion from this one. :D

Excellent idea.

hmm...an homage? or a homage? Which is gramatically right? They both sound clumsy. (i'm not picking, that's a serious question.)

It depends on the pronunciation. if you pronounce it [ho-mij], use a, but if you pronounce it [o-mij], use an. Both pronunciations are acceptable.
(Ask an English teacher, get an answer. :))

WWMCD?

Along that train of thought, just imagine how much cooler the Bible would be if Jesus had self-published.

It depends on the pronunciation. if you pronounce it [ho-mij], use a, but if you pronounce it [o-mij], use an. Both pronunciations are acceptable.
(Ask an English teacher, get an answer. :))

Hmm, in writing as well?

Along that train of thought, just imagine how much cooler the Bible would be if Jesus had self-published.

Hmmmm. It'd also be a fair bit smaller, without all of those other interpretations and follow-on bits. You could have a mini-bible instead, for those of only casual faith. :p

Hmm, in writing as well?

Yes, either would be correct in both spoken and written English. Here're the rules. (Take note of "hour".)

You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u)

Pronunciation changes this rule.

If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we say it, for example, "university" then we use a. If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it, for example "hour" then we use an.

We say "university" with a "y" sound at the beginning as though it were spelt "youniversity".
So, "a university" IS correct.

We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our".
So, "an hour" IS correct.

http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/articlestext.htm

And a link for the pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=homage. (Just so you know I'm not blowing smoke.)


Hmmmm. It'd also be a fair bit smaller, without all of those other interpretations and follow-on bits. You could have a mini-bible instead, for those of only casual faith. :p

And I bet he'd be down with that.

The book sounds so cheesy that it is actually a fromage to L Ron Hubbard.

Yes, either would be correct in both spoken and written English. Here're the rules. (Take note of "hour".)

Gah, of course..."hour" and "university" didn't even spring to mind. Thanks - i'd never consciously paid attention to that before. I've been trying to brush up on French lately, so that's probably what did it. :)

The book sounds so cheesy that it is actually a fromage to L Ron Hubbard.

:D Very good!

Gah, of course..."hour" and "university" didn't even spring to mind. Thanks - i'd never consciously paid attention to that before. I've been trying to brush up on French lately, so that's probably what did it.

No worries. Most people don't remember the rules consciously. (And that brings up a whole other can of worms regarding how language works.)

How does it compare to the Eye of Argon (http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/SF-Archives/Misc/eyeargon.html) by Jim Thesis?

The book sounds so cheesy that it is actually a fromage to L Ron Hubbard.

This is a comment too good to go unrewarded. :D

No worries. Most people don't remember the rules consciously. (And that brings up a whole other can of worms regarding how language works.)

Heh, true, that's a topic for another thread. For now, let us enjoy the fromage... :p

I have a book that bad.

The Argos Incident (http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-0353-6)

I can be forgiven by the fact that I did not pick it out. My dad and sister did, and while I could stand to read the first two or three pages, the rest was too difficult. Spelling, punctuation and grammer errors were quite literally in every sentence. :(

How does it compare to the Eye of Argon (http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/SF-Archives/Misc/eyeargon.html) by Jim Thesis?


...that story/ book/ thing is awesome. Only because of how screwed up it is. :D

I'm in the middle of reading Flight of the Mayflower, by Mark Carew.

My freiend came accross the book at a bookstore in Australia, and just loaned it to me.

It's a SF/thriller. It's not meant to be funny, but it is quite funny because of how bad it is.

The first point of notice is the editing. There are the Randomly Capitalised Words. He also abuses punctuation. The writing is stilted. And the spacing is just plain odd.

It's chock full of scientific and technical errors. He has a "Titan b" missile ("designed in the mid 80's) launched from a submarine. His scientist refer to "Einstiens's Law of cause and effect". The mission to Alpha Centauri (planned at the "NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory" - I wonder if Caltech knows?) is named the "Intergalactic Space Flight Hypothesis". The list goes on and on.

But the errors give the book a great deal of charm. It's rather like certain animals that are so ugly they achieve a certain cuteness in many peoples minds.

But the best part is that it's self published, and edited by the authors wife. If it had been published by a mass paperback publisher, the charm would have almost certainly been edited out, and this would have been a D- pot boiler of a novel. As it, I'm actually quite enjoying it.


Dude that sounds awesome, where did he get it?

How does it compare to the Eye of Argon (http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/SF-Archives/Misc/eyeargon.html) by Jim Thesis?

Oh, goodness. I'd forgotten that story existed. I do remember being very amused by the wench's "firm protruding busts," though. :p

...that story/ book/ thing is awesome. Only because of how screwed up it is. :D

Well it I think it is testment to something or another that is has its own wiki page.

I have a book that bad.

The Argos Incident (http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-0353-6)

I can be forgiven by the fact that I did not pick it out. My dad and sister did, and while I could stand to read the first two or three pages, the rest was too difficult. Spelling, punctuation and grammer errors were quite literally in every sentence. :(

That's the glory of this one - it's spelled correctly (asside from random capitalisation) and the grammar is fine. The punctuation abuse isn't bad, but it's noticable. It's things like periods in the middle acronyms. For example he has a Navy S.E.A.L. Team, instead of a navy SEAL team.

And it's got a decent, if rather hackneyed, plot - the world goes to hell, so a bunch of renagades head off to another world.

As I said above, if a decent editor cleaned it up, it'd be a D- pot boiler. But it's quirky editing gives it that certain...

It depends on the pronunciation. if you pronounce it [ho-mij], use a, but if you pronounce it [o-mij], use an. Both pronunciations are acceptable.
(Ask an English teacher, get an answer. :))

I'd say "un hommage" myself, but thats because i am pretentious :)

I'm in the middle of reading Flight of the Mayflower, by Mark Carew.

My freiend came accross the book at a bookstore in Australia, and just loaned it to me.

It's a SF/thriller. It's not meant to be funny, but it is quite funny because of how bad it is.

The first point of notice is the editing. There are the Randomly Capitalised Words. He also abuses punctuation. The writing is stilted. And the spacing is just plain odd.

It's chock full of scientific and technical errors. He has a "Titan b" missile ("designed in the mid 80's) launched from a submarine. His scientist refer to "Einstiens's Law of cause and effect". The mission to Alpha Centauri (planned at the "NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory" - I wonder if Caltech knows?) is named the "Intergalactic Space Flight Hypothesis". The list goes on and on.

But the errors give the book a great deal of charm. It's rather like certain animals that are so ugly they achieve a certain cuteness in many peoples minds.

But the best part is that it's self published, and edited by the authors wife. If it had been published by a mass paperback publisher, the charm would have almost certainly been edited out, and this would have been a D- pot boiler of a novel. As it, I'm actually quite enjoying it.

I love finding books like that, my cousin and i have an ongoing game who could find the most awful fantasy novel. I think i won when i discovered "Chronicles of the Runelords" by David Farland, which are pretty damn bad.

And yet oddly successful.

Oh, sweet Asimov, it gets better!

The leading NASA scientist briefs the press on the success of a cryogenics experement (a chimpanze):

"...and their lates trials have proven they have the ability to freeze a living primate and revive it to a fully functional state."

"Don't you mean a monkey?" (asks another scientist)

"Yes, Dr. Hammond, I do (mean a monkey)...

But the best bit of all is when the leading NASA scientist briefs the president's cabinet on possible dangers. The possible dangers include "...giant reptiles, or flesh eating planetoids..."

Flesh Eating PLANETOIDS living on another planet. WOW!!!!! :eek: HAHAHAHA!!!! That's beyond bad.

Well sure a book can be so bad that it's good. Why do you think anyone watches bad monster/alien invasion movies.

Plan 9 From Outer Space, anyone?

Dude that sounds awesome, where did he get it?

hahahaha. You read the OP?

My freiend came accross the book at a bookstore in Australia...

;)

("Angus & Robertson", if you happen to be in Aus.)

Well sure a book can be so bad that it's good. Why do you think anyone watches bad monster/alien invasion movies.

Plan 9 From Outer Space, anyone?

BINGO! (And yes, I love that movie. Pie-pan and sparkler UFOs! Sweet!!!)

hahahaha. You read the OP?



;)

("Angus & Robertson", if you happen to be in Aus.)

Hang on, have I got a brain disease, or does it not actually say anything more specific than "A bookstore in Aus"?

But thanks anyway, I'll look it up.

At least this is somewhat good. I found a book once--that was turned into a movie and promptly MST'd on MST3K--called The Strange Creatures That Stopped Living And Became Zombies That Fed Upon The Living. Yes, that WAS the title. It was, shall we say...probably the origin of all zombie stories, but it sucked ass.

Okay, this is slightly OT but, speaking of books so bad they're good:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0595094724/qid=1142747425/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-9619608-5004022?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

It's very poorly translating Japanese: "How to Good-Bye Depression: If You Constrict Anus 100 Times Every Day. Malarkey? or Effective Way?" The thirty seconds it takes to read the editorial review is well worth it.

Hang on, have I got a brain disease, or does it not actually say anything more specific than "A bookstore in Aus"?

But thanks anyway, I'll look it up.

Sorry, I shouldn't have realised you were asking for the name of the store.