All posts by brianS

Miscellaneous

Pint-Sized Reviews: Grand Imperial Porter

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If there's one thing that Labor Day weekend doesn't get enough of, it must be beer. So I thought I would do my part.

Grand Imperial Porter from Browar Amber, Bielkowko, Poland, 8 pct ABV, is a tasty Baltic porter. I would say that this is one of my favorite styles, but, really. Aren't they all?

Baltic porters are lagers, not ales, like your typical english porter. Like the better known India Pale Ale style, this was a style designed for shipping: high in alcohol, with strong flavors to mask brewing flaws and/or the stresses of long transportation chains with uncertain handling. Baltic porters characteristically have a bit of sweetness, some bitterness from dark-roasted malts, and perhaps a hint of licorice, but often with a soft mouthfeel. So, not the overwhelming punch of a Russian Imperial Stout or an American Imperial IPA. Basically, a cross or blend between the high-alcohol, high-impact Russian Imperial Stout style and the softer, happier english porter style. Outstanding domestic examples include Victory Baltic Thunder and the Alaskan Baltic Porter or, so I'm told (since I haven't yet had one), Surly's Smoke.

This one fits right smack in the middle of my experiences with the style: soft mouth-feel (reminiscent of one of my favorite english beers, St. Peter's Old-Style Porter), big but not overwhelming flavor. Lightly carbonated. Some chocolate and coffee, some licorice, but not too much. It is a wee bit on the sweet side, but only a wee bit. I had no trouble finishing the 16.9 oz bottle because it was so smooth. Like a comfy recliner. A beer to take you to a happy place.

The Nation Has An Appetite

Big Night

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As anticipated events go, they don't come much bigger. I'd been building up to this dinner for three years, reminding my wife over and over (and over) again that all I wanted for my 50th birthday was dinner at Thomas Keller's renowned French Laundry in Yountville. There were some stumbles getting the reservation, but we finally got our Golden Tickets.
Continue reading Big Night →

First Monday Book Day

First Monday Book Day: One baad Mother

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I have never been a major consumer of Poul Anderson's prodigious output, but I remember with great fondness one novel of his that I read in my youth -- the masterful Tau Zero. In retrospect, that book was so great that I really can't explain why I haven't read everything he ever published.

Add to that the fact that Anderson grew up on a farm in Minnesota and earned a B.A. in physics from the U, and again, I'm surprised I haven't explored more of his oeuvre. So when I happened upon this volume on the discount rack at my local used book store, I figured I could afford 50 cents for a hardback.

Mother of Kings is much more an historical novel than a fantasy work, although the dust jacket had some blurb trying to compare it to Marion Zimmer Bradley's magnificent feminist take on the Arthurian legends in The Mists of Avalon. It centers on the life of Gunnhild, the historical "mother of kings" as wife to Eric Bloodaxe, king of Norway in the mid-10th century.

The book plays off the Icelandic Sagas of the 13th century. The first couple of hundred pages (or, how far I've gotten so far) are thick with faux-period speech and turns of phrase, and there's lots of hewing and hacking and wenching to be found. The thickness of the patois has abated somewhat as I've gotten deeper into the book, but it is a bit annoying. And with all of the familial references (soandsosson) and obscure-to-me titles (hersir, jarl, etc.), the bear grease got a little thick. But, like I said, it seems to be lightening up as I get deeper into the book.

Gunnhild is a conniving beeyatch from a tender age, determined to use whatever skills at her disposal to rise in the world (and succeeding). Some of the characters hint at being sympathetic ones, but those hints don't seem to last too long.

If you have a hankering for some Norse historical novelization, this might be up your alley. So far it has held my attention. What are you reading?

The Nation Has An Appetite

I’m in a pickle

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The Great Pickle Experiment has reached an important milestone, as I've transferred both jars now to the fridge. Success! These pickles are delicious, and stupid easy to make.

The recipe is due to Cathy Barrow at the New York Times and is simplicity itself. In its essence: soak cukes in cold water for half an hour. Stuff them into clean quart jars. Add some spices. Cover with cooled brine and let sit for at least three days at room temperature. Enjoy!
Continue reading I’m in a pickle →

Parentgood

Father Knows Best: Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

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So, it happened. I turned 50 earlier this week. Half a century. For most of human history, 50 was at or above the average lifespan. (of course, the key word there is average, as the life expectancy at adulthood has changed relatively little in the past few centuries; whatever, ignore that like you would ignore Bluto talking about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor; forget it, I'm rolling). So this is a milestone. A time to reflect. A time to look ahead.

Continue reading Father Knows Best: Oh! The Places You’ll Go! →

First Monday Book Day

First Monday Book Day: Paranoia Strikes Deep

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Mother Nature has a deathgrip on the Far West this week, with a forecast high of 112 deg. F. for my neck of the woods today, after 109 on sunday, 104 saturday, and 101 friday. The high school jazz camp closed out Friday evening with a gig at the local pizzeria, playing in an outdoor courtyard. Amazingly, only one kid got sick. The crowd plowed through about 20 gallons of ice water, along with lots of beer and 'za.

This miserable weather did not stop me from my appointed task, however. I know how much this post means to all of you...

So, yea, I finished a book this month. Actually, I finished two books: Last month's selection as well as this one's. Both just so happened to have been co-written by Larry Niven. I guess I'm on a kick.

This month's pick is one of the prequels to Niven's 1970 classic, Ringworld. Juggler of Worlds was the second of a sequence of prequels. Luckily, it did not matter. This book stands on its own as an entertaining, well-crafted and complete story, particularly if you have not read a number of Niven's prior Known Space works with which this one overlaps/intersects (for a decidedly less positive interpretation, see this capsule Kirkus review). I think we've pretty well established that I am easily entertained.

Anyway, I found the adventures of paranoid-schizophrenic genius superspy Sigmund Ausfaller to be quite entertaining. Earth, for not-well-explained reasons, suffers from what its world government regards as severe overcrowding and some fascistic governmental interference in individual liberties, despite possession of FTL technologies that enable interstellar colonization. Interspecies politics and machinations are the focal point of this volume, but it is not nearly so deadly dull as that might seem.

What are you reading?

First Monday Book Day

First Monday Book Day: Beowolf in the skies

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Hey, what what! I'm back with a book post, and on time for a change.

This month's selection was a page-turner from those icons of hard-core, oft-times military-glorifying sci fi, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, along with that odd duck of sci fi, an African American male, Stephen Barnes, a frequent Niven collaborator, also well-published in his own right. Published in 1987, The Legacy of Heorot is very much and very self-consciously a retelling and retooling of Beowulf, set on a far-away world where a small cadre of human colonists are trying desperately to establish a foothold. (indeed, Heorot is the name of King Hroðgar's mead-hall and palace).

Like I said, a page-turner. The pacing is taut with tension, both sexual tension between the Beowulf-protagonist and another character, and dramatic tension as the story's perspective shifts between protagonist and alien antagonist(s). As is typical with Niven/Pournelle stories, the science is pretty solid and used to good, dramatic effect. The action is frenetic and compelling, but well-interspersed with dialog, descriptive exposition, and character development. This book would make a tremendous foundation for a summer blockbuster horror flick. I wonder why no one has tried to film it yet?

What are you reading?

First Monday Book Day

First Monday Book Day: No Foolin’, It’s a Whole New Ballgame

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Yea, yea, it's April Fool's, which means that most of you (or at least the two of you who even thought about it) were assuming that my threat to deliver a First Monday post today was just another joak. Ha. Joke's on you. I actually did read a book this month.

In fact, I read it in about two days: the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time prequel, New Spring.

Jordan, who had the poor manners to die before completing his opus, somehow managed to squeeze in the time to knock out this short novel, which was published in 2005. It was a light, enjoyable read.

The book focuses fairly heavily on the relationship between Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche, with a secondary story attempting to develop Lan's character a bit as the plot leads up to the point at which Moiraine takes Lan as her Warder. If you are addicted to the Wheel stories, you've probably already read this one. If you are not and never plan to be, this one is forgettable. If you enjoy the Wheel stories and are twiddling your thumbs waiting for the next book to arrive, you might enjoy this one.

Overall, the writing style is pretty easy. As I said, I blew through this one in a couple of days. My main problems with the book are its implausibility (within Jordan's universe, obviously). Moraine and Siuan are presented in this volume as young Accepteds, in their early 20s or perhaps very late teens, at the time of the Dragon's rebirth. This means that within far less than 20 years, Siuan has to rise to the Amyrlin Seat not via a civil war within the Aes Sedai. That. Would. Not. Happen. Siuan is presented in the series later as a mature, powerful, imposing personality, all of which possibly could come to pass in that time frame, but it just isn't long enough to be credible.

For her part, Moiraine comes across as incredibly naive, petulant and, well, arrogant. Nothing like the character she becomes.

Jordan introduces the Black Ajah in this book, but in ways that I found pretty unsatisfying. And the book wraps up entirely too conveniently and quickly (hard to believe for a Jordan novel). As one reviewer put it, "The term padding comes to mind soon and often as New Spring blooms. Perhaps it should have been left a short story, and perhaps only Wheel of Time junkies will genuinely enjoy it." I think that comes pretty close to the truth. The book fills in some background material, tells a mildly interesting set of stories, and is over with pretty quickly. Not Jordan's best effort, but I didn't feel too cheated by my purchase at a used book store.

What are you reading?