Recent Posts
So, Matthew Hughes is a contemporary writer? Who's in the know about him?
I've read a bit, at least as far as sf/fantasy goes
He's got a bit of a Vance thing going on - you can find a Matthew Hughes collection at webscriptions for one, with samples :-
SE-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : Bearing Up
SF-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : The Devil You Don't
SO-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Falberoth's Ruin - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Finding Sarjessian - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Fulbrim's Finding
SF-C-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : The Gist Hunter and Other Stories
SO-S-4.0 Hughes, Matthew : The Gist Hunter
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Go Tell the Phoenicians
SF-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : The Hat Thing
SU-S-4.0 Hughes, Matthew : Hell Of A Fix
SO-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Help Wonted
SO-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : The Helper and His Hero - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : A Herd Of Opportunity
SF-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : The Hero and His Helper 1
SO-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : The Hero and His Helper 2
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Hunchster
SO-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : Inner Huff
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : A Little Learning - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Mastermindless - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Passion Ploy - FREE
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Petri Patrousia
SF-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Relics Of the Thim - FREE
SH-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : Shadow Man
SO-S-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Sweet Trap
SF-N-3.5 Hughes, Matthew : Template
SF-S-3.0 Hughes, Matthew : ThwartingJabbi Gloond
I picked this book up at GenCon, and was then immediaely bedridden for a day, and took the opportunity to pore through this.
I really like his wordsmithing, in the direction of Jack Vance but not oppressive. The plot is fine; I, too, would have liked some indication of some of the elements in the last chapter, but sometimes life is like that. I enjoyed the characters, especially the dead one; the themes are well-developed.
And bobby_5150, after you read the story, the cover makes more sense.
For those of you who've read the book,
And here's my argument against it: it's not the tokens themselves that signify handedness. If you, say, trade a handcrafted item for somebody else's tokens, you don't automatically gain the renown as a gambler that they allegedly denote, and their original owner doesn't lose it, among the people who know him and his skills. It's also the case that 'handedness in gambling' doesn't seem to mesh well with the culture. "I'd like to prepare some food for you" or "I'd like to give you this handcrafted wood sculpture" merits entry into the economy, but those are goods or services done to someone else's benefit. Even dance benefits its viewers. I'm not sure how a good gambler uses his skills to anyone else's benefit. Offering expert advice to another gambler breaks the spirit of the tokens, since then the winner possesses tokens but gains neither the handedness for gambling, nor the reputation for such.
A refreshing story, especially after the slightly disappointing "Walrus and the Warwolf" which I did not think of as "Planet Stories" material.
Matthew Hugues has some Frank Herbert in him, he only needs a few pages to let the reader understand and picture his world. Sure, there is the cliché of "one society per planet" but once put aside, there is indeed a lot of very interesting sociological background.
The other nagging thing is that the story is a bit too short, with everything in place it could have lasted another fifty pages.
Has anyone picked on the "worlds based on particular sins" story and thought about "Rise of the Runelords" in space, or is it just me? :)
The cover is not that bad, it has a 1970s retro feeling about it... even if the actual novel is not that old of course.
Like Chris Mortika, I would have like to know a bit more about the various themes introduced later in the book: The Immersion, and for that matter the Archonate.
Has anyone picked on the "worlds based on particular sins" story and thought about "Rise of the Runelords" in space, or is it just me? :)The cover is not that bad, it has a 1970s retro feeling about it... even if the actual novel is not that old of course.
Thank you! I am just now getting to this one and had the same "Rise of the Runelords" feeling you mention.
I like the cover, even if it could use the Planet Stories log in addition to the art and etc....
For me, I'd like it if Paizo would publish more Hughes material.
Elf_NFB
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Tales Subscriber)
