Permutation City Blog

I have read the books and the differences between them and the film was certainly distracting. Nothing stood out for me here except for a list of characters and effects I'd seen before in other Ghibli films. While you may be able to enjoy the film (as Raj did) it certainly doesn't have the impact of some of their other work. I had hoped for an impressive retelling or reinterpretation of Ursula K. Le Guin's work but was definitely disappointed.

Recommendations on how to manage your company. It's an old book so there was talk of telephone operators and typing pools but I suspect most of it still applies.

The final instalment of Potter. I've always felt these books were like pop corn, easy to eat and not much substance. I finished it in a day or so. It did have some interesting twists in the end but they spend a bit too long in a tent in the middle.

A mathematical look at the design process. It's abstract enough to cover everything from acoustics through economics to athetics. Although it made sense it is very abstract and sometimes hard to follow.

Completing the trilogy started with Sabriel. It brought together characters from the first and second books but didn't have anything new. Not bad just not as good as the first two.

A selection of myths and legends from around the world. Some of these were interesting, the Hopi Indians for instance. It suffered for an over liberal retelling by the author. Should any retelling of George and the Dragon really use the phrase "stud-muffin"?

I had hoped this would tell me how to live off-grid. Actually it's more about someone going round talking to lots of people who do live off-grid. A frustrating lack of detail. The last couple of chapters actually have some substance but it was too late.

A very science based science fiction book. It's got a bunch of details about using lightsails. Some fairly different aliens but I think they could of work through the consequences of them further. (Actually I think there may have been a sequel that did.)

Finish to the trilogy of The Probability Broach. Here technology has become almost indistinguishable from magic. There could probably be a good discussion here about the ethics of interfering in other societies but... they don't really care.

Sequel to The Probability Broach. In this one I like the use of so called "smart suits". I think these are nanotechnology before they knew to call it that.