Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: busy
  • Music: Carbon Leaf, "Under the Wire."

POCKET APOCALYPSE open thread!

To celebrate the release of Pocket Apocalypse, here. Have an open thread to discuss the book. Judging by the comments I'm seeing, some of you have had time, and I'd really, really rather book discussion (sometimes including spoilers) didn't crop up on other posts.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

Seriously. If anyone comments here at all, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. So please don't read and then yell at me because you encountered spoilers. You were warned. (I will not reply to every comment; I call partial comment amnesty. But I may well join some of the discussion, or answer questions or whatnot.) I will be DELETING all comments containing spoilers which have been left on other posts. No one gets to spoil people here without a label.

You can also start a discussion at my website forums, with less need to be concerned that I will see everything you say! In case you wanted, you know, discussion free of authorial influence, since I always wind up getting involved in these things.

Have fun, and try not to bleed on the carpet.
Tags: discussion post, incryptid, pocket apocalypse
  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 69 comments
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →

helbling

March 4 2015, 21:09:36 UTC 2 years ago

Given I've been scouring UK booksellers both online and in person for it without any luck, I'm presuming it's not out yet on this side of the Atlantic; do you know when its release date will be for us? A quick perusal of your website doesn't show up anything obvious.

seanan_mcguire

March 4 2015, 21:43:49 UTC 2 years ago

Honestly, I don't know. The best approach to UK dates, if they're not listed on my website, is to contact Corsair directly (the info is on their website), because they may have some idea.

helbling

2 years ago

  • New comment

Buying in the UK

listicath

2 years ago

  • New comment

baimellon

2 years ago

  • New comment

lazzchan

March 4 2015, 21:13:17 UTC 2 years ago

So this book...

I'll get my tears straight out of the way, because I /did/ cry. My roommate walked by while I was crying, big quivering lip and tear filled eyes and walked away, chanting "No," at me, as if she could guess why. I knew it had to happen eventually, but oh, my heart broke. D:

Now-- on the the fabulous and the utterly terrifying. /Horse/ werewolves. Sheep werewolves. I admit, I laughed a little at the sheep, but you managed to make that terrifying. I liked Shelby's family-- they were hilarious and I love the shoutout to Pokemon and Doctor Who. *grins* The yowie just basically made my /day/, with how blunt he was.

Good to know that funnelweb spiders are a worse evil than bunyips and drop bears; it gives me a whole new level of 'lol, nope' and an urge to stay far away from Australia, but your description of the more mundane aspects of the area made me a little more open to the idea of visiting. :) I can see how the cryptids would like it.

I like how the Thirty Six society isn't like the Prices in the way that they are "let's help, but shoot if necessary" with the local cryptid population. They're... odd and insular in a way and very much how I can see an island community of monster... conservationists acting.

(I can't wait for the rest of the family to meet Shelby by the way!)

Again, the mice-- this isn't the heartbreaking bit, but the "I love that there is a Ritual for Boo Boos" sort of hilarity, and then that ever so useful skill that they not only remember words, but smells and everything else. I think the Aeselin mice could do a whole lot more than the family thinks they can do.

All in all, it was in parts terrifying and amazing and hilarious, the deadpan humor interspersed with "oh, hell, this isn't going to end well" and "yeah, that wasn't nice at all."

Thank you, Seanan! I loved this and I am already eagerly awaiting the next book a year from now. *laughs*

wendyzski

March 5 2015, 16:21:11 UTC 2 years ago

The Aeslin mice are a lot like this series in general - on the surface they appear silly and whimsical but then you realize they are much deeper than that.

museclio

2 years ago

  • New comment

phoenix_singing

2 years ago

  • New comment

jenk

2 years ago

  • New comment

mythusmage

2 years ago

  • New comment

groblek

March 4 2015, 21:41:59 UTC 2 years ago

This one seriously impacted my productivity yesterday. :) Well done again. The poor mice, and the poor Price family. I think you've done an excellent job showing just what a responsibility it is to be someone's God.

I love your characters, as usual, and am very glad that Alex and Shelby are going to be a long-term couple (or as long a term as anyone gets in the business, anyway). It was great to meet her family, and see their best and worst bits. Also, I love the way you keep giving us plots where we (and the characters) think we know how something works, then showing how wrong we are. The twist on how everyone assumed lycanthropy works was great.

We're looking forward to the 13th! Sarah, Josh, and I will all be there, and we're finally managing to bring our Guildmistress along, now that we've got her hooked on your books. :)

acelightning

March 5 2015, 01:09:57 UTC 2 years ago

Amazon has just informed me that my copy has been shipped, and ought to arrive on Saturday. The spoilers so far are making me nervous.

artofcheatery

March 5 2015, 01:38:49 UTC 2 years ago

When he only brought six mice, I was like, "How does he get away with only six? Verity brought two dozen to New York?" then I realized it was intended to be a short trip.

Then plot happened and I was just sitting here going "See, you should always bring more mice."

beccastareyes

March 5 2015, 02:19:44 UTC 2 years ago

That and Verity might have drove. I can imagine both Alex and Verity's daughter colonies could be transported in the backseat of a car, but it's harder to fit them in a carry on bag.

(Actually, now I'm impressed Alex got them AND his weapons AND the medical supplies in two carry on bags and what he could haul concealed on his person and might have had room for at least one spare set of clothing.)

jenfullmoon

2 years ago

  • New comment

beccastareyes

2 years ago

  • New comment

elentiriel

2 years ago

  • New comment

darkladynyara

2 years ago

  • New comment

marooux13

March 5 2015, 03:58:07 UTC 2 years ago

With each new book or story I love more the Aeslin Mice. They make me cry and laugh so easily. Their long memories have always fascinated me, but now in this book it has blow me away. And the way they singsong when telling the stories is even better.

I was not pleased with what happened, but I know that it had to happen any moment. How Alex reacted, that was expected and was pleased with it. (More blood would have been accepted)

Another thing that keeps fascinating me is the training that the Price's kids had. Wow.

I wonder how Shelby's parents would react when meeting all of Alex's extended family.

The book was great and I will miss Alex as narrator, but I cannot wait for the next book.

notalwaysweak

March 5 2015, 10:37:10 UTC 2 years ago

Possibly unsurprisingly, this book has solidified my desire to get Tara's mice dingbats as a tattoo somewhere.

ironed_orchid

March 5 2015, 11:42:02 UTC 2 years ago

The scene with the horse/werewolves is one of the best bits of horror writing I've read in years.

catsittingstill

March 5 2015, 13:23:52 UTC 2 years ago

Do the Aeslin mice have names? If so, I'm wondering what the names of the volunteers were...

jenfullmoon

March 6 2015, 21:03:49 UTC 2 years ago

Was "Sitter of Babies" (from the Healy days) the name of a mouse?

catsittingstill

2 years ago

  • New comment

jenfullmoon

2 years ago

  • New comment

evaleastaristev

2 years ago

  • New comment

jenfullmoon

2 years ago

  • New comment

catsittingstill

2 years ago

  • New comment

catsittingstill

2 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

1 year ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

1 year ago

  • New comment

dimestore_romeo

March 5 2015, 14:44:43 UTC 2 years ago

I pre-ordered it and it has now been dispatched! I am very excited, and I am hopeful that it will arrive tomorrow so that I can take it on holiday to the Lake District with me and enjoy it while also enjoying being in the beautiful Cumbrian fells and eating lots of cake. :)

museclio

March 5 2015, 18:39:13 UTC 2 years ago

Seriously impaired productivity today.

peneli

March 6 2015, 01:46:04 UTC 2 years ago

Downloaded book to Nook app around 4 this afternoon, just finished it. Luckily we got like a foot of snow on top of an inch of sleet today so I don't have to go to work tomorrow.

I also really want to know the mice's names.

Also the line about murder paradise made me laugh out loud.

Good book. :)

phoenix_singing

March 6 2015, 02:09:08 UTC 2 years ago Edited:  March 6 2015, 02:17:04 UTC

"Such cheese! Such cake!" is my new favorite cheer.

When I got to That Part I just stared at the page like...oh no no no. And I had to read it twice. I couldn't even process it D:

And the prologue, with the horse werewolf? Scariest shit I've read in years. My inner narrator was like, "In a world where anything mammalian can be turned into a werewolf, NOPE" And I cannot imagine the stress of having to wait a month to find out if you're going to turn or not omg.

I very much look forward to Shelby meeting the family. :)

Basically, this book was wonderful and Alex and Shelby are wonderful and I'll miss them but am super excited for the next entries in the series. I love these books.

I just had my husband, who hasn't read the series, read the prologue. His reaction: "Is that a horse werewolf?" shortly followed by "GOOD GOD." I'll be honest here: I cackled.

jenfullmoon

March 6 2015, 21:04:47 UTC 2 years ago

My inner narrator was like, "In a world where anything mammalian can be turned into a werewolf, NOPE"

This book is fun to read after having read Newsflesh.

phoenix_singing

2 years ago

  • New comment

mythusmage

2 years ago

  • New comment

beccastareyes

2 years ago

  • New comment

jenfullmoon

2 years ago

  • New comment

phoenix_singing

2 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

1 year ago

  • New comment

anna_en_route

March 6 2015, 07:12:02 UTC 2 years ago

I loved this book, thank you.

Best door to door religious visit ever!

Wadjet just keep getting cooler!

Loved it

Gwen Vass Nicodemus

March 6 2015, 19:21:25 UTC 2 years ago

Thanks for entertaining me.

My son has to wait until the audio CD arrives because it was half the cost of the audible version, but he's loved everything else you've written. (Well, he hasn't read the short stories because there's not an audio and he's dyslexic, but I love your short stories too.)

jenfullmoon

March 6 2015, 21:06:32 UTC 2 years ago

I enjoyed the hell out of this. It was fun to debate the ethics of dealing with lycanthropy and whether or not someone could be saved from it and whether or not they automatically go evil. Very intriguing. Always love it when a book gives me something to think about.

Poor mouse.

Two things I'm wondering about:
(a) Where did the idea of Aeslin mice come from? And the name?
(b) "Thirty-Six Society"-- where did that name come from? 36 what?

darkladynyara

March 7 2015, 06:53:41 UTC 2 years ago

The Thirty-Sixers are named after the year 1936- when the last known thylacine died.

mythusmage

2 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

1 year ago

  • New comment

evaleastaristev

March 6 2015, 22:49:55 UTC 2 years ago

"Hello, have you heard the good word of Wadjet, Protector of Egypt and great snake of the Milky Way?"

I just about DIED of laughter.

I love the ever expanding universe of strange and wonderful Cryptids, both sapient and not.

I still tear up at the thought of that poor mouse, and am impressed with Alex's restraint at not just shooting the asshole who killed it.

Oh, and werewolf sheep need to NEVER be a thing. EVER. That opens up a whole world of NOPE that I thought would only ever live in the "zombie mammals" of the Newsflesh universe. YOU HAVE SERIOUSLY DAMAGED MY CALM!

Deleted comment

lazzchan

2 years ago

  • New comment

Deleted comment

offcntr

March 7 2015, 22:23:22 UTC 2 years ago

Wolf in sheep's clothing?

Deleted comment

mythusmage

2 years ago

  • New comment

lazzchan

2 years ago

  • New comment

rymenhild

March 7 2015, 02:55:49 UTC 2 years ago

I was first visualizing Yowie as Oscar the Grouch.

Then he turned out to be seven (or so??) feet tall, four hundred pounds, and more Sweetums than Oscar. I like him. I do hope we see him again.

Deleted comment

Bought but not yet read....

hvideo

March 8 2015, 08:37:33 UTC 2 years ago

Just wanted you to know that I bought a copy of PA from my local brick-and-mortar bookstore on the 7th. Doing what I can to give you the best boost. (Tearing my hair out a bit because I have to put off reading it until after ConSonance, but that's life....) Not reading comments here until I can finish the book, as I want to approach it fresh.

Leopard spotted 'Roo...

KDarring

March 9 2015, 04:47:35 UTC 2 years ago

The leopard spotted kangaroo that had wandered into the yard was never expounded upon.... ? Was it simply introduced as a "Red Herring"? Seemed a bit awkward....

RE: Leopard spotted 'Roo...

seanan_mcguire

March 9 2015, 15:38:32 UTC 2 years ago

No, it wasn't a "red herring"; there was never any implication that the kangaroo was connected to the werewolf virus. It was a "we don't know everything, and Alex is completely out of his depth here" moment. I'm sorry you found it awkward, but the thread wasn't dropped; that was exactly as much screen time as the kangaroo required.

herefox

March 10 2015, 20:07:16 UTC 2 years ago

As always loved the book...i noticed, just like the second Verity book, things got very, very real for Alex...although I suppose he was lucky not to be crawling through rafters naked.

I liked Gabby so I was glad she managed not to spend the rest of her life howling at the moon instead of singing opera.

Loved the more serious/useful look at the mice.

I was sad we didn't see a bunyip though ;-)

jammiesest

March 12 2015, 00:16:43 UTC 2 years ago

This came in yesterday's mail, and I have begrudged every minute since then that I have had to spend away from it, even sleep, which I adore. The only reason I went to work today was that the judge gets cranky if she doesn't have a clerk in the courtroom on call day. I'm almost done reading, and I'm sorry the jerk who killed the mouse died so easily.

Thank you for another wonderful book, Seanan. <3

acelightning

March 12 2015, 07:25:06 UTC 2 years ago

The book arrived on the 9th (last Monday), and I've been reading it in snatches whenever I don't have to have my eyes focused on something else. (This means I've read most of it either in the bathroom, or while eating. Yes, I can read horrific descriptions of creatures turning into werewolves and tearing their victims to pieces while I'm eating.)

I've been to Australia twice, although I spent almost the whole time in downtown Melbourne. I love Australia, and I'd go back in a heartbeat if I still had the money for travel. But smearing your face with Vegemite doesn't actually repel drop bears; if anything, it makes you seem even tastier to them :-)

I don't even want to talk about the mouse... I had to stop reading for half an hour. Shelby's family, except for Shelby herself and Gabby, all deserve to be slapped repeatedly. Wadjet females all seem to be incredibly sensible, which is not something I'd have expected of cobras. Basil the yowie is a good friend to have. And lycanthropy is originally a waheela disease? (The thought of a werewolf waheela is seriously terrifying.)

I can't wait for the description of Alex and Shelby's wedding - or Verity and Dominic's; hey, maybe they could have a double wedding! (And I also can't wait for October and Tybalt's wedding, but that's literally another story.)
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →