Highlights and Lowlights - March 2026
A lighter month of reading, but here we go?
Books are rated using a very primitive rating system:
?+? are good, and more ?+? are better
?-? are not good, and more ?-? are worse
<snip snip snip>
Now Reading:
Long work - This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Andrews [Maggie the Undying
31] (actually finished this last night)
In article <10r1grr$2ffcm$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/6/26 5:52 PM, Tony Nance wrote:
Highlights and Lowlights - March 2026
A lighter month of reading, but here we go?
Books are rated using a very primitive rating system:
?+? are good, and more ?+? are better
?-? are not good, and more ?-? are worse
<snip snip snip>
Now Reading:
Long work - This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me - Andrews [Maggie the Undying
31] (actually finished this last night)
#1 That's NUMBER 1, not 31. Sheesh!!
Much apologizings,
Tony
Hey, 0x31 is ASCII '1', you were just in code mode.
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was kind of tongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
On 4/7/26 9:31 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was kind of
tongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
Yep - according to a couple web sources (including L-Space), PTerry purposely chose his title as a pun on "Repo Man", which (as you allude
to) was itself chosen as a pun on the term "reaper man".
I do not know if PTerry knew that about the movie title[1], but it seems very likely to me that he did know that.
Tony
[1] Possibly because I didn't do much digging at all.
On 4/8/2026 3:32 PM, Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/7/26 9:31 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was kind of
tongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
Yep - according to a couple web sources (including L-Space), PTerry
purposely chose his title as a pun on "Repo Man", which (as you allude
to) was itself chosen as a pun on the term "reaper man".
I do not know if PTerry knew that about the movie title[1], but it
seems very likely to me that he did know that.
Tony
[1] Possibly because I didn't do much digging at all.
I presume we're talking about the 1984 film, not the others of the
same name.
pt
( +++ ) Aurora Rising - Reynolds [(formerly ?The Prefect?; Prefect
Dreyfus Emergencies #1]
Very good. This takes place in the Revelation Space universe,
specifically in The Glitter Band, near Yellowstone. Dreyfus is a
detective for the Glitter band authorities. Great characters, wonderful settings, and great ideas and technologies (no surprise - it?s Reynolds, after all). In this one, while Dreyfus is trying to solve one crime, he discovers several others, and things get very big and very important
very quickly. Definitely will read the next one.
On 4/10/26 12:07 AM, Cryptoengineer wrote:kind of
On 4/8/2026 3:32 PM, Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/7/26 9:31 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was
alludetongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
Yep - according to a couple web sources (including L-Space), PTerry
purposely chose his title as a pun on "Repo Man", which (as you
to) was itself chosen as a pun on the term "reaper man".
I do not know if PTerry knew that about the movie title[1], but it
seems very likely to me that he did know that.
Tony
[1] Possibly because I didn't do much digging at all.
I presume we're talking about the 1984 film, not the others of the
same name.
pt
1) I was indeed.
2) "...others of the same name"? After at least 17 seconds of digging,
maybe as many as 21(!), I only found a 2010 "Repo Men".
On 07/04/2026 09:52, Tony Nance wrote:
( +++ ) Aurora Rising - Reynolds [(formerly ?The Prefect?; Prefect
Dreyfus Emergencies #1]
Very good. This takes place in the Revelation Space universe,
specifically in The Glitter Band, near Yellowstone. Dreyfus is a
detective for the Glitter band authorities. Great characters, wonderful
settings, and great ideas and technologies (no surprise - it?s Reynolds,
after all). In this one, while Dreyfus is trying to solve one crime, he
discovers several others, and things get very big and very important
very quickly. Definitely will read the next one.
I gave all three books in this series five stars. I think you will find
the next two just as good.
On 4/11/26 12:10 AM, Titus G wrote:
I gave all three books in this series five stars. I think you will
find the next two just as good.
Sounds great - looking forward to both of them.
On 4/7/26 9:31 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was kind of
tongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
Yep - according to a couple web sources (including L-Space), PTerry >purposely chose his title as a pun on "Repo Man", which (as you allude
to) was itself chosen as a pun on the term "reaper man".
On Wed, 8 Apr 2026 15:32:43 -0400, Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com>
wrote:
On 4/7/26 9:31 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:52:36 -0400, Tony Nance wrote:
( ++ 1/2 ) Reaper Man - Pratchett [Discworld #11]
Sounds like a play on the movie ?Repo Man? -- which itself was kind of
tongue-in-cheek.
A spoof on a spoof?
?It happens sometimes, people just explode.?
Yep - according to a couple web sources (including L-Space), PTerry
purposely chose his title as a pun on "Repo Man", which (as you allude
to) was itself chosen as a pun on the term "reaper man".
Where did you hear that?
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy who
gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do with the
grim reaper.
Plate o' shrimp.
-- Bob
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining.
One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
In article <10rug6j$2rs1f$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/17/26 5:48 PM, Default User wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining.
Agreed - both!
One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I also enjoyed that. I suspect if I watched it now, I'd catch more
things than I did when I last saw it (in a previous century).
Tony
They acually brought out an SF novel like that, with a generic white
cover and a title like "Science Fiction Novel". The back had an
ingredients list like "1 hero", "1 mad scientist", "1 scientist's
beautiful daughter"...
Unfortunately I cannot find any reference to this now, because
searching for "generic sf novel" is not very helpful.
In article <n4g13qFmnntU1@mid.individual.net>,
Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
In article <n4g0d4FmjecU1@mid.individual.net>,
Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
In article <10ruhbk$2rs1f$3@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/17/26 7:54 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
In article <10rug6j$2rs1f$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/17/26 5:48 PM, Default User wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy >>>>>>>>> who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do >>>>>>>>> with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining.
Agreed - both!
One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white >>>>>>> with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are >>>>>>> shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I also enjoyed that. I suspect if I watched it now, I'd catch more >>>>>> things than I did when I last saw it (in a previous century).
Tony
They acually brought out an SF novel like that, with a generic white >>>>> cover and a title like "Science Fiction Novel". The back had an
ingredients list like "1 hero", "1 mad scientist", "1 scientist's
beautiful daughter"...
Unfortunately I cannot find any reference to this now, because
searching for "generic sf novel" is not very helpful.
Delightful! It would be fascinating to know who wrote it (and who it was >>>> attributed to, if not by real name).
I'm thinking it was credited to "An Author", but that's still not helping >>> me find it.
Ah: Here you go!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Vintagepaperbacks/posts/2237664836371288/ >>
The comments claim Terry Bisson was involved and that the book is a Heinlein >> juvie riff..
--
and isbn 0-515-06247-2
On 4/17/26 5:48 PM, Default User wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I also enjoyed that. I suspect if I watched it now, I'd catch more
things than I did when I last saw it (in a previous century).
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining. One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:48:19 -0000 (UTC), "Default User" <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining. One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I've always taken that to mean that the filmmakers didn't want to give
free advertising to actual products -- or to pay for showing them.
But it certainly could have been a deliberate artistic decision!
In article <10rug6j$2rs1f$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/17/26 5:48 PM, Default User wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining.
Agreed - both!
One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I also enjoyed that. I suspect if I watched it now, I'd catch more
things than I did when I last saw it (in a previous century).
Tony
They acually brought out an SF novel like that, with a generic white
cover and a title like "Science Fiction Novel". The back had an
ingredients list like "1 hero", "1 mad scientist", "1 scientist's
beautiful daughter"...
Unfortunately I cannot find any reference to this now, because
searching for "generic sf novel" is not very helpful.
On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:48:19 -0000 (UTC), "Default User" <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
Tony Nance wrote:
On 4/15/26 8:54 PM, Bice wrote:
I can see Pratchett's title being a parody
of the movie "Repo Man", but the film's title just refers to a guy
who gets a job reposessing cars. It doesn't have anything to do
with the grim reaper.
Yes - I very much enjoyed the movie Repo Man.
It was weird, but entertaining. One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I've always taken that to mean that the filmmakers didn't want to give
free advertising to actual products -- or to pay for showing them.
But it certainly could have been a deliberate artistic decision!
On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:48:19 -0000 (UTC), "Default User" <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
It was weird, but entertaining. One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I've always taken that to mean that the filmmakers didn't want to give
free advertising to actual products -- or to pay for showing them.
But it certainly could have been a deliberate artistic decision!
Paul S Person wrote:
On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:48:19 -0000 (UTC), "Default User"
<defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
It was weird, but entertaining. One little bit that I enjoyed played
off the short trend for "plain label" grocery items. Those were
generally in a separate section, and the packages were usually white
with plain letters that would say things like CANNED TUNA. They are
shown in the grocery where Otto works.
At one point at home, he is eating from a can that says FOOD.
I've always taken that to mean that the filmmakers didn't want to give
free advertising to actual products -- or to pay for showing them.
But it certainly could have been a deliberate artistic decision!
No, it was definitely a period in time. Like I mentioned, the products
were in Otto's store. Here's an image:
https://www.impackt.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Il-packaging-come-medium.jpg
"Ralphs came through with a film-defining contribution: generic
products passed [sic] their sell-by date with labels like 'FOOD' and
'BEER.' They were 'essentially a fallback position for us,' according
to producer Jonathan Wacks. But they became a vital part of the film?s condemnation of consumerism."
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