You might want to look into some better dreams, Julie. ;)

We plan to, once we play it! The session is going to be next Sunday.

And we heard that battleship thing over and over again! Good times. :) I'm still not sure why the rest of the party let Loric take all those platinum bars, but it did let him build a castle and raise an army.

Hurrah! I'm not a damned dirty liar! And my memory isn't failing... yet. Though I must admit shooting the flowers is about the only thing I remember about that afternoon. Do you recall when Loric shot Jason's character? That was pretty neat.

You were there at the beginning, my friend. I just hope my recollection of that afternoon matches yours. :)

Ha! I don't think she's a terribly good writer but I read recently that she writes 4 books a year (crazy!) and has a fulltime job. I have much respect for that, but I don't want to read her work.

I haven't read 2312 yet, but since I'm a Hugo voter I'll be getting in the voter packet and I'll read it (I have high hopes). I'm hot and cold on Scalzi. He's an entertaining writer, but I feel he is falling into a trap of writing things that are a little too self aware of their own cleverness... which can be a bore. However, I haven't read the Human Division just yet (which I imagine will be nominated next year!). I haven't read Blue Remembered Earth yet, though I do like Reynolds. I turn to him to big space operas so this book didn't appeal to me. So far there's only the one Crescent Moon book, but it is enjoyable. An interesting take on a well worn story.

Ha! I don't think I'm on Mira Grant's radar. She's very successful and has the distinction of being the first person ever to be nominated for 5 Hugos in one year (that would be this year). Scalzi has his thing and he does it well. He isn't trying to be anything but an entertaining writer and I respect that. I know you just read the Road and liked it, so I'm thinking you'll enjoy The Dog Stars as well.

You're welcome! And I have to stress that if you're going to read one McDonald novel make it the Dervish House. It isn't hideously complex and it is well worth the read.