Tales from the Chi-Town Burbs

[bar1scorpio]

Anyone with a review of this? What was the highpoint of the book? The low point?

My personal favorite story? the Brothers Perez. Unexpected style, and I liked the references. Least favorite moment - The usage of Mega Damage in narrative. MetaTextual reference whacked me right out of the story.

Also, the continuous usage of game terminology & races with the assumption that everyone to pick this up will already have every Rifts book in their collection. Kinda kills it as a read for people just starting to read Palladium Books' works. (note, it took until Going Home to find a full description of a D-Bee in a story. Still have no idea what a GrackleTooth or a QuickFlex alien are, nor why they'd be called that from the stories that hey appear in. Something to make note of, guys, for the next anthology. Assume that the reader might not know everything that appears in-game. (Who knows, you might be at a lit sci-fi con signing a copy to someone who was just interested in a new short story anthology read. No idea how many of you guys attend local cons on your lonesome, or go with comp copies...)

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

yeah but if your story consists of "Then the Dwarven Techno-Wizard wearing the Armor of Ithan Amulet got in his Titan Combat Robot. He activated Fly As Eagle and Invisibility: Superior. Then he fired 4 Long-Range Missiles at the Basal Daemonix because he knew it wouldn't be able to dodge", that's fanfiction. and fanfiction sucks.

it's good to find a nice balance. Personally, when I write, I think 'is this something the character would be familiar with?' and 'how important is it to the character what the item/spell/weapon/D-Bee is named?'
For instance, to a character who is a shopkeeper or janitor or little girl, power armor is power armor. Doesn't matter if its a SAMAS or a Predator or a Flying Titan or whatever. To a mercenary or military character, that distinction could be more important, and would be reflected in the descriptions of things.

As an example, in the story I wrote "Me and Mr. Choke", at one point the main character encounters a Mind Bleeder. The Mind Bleeder proceeds to use a variety of psychic powers on him. We as gamers and fans know that the Mind Bleeder used Empathic Transmission and Hypnotic Suggestion on him. But the character is unfamiliar with Mind Bleeders, and psychics in general. So i described the situation very generically, because from his perspective, it was a D-Bee or mutant trying to control his mind. That's all. Hell, sometimes i make up powers and abilities and throw game mechanics completely out the window just because i think it will make a better story.

[Daniel Stoker]

As an example, in the story I wrote "Me and Mr. Choke", at one point the main character encounters a Mind Bleeder. The Mind Bleeder proceeds to use a variety of psychic powers on him. We as gamers and fans know that the Mind Bleeder used Empathic Transmission and Hypnotic Suggestion on him. But the character is unfamiliar with Mind Bleeders, and psychics in general. So i described the situation very generically, because from his perspective, it was a D-Bee or mutant trying to control his mind. That's all. Hell, sometimes i make up powers and abilities and throw game mechanics completely out the window just because i think it will make a better story.

To be honest I really liked that scene and the way that you handled that in the story.


Daniel Stoker

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

Still have no idea what a GrackleTooth or a QuickFlex alien are, nor why they'd be called that from the stories that hey appear in.

Other D-Bees and I can see what you're are saying, but Quick Flex and Grackle Tooth are iconic Rifts D-Bees, especially the Grackle which is basically a fan favorite. Describing them would be akin to describing what a wookie is in a Star Wars novel.

~ Josh

[bar1scorpio]

You'd have to ask, but I think they might still have a copy or two laying around the offices for sale.

[Slag]

My personal favorite story? the Brothers Perez. Unexpected style, and I liked the references.

"Now here's a fan with taste, Pablo."

"Ree'ly? Must'a got a burnt tongue, then, Sal. That there story's muddier than a half-cleaned catfish, since ya' asked."

"Now that just leaves me bitter, it does!"

[Carl Gleba]

Any reviews on the stories? Should Palladium do more? What say you the fans?

Carl

[bar1scorpio]

Try "themed" books for the anthology short stories, as well as delving into other gameworlds. You guys should definitely try your hand at doing a BtS anthology, just to get a good horror book out there (it hasn't hurt Chaosium or Elder Signs Press...). And a Heroes Unlimited anthology could give you guys a chance to flex your muscles creatively on that genre. Do a Splicers book just to get people interested in it, maybe...

I'd suggest if you do a second Rifts book though, center it on the Dead Boys, take on different aspects of life within the Coalition Military. That could be another multi-genre book.

[rat_bastard]

Whatever happened to those 3 paperbacks they came out with a few years ago? Would those see a possible re-print?

They where basically a miscarriage on paper.

Seriously I read the first "magic the gathering" book cover to cover, I can read damn near anything, and I hate not finishing things, but I could not cope with the epic suck that was the rifts novels.

[bar1scorpio]

Whatever happened to those 3 paperbacks they came out with a few years ago? Would those see a possible re-print?

They where basically a miscarriage on paper.

Seriously I read the first "magic the gathering" book cover to cover, I can read damn near anything, and I hate not finishing things, but I could not cope with the epic suck that was the rifts novels.

I... know what you mean. I never read the Rifts novels, but I recently finished an anthology of local "horror" writers that was so wallbang-ingly bad that I forced myself to finish it, just to give myself something to complain about.

I already aired my thoughts on the lesser stories, or in my opinion, what crafted a flaw that would create a lesser story in the anthology at the beginning of this thread.

As for the novels, I'd say, let's look at the anthologies, and get the writer pool at Palladium cutting their teeth on writing fiction. Then maybe move on to novels.

Oh, and why not a Palladium Fantasy anthology?

And maybe that could be good in general. Keep doing anthologies, and free up space in the Rifters for more outsiders and new stats/gear/rules. Less Short story content.

[Sureshot]

I really disliked the first story Perspective. It felt too much like Erin Tarn retconing Erin Tarn so that it would fit what is in the core RUE book background. Otherwise I liked all the stories and hope they do more. I wish they would reissue the earlier Rifts trilogy as an omnibus provided books have been edited properly by the author.

[gaaahhhh]

I still haven't gotten mine. I ordered through my FLGS, and they didn't actually order it until late last week. Hopefully it will be in when I check thursday.

[gaaahhhh]

I still haven't gotten mine. I ordered through my FLGS, and they didn't actually order it until late last week. Hopefully it will be in when I check thursday.

I just bought it today. I'll post back when I've had a chance to read through it.

[Lord_Dalgard]

Chello!

I really disliked the first story Perspective. It felt too much like Erin Tarn retconing Erin Tarn so that it would fit what is in the core RUE book background

Actually, i kind of liked that. Modern politicians do that all the time, so waht not Erin Tarn? /in a world that actively distorts and destroys records, it woulkd be easy for her to change her lifestory. Some of us don't think she is a hero, ya know.

Tony

[Reagren Wright]

Branden Campbell and Kevin's "A While Longer" is the one I'm picking because for me it
felt like the true Burb story and symbolized what the Burbs is all about. Waiting for an
opportunity to get a better life while trying to make the best of what you have right now
(kind of like what most are doing right now). It had almost "Its Wonderful Life" kind of feel
to it. There is also this John Updike quality that appeals to me as well.

I also like the foreshadowing of things to wet our appetite that Carl Gleba and Josh
Sinsapaugh put in their stories that we'll see in their future books (Minion Wars and
(Dark Woods and Delta Blues).

And like so many others I liked Taylor White's "Me and Mr. Choke" which
provides a very excellent Halloween theme story that works even if you didn't know
anything about Rifts. You could change the setting (make it take place here and now) and
the story still works. That's really good writing. Still not sure what kind of entity Mr.
Choke was but I don't want to encounter it in a Rifts game .

Its also a goal at the Open House 09 to see how many of the book's writers I can get to
sign my copy. Got Jason Markers at Gallowscon. All in all a very good book.

I definately want to see more books. The more fiction that's out there I think we bring
a broader appeal to Palladium. There are a whole lot of people who buy WotC fantasy
fiction and never play the games. Just goes to Barnes & Noble and look at it all. It would
be great to see Palladium just have a 1/4 of what they produce.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

.... works even if you didn't know
anything about Rifts. You could change the setting (make it take place here and now) and
the story still works.

Thanks, I was aiming for that. Most of my friends dont play Rifts and dont like role-playing in general, so I wanted to write something that even they could get into.

Still not sure what kind of entity Mr.
Choke was but I don't want to encounter it in a Rifts game

He's a Harmful Ghost as they were originally written in the Madhaven manuscript. Far more dangerous and terrifying than what went into the finished book.

[gaaahhhh]

.... works even if you didn't know
anything about Rifts. You could change the setting (make it take place here and now) and
the story still works.

Thanks, I was aiming for that. Most of my friends dont play Rifts and dont like role-playing in general, so I wanted to write something that even they could get into.

Still not sure what kind of entity Mr.
Choke was but I don't want to encounter it in a Rifts game

He's a Harmful Ghost as they were originally written in the Madhaven manuscript. Far more dangerous and terrifying than what went into the finished book.

So he's a Harmful Ghost with the "Really Harmful Ghost" OCC?

I haven't had a lot of time to read (I had a Rifts game to run tonight), but I'm really enjoying "A While Longer".

[Braden Campbell]

Branden Campbell and Kevin's "A While Longer" is the one I'm picking because for me itfelt like the true Burb story and symbolized what the Burbs is all about. Waiting for an opportunity to get a better life while trying to make the best of what you have right now
(kind of like what most are doing right now). It had almost "Its Wonderful Life" kind of feel
to it. There is also this John Updike quality that appeals to me as well. .

Thanks very much, Reagren.

You know, originally, those two stories didn't even have titles. They were simply the Prologue and Epilogue for the book to show that, over the course of the other short stories, an entire year had passed.

Even in a setting as crazy and "kitchen sink" as Rifts, I still enjoy stories about the everyman kind of characters, and I'm happy to hear that some of the readers were able to find sympathy with them.

[Sureshot]

Chello!

Actually, i kind of liked that. Modern politicians do that all the time, so waht not Erin Tarn? /in a world that actively distorts and destroys records, it woulkd be easy for her to change her lifestory. Some of us don't think she is a hero, ya know.

Tony

It's just that up until the anthology was released she was never written as really doing that type of behavior. All of sudden she goes around telling people " I know I 2+2 = 4 but really it equals 5". Yet I do get your point sometimes people do change what they say. In any case I want to see more. I'm also curious to know how many copies the anthology has sold.

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

Working my way through "A Juicers Tale" so ill be able to vote on what was my favorite

I do have a question though, in the story "Going Home" the ending left me confused, so the Coalition had already destroyed the Black Bayou or was that a metaphor? They say he was going to visit his mothers grave... but the delta is really far away... Sorry if im not getting it, could someone explain it to me?

Spoiler:

Black Bayou was destroyed by the Coalition, while his mother (who he said he was going to visit once he went home) was dead and buried (well, her ashes anyways, that wasn't revealed in the story) in the Chi-Town Burbs.

~ Josh

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

Thanks.

~ Josh