Ethan of Athos ruined by modern life...

[elfs]

So, I was re-reading Ethan of Athos, and between its original publication and now, the world has changed. For one thing, the arc of homosexual acceptance has seriously accelerated; the harassment Ethan suffers seems trite and perfunctory now.

But more than that, for reasons not worth going into for spoilery reasons, one of the other major characters needs to consume a lot of taurine to redacted. Much of the book is occupied with how Ethan and Ellie will get their hands on that much taurine. And as I was reading it, I turned the can over in my hand and asked, "Couldn't they just have gone and bought a case of Red Bull?"

Comments

[lemur123.livejournal.com]

Back before the interwebs in the semi-rural community where I grew up, I had to get my local bookstore to special-order anything other than bestsellers and romance novels. They did so gladly, as I was a good customer. Until I asked them to order that book. Just to make conversation, they asked what it was about, and I said it was about someone from an all-male planet.

They refused to order it for me, and never special-ordered another book for me again. I went to the big city and got the gay bookstore there to order it for me - which also made me decide to move to the city myself.

[lemur123.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, Bujold deliberately set up her universe with a wide range of cultures at different levels of enlightenment, from Beta Colony's egalitarianism and acceptance to Barrayar's sexism and belligerence. If we assume that Kline Station is on the more backwards side of the spectrum, we can keep it from seeming too dated.

[bolindbergh]

Exactly. For example, the beginning of chapter 20 of The Warrior's Apprentice: Barrayaran agents questioning my employees, my girlfriend, her wife—

[lemur123.livejournal.com]

Every time I re-read her work, I find new things to appreciate.

[anthony albert (from livejournal.com)]

Yep, you've gotten it just right on the little details that I still keep finding in Bujold's work from time to time.

I read Ethan of Athos a bit later that some, perhaps, and I saw the people of Athos more like the Mennonites - that they were sincere enough in their beliefs to not start a war to take over some place - but to find a spot 'out there' to practice their own beliefs.

As far as the taurine goes - well, guess it's one of those 'truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense' things. I've never seen the appeal of Red Bull.

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Not Elaine...Elli...named one of my daughters after her.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Fixed, thank you!

[lemur123.livejournal.com]

*votes for you for #1 fan*

Re:

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Her twin is Gwendolyn Hazel.

My DH and I are nuts...all of our kids got SF names.

Re:

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Besides...Elli Quinn kicks ass...the first time we meet her she helps Miles make the get away by taking out a Betan cop completely blind!