You REALLY should be reading D.M. Cornish's "The Foundling's Tale" series

Foundling by D.M. Cornish
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore D.M. Cornish's The Foundling's Tale (formerly known as Monster's Blood Tattoo) series, which includes the books Foundling, Lamplighter and Factotum. It has oft-been described as Dickens-like tale of an orphan's through through an 18th-century-like, biopunk world...with monsters.

Biopunk? Think steampunk. But instead of gears, steam, and blimps...technology based on plants, vat-grown tissue, surgical enhancements, and potions.

There is so much I loved about these books. And much is hard to put into words. One thing was it's texture. And by that, I not only mean the objects, surfaces in this world, but the institutions, culture, language, and tech. It just feels, sounds, and looks good in my mind. Though the plot is great, for me, it's really the world that Cornish has created that enchanted me. It is so thick with potential that I hope he either writes a hundred books, or finds a way to expand it to other writers and creative platforms, as has been done with Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, etc.

This book is perfect if you like....

TECH: If you like clockpunk, steampunk, or cyber punk. Tech is tech.

MINUTIAE: If you like reading all the little text in a Chris Ware graphic novel or a Dave Eggars' early McSweeney's issues. His books include a massive, mostly-for-fun glossary and gorgeous, detailed illustrations...by the author!

MADE UP WORDS: Did you enjoy all the whimsical names J.K. Rowling invented for her Potter universe? These books have a TON!

DESIGN: These books just look and feel wonderful. The size and proportion of a 19th-century novel. Beautiful covers with sublime color palettes and delicious paper stock.

18TH & 19TH CENTURIES: Like I said, think Dickens. Also, the movies Amadeus, Immortal Beloved, and Glory. Or the books Bartleby the Scrivener and Frankenstein. Lots of bookkeeping done in ledgers. Powdered wigs, tricornered hats, muskets and pale-faced bureaucrats.

MONSTERS: Of course.


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Finally back on the bike

I made great strides last year, with both my physical and mental health, when I started biking before work. And due to it being so warm in Florida during Summer and Autumn, early morning was also an ideal time because it was still cool.

But when the Florida winter hit, and it dropped to the 40s and sometimes 30s early in the morning, my bike riding waned. My healthy eating waned as well. So, between when I stopped riding in October and now, I put back on 20 of the pounds I lost.

But, now I'm back on track. Finally warm enough at the wee hours...and I got my chain and rear gear replaced.

And I picked a great day to start. The weather was great (even though it rained just a bit at the beginning of the ride.) I headed down to Venice beach and had a bit of breakfast. Then I biked down to Maxine Barrit park to do a little bit of journaling and morning pages for my novel.