[Spotlight Post] John Ringo
It’s spotlight Friday, and I’m doing this – “I have 20 minutes left of lunch, what do I do?†I’m currently reading Unto the Breach by John Ringo. Yes, this is an older book. Published in 2006. I’ve had it in my possession since 2008 when John Ringo gave it to me at SoonerCon.
Yeah, I kinda suck that way. But it’s not John Ringo’s fault. Really it’s not. I actually like John and his wife (it’s about time), Miriam. I don’t always agree with him, but that’s what makes acquaintances fun. And that meant hesitating before reading…like the person, don’t know about the writing.
And I’m looking forward to working with him during FenCon. Though, seriously, when someone tells you not to ask about his gay cat – don’t take it as a challenge. Not unless you have 20-30 minutes to spare. That’s how long the gay cat story lasts. It’s a good story, but it’s not a short story.
Which, actually, should’ve been a clue about the book. Ringo’s style – whether vocal or written is heavy on detail. But he walks a line that few people can do well – he’s detailed without it being detrimental to the story. I’ve tried to read some books that were heavy on history or technology where nothing happened for a very long time while the author explained how the mode of transportation looked, sounded, and moved, or shared every nuance of a battle.
That stuff’s important, but I need the story to move. Unto the Breach does, indeed, move while also providing the technical details of helicopters and military tactics and regional history. I’m getting close to half way through and still have a big chunk of book left – but never once have I mentally said, “GET ON WITH IT ALREADY.†That takes a lot of skill. I doubt seriously I could do it (at least not right now, I’m still pretty minimalist with my writing), but I admire his ability to impart large amounts of fairly technical data and detail while keeping it entertaining.
But John Ringo is just that – entertaining. Whether it’s a highly involved techno-thriller, a story about a gay cat, or just talking about anything – he’s entertaining and he invokes a response. I don’t think I’ve really met anyone apathetic about John Ringo. Love him or hate him, people seem to have a solid opinion about him, and that’s pretty darn impressive.
So, if you haven’t experienced him in person – FenCon in October in Dallas. You don’t want to miss your chance to figure out which end of the spectrum you fall on.