It’s Friday, which means it’s time to post interesting links. However, I have not had the chance for much web reading, so the pickings are extremely slim. All right, one. I have one interesting link for you, but it’s very interesting.

Science

Native language is something absorbed before even birth, according to this study:
http://www.livescience.com/7938-newborn-babies-cry-native-tongue.html

That said, I did finish reading Escapement by Jay Lake, a wonderful Steampunk alternate history novel that manages to carry off a plot despite a good number of point of view characters, who spend most of the book apart from each other, and a surreal writing style. I was delighted to learn (when I went to Jay’s reading at World Fantasy) that Escapement is actually the second book set in that world. I immediately picked up a copy of Mainspring and am looking forward to reading it.

Oh, and I “codified?” my take on reading series in order. Even when a book is a complete tale, if the world feels three dimensional, it’s because the book gives the impression that there is a whole complex history that occurred before this story began. Some of those stories may be contained within another book that comes chronologically before this one, whether written in advance or later as a prequel, while others just make up the rich background of the novel. This is why reading out of order doesn’t bug me. I expect the characters and the world to have lived before the moment this story began. I don’t expect every moment of their prior lives to warrant a book. Those moments may only warrant a quick mention when they become relevant to the plot of the story I’m reading. Therefore, every book exists as an island in the time of the world and characters. Though the books are connected by water, they also stand by themselves, or should.

Next week I hope to have more for you, and maybe even a con report on World Fantasy.