The Ultimate Answer to Kings: Ordered!

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Ordered!

I briefly reviewed the Monster Hunter International books here. Then I lent my two to Ian, who got me started in the first place by lending me his copy of Monster Hunter Alpha but hadn't read the first two himself. I've been praying I get them back.

But you know what? I want the whole thing. Since through the vagaries of bookselling this new omnibus currently sells for less than a paperback copy of Alpha, it looks like I'm going to be able to give Ian a gift of what I already lent him.

There's also a second Grimnoir book coming, and I want it because the first one was at least as good as the MHI books. Larry Correia is the best new writer I've encountered since I don't know when, and he's cranking them out like he thinks he's Asimov. Hope he keeps doing it.