Ultimate Geek Fu

Way back on May 1 of 2002, Lois McMaster Bujold's novel Diplomatic Immunity was released. At the time, it was the latest in her long-running Vorkosigan series; hands down, my absolute favorite series of books. I bought the book the day it was released and practically inhaled it, finishing it within a day or two. Since then, Bujold has turned her eye writing fantasy where, to my utter lack of surprise, she has proven to be extremely talented, as well. (I've recently gotten my wife reading her fantasy novels and Bujold is now her favorite author, as well.) But much as I've enjoyed Bujold's fantasy novels, I've really missed reading about Miles Vorkosigan.

That's what will make November 2 of this year so special. Cryoburn, the first new Vorkosigan novel in eight years, will be released that day. I'm going to be sorely tempted to take November 3 off from work just to read the book. The thing is, it wouldn't be the first time I'd have taken a day off to read a new novel.

Seventeen years ago, I scheduled to take April 3, 1993, off from work so I could read the Star Wars novel, The Last Command, the third book in Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy. (This was back when there were very few original Star Wars novels.) I ended up getting laid off the day before the book came out, so I suddenly had plenty of time to read the book.

Two years later, I took March 2, 1995, off to read Fisherman's Hope, the fourth book in David Feintuch's Seafort Saga.

I'd like to say that I took a day off to read Headcrash by some guy named Bethke, but I didn't know about the book until I found it at a local book store during my lunch hour. So I read it at work, instead.

In a country where so few people read for pleasure, using a vacation day to read a newly released novel raised eyebrows even among my friends who did read for pleasure. I guess this is just another reason why I am a geek.

So, just what kind of abnormal things have you done to get more time to read a newly released novel?

Let the arguments begin!