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Mr_Falcon   03-15-2005, 02:31 PM
#1
I am still in the middle of reading the Fifth Harmonic, and I am ejoying it quite a bit. Kind of an adventure/wilderness story, and I enjoy those a lot. I am still about halfway through it, but I noticed a mistake in the first part of the book.
After the protagonist discovers he has only a short time to live, he goes and visits Bordeaux. Totally understandable, as I am certain I would do the same thing. While there, he visits the Entre Deux Mers region, and talks about smelling the smells of the Sauvignon blanc crush. What a great thing to experience, IMO!! He then witnesses a lunar eclipse that changes his life.
Well, for those who don't know it, this lunar eclipse really happened. On August 11, 1999 this famous event occured over the Bordeaux region, and was even commemerated with a special engraved bottle released by Chateau Lafite. (As an aside, 99 Lafite is an average wine- don't waste your money. Nice bottle, though). Here is the problem: In all of Bordeaux, including the Entre Deux Mers, the harvest did not start until September 5th. The main character could not have smelled the crush, because the crush was still four weeks away. No grapes were picked before August 11th, because the rains had been very heavy up to the day before. (Of note, the eclipse marked a 3-4 week spell of clear weather, which ended in a bad hailstorm on Sep 5th, which was the start of the harvest. As a result of this odd weather pattern, 99 Bordeauxs are not the best of wines.)
Anyway- I love the book so far, as I love all of Dr Wilson's books. Just though I'd point this out for those who like to be extra geeky, like me.
cyber-jack   03-15-2005, 02:39 PM
#2
Mr_Falcon Wrote:I am still in the middle of reading the Fifth Harmonic, and I am ejoying it quite a bit. Kind of an adventure/wilderness story, and I enjoy those a lot. I am still about halfway through it, but I noticed a mistake in the first part of the book.
After the protagonist discovers he has only a short time to live, he goes and visits Bordeaux. Totally understandable, as I am certain I would do the same thing. While there, he visits the Entre Deux Mers region, and talks about smelling the smells of the Sauvignon blanc crush. What a great thing to experience, IMO!! He then witnesses a lunar eclipse that changes his life.
Well, for those who don't know it, this lunar eclipse really happened. On August 11, 1999 this famous event occured over the Bordeaux region, and was even commemerated with a special engraved bottle released by Chateau Lafite. (As an aside, 99 Lafite is an average wine- don't waste your money. Nice bottle, though). Here is the problem: In all of Bordeaux, including the Entre Deux Mers, the harvest did not start until September 5th. The main character could not have smelled the crush, because the crush was still four weeks away. No grapes were picked before August 11th, because the rains had been very heavy up to the day before. (Of note, the eclipse marked a 3-4 week spell of clear weather, which ended in a bad hailstorm on Sep 5th, which was the start of the harvest. As a result of this odd weather pattern, 99 Bordeauxs are not the best of wines.)
Anyway- I love the book so far, as I love all of Dr Wilson's books. Just though I'd point this out for those who like to be extra geeky, like me.

Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag...
jimbow8   03-15-2005, 02:52 PM
#3
Holy Crap!! I'm impressed. I don't think it really matters to the story except to the most intense scrutiny, but still..... impressed.

Jim

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. ... The piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
~ Howard Phillips Lovecraft
Mr_Falcon   03-15-2005, 02:57 PM
#4
jimbow8 Wrote:Holy Crap!! I'm impressed. I don't think it really matters to the story except to the most intense scrutiny, but still..... impressed.

Jim
You're right. it matters to the story not at all. But as a wine geek, it jumped out at me.
Lisa   03-15-2005, 02:57 PM
#5
Mr_Falcon Wrote:I am still in the middle of reading the Fifth Harmonic, and I am ejoying it quite a bit. Kind of an adventure/wilderness story, and I enjoy those a lot. I am still about halfway through it, but I noticed a mistake in the first part of the book.
After the protagonist discovers he has only a short time to live, he goes and visits Bordeaux. Totally understandable, as I am certain I would do the same thing. While there, he visits the Entre Deux Mers region, and talks about smelling the smells of the Sauvignon blanc crush. What a great thing to experience, IMO!! He then witnesses a lunar eclipse that changes his life.
Well, for those who don't know it, this lunar eclipse really happened. On August 11, 1999 this famous event occured over the Bordeaux region, and was even commemerated with a special engraved bottle released by Chateau Lafite. (As an aside, 99 Lafite is an average wine- don't waste your money. Nice bottle, though). Here is the problem: In all of Bordeaux, including the Entre Deux Mers, the harvest did not start until September 5th. The main character could not have smelled the crush, because the crush was still four weeks away. No grapes were picked before August 11th, because the rains had been very heavy up to the day before. (Of note, the eclipse marked a 3-4 week spell of clear weather, which ended in a bad hailstorm on Sep 5th, which was the start of the harvest. As a result of this odd weather pattern, 99 Bordeauxs are not the best of wines.)
Anyway- I love the book so far, as I love all of Dr Wilson's books. Just though I'd point this out for those who like to be extra geeky, like me.

You made typos on "enjoying" and "commemorated."
fpw   03-15-2005, 03:04 PM
#6
[QUOTE=Mr_Falcon] What a great thing to experience, IMO!! He then witnesses a lunar eclipse that changes his life.
Well, for those who don't know it, this lunar eclipse really happened. On August 11, 1999 this famous event occured over the Bordeaux region...QUOTE]

I know. I was there. It was (I'm going to use a word I loathe) incredible.

But why do you assume T5H is happening in 1999? Let's just say it takes place during the NEXT Bordeaux lunar eclipse.

FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.
Mr_Falcon   03-15-2005, 03:44 PM
#7
Lisa Wrote:You made typos on "enjoying" and "commemorated."
Yes, but my arthritis makes it really really painful to type, so I give myself a free pass on typos. :o
fpw   03-15-2005, 05:55 PM
#8
Lisa Wrote:You made typos on "enjoying" and "commemorated."

The old Lisa we knew and loved/feared is back!

FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.
Mr_Falcon   03-15-2005, 06:02 PM
#9
fpw Wrote:The old Lisa we knew and loved/feared is back!
I hope you realize that this was not a complaint that I made, nor a personal criticism or anything like that. It is simply the fact that as a wine geek, I noticed this and pointed it out. Wine stuff and medical stuff, especially psychiatric stuff, jumps out at me in the way that- let's say gun information for instance- jumps out at other BB members. I tend to be knowledgeable about my interests/hobbies.
Lisa   03-15-2005, 06:08 PM
#10
Mr_Falcon Wrote:I hope you realize that this was not a complaint that I made, nor a personal criticism or anything like that.

Just got off the phone with Paul. After several hours, I was able to calm him down and convince him to keep writing. Can't say how much heart he'll put into any future work, though. He was pretty rattled, especially after priding himself for years on his research (see numerous past posts on the three minor cultural errors in Black Wind).

Lisa
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