Books, the utter jealousy edition

Books 2008: 81

81. Ink and Steel, Elizabeth Bear.

This is a book that would give me an inferiority complex, if I let it.

I'm not yet sure if I like it: it's sufficiently dense and fraught that it may require some digestion. I did, though, find it fascinating, and the sheer technical skill of the prose and the narrative, not to mention the level of historical detail (noteable more for the smoothness with which it's incorporated than for how much it stands out), is bloody freaking impressive.

Don't, for gods' sakes, ask me what it was about, other than Will and Kit and Faerie and Hell and possibly love and blood and treachery - there's, as now seems usual with one of Bear's Promethean Age books, such a damned lot packed into one single book, that's a question it'd be impossible to answer.

I am, however, even more sad now that Hell and Earth will arrive while I'm in Crete.

---

In other news, climbing was pretty good. One route sent, with much cursing: I've sent it before, but it felt much more awkward today. Two routes attempted and failed, after much trying, but I note some improvement.

However. I fail running. I'm blaming the week on the boat, because copping out with really poor wind after only about three minutes is... not what I'm used to.

Now I sit here and wait for my chicken dinner to cook, and try not to eat the furniture in the meanwhile.

Books, the utter jealousy edition

Books 2008: 81

81. Ink and Steel, Elizabeth Bear.

This is a book that would give me an inferiority complex, if I let it.

I'm not yet sure if I like it: it's sufficiently dense and fraught that it may require some digestion. I did, though, find it fascinating, and the sheer technical skill of the prose and the narrative, not to mention the level of historical detail (noteable more for the smoothness with which it's incorporated than for how much it stands out), is bloody freaking impressive.

Don't, for gods' sakes, ask me what it was about, other than Will and Kit and Faerie and Hell and possibly love and blood and treachery - there's, as now seems usual with one of Bear's Promethean Age books, such a damned lot packed into one single book, that's a question it'd be impossible to answer.

I am, however, even more sad now that Hell and Earth will arrive while I'm in Crete.

---

In other news, climbing was pretty good. One route sent, with much cursing: I've sent it before, but it felt much more awkward today. Two routes attempted and failed, after much trying, but I note some improvement.

However. I fail running. I'm blaming the week on the boat, because copping out with really poor wind after only about three minutes is... not what I'm used to.

Now I sit here and wait for my chicken dinner to cook, and try not to eat the furniture in the meanwhile.

oh, hey, a meme

The unfinished/potential novels list.

Well, for me, everything I have so far remains unfinished. This will change. Theoretically, this year. That's the plan.

( The List )

Considering how slowly I write, this is probably a life's worth of bookage. (In case you weren't counting, that's above 30 books I'd like to write. More than half of them walked up with at least the beginnings of plot, character and setting attached.)

...I'm a little worried, now.

oh, hey, a meme

The unfinished/potential novels list.

Well, for me, everything I have so far remains unfinished. This will change. Theoretically, this year. That's the plan.

( The List )

Considering how slowly I write, this is probably a life's worth of bookage. (In case you weren't counting, that's above 30 books I'd like to write. More than half of them walked up with at least the beginnings of plot, character and setting attached.)

...I'm a little worried, now.