Books 2012: I can hear the voices sounding deep inside

[hawkwing_lb]

Books 2012: 88-98


88-92. Anne & Todd McCaffrey, Dragon's Kin, Dragon's Fire, Dragon Harper, Dragon's Time and Sky Dragons. Del Rey, various dates.

93-95. Todd McCaffrey, Dragonsblood, Dragonheart, and Dragongirl. Del Rey, various dates.

The most recent entries in the Dragonriders of Pern continuum, the first three novels mentioned above manage to be whole books, whereas the latter five suffer from a decided deficiency in the tension:payoff ratio. Still, much of this would have delighted me when I was twelve. Also, the collaborations and McCaffrey fils' solo work demonstrate a much less squicky approach to gender relations than McCaffrey mère: not that it's perfect, but there's a lot less of the stuff I find disturbing on re-reading the earlier books.

Sky Dragons ought to get a full review over at Tor.com around its publication date.


96. Jack Campbell, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Invincible. Titan Books, 2012.

The latest in Campbell's popular space opera series, it resolves the cliffhanger of the previous entry. I'm getting a little weary of the formula, however. We can has new things nao?


97. Karen Lord, Redemption in Indigo. Jo Fletcher Books, 2012. (First edition 2010.)

A delightful book with the rhythm of a told story, and a fairy-tale-esque tone. My grateful thanks to those of you who recommended it: it's marvellous. If you have not read it, you should give it a shot.


nonfiction


98. James Davidson, Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens. Fontana Press, London, 1998.

Something else that's marvellous. Davidson - who has more recently given us the immensely readable if controversial The Greeks and Greek Love - takes on the passions of classical Athens, fish and sex, and places them securely in their social, economic, and political context. It is a vibrant read: unusually among ancient historians, Davidson is possessed of a fluent pen and a pointed sense of the ridiculous, and his sympathy with his subjects never extends to absolution for their flaws.

Wonderful history. I wish more books were like this.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Hmmm. You're the second person to recommend the Davidson this week. I wonder if the universe -- or at least the bookverse -- is telling me something?

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

It's a really good social history. The only thing I've read that stands up to it in comparison (and is as forgiving of the not-particularly-literary-focused ancient historian) is Peter Parsons' City of the Sharp-Nosed Fishes.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I will have to read it, clearly. It's been a while since I read any history: about time to start again, I think.

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

*\o/*

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

I read The Greeks and Greek love a few years back and found it fascinating. I can see why it would be controversial, mind - though I'm not that familiar with what was establishment thinking before he released it.

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

The established thinking is all about penetrative dominance.