Books 2012: I am so very weary

[hawkwing_lb]

Books 2012: 218-219


218. Laura E. Reeve, Pathfinder. Roc, 2010.

Space opera, satisfying to my tastes. Will talk more a post on Tor.com in coming weeks.


219. Andrzej Sapkowski, The Last Wish. Gollancz, 2007. Translated from the Polish by Danusia Stok.

First published in Poland in 1993, the series begun in this novel has enjoyed global success, including two videogames, although - thanks to complicated rights issues, I believe - it is little-known in English.

Good points: the style is interesting, the translation fluid, the narrative a set of loosely-linked episodes riffing off well-known fairy or folktales, which works well.

Bad points: treatment of women. Honestly? Honestly?

Comments

[fadethecat.livejournal.com]

Oh, hey, is that the series that The Witcher games are based on? Because from what I've heard about those games... hmm. Yes. I am sort of interested as to what the books are doing with women.

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

Yes, these are they. The image of the woman in Geralt's world is male-gazey and acted-upon, except when they are violent, evil, or otherwise monstrous. Men are their victims or patsies, or there to be manipulated... until the women are overcome by Mighty Phallic Brains, or otherwise.

I'm not happy? But I want to see if this changes in any way in subsequent volumes. I am willing to give Sapkowski three books to shape up, because the style and content is otherwise interesting.