Bookreading accounts post
Jan. 6th, 2007 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hawkwing_lbSo, let's see. Towards the middle of 2006 I lost track of the number of books I read, and towards the end, stopped sharing my thoughts on them. I'm determined to do somewhat better this year, in terms of time management.
Books read so far this 2007:
1. Jennifer Fallon, Harshini.
I am, I must confess, rather 'enh' on Fallon's Demon Child trilogy. (For one thing, what is it about trilogies?) Harshini, in the end, shaped up to be a reasonably meaty conclusion to a story that dragged more often than it soared. R'shiel, the demon child, has survived books one and two to flamboyantly drive the plot to its rather sputtering conclusion. It mightn't end with a whimper, but it definitely doesn't end with a bang.
It is, however, improved by not being carbon-copy pseudo-Tolkien or pseudo-Nameless-Author-Whose-Series-Never-Ends. So, a reasonably original, not terribly thought-provoking book whose prose is workmanlike rather than scintillating. +++ [1]
2. John M. Ford, Star Trek: The Final Reflection.
Wow. And I mean, wow.
I don't usually read Star Trek, but I picked this one up on a whim after reading the eulogies for its author at Making Light last year. It is wonderfully complex and thought-provoking for such a short novel. The prose is lucid, the characterisation is deft, and I have a feeling there are depths to this novel that I can barely skim on a single reading.
It also functions perfectly well as an adventure story. That's another aspect of the wow. +++++
3. Martha Wells, The Gate of the Gods: Book Three of The Fall of Ile-Rien.
May I simply say that Martha Wells is a mistress of her craft? Interesting - no, fascinating - characters, early-20th-century-cognate fantasy, a scope both broad and individual - I love this book, this set of books in fact. Love. [2]
...which leads me directly to:
4. Martha Wells, The Element of Fire.
The author has been generous enough to make this book available online, as it's apparently all but impossible to find. It is a fantasy. With intrigue. And characters. And Fay. And war. And sorcerers. And 17th-century technology and courtly stuff. And did I mention intrigue? A properly-done intrigue does wonders to win my affection.
I have the madlove for this book, and as soon as it's financially possible, I'm getting myself a paper copy. Because it has everything that a book needs to win my never-dying love. Really.
5. Roger Zelazny, The Chronicles of Amber.
I'm not sure whether The Chronicles of Amber, the omnibus edition of Zelazny's Amber books, counts as one book or five. It kept me awake until 0600 hours finishing it, though, and I believe I understand now why Zelazny is accounted a master.
Zelazny paints a picture of screwed-up family dynamics taken to extremes. With intrigue. Did I mention how intrigue does much to win my love?
The Amber books are books that should be read. By everyone. +++++
---
*Footnote 1: this year sees the inauguration of a method of rating by plus(+)es. 0 means the book was bad, but not unreadably bad. 5(+) means I found the book to be most excellent, indeed marvellous, in all aspects of its being.
(-) on the other hand, means 'run for the hills'.
*Footnote 2: Of course, some books will not be rated. Because, well, I know they meet my criteria for wonderfulness, and I'm incapable of looking at them with anything but joy and love. :)
Books read so far this 2007:
1. Jennifer Fallon, Harshini.
I am, I must confess, rather 'enh' on Fallon's Demon Child trilogy. (For one thing, what is it about trilogies?) Harshini, in the end, shaped up to be a reasonably meaty conclusion to a story that dragged more often than it soared. R'shiel, the demon child, has survived books one and two to flamboyantly drive the plot to its rather sputtering conclusion. It mightn't end with a whimper, but it definitely doesn't end with a bang.
It is, however, improved by not being carbon-copy pseudo-Tolkien or pseudo-Nameless-Author-Whose-Series-Never-Ends. So, a reasonably original, not terribly thought-provoking book whose prose is workmanlike rather than scintillating. +++ [1]
2. John M. Ford, Star Trek: The Final Reflection.
Wow. And I mean, wow.
I don't usually read Star Trek, but I picked this one up on a whim after reading the eulogies for its author at Making Light last year. It is wonderfully complex and thought-provoking for such a short novel. The prose is lucid, the characterisation is deft, and I have a feeling there are depths to this novel that I can barely skim on a single reading.
It also functions perfectly well as an adventure story. That's another aspect of the wow. +++++
3. Martha Wells, The Gate of the Gods: Book Three of The Fall of Ile-Rien.
May I simply say that Martha Wells is a mistress of her craft? Interesting - no, fascinating - characters, early-20th-century-cognate fantasy, a scope both broad and individual - I love this book, this set of books in fact. Love. [2]
...which leads me directly to:
4. Martha Wells, The Element of Fire.
The author has been generous enough to make this book available online, as it's apparently all but impossible to find. It is a fantasy. With intrigue. And characters. And Fay. And war. And sorcerers. And 17th-century technology and courtly stuff. And did I mention intrigue? A properly-done intrigue does wonders to win my affection.
I have the madlove for this book, and as soon as it's financially possible, I'm getting myself a paper copy. Because it has everything that a book needs to win my never-dying love. Really.
5. Roger Zelazny, The Chronicles of Amber.
I'm not sure whether The Chronicles of Amber, the omnibus edition of Zelazny's Amber books, counts as one book or five. It kept me awake until 0600 hours finishing it, though, and I believe I understand now why Zelazny is accounted a master.
Zelazny paints a picture of screwed-up family dynamics taken to extremes. With intrigue. Did I mention how intrigue does much to win my love?
The Amber books are books that should be read. By everyone. +++++
---
*Footnote 1: this year sees the inauguration of a method of rating by plus(+)es. 0 means the book was bad, but not unreadably bad. 5(+) means I found the book to be most excellent, indeed marvellous, in all aspects of its being.
(-) on the other hand, means 'run for the hills'.
*Footnote 2: Of course, some books will not be rated. Because, well, I know they meet my criteria for wonderfulness, and I'm incapable of looking at them with anything but joy and love. :)
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 01:10 am (UTC)Now that you've discovered Zelazny, see if you can find his short story collection -- IIRC, My Name Is Legion was the title. Good stuff.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 09:04 am (UTC)Alas. I must plough my way through my unread books before collecting more. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 03:48 pm (UTC)Besides, it's required that you collect more books as you hack your way through the pile; it's a never-ending task. It's the ultimate self-renewing resource.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 03:56 pm (UTC)http://www.amazon.com/This-Immortal-Roger-Zelazny/dp/0743497848/sr=8-4/qid=1168271424/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-4081438-6353454?ie=UTF8&s=books
Alas, Amazon does not show My Name Is Legion, but you can find some information here: http://zelazny.corrupt.net/worksframe.html
Time to start hunting through the used book stores! Whee!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 04:10 pm (UTC)As it happens, I'm reading The Dragon Waiting now, for the eighth time I think, and it's blowing me away all over again; if you are going to seek out Ford, I'd put that on the top of the list. It had a UK reprint not too long ago in one of those Millennium Fantasy Masterworks series or whatever they were called, so I'd hope it would be findable or orderable.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 05:48 pm (UTC)I'm broke, stop tempting me!
:)
(Nomorebooks. Nomorebooks.)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 05:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 09:43 pm (UTC)The library doesn't have Zelazny? Shame on them!
::ponders ways to donate books to libraries in Ireland::
no subject
Date: 2007-01-09 07:57 am (UTC)And there is also the pile of library books I haven't read yet...