Book update
30 August 2007 12:13![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kmusserI've been reading quite a bit, so I'm definitely overdue for another book update.
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman — an excellent collection of short stories and poetry, no particular theme other than, like most of Gaiman's writing, most of them have a supernatural element. Standouts include "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" where two teenagers crash an usual party; "Instructions" on what to do if you find yourself caught in a fairy tale; "The Day the Saucers Came" which I won't try to describe; and "The Monarch of the Glen" a story set in the world of American Gods about some Viking Gods that got trapped on Scotland.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman — This is a re-read, I was talking to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
minnesattva about how this book get better with each time you read it - it totally does, it's like a magic book.
His Majesty's Dragon, The Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War by Naomi Novik — I got my Napoleanic dragon fix, I found these very enjoyable, not a whole lot of depth there but fun nonetheless. I think this would make a really good RPG setting. I also think these will adapt well to film, I can't wait to see what Peter Jackson does with it. The series is ongoing, looking forward to the next one.
A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay — A novel inspired by the troubadours of southern france, the setting is a fictionalized, romanticized version of France, sort of similar to Jacqueline Carey's Terre d'Ange. Very enjoyable. I found the writing a little disjointed in places, especially compared to Kay's other book, but not enough to hurt the book. Highly recommended especially for fans of the Kushiel books, troubadours, courtly love, or Pretty French Boys (tm).
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay — I think I liked this one even better, set in a fictionalized version of 11th century Spain when Christianity and Islam were battling for control, with a significant Jewish population caught in the middle. The book deals with the interplay of politics and religion and people caught in the sweep of larger events. Does a very nice job of bringing the history to life.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling — Not much to say on this one that hasn't already been said, it was decent, a good ending to the series, though no big surprises.
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey — An enjoyable continuation of the series, still plenty of angst, though this picks up the pace adds a bit more action than Scion had if still slower than the first trilogy. I forget which of you said it but I agree that the over use of "betimes" and "mayhap" gets pretty damn irritating, I don't remember her doing that in the other books. Ms. Carey, I'm afraid you're On Notice.
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman — an excellent collection of short stories and poetry, no particular theme other than, like most of Gaiman's writing, most of them have a supernatural element. Standouts include "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" where two teenagers crash an usual party; "Instructions" on what to do if you find yourself caught in a fairy tale; "The Day the Saucers Came" which I won't try to describe; and "The Monarch of the Glen" a story set in the world of American Gods about some Viking Gods that got trapped on Scotland.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman — This is a re-read, I was talking to
minnesattva about how this book get better with each time you read it - it totally does, it's like a magic book.His Majesty's Dragon, The Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War by Naomi Novik — I got my Napoleanic dragon fix, I found these very enjoyable, not a whole lot of depth there but fun nonetheless. I think this would make a really good RPG setting. I also think these will adapt well to film, I can't wait to see what Peter Jackson does with it. The series is ongoing, looking forward to the next one.
A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay — A novel inspired by the troubadours of southern france, the setting is a fictionalized, romanticized version of France, sort of similar to Jacqueline Carey's Terre d'Ange. Very enjoyable. I found the writing a little disjointed in places, especially compared to Kay's other book, but not enough to hurt the book. Highly recommended especially for fans of the Kushiel books, troubadours, courtly love, or Pretty French Boys (tm).
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay — I think I liked this one even better, set in a fictionalized version of 11th century Spain when Christianity and Islam were battling for control, with a significant Jewish population caught in the middle. The book deals with the interplay of politics and religion and people caught in the sweep of larger events. Does a very nice job of bringing the history to life.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling — Not much to say on this one that hasn't already been said, it was decent, a good ending to the series, though no big surprises.
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey — An enjoyable continuation of the series, still plenty of angst, though this picks up the pace adds a bit more action than Scion had if still slower than the first trilogy. I forget which of you said it but I agree that the over use of "betimes" and "mayhap" gets pretty damn irritating, I don't remember her doing that in the other books. Ms. Carey, I'm afraid you're On Notice.
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I gotta say on Ms. Carey
Date: 30 Aug 2007 18:27 (UTC)If you haven't yet, please read both of the available Diana Gabaldon series; I've just picked up her latest in the new series based on a secondary character that originally appears in the Outlander books -- Lord John Grey. This most recent book is Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade.
The Lord John character I find intriguing anyway, but in this case I love her interweaving of characters from different stories. (although frankly, I think I'd love anything she wrote, no matter what it was. I just have a particular affection for the Outlander characters.)
Re: I gotta say on Ms. Carey
Date: 30 Aug 2007 19:22 (UTC)Re: I gotta say on Ms. Carey
Date: 30 Aug 2007 19:25 (UTC)I recommend them to anyone who likes historical fiction...and I'm glad they are sometimes shelved with general fiction instead of romance.
no subject
Date: 30 Aug 2007 21:14 (UTC)I actually was a bit disappointed with Fragile Things, but then that might just be that I was cranky when I read it. (Well, it makes sense to me!) I just thought, with a couple of pleasant exceptions, that it felt phoned in, just "some more Gaiman-type stuff."
The others I haven't read, but some of them look really interesting (and I'm definitely in the market for new books to read at the moment, even more than usual I mean). I like troubadours!
no subject
Date: 30 Aug 2007 22:16 (UTC)