March 2007 books
Jul. 24th, 2007 11:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jinianThe Chains That You Refuse, Elizabeth Bear. Bear likes Shakespeare and Marlowe as characters rather more than I do, but the transgender story made me very happy and there is a lot of good writing here.
Hammered, Scardown, Worldwired, Elizabeth Bear. Good SF with strong women, dark but not cruel or (with brief exception) gory, really well written. Bear==good. And so fast! She has a ton of stuff coming out, yay.
Storm Front, Jim Butcher. Didn't love it, but it was reasonably good fun. Heck of a long library hold list for the next one. I am told that there is some TV tie-in happening.
Dragon's Treasure, Elizabeth Lynn. Was the whole Chosen Guy and Quest setup of Dragon's Winter really necessary? How about next time we skip to this story, which is full of people with complicated emotions and relationships?
People of the Sky, Clare Bell. Reread of an interesting retro-feeling SF story: engineer flies antique plane on (supposedly just) recently colonized world, finds American Indians already present and in an intriguing relationship with a flying native species.
Disappearing Nightly, Laura Resnick. Library shelf. Very unusual: a book that would have worked better as a movie. The physical comedy it was going for didn't come across at all well in print. I think I might just not find drag queens inherently hilarious, though. The plot was amusing enough for me to keep reading, but that's it.
The Barbed Rose, Gail Dayton. Not quite as button-hitting for me as Compass Rose, but still about magic and multi-adult families, with just a little intrigue this time. I am happy to read these despite their not being very good.
Matriarch, Karen Traviss. Library shelf. Obviously has previous books in the same world, and fails to inclue sufficiently or interest me much. Not worth continuing (though I might've done had I known at the time that it had Tiptree-award honor on its side).
Second Sight, Amanda Quick. Library shelf. Mildly paranormal Victorian romance with likeable characters. Exactly what I wanted: an easy, engaging read.
Lost in Translation, Edward Willett. Library shelf. I liked the premise (aliens of various races become interpreters in self-sacrificing manner, this being the only way races can communicate) but found the execution a little unexciting.
Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie. First read of an early Crusie. Not terrible.
Storyteller, Amy Thomson. More complex than I anticipated. A few lucky humans have mental bonds to useful alien animals -- here immense, cargo-hauling, sailed whales -- and FTL pilots are addicted to the Jump, neither that unusual. But there's a focus on creating your life and dealing with difficult emotions (and okay I liked the queer content a lot) that was well done and touching. Definitely recommended.
Change of Command, Elizabeth Moon. Wim declined to read this. I sorta wish I had too. I am now officially sick of the "we wear the black hats so you can tell we are bad" villains, though I admit to being amused when a still-stereotypical but surprisingly non-evil Texan showed up.
Floating Worlds, Cecelia Holland. Library shelf. Long, slow, understated book about clashing cultures in a conflict-ridden solar system by way of one woman; rebel, traitor, iconoclast, or slave, depending on who you talk to. The narrative is written unemotionally, but somehow that makes it more effective. One can see why Kim Stanley Robinson's blurb was given pride of place.
Alien Bootlegger, Rebecca Ore. Strange and matter-of-fact in the Ore way, this one didn't quite work for me somehow.
Jinian Footseer, Sheri S. Tepper. Comfort reading. I still think this is a great book. It falls down in assuming you've read the Peter books; more information would have been more effective in several places. But the sense of place in the great forest, the deadly depression, and the interactions with myths and gods really work for me. [Later I reread the two sequels to this and the Mavin books, in aid of talking about my username as requested by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tiassa on one of the recirculating memes. My post on that is still gestating.]
Bleach, Tite Kubo. Through 265.
Emma, Kaoru Mori. Complete. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Victorian England written as an exotic culture, which it totally is! Emma, the sweetest person in the universe! William, who I may grudgingly admit is good enough for her! Hakim, the obligatory spoiled aristocrat but with elephants! So much love!
Ex Machina 3, Brian K. Vaughan.
Fruits Basket. Through 135 translated, 136 raw, with lots of trying to figure out what's going on -- why can I not find a translation yet?!
Fun Home, Alison Bechdel.
Kagen no Tsuki (Last Quarter), Ai Yazawa. Complete. Fromoyceter. LOVE. From comment elsewhere: "I'm not really sure about the last chapter -- a little depressing and not really consistent with the reincarnation idea. The kids are wonderful. I am noticing a certain Yazawa painfully-earnest-boy look common to many characters at this point."
Return to Labyrinth, Forbes & Lie. I found this used for five bucks, and it was worth it for Kouyu Shurei's cover art of woeful and petulant Goblin King! (and some dumb kid.) I can also see why it was in the used store, though. The art of the creatures from the movie is great, and I suspect it's what got the artist this job; sadly his people are sort of awful. I make allowances for the first volume of anything, but the story has certainly not grabbed me yet. Also, wtf did they do to Sarah?! Sequels should not undermine the original!
Legal Drug 1-3, CLAMP.
Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto. Through 347.
Perfect Girl Evolution. Through 54.
Saiyuki 5.
Shirahime-Syo, CLAMP. Pretty. Nothing else to recommend it really.
Tramps Like Us 1, Yayoi Ogawa. Um, whoa, not sure I want to pursue this story given how uncomfortable I am at having such a strong response to it.
Tsubasa. Through 135.
Hammered, Scardown, Worldwired, Elizabeth Bear. Good SF with strong women, dark but not cruel or (with brief exception) gory, really well written. Bear==good. And so fast! She has a ton of stuff coming out, yay.
Storm Front, Jim Butcher. Didn't love it, but it was reasonably good fun. Heck of a long library hold list for the next one. I am told that there is some TV tie-in happening.
Dragon's Treasure, Elizabeth Lynn. Was the whole Chosen Guy and Quest setup of Dragon's Winter really necessary? How about next time we skip to this story, which is full of people with complicated emotions and relationships?
People of the Sky, Clare Bell. Reread of an interesting retro-feeling SF story: engineer flies antique plane on (supposedly just) recently colonized world, finds American Indians already present and in an intriguing relationship with a flying native species.
Disappearing Nightly, Laura Resnick. Library shelf. Very unusual: a book that would have worked better as a movie. The physical comedy it was going for didn't come across at all well in print. I think I might just not find drag queens inherently hilarious, though. The plot was amusing enough for me to keep reading, but that's it.
The Barbed Rose, Gail Dayton. Not quite as button-hitting for me as Compass Rose, but still about magic and multi-adult families, with just a little intrigue this time. I am happy to read these despite their not being very good.
Second Sight, Amanda Quick. Library shelf. Mildly paranormal Victorian romance with likeable characters. Exactly what I wanted: an easy, engaging read.
Lost in Translation, Edward Willett. Library shelf. I liked the premise (aliens of various races become interpreters in self-sacrificing manner, this being the only way races can communicate) but found the execution a little unexciting.
Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie. First read of an early Crusie. Not terrible.
Storyteller, Amy Thomson. More complex than I anticipated. A few lucky humans have mental bonds to useful alien animals -- here immense, cargo-hauling, sailed whales -- and FTL pilots are addicted to the Jump, neither that unusual. But there's a focus on creating your life and dealing with difficult emotions (and okay I liked the queer content a lot) that was well done and touching. Definitely recommended.
Change of Command, Elizabeth Moon. Wim declined to read this. I sorta wish I had too. I am now officially sick of the "we wear the black hats so you can tell we are bad" villains, though I admit to being amused when a still-stereotypical but surprisingly non-evil Texan showed up.
Floating Worlds, Cecelia Holland. Library shelf. Long, slow, understated book about clashing cultures in a conflict-ridden solar system by way of one woman; rebel, traitor, iconoclast, or slave, depending on who you talk to. The narrative is written unemotionally, but somehow that makes it more effective. One can see why Kim Stanley Robinson's blurb was given pride of place.
Alien Bootlegger, Rebecca Ore. Strange and matter-of-fact in the Ore way, this one didn't quite work for me somehow.
Jinian Footseer, Sheri S. Tepper. Comfort reading. I still think this is a great book. It falls down in assuming you've read the Peter books; more information would have been more effective in several places. But the sense of place in the great forest, the deadly depression, and the interactions with myths and gods really work for me. [Later I reread the two sequels to this and the Mavin books, in aid of talking about my username as requested by
tiassa on one of the recirculating memes. My post on that is still gestating.]Bleach, Tite Kubo. Through 265.
Emma, Kaoru Mori. Complete. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Victorian England written as an exotic culture, which it totally is! Emma, the sweetest person in the universe! William, who I may grudgingly admit is good enough for her! Hakim, the obligatory spoiled aristocrat but with elephants! So much love!
Ex Machina 3, Brian K. Vaughan.
Fruits Basket. Through 135 translated, 136 raw, with lots of trying to figure out what's going on -- why can I not find a translation yet?!
Fun Home, Alison Bechdel.
Kagen no Tsuki (Last Quarter), Ai Yazawa. Complete. From
oyceter. LOVE. From comment elsewhere: "I'm not really sure about the last chapter -- a little depressing and not really consistent with the reincarnation idea. The kids are wonderful. I am noticing a certain Yazawa painfully-earnest-boy look common to many characters at this point."Return to Labyrinth, Forbes & Lie. I found this used for five bucks, and it was worth it for Kouyu Shurei's cover art of woeful and petulant Goblin King! (and some dumb kid.) I can also see why it was in the used store, though. The art of the creatures from the movie is great, and I suspect it's what got the artist this job; sadly his people are sort of awful. I make allowances for the first volume of anything, but the story has certainly not grabbed me yet. Also, wtf did they do to Sarah?! Sequels should not undermine the original!
Legal Drug 1-3, CLAMP.
Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto. Through 347.
Perfect Girl Evolution. Through 54.
Saiyuki 5.
Shirahime-Syo, CLAMP. Pretty. Nothing else to recommend it really.
Tramps Like Us 1, Yayoi Ogawa. Um, whoa, not sure I want to pursue this story given how uncomfortable I am at having such a strong response to it.
Tsubasa. Through 135.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-25 07:12 am (UTC)Also, I sort of really like Tramps Like Us despite being very hesitant about the premise. And yet... Ogawa's been keeping that weird, in-between, not-quite-romantic dynamic with Sumire and Momo and I love that.