What I Read in April and May 2011
Yes that's right...April and May! I am so behind on this list! But this past weekend I read the most MADEOFFAIL book ever with a sparkly unicorn and I want you all to share in my pain but I don't feel I can until I've caught up on this list. So be prepared for book reading dump these next few weeks as I attempt to catch up!
April 2011
21. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin (1999) [Fantasy - Westeros]
Enjoyed! A continuation of my reread project so as to reread the entire series prior to the publication of the 5th book in July. I pretty much flew through this book which was somewhat of a surprise because I always expect GRRM’s books to take me quite a while to read! But I read it this time on my Kindle netbook and I do find I read really thick books quicker this way than when I’m forced to hold a 20 lb book on my lap.
This is actually only the second time I’ve read this book. It feels like a lot more since I’m constantly seeing it discussed by others so the events seem all too familiar. But despite the familiarity with the story and characters, its still an engrossing read.
22. One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing (Thursday Next #6) by Jasper Fforde (2011) [Literary Fiction - Alternative Britain / Book World]
So so. Earlier this year I said I was getting tired of series. This book would be one reason why. It has been several years since the last Thursday Next book and I just didn't have time to go back and reread them all before reading this one. I really felt like I would have enjoyed it more if I had done a reread of the previous books.
The Thursday Next series started out as a series about an alternative Britain which was super interesting. In that world books are incredibly popular and the basis for most social activities. And it turned out, you could enter into books and in those books were the people playing the parts of the characters and this was called BookWorld. Now the series has turned into more about BookWorld than alternative Britain and I'm growing less interested.
In this book, the "real" Thursday Next is missing so the BookWorld (i.e. "written") Thursday Next is recruited to take her place and find out what has happened to her while at the same time deal with a border dispute between the Racy Novel and Women's Fiction sections of BookWorld. There is a hilarious visit to "Vanity Island" which is the home of the self-published and a whole side bit with fan fiction that was very entertaining. And there are all sorts of inside book jokes which are best appreciated by those who have read a lot of fiction.
The part I enjoyed the most was Written Thursday’s first experience in the Real World where she is overwhelmed and confused because everything is so much more detailed and colorful than she expected. She has to figure out breathing and going to the bathroom and all the things we do on a daily basis but are very rarely described in sufficient detail in Fiction to allow Written Thursday the knowledge needed to accomplish any of these tasks.
But on a whole a sort of blah read for me. The parts that are entertaining are entertaining enough that I’ll probably continue with it if another one comes out. But I won’t be running out and buying the hardcover.
23. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (1996) [Urban Fantasy - London and London Below]
Really enjoyed! After Neil Gaiman was here earlier this year to talk about this book I thought I should give it a try. This is the sort of Urban Fantasy I like best - i.e. a book set in a real city, that is fully engrained in that real city, is accurately described, but things are slightly different and there is an element of magic. In this case it’s the existence of a London Below the London we know and it has wonderful spaces such as a Floating Market under Harrods and the “Earl’s Court” which is a unique underground train with an Earl and his court on it. It also has some pretty terrifying places such as the Night’s Bridge where people disappear into nothingness.
I loved the use of the London Tube stations and their names as inspiration for characters in this story from Angel to Blackfriars. The characters are pretty vividly drawn as they appeared quite clearly in my head unlike some books where the characters remain somewhat indistinct everymans. The main character of the story had the potential to be somewhat annoying and whiny but managed to skid the border safely. The supporting characters are perhaps a bit more interesting, most especially the Marquis de Carabas. Oh and what awful delightful memorable hitman…Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar…*shudder*
This is only the second book by Gaiman that I have read. (Stardust was the first.) But his writing style works for me so I will certainly be reading some of his other books soon. Which is good as well as I got several other autographed copies of his books at his book signing!
May 2011
24. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Fire and Ice #3) by George R.R. Martin (2000) [Fantasy - Westeros]
Enjoyed! But man did this book take up the month! I thought I would get a ton of reading done during this month as I was on vacation for half of it but I pretty much spent the entire month reading this book. Granted it is long. But after flying through the first two on the previous months I guess I expected this one to go quickly as well. And it didn’t.
Of course it doesn’t help that there are some perfectly horrific things that happen in this book and you sort of dread coming upon them again. So perhaps I did read a bit more slowly in dreadful anticipation rather than the enormous gulp racing one does when I am trying to find out what happens. And also I think I purposely tried to take it slow so as to really take in the details that I might have missed out on the previous read.
Anyway, on target with my series reread. Only one more to go and then the new book! Hooray!
25. Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) by Charlaine Harris (2011) [Rural Fantasy - Present Day - Louisiana]
Awwwww…*sniff* This book was bittersweet for me. I can tell where Harris is going as she heads towards the series conclusion and I don’t like it. I understand and it makes sense and it is a logical conclusion. But it still makes me sad because part of me wants it to end another more unrealistic fantasy way. But I can respect an author for not taking the popular route.
I know a lot of people have given up on this series due to hate for Sookie and her Mary Sueness and the ever growing too large cast of characters. But I still enjoy them. It is clear that the series is winding down. We get some interesting revelations about Sookie’s family and the origins of her telepathy. Characters from earlier in the series make what seem to be final appearances as Sookie gets conclusions with some of them. Casual references to things in past books that were left hanging are being gathered up and given fruition in this book. Bill makes another appearance but this time things seem to have come to a comfortable state between him and Sookie. And then there is Eric and Pam and the Regent of Louisiana, Victor, who once again manages to make Sookie’s life a living hell. Most especially fabulous in this story was the blood bath that goes down all the while vampire!Elvis gives a memorable performance.
April 2011
21. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin (1999) [Fantasy - Westeros]
Enjoyed! A continuation of my reread project so as to reread the entire series prior to the publication of the 5th book in July. I pretty much flew through this book which was somewhat of a surprise because I always expect GRRM’s books to take me quite a while to read! But I read it this time on my Kindle netbook and I do find I read really thick books quicker this way than when I’m forced to hold a 20 lb book on my lap.
This is actually only the second time I’ve read this book. It feels like a lot more since I’m constantly seeing it discussed by others so the events seem all too familiar. But despite the familiarity with the story and characters, its still an engrossing read.
22. One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing (Thursday Next #6) by Jasper Fforde (2011) [Literary Fiction - Alternative Britain / Book World]
So so. Earlier this year I said I was getting tired of series. This book would be one reason why. It has been several years since the last Thursday Next book and I just didn't have time to go back and reread them all before reading this one. I really felt like I would have enjoyed it more if I had done a reread of the previous books.
The Thursday Next series started out as a series about an alternative Britain which was super interesting. In that world books are incredibly popular and the basis for most social activities. And it turned out, you could enter into books and in those books were the people playing the parts of the characters and this was called BookWorld. Now the series has turned into more about BookWorld than alternative Britain and I'm growing less interested.
In this book, the "real" Thursday Next is missing so the BookWorld (i.e. "written") Thursday Next is recruited to take her place and find out what has happened to her while at the same time deal with a border dispute between the Racy Novel and Women's Fiction sections of BookWorld. There is a hilarious visit to "Vanity Island" which is the home of the self-published and a whole side bit with fan fiction that was very entertaining. And there are all sorts of inside book jokes which are best appreciated by those who have read a lot of fiction.
The part I enjoyed the most was Written Thursday’s first experience in the Real World where she is overwhelmed and confused because everything is so much more detailed and colorful than she expected. She has to figure out breathing and going to the bathroom and all the things we do on a daily basis but are very rarely described in sufficient detail in Fiction to allow Written Thursday the knowledge needed to accomplish any of these tasks.
But on a whole a sort of blah read for me. The parts that are entertaining are entertaining enough that I’ll probably continue with it if another one comes out. But I won’t be running out and buying the hardcover.
23. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (1996) [Urban Fantasy - London and London Below]
Really enjoyed! After Neil Gaiman was here earlier this year to talk about this book I thought I should give it a try. This is the sort of Urban Fantasy I like best - i.e. a book set in a real city, that is fully engrained in that real city, is accurately described, but things are slightly different and there is an element of magic. In this case it’s the existence of a London Below the London we know and it has wonderful spaces such as a Floating Market under Harrods and the “Earl’s Court” which is a unique underground train with an Earl and his court on it. It also has some pretty terrifying places such as the Night’s Bridge where people disappear into nothingness.
I loved the use of the London Tube stations and their names as inspiration for characters in this story from Angel to Blackfriars. The characters are pretty vividly drawn as they appeared quite clearly in my head unlike some books where the characters remain somewhat indistinct everymans. The main character of the story had the potential to be somewhat annoying and whiny but managed to skid the border safely. The supporting characters are perhaps a bit more interesting, most especially the Marquis de Carabas. Oh and what awful delightful memorable hitman…Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar…*shudder*
This is only the second book by Gaiman that I have read. (Stardust was the first.) But his writing style works for me so I will certainly be reading some of his other books soon. Which is good as well as I got several other autographed copies of his books at his book signing!
May 2011
24. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Fire and Ice #3) by George R.R. Martin (2000) [Fantasy - Westeros]
Enjoyed! But man did this book take up the month! I thought I would get a ton of reading done during this month as I was on vacation for half of it but I pretty much spent the entire month reading this book. Granted it is long. But after flying through the first two on the previous months I guess I expected this one to go quickly as well. And it didn’t.
Of course it doesn’t help that there are some perfectly horrific things that happen in this book and you sort of dread coming upon them again. So perhaps I did read a bit more slowly in dreadful anticipation rather than the enormous gulp racing one does when I am trying to find out what happens. And also I think I purposely tried to take it slow so as to really take in the details that I might have missed out on the previous read.
Anyway, on target with my series reread. Only one more to go and then the new book! Hooray!
25. Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) by Charlaine Harris (2011) [Rural Fantasy - Present Day - Louisiana]
Awwwww…*sniff* This book was bittersweet for me. I can tell where Harris is going as she heads towards the series conclusion and I don’t like it. I understand and it makes sense and it is a logical conclusion. But it still makes me sad because part of me wants it to end another more unrealistic fantasy way. But I can respect an author for not taking the popular route.
I know a lot of people have given up on this series due to hate for Sookie and her Mary Sueness and the ever growing too large cast of characters. But I still enjoy them. It is clear that the series is winding down. We get some interesting revelations about Sookie’s family and the origins of her telepathy. Characters from earlier in the series make what seem to be final appearances as Sookie gets conclusions with some of them. Casual references to things in past books that were left hanging are being gathered up and given fruition in this book. Bill makes another appearance but this time things seem to have come to a comfortable state between him and Sookie. And then there is Eric and Pam and the Regent of Louisiana, Victor, who once again manages to make Sookie’s life a living hell. Most especially fabulous in this story was the blood bath that goes down all the while vampire!Elvis gives a memorable performance.