Oh Wow, What a Page Turner

[arkiewriter]

I took a sick day from work yesterday and stayed home. I spent a large chunk of the day immersed in Edenborn, especially since the boys went to play with their friend R. because it was her birthday. I started - and finished - Edenborn. Granted, it's a slim novel, for sci-fi, but man... the last author to hook me that deeply was Charles de Lint

Comments

[kay_brooke]

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed Nick Sagan's work. I've been eyeing Idlewood for a couple weeks now (it has such a pretty cover, and the story sounds interesting, too, of course) but I was hesitant to buy it because it was written by Nick Sagan. Not that I know the first thing about him, but I do know he's related to Carl Sagan, and when I see books like that I always wonder if the author was published because they're a good writer, or if it was simply because of their name. And I don't want to spend money only to find out it's the latter.

But I might have to check those books out now.

[arkiewriter]

Style wise, I'd compare him more to the sci-fi styles of Piers Anthony or James Alan Gardner. Very concise, not overwhelming with the science (or screaming LOOK I HAVE A PHYSICS/MATHEMATICS/ETC degree), and intriguing characters. It'd definately more towards science fiction than the oft-times space-opera styles of Anthony or Gardner, and much easier reading than say Greg Bear or Neal Stephenson.

There's not 100% story resolution at the end, because it's ongoing, but I prefer his style of breaking things up into smaller chunks to the Mega Tomes far too common in sci-fi. I did not feel like I'd missed out on huge amounts of backstory by accidentally reading the second book first, and that's a trick that most series authors never figure out.

And yes, he's Carl Sagan's son. The third book, Everfree, comes out in August of this year, and I am almost having a fangirl moment thinking about having to wait *that* long for it. ;-)

[writernici]

These days, with the publishing business being so hard to break into, your parent's name might get you in the door, but it won't sell copy. Readers have become way too sophisticated. Sagan's definitely worth the money and his sales speak for themselves. :-)

[arkiewriter]

Now, Nici, you know sales don't equal quality, or LKH wouldn't be still writing books. *hides* ;-)

[writernici]

LOL...I replied to the other thread about this...and you answered by question about 'Everfree' and it's release date. I am SO hooked on these books! I read 'Idlewild' twice (back to back). It's too bad you read the second first...the first book has so much set up (without the dreaded info dump, for most of it, you're seeing it through one of the characters' perspective) and the ending really shook me. If you can't get it at the library, I'll send you my copy!

[arkiewriter]

They've got it. I just got confused that they were part of a series, so to speak, and I guess the plot to this one sounded more interesting than the plot to the first one.

Yes, I started a 6 page list of reading material available at my limited local library, complete with number of pages and plot summaries taken from B&N, and the books are arranged to try to read fantasy/horror, sci-fi, f/h, sf, f/h, and so forth. Sometimes my schedule gets thrown off though, if a book is checked out, so I just drop to the next on the list and move the missed book to the end of the list. (And sometimes I cheat and don't read each trip's three in the order ordained, but who's gonna yell at me? *g*)

But the sci-fi for next library trip will be bumped in favor of Idlewild surging up the list from it's like 15th place spot. George Turner's Drowning Towers can wait a bit, I suppose. :-)

But the trio of Sagan's books is firmly on my Christmas list now!