Book Recs
So far, ficathons have been good to me in December. I received an amazing Yuletide fic, in which Loki wakes up to wage Ragnarok during the 21st century and finds things a little odd: There's No Rainbow Bridge Across The Generation Gap. I also received an awesome Serenity/Firefly, Mal/Wash/Zoe fic for 3_ships: Alive and kicking.
As for myself, I wrote a RENT story for Yuletide. The Flash of a Distant Camera.
But what I've mostly been doing during this break has been reading. And reading. And reading some more. And I thought I'd do some recommendations.
The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein
I know most folks are sick and tired of reading Arthurian stories, but this one is definitely worth a read. It's more focused on Celtic history, with no magic and based upon a version of King Arthur where he does have legitimate heirs. The main character is Medraut, the son of King Artos and his sister Morgause -- a child of incest, who can never become High King. Instead, legitimate twins are born, Lleu and Goewin, who will rule the kingdom after Artos.
Medraut's POV is engrossing and engaging. The prose is lovely, and I enjoyed every second of the book. All of the characters are well-rounded, with their own flaws and talents.
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
I have to admit, this book and its sequels (so far I've read Throne of Jade and Black Powder War) hit some of my kinks. History plus dragons? Awesome. This series is based on the idea of countries taming dragons and using them as an "aerial corps." Right now, Britain's aviators are waging a desperate battle against Napolean's forces.
The plot is brilliant, as are the characters, even if sometimes the plot makes my eyes tear up, damn it. Temeraire is such a fascinating character, as are all of the others dragons. I also love the aviators and their own little culture, separate from the rest of England. If you're into historical fantasy and dragons, definitely check this series out.
Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl
Amazon summary: Elana, a member of an interstellar civilization on a mission to a medieval planet, becomes the key to a dangerous plan to turn back an invasion. How can she help the Andrecians, who still believe in magic and superstition, without revealing her own alien powers? At the same time, Georyn, the son of an Andrecian woodcutter, knows only that there is a dragon in the enchanted forest, and he must defeat it. He sees Elana as the Enchantress from the Stars who has come to test him, to prove he is worthy
This is one of the coolest SF books I've ever read. The three different POVs are told in very different ways- Elana's is first-person, Georyn's is told third-person like a Welsh myth, and Jarel's (a medical officer and member of the invading force) is third-person and from the POV of a colonist. I read this all the way through in one sitting, and it didn't disappoint. All of the characters are interesting. If you like SF, you'll probably like this one.
Westmark, The Kestrel, and The Beggar Queen by Lloyd Alexander
I've always loved Lloyd Alexander -- The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian is one of my favorite books of all time -- and I think this series has to be my favorite of his. It's a story of war, of sacrifice and loss, and most of all, of survival and hope.
Theo and Mickle, Florian and Justin, Weasel and Sparrow, Keller and Las Bombas, Zara and Constantine: these characters are diverse and fascinating. Each character has their own story, beliefs, and motivations, and there are shades of gray which are fascinating to read. I really loved this trilogy.
As for myself, I wrote a RENT story for Yuletide. The Flash of a Distant Camera.
But what I've mostly been doing during this break has been reading. And reading. And reading some more. And I thought I'd do some recommendations.
The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein
I know most folks are sick and tired of reading Arthurian stories, but this one is definitely worth a read. It's more focused on Celtic history, with no magic and based upon a version of King Arthur where he does have legitimate heirs. The main character is Medraut, the son of King Artos and his sister Morgause -- a child of incest, who can never become High King. Instead, legitimate twins are born, Lleu and Goewin, who will rule the kingdom after Artos.
Medraut's POV is engrossing and engaging. The prose is lovely, and I enjoyed every second of the book. All of the characters are well-rounded, with their own flaws and talents.
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
I have to admit, this book and its sequels (so far I've read Throne of Jade and Black Powder War) hit some of my kinks. History plus dragons? Awesome. This series is based on the idea of countries taming dragons and using them as an "aerial corps." Right now, Britain's aviators are waging a desperate battle against Napolean's forces.
The plot is brilliant, as are the characters, even if sometimes the plot makes my eyes tear up, damn it. Temeraire is such a fascinating character, as are all of the others dragons. I also love the aviators and their own little culture, separate from the rest of England. If you're into historical fantasy and dragons, definitely check this series out.
Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl
Amazon summary: Elana, a member of an interstellar civilization on a mission to a medieval planet, becomes the key to a dangerous plan to turn back an invasion. How can she help the Andrecians, who still believe in magic and superstition, without revealing her own alien powers? At the same time, Georyn, the son of an Andrecian woodcutter, knows only that there is a dragon in the enchanted forest, and he must defeat it. He sees Elana as the Enchantress from the Stars who has come to test him, to prove he is worthy
This is one of the coolest SF books I've ever read. The three different POVs are told in very different ways- Elana's is first-person, Georyn's is told third-person like a Welsh myth, and Jarel's (a medical officer and member of the invading force) is third-person and from the POV of a colonist. I read this all the way through in one sitting, and it didn't disappoint. All of the characters are interesting. If you like SF, you'll probably like this one.
Westmark, The Kestrel, and The Beggar Queen by Lloyd Alexander
I've always loved Lloyd Alexander -- The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian is one of my favorite books of all time -- and I think this series has to be my favorite of his. It's a story of war, of sacrifice and loss, and most of all, of survival and hope.
Theo and Mickle, Florian and Justin, Weasel and Sparrow, Keller and Las Bombas, Zara and Constantine: these characters are diverse and fascinating. Each character has their own story, beliefs, and motivations, and there are shades of gray which are fascinating to read. I really loved this trilogy.