Reading roundup (more Smek, more Locke) and watching roundup (B5, Angel)

[hamsterwoman]

9. Adam Rex, Smek for President (Smekday #2) -- I was so excited when I learned that a sequel to The True Meaning of Smekday was coming out! I preordered this in hardcover, which hasn't happened since... Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, I think (well, I would've done it for Hawk if I didn't think the ebook option would be faster, and I would've done

Comments

[aome]

I don't have nearly the same quibbles with Locke #3 that you do, but I also don't have the chance to read as much as you do and therefore have less to compare it to, maybe? Except this:

because the other situation Locke and Sabetha made me think about were Kvothe and Denna.

THIS. It is what drove me nuts the most about Locke and Sabetha, and touches upon one thing you mentioned about them - how both Locke and Kvothe turn into pathetic eggshell-walking wimps whenever their chosen woman is involved. I do not get WHY either woman continues to keep them at arm's length for SO FREAKIN' LONG (so I'm pretty tired of their behavior, too), nor why either man allows himself to keep following around like a beaten puppy. It was fun for a short while, young love or something, and then got old very very quickly. Either get together or give up and move on, please.

As for the deaths of interesting female characters - I hated Patience for the way she would jerk everyone around (as Bondsmagi do), and remember pretty much nothing of Ezri, so those deaths don't bother me nearly as much as they did for you.

I'm glad you enjoyed the book overall, despite your quibbles. I liked the flashback scenes the most, I think, just because it was good to have the Sanzas back again (as well as Chains, albeit briefly). I actually am curious about Locke's past, mostly because I never really gave it any significance, and now that it's implied there MAY be significance, I'm curious to see how that turns out, whether it's real or just Patience bullshitting him.

And now all we have to do is wait forever until the next book comes out. :P

[hamsterwoman]

I normally don't have so many quibbles with books I thoroughly enjoy, but something about the Locke books brings it out in me... I suspect it's that I love the way he writes Locke and Jean and the Bastards as a group so much, that it makes me kind of resent the time he spends doing anything else, because pirates and politics and Bondsmagi just don't live up to the Bastards shenanigans for me. Which, it's not fair to complain because an author is writing not exactly what I want to be reading, but I do think Lynch is still sort of coming along in terms of craft when it comes to some of the things he's attempting, and loving the books requires -- to use his own terms -- choosing to be charmed (as opposed to being swept away by the pure genius of the narrative), and I happily choose to be charmed by Jean and Locke and the Bastards -- but not so much by the other stuff.

Either get together or give up and move on, please.

Yes please! I kind of have an easier time forgiving it with Kvothe, because Kvothe in the past-story is still quite young -- Locke in the present day, not so much. But I'm pretty sick of it with both of them.

just because it was good to have the Sanzas back again (as well as Chains, albeit briefly)

Yes! Although I was really hoping for more Chains! It feels unfair that we get him in flashback and then the Bastards spend most of the book away from him anyway and I don't get to enjoy him. I mean, it makes perfect sense, because the flashback parts are really the Bastards coming into their own as conartists without his tutelage and protection, but I miss Father Chains!

Apparently the next one has been confirmed to be published this year -- word came out just a couple of days ago.

And now I should go and find your write-up! :)

[aome]

It's here. :)

(Edit: Which apparently you figured out already. :P)