"HOW many books?" "Plural, Plural Books!"*
You see what happens when I finally catch up on my reviews and even take a week off?
A whole lot of reading, that’s what happens. Let’s see if I can remember any of it.
FICTION
Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurences Novel, by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris.
I keep thinking that I ought to love Steampunk, so I keep trying it, and I keep bouncing off. Here, in what is clearly intended to kick off a series, we have new partners Eliza Braun, kickass field agent, and Wellington Books, nerdy librarian, er, Archivist, working for a Victorian paranormal counterintelligence agency. Books & Braun (O I SEE WUT U DID THAR) are pleasant enough, and their adventures are enjoyable in a brainless explosion-filled kind of way, but the plot makes no sense, the world-building is filled with gadgets and contrivances that make no sense and are dropped in for narrative convenience, and the editing is gosh-awful - typos, repetitions, glaring continuity errors. But I can’t resist Books’s “Crouching Librarian Hidden Badass” schtick, and I’ll probably be back for the next in the series. C-
Wages of Sin, by Alex Beecraft.
This novella sat on my e-reader for a long time, because while I absolutely adored the author’s 19th-century nautical m/m tales, I’ve never really warmed to paranormal romance. However, this really is much more of a throwback to the classic gothic ghost stories, drenched with moody atmosphere and the author’s trademark gorgeous prose, plus a fairly explicit (for Beecroft) m/m romance. I *appreciated* it, I suppose, but I can’t honestly say I *liked* it. YMMV. B
City of Diamond, by Jane Emerson.
Well, THAT took some tracking down, but everyone who told me that it was worth it was so-o-o right. Emerson (who wrote the marvelous Ivory “fantasies of manners” under the name Doris Egan) here turns to science fiction, with a sprawling mess of a romp set (mostly) on the titular city-ship. Sure, the world(s)-building (plural; not only do we visit many different social classes and cohorts on Diamond, but the story also takes the reader to a sister [and rival] city-ship, various outposts of a galactic Empire and a Republic, a couple of “lost worlds”, all with their own distinctive cultures, religions, and behaviors) is utterly insane, and the MacGuffin-driven plot makes absolutely zero sense, but who cares? I adored every one of the dozen or so viewpoint characters, their witty banter, subtle motives, and Machiavellian intrigues and counter-intrigues. The only drawback is the huge honking cliffhanger, which after fifteen years I know will never be resolved. A
When Beauty Tamed The Beast, by Eloisa James.
Second in her Fairy-Tale Retellings series, this wallpaper Regency was an agreeable enough way to pass the time, but as even the author admits in her Afterword, was little more than fanfiction for the House television series -- of which I’ve never seen a single episode. I like James better when she writes her own characters. B-
The Broken Kingdoms, by N. K. Jemisin.
It’s no spoiler to reveal that this is Itempas’s tale, and honestly, nobody likes Itempas. Except, of course, the calm and compassionate Oree, the blind artist at the heart of this novel. This does not dazzle and enchant like Jemisin’s near-perfect debut, but manages to provide a deeper and richer experience that builds upon the previous novel, yet is very much its own story. Gorgeous in language, meticulous in worldbuilding, exquisite in the details, wise and clear-eyed and tender and heartbreaking in its themes. A+
Love and Rockets, edited by Martin Greenberg.
The introduction to this collection of science fiction romance short stories promised to demonstrate how the two genres could successfully blend (an assertion I heartily endorse: Asaro, Bujold, Egan, Lee & Miller, really just about all my favorite authors) but never delivered on the promise. Some of the stories provided pretty good sf, and there were some interesting takes on gender roles and reproductive customs - but “romance”, not really. The stories that even attempted to focus on the relationship (the core of the romance genre) either relied too heavily on hoary old tropes, or failed to deliver the crucial happy ending. Meh. C+
ePistols at Dawn, by Z. A. Maxfield.
THE book that created Maxfield’s reputation in the m/m genre, this sat on my e-reader for forever and a day. After I finally read it - well, I’ve pretty much given up on the author. Don’t get me wrong, the premise is fantastic (an out-and-proud tabloid journalist tries to track down and unmask the author of a parody of seminal coming-of-age-and-coming-out classic novel) and all the characters (both the main characters and their respective circles of friends and co-workers) are well-drawn and absolutely likeable. But… I just don’t believe the central relationship. I liked the two heroes much better apart than together. Heckopete, I liked them much better with practically anyone else than with each other. It doesn’t say much for a “romance” when you close the book hoping “Dear God, let those two lovely people break up tomorrow and each find somebody new who will make them happy!” B-
Unlocked, by Courtney Milan.
Even though she’s a romance megastar, I don’t remember reading any of her books. So when she offered this .99 self-published novella, it seemed worth a try. The verdict? Don’t try and stuff a novel-length story into too short a package. Here we have a reformed-rake story, and ugly-duckling story, a revenge story, a friends-to-lovers story, and they’re all nice enough; but either narrow your sights, or take the time to explore all of these themes properly. Still, the price was right, and I might try Milan again. B
Ghost Ship, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.
I’m not sure I can even give a review to this one, rather than just burbling incoherently, but if “necessity exists”… Ten years after the publication of I Dare, we FINALLY learn what happens after Theo presents her “kind of complicated” problem for solving to the Delm of Korval. And the fallout drags in practically every living person we’ve ever met in the Liaden universe, along with a few who are not …quite… alive (although the Turtles, alas, provide only the briefest cameo). With some many obligatory appearances by so many beloved characters, the plot is necessarily scattershot and jerky, and practically nothing gets resolved. But how can I cavil when we get to see Val Con go psycho? And Miri smack him down? And Shan manages so artfully? And Pat Rin plays the Boss? And the Uncle tries to pull one too many fast ones? And Daav lives down to his sneakiest, most weaselly self? And, and, and … Oh, just an irresistible wallow for Liaden fans, and probably incomprehensible to any one else. A-
Resenting The Hero, by Moira Moore.
Why oh why when I finally succumb to a new series, do I always find that it has been dropped by the publisher? Nonetheless, this is a marvelous fun romp of a fantasy novel; while the plot itself is fairly pedestrian and predictable, and the climax utilizes an achingly overdone trope, the magical system itself is refreshingly different and charmingly acerbic narrator is unreliable in the most irresistible fashion. I’ll buy as many as Moore can get in print. A-
The Thurb Revolution, by Alexei Panshin
I’ve already rave about this series, so what more can I add? Here Villiers meanders about in his customary aimless search for amusement - or is it? All we know is that a harmless camping trip somehow draws into itself a swirling mass of intrigue, politics, romance, even murder, until it becomes a maelstrom of revolution and mayhem that may send ripples throughout a galactic empire. And it’s all depicted with a mannered archness that one will find either infuriating or hilarious. (I opt for the latter) A+
The Viscount Who Loved Me, by Julia Quinn.
Second in the Bridgerton series, and I remember enjoying it greatly, but for the life of me I cannot dredge up what happens, or even the characters’s names. When I refreshed my memory on Amazon, I did say, “Oh, yes” - but I still am drawing a blank as to why I was so entertained. The hero’s “dilemma” was ridiculous, the romance unconvincing, but still the dialogue was clever and the tone light and breezy. I’ll probably pick up #3 if it should cross my desk, but I doubt I’ll go to any particular effort to find it. B
A Tale of Two Lovers, by Maya Rodale.
I simply cannot understand the rave reviews for this “Writing Girls” Regency romance series. Horrible h/h, wincingly “witty” banter, implausible plot, anachronistic details… ProTip for Alphole Hero: Even if she’s a “used goods” widow, even if she’s of no social importance, even if she just speculated in print that you (gasp!) prefer men to women -- “No”? That means “NO.” ProTip to TSTL Heroine: Even if you’re redhaired and “feisty”, even if you hate all goodlooking men, even if (gasp!) you sorta enjoyed it - after AH ignores Tip #1, saying “I dare you to do that again”? That will Not End Well. DNF
No NON-FICTION this time either.
(Hey, it was my vacation!) Except see Graphic Novels, below.
AUDIO BOOKS
The Killing Floor, by Lee Child.
The Jack Reacher series is insanely popular, and the impending author visit to our library gave me the incentive to finally check them out. I’ve always thought that I had a high tolerance for violence and viciousness (hey, I love the Dexter series!) but this darn near did me in. The reader, Dick Hill, delivered the eye-gouging and throat slitting with a casual dispassion that made it all the more horrifying. I won’t say the Bad Guys weren’t REALLY BAD, deserving everything they got; I will say that I’ve got zero desire to follow Reacher on any further adventures. (SPOILER: Points, however, for - against all expectations - NOT fridging the love interest). C
The Convenient Marriage, by Georgette Heyer.
The centennial seemed a good occasion to revisit an author I read obsessively decades ago. Truly; I had managed to amass a complete collection long before the (really nice) revival and re-release, something that cost me both considerable bother and expense. Perhaps it was the plummy, over-precise narration by Caroline Hunt, perhaps I’m just a bit more grown-up; but while the dialogue remained as sparkling and the plot as frothy and delightful as I remember, the overt classism and snobbery made each snicker increasingly uncomfortable. C+
GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Influencing Machine, by Brooke Gladstone, illustrated by Josh Neufeld.
A fascinating, if necessarily abbreviated, look at the history and influence of the media. Gladstone, host of the popular NPR series “On The Media” casts a cynical but affectionate eye over the news business, and how it both shapes our society and is shaped by it. Neufeld’s tritone art is a bit cartoony, and a bit too wedded to a static nine-panel layout; yet nonetheless kept me coming back to this on my lunch hour, when I’d probably have given up on a pure text volume. Something you’ll want to give to every young adult you care about, to make them think. B
Library Wars: Love and War, Vol 6 by Kiiro Yumi.
*Such* a silly manga; I’m running out of excuses to keep reading this. I have an abiding weakness for short dark grumpy heros, but for the love of St. Jerome, the series is called LIBRARY Wars - why am I reading the same old tired shojo plots about Valentine’s Day chocolates and trips to hot springs? C
*Internet brownies for anyone who can spot the reference in the post title
A whole lot of reading, that’s what happens. Let’s see if I can remember any of it.
FICTION
Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurences Novel, by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris.
I keep thinking that I ought to love Steampunk, so I keep trying it, and I keep bouncing off. Here, in what is clearly intended to kick off a series, we have new partners Eliza Braun, kickass field agent, and Wellington Books, nerdy librarian, er, Archivist, working for a Victorian paranormal counterintelligence agency. Books & Braun (O I SEE WUT U DID THAR) are pleasant enough, and their adventures are enjoyable in a brainless explosion-filled kind of way, but the plot makes no sense, the world-building is filled with gadgets and contrivances that make no sense and are dropped in for narrative convenience, and the editing is gosh-awful - typos, repetitions, glaring continuity errors. But I can’t resist Books’s “Crouching Librarian Hidden Badass” schtick, and I’ll probably be back for the next in the series. C-
Wages of Sin, by Alex Beecraft.
This novella sat on my e-reader for a long time, because while I absolutely adored the author’s 19th-century nautical m/m tales, I’ve never really warmed to paranormal romance. However, this really is much more of a throwback to the classic gothic ghost stories, drenched with moody atmosphere and the author’s trademark gorgeous prose, plus a fairly explicit (for Beecroft) m/m romance. I *appreciated* it, I suppose, but I can’t honestly say I *liked* it. YMMV. B
City of Diamond, by Jane Emerson.
Well, THAT took some tracking down, but everyone who told me that it was worth it was so-o-o right. Emerson (who wrote the marvelous Ivory “fantasies of manners” under the name Doris Egan) here turns to science fiction, with a sprawling mess of a romp set (mostly) on the titular city-ship. Sure, the world(s)-building (plural; not only do we visit many different social classes and cohorts on Diamond, but the story also takes the reader to a sister [and rival] city-ship, various outposts of a galactic Empire and a Republic, a couple of “lost worlds”, all with their own distinctive cultures, religions, and behaviors) is utterly insane, and the MacGuffin-driven plot makes absolutely zero sense, but who cares? I adored every one of the dozen or so viewpoint characters, their witty banter, subtle motives, and Machiavellian intrigues and counter-intrigues. The only drawback is the huge honking cliffhanger, which after fifteen years I know will never be resolved. A
When Beauty Tamed The Beast, by Eloisa James.
Second in her Fairy-Tale Retellings series, this wallpaper Regency was an agreeable enough way to pass the time, but as even the author admits in her Afterword, was little more than fanfiction for the House television series -- of which I’ve never seen a single episode. I like James better when she writes her own characters. B-
The Broken Kingdoms, by N. K. Jemisin.
It’s no spoiler to reveal that this is Itempas’s tale, and honestly, nobody likes Itempas. Except, of course, the calm and compassionate Oree, the blind artist at the heart of this novel. This does not dazzle and enchant like Jemisin’s near-perfect debut, but manages to provide a deeper and richer experience that builds upon the previous novel, yet is very much its own story. Gorgeous in language, meticulous in worldbuilding, exquisite in the details, wise and clear-eyed and tender and heartbreaking in its themes. A+
Love and Rockets, edited by Martin Greenberg.
The introduction to this collection of science fiction romance short stories promised to demonstrate how the two genres could successfully blend (an assertion I heartily endorse: Asaro, Bujold, Egan, Lee & Miller, really just about all my favorite authors) but never delivered on the promise. Some of the stories provided pretty good sf, and there were some interesting takes on gender roles and reproductive customs - but “romance”, not really. The stories that even attempted to focus on the relationship (the core of the romance genre) either relied too heavily on hoary old tropes, or failed to deliver the crucial happy ending. Meh. C+
ePistols at Dawn, by Z. A. Maxfield.
THE book that created Maxfield’s reputation in the m/m genre, this sat on my e-reader for forever and a day. After I finally read it - well, I’ve pretty much given up on the author. Don’t get me wrong, the premise is fantastic (an out-and-proud tabloid journalist tries to track down and unmask the author of a parody of seminal coming-of-age-and-coming-out classic novel) and all the characters (both the main characters and their respective circles of friends and co-workers) are well-drawn and absolutely likeable. But… I just don’t believe the central relationship. I liked the two heroes much better apart than together. Heckopete, I liked them much better with practically anyone else than with each other. It doesn’t say much for a “romance” when you close the book hoping “Dear God, let those two lovely people break up tomorrow and each find somebody new who will make them happy!” B-
Unlocked, by Courtney Milan.
Even though she’s a romance megastar, I don’t remember reading any of her books. So when she offered this .99 self-published novella, it seemed worth a try. The verdict? Don’t try and stuff a novel-length story into too short a package. Here we have a reformed-rake story, and ugly-duckling story, a revenge story, a friends-to-lovers story, and they’re all nice enough; but either narrow your sights, or take the time to explore all of these themes properly. Still, the price was right, and I might try Milan again. B
Ghost Ship, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.
I’m not sure I can even give a review to this one, rather than just burbling incoherently, but if “necessity exists”… Ten years after the publication of I Dare, we FINALLY learn what happens after Theo presents her “kind of complicated” problem for solving to the Delm of Korval. And the fallout drags in practically every living person we’ve ever met in the Liaden universe, along with a few who are not …quite… alive (although the Turtles, alas, provide only the briefest cameo). With some many obligatory appearances by so many beloved characters, the plot is necessarily scattershot and jerky, and practically nothing gets resolved. But how can I cavil when we get to see Val Con go psycho? And Miri smack him down? And Shan manages so artfully? And Pat Rin plays the Boss? And the Uncle tries to pull one too many fast ones? And Daav lives down to his sneakiest, most weaselly self? And, and, and … Oh, just an irresistible wallow for Liaden fans, and probably incomprehensible to any one else. A-
Resenting The Hero, by Moira Moore.
Why oh why when I finally succumb to a new series, do I always find that it has been dropped by the publisher? Nonetheless, this is a marvelous fun romp of a fantasy novel; while the plot itself is fairly pedestrian and predictable, and the climax utilizes an achingly overdone trope, the magical system itself is refreshingly different and charmingly acerbic narrator is unreliable in the most irresistible fashion. I’ll buy as many as Moore can get in print. A-
The Thurb Revolution, by Alexei Panshin
I’ve already rave about this series, so what more can I add? Here Villiers meanders about in his customary aimless search for amusement - or is it? All we know is that a harmless camping trip somehow draws into itself a swirling mass of intrigue, politics, romance, even murder, until it becomes a maelstrom of revolution and mayhem that may send ripples throughout a galactic empire. And it’s all depicted with a mannered archness that one will find either infuriating or hilarious. (I opt for the latter) A+
The Viscount Who Loved Me, by Julia Quinn.
Second in the Bridgerton series, and I remember enjoying it greatly, but for the life of me I cannot dredge up what happens, or even the characters’s names. When I refreshed my memory on Amazon, I did say, “Oh, yes” - but I still am drawing a blank as to why I was so entertained. The hero’s “dilemma” was ridiculous, the romance unconvincing, but still the dialogue was clever and the tone light and breezy. I’ll probably pick up #3 if it should cross my desk, but I doubt I’ll go to any particular effort to find it. B
A Tale of Two Lovers, by Maya Rodale.
I simply cannot understand the rave reviews for this “Writing Girls” Regency romance series. Horrible h/h, wincingly “witty” banter, implausible plot, anachronistic details… ProTip for Alphole Hero: Even if she’s a “used goods” widow, even if she’s of no social importance, even if she just speculated in print that you (gasp!) prefer men to women -- “No”? That means “NO.” ProTip to TSTL Heroine: Even if you’re redhaired and “feisty”, even if you hate all goodlooking men, even if (gasp!) you sorta enjoyed it - after AH ignores Tip #1, saying “I dare you to do that again”? That will Not End Well. DNF
No NON-FICTION this time either.
(Hey, it was my vacation!) Except see Graphic Novels, below.
AUDIO BOOKS
The Killing Floor, by Lee Child.
The Jack Reacher series is insanely popular, and the impending author visit to our library gave me the incentive to finally check them out. I’ve always thought that I had a high tolerance for violence and viciousness (hey, I love the Dexter series!) but this darn near did me in. The reader, Dick Hill, delivered the eye-gouging and throat slitting with a casual dispassion that made it all the more horrifying. I won’t say the Bad Guys weren’t REALLY BAD, deserving everything they got; I will say that I’ve got zero desire to follow Reacher on any further adventures. (SPOILER: Points, however, for - against all expectations - NOT fridging the love interest). C
The Convenient Marriage, by Georgette Heyer.
The centennial seemed a good occasion to revisit an author I read obsessively decades ago. Truly; I had managed to amass a complete collection long before the (really nice) revival and re-release, something that cost me both considerable bother and expense. Perhaps it was the plummy, over-precise narration by Caroline Hunt, perhaps I’m just a bit more grown-up; but while the dialogue remained as sparkling and the plot as frothy and delightful as I remember, the overt classism and snobbery made each snicker increasingly uncomfortable. C+
GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Influencing Machine, by Brooke Gladstone, illustrated by Josh Neufeld.
A fascinating, if necessarily abbreviated, look at the history and influence of the media. Gladstone, host of the popular NPR series “On The Media” casts a cynical but affectionate eye over the news business, and how it both shapes our society and is shaped by it. Neufeld’s tritone art is a bit cartoony, and a bit too wedded to a static nine-panel layout; yet nonetheless kept me coming back to this on my lunch hour, when I’d probably have given up on a pure text volume. Something you’ll want to give to every young adult you care about, to make them think. B
Library Wars: Love and War, Vol 6 by Kiiro Yumi.
*Such* a silly manga; I’m running out of excuses to keep reading this. I have an abiding weakness for short dark grumpy heros, but for the love of St. Jerome, the series is called LIBRARY Wars - why am I reading the same old tired shojo plots about Valentine’s Day chocolates and trips to hot springs? C
*Internet brownies for anyone who can spot the reference in the post title