Books in 2011 : May
Jo Graham Stargate Atlantis: Death Game
While there were still some things about the characterization that felt off (moments when Teyla didn't sound like herself, Lorne's backstory, which I just didn't buy, Ronon being a little too nice), at least I didn't feel the urge to throw the book across the room.
Such a relief!
I enjoyed the story, enjoyed the various pairings, the way the characters felt concern for others (something which had been lacking in the previous two books). And there was even some h/c.
Bought: November 2010.
David Niall Wilson & Patricia Lee Macomber Stargate Atlantis: Brimstone
Not the worst, far from the best.
The characterization didn't make me want to tear my hair out in frustration, but it was a little... bland.
The plot itself was like something out of a Star Trek episode and I hated it. The main villain's motivations aren't really explored, I didn't buy this "culture" at all and it was all pretty unsurprising.
Bought: November 2010.
Jo Graham & Melissa Scott Stargate Atlantis: Homecoming
I really enjoyed this one a great deal--not much happens, but there are so many good character moments, so much team interaction, so much goodness all around, that I just loved it all.
And seeing everyone going back home to Pegasus, and finding a new place for Atlantis, and getting back into the fight and renewing old alliances, was pretty awesome.
Bought: January 2011.
Jo Graham & Amy Griswold Stargate Atlantis: The Lost
And this one pleased me a lot too--not sure how I feel about the shipping, but the team!friendship moments were very nice indeed.
Bought: March 2011.
Isaac Asimov Némésis (Nemesis)
Bought: February 2011.
Isaac Asimov Les dieux eux-mêmes (The Gods Themselves)
Bought: February 2011.
Patricia Cornwell Postmortem (Postmortem), Mémoires mortes (Body of Evidence), Et il ne restera que poussière... (All That Remains...), Une peine d'exception (Cruel & Unusual), La séquence des corps (The Body Farm), Une mort sans nom (From Potter's Field), Morts en eaux troubles (Cause of Death), Mordoc (Unnatural Exposure), Combustion (Point of Origin), Cadavre X (Black Notice), Dossier Benton (The Last Precinct), Baton Rouge (Blow Fly), Signe suspect (Trace) and Sans raison (Predator)
Since the three latest ones were still waiting for my attention and had been for a long time, and I could barely remember what happened before, I decided to skim through them--mostly reading the stuff about Kay's relationship with Benton, Marino and Lucy, and skipping the investigation-related stuff, which made for a very quick re-read.
I now remember why the latest three have been waiting for so long; I've always had trouble empathizing with the characters in this series and it has a lot to do with the writing, which is very factual. It lacks... a heart and a soul, for lack of better words.
The first ones are fairly enjoyable, but once I reached The Last Precinct, and then Blow Fly, I went from skimming through them to reading two lines every page and declaring the book re-read. It doesn't even feel like the same series anymore...
Bought: 1998-2009.
Patricia Cornwell Registre des morts (Book of the Dead), Scarpetta (Scarpetta) & L'instinct du mal (The Scarpetta Factor)
In short, the first one was atrociously bad, the second was mostly readable, and I skimmed through the last one.
I suppose I've been buying them out of habit for years, but I'll stop here.
Bought: 2009 - 2011.
Isaac Asimov Retour au Club des Veufs Noirs (More Tales of the Black Widowers)
Bought: February 2011.
Stephen McCauley Sexe et dépendance (Alternatives to Sex)
Gift: March 2011.
Carlos Luis Zafon L'ombre du vent (La Sombra del Viento)
Why, oh why, did I wait so damn long to read this book?
I'm aware of all the flaws (that are certainly ranted about, at length, on Amazon), but I still loved it, felt thoroughly drawn into the story and couldn't it put it down until it was over.
*hearts*
Bought: March 2006.
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