Two days in a row

[lodessa]

Thanks for all the e-hugs and well wishes, friends. They really cheered me up because I love you guys and it is good to be reminded that you are here for me. I would say I am going to start writing more (again) but I know that would end up somehow not happening.

For today I am going to list the books I have read in the first half of 2011:

Comments

[lodessa]

If we end up seeing each other, I will lend you the latest two Toby Daye's. I feel like they have gotten a lot better kind of like what happened with the early Dresden novels... also a lot more epic.

Yes. I really really appreciated Jenny as a very unusual, interesting, and real feeling female character. It really took the book from "oh another fantasy book to consume" to "wow. that's something you don't see every day".

I enjoyed the 100,000 Kingdoms but it just wasn't a great book. The world building is better than the actual story (a little like I found Boneshaker by Cherie Priest really frustration). It is like it is just novel enough not to fit into the standard fantasy category but not quite ambitious or well done enough to rise above it.

I would have liked more actual relationship development in Swordspoint. I liked the world and I appreciated the novelty of a published slash novel but I didn't really feel like I understood what anybody cared about in one another.

I think I had just read the Cordelia books last time we saw each other. Which means we will have much to discuss when we see each other next... not that we don't always have plenty to talk about.

Yeah. sophia_helix who gave them to me was like "this is the one time where when I tell you to stop at a certain book you need to just trust me".

According to the weather reports it is supposed to clear up by the weekend, but hopefully we can arrange something. Just let me know how things work out.

[hamsterwoman]

Hi! It was great to see you today and to meet Jeremy (who I hope wasn't too bored by our discussion of Sandman and other things he hadn't read) As always, could've kept talking for hours yet -- next time, hopefully! :) I've already started reading An Artificial Night and am enjoying it greatly so far -- I was really in the mood for urban fantasy PI stuff, apparently :)

The list of books I mentioned throughout the discussion, before I forget:

Kristin Kathryn Rusch -- Retrieval Artist novels -- social sci-fi / mystery things with interesting human/alien culture clash aspects. (Even though the plots and the characters and the writing aren't always the most compelling).

Holly Black -- Poison Eaters anthology of short stories, also White Cat, in addition to the Tithe-verse books.

Lois McMaster Bujold fantasy series -- the Chalion-verse books, starting with Curse of Chalion and especially Paladin of Souls, which features a middle-aged female protagonist. The worldbuilding in both has a very interesting pantheon. And I always love LMB's characters. The third book set in the same universe though at a different time, The Hallowed Hunt, was also not bad, but I didn't love it as much as the other two.

Diana Peterfreund, Rampant -- the one with the protagonist I really loved and the sequel I didn't :P

Lynn Flewelling, Tamir trilogy starting with The Bone-Doll's Twin -- the one where I really liked the first two books and didn't read the third one because I've heard it's not as satisfying. She also has the Nightrunner series which I've heard good things about but have not read myself.

ETA: Sisters Red -- the Red Riding Hood retelling with a really interesting sister relationship.

Male authors (for later :)

Steven Brust -- Vlad Taltos/Khaavren Romances Dragaera books -- the
unreliable narrator thing. Vlad Taltos is the first person smartass; Khaavren is the Dumas pastiche. I would definitely read the Taltos books first. These are the ones where I desperately wish there were a fandom on LJ instead of on mailing lists... XP

T.A.Pratt's Marla Mason series -- the urban fantasy mystery(ish) series set partially in SF, from a local autho. Really inventive magic, interesting aspects. I think the third one is where it hits its stride -- and there's only one book after that plus a few short stories and things on the web. But I think these are worth a shot even just for the clever magic, really.

Thanks again for coming out to see me and the loan of the Toby books! Hopt to see you again before too long!

[lodessa]

Jeremy is very used to my going on about things forever. I think he was kind of relieved to just sit and zone out and watch the game after the late night the day before. And as always... I am eager to continue talking when next we meet.