and now for something completely different.
Because I was doing that "have to teach, can't sleep" thing in the early hours of this morning, I found myself thinking about books involving Elizabethans (or Tudors) and magic or fairies. In theory, this should be a cross-section that is uniformly pleasing to me, but in practice there aren't that many books in this category that I like.
Books I love
1. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. Well, of course.
2. Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede. Though the second time I read it, I wasn't as thrilled by it as I had been.
3. (honorable mention) Tam Lin by Pamela Dean. Technically, yes, though it might be stretching the definition to include it.
4. (honorable mention) In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker. There's actually no magic in this book, but it does have immortal cyborgs, so. It still does that "clash of new and old" thing that I adore.
5. (really honorable mention) Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle. It's a ghost story, not historical fantasy, and the ghosts in question are from the late seventeenth century, but it is one of my favorite books ever. Like, ever.
6. King of Shadows by Susan Cooper. Two words: Nat Field.
Books I didn't care for
1. Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon by Lisa Goldstein. It pains me not to have liked this book, but I really, really didn't.
2. Malkin by Sophie Masson. I was mostly "meh" about this book. It wasn't bad--but the version in my head, the one I wanted, was better.
Books I couldn't/didn't finish
1. Ill Met By Moonlight by Sarah Hoyt. I don't even think I read much of this--just opened to a random page and was irritated by the blatant Hamlet allusions (though I did go back and skim the first chapter afterward). Which was totally unfair of me, I'm sure.
2.Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan. I have no idea why this one didn't take; I kept trying to read the first few chapters but never felt all that compelled to keep reading.
3. A Traveller in Time by Allison Uttley. I tried reading this last week; it's a time-slip novel, but there didn't seem to be any urgency to the narrative, nothing to keep me reading. Possibly I'll try it again, as I've read good things about it.
So, you know, if you have suggestions...
Books I love
1. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. Well, of course.
2. Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede. Though the second time I read it, I wasn't as thrilled by it as I had been.
3. (honorable mention) Tam Lin by Pamela Dean. Technically, yes, though it might be stretching the definition to include it.
4. (honorable mention) In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker. There's actually no magic in this book, but it does have immortal cyborgs, so. It still does that "clash of new and old" thing that I adore.
5. (really honorable mention) Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle. It's a ghost story, not historical fantasy, and the ghosts in question are from the late seventeenth century, but it is one of my favorite books ever. Like, ever.
6. King of Shadows by Susan Cooper. Two words: Nat Field.
Books I didn't care for
1. Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon by Lisa Goldstein. It pains me not to have liked this book, but I really, really didn't.
2. Malkin by Sophie Masson. I was mostly "meh" about this book. It wasn't bad--but the version in my head, the one I wanted, was better.
Books I couldn't/didn't finish
1. Ill Met By Moonlight by Sarah Hoyt. I don't even think I read much of this--just opened to a random page and was irritated by the blatant Hamlet allusions (though I did go back and skim the first chapter afterward). Which was totally unfair of me, I'm sure.
2.Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan. I have no idea why this one didn't take; I kept trying to read the first few chapters but never felt all that compelled to keep reading.
3. A Traveller in Time by Allison Uttley. I tried reading this last week; it's a time-slip novel, but there didn't seem to be any urgency to the narrative, nothing to keep me reading. Possibly I'll try it again, as I've read good things about it.
So, you know, if you have suggestions...