Reading Wednesday
Finished reading: Tea From An Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan. I think I said everything I had to say about it in the previous Reading Wednesday entry, which is - I didn't like it, unfortunately, and I can't really put my finger on why. But a lot of people did like it, so I guess it's just a matter of preference. I do recommend one of her other novels, though: Mindplayers. It's so good! I liked the central character a lot, and the world really interested me. What I would recommend is - if you're interested in going the ebook route, get the SF Gateway Omnibus with Mindplayers, Fools, and Tea From An Empty Cup. That way you can get kind of a broad look and form your own impressions.
Currently reading: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. I'm currently only about 1/3rd of the way in, but I like it! This one has been for a while on the "Ehhh maybe I'll read it eventually" list, but then I came across an anon who is writing a Valdemar+TGE crossover, and... well. I just had to check it out. So - as I said, I like it so far. It's fun, it's kinda' sparkly, I enjoy Maia a lot - he's very sweet - and I like a lot of the secondary characters too. (Csevet!! And Beshelar and Cala!)
... The only thing is, I really wish I were reading from a paper copy rather than ebook, because it's tricky for me to keep some of the names straight because a lot of them start with the same letters, and I find it almost impossible to spell most of them. One wouldn't think this would be a problem even with ebook, but my ereader is extremely old and outdated and clunky to navigate/jump pages. ... Anyway. I think it'd mesh better for me on paper, as I'd be able to easily flip through if I'm confused about who so-and-so is.
I was really surprised to find out that the elves in this novel have airships. In fact I completely failed to absorb anything about the tech level of this novel through osmosis - I had the impression that it was a bit more Valdemar-esque, for some reason, and that's clearly wrong. Anyway, yay, airships! I like that. ALSO. There is a mystery plot! I don't know how significant it will become through the rest of the book, but I'm assuming that it will be because otherwise it wouldn't be there, and this pleases me. I like mysteries.
... Ignore those trying to recommend it on basis of court intrigue; it isn't really heavy on that. At least so far. In fact, I will admit, part of the reason I was kind of un-eager to read this novel was that certain subsets of its fandom are a little overzealous to recommend it on the basis of features that actually do not apply... At least, this is what I have seen from discussions. So, I was a bit "Hmmm" about it. Which is a little bit unfair, I suppose, but I'm enjoying it now.
Reading next: I have no idea. I kind of want to re-read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I don't know if I want to cart that big fat heavy book around, and I don't know if I can force myself through pages and pages of Tedious Swedish Business Transactions again, even if I like the story itself a lot (this is one novel where the film - both versions! - actually improved it). Or maybe I should re-read the Last Herald-Mage trilogy? Except I can't remember where I put those novels, or even if I have all three of them. Or... Actually you know what, I'll probably just close my eyes and grab something, it isn't as if I don't have plenty of unread books floating around my room.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3444309.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.
Currently reading: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. I'm currently only about 1/3rd of the way in, but I like it! This one has been for a while on the "Ehhh maybe I'll read it eventually" list, but then I came across an anon who is writing a Valdemar+TGE crossover, and... well. I just had to check it out. So - as I said, I like it so far. It's fun, it's kinda' sparkly, I enjoy Maia a lot - he's very sweet - and I like a lot of the secondary characters too. (Csevet!! And Beshelar and Cala!)
... The only thing is, I really wish I were reading from a paper copy rather than ebook, because it's tricky for me to keep some of the names straight because a lot of them start with the same letters, and I find it almost impossible to spell most of them. One wouldn't think this would be a problem even with ebook, but my ereader is extremely old and outdated and clunky to navigate/jump pages. ... Anyway. I think it'd mesh better for me on paper, as I'd be able to easily flip through if I'm confused about who so-and-so is.
I was really surprised to find out that the elves in this novel have airships. In fact I completely failed to absorb anything about the tech level of this novel through osmosis - I had the impression that it was a bit more Valdemar-esque, for some reason, and that's clearly wrong. Anyway, yay, airships! I like that. ALSO. There is a mystery plot! I don't know how significant it will become through the rest of the book, but I'm assuming that it will be because otherwise it wouldn't be there, and this pleases me. I like mysteries.
... Ignore those trying to recommend it on basis of court intrigue; it isn't really heavy on that. At least so far. In fact, I will admit, part of the reason I was kind of un-eager to read this novel was that certain subsets of its fandom are a little overzealous to recommend it on the basis of features that actually do not apply... At least, this is what I have seen from discussions. So, I was a bit "Hmmm" about it. Which is a little bit unfair, I suppose, but I'm enjoying it now.
Reading next: I have no idea. I kind of want to re-read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I don't know if I want to cart that big fat heavy book around, and I don't know if I can force myself through pages and pages of Tedious Swedish Business Transactions again, even if I like the story itself a lot (this is one novel where the film - both versions! - actually improved it). Or maybe I should re-read the Last Herald-Mage trilogy? Except I can't remember where I put those novels, or even if I have all three of them. Or... Actually you know what, I'll probably just close my eyes and grab something, it isn't as if I don't have plenty of unread books floating around my room.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3444309.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.