commuter books

[flammifera]

Prompted by ceciliaregent's nudge, I will mention some brief thoughts on books I've read recently. I have an older, bigger book review entry for the reading I've done the past two summers in Spain; I'll update that when I'm back at my apartment and have the pile of half-dozen or so books I read this summer from her Graduation Box of Awesomeness. :) Might as

Comments

[jere7my]

Re: Jhereg, Brust does some interesting things with translation-i.e., what you're reading is supposedly filtered through two different speakers after Vlad, which explains the modern language. If you read The Phoenix Guards et al., you'll find that it's in an entirely different voice, because the "translator" is different.

The Dragaeran series only gets better after Jhereg; Vlad becomes less flip, events start to matter a lot more, and you start to get answers to things. The world info does get pieced out in dribs and drabs, but the picture you eventually wind up with is really intriguing.

[flammifera]

Brust does some interesting things with translation-i.e., what you're reading is supposedly filtered through two different speakers after Vlad, which explains the modern language.

How the heck was I supposed to know that?! Was I completely oblivious and missed some intro?

I want to read The Phoenix Guards and related books about that world's history. But I dunno...I got the impression from puzzledance that the Vlad series was better in the first couple (Jhereg and Yendi). Possibly I misunderstood her, though.

[ursule]

My personal sense is that the first books are entirely light & fluffy & fun, and that the later books try to be serious in a way that's interesting but doesn't entirely work, because when you start getting serious you have to deal with the fact that your viewpoint character is an assassin, and that's too much for these books to handle.

(I didn't like the more-recent book I read in the prequels series, but that was more long-series sloppiness.)

[flammifera]

They *are*! Hmm...I should start frequenting used bookstores -- my mom was a big fan of them as I was growing up, but during high school I mostly used the library. I've actually purchased a couple Bond books new, because in both cases I was kinda in a hurry to read them (I know it wouldn't've killed me to wait a couple days, but I just wanted to start!) and the Borders in the lobby of my office building is so convenient...

Perhaps I'll just start borrowing them from you. ;)

[tanglethis]

Don't let the size of JS & Mr. N put you off. Despite the speedbump effect of the footnotes, it's a quick and tasty read... It's easier to put down than, say, Harry Potter (I tend to devour those whole in a night), but just as easy to pick up again where you left off. So worth it.

[flammifera]

It's easier to put down than, say, Harry Potter

That's exactly what I was worried about. I don't have energy for an 800-page book...except for Harry Potter -- is what I should've said. ;)

Well, good to know. Perhaps I'll start it over Christmas, when I can get a good chunk read, and hope that I stay motivated to finish it.