what I read in 2013, part 2

[plantgirl]

The complete list of fiction I read in 2013 can be found here. It's an absurdly long list, so I want to post reviews of some titles that stood out for me. In alphabetical order (by author):

I read the 3rd & 4th books in Alan Bradley's series about Flavia de Luce (A Red Herring without Mustard and I Am Half-Sick of Shadows). I continue to love

Comments

The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay

[clashfan]

Now go try his duology, Sailing to Sarantium/Lord of Emperors. I also liked his 'Tigana', but his Fionavar Tapestry series gave me hives. I've tried his novel 'Under Heaven' but am having a tough time getting into it. I view this as a personal flaw, and not that of the work.

Re: The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay

[plantgirl]

Tigana was next on my list, but the library here doesn't have it, so thanks for the suggestion. :)

And it turns out the library has Lord but NOT Sailing. *sigh*

I've been thinking of re-reading Song for Arbonne. I read it in 2006, and while I remember liking it, and a few small details, the main plot has faded away. But the library doesn't have that, either. This is a sadness.

I don't think you are alone in having the Fionavar Tapestry series give you hives. He seems to be an author whose readers either like one section of his bibliography, or another, but not both. At least, of the half-dozen friends who have read him, none have liked the Fionavar Tapestry series, and all have loved both Tigana and Lions.

Out of curiousity, which titles did you read in that series, and what aspect(s) of them gave you hives?

Re: The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay

[clashfan]

I read the first, and I think I tackled the second but failed. I had a tough time differentiating the five characters, remembering who was dating whom, what adventure track each was on, their backstories, etc. And I had a hard time caring about them--which makes sense, if they didn't stand out to me as individuals, why would I care about their fates?

Also, I felt that he was creating a world and a mythos without showing us the whole thing. Much was left unsaid, and I felt that there were cultural references I wasn't getting--and if I had understood them, I would comprehend so much more about what he was trying to accomplish. Now, I have been in that position before, in books both heavy (The Natural, Malamud) and light (Tuesday Next, Fforde). I can forgive it, to a point. But when I'm already not terribly invested . . .

I think Raven just says that they were his first books, and as such just aren't as good.

[tshuma]

Fionavar really reads like an immature writer with some good storytelling bits mashed in with a lot of cringe-worthy habits.

I'm so glad he got better. (Although I can still somewhat enjoy a read-through of it once in a while to remind me of why I think it's childish.)

[rhiannonstone]

I, too, hate Michael Swanwick's books. I have several dear friends, whose tastes in all matters I generally respect, who consider him a cherished favorite. I will never understand. I've tried both his books and short stories, and tried the sexy stuff to see if that would help, and... no. There's just something I can't put my finger on in all his writing that absolutely grates on my soul. So you're not alone in this!

[plantgirl]

Oh good, I'm glad, because I do not understand how he has won awards. Admittedly I haven't read his other books, which might be much better, but...

I think if I had discovered him when I was 14 or 15 I might have liked him. I didn't know any better then!

If he did decent world-building I might have had a less drastic reaction to the book, but it was So Bad! He introduces a world where there are:
-dozens of intelligent species & cross-breeds
-several different religions
-a completely unique political setup
-a caste system
-tech that is a hybrid of living/engineered/magic

and offers no back story and no explanation for how ANY of this all comes to exist together. I'm an intelligent reader. I don't need everything spelled out. But I do want some cues, some dots to connect.

I suppose his "gotcha" ending could forgive some of it, if it hadn't annoyed me so much, but I should not need the last 5 pages of the book to make me forgive or forget all through which I have previously suffered.

[tshuma]

I love the Lions; it's my hands-down favorite of his.

Second favorite is probably A Song for Arbonne. Tigana was mildly triggery in places.

The Sarantium duology was interesting but didn't grip me as much, and I have a thing for Roman-like fiction, so that surprised me.

[clashfan]

I had to be told that it was about Justinian. My knowledge of history is quite poor.

[owlmoose]

I think I may have been one of those who rec'd "Lions of Al-Rassan" to you, so I'm so glad you loved it! I also rec Tigana and the Sarantium duology, and I also enjoyed Arbonne a lot. I'm going to buck the trend and say I also thought the Finovar Tapestry was all right. Clearly not as strong as his later work, though.

"Bel Canto" was delightful. I need to try more of Ann Patchett's work.

[plantgirl]

I currently have a bit of an author crush on Patchett. I found Run in a used book store but have not yet read it. Her new book of essays, This Is The Story of a Happy Marriage, is really really good.