Comments | valancy_s: RECOMMENDATION SUNDAY

valancy_s

RECOMMENDATION SUNDAY

Sep 13, 2009 15:37

BOOK: As the season turns toward fall, this seems a nice moment to recommend one of my favorite curl-up-with books, YA adventure novel The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. Heroine Harry moves from an ersatz-Imperial Britain out to a distant desert colony, where the conquered people have unusual powers. Taken from her bed at night for reasons unknown ( Read more... )

recommendations

Comments 10

sillyg September 13 2009, 21:30:14 UTC

I *heart* The Blue Sword. It is one of my all time favorites - as is The Hero and the Crown. Really anything by McKinley makes me squee softly with joy. Excellent recommendation.

valancy_s September 15 2009, 18:15:21 UTC

Aww, yay. McKinley is great!

litlover12 September 13 2009, 22:30:28 UTC

I'm very fond of "Everything" -- even though it's the only Lifehouse song I know. :-)

valancy_s September 15 2009, 17:53:02 UTC

I only know the Lifehouse stuff that's gotten radio play. And this, because it's on a mix I have. Should make a point of listening to more.

saralinda September 14 2009, 02:26:41 UTC

I think I saw "Can't Hardly Wait" with you at some point.

It's an awful lot like "Some Kind of Wonderful."

valancy_s September 15 2009, 17:54:06 UTC

That's funny, I have no memory of us watching it together. I've only seen it a couple times. But it's not impossible.

I, alack, have never seen Some Kind of Wonderful.

steve_mollmann September 14 2009, 03:55:19 UTC

I don't remember much about The Blue Sword, but The Hero and the Crown was one of the few fantasy novels my grade school library had, and I read it many times. I remember it being surreal and engrossing. It's on my list to reread... someday, along with The Blue Sword.

valancy_s September 15 2009, 18:10:15 UTC

The Blue Sword is a good time. I remember not liking The Hero and the Crown as much, but it's been along time so the details are fuzzy. I believe I found the ending unsatisfying. That's a common issue I have with Robin McKinley, though I love her style otherwise.

thepresidentrix September 15 2009, 03:52:47 UTC

I remember liking The Blue Sword more than The Hero and the Crown (though I did think it was awfully cool that Aeryn got her hair all scorched off and it grew back a different color; my idea of a neat trick). But I also remember not getting the pairing in The Blue Sword at all. I liked Harry so much, but I did not understand why she loved the King - whatshisname.

I wonder if I would get it now, if I went back and reread the book as an adult?

valancy_s September 15 2009, 18:13:13 UTC

I like TBS better too. It's been a long time since I read The Hero and the Crown. I remember thinking the dragon-fighting stuff was cool, but not liking some aspect of the ending. McKinley always has those confusing deus ex machina climactic scenes and I remember that book as a particularly blatant offender.

As for Harry loving the king, I guess I was too much of a romantic to have questioned it. He likes horses! He has a pretty blue stone house! What more does a girl ask?