Books Read in 2008

Most recent on top:

The Arrival, Shaun Tan**
Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs
Season of the Witch, Natasha Mostert
Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan, Ferdinand Kuhn
Narbonic Five, Shaenon K. Garrity
Identical Strangers, Elyse Schein, Paula Bernstein
Moon Called, Patricia Briggs
Dust, Elizabeth Bear
Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha Who Bewitched the West, Lesley Downer
Soon, I Will be Invincible, Austin Grossman

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**"Read" is slightly misleading in this case; the book has no words.  It's put together like an old photograph album, and tells the story of a man who leaves his family to find a better life for them in a new country.  Goes on the keeper shelf.

One step forward, two steps back

Have I mentioned that I hate daylight savings time?

Friday, I read what I had of Longeye. Saturday and today, I spent rewriting chapters seventeen and eighteen. In one sense, it's nothing short of awesome how many new and interesting ways I'm finding to sabotage myself on this book. After it's done, you get down-time, brain. Promise.

In other writing-related news, the copy edited manuscript of Duainfey should be arriving tomorrow. *Sharon locates red pen and sticky-flags and puts them where the cats will find them and disperse them*

It rained like a sonofagun yesterday; and we still have snow cover! Also? Flood warnings. And! The plowman has delivered his bill, a sure sign that winter is well and truly over. It's time; this one has gone on just a thought too long.

And a note to a person not myself: Yessir, it's true that the project we're collaborating on isn't due until April 1. That means I need the materials from you before April 1, so that I can put them into Mandated Order. Ideally, I should receive those materials at least a week before April 1, and not the morning of the day. Thanks.

Progress, for some value of progress, on Longeye:

50278 / 100000 words.
50% done!

Books Read in 2008

Most recent on top:

Iron Kissed, Patricia Briggs
The Arrival, Shaun Tan**
Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs
Season of the Witch, Natasha Mostert
Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan, Ferdinand Kuhn
Narbonic Five, Shaenon K. Garrity
Identical Strangers, Elyse Schein, Paula Bernstein
Moon Called, Patricia Briggs
Dust, Elizabeth Bear
Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha Who Bewitched the West, Lesley Downer
Soon, I Will be Invincible, Austin Grossman

---------------------------
**"Read" is slightly misleading in this case; the book has no words.  It's put together like an old photograph album, and tells the story of a man who leaves his family to find a better life for them in a new country.  Goes on the keeper shelf.

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3) Patricia Briggs

The advertent auditor of this journal will have noticed that I keep a "books read" list. Mostly, this is for my own information, to prove to myself that I am too reading, at least a little. I rarely comment on the books, because I learned when I was working for SFWA that commenting truthfully on novels written by people I know was more likely to get me grief than not, and, thanks to the SFWA job, I know an awful lot of fantasy and science fiction writers.

That said, there was a conversation the other day regarding the third book in Patricia Brigg's Mercedes Thompson series, Iron Kissed. It seems that the excellent buymeaclue had some issues with the third book, and the question was asked what I thought.

I have not read buymeaclue's commentary, and don't intend to. What I think is that the [spoilery thing] of which I understand she complains, and its aftermath is handled appropriately and believably for this reader. The book was not a warm and cozy read, but the [spoilery thing] worked on the storytelling level (again) for me. As always, YMMV. If you are a person who believes that fiction must never use violence against women as a "plot device," then you might not want to read this book; it'll only get your politics in an uproar.

What I understand to be a secondary beef regarding the structure of the werewolf pack and the peculiar powers of the pack Alpha -- these things were set up very clearly and maintained consistently from early in the first book. If a reader of the series managed to get to Book Three only then to be offended by the pack social structure, well...sometimes we don't read as carefully as we ought.