Books read in 2014

[rolanni]

46.  Mortal Heart, Robin LeFevers (e)
45.  Dark Triumph, Robin LeFevers (e)
44.  Grave Mercy, Robin LeFevers (e)
43.  Heavenly Pleasures, Kerry Greenwood (e)
42.  Branded by Fire, Nalini Singh (read aloud w/Steve)
41. Paragon Walk, Anne Perry
40.  Spellcast, Barbara Ashford
39.  A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny, (re-re-re-&c-read aloud w/Steve)
38. The Third Circle, Amanda Quick
37.  Agatha Heterodyne and the Sleeping City, Phil and Kaja Foglio
36.  Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
35.   Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, Richard P. Feynman (as told to Ralph Leighton)
34.   A Brother's Price, Wen Spencer (e)
33.   Spiral Path, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
32.   Earthly Delights, Kerry Greenwood (e)
31.   Night Broken, Patricia Briggs (e)
30.  Just My Type, Simon Garfield
29.  Bones of Faerie, Janni Lee Simner
28.  Dancer of the Sixth, Michelle Shirey Crean
27.  Tryst, Elswyth Thane (re-re-re-re-re-&c-read)
26.  The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
25.  The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
24.  The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
23.  The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
22.  Cuckoo's Egg, C.J. Cherryh (re-re-re-&c-read)
21.  The Windflower, Laura London (Tom and Sharon Curtis) (re-read)
20.  Sparrow Hill Road, Seanan McGuire (e)
19.  Demon's Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
18.  Refining Felicity, Marion Chesney
17.  Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury (re-read aloud w/Steve)
16. The Vanished Priestess, Meredith Blevins
15.  Nine Princes in Amber, Roger Zelazny (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14.  Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein
13.  Ghost Point, James A. Hetley, manuscript (read aloud w/Steve)
12.  Peacemaker, C.J. Cherryh (read aloud w/Steve)
11.  The Red Hot Empress, Meredith Blevins
10.  Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
9.  Black Widow: The Name of the Rose, Marjorie Liu, Daniel Acuna
8.  Agent of Change, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e)
7.  The Emperor's Agent, Jo Graham (e)
6.  Eternity and a Day, Aline Hunter (e)
5.  Kindred Rites, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
4.  Billy the Kid, the Endless Ride, Michael Wallis
3.  The Steerswoman, Rosemary Kirstein (e)
2.  Uncovered, Jordan Matter
1.  Dancers Among Us, Jordan Matter

Comments

[reedrover]

I'm considering the LaFevers books as a present for my sister. Would you be willing to venture an opinion on them?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I liked the first one enough that I wanted to read the second, which was, IMHO, the strongest of the three. The last one began to annoy me about half-way through, but was still worth reading.

All that said, the story was not what I expected going in. It has some weight to it, and rather a lot of darkness (especially the second one, which I liked best); it's not a light or frivolous read. It wants to talk about the nature of faith, the price of devotion, the burdens of godhood, and the reasons people betray -- others, their faith, their country, or their sovereign. It's also set very firmly in the 1400s, during the war between Brittany and France, which was a right mess, historically speaking.

In all, I think the author did a good job and the trilogy's worth reading, but a lot obviously depends on what your sister likes to read.

[reedrover]

We both enjoyed the first book, for a dark and painful version of enjoy. I'm pleased to read from your comments that the second book was stronger. "The price of devotion" is a strong concept that can be a great "what if" lever, especially when set in a time period when organized religion ruled its people very strongly.

My sister enjoys historical fiction and the fantasy crossovers that come from it, and we both stories that challenge concepts of honor, loyalty, and truth. (We both own all of your Liaden books, fwiw, along with Shards of Honor and others that have such themes.)