Reading List Update
Apr. 28th, 2007 04:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedibuttercupHm. Looks like the last time I updated my reading list was nearly two months ago! I haven't been reading as much as usual-- only a book per weekend or so-- but I have no doubt I'll still make the 50-book mark by the end of the year. Here are the latest additions:
16. Ghost by John Ringo. Paperback, 528pp. Modern-day sci-fi action; first of a series I won't be following. Not sure what to say about it; if I'd been a macho, ultra-conservative male it might have been right up my alley, but after wading through many wish-fullfillment scenes of the hero rescuing dozens of scantily clad females from terrorists, personally beheading Osama bin Laden, stopping a nuclear bomb plot virtually single-handedly, moaning to himself about having to restrain the rapist inside him, and then ending up the owner of a harem and private army in the wilds of Asia in the epilogue, I dropped this straight into my "return to used bookstore" pile.
17. On Basilisk Station by David Weber. Paperback, 464pp; first of the Honor Harrington series. Now this was more like it: military scifi with grand battles and a female protagonist backed up by likeable secondary characters overcoming great odds through determination, intelligence, and honor. Plus, she got to take her cat everywhere and practically spit in the eye of the patronizing rich guy who tried to put her in her place. Wish fulfilment of an entirely different sort? *grin*
18. The Honor of the Queen by David Weber. Paperback, 464pp, second of the Honor Harrington series. Another fun read, with enough varied action and drama that it was hard to put down. Also a keeper.
19. The Short Victorious War by David Weber. Hardcover, 352pp, third of the Honor Harrington series. While I'll be keeping this one also, there were enough questionable developments in it that I wasn't inspired to immediately pick up the rest of the series. The re-appearance of a would-be rapist nemesis, the increasingly obvious connection that virtually all of Honor's serious opponents tend to be bad men and sexist besides, and the political machinations of enemy star nation the People's Republic of Haven, were all red flags to me despite the generally enjoyable action and well-developed characterization. "Rob S. Pierre" was the last straw: geez. I understand this series is supposed to be pretty much Horatio Nelson and/or Horatio Hornblower, in space, but did he have to make the parallels so obvious?
20. The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey. Paperback, 400pp, first of the Elemental Masters series. Supposedly based on Snow White, of which many elements are present-- but only as part of a deeper, layered, fascinating story. I'm a sucker for fairy tale adaptions and historical fantasy fiction in general, especially with good mystery and romance mixed in, and I enjoyed it very much. I'll probably pick the rest of the series up sooner or later.
21. Bad Prince Charlie by John Moore. Paperback, 240pp. The third fantasy/fairy tale parody by this author, and just as much fun as the others, though this one is loosely structured around poking fun at Hamlet rather than more traditional fairy tales. Light reading of ultimately little value, undoubtedly, but I'll hang on to it.
22. A Fate Worse Than Dragons, by John Moore. Paperback, 240pp. His newest fantasy/fairytale parody; with this one, he gets around to thoroughly skewering that class of tales exemplified by "The Princess Bride". Light, humorous, and fast-moving; a good cloudy-Saturday, cup-of-tea diversion.
Currently cracking the cover of: Orphans of Chaos, by John C. Wright.
~
16. Ghost by John Ringo. Paperback, 528pp. Modern-day sci-fi action; first of a series I won't be following. Not sure what to say about it; if I'd been a macho, ultra-conservative male it might have been right up my alley, but after wading through many wish-fullfillment scenes of the hero rescuing dozens of scantily clad females from terrorists, personally beheading Osama bin Laden, stopping a nuclear bomb plot virtually single-handedly, moaning to himself about having to restrain the rapist inside him, and then ending up the owner of a harem and private army in the wilds of Asia in the epilogue, I dropped this straight into my "return to used bookstore" pile.
17. On Basilisk Station by David Weber. Paperback, 464pp; first of the Honor Harrington series. Now this was more like it: military scifi with grand battles and a female protagonist backed up by likeable secondary characters overcoming great odds through determination, intelligence, and honor. Plus, she got to take her cat everywhere and practically spit in the eye of the patronizing rich guy who tried to put her in her place. Wish fulfilment of an entirely different sort? *grin*
18. The Honor of the Queen by David Weber. Paperback, 464pp, second of the Honor Harrington series. Another fun read, with enough varied action and drama that it was hard to put down. Also a keeper.
19. The Short Victorious War by David Weber. Hardcover, 352pp, third of the Honor Harrington series. While I'll be keeping this one also, there were enough questionable developments in it that I wasn't inspired to immediately pick up the rest of the series. The re-appearance of a would-be rapist nemesis, the increasingly obvious connection that virtually all of Honor's serious opponents tend to be bad men and sexist besides, and the political machinations of enemy star nation the People's Republic of Haven, were all red flags to me despite the generally enjoyable action and well-developed characterization. "Rob S. Pierre" was the last straw: geez. I understand this series is supposed to be pretty much Horatio Nelson and/or Horatio Hornblower, in space, but did he have to make the parallels so obvious?
20. The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey. Paperback, 400pp, first of the Elemental Masters series. Supposedly based on Snow White, of which many elements are present-- but only as part of a deeper, layered, fascinating story. I'm a sucker for fairy tale adaptions and historical fantasy fiction in general, especially with good mystery and romance mixed in, and I enjoyed it very much. I'll probably pick the rest of the series up sooner or later.
21. Bad Prince Charlie by John Moore. Paperback, 240pp. The third fantasy/fairy tale parody by this author, and just as much fun as the others, though this one is loosely structured around poking fun at Hamlet rather than more traditional fairy tales. Light reading of ultimately little value, undoubtedly, but I'll hang on to it.
22. A Fate Worse Than Dragons, by John Moore. Paperback, 240pp. His newest fantasy/fairytale parody; with this one, he gets around to thoroughly skewering that class of tales exemplified by "The Princess Bride". Light, humorous, and fast-moving; a good cloudy-Saturday, cup-of-tea diversion.
Currently cracking the cover of: Orphans of Chaos, by John C. Wright.
~
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 12:20 am (UTC)Oh yes. I really like the early ones, but you do have a point about developments. I still haven't been able to bring myself to read "Field of Dishonor". But I also like "Flag in Exile" and "Echoes of Honor". After that I gave up on the series because it got away from the action and too much into political backstabbing, and I wasn't interested.
I think of the Honor Harrington series as what I like to read when I can't get Bujold's Vorkosigan books.
The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey.
You mean she's actually written something good?
Currently cracking the cover of: Orphans of Chaos, by John C. Wright.
Enjoy.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 04:57 am (UTC)I can't figure out why I don't come across more people who have read and loved the Vorkosigan series. It's hands-down my favorite sci-fi out there - especially the first 3-4 books.
I am also enjoying (if not quite as much) her fantasy series. I know she's tired of Barrayar, but I do hope she gets back to it sometime. I'd like to know if Miles survives parenthood!
Maybe I should pick up the Honor Harrington series while I am waiting for her newest fantasy to hit paperback...
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 05:09 am (UTC)I think you'll find that there's quite a few of us around -- at least enough so that the
I know she's tired of Barrayar, but I do hope she gets back to it sometime.
Yes, but only when she's not tired of it. "Diplomatic Immunity" was rather a disappointment.
Maybe I should pick up the Honor Harrington series while I am waiting for her newest fantasy to hit paperback...
Well, that was my method...
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 05:49 am (UTC)I haven't read them because I can't find the first few at the used book stores in Salem. Or even new at Borders. One of these days I'll have to remember to check the B's on the rare occasion I get to visit Powell's. =)
no subject
Date: 2007-04-29 05:48 am (UTC)I've never actually read the Vorkosigan books. Main reason? Because I have a thing about starting any series/world from the very beginning, and I can never find the first one at any of the bookstores I regularly frequent when I remember to look for Bujold.
(They might have it at Powell's City of Books, though; I'll have to remember to add it to the check-list the next time my brother's in the States and wants to go there).
> You mean she's actually written something good?
I may not be the best person to ask, since I own 28 of her books! But this one's definitely not like her Valdemar series, or her Egyptian-based Dragon Jousters series; it's set in Victorian London, the characters are interesting, and you can tell she did her research. Gave me nostalgic throwbacks to Dorothy Sayers and regency romances, totally aside from the fairy tale/magic base.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 03:43 am (UTC)I have a library thing now - under lilacsigil's name (http://www.librarything.com/catalog/lilacsigil), since her books are also my books. It's addictive, and very satisfying to put the books in. We haven't made it a paid account yet, but when we reach 200 books, we definitely will.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 07:17 pm (UTC)This "Elemental Masters" series is definitely new and different, and I enjoyed it very much. Mostly, I'm a sucker for fairy tale adaptions and stories set in historical England in general, and this one was hard to put down.
She has a couple of other new series too; the "Five Hundred Kingdoms" fairy tale series she's started writing is a series of light-hearted, well-thought-out new takes on old favorites, and the "Dragon Jousters" series started out as a very unique take on a magic&dragons story, based on Egyptian culture, though the last book in the series isn't up to par with the first three.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 04:18 am (UTC)Also, you live in Oregon? I didn't even think to look at your profile, if you have your location listed, so I didn't realize that. What part do you live in, if you don't mind me asking?
no subject
Date: 2007-12-05 07:19 am (UTC)Yep, I live in Oregon. A ways west of Salem, specifically, in the foothills of the Coast Range. AKA flood country this week! =)
no subject
Date: 2007-12-05 04:09 pm (UTC)Oof. Is it very bad? I haven't had a chance to check what the weather is like, aside from what it's like outside--I hope that it's not going to get worse, if it is bad.
(edit because my brain is fried and stuck on Stating The Obvious.)