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said_scarlett) wrote2009-02-03 10:31 am
said_scarlett) wrote2009-02-03 10:31 am
Entry tags:
Babble About Books Because Talking About Anything Important Would Break Me
So I've been reading a great deal lately. I may not be able to get many new books, but I've got a ton of used ones I've been able to get my hands on. I read in the bath and before bed, and if I'm feeling it, when I first wake up while I have my breakfast.
I read Robin McKinley's 'The Blue Sword'. It says a lot about the genre that without glancing at the publishing date, halfway through I muttered to myself 'written in the early 80s'. Having only ever read 'Spindle's End' by her before, it was quite a contrast. It's not a bad book, but it's a bit dated and I can't honestly say it flows terribly well. One of my pet peeves is modern, American slang or references in fantasy books where it has no place, and 'The Blue Sword' falls prey to that in more than a few places. The world of Damar is interesting, however, and if you're a fan of world-building it's worth it just for that. And we do have a very strong female lead, so there are definite points for that. Harry kicks a great deal of ass. It's a quick read, I was done with it in a couple of hours, but it's not a bad one at all. Plus it's nice to see a relatively unique and non-stereotypical depiction of a tribal people in an 80s fantasy novel.
Hell, Mercedes Lackey still can't manage to pull that one off.
Now I'm reading Ken Follet's 'World Without End'. I'm picky about historical fiction, so I wasn't sure how I was going to find this one. But combine a time period I'm fascinated with and the scandals of the church and I'm there.
Once more my main issue is with modern terminology being terribly out of place. The novel takes place in the 1300s, and while I certainly don't expect it to be written to period, I highly doubt that the wool merchant's daughter would be thinking that the carpenter's apprentice was 'so damn sexy'. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but something just doesn't seem right about that.
Other than that, it's a very interesting and rather gripping book. I'm always fascinated by the mini-theocracies that sprouted up in England - Priory Towns and the like - so it's certainly caught my attention. Plus, the author knows his stuff. He handles the church and what went on in the church very well and very accurately so far. I do fear a Robert Jordan-like tendency to have the story spread over too many characters, however. But I'll have to hold my judgment until I've made more progress in the novel.
I also finished re-reading The Stand, but I have very few new insights save that it's gotten a few of my muses restless again.
I read Robin McKinley's 'The Blue Sword'. It says a lot about the genre that without glancing at the publishing date, halfway through I muttered to myself 'written in the early 80s'. Having only ever read 'Spindle's End' by her before, it was quite a contrast. It's not a bad book, but it's a bit dated and I can't honestly say it flows terribly well. One of my pet peeves is modern, American slang or references in fantasy books where it has no place, and 'The Blue Sword' falls prey to that in more than a few places. The world of Damar is interesting, however, and if you're a fan of world-building it's worth it just for that. And we do have a very strong female lead, so there are definite points for that. Harry kicks a great deal of ass. It's a quick read, I was done with it in a couple of hours, but it's not a bad one at all. Plus it's nice to see a relatively unique and non-stereotypical depiction of a tribal people in an 80s fantasy novel.
Hell, Mercedes Lackey still can't manage to pull that one off.
Now I'm reading Ken Follet's 'World Without End'. I'm picky about historical fiction, so I wasn't sure how I was going to find this one. But combine a time period I'm fascinated with and the scandals of the church and I'm there.
Once more my main issue is with modern terminology being terribly out of place. The novel takes place in the 1300s, and while I certainly don't expect it to be written to period, I highly doubt that the wool merchant's daughter would be thinking that the carpenter's apprentice was 'so damn sexy'. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but something just doesn't seem right about that.
Other than that, it's a very interesting and rather gripping book. I'm always fascinated by the mini-theocracies that sprouted up in England - Priory Towns and the like - so it's certainly caught my attention. Plus, the author knows his stuff. He handles the church and what went on in the church very well and very accurately so far. I do fear a Robert Jordan-like tendency to have the story spread over too many characters, however. But I'll have to hold my judgment until I've made more progress in the novel.
I also finished re-reading The Stand, but I have very few new insights save that it's gotten a few of my muses restless again.