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sartorias asked other LJers what they were reading. I was reluctant to answer as the actual honest-to-god reply would have been "Wren to the Rescue, by Sherwood Smith."
Fortunately for her, the final verdict was "A good little adventure." It was lighter than the Crown Duel/Court Duel books, and shorted, the combination of which of course makes it feel slighter as well, if you understand what I mean. But yes, some darn good writing, and it carried me through nicely.
I wasn't planning on a YA binge, but it seems to ahve ended up that way.
I also finished Sword of the Rightful King, by Jane Yolen, which made me want to look up the old Green Man review, as I think, if I remember it right, that it expressed how I felt about ths book perfectly. Alas, the links are currently broken, and the search didn't work. I can find neither the review nor her letter in response, which was also an uncharacteristic mis-step.
Short version, it was a bad review, and Ms. Yolen, usually too smart for such, wrote a snarky letter about the fact. (Unlike some, I don't care if writers gripe about reviews on thier own blogs, even if it does mean others may read it, as it is, technically, their presonal space. But this was in public, via letter to the editor. Don't do that.) But it was the *details* I wanted.
I didn't believe the review at first, thus my owning the book, as Jane Yolen virtually never misses. But this is a rewrite of an old short story that really truly didn't work as a novel. This one was slight, without substance, not very well paced, couldn't find its direction, and it's nowhere near as good as she's capable of. I started it over a week before Wren, finished it days and days after, where Wren kept me up until 1:30 on a work-night.
It's also kept me from reading the Winter Prince until now, even though it was my "in the backpack" emergency book, as two Arthurian takes are a bit much at one time, however divergent in approach. But so far, this one's good... the language is nice, the main character has an intriguing voice, and I do get the very strong impression he's telling this story, now, for a reason, which is an author trick I like.
I've also skipped out of YA by starting Bujold's the Hallowed Hunt at last, at last. The first two chapters have me hooked. I doubt it will be up to "Paladin of Souls" (Which I keep wanting to call "Lady of Paladins", much to my Sis's amusement) but almost no books are, even by Bujold. That one is a rare true treasure. This looks like it will be a darn good read.
sartorias asked other LJers what they were reading. I was reluctant to answer as the actual honest-to-god reply would have been "Wren to the Rescue, by Sherwood Smith."Fortunately for her, the final verdict was "A good little adventure." It was lighter than the Crown Duel/Court Duel books, and shorted, the combination of which of course makes it feel slighter as well, if you understand what I mean. But yes, some darn good writing, and it carried me through nicely.
I wasn't planning on a YA binge, but it seems to ahve ended up that way.
I also finished Sword of the Rightful King, by Jane Yolen, which made me want to look up the old Green Man review, as I think, if I remember it right, that it expressed how I felt about ths book perfectly. Alas, the links are currently broken, and the search didn't work. I can find neither the review nor her letter in response, which was also an uncharacteristic mis-step.
Short version, it was a bad review, and Ms. Yolen, usually too smart for such, wrote a snarky letter about the fact. (Unlike some, I don't care if writers gripe about reviews on thier own blogs, even if it does mean others may read it, as it is, technically, their presonal space. But this was in public, via letter to the editor. Don't do that.) But it was the *details* I wanted.
I didn't believe the review at first, thus my owning the book, as Jane Yolen virtually never misses. But this is a rewrite of an old short story that really truly didn't work as a novel. This one was slight, without substance, not very well paced, couldn't find its direction, and it's nowhere near as good as she's capable of. I started it over a week before Wren, finished it days and days after, where Wren kept me up until 1:30 on a work-night.
It's also kept me from reading the Winter Prince until now, even though it was my "in the backpack" emergency book, as two Arthurian takes are a bit much at one time, however divergent in approach. But so far, this one's good... the language is nice, the main character has an intriguing voice, and I do get the very strong impression he's telling this story, now, for a reason, which is an author trick I like.
I've also skipped out of YA by starting Bujold's the Hallowed Hunt at last, at last. The first two chapters have me hooked. I doubt it will be up to "Paladin of Souls" (Which I keep wanting to call "Lady of Paladins", much to my Sis's amusement) but almost no books are, even by Bujold. That one is a rare true treasure. This looks like it will be a darn good read.
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Date: 2006-07-05 11:07 pm (UTC)I love Bujold's fantasies very much, but I have to confess, Miles is still my first choice.
But I am so looking forward to her new one!
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Date: 2006-07-06 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-06 07:14 pm (UTC)On the other hand, she's got a lot of credit for decades of mature sensible behaviour and good rapport with fans and children; one slip, like one bad book, isn't going to lower my view of her significantly, and I'd verbally clout anyone who let it mean more than that she's human.
__________
Wren's easy to like, and you do write her, and the others I've sampled so far, quite well.
I thought nothing Bujold did would ever make me want to read it more than Miles, but Paladin of Souls definitely made the cut. I think that and Mirror Dance are my two favourites, though I'd ahve to reread Memory and Barrayar to be sure (Oh, horrors!)
no subject
Date: 2006-07-06 07:40 pm (UTC)Hmmm...on the Bujolds, weird, I don't think I have a fave because they all fit together into an arc, but I will have to think about it...well, no, I think I love the first two best, (Shards and Barrayar--I think of them as one book) and probably Memory next, though maybe Cetaganda for some reason, though it is not one of the deep ones.