dead-tree reading 2008

[ratcreature]

It's always somewhat embarrassing for me to do the "books I read over the year" memes, because most of my reading is fanfic (as my del.icio.us bookmarks show), so there are never many books to list, and I look illiterate. Anyway, last year I read:

Earth Logic, by Laurie J. Marks
Small Favor, by Jim Butcher
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer (actually the whole saga, i.e. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn)
The Final Solution, by Michael Chabon
Victory of Eagles, by Naomi Novik
One Virgin Too Many, by Lindsey Davis
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, by Michael Chabon
A Companion to Wolves, by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
Magic Bites, by Ilona Andrews
Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon

Also two SGA tie-in novels:
Casualties of War, by Elizabeth Christensen
Blood Ties, by Sonny Whitelaw and Elizabeth Christensen

Comments

[brownbetty]

Any standouts for you? What did you think of Magic Bites and Earth Logic, since I've actually read those?

[ratcreature]

I loved Earth Logic, so much so that I actually have delayed reading Water Logic, because that is the last that's available in the series (I'm actually clueless whether more parts are planned, do you know?), and I don't want the story to end (I have this odd thing about actually watching or reading the last parts for a series.) I got fanart ideas for it while reading too, though as usual I am really slow with realizing anything, for now they just went into my ever growing "fanart ideas" file.

Magic Bites was kind of "meh" for me. I mean, it was a quick and pleasant read, but I found that it didn't really stick in my memory, neither plot nor characters. Though this idea of magic and science coming in alternating waves was kind of neat. I might read the next parts, but I'm not that anxious about it.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was as entertaining as everyone said it would be, and I really liked the characters. In contrast I didn't care that much for The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.

A Companion to Wolves was kind of like original slash, fun to read, and I liked the world (and it had a neat twist toward the end), but the names of the people (all the such-and-such-ulfrs) drove me crazy, because I have trouble remembering names anyway, and there were so many characters and all the names were -olfrs, and -ulfrs. And plenty had before/after wolf-bonding names too. On the bright side at least it had a list of characters at the beginning, which helped to look them up.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

There is going to be one more book in the Logic series, whenever she finishes it. :)

[ratcreature]

Yay! I figured there might be, what with there being four traditional elements, but you never know. I mean, I thought Avatar was going to have four volumes because of that and it didn't.

[iamza.livejournal.com]

Did you enjoy the Twilight saga? I know my sister adored them, and has been badgering me to read them for ages, but I have so far resisted all her efforts. :-)

And, hey, I just got done yesterday with A Companion to Wolves by Bear and Monette. What did you think of it? (It reminded me a lot of Anne McCaffrey's Pern books (mostly because I always wanted to know more about the green (and blue and brown) riders as a kid. It always struck me as somewhat of a cop-out that we never really got to see life from the green rider's POV...) only with wolves).

[ratcreature]

Er, well, the thing about Twilight is, everything people say is wrong with it is actually true, but I still read all four volumes, and it had me hooked. So I can't say it wasn't entertaining. And I didn't read it for mocking sparkly vampires either. Breaking Dawn was kind of atrocious though, and not only because of the horrible pregnancy plot. I'd say give it a try. I mean it reads really fast. Also, there is actually some good Twilight fanfic (not written by teenagers either).

I've never read Pern, so I can say how it compares to A Companion to Wolves. It kind of read like original slash. I liked the twist that the trolls were less simple bad guys than it seemed at first. The names of the people drove me crazy though, because I have trouble remembering names anyway, and there were so many characters and all the names were -olfrs, and -ulfrs and they frequently had before bonding names too. At least there were name lists, but still.

[iamza.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had the same trouble with the names in ACtW. I eventually gave up trying to remember them all, just because there were so darned many.

I must admit, I did find ACtW somewhat discomforting reading in places, especially when it became fairly obvious that while the main character got some pleasure out of his relations with the other wolf companions, it wasn't really what he would have sought out for himself by choice.

I'll probably end up reading Twilight at some stage...or watching the movies. It seems to be one of those inevitable things in life: be born, grow up, read Twilight, die... :-)

[ratcreature]

Well, I have a non-con kink (including gang rape), and like dub-con too, as well as all kids of bonding tropes, forced and voluntary, so that kind of thing is a draw for me. I can see how that would be hard to read for someone who is squicked by these things, even though it is less graphic than most fanfic would be.

[iamza.livejournal.com]

*grin* I wasn't squicked exactly. But it did make me think about all the slash I read, and how often characters in those stories turn gay seemingly at the drop of a hat. I liked that Isolfr didn't because, to me, it felt more realistic that way.

[hugglewolf.livejournal.com]

I've read one on your list - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Mark Haddon. It wasn't one I would have chosen but I was given it by a friend. It was very well written, about a subject I never really considered, but it's not a book I would read again. I don't know if I still have it, but if I do (and it's not first on your list so that I have time to find it) you can have my copy if you want. Will let you know?

[ratcreature]

Uh, I'm confused. Not that I mind getting gifts, and that's a nice offer, but this is just a list of books I read last year, not a list of books I intend to read or am looking for.