Recent reading roundup
Apr. 12th, 2006 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellarienExcluding the Cherryh binge (in which I devoured the whole Foreigner series in a couple of weeks), here's what I've been reading in the last month or so. No real spoilers.
Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys
Though roughly in the same universe as American Gods, this is a lot lighter in tone, and a nice blend of comedy and archetypal myth. It may be just me, but I had a hard time remembering that most of the characters were black; I'm afraid my default visualization just doesn't go that way.
Dudley Pope, Ramage's Prize
Our hero sorts out a nasty case of insurance fraud on the high seas. Conveniently, everyone appears to have forgotten about the French love-interest from the last book, and he's reunited with his Italian lady-love. I keep buying these books, but I'd probably be better off re-reading O'Brian instead.
L. E. Modessit, Jr., Ordermaster
Latest in the Recluce series, this is the second in the duology about Kharl, cooper turned unconventional order-mage, now learning what it means to be in service to a lord, and taking a crash course in jurisprudence. He doesn't get much chance to enjoy his idyllic estate. It's an interesting study in power and responsibility, law and justice. There's a throwaway line about justice being the 'wellspring of chaos', which points back at the title of the prequel.
Robin Hobb, Shaman's Crossing
A new trilogy, a new world -- and it's dull, dull, dull, more infodump than story. The setting is unusually recent for a fantasy -- nineteenth century tech level in North America, more or less, except that the Indians have magic and germ warfare on their side. The society is not quite American, but the differences are much too belaboured to make interesting reading, to my mind.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Crystal Dragon
Sequel to Crystal Soldier, providing backstory to the Liaden universe, exciting and moving by turns, and with a nice cat. (But how come fictional cats never seem to have hairballs or litterbox issues?) I still have questions about what happened between the end of Crystal Dragon and the main Liaden sequence. (Like, how does Earth fit in?)
Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys
Though roughly in the same universe as American Gods, this is a lot lighter in tone, and a nice blend of comedy and archetypal myth. It may be just me, but I had a hard time remembering that most of the characters were black; I'm afraid my default visualization just doesn't go that way.
Dudley Pope, Ramage's Prize
Our hero sorts out a nasty case of insurance fraud on the high seas. Conveniently, everyone appears to have forgotten about the French love-interest from the last book, and he's reunited with his Italian lady-love. I keep buying these books, but I'd probably be better off re-reading O'Brian instead.
L. E. Modessit, Jr., Ordermaster
Latest in the Recluce series, this is the second in the duology about Kharl, cooper turned unconventional order-mage, now learning what it means to be in service to a lord, and taking a crash course in jurisprudence. He doesn't get much chance to enjoy his idyllic estate. It's an interesting study in power and responsibility, law and justice. There's a throwaway line about justice being the 'wellspring of chaos', which points back at the title of the prequel.
Robin Hobb, Shaman's Crossing
A new trilogy, a new world -- and it's dull, dull, dull, more infodump than story. The setting is unusually recent for a fantasy -- nineteenth century tech level in North America, more or less, except that the Indians have magic and germ warfare on their side. The society is not quite American, but the differences are much too belaboured to make interesting reading, to my mind.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Crystal Dragon
Sequel to Crystal Soldier, providing backstory to the Liaden universe, exciting and moving by turns, and with a nice cat. (But how come fictional cats never seem to have hairballs or litterbox issues?) I still have questions about what happened between the end of Crystal Dragon and the main Liaden sequence. (Like, how does Earth fit in?)