December Books
Dec. 31st, 2007 09:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellarienTobias Buckell, Crystal Rain
I think I have this one classified as fantasy in the database; I should fix that. It's SF, set on a world cut off in an interstellar war, where the aliens are worshipped as gods -- bloodthirsty Aztec gods, on one side. Also, there are airships. The characters are compelling and the worldbuilding is skilfully done; I'm looking forward to the next one.
Jay Lake, Mainspring
Surreal quest fantasy set on a clockwork Earth, with airships. The way the magic/miracles work is in keeping with the rest of the setting, but I found it weirdly unconvincing, anyway; the whole thing felt more like some kind of allegory than a real story, but the backdrop is pretty.
Charles Stross, The Merchant's War
The Gruinmarkt has descended into civil war, and Miriam/Helge is on the run in the next world over; in the meantime, the authorities are hunting for a hidden nuclear bomb in Boston and researching the mechanics of worldwalking, and the bright young sparks of the Clan explore yet another world -- one that was far more advanced than ours. I'm not quite sure I buy the idea that progress could be delayed or advanced by hundreds of years by small changes in history, but it makes an interesting setting. (Also, the world that's most like ours obviously isn't, quite: apparently the US hasn't gone into Iraq yet.)
Catherynne M. Valente, The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden
Vivid and enchanting fairy tales, story within story within story, looping in and out and occasionally crossing, with shapeshifters and necromancers, wizards and monsters, tragedy and triumph.
Steven Brust, Dzur
Vlad's back in Adrilankha, and in trouble again/still, which doesn't stop him going on at interminable length about a meal at his favorite restaurant; in fact, the meal frames the whole narrative. There's some fretting about identity, too.
Kristine Smith, Endgame
Satisfying finale to the Jani Killian series, in which Jani goes back where it all began, on the idomeni home world, facing her old ghosts. If I wasn't so far behind, I'd have started a reread of the whole series immediately. One day ...
I think I have this one classified as fantasy in the database; I should fix that. It's SF, set on a world cut off in an interstellar war, where the aliens are worshipped as gods -- bloodthirsty Aztec gods, on one side. Also, there are airships. The characters are compelling and the worldbuilding is skilfully done; I'm looking forward to the next one.
Jay Lake, Mainspring
Surreal quest fantasy set on a clockwork Earth, with airships. The way the magic/miracles work is in keeping with the rest of the setting, but I found it weirdly unconvincing, anyway; the whole thing felt more like some kind of allegory than a real story, but the backdrop is pretty.
Charles Stross, The Merchant's War
The Gruinmarkt has descended into civil war, and Miriam/Helge is on the run in the next world over; in the meantime, the authorities are hunting for a hidden nuclear bomb in Boston and researching the mechanics of worldwalking, and the bright young sparks of the Clan explore yet another world -- one that was far more advanced than ours. I'm not quite sure I buy the idea that progress could be delayed or advanced by hundreds of years by small changes in history, but it makes an interesting setting. (Also, the world that's most like ours obviously isn't, quite: apparently the US hasn't gone into Iraq yet.)
Catherynne M. Valente, The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden
Vivid and enchanting fairy tales, story within story within story, looping in and out and occasionally crossing, with shapeshifters and necromancers, wizards and monsters, tragedy and triumph.
Steven Brust, Dzur
Vlad's back in Adrilankha, and in trouble again/still, which doesn't stop him going on at interminable length about a meal at his favorite restaurant; in fact, the meal frames the whole narrative. There's some fretting about identity, too.
Kristine Smith, Endgame
Satisfying finale to the Jani Killian series, in which Jani goes back where it all began, on the idomeni home world, facing her old ghosts. If I wasn't so far behind, I'd have started a reread of the whole series immediately. One day ...
