Finished two books today!

Light in August by William Faulkner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Ah, the depth, richness, tragedy and beauty of Faulkner.  In this story he portrays the true tragedy of ignorance and racism as it's played out in a small southern town in the 30's. 

An orphan boy, abandoned on the steps of an orphanage by his insane grandfather after his mother dies in childbirth ends up as tragically as one might suspect.  Other characters are twined around and through the story of Joe Christmas, so called because he was found at Christmas, their stories as tragic and filled with pathos as his.



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Transformation by Carol Berg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well crafted, complex characters, suspense, tension, battles with demons, a truly mixed hero, a prince who is spoiled beyond redemption and yet has a spark of something humane in his soul.  Terrific read.  Can't wait for the next one, Revelation.

Carol Berg is a true delight to read, after slogging my way through a couple of mediocre and endless books, a pleasure to make the spirit soar and restore one's faith in inspired fiction.



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Much ado about nothing!

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Whew!  I finished the darned thing.

It's really only 2.5 stars, but figured I'd be generous as the ending was pretty good.  Dalinar finally started acting like a man.

But as far as I'm concerned it was a lot of to do about not much at all.  There were inconsistencies, and I was so aggravated throughout by some of the insanities of the society that I didn't enjoy it.  And there was no explanation for a lot of it, mainly the reason women had to cover their left hands.  Ridiculous.  And no rationale at all.  Most stories that have screwy rules like that at least try to explain them, even if the explanation is lame.

I certainly have no desire to read another Sanderson.  It was my first and last, thank you very much.



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Another reader made this comment:
I'm sorry you feel that way about Brandon Sanderson, he's my favorite writer and I've read everything he's written and loved every single one. I'm halfway through this book now and having read the entire published set of Wheel of Time books, understand the kind of foundation necessary for a multi-volume epic series. *shrug*

To which I replied:
I understand the foundation necessary for an epic series. I found his characterizations dull. They felt shallow and simplistic. I like a little more complexity. The artificial rules of this culture and their mostly unquestioned acceptance by the characters was annoying to me. Dalinar and Kaladin were the most interesting characters, but Dalinar's prudishness was silly and Kaladin's excessive guilt annoying. Shallan was so naive as to be unbelievable, and the whole issue with the stolen soulcaster had holes so big you could walk through them. There were things about it that were enjoyable - his battle scenes were great, the whole concept of the bridge crews and the shattered plains were intriguing. Since I am obviously in the minority about this book, I don't think Sanderson has to worry about losing one fan.

And here are my updates while reading:
page 864
86.0% "Aw, Dalinar's in love. But he's such a friggin' prude." 2 comments
09/26 page 844
84.0%
09/26 page 700
69.0% "I hate it when authors think I'm stupid. Shallan confessed to stealing the soulcaster, then doesn't tell her her father owned one, and no one wonders where the other one came from? The broken one she replaced her theft with? C'mon."
09/26 page 666
66.0% "All these pages and we still don't know what happened to Tien and maybe we'll find out what happened to Cenn. I'm sure Kaladin is blameless in both deaths and is wallowing in self flagellation."
09/23 page 665
66.0% "Holy Mackerel! Everyone's getting magic!"
09/22 page 644
64.0% "Something's happening to Kaladin and Shallan."
09/21 page 591
59.0% "I'm expecting big things after p. 600!"
09/20 page 591
59.0% "Almost 600 pages."
09/19 page 455
45.0% "A little better. A few are scoffing at the stupid rules."
09/18 page 409
41.0% "I'll be back in a bit."
09/16 page 369
37.0% "Maybe I'm being picky, but would Dalinar really ask himself if his visions are coming from his subconscious mind? Does such a concept exist in such a primitive society?"
09/15 page 356
35.0%
09/15 page 356
35.0% "'His father was there still there.' Another error." 2 comments
09/15 page 325
32.0% "I don't much like this society. Hopefully there will be major changes in the series." 5 comments
09/14 page 181
18.0% "This advanced read copy sure has a lot of mistakes. Hope they got edited out in the final version." 5 comments
09/14 page 141
14.0% "169 must be a typo." 2 comments
09/12 page 169
17.0% "There's something naive about the way this is written."
09/12 page 85
8.0% "It's reminding me of G.R.R. Martin the way each chapter goes to another person and POV."
09/11 page 15
1.0% "My first ever First Reads book. Hope I like it. It's a friggin' brick."

Stormwarden by Janny Wurts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A great fun fantasy romp for YA.  Written in 1986(?) or so, a lot of precursor for the Wars of Light and Shadow.  Not at all in the story, but in some of the fantasy elements, and definitely the sea and sailing.  Now I can't wait for 2&3 to come out on Audible.



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Pretender by C.J. Cherryh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This one was, if anything, more exciting than the last in this truly engrossing series.  I had quite a few moments where my heart stopped, several times when my eyes teared up, and most unusual, more than one belly laugh.  I cannot recommend this series highly enough.  But start at the beginning, please, as each story follows the next with barely a pause to draw breath.  None of the books end on a cliff hanger, thank God, but only in a breathing space, with interest still engaged to wonder what will happen next as Bren negotiates the difficult world of atevi politics and the entrance of yet new species of aliens from far worlds.  In addition, the bonds he forms with the atevi grow more intense and remarkable, even as other atevi resistant to change continue to try to assassinate him.  His atevi bodyguards are remarkable characters, as well as the president of the world, or aiji as he is called in Ragi language, and his mother the dowager is the most remarkable of all, blunt spoken, commanding, fierce, intelligent, and Bren's biggest supporter.  Wow, is all I can say.



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Fabulous and friendly.

Destroyer by C.J. Cherryh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once again, Cherryh has proven herself master of political intrigue and tight, suspenseful plotting.  This is one of the best.  This story also includes some deep emotional scenes -- between Bren and his old love, Barb who is now with his brother Toby; between Bren and Jago as he assures her his future and his heart lies with her, although, of course, he doesn't say 'heart' as that is meaningless to atevi.  There's also a touching scene between Cajieri, the aiiji's heir, and his new adolescent friends (not, of course, called 'friends'.)

All in all, another more than satisfying chapter in the atevi saga.



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Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have to think about this one a while.  What a weird experience.



9/21 - after mulling a while, I decided on 3 stars because I both loved and hated it.  I decided I had to read it almost stream of consciousness as it's written, since stopping to ponder the words detracted from the mood.  At times I was annoyed, irritated, aggravated by the characters.  At other times I felt an almost unbearable soaring of spirit and longing along with the characters.  At times I almost stopped reading wondering why I was subjecting myself to such misery; at other times I couldn't stop reading I was so enthralled.



I'm totally mystified as to why this was in the running for a Hugo award.  Isn't that an award for science fiction?  I don't think this book is science fiction.  I keep trying to decide what it is and think it's some sort of poetic metaphor for following one's bliss, for finding where passion takes one, for seeking one's meaning in unusual choices that are definitely against the norm.



The author most definitely has a gift for using words almost as paint brushes or as musical instruments to create a mood larger than the meaning of the sentence of paragraph.  It's worth a read if only to experience this strangely wonderful phenomenon.



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Memories

Sigh.  Istanbul in 2000.  I was actually there.

Nellie is my new best friend at the Tax Collector's office

After a long saga of trying to get the address where I live straightened out with the DMV, I paid my taxes, had several phone calls with Nellie, and she allowed me to fax her my canceled check and she mailed me the release so I can renew my registration for my poor old car. She even called to check which address to send it to! Bless you, Nellie!

I finished this book tonight:

Killbox by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It's really 3.75 stars, I guess. I felt a little cheated all the way through the book. I was halfway through before I got into it completely. Even then, it wasn't an 'I can't put it down' book. I definitely felt cheated at the end. I think it was a cheap shot, leaving it like that. The big battle with the dreadnaught was off stage. A lot of it was off stage. We spent a lot of time in Sirantha's head. She was a little repetitive. I got tired of the constant reminders that March had to be separate from her because of their positions in the war. I got it, already.

Don't get me wrong. It was good, still. I'm picking at the flaws. The plot twists at the end were spectacular. The Morguts are a worthy and creepy enemy. Vel continues a fascinating character and his bond with Sirantha is a boon to the story. Read and enjoy.



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Now I have to slog the rest of the way through Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, which is definitely a mixed blessing. A long mixed blessing, at more than 1000 pages!

Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A very amusing and poignant 8 hours spent listening to George Guidall's Walt Longmire solve a mystery while having flashbacks to a similar murder he solved in Viet Nam during the war. His childhood friend, Henry Standing Bear provides pithy advice that is hilarious and to the point. Dog, whose name is Dog, plays less of a role in this story, but he's reliably there, along with Victoria the hot and sassy deputy and other memorable characters who populate the Powder River area where the novels take place. Very good, very worthwhile listen.



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An audio book I thought I had a credit for, but not

It was okay.

Vanishing Act by Thomas Perry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The first half was a little dull. She has an affair with her client and I thought 'uh-oh' and sure enough it turned out to be a bad idea. Things got more exciting in the second half, so I can give it three stars.



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Jason Linkins' Sunday morning liveblog of the talking heads

Quote: Bill Kristol wants there to be an "up or down" vote on taxes. Is the Senate filibustering not doing it for him anymore? Easton is mystified that anyone would do something that seems centered on the middle class -- and probably most lawmakers would agree! I mean, how many millions of dollars of campaign contributions can the "middle class" reliably provide to fund re-elections?

Quote: THIS WEEK WITH CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR

I'm tuned in here today because it's an opportunity to hear from Imam Rauf on all this nonsense of the past few months. The alternative was watching Rudy Giuliani and David Gregory, which is, to me, like watching two clowns have bedbug coitus with each other while being smacked in the face with banana cream pies. Some things I cannot do! BUT! Today's TWw/CA includes my employer, so full disclosure: Arianna Huffington is my friend and employer since 2007 at this website that bears her last name.

But first: more Austan Goolsbee.

Christiane is jumping my guns, asking Goolsbee about comments Boehner made on the show I'm recapping next, FACE THE NATION. HMMMM. Maybe I should just jump over to FACE THE NATION real quick?

ZZZZZZAAAAAPPPPP!!

Quote: FACE THE NATION

Hi! Today on Face The Nation, we have John Boehner and Keith Ellison. Will Boehner block tax cuts for the middle class if he can't get his billionaire bailout, too? Bob Schieffer will ask!

Schieffer points out to Boehner that President Obama has been talking about him a lot (in his home state). Boehner says that he's been offering Obama "new ideas," for months, and that there's nothing "new" about stimulus packages. He says we need to stop doing things that are counter-cyclical to the economic downturn, because why not have pro-cyclical policies that lead to a decade of malaise?

"I think raising taxes in a bad economy is a bad idea," says Boehner, who also thinks it's an equally bad idea to cut taxes in a flourishing economy. There are, essentially, no conditions in which raising revenues and paying down structural federal deficits are a wise idea.

And this:

What has the difference not been distinguished, between al Qaeda and the rest of the Islamic world? (Uhm, because no one does enough to point out that al Qaeda is a cult of conspiracy theorists who dazzle and terrorize and hoodwink the very people they profess to support, while simultaneously supporting some of the most corrupt governments abroad.) Manji says that Muslims she knows tell her that they don't know that al Qaeda kill and terrorize a lot of Muslims. I find that VERY HARD TO BELIEVE, because the primary feature of all terrorists is that they terrorize their own as a means of obtaining power! But, okay, if this has gone unnoticed -- NOTICE IT PEOPLE! The primary victim of the al Qaeda cult are the Muslim communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, et al

Me: I just love his sarcasm. And his politics.

Met a Moonlight friend today

We met for lunch. She and her husband were on their way home from Cape Cod. A lot of fun.

Agent of Change by Sharon Lee

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A fun romp through space with strange cultures, spies, chases, and romance. I'll read more of these.



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I listened to this one.

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I listened to it, so probably would've enjoyed it more if I'd read it. Liked it enough that I've ordered #2, The Wandering Fire.



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Another awesome Tana French novel

Faithful Place by Tana French

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Beautifully written, intense, very sad. Dysfunctional family grande. It's a mystery, of course, with a cop as the hero. Frank Mackey, who was the supervisor of the cops in the previous two books, which were both awesome. Tana French does know how to spin a story.



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First book in Foreigner series

Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well. The star system is very frustrating. I can't decide if my frustration at trying to understand the atevi species that humans deal with in this book is a function of my fuzzy thinking or a function of C.J. Cherryh's brilliance in making me feel like the hero, Bren, felt through much of the book. Therefore it's hard to figure out how many stars to give it. At any rate, the tension that built throughout the book as Bren struggled to figure out what was happening to the world where he served as paidhi or interpreter, came gradually to a climax. Damned if she doesn't have me hooked, so that now I have to find out what happens in the next book!



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