More books read... cause I was travelling, yo.

[dagibbs]

I didn't get too much read on the way to Germany, since I watched a movie (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and also tried to get some sleep. But with airport waiting, and a long flight from Germany to San Francisco, I've gotten a bit more reading done.



Book 11: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Buttler. This is the sequel to Parable of the Sower, which I had found to be a very powerful book. Powerful enough that I delayed reading _Talents_ for quite a while after buying it. This was a very well-written book, nicely contrasting journal entries from the main character with retrospective comments by her daughter who was "presenting" the journal entries. It is a very strong book, well worth reading, and espouses and interesting philosophy for the world, "Earthseed", or maybe it is a religion. I am sorry that Octavia Butler has died recently, and I will have no further of her parables to read. Though, I'm not sure there would be more -- at the end of _Sower_, it was clear that there was more to come, but not so at the end of _Talents_.

Book 12: Camelot's Honour by Sarah Zettel. Sarah was having a book launch at Ad Astra this year, and I dropped by, and she was giving away some of her books. I picked up this one, and Under Camelot's Banner for free at the party. This is a very enjoyable Arthurian fantasy, telling, or maybe I should say re-telling the tale of Geraint and Elen. Aspects of the tale, and the world, were, of course familiar -- but Sarah has made a nice choice of avoiding the "main" tales (Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot/Merlin) that have been told too many times, to choose an enjoyable and remarkable fresh visit into that world. I will definitely read the second book I got, and if it is as enjoyable, may even start purchasing her books. Which was, of course, her dastardly plan in giving them away (well, that and making room in her basement.) This was, also, published in American editions as For Camelot's Honor.

I wasn't sure how to count the next book. It is one physical book, but it is an omnibus edition of 4 complete, albeit short, novels. So, I compromised and decided it would be two "books" for reading count purposes.

Books 13 & 14: the Chrestomanci Quartet by Diana Wynn Jones, includes: Charmed Life, Witch Week, The Magicians of Carpona, and The Lives of Christopher Chant. I did not start reading these knowing they were young-adult novels, but it started to look that way part way through the first novel, and when I started the second one, it became absolutely clear. They were fun, reasonably well-written, quite British (though one was set in Italy, and had a feel of Romeo & Juliet to the setting), and I enjoyed them. If you like YA SF&F, these are good fun, even if they do have the appropriate moralistic bits, it isn't too heavy handed. I think I have carynb to thank for these. :)

Comments

[aerynne.livejournal.com]

I adore Diana Wynne Jones and I thought those were some of her better ones. I'd als highly recommend Dark Lord of Derkholm and Year of the Griffin and the Dalemark quartet. I think there's a new Chrestomanci book out, too.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Are those also YA books? Is her output primarily YA, or does it vary?

[aerynne.livejournal.com]

They are. But they're still good! Her books are pretty much entirely young adult; some of them are more mature than others. Deep Secret was a singleton that wasn't too young and Hexwood was also excellent. Dogsbody and Aunt Maria were definitely much younger.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

I don't object to Young Adult books -- I read all 4 of the Chrestomanci books. (Though, I sometimes wondered what would happen if, say, you went to one side of town and I went to the other, and we both started calling out Chrestomanci at the same time.)

I wasn't going to reject her books because they were YA, I was just curious about the others.

For instance, if had first encountered Diane Duane through the So You Want To Be A Wizard, and then read The Door Into Fire I might have found the difference a bit of a shock. Or, if I'd move from A Wizard of Earthsea directly to The Word for World Is Forest (Le Guin).

[aerynne.livejournal.com]

Indeed! I haven't read any of the books you mention, but I can reassure you that moving to others of her books they will all be largely directed towards young adults or children. :)

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Well, I do recommend all the books I mention there, though the first in each pair is YA, and the second in each pair is very definitely adult.

[kattale.livejournal.com]

I've been reading them from the library, and enjoyed them enough to do a library search for all her books on their shelves. I read a lot of young adult because they are an easy read, and easy to pick up and put down quickly in the distracting world of parenting.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

That makes a lot of sense, actually.

Oh, and I did see Scott at Ad Astra, and I did give him your email address, and get his. He is scottspence at SYMPATICO dot CA.

[kattale.livejournal.com]

Yes, i *just* got an email from him and have you to thank - i owe you a thousand kisses, you have made me that happy! :)

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Ooo... I don't know if I can count that high, especially if I'm being continually distracted by kisses. But, I suppose I'll just have to try. :)