Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Moonheart - Charles de Lint
I have been meaning to read a Charles de Lint book for some time. I am conscious of the fact that I should read more outside of the high/quest fantasy genre. de Lint was an author I knew wrote urban fantasy? magic realism? (have actually found a reference calling it elfpunk) whatever you wish to call it, so I thought I would give him a try.
My initial feeling in finishing the book was one of disappointment; there was not one character that left the page to become real. The depth of character that makes me fall in love with a book was missing.
The book is a mixture of Celtic and American Indian myth set in Canada (as an aside what are the indigenous Canadians called?), and well as the magical Otherworld. The main character, Sara, is born into a wealthy family, but doesn't care about money (she has no need to) and works in an antique shop while trying to write a novel. Her life changes when she finds a dusty pouch containing what seem to be ordinary items. Of course they are not and she is led into the Otherworld where magic and mystical beings still survive, drawing parallels between the Celtic elves and American Indian manitous. These mythical beings are losing power and dying off as belief in them fades. The story ends up straddling both worlds, with police from our world investigating the increasingly bizarre phenomenon that surounds the characters and the house they inhabit. There is the obligatory struggle between good and evil, and for quite a while you are left to guess the true nature of the evil they face. The climax was actually the most satisfying part of the book, the tension does build well and I think that if I had been able to identify with even one character I might be raving about Moonheart.
It was written in early 80s, so some of the time references were off-putting, not something I am used to in fantasy.
The writing was also nothing special, which was disappointing. High fantasy gets quite a lot of criticism about the standard of writing involved and the cliches used (some more deserved than others), but this book was at best average in comparison. I am not saying that the writing was bad, it was indeed adequate, but nothing to write home about. There were some flaws - man lighting another cigarette when he has just lit one. Nothing major, but it grates. There was also some confusing switches of viewpoint. I often had to backtrack to see who was talking. The clues were always there, but not at all obvious, and when I am reading I often miss small details. I think that viewpoint changes should be broken with chapters or at least * * * *, and the POV character quickly identified.
I will definitely have to try one of his newer novels before I decide that I don?t like him though.
Also to be taken into consideration is my bias towards fantasy worlds based loosely on medieval Europe. Bows and arrows, swords and sorcery are definitely my thing.
I am currently reading 'A Harpy's Flight' by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb) and debating whether the F&SF stories I read deserve reviewing. I am also too tired to be bothered making sure this post reads well, so if there are some blatant errors you can blame a day at the cricket and a Metallica concert.
My initial feeling in finishing the book was one of disappointment; there was not one character that left the page to become real. The depth of character that makes me fall in love with a book was missing.
The book is a mixture of Celtic and American Indian myth set in Canada (as an aside what are the indigenous Canadians called?), and well as the magical Otherworld. The main character, Sara, is born into a wealthy family, but doesn't care about money (she has no need to) and works in an antique shop while trying to write a novel. Her life changes when she finds a dusty pouch containing what seem to be ordinary items. Of course they are not and she is led into the Otherworld where magic and mystical beings still survive, drawing parallels between the Celtic elves and American Indian manitous. These mythical beings are losing power and dying off as belief in them fades. The story ends up straddling both worlds, with police from our world investigating the increasingly bizarre phenomenon that surounds the characters and the house they inhabit. There is the obligatory struggle between good and evil, and for quite a while you are left to guess the true nature of the evil they face. The climax was actually the most satisfying part of the book, the tension does build well and I think that if I had been able to identify with even one character I might be raving about Moonheart.
It was written in early 80s, so some of the time references were off-putting, not something I am used to in fantasy.
The writing was also nothing special, which was disappointing. High fantasy gets quite a lot of criticism about the standard of writing involved and the cliches used (some more deserved than others), but this book was at best average in comparison. I am not saying that the writing was bad, it was indeed adequate, but nothing to write home about. There were some flaws - man lighting another cigarette when he has just lit one. Nothing major, but it grates. There was also some confusing switches of viewpoint. I often had to backtrack to see who was talking. The clues were always there, but not at all obvious, and when I am reading I often miss small details. I think that viewpoint changes should be broken with chapters or at least * * * *, and the POV character quickly identified.
I will definitely have to try one of his newer novels before I decide that I don?t like him though.
Also to be taken into consideration is my bias towards fantasy worlds based loosely on medieval Europe. Bows and arrows, swords and sorcery are definitely my thing.
I am currently reading 'A Harpy's Flight' by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb) and debating whether the F&SF stories I read deserve reviewing. I am also too tired to be bothered making sure this post reads well, so if there are some blatant errors you can blame a day at the cricket and a Metallica concert.
Monday, January 12, 2004
Hardest Thing
I often find that the hardest thing about finishing book is the crucial decision that comes straight after, what do I read now? This generally resolves itself with me starting two or three books and quickly choosing the one that I enjoy the most while the others rejoin the to read list. After finishing Kushiel's Dart, I have read some of the September edition of F&SF, having only just received the October/November edition today, and tonight tried to start the Illuminatus! trilogy. Unfortunately I am neither stoned nor on LSD so it didnt seem to appeal. I have settled on Moonheart by Charles de Lint. He is an author that I have been meaning to read for quite a while, and this is a book that I picked up in a second hand book store quite some time ago. Hopefully its good, and I'll have it finished in a week.
In other news - it is raining and it is glorious!
In other news - it is raining and it is glorious!
Sunday, January 11, 2004
Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey
I finished this yesterday, so I suppose that it is probably the easiest place to start.
After reading close to a book a day over the holidays it felt a little weird to take just over a week to finish this one. Granted it weighed in at over 900 pages but still. There's never enough time to read, and full time work just gets in the way.
So, plot summary. I'll keep it short and avoid even the inkling of a spoiler.
Well its told from first person perspective of an young woman, Phedre, who is brought up trained in the arts of a courtesan and as a spy. Just to give a twist to all the sex and intrigue she is also an anguissette. What is an anguissette? Someone cursed (blessed?) by Kushiel to experience pleasure from pain. This leads to many quite vividly written bedroom encounters which may turn off the weak of stomach. Definitely not something for the faint hearted. Phedre is quickly caught up in the machinations of many of the highest nobles in the land. Apparently letting someone beat you with a whip and carve you with a flechette is a good way to get them to talk.
Betrayal, treachery, love in unlooked for quarters - it is a complex, intricate novel. I will admit I lost track of some of the threads in a few places, there are many characters and noble titles to keep track of. But the main story shines through rich and deep. The characters are brilliantly and beautifully written, no cardboard cutouts or cliches here, but they live in a world that has largely been lifted straight from medieval Europe. This is not a subtle thing only to be picked up only if you read into some of the symbolism. The story takes place mainly in Terre d'Ange - France, civilisation, sophistication, beauty, but there are also parts in Skaldia - Scandinavia, with the snow and viking warriors, Tiberium - Byzantine, they built the roads, once held a vast empire, now a squabble of city states, Alba - England, across a short strait from Terre d'Ange inhabited by Picts who paint their faces with blue woad, eventually held back the Tiberium expansion. I could go on. For me this really took away from what could have been a truly great novel.
I am not a huge fan of political intrigue, and more battles would certainly have kept me more interested, but the complete lack of newness in the setting was disappointing. Especially when from the writing and the characterisation it is so obvious that this writer is capable of great works of imagination. I enjoyed discovering the characters, and it would have been great if I'd been able to discover the landsacpe as well, but I'd been there before. Maybe she didnt want to be accused of using cliches, so took directly from history. Maybe it won't bother some people, but it definitely bothered me.
Would I recommend it? If you like books about politics, intrigue and sex then I think you will enjoy this book. I am still undecided on whether it is worth tracking down the sequel, and the concluding volume (Kushiel's Chosen, and Kushiel's Avatar, not sure if the 3rd one has been released yet in Australia.) But definitely not a book I regret reading, if only for the characterisation and the intricacy of the plot.
After reading close to a book a day over the holidays it felt a little weird to take just over a week to finish this one. Granted it weighed in at over 900 pages but still. There's never enough time to read, and full time work just gets in the way.
So, plot summary. I'll keep it short and avoid even the inkling of a spoiler.
Well its told from first person perspective of an young woman, Phedre, who is brought up trained in the arts of a courtesan and as a spy. Just to give a twist to all the sex and intrigue she is also an anguissette. What is an anguissette? Someone cursed (blessed?) by Kushiel to experience pleasure from pain. This leads to many quite vividly written bedroom encounters which may turn off the weak of stomach. Definitely not something for the faint hearted. Phedre is quickly caught up in the machinations of many of the highest nobles in the land. Apparently letting someone beat you with a whip and carve you with a flechette is a good way to get them to talk.
Betrayal, treachery, love in unlooked for quarters - it is a complex, intricate novel. I will admit I lost track of some of the threads in a few places, there are many characters and noble titles to keep track of. But the main story shines through rich and deep. The characters are brilliantly and beautifully written, no cardboard cutouts or cliches here, but they live in a world that has largely been lifted straight from medieval Europe. This is not a subtle thing only to be picked up only if you read into some of the symbolism. The story takes place mainly in Terre d'Ange - France, civilisation, sophistication, beauty, but there are also parts in Skaldia - Scandinavia, with the snow and viking warriors, Tiberium - Byzantine, they built the roads, once held a vast empire, now a squabble of city states, Alba - England, across a short strait from Terre d'Ange inhabited by Picts who paint their faces with blue woad, eventually held back the Tiberium expansion. I could go on. For me this really took away from what could have been a truly great novel.
I am not a huge fan of political intrigue, and more battles would certainly have kept me more interested, but the complete lack of newness in the setting was disappointing. Especially when from the writing and the characterisation it is so obvious that this writer is capable of great works of imagination. I enjoyed discovering the characters, and it would have been great if I'd been able to discover the landsacpe as well, but I'd been there before. Maybe she didnt want to be accused of using cliches, so took directly from history. Maybe it won't bother some people, but it definitely bothered me.
Would I recommend it? If you like books about politics, intrigue and sex then I think you will enjoy this book. I am still undecided on whether it is worth tracking down the sequel, and the concluding volume (Kushiel's Chosen, and Kushiel's Avatar, not sure if the 3rd one has been released yet in Australia.) But definitely not a book I regret reading, if only for the characterisation and the intricacy of the plot.
Teething Problems
As expected there are a few teething problems. Something is wrong with the way the template displays the links. Given my complete lack of knowledge with HTML it may take some time and some fiddling to fix. Other than that I am quite happy with the layout. Hopefully comments will be appearing in the near future, along with other pretty things. Eventually I want to set up my own layout instead of using this template, but that could be a way off yet.
New Beginnings
I think that this is my third attempt to start a blog that I may actually keep for a significant amount of time. Whether or not this one will be different is difficult to say. The content will certainly differ, I bore myself with the minutiae of my life, so God knows how anyone else reading those past blogs would have felt.
But this blog is not going to be about my life. This is going to be about my reading. From the title you can confidently assume that most of the reading I do is in the fantasy genre. Mainly novels, but also some short stories. I occassionally dabble in sci fi and mainstream fic, but that generally is only when I get a recommendation from someone who's opinion I trust.
If you know of any fantasy authors that my life would be worthless without please Email me
But this blog is not going to be about my life. This is going to be about my reading. From the title you can confidently assume that most of the reading I do is in the fantasy genre. Mainly novels, but also some short stories. I occassionally dabble in sci fi and mainstream fic, but that generally is only when I get a recommendation from someone who's opinion I trust.
If you know of any fantasy authors that my life would be worthless without please Email me
