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Canon Duel; Passion of Varjak: A History
Jun. 3rd, 2007 08:29 pmThe Canon, Natalie Angier
A shortish paen to the delights of science. I liked it, but chiefly because she writes so so so well that I would like anything she wrote, I think. It's not the content isn't interesting, it's just that the book wasn't really aimed at me. It's aimed at literate intelligent people who don't already have a science degree and read a lot of science books... Anyway, it's still rather lovely, even if I skimmed in places.
(101/250)
Crown Duel, Sherwood Smith
Having read other stories set in the same universe, but in a very different voice, it took me a while to settle into this one. But once I did, it was totally fun and absorbing. Looking forward to reading Court Duel soon.
(102/250)
The Passion of Mary Magdalen, by Elizabeth Cunningham
OK, reading books with a picture of a really lovely naked lady on the cover pretty much always qualifies as a guilty pleasure for me. That said, this one is very smart indeed in its rompiness. Love this series, love love love love, so glad recent upping of interest in la magdalena has resulted in her finding a renewed audience (at least that's what I assume happened since the original Daughter of the Shining Isles prequel came out in like 1997). Can't wait for the last one. Happy happy joy joy.
(103/250)
The Outlaw Varjak Paw, by S. F. Said
Oh man, is there anything shinier than a kitty-cat kung-fu-movie book with Dave McKean illustrations and lovely spare writing?? Yes, a sequel to said book. I mean, really. It's like Watership Down with less bloat (and Watership Down is one of my favoritest books, so take that as high praise indeed).
(104/250)
Honor: A History, by James Bowman
'Kay, this is less 'A History' and more 'A Polemic, with Cultural Criticism'. But it is well-written and I enjoyed being irritated with it and lots of bits are very insightful. Worth reading if the topic interests you; I don't endorse its conclusions and I think his lens can be awfully narrow. I think his analysis would've benefited from at least glancing analysis of the way high school peer interactions still run on a fairly primitive honor system, or at least they did when I was there - it's not so much that honor has been excluded as it's been turned into a phase, maybe? And listening to an hour or so of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix after finishing this book did get me to thinking about how maybe part of the reason the HP books are so appealing is because they are so involved with questions of honor, and most kidlit these days is not. I mean, HP characters are still very interested in questions of face, reputation, shame, loyalty, etc etc in ways that are rather Victorian or even pre-Victorian in nature. Anyway, I like thinking about this stuff, so I'm glad I read the book. Didn't actually chuck it across the room at any point, and not just because I try to be extra-kind to books I don't own.
(105/250)
A shortish paen to the delights of science. I liked it, but chiefly because she writes so so so well that I would like anything she wrote, I think. It's not the content isn't interesting, it's just that the book wasn't really aimed at me. It's aimed at literate intelligent people who don't already have a science degree and read a lot of science books... Anyway, it's still rather lovely, even if I skimmed in places.
(101/250)
Crown Duel, Sherwood Smith
Having read other stories set in the same universe, but in a very different voice, it took me a while to settle into this one. But once I did, it was totally fun and absorbing. Looking forward to reading Court Duel soon.
(102/250)
The Passion of Mary Magdalen, by Elizabeth Cunningham
OK, reading books with a picture of a really lovely naked lady on the cover pretty much always qualifies as a guilty pleasure for me. That said, this one is very smart indeed in its rompiness. Love this series, love love love love, so glad recent upping of interest in la magdalena has resulted in her finding a renewed audience (at least that's what I assume happened since the original Daughter of the Shining Isles prequel came out in like 1997). Can't wait for the last one. Happy happy joy joy.
(103/250)
The Outlaw Varjak Paw, by S. F. Said
Oh man, is there anything shinier than a kitty-cat kung-fu-movie book with Dave McKean illustrations and lovely spare writing?? Yes, a sequel to said book. I mean, really. It's like Watership Down with less bloat (and Watership Down is one of my favoritest books, so take that as high praise indeed).
(104/250)
Honor: A History, by James Bowman
'Kay, this is less 'A History' and more 'A Polemic, with Cultural Criticism'. But it is well-written and I enjoyed being irritated with it and lots of bits are very insightful. Worth reading if the topic interests you; I don't endorse its conclusions and I think his lens can be awfully narrow. I think his analysis would've benefited from at least glancing analysis of the way high school peer interactions still run on a fairly primitive honor system, or at least they did when I was there - it's not so much that honor has been excluded as it's been turned into a phase, maybe? And listening to an hour or so of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix after finishing this book did get me to thinking about how maybe part of the reason the HP books are so appealing is because they are so involved with questions of honor, and most kidlit these days is not. I mean, HP characters are still very interested in questions of face, reputation, shame, loyalty, etc etc in ways that are rather Victorian or even pre-Victorian in nature. Anyway, I like thinking about this stuff, so I'm glad I read the book. Didn't actually chuck it across the room at any point, and not just because I try to be extra-kind to books I don't own.
(105/250)
