Monday, May 29, 2006
Silver Screen by Justina Robson
Silver Screen by Justina Robson - I really wanted to like this book and I did enjoy some of it but it was so slow that when I put the book down I forgot about the story and was reluctant to pick it up since a concentrated block of reading rarely got me to something new in the story. I kept trying to finish the book but I am now giving up and returning it to the library a week overdue and unfinished. I liked the thought provoking questions about the nature of life and AI; I didn't like the introspective self-flagellation and food references.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Three more...
Treason by Orson Scott Card - This is a rewrite of an earlier story; I'm pretty sure I first read it as a short story. The inhabitants of the planet Treason were sentenced to life on this iron poor planet for their parts in political intrigue. Each major family has developed separately and major conflict has been avoided while each family worked to find an exportable good to exchange for iron. Lanik Mueller's family has developed a way to farm human organs from themselves.
The Phoenix Dance by Dia Calhoun - I've read five of Dia Calhoun's books in the last few monthes and Phoenix Dance contained some of my favorite characters but I found the theme of bipolar disease overworked. Several descriptive phrases were overused until they lost all impact (other than as irritant) and at several places the disease took over the story where it could have been more subtly engaged. That said, this is a great use for the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses and as always Dia's characters are fully human and feel true.
definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - I love Charlaine Harris' Sookie series! Sookie Sutterhouse can hear other people's thoughts; this does not make her popular in her small town. In previous books in the series Sookie has become involved with the "Super" populations in the US; these are populations of vampires, werepeople, and fairies. Sookie works as a barmaid and travels in the high and low echelons of the Supers. In Definitely Dead, Sookie finds a new lover, discovers a devastating item about Bill her first lover, and plays a part in a royal caper familiar to readers of The Three Musketeers.
The Phoenix Dance by Dia Calhoun - I've read five of Dia Calhoun's books in the last few monthes and Phoenix Dance contained some of my favorite characters but I found the theme of bipolar disease overworked. Several descriptive phrases were overused until they lost all impact (other than as irritant) and at several places the disease took over the story where it could have been more subtly engaged. That said, this is a great use for the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses and as always Dia's characters are fully human and feel true.
definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - I love Charlaine Harris' Sookie series! Sookie Sutterhouse can hear other people's thoughts; this does not make her popular in her small town. In previous books in the series Sookie has become involved with the "Super" populations in the US; these are populations of vampires, werepeople, and fairies. Sookie works as a barmaid and travels in the high and low echelons of the Supers. In Definitely Dead, Sookie finds a new lover, discovers a devastating item about Bill her first lover, and plays a part in a royal caper familiar to readers of The Three Musketeers.
Sometimes you just have to start over.
My concentration was shot for several monthes and I could barely read a newspaper or magazine article but I'm back reading books and loving the library.
Recently read:
Code Orange by Caroline Cooney - I like the emotions and personalities of her characters but the situations are often unbelievable. I could believe that a student found old small pox scabs in a research book and I can believe that the student would worry about being infected. I can even believe the general email questioning about the infectiousness of small pox but the kidnapping and Govt. involvement was not something I could believe.
Narcissus in Chains and Obsidian butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton - these are my first forays into Laurell Hamilton's writing. They vary in sexiness with Obsidian butterfly being more about terror and Narcissus in chains more about submission. There is no problem with not buying into the stories since they are obvious fantasy but really Anita Blake is beginning is accumulate an awful lot of different powers and her personal situations are getting more and more complicated.
Looking for Alaska by John Green - this was a fun novel set in a boarding high school in Alabama. Miles Halter has left the safety and boredom of public school to seek the Great Perhaps. What he finds is that friendship is complicated, asking questions brings more questions, and that there is a great labyrinth that each person must identify and maneuver alone and with their friends.
Without a Net by Michelle Tea - This is a collection of writings by women who grew up on the margins of society. There is much to think about and realize. I grew up without money or health insurance but there was some stolidity to our family life that kept us from despair (at least as children).
Rose of No Man's Land by Michelle Tea - Trisha is a teen who lives on the margin. Her father is MIA, her mother is a psychosomatic mess, her stepfather uses the house to store his stolen goods, her older sister is trying to get up out of this life and may have a chance but Trisha feels she has no chance. she drinks her way through each day and despairs her way through an attempt at a retail job. Trisha meets someone who may actually be a friend and they go off on a meth and sex binge where Trisha realizes that not even love is free from lies and let downs.
Recently read:
Code Orange by Caroline Cooney - I like the emotions and personalities of her characters but the situations are often unbelievable. I could believe that a student found old small pox scabs in a research book and I can believe that the student would worry about being infected. I can even believe the general email questioning about the infectiousness of small pox but the kidnapping and Govt. involvement was not something I could believe.
Narcissus in Chains and Obsidian butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton - these are my first forays into Laurell Hamilton's writing. They vary in sexiness with Obsidian butterfly being more about terror and Narcissus in chains more about submission. There is no problem with not buying into the stories since they are obvious fantasy but really Anita Blake is beginning is accumulate an awful lot of different powers and her personal situations are getting more and more complicated.
Looking for Alaska by John Green - this was a fun novel set in a boarding high school in Alabama. Miles Halter has left the safety and boredom of public school to seek the Great Perhaps. What he finds is that friendship is complicated, asking questions brings more questions, and that there is a great labyrinth that each person must identify and maneuver alone and with their friends.
Without a Net by Michelle Tea - This is a collection of writings by women who grew up on the margins of society. There is much to think about and realize. I grew up without money or health insurance but there was some stolidity to our family life that kept us from despair (at least as children).
Rose of No Man's Land by Michelle Tea - Trisha is a teen who lives on the margin. Her father is MIA, her mother is a psychosomatic mess, her stepfather uses the house to store his stolen goods, her older sister is trying to get up out of this life and may have a chance but Trisha feels she has no chance. she drinks her way through each day and despairs her way through an attempt at a retail job. Trisha meets someone who may actually be a friend and they go off on a meth and sex binge where Trisha realizes that not even love is free from lies and let downs.
