I have, alas, run out of Kate Daniels novels. I decided, therefore, to try On the Edge, though a while ago I bounced off its sequel, Bayou Moon. It involves people living in the Edge, a sort of border territory between the mundane and magicless Broken and the magical Weird. The people who live in the Edge are scrappy and magical and live in poverty because they are apparently forced to earn their living working for peanuts as illegal workers in the Broken, since they don't have the proper paperwork to prove themselves citizens. Except that then we learn that the irritating asshole boss who so mistreats our heroine lives in the Edge, himself, and there are other business owners from the Edge in the Broken, so it's unclear why they treat each other badly instead of forming a community to help each other thrive. And to make it worse, all of her neighbors apparently hate her or look down on her, for no good reason. But for this type of story to work, the heroine needs to be in a miserable situation.
One of the reasons I read more gay romance than straight romance is that straight romance has a lot of old-fashioned gender assumptions that creep me the hell out. Gay romance usually assumes that the two characters, both being men, are pretty much equals. Or if one is in a more vulnerable situation than the other, it doesn't annoy me the same way as stories in which the poor miserable character who needs a good partner to rescue them or solve their problems is seemingly always the woman. Please, please, please -- haven't we outgrown the stories where a woman needs a man to save her? Because I sure have. Even Patricia Briggs has done this, with Alpha and Omega, a story which I admit I unreservedly love (though I don't much like the rest of the series). But On the Edge is too firmly an old-fashioned romance for me to be able to like it all that much.
Beacuse, though this has the trappings of urban fantasy, and Rose has amazing magical powers and fights alongside her tougher and more powerful companion against the bad guys, this is at heart a romance. Now, I read lots of romance. I like a good paranormal romance, though they're distressingly hard to find. I'm not knocking the book for being a romance, I am knocking it because it's a particularly regressive and exhausted type of romance. We have the handsome and ridiculously overpowerful male lead and the spunky and beautiful too-young heroine (he's about 30 and she's 22 -- very much at different places in their lives) who fall into instant lust with each other and are declaring their love for one another and planning to get married within a few days of meeting. And he turns out, not surprisingly, to be among the bluest of the blue bloods, just waiting for his father to retire before he becomes a duke. And he takes Rose and her two brothers from their hardscrabble existence to live in a beautiful castle where she is instantly accepted by his family. It is a fairytale ending.
Yuck. I am incredibly disappointed. The secondary characters were good but the setting was not, and the romance plot was cookie-cutter. I expect better from Ilona Andrews, and will certainly not be bothering to read any more of this series.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Theories of Flight by Simon Morden
Theories of Flight is the sequel to Equations of Life, about how London is nearly destroyed by a runaway machine intelligence, and is barely stopped by Petrovich, a 19-year-old Russian refugee who keeps having heart attacks as the novel progresses. He is also a physics genius who is working on his doctorate and making important breakthroughs with his office mate, in between getting in the middle of a war between Russian and Japanese crime organizations and saving the city. It is a high-action future thriller with a huge death toll.
Petrovich is back in Theories of Flight, and is married to a gun-toting former nun. He is now Dr. Petrovich, and continues making stunning breakthroughs in physics. But things are going to hell around him, and so he decides to step up and do what he can to save London. Again. This time the city is about to be overrun by the residents of the Outzone, primitive and violent people who live outside the city. They intend to kill everyone they encounter and burn the city down. As to why, that is never entirely clear. The world-building in these novels is only mentioned in passing, but Very Bad Things happened a couple of decades earlier. The world is in rough shape, Russia is radioactive, Japan fell into the sea, and London for some reason is under assault by slavering hoards of ... former Londoners who no longer speak the same dialect of English or even understand basic social concepts such as marriage. Which doesn't particularly make a damned bit of sense, really, considering that marriage exists all over the world in nearly every culture. It seems to be a normal part of human social interaction. Why would these former Londoners have completely lost grasp of the whole idea in 20 years?
It's probably good that the worldbuilding is kept to a minimum, because it seems pretty terrible. Equations of Life has less of it, and that was a good thing. That more of it emerged in this book was unfortunate. In addition to the slavering hoards of former Londoners, we also have the evil, evil, evil CIA lurking around creating problems. Sigh. As I said, the less shown of the worldbuilding, the better, really.
Like Equations of Life, Theories of Flight is basically an action novel in which one ridiculously unbelievably competent man is traveling across London as everything is falling apart, and getting the shit kicked out of him as he goes. Like Equations of Life, only Petrovich can pretty much single-handedly save the day. Like Equations of Life, the death toll is astronomical. And like Equations of Life, Theories of Flight is oddly compelling.
The pace of the novel just sucks you along. There is really no doubt, of course, that Petrovich will find a way to save the day, else there wouldn't be a novel. I will say, also, that Morden is unusually good about writing strong female characters, as Petrovich seems surrounded by them. That is ... unusual in SF and fantasy novels, and I noticed and appreciated it. So this isn't a bad book, if you just don't examine the worldbuilding or bad guys too closely. It is, in fact, well written and compelling. If only the ideas behind the setting weren't so awful. Anyway, I purchased the third book when it came out, and will definitely be reading it. It's highly entertaining, but also something that needs to be taken in small doses.
Petrovich is back in Theories of Flight, and is married to a gun-toting former nun. He is now Dr. Petrovich, and continues making stunning breakthroughs in physics. But things are going to hell around him, and so he decides to step up and do what he can to save London. Again. This time the city is about to be overrun by the residents of the Outzone, primitive and violent people who live outside the city. They intend to kill everyone they encounter and burn the city down. As to why, that is never entirely clear. The world-building in these novels is only mentioned in passing, but Very Bad Things happened a couple of decades earlier. The world is in rough shape, Russia is radioactive, Japan fell into the sea, and London for some reason is under assault by slavering hoards of ... former Londoners who no longer speak the same dialect of English or even understand basic social concepts such as marriage. Which doesn't particularly make a damned bit of sense, really, considering that marriage exists all over the world in nearly every culture. It seems to be a normal part of human social interaction. Why would these former Londoners have completely lost grasp of the whole idea in 20 years?
It's probably good that the worldbuilding is kept to a minimum, because it seems pretty terrible. Equations of Life has less of it, and that was a good thing. That more of it emerged in this book was unfortunate. In addition to the slavering hoards of former Londoners, we also have the evil, evil, evil CIA lurking around creating problems. Sigh. As I said, the less shown of the worldbuilding, the better, really.
Like Equations of Life, Theories of Flight is basically an action novel in which one ridiculously unbelievably competent man is traveling across London as everything is falling apart, and getting the shit kicked out of him as he goes. Like Equations of Life, only Petrovich can pretty much single-handedly save the day. Like Equations of Life, the death toll is astronomical. And like Equations of Life, Theories of Flight is oddly compelling.
The pace of the novel just sucks you along. There is really no doubt, of course, that Petrovich will find a way to save the day, else there wouldn't be a novel. I will say, also, that Morden is unusually good about writing strong female characters, as Petrovich seems surrounded by them. That is ... unusual in SF and fantasy novels, and I noticed and appreciated it. So this isn't a bad book, if you just don't examine the worldbuilding or bad guys too closely. It is, in fact, well written and compelling. If only the ideas behind the setting weren't so awful. Anyway, I purchased the third book when it came out, and will definitely be reading it. It's highly entertaining, but also something that needs to be taken in small doses.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Dodger by Terry Pratchett
Dodger is not a fantasy novel, not really. Pratchett says in his acknowledgements that it's a work of historical fantasy because he made a few slight changes to actual historical people, but in that he is no different than the vast majority of historical fiction writers, so I'm going to say that it's a work of historical fiction. I must admit, this was a bit of a surprise to me as I didn't bother to find out what the book was about before I got hold of a copy -- if it's Pratchett, I want to read it, regardless. Who needs a plot synopsis?
It has the disadvantage of being set in Victorian London, a setting I dislike only slightly less than Elizabethan England, which is also moderately popular with fantasy novelists. It further has the disadvantage of having actual historical people as major characters (particularly Charles Dickens), which is something I generally dislike in my fiction. It's just not right to play with real people as imagined characters. It's fundamentally disrespectful to the people whose names and reputations you're playing with for your own fun and profit.
That said, this being a Pratchett novel, I was in good hands, and Dodger was a very enjoyable read. Our main character (Dodger, obviously) is a tosher, someone who makes his living by exploring the sewers and digging out coins and valuables that people have lost. It's a dangerous way to make a living, but Dodger is better off than many--he is young and clever and fast, and he has a home living with a Jewish artisan who he once saved from a beating, and with a good-natured and rather smelly dog.
As with his friend Solomon, one night Dodger leaps to the rescue of a young woman who is being beaten, driving away her attackers before reluctantly accepting the help of a pair of well-to-do do-gooders who see that she has medical attention and a safe place to stay. One of them, Charles Dickens, recruits Dodger to help him find out who it is that wants her harmed. This leads Dodger on a journey of considerable personal growth. He uses his street wisdom and connections to learn what he can, and becomes her champion because he still fears for her safety. Didger rubs elbows with the upper classes, and manages to work his way up into a much more comfortable financial situation very quickly. And when it comes down to it, he decides that he is the only one who can save the mysterious woman from the ones who want her. And he accomplishes it.
It's nice to read a story about a really competent character. Dodger is certainly exceptional, but not in a silly or unrealistic way. He is a clever and well-connected young man who uses his skills and resources to best advantage, but it's not like he suddenly discovers he's a missing prince or unbeknownst to him is insanely magically gifted or something of the sort, which one often finds in fantasy novels. Dodger remains an orphan of unknown background and with no skills but those he's learned and his wits to solve the problem. Like young men in stories like these, he inevitably immediately falls for the beautiful young woman, and I kept expecting that to go horribly wrong. The ease of that resolution was the one time I thought Pratchett cheated a bit. It was the fairy tale ending, which doesn't usually happen in real life.
In Dodger, Pratchett has written a very pleasant and satisfying novel that treads some familiar territory for those who are familiar with his work. There's really nothing new or challenging or outstanding about this book, but it's a very solid story from a very, very good writer. I think I liked it quite a bit better than the last few of his works. This is very entertaining and pleasant.
edited to add: I only just now realized that the book is YA. That would explain the unrealistic romance. However, this may be the only YA book Pratchett has ever written that I found satisfying. I am not a YA reader.
It has the disadvantage of being set in Victorian London, a setting I dislike only slightly less than Elizabethan England, which is also moderately popular with fantasy novelists. It further has the disadvantage of having actual historical people as major characters (particularly Charles Dickens), which is something I generally dislike in my fiction. It's just not right to play with real people as imagined characters. It's fundamentally disrespectful to the people whose names and reputations you're playing with for your own fun and profit.
That said, this being a Pratchett novel, I was in good hands, and Dodger was a very enjoyable read. Our main character (Dodger, obviously) is a tosher, someone who makes his living by exploring the sewers and digging out coins and valuables that people have lost. It's a dangerous way to make a living, but Dodger is better off than many--he is young and clever and fast, and he has a home living with a Jewish artisan who he once saved from a beating, and with a good-natured and rather smelly dog.
As with his friend Solomon, one night Dodger leaps to the rescue of a young woman who is being beaten, driving away her attackers before reluctantly accepting the help of a pair of well-to-do do-gooders who see that she has medical attention and a safe place to stay. One of them, Charles Dickens, recruits Dodger to help him find out who it is that wants her harmed. This leads Dodger on a journey of considerable personal growth. He uses his street wisdom and connections to learn what he can, and becomes her champion because he still fears for her safety. Didger rubs elbows with the upper classes, and manages to work his way up into a much more comfortable financial situation very quickly. And when it comes down to it, he decides that he is the only one who can save the mysterious woman from the ones who want her. And he accomplishes it.
It's nice to read a story about a really competent character. Dodger is certainly exceptional, but not in a silly or unrealistic way. He is a clever and well-connected young man who uses his skills and resources to best advantage, but it's not like he suddenly discovers he's a missing prince or unbeknownst to him is insanely magically gifted or something of the sort, which one often finds in fantasy novels. Dodger remains an orphan of unknown background and with no skills but those he's learned and his wits to solve the problem. Like young men in stories like these, he inevitably immediately falls for the beautiful young woman, and I kept expecting that to go horribly wrong. The ease of that resolution was the one time I thought Pratchett cheated a bit. It was the fairy tale ending, which doesn't usually happen in real life.
In Dodger, Pratchett has written a very pleasant and satisfying novel that treads some familiar territory for those who are familiar with his work. There's really nothing new or challenging or outstanding about this book, but it's a very solid story from a very, very good writer. I think I liked it quite a bit better than the last few of his works. This is very entertaining and pleasant.
edited to add: I only just now realized that the book is YA. That would explain the unrealistic romance. However, this may be the only YA book Pratchett has ever written that I found satisfying. I am not a YA reader.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The Corpse-Rat King by Lee Battersby
It's a little hard to know what to say about this book. It is one of the eight books I bought from Angry Robot at Worldcon. The main character, Marius, is a con man and crook. At the beginning of the novel he is looting the bodies on a battlefield when he is abducted by the dead who mistakenly think he is a king. When they discover they were wrong, they're very angry, and they send him out to find a king for them.
That's the premise, anyway. Marius is not a character one can sympathize with, of course, and I read most of the book with a sense of detachment. Ah ha, yes, I see, he's being clever, yawn. He travels around and for the most part treats everyone badly, and I didn't care at all if he succeeded or not. I kept waiting for there to be some direction, some story, something that would grab hold of me and make me give a shit, and nothing did. It was just a very tedious slog through way too many descriptive passages for a reader like me.
And this is a bit odd, really. Battersby writes very competently, even well. The sentences and paragraphs are really well executed, and the ideas are sort of off the wall and should have been entertaining--and yet the whole was not entertaining at all. I decided to finish this one since I'd already bothered to read the first half, but it was more an unpleasant chore than anything else, and I can't even really put my finger on why it wasn't working for me. It just didn't.
That's the premise, anyway. Marius is not a character one can sympathize with, of course, and I read most of the book with a sense of detachment. Ah ha, yes, I see, he's being clever, yawn. He travels around and for the most part treats everyone badly, and I didn't care at all if he succeeded or not. I kept waiting for there to be some direction, some story, something that would grab hold of me and make me give a shit, and nothing did. It was just a very tedious slog through way too many descriptive passages for a reader like me.
And this is a bit odd, really. Battersby writes very competently, even well. The sentences and paragraphs are really well executed, and the ideas are sort of off the wall and should have been entertaining--and yet the whole was not entertaining at all. I decided to finish this one since I'd already bothered to read the first half, but it was more an unpleasant chore than anything else, and I can't even really put my finger on why it wasn't working for me. It just didn't.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Stuff Changes
Today I went to Half Price Books. I find that I want to own copies of Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels books, and I am unwilling to pay what they're asking for the ebooks, so I thought I would see if I could track down some used copies I didn't have to pay postage for.
I used to shop at used book stores all the time, but it's been about a year since I went to one. You know what? I don't think I have a lot of patience for it any more. I used to have a mental list of authors I was looking for, and every time I went into a used book store I would check to see if I could find anything by those writers that I didn't already have--and it might take years to find the books I was looking for. But what other choice did I have at the time? I was fairly broke, and my new-book buying was limited to what I could find in mostly chain bookstores, which was limited. At the time, used book stores were awesome.
But when you shop at a used book store, you have to just peruse the shelves (in multiple sections - they're shelved by size as well as by genre) and see if you are interested in what they have to sell; you don't go with the expectation of finding what you want. Because chances are fairly good that they don't have what you're looking for. Used book shopping is more about browsing in search of a surprise than it is about finding the things on your list. And I just don't like to shop that way any more. I know what I want. I would like to find it quickly and efficiently. And ducking from section to section checking for availability of the authors I'm currently reading is mostly a waste of time and an exercise in frustration. Add a 35 mile round trip and road construction, and that was a couple of hours wasted on a not-satisfying experience -- shopping online and paying postage is looking more and more attractive.
I used to shop at used book stores all the time, but it's been about a year since I went to one. You know what? I don't think I have a lot of patience for it any more. I used to have a mental list of authors I was looking for, and every time I went into a used book store I would check to see if I could find anything by those writers that I didn't already have--and it might take years to find the books I was looking for. But what other choice did I have at the time? I was fairly broke, and my new-book buying was limited to what I could find in mostly chain bookstores, which was limited. At the time, used book stores were awesome.
But when you shop at a used book store, you have to just peruse the shelves (in multiple sections - they're shelved by size as well as by genre) and see if you are interested in what they have to sell; you don't go with the expectation of finding what you want. Because chances are fairly good that they don't have what you're looking for. Used book shopping is more about browsing in search of a surprise than it is about finding the things on your list. And I just don't like to shop that way any more. I know what I want. I would like to find it quickly and efficiently. And ducking from section to section checking for availability of the authors I'm currently reading is mostly a waste of time and an exercise in frustration. Add a 35 mile round trip and road construction, and that was a couple of hours wasted on a not-satisfying experience -- shopping online and paying postage is looking more and more attractive.
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