General Update on Life, the Universe, and Everything

One of several bookshelves, arranged in the style of Tetris, or perhaps Jenga.

I’ve been very quiet lately.  That’s because there’s been a lot going on, between work, school, and …moving!

My new apartment is close enough to where I work that I can walk there, instead of spending almost an hour on public transit each way.  Even better, I live directly across the street from a public library.  It is glorious.

Between Mike and I, we’ve managed to completely fill three bookshelves, and there are still two more boxes of books left to unpack.  My living room is beginning to resemble a library, and I’m pretty sure that a trip to Target for another bookshelf will be necessary in the near future.

As soon as my finals are over (5/12), I plan on writing a lot more book reviews.  Two extra hours in my day will make that much easier.  I’m already more relaxed and am finding that when I get home, I have the energy to read, which is a welcome change.

Here are some of the reviews that are in the works for you to look forward to in the next two weeks:

• “There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself: Love Stories” by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya
• “Glow” by Jessica Maria Tucelli (review and giveaway)

• Author Q&A with Deborah Harkness (Q&A and Giveaway provided by the publisher)

“The Forever Knight” by John Marco

I received a copy of John Marco’s “The Forever Knight” from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

When “The Forever Knight” begins, the revered knight Lukien is an old man.  He’s got his share of battle scars, and only has one eye.  However, he’s kept alive by a spirit that dwells within his magical sword.  Lukien has lost the love of his life, and he’s bored with his immortality.  He feels as if his life no longer has a purpose.  In an attempt to find new meaning, Lukien sets out with a young girl named Cricket to find out the secrets of her childhood in the war-torn land of Akyre.  Meanwhile, a tyrant king and an undead dragon may be the challenge that Lukien needs to rediscover his inner strength.

“The Forever Knight” is actually the fourth in a series, but don’t let that dissuade you.  The book can be read and understood without reading the books that came before them.  I haven’t read the first three books, and I was completely immersed in the story before I’d even gotten fifty pages in.  The author does a good job of setting the scene and explaining the events of previous books, but by using Lukien’s brooding as a way to do it, the recap of previous books becomes an organic part of the story.

One of the most interesting things to me about “The Forever Knight” is that I didn’t find Lukien to be terribly likeable, even though I enjoyed the book tremedously.  He’s a bit whiny and makes a lot of stupid mistakes which tend to hurt those that he cares about.  He can judge people harshly and he can be self-centered.  At the same time, Lukien’s personality makes the book more realistic and gives it more depth.  He’s got plenty of flaws, even though he does genuinely care about protecting the people he cares about.  There’s a difference between his intentions and execution, and that’s part of what it is to be human.  Considering that Lukien is now immortal, it keeps him from becoming boring or too god-like.

Another thing I liked about “The Forever Knight” was the presence of GLBT characters.  Without getting into too much detail, Marco’s gay characters are presented as complex human beings who are both flawed and heroic.  Actually, the description “flawed yet heroic” could sum up most of Marco’s characters, which was one of the factors that impressed me so much about his writing.

A word of forewarning–people die in this book.  People die in the previous books.  John Marco isn’t afraid to kill off his characters in tragic and painful ways.  There’s one particular part of the book that, if you’re at all like me, will make you cry.  At the same time, I was pleased with the way that the book ended.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a new fantasy read.

 

“A Conspiracy of Alchemists” by Liesel Schwarz

Good evening everyone!  Today is my stop on the TLC Book Tour of Liesel Schwarz’s debut novel, “A Conspiracy of Alchemists,” which is the first book in the Chronicles of Light and Shadow series.  I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

“A Conspiracy of Alchemists” is a steampunk paranormal adventure.  Our protagonist, a young pilot named Elle, agrees to deliver a rather unusual cargo, only to find herself caught up in a plot between the various supernatural forces that share the world.  After her father is kidnapped by Alchemists, Elle must take action, piloting an experimental steam-powered gyrocopter in hot pursuit.  Accompanied by a dangerous yet sexy Warlock named Mr. Marsh, as well as an absinthe fairy that stowed away in her bracelet, Elle begins a journey in which only she can save the world from dark forces grasping for power.

Elle made an excellent protagonist.  She’s an independent young woman in a world where that is unusual, and she is accustomed to having to fight for her freedom and her happiness.  This is countered by her very unique role as the next Oracle, one who is destined to channel the balance of power between worlds.  Elle’s coming-of-age is to learn to accept that she can be her own person, but still accept her gift and all its implications.

The love story between Elle and Mr. Marsh was mind-bogglingly cheesy, and I was completely okay with it.  I was happy to see that it was a love story (the guilty pleasure variety–the tall, dark, and brusque stranger meets a fiercely independent rebellious young woman, at which point they argue for half the book and then realize they are madly in love), and not a love triangle.

The idea of using an absinthe fairy as a major character was quite clever, even though I wish she would have been more developed, or would have at least had a bigger role in the plot.  I also wished that the fairy’s point-of-view hadn’t been signified by a different font, as it was a bit distracting.

I was pleased that the book had an ending, even though it’s the first in a series.  The story arc of this book is resolved, but then the final chapter is set up as a teaser for the next book.  This works rather well.  It makes you wonder what’s going to happen next, but at the same time, you’re not being tortured until the next book is finally written and released.

This is one of those times where I read a book at exactly the right time.  Between work and school, I’ve been pretty stressed out lately, and was in the mood for something light, fun, and not too serious.  “A Conspiracy of Alchemists” met those qualifications.  Absinthe fairies and gyrocopters are just awesome, and evil alchemists and warlocks with questionable intentions are great for brightening up a rough day.

Overall, not bad for a debut novel.  A bit rough around the edges, but still a fun read.

“Six Moon Dance” by Sherri S. Tepper

Last year, I discovered Sherri S. Tepper’s novel “Singer From the Sea.”  It was one of the most bizarre books that I’ve ever read, and I described it in my review as a amalgamation of Dune, Fern Gully, and A Handmaid’s Tale.  When I saw more Sherri Tepper books at the used book store, I couldn’t help myself.  I knew that at the very least, I’d be in for something different.  ”Six Moon Dance” is exactly what I expected–strange, beautifully written, imaginative, and yet vaguely disappointing.

The basic setup of the universe of “Six Moon Dance” reminded me a bit of Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy.  Space travel and colonization raised a host of questions about the meaning of intelligent life, and war and conflict became commonplace.  However, a wise man named Haraldson came up with a series of edicts in order to create an atmosphere of interstellar peace and cooperation.  One such rule is that one can’t set up a colony on a planet that has already has indigenous intelligent life.  In order to enforce Haraldson’s edicts, an intelligent robot called the Questioner was created to travel to different worlds and to destroy those civilizations that refused to comply.

The main story arc of “Six Moon Dance:” is set on the planet of Newholme.  Newholme has one seriously fucked up social structure, which is due to a gender imbalance.  Because women are scarce, they are given special treatment within Newholme’s society. After high-class women have produced children, which is seen as their social duty, they are allowed the service of hunk, a courtesan who’s had a vasectomy.  Meanwhile, men are required to wear veils in public and have limited rights.  Think of Western stereotypes about the Middle East, and reverse them.

Mouche, our protagonist, is in training to be such a courtesan.  He was born in a poor family that didn’t produce any girls, and so his family sold him to a brothel to make ends meet.  However, Mouche’s world is about to change, as a visit from the Questioner reveals dark secrets about Newholme’s past.  Meanwhile, an unprecedented increase in volcanic activity threatens to make the Questioner’s visit a moot point and to destroy all civilization on the planet.

To be quite frank, Newholme’s social structure made me a bit queasy.  I realize that’s the effect that Tepper was going for–to make readers uncomfortable to point out flaws in our own perception of gender roles–but I think that Tepper’s commentary on gender overshadowed an otherwise fantastic story.  The exposition of Newholme’s history and secrets was absolutely brilliant (I’d say more, but that would be going into extreme spoiler territory), but the blatant treatment of gender roles was distracting.  A more subtle approach would have gotten the point across without coming off as preachy.  I was also unsatisfied with the way that the story ended.

While “Six Moon Dance” doesn’t fulfill its full potential, it is still an enjoyable read.  Tepper is able to craft a story filled with intrigue and imagination, and the creatures that she creates are captivating and complex.  Just be warned that the eco-feminist message is pronounced, blunt, and at times overwhelming.

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I read this book as part of The 2013 Science Fiction Experience.

“Katya’s World” by Jonathan L. Howard

I received a copy of Jonathan Howard’s novel “Katya’s World” from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  It is one of the first books books released through Strange Chemistry, Angry Robot’s new YA imprint.  Based on this book, I can’t wait to see more!

“Katya’s World” is science fiction set on the planet Russalka, a colony world founded by Russian immigrants from Earth.  Russalka is an aquatic world with abundant natural resources, which made colonization a viable economic decision at the time.  However, political problems on Earth meant that the colony was ignored and left to fend for itself.  The harsh climate and lack of any actual land surface created a resilient and independent people.

Katya is on her first voyage as a submarine navigator with her uncle Lyukan when the military asks her to assist in a prisoner transport.  This isn’t normal, and both Lyukan and Katya resent the interruption of their command.  However, when the ship is attacked by a sea monster dubbed the Leviathan, Katya, Lyukan, and their mysterious prisoner find themselves caught up in a struggle that could threaten their entire world.

Over the past few months, I’ve been attempting to find YA novels that aren’t the same old tired story of love triangles and teenage novels.  This one is a winner.  Not only does it lack love triangles, but it doesn’t have a love story at all.  Quite frankly, it doesn’t need one.  Katya is a young woman making the first steps in her career, and is going through the phase where people who would normally be authority figures are now becoming colleagues and asking her to help make decisions.  She’s young, spunky, and confident, and her problems revolve around carrying her passengers to safety and fighting sea monsters.

I was also impressed by the world building, because the entire idea of living on a planet without a land surface is something that I haven’t read about before.  Howard explores themes like ethnic identity as he creates a people with Russian ancestry but who have lived on Russalka for so long that they no longer identify themselves with the people of Earth.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this one.  While I read it a couple months ago, I’m including it in The 2013 Science Fiction Experience, as I’m only getting as far as reviewing it now.

I’m back! A Review of 2012, and some plans for the future

Happy New Year to everyone, and thank you for the well wishes and for understanding when I decided to take a hiatus from blogging.  While I haven’t responded to everyone, I read all of your comments, and I appreciated them tremendously.

Balancing school and work has been difficult this year, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  I have two classes this spring and one in the summer, and then I’ll finally have my master’s degree, at which point I shall celebrate.

Being a librarian is awesome, and even though I have less time for my hobbies (like blogging), I’m incredibly satisfied with my work, and I learn something new every day.  I also keep coming across new books that I’d like to read (I’m thinking that “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” might be one of those sometime in the near future).

Even with my hiatus, 2012 was a good blogging year for me.  I’m not crunching the numbers myself or doing an overview of the reading challenges that I did/didn’t complete during the year, but the WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.  (Thank you WordPress monkeys!)

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 47,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 11 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

In the new year, I’d like to return to blogging on a limited basis.  I probably won’t be posting 10+ times a month like I used to, but I’m thinking that twice a month would be a reasonable goal until I’m graduated.  I miss discussing books with all of you!

I’m not planning on participating in any major year-long reading challenges right now, mostly because I don’t know how much time I have to commit to them.  However, I am planning on participating in Carl’s not-a-challenge, The 2013 Science Fiction Experience.  This event lasts for two months and involves reading/reviewing sci-fi novels on a casual basis.  I think I can handle that.  I’d also like to participate in Andrea’s Vintage Sci-Fi month.  I’m hoping to get a couple posts made up before the semester gets too crazy, and I can’t wait to see what all of you have been up to!

A Brief Hiatus

I’ll be taking a brief hiatus from regular reviews until after the semester ends.  Between work and school, I just haven’t had the time to commit to writing reviews..  I’m still reading, and am planning on returning to regular reviews over the holidays.