January books
Jan. 31st, 2008 09:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ocelotI decided to keep track of the books I read this year, because I always enjoy reading other people's lists.
Between school, kids, and other distractions (um, Internet), my list is kinda pathetic. I used to read a lot. In fourth grade, I set the record for number of books read in a year. And now I'm down to a handful a month. I suspect future months will be increasingly pathetic, as I had more free time for reading before school started up again. But anyways...
(By the way, any book that makes it onto this list is not-horrible in my opinion, as I don't remember the last time I actually finished a book I considered horrible.)
A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card. My reaction upon first hearing about this book (as some of you may remember) was "That sounds like an Ansible plot". So of course I had to read it. It's ok. Worth reading if you're an Ender fan. The characterization of Ender seemed a bit odd, perhaps just because it's an external view of someone who I'm used to reading as the POV character. I'm pretty sure some of the descriptions of the station itself contradicted those in previous books (leading to instinctive thoughts of "Oh no, I have to go redescribe the ladders all over again!" except that's so totally not my problem anymore (and yes, I know that's what object-oriented programming is for)), but it could have just fleshed out details not previously fully illuminated. I don't feel like actually going back to check. Incidentally, I dreamed the other night that the book actually went and gave a bunch of super-helpful (from an Ansible point of view) details, especially involving the timelines, plus some other less-wonderful things about Ansible, but that's entirely beside the point.
Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells. I read the first two, so, when I found this one at the library, I figured I should read it. It was enjoyable. I think I read both of the others before Leif was born, and I'd kinda be interested to go back and read them now from the perspective of a parent. I can now better understand why the one mom is so completely bugnuts, with 4 kids in 5 years plus a stillbirth, you know?
Jane_E by Erin McCole-Cupp. A long-time internet friend of mine wrote this, and circumstances finally worked out that it was in the budget. It's a nearish-future adaptation of Jane Eyre. If you enjoy Neal Stephenson and/or Jane Eyre, read it, and I don't just say that because she's my friend. I adore her writing. I loved the first part of the book, and enjoyed the second. This is high praise, as I loved the first part of the original Jane, but could never get past about the 3/4 mark, though I've tried several times. It just totally lost me, but this one didn't. Erin is Catholic, and had some problems getting this published (and ended up self-publishing) due to some of the moral content. I tried my hardest to be offended by it, but wasn't really. However, I can see how others might be, particularly those with "no consideration for the fetus" strong pro-choice leanings. Everyone else should go buy it right now (http://www.lulu.com/brokenwheelmedia).
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. This had enough emotional impact that I nearly started randomly crying in public the day after finishing it, but not really memorable enough for me to have much to say about it. Weird, huh? I enjoyed it, and may read it again at some point, as I expect there were details missed at first reading.
"A Colder War" by Charles Stross. Ok, so this is a short novella, not really a book. In fact, I shouldn't include it at all, as it's a part of a short story collection I'm still reading (though I read it before starting the short story collection, so it isn't a complete fake), but it pads the list a bit. It's a Lovecraftian alternate history of the Cold War. I find it positively haunting. My experience with Charles Stross has been rather hit-or-miss - I love this and The Atrocity Archives (which is similar in nature), but have been less than enthralled with some of his other work. I may have to go back and reread them at some point though, once I get a better grasp of his Lovecraft-by-way-of-Vinge worldview, which I expect enters some of his other books to a greater extent than I was aware of at first reading.
Between school, kids, and other distractions (um, Internet), my list is kinda pathetic. I used to read a lot. In fourth grade, I set the record for number of books read in a year. And now I'm down to a handful a month. I suspect future months will be increasingly pathetic, as I had more free time for reading before school started up again. But anyways...
(By the way, any book that makes it onto this list is not-horrible in my opinion, as I don't remember the last time I actually finished a book I considered horrible.)
A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card. My reaction upon first hearing about this book (as some of you may remember) was "That sounds like an Ansible plot". So of course I had to read it. It's ok. Worth reading if you're an Ender fan. The characterization of Ender seemed a bit odd, perhaps just because it's an external view of someone who I'm used to reading as the POV character. I'm pretty sure some of the descriptions of the station itself contradicted those in previous books (leading to instinctive thoughts of "Oh no, I have to go redescribe the ladders all over again!" except that's so totally not my problem anymore (and yes, I know that's what object-oriented programming is for)), but it could have just fleshed out details not previously fully illuminated. I don't feel like actually going back to check. Incidentally, I dreamed the other night that the book actually went and gave a bunch of super-helpful (from an Ansible point of view) details, especially involving the timelines, plus some other less-wonderful things about Ansible, but that's entirely beside the point.
Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells. I read the first two, so, when I found this one at the library, I figured I should read it. It was enjoyable. I think I read both of the others before Leif was born, and I'd kinda be interested to go back and read them now from the perspective of a parent. I can now better understand why the one mom is so completely bugnuts, with 4 kids in 5 years plus a stillbirth, you know?
Jane_E by Erin McCole-Cupp. A long-time internet friend of mine wrote this, and circumstances finally worked out that it was in the budget. It's a nearish-future adaptation of Jane Eyre. If you enjoy Neal Stephenson and/or Jane Eyre, read it, and I don't just say that because she's my friend. I adore her writing. I loved the first part of the book, and enjoyed the second. This is high praise, as I loved the first part of the original Jane, but could never get past about the 3/4 mark, though I've tried several times. It just totally lost me, but this one didn't. Erin is Catholic, and had some problems getting this published (and ended up self-publishing) due to some of the moral content. I tried my hardest to be offended by it, but wasn't really. However, I can see how others might be, particularly those with "no consideration for the fetus" strong pro-choice leanings. Everyone else should go buy it right now (http://www.lulu.com/brokenwheelmedia).
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. This had enough emotional impact that I nearly started randomly crying in public the day after finishing it, but not really memorable enough for me to have much to say about it. Weird, huh? I enjoyed it, and may read it again at some point, as I expect there were details missed at first reading.
"A Colder War" by Charles Stross. Ok, so this is a short novella, not really a book. In fact, I shouldn't include it at all, as it's a part of a short story collection I'm still reading (though I read it before starting the short story collection, so it isn't a complete fake), but it pads the list a bit. It's a Lovecraftian alternate history of the Cold War. I find it positively haunting. My experience with Charles Stross has been rather hit-or-miss - I love this and The Atrocity Archives (which is similar in nature), but have been less than enthralled with some of his other work. I may have to go back and reread them at some point though, once I get a better grasp of his Lovecraft-by-way-of-Vinge worldview, which I expect enters some of his other books to a greater extent than I was aware of at first reading.
