Books From the Book Club that Never Was

A while ago, I was going to lead a book club. I was very excited about the idea and spent some time choosing the books--which involved lots of reading of all kinds of authors I had never heard of before. Other demands kept taking my time, though, and when someone else volunteered to lead the club, I stepped aside

Still, I spent a lot of time working on the list, and I still think it's a good list, so here, for your own book club and private enjoyment, is a list of twelve books for the year, plus some "Maybe next year" books with shorter blurbs.

I had three rules when I was making this list. I wanted:

1) Books written by women

2) Books that were easily available

3) Some diversity.

They also had to be good, of course, and if the book was a part of a series, I chose the first book.

1.  The Book The Last Planet by Andre Norton  (also published as Star Rangers; it's out of print in either title, but there seem to be plenty of second-hand books available.)

What It's About: The Patrol are proud members of the Galactic Empire's Fleet. They're also in the way, and the Starfire has been ordered to re-map lost territories, going past the edges of currently known space. Ultimately, the ship crashes irreparably on a world so far off the map the crew doesn't know the name. Now, they must choose between reviving an ancient city or striking out into the wilderness. They also have to deal with long-standing divisions in the ship, divisions between human and non-human and between Patrol and Rangers. There may also be allies out in this new world—or enemies.

Why I Chose It: Andre Norton is the Grand Dame of science fiction and fantasy, one of the Golden Age writers (the Andre Norton Award was named after her) and author of over three hundred published works. The Last Planet combines her interest in history (the Starfire's mission was inspired by a tale from Roman history) with her loosely developed Galactic Empire. Many of the races and relationships shown here appear in her other books. Also? It's good, one of her best.

Additional: Adult, older book not currently in publication. There are plenty of second-hand copies, though.

Ultimately, I might have chosen a more readily-available Andre Norton. There are even some free ebooks. But—this is my favorite of her books.

2. The Book: Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees


What it's About: Lud-in-the-Mist is a quiet, staid, and sensible town. So what if it is near Fairyland? Everyone knows better than to eat fairy fruit or to follow the fairies anywhere. They don't even mention it, if they can help it. Then the mayor's son turns out to have eaten fairy fruit and several young women from Miss Crabapple's Academy for Young Ladies disappear. Now what?

Why I Chose It: It's early fantasy. It's beautiful. It was written by one of Virginia Woolfe's friends. Really, the question is why not read it?

Do give yourself some extra time for this one. It asks for the reader's full attention.

Additional notes : Adult; just barely out of the Victorian era.

3.  The Book: Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh

What It's About: Bren Bren Cameron is the paidhi, the only human allowed to set foot on the atevi mainland, the ambassador between the two races. Most humans, descendents of a group who landed on the planet long ago, live on the island of Mospheira, the place they were allowed after a disastrous war between the races. Mostly, Bren's job is ceremonial and quiet—until it isn't. Suddenly, he's being shot at, shuffled off, away from the capital where he has always lived, trying frantically to figure out what has changed and why, and which of the factions is telling the truth.

Why I Chose It: Cherryh creates some of the most fully-realized aliens in contemporary science fiction. The Foreigner series is her most elaborate and layered creation, featuring a planet full of aliens with varied cultures and responses—and humans with almost as much variation. Also, there is intrigue, some fighting, and cross-country rides on beasts that are rather like mammoths. And this is the book where it all started.

Additional notes : Adult, the first of FIFTEEN books and counting.

4. The Book: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

What It's About: Magic in England is entirely theoretical, something clubs of magicians sit and chat about comfortably. Oh, it was real once, but that was a long time ago. Then Mr. Norrell announces he can work real magic, Jonathan Strange figures out how to do some spectacular works, and it's being used in warfare. A fairy (not the little kind; the scary sort) shows up making dangerous bargains, and the Raven King may be returning.

Why I Chose It: Footnotes! This book has some seriously funny footnotes. It's also the best Victorian novel written in the twentieth century. There's great world-building, some terrifying fairies, and an eccentric pair of not-exactly heroes. Also, Mr. Norrell is a book-miser.

Additional notes : Adult, long, so far the author's only full-length book.

5. The Book: Shadows by Robin McKinley

What It's About: Maggie's new stepfather may make her mother smile, but he comes complete with terrible taste in shirts, an odd accent, and far, far too many shadows. The shadows are oddly shaped and they don't move the way they should. Maggie has enough to handle dealing with her senior year of high school, hauling around an enormous Algebra book, and helping out at the animal shelter to cope with shadows that shouldn't be there, and that she shouldn't be seeing anyway. Then she meets a handsome young man who recognizes her stepfather, gaps in reality start opening near her town, and the army moves in to help out, and magic, which should not exist in Newworld, where Maggie lives, becomes increasingly important.

Why I Chose It:  Robin McKinley. Also, there is a friendly Algebra book. It's has a unique look at magic, good character development, a cheerful and mostly obedient dog, and is simply well-written.

Additional notes : MG.

6. The Book: The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones

What it's About: Mr. Chesney offers Pilgrim Tours to a magical realm where people are promised the chance to go on a quest, slay a dark lord, and see some magic. The trouble is, the people of the magic realm are getting tired of the tours. They have to take turns being the Dark Lord and they're tired of keeping their villages looking just so. They're obligated to continue hosting the tours, however, unless someone can think of a way out.

Why I Chose It: It's funny and a good story, both. The author of The Tough Guide to Fantasyland had taken all the fantasy clichés she can think of, given them a good shake, and told a story with them. It even includes a genuine quest as the Dark Lord and his children try to figure out how to get rid of the tourists once and for all.

Additional notes : YA/Adult

7. The Book A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

What It's About: Felicity Pickle and her sister, Frannie Jo, travel with their mother from place to place, never really settling down. The two girls are getting tired of it, and when the family arrives in Midnight Gulch, a town that tales say was once full of magic, Felicity feels at home. She decides that in order to stay she has to bring the magic back full force. As she moves through the town learning the town’s stories and that of its people, she figures out the magic that is left and the mending that is needed to bring it back.

Why I Chose It: It is beautifully written, as in the prose itself is beautiful. Lloyd is writing about small, everyday magics and how they affect life. She is also a word-lover, writing about words.

Additional notes : MG.

8. The Book: Apparitions: Ghosts of Old Edo by Miyuki Miyabe

What It's About: A series of short stories based on Japanese tales, now translated into English. There are ghosts, of course. Some of them are harmful, some are quite helpful. The tales are borderline fantasy/horror stories.
Why I Chose It: These stories are haunting in both senses of the world. They are full of ghosts, and they will linger in your mind long after you have finished reading. They are somewhere between fantasy and horror.

Additional notes : Adult, Japanese author; borders on horror.

9. The Book: Half World by Hiromi Goto

What It's About:  Fourteen-year-old Melanie Tamaki is struggling to take care of her often-ill mother and struggling to figure out what they will eat at home. She's more or less used to being bullied. Then her mother disappears, and she finds out that both her mother and father are in the Half World, a kind of Purgatory. She follows to rescue them and learns that the half world, the spirit world, and the material world split long ago, trapping everyone in the Half World in an endless cycle, and the only way to save her mother is to break the cycle.

Why I Chose It: It has one of the spookiest villains in literature. It also has a stubborn heroine who keeps on putting one foot in front of another, even when life gets difficult. Add to that a green Jade rat who gives advice, an eight-ball that asks more questions than it answers, and an unusual and detailed setting, and this book is a winner.

Additional notes : MG, Japanese-Canadian author

10. The Book: Prophecy by Ellen Oh

What It's About: Kira is the only demon-slayer in the king's army and bodyguard to the prince. When treachery and a demon invasion endanger the prince, her cousin, she is charged with keeping him safe. Some think that he is the savior predicted in the Dragon King's prophecy, the one who will drive back the demons and restore peace. She has to keep him alive for this to happen.

Why I Chose It: It's not just that Kira is a skilled fighter and a determined bodyguard, though she is. It is also the way Ellen Oh has written the family dynamics in the traveling group: The king is Kira's cousin and they travel with her older brother. Then there is the beauty of the kingdom they travel through, and the way Oh weaves the kingdom's mythology through the book. This is the first book in a trilogy, but it functions well as a standalone

Additional Notes, : YA, Korean-American Author

11. The Book: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

What It's About: Yeine Darr spent her life in her father's homeland of Darre, a small kingdom looked down on by the ruling Aramari, her mother's people. Then, four months after her mother's death, her grandfather summons her to the capital and makes her one of his heirs. The trouble is, there are two others—and she is in competition with them. She finds herself dealing with unfamiliar people and manners and meeting the captive gods, held as servants to the royal family. These gods might be her friends, but they also want something from her.

Why I Chose It: N. K. Jemisin does a first-class job of world-building here. The mythology is strong, well-developed, and memorable. Yeine has to balance what is true and what is not from the conflicting tales she has been told in the past and is told now.

12. The Book: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

What It's About: Fourteen-year-old Sophronia Temminneck is extremely annoyed when her mother sends her to finishing school.  The school catches her attention when she learns that, in addition to teaching social discourse, proper deportment, eyelash fluttering,  and how to curtsy properly, it includes courses on “the fine arts of death, diversion, and the modern weaponries." There are is also a mystery to solve: What and where is the "prototype" everyone keeps hunting for?

Why I Chose It: It's a funny, light-hearted book with plenty of wit and whimsy—perfect for reading during the busy holidays when most people are "too busy" to read. There are plenty of read-aloud and laugh-aloud lines included.

Middle Grade

Other Possibilities:

Sister Mine by Nolo Hopkinson (Strong characterization, great use of the mythos. Makela and Abby keep on having the same argument. It may be realistic, but it's also tiresome. Adult, African American author.)

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper (MG, a fantasy classic; haunting in spots; annoying in others)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

In the Forrests of Serre by  Patricia Mckillip

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Jinx by Sage Blackwood

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Don't Look Now: and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier

Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine

Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow (will make you cry)

Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moon

Zahrah Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafo (Great world-building, overused exclamation marks; middle grade, African American)

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (Japanese. Adult(?) I totally loved this story—the warrior guardian has to take care of the prince while he serves as a "nursery" to the egg of a rain spirit; Uehashi has a fantastic supporting cast, too. The drawback? The translation is stilted. There's nothing overtly wrong with it in terms of grammatical construction, but it gets dull after a time)

Bones, Monsters, and Magnets: Links April 25, 2015

Some new-to-me stuff:

1) It is possible, at least in some cases--at least in one case so far--to use nose nerve cells to repair spinal cord damage. A Bulgarian man paralyzed after being knifed, is now walking again with a walker for support after physicians grafted cells from his nose into his spine. They also used tendons from his ankle to give the nerve cells something to grow on. Apparently, nose nerve cells, unlike spinal nerve cells, are programmed to keep regenerating and repairing. No one is sure, though, whether this is going to be generally applicable, or applicable only after very straight cuts.

2) Blind rats (one article said their eyes ere "sealed shut," which makes me hope they were unsealed afterward) implanted with geomagnetic sensors that let them sense the difference between north and south could use them to navigate. This is interesting because--well, because it is. I mean, brains not wired to run on magnetic signals can learn to do so in a remarkable short span of time. Also, it might be useful because of the possibility that blind people might be given similar sensors. Or, sighted people might also be given them "just because:"

"I'm dreaming that humans can expand their senses through artificial sensors for geomagnetism, ultraviolet, radio waves, ultrasonic waves and so on," says Yuji Ikegaya of the University of Tokyo in Japan, head of the team that installed and tested the 2.5-gram implant. "Ultrasonic and radio-wave sensors may enable the next generation of human-to-human communication," he says.

(Newscientist.com)

Personally, I am not all that thrilled about people poking around in my brain to add extra equipment, but I have to admit that it is interesting, and if anyone else does it, I'll be there asking questions.

3) Ten Things to Know About Medieval Monsters: A useful guide to monsters you may happen to meet if you go time traveling. There is also a book on the subject published by the British library.

4) EpiBone is figuring out how to grow human bones "In the future, Tandon says, EpiBone’s technology could be used to treat anything from bone loss and broken femurs to complex facial fractures and genetic defects." It will take a while to be ready for commercial use; right now EpiBone has only 3 full-time employees.

5) 3-D printed food continues to spread. One company is planning on selling home-printers (called Foodinis) soon. The results can be decorative, like layered chocolates with the country of origin printed in gold on the outside of the sphere, or odd, like purple broccoli-flavored cubes (Why?). It's still super-slow, but I'm trying to imagine what I would print if I could. What about you?

6) I meant to post this last week, but I got so distracted by trailers and all that I forgot: THE BRONTOSAURUS IS BACK! Pluto will probably never be restored to planethood, but our favorite big vegetarian has been recognized as real.

7) Carnivorous Flamingos Abound:

http://erinbowbooks.tumblr.com/post/114554398369/stunningpicture-a-flock-of-lawn-flamingos-can

Apparently, this is actually on the Google Campus, though the T-Rex, at least, predates Google.

8) Three Reasons Not to Leave a Dead Body on the Carpet. In case you were wondering. Also, dogs are amazing.


Book News

1) As I am totally in love with Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series, I was delighted to learn that, not only is there going to be a Rivers of London comic book miniseries, it is going to be set in the same continuity (Between Foxglove Summer and Broken Homes) and Ben Aaronovitch is one of the writers!

2) April has been a very good month for books. I have not actually managed to read them all, but I have most of them corralled for reading:
Tracker by C.J. Cherryh--the sixteenth (!) book in her Foreigner series
The Book That Proves Time Travel Happens by Henry C. Clark
Jinx's Magic by Sage Blackwood (A satisfying end to the series that leaves the right number of things open while tying up the main points)
The Mad Apprentice by Django Wexler
Captain Marvel Vol. 2 by Kelly Sue DeConnick
William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace by Ian Doescher (Which I reviewed over on FangirlNation)

Special mention to two books from earlier this year:
The Boy Who Lost Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente, which I have only just started.
A Darker Shade of Magic by by V.E. Schwab, which is an awesome book, has an upcoming sequel, and possesses a marvelous cover.

A Bookish Dilemma

The libraries were a little too efficient this time. I am in a deep dilemma, trying desperately to figure out which of these books I really, really, really want to read to start with and which I want to risk having to return unread because these are all new and/or popular.

These are the books I'm not likely to be able to renew because most of them are new


Fairest Vol. 2: Hidden Kingdom by Bill Willingham & Lauren Beukes (authors) and Inaki Miranda (Illustrator) Willingham's Fables are among my favorite ever books now.

Octopus: The Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate by Jennifer A. Mather, James B. Wood, Roland C. Anderson I'm curious about cephalopods. Very.

Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 4: Realm Of Kings by Dan Abnett (Author), Andy Lanning (author), Brad Walker (Illustrator) I love Guardians. OTOH, it is a reread & out of order...

The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild by Lyanda Lynn Haupt I loved Crow Planet and I like books on urban ecology generally.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily A New Hope by Ian Doescher. Shakespear + Star Wars. How can I not?

Joyland by Stephen King--sort of an outlier because I don't like horror but on the other hand, I do like noir & a nearby book group is reading it and I'm curious about Stephen King.

Shadows by Robin Mckinley. I mean--new book, Robin Mckinley. How can I resist?

Leonardo's Foot: How 10 Toes, 52 Bones, and 66 Muscles Shaped the Human World by Carol Ann Rinzler It's a micro-history of feet. I do need to at least try it, right?

ROY G. BIV: An Exceedingly Surprising Book About Color by Jude Stewart I love books on color and color history and the meaning of color and such.

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld I probably can renew this one--probably--but on the other hand, I just finished Leviathan and I want to know what happens next!

Evaluating these, I have to add that Gulp is taken care of, unless I review it--and I want to--and Guardians probably is--unless I want to hope I can get the other books in the Realm of Kings before it's due.

Not pictured: A Night in the Lonesome October by Zelazny, which is due it's semi-annual Halloween reread in time for the upcoming book group because I can probably fake it if I need to and can likely renew it, The New Avengers: Everything Dies by Jonathan Hickman (author) and Steve Epting (Penciler) because it just didn't fit into that pile and I can probably get it read on time, and assorted other books that I can probably renew, but really do still want to read (Like Spooks by Mary Roach. This is the perfect time of year for it. Last year I read Stiff) for the same reason.

What to do? What to do?

*Dithers

Bookwyrme's Book Selection Process

Every now and again, someone asks me how I decide which books to read. It is a long and careful process, the secret of which I am now going to share with you.

I pick up books for any of the following reasons, alone or in combination:

1) I like the author. I already know I'll enjoy anything by Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, or Sue Hubbell, for example.

2) The author is shelved next to an author I know I like. I first read Patricia McKillip (now on the list of authors I know I'll like) because her books were persistently shelved next to Robin McKinley's. It was fate.

3) I like the cover. I found Carola Dunn this way. I still think the covers on the Daisy Dalrymple are tremendously fun and charming and exactly reflect the contents.

4) I like the title. Frankenstein's Cat caught my eye for this reason (and because of the cover and because of the subject).

5) I'm curious about the subject. Carousels, genetic engineering, the development of our concept of time, rose names... Interests come and go and return again.

6) I like the publisher. This one is new to me, but I find I'm now paying a lot of attention to Quirk Books these days. They've published Pride and Predjudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, the Lovecraft Middle School books, The Last Policeman, Cooking with Flowers, and now Shakespeare's Star Wars. They match their name and that makes me very happy.

7) I read a review or two. I've found a lot of books that way--too many to list, really, but for now I'll mention Tuesdays in the Tower and Plain Kate.

8) Someone recommended the book to me. Oddly, this sometimes means it will take me longer to read the book. I'll save it for a rainy day, so to speak, a day when I don't have anything else to read.

9) It's an old favorite. I do reread, quite a lot, actually, though a bit less than I used to. My room is full of old friends, and they get taken down and reread.

There. Now you know the secret to finding good books!

Or at least, you know how to find books, and you also know why I am a long-term library addict.

Link to my review of Gone West by Carola Dunn

Still over at The Geek Girl Project.

Short version:Daisy's back & I'm glad!

I know, I still need to tell you about The Geek Girl Project, but in addition to it being an exciting spot to read reviews & techie stuff & craft ideas, we're working on something else exciting that I can't quite talk about yet, and I keep waiting til I can link to that Exciting New Thing. So, we'll see. I may let impatience get the better of me anyway :)

Book Alert: The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip and Pegasus by Robin McKinley

I keep meaning to tell everyone: The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip and Pegasus by Robin McKinley are both out!!

No, I haven't read them yet, but there has been much dancing and secret rejoicing and there shall be much reading and, given the authors, rereading.

I am also glad that they're keeping the same cover artist and style for the McKillip books. I just wish they'd stuck to their old hardcover size; I really liked it--it was perfect for holding in the hands.  Still, this is a minor gripe, and does nothing to diminish the dancing.

An added note: if you don't happen to want to buy it just now, go to the library. If your library doesn't have it, talk to the librarian. Librarians are generally very nice about ordering things requested. It's one of their many virtues.

Diana Wynne Jones Week--a general invitation

Jenny over at Jenny's Books has declared the week of August 1 through August 7 to be Diana Wynne Jones week and invites everyone to read along with her. I think it is a great idea.  I suggest going to the library and grabbing any of her books they have on the shelves, but if you're feeling like being selective, aim for Eight Days of Luke, Fire and Hemlock, Howl's Moving Castle, Archer's Goon, and Enchanted Glass. That ought to be enough to get you started.

On a more sober note, now might be a good time to write to Diana Wynne Jones and let her know how much you've enjoyed her books. She's struggling with breast cancer.  There's an email address given here, or you can write to her at:

Diana Wynne Jones
c/o Greenwillow Books
10 E. 53rd St.
New York, NY 10022

The official website adds "no questions, please." So--take a minute to write, even a short note (I've seen a couple of really great letters reproduced on blogs. Mine was just a quick "Thanks! I love your work." Somehow, I always end up really tongue-tied when I most want to praise).

Delicious Decisions

I was just at the library. Now I have a decision to make. Should I:

1) Continue Eiffel's Tower, which is a non-fiction account of the building of the Eiffel Tower specifically and of the 1889 Paris Exposition?

2) Start Except the Queen, which is due in two weeks, and which Charlotte's Library made sound terribly appealing, and half of which is by Jane Yolen, an author I happen to love?

3) Start Lord Sunday which came in today and which is also due in two weeks? It's the final book in the Keys to the Kingdom series, and I've been looking forward to it since finishing Superior Saturday back when.

4)Or should I read Aunt Dimity Down Under, the latest installment in the frothy mystery series I've been reading, a series almost too light even to be called cozy?

I already had to, reluctantly, return Ice unread (Don't worry, I'll put it on hold again) in order to make room for more books.

Hmmmmm...

Another McKillip Book!

Whew! There is one, The Bards of Bone Plain coming out in December. Mind, it would be nice to have some details, but I'll try to wait patiently.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

The book trailer

The Zombie Pride and Prejudice

A zombie version of Pride and Prejudice is in the works. My favorite part of the discussion:

"One obvious question, of course, is what would Ms. Austen think of this unconventional adaptation? To this, I turned to Salon book critic and Austen fan Laura Miller, who replied:

"Well, she'd be astonished, of course, since her age was, sadly, as bereft of zombie movies as it was of indoor plumbing. However, I don't doubt that Elizabeth Bennet would adapt quickly to the imperatives of a zombie attack and in time prove one of our ablest leaders in the war against the undead. The real question is: If Mr. Darcy became infected, would Elizabeth have the fortitude to behead him in time?"

Lovely.

Ever Wanted to Listen to the Original War of the Worlds Broadcast?

Well, now you can!

My brother just found two marvelous new sites just full of ways to spend your time, spare or otherwise.

There is The Mercury Theatre On the Air website, full of several of their original broadcasts, including the famous War of the Worlds, which I am now downloading.

And there is also LibriVox, a site dedicated to recording and making available all books in the public domain.

So, go ahead, download the books! Put them on your IPod or MP3 player. Listen to them while you bake bread, drive to work, or dig in the garden. Or, volunteer to read for LibriVox.

Have fun!

*Goes back to looking at the lovely list of available books and broadcasts.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

While I was at the library the other day, I noticed that Margaret Peterson Haddix has a new book out, Found, the first book in a new series. So, of course, I grabbed it.

It's a fun read, with the Haddix's usual array of strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths include an intriguing mystery, an interesting premise, and strong protagonists. The brother-sister relationship between Katherine and Jonah is well done, one of the best portrayals of sibling relationships I've read recently. It starts with a bang and is a genuine page-turner, lean and strong.

Weaknesses include the too-familiar scenes of hysteria. Yes, I'd panic too if I were locked in a cave outside time, but at the same time, the response here very much resembles similar scenes in the Hidden series; she's moving toward an authorial tick. More seriously, there is also a certain hand-waving about the basic premise/solution to the mystery. It does, as I said above create a fascinating dilemma and I am looking forward to seeing how the story plays out. I also find, however, that I can't quite believe it, just as I could never quite believe the third-child persecution and hysteria in the Hidden books. There's a certain tension between wanting to let go and just enjoy the plot and not being able to get the disbelief to remain fully suspended; it keeps sticking its toes on the ground and demanding my attention.

Another Bit from the American West

I just started Stagecoach: Wells Fargo and the American West. So far, it's pretty good. One bit in particular caught my attention. Traveling to San Francisco, William Tecumseh Sherman caught a boat which ran aground on a reef. Wading ashore he found a lumber boat to take him the rest of the way. It capsized.

"Satisfied that she could not sink by reason of her cargo," he wrote, "I was not in the least alarmed, but thought two shipwrecks in one day not a good beginning for a new, peaceful career" (Fradkin, 20).

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The library's got quite a collection of these, and I checked out a few last week. They're quite fun, well-constructed little stories that draw on a lot of the older, fiercer fairy tales, build the suspense well, and finish of nicely within a scant hundred pages, which is incredibly impressive.

And they're lovely books too, easy to hold and with beautiful covers.

I was confused by the apparent presence of two book ones, but further research (ie a quick look at Amazon.com) shows that there are at least two series.

Death of a Bore by M.C. Beaton

Because I often do enjoy books the person who recommended Beaton to me suggests, I thought I'd give the author another chance and started in on Death of a Bore. I lasted for 38 1/4 pages.

I don't think I second the recommendation.

From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

The Broken Hourglass work made me dig my copy out & give it another read.* It's a lovely Dover Thrift Edition. I've gotten all snobby about editions and annotations & etc lately, but deep down,* I still still adore Dover for putting out all sorts of different classics in nice, cheap, highly portable editions.

Anyway, I still like the first quatrain of the first edition as much as I remembered.

Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.



*Partly curiosity partly looking for inspiration for tavern names; exact quotations are out, but I was hoping for ideas.
**Maybe not so very deep down as all that.

Death of a Dreamer by M. C. Beaton

I just finished reading M.C. Beaton's Death of a Dreamer today. I liked the dog, the cat, and the first chapter.

The rest, not so much.

Bits and Pieces

Having finished Orphans Preferred, I find myself in the position of having no library books left to read. This means I will either have to make an unscheduled trip to the library--an appealing possibility--or finish rereading Anansi Boys for the fourth or fifth time, which is also tempting. I love that book.

***

I spent a large chunk of today happily tangling myself up in writing a mystery subquest for The Broken Hourglass.* I had it all nicely plotted out and then partway through realized not all of my alibis and motives held. Back to the neat, tidy outline I'd printed out yesterday, pen in hand, scratching stuff out, filling stuff in, and generally making a mess before I could start writing again.

I have done very little with mysteries so far. I wrote one for the one in the Trio, but it is much more straight forward. I've always known mysteries took a deal of plotting, and doing it this way means keeping all lines of questioning in my head at once. I think I have it all plotted out now, but I've some witnesses yet to interview.

I wish I could load it up on the computer afterwards to test out how it plays on screen before I send it in, but I don't know WScript , so that's out.

Actually, I was slow off the mark with the mystery. First I had to read up on the Byzantine military to find out what to call the captain of a city militia. In the end, jcompton beat me to it on the search (wounding my researcher pride ;) ), and the answer is a tessarius, but I did get to read some good bits, first, about various empires and emperors and organizations (probably one reason he beat me to it; I bet he had the good sense to go straight for the answer).

And then I had to go read up on corny pickup lines to fix a niggling bit from yesterday's writing. That, of course, meant getting distracted by an article about college students who did a deliberate experiment with bad pickup lines to see whether or not they worked. No, I can't remember where it is to bookmark it, but their conclusion was "sometimes" and "it depends." So now you know.

****

My sisters dug me out of the WhoDunnit this evening so we could take a walk on the beach.

And now it is time to walk the ever-faithful Cinder.

All in all, it's been a good day.

*Yes, I probably am going to keep including the link for a while. I'm excited & want everyone else to be ,too.

Orphans Preferred

I finished Orphans Preferred, and I recommend it. It is lively, interesting, and informative, something very few books manage.

And I learned quite a bit about the Pony Express, about which I must confess, I knew almost nothing before. I did not, for example, know it was a private venture that lasted only eighteen months, and I certainly did not know about the camels.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love libraries? Orphans Preferred is one of many fascinating books I would not have read without them. I first saw it at a bookstore a couple of years ago and tagged it on one of my library accounts. It wasn't until recently that I got around to putting it on hold, and I would never have bought a hardback by an unfamiliar author.*

*Actually, I rarely buy hardbacks and generally buy books at used bookstores (another favorite place), but that is another story.