Recent reading and movie-watching

[luzula]

The Warrior's Path, by Catherine M. Wilson (first in a trilogy)

This is sort of a fantasy story (but without magic) about a young girl training as a warrior--and now you're probably picturing something along the lines of Tamora Pierce, but no, this is more domestic and down-to-earth. I thought it would push my buttons, being as it's all about a mentor relationship between two women, but sadly, no. The writing just didn't work for me--it's not like it was bad, but I didn't feel it. Too much telling and not enough showing, maybe? Anyway, if you'd like to try it out, you can download it as a free ebook here.

Across Time and Tundra: the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic, by Ishmael Alunik, Eddie Kolausok and David Morrison

I read this as due South-related research, and wow, was it worth it! I recommend it to everyone writing dS fic set in the Mackenzie delta area (or, you know, if you otherwise have an interest in these things). It's a really good historical overview of the area and the people living there.

I have also watched Bullitt with seascribe and ardyforshort, which was a lot of fun. Check out ardyforshort's gifs of Steve McQueen!

Fic-wise, I have enjoyed Ione's long story Rest and Be Thankful, despite knowing neither of the fandoms involved. Basically, it's about a young woman who sees figures from the past, helping to solve an old family mystery. In fact, I can recommend the author's work in general--Ione has written some really excellent Aubrey/Maturin and Austen fic.

Comments

[seascribble]

Oh! I am so excited about the Arctic book, both for due South research related purposes and general interest purposes. I am going to buy a copy as soon as my textbook trade credit comes in. My RL best friend is also doing a lot of reading about the Arctic and its indigenous peoples for a project she's working on, and I'm sure that will be right up her alley as well. Thanks for reccing it!

[isis]

Yeah, I only got about a third of the way into that first book myself before getting bored and abandoning it.

[riverlight]

Yesssssssss that story. So good! I was so thrilled to read it at Yuletide.

[luzula]

It's really good! I'd been trying to do research into it before (mostly by browsing the university library), but everything I found was narrow in scope. But this was really helpful in telling you about the broad outlines of the history, and it has some interesting specific stuff, too.

[luzula]

Yeah, life is too short to read books you're not enjoying...

[luzula]

I'd been saving it up for a while--I knew it would be good from having read the author before. : ) Also, now I want to track down and read some Zenna Henderson, too...

[ardyforshort]

Oooh. That book about the Arctic sounds really interesting! Need to see if I can find it somewhere :)

[luzula]

I hope you can find it somewhere! It's worth tracking down.

[riverlight]

Oh do, do. The collection of her People stories ("Ingathering") is one of my favorite-ever books.

[jesse_the_k]

Zenna Henderson was AWESOME!

[jesse_the_k]

According to the wizards at Worldcat.org,
http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/51800314
it's held in 282 libraries in that database — two of which are within two miles of my house. Wheeee!

[luzula]

Ooh, library databases like that are awesome. I've never seen that one before, but there's one for the whole of Sweden that I regularly use. Inter-library loans FTW! In fact, I am just about to go and pick up my inter-library loan of Tiptree's collected short stories.

[queue]

I read this as due South-related research, and wow, was it worth it!

... I really just love this sentence a whole frelling lot.

[luzula]

Heh. Well, it was worth it both as due South research and for its own sake.

[riverlight]

Sorry, very belated response to this, but: YES! She was, she was! Have you read any of her non-People short stories? I love them too.

[jesse_the_k]

Oo! I didn't know there was more!

I see at the fabulous International SF database
http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?859
that she had two short story collections, The Anything Box and Holding Wonder and I'm scurrying to the library to get them now.

Thanks so much.

[jesse_the_k]

I love the web. I remember back to the old days of inter-library loan, where I'd write out the books details and hand it over to the guardians of knowledge, who'd spend 3 − 6 weeks finding out which library held it, and then another 3 − 6 weeks to transfer the book to my town.

Anyway, thanks so much for the Across Time and Tundra rec. It was beautiful — and heartbreaking.

[riverlight]

Yeah, I think they're out of print—I found my copies at a used bookstore—but the library should be able to manage!

You're so welcome. :)

[luzula]

Oh hey, I'm glad you enjoyed it! And yeah, the web does have its uses. : )