Recent reading

[luzula]

Empire Star, by Samuel R. Delany
More of a novella, really. I found it less engaging than my previous Delany, but okay, the structure is pretty cool, and I would probably need to read it again to get it all.

The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
I think I've seen this recced around fandom? But it didn't really grip me. Well, okay, I liked the bit where he was looking for the stone and also the reveal at the end, but the writing as a whole didn't capture me. Like, there were lots of details, but they didn't interest me much? Which is weird, because in many books I eat up worldbuilding details with a spoon. Ah well.

The New York trilogy, by Paul Auster
Read for my book club at work. It felt kind of like someone setting out to write something that has the form of a detective novel, but is actually something completely opposite? But it lacked all emotional engagement for me. Also, it's been a long time since I read a book that was so male-centered.

Comments

[skygiants]

For the record (while I like The Thief a lot in and of itself) most people consider that the second book in the series, The Queen of Attolia, is when it really starts taking strides towards startlingly awesome.

[luzula]

I will take that into consideration, then. : ) Thanks!

[cahn]

Seconding this comment!

(I didn't like Thief particularly well, myself.) Though also a caveat that there is a relationship in Queen that... well, takes some getting used to. At least, I had a hard time with it. But I loved King a lot (and love Queen on reread).

[luzula]

Hmm, now I am intrigued. : ) And since I got a second rec for it, I'll probably pick it up.

[seascribble]

I liked The Thief, but seconding everybody else who says it picks up in subsequent books, and is worth sticking with. Those books were a staple of my childhood.

(And it made me so happy, after I got into Rosemary Sutcliff as an adult, to find that Turner had included a reference to the dolphin ring in The Thief)

[luzula]

Funny, these books weren't on my radar at all when I was younger. And huh, I never noticed the dolphin ring, but you're right, it was there!

[calvinahobbes]

I read the first part of the NY trilogy for uni, and I remember thinking it was really intriguing (very similar to how I felt reading The Name of the Rose), but I have no idea if I would have the patience for it today. My prof did say that Auster isn't so much an author on whom pomo lit theory can be applied as one who has already applied it while writing. In other words, it's probably not strange if it feels almost too on-the-nose.

[luzula]

I mean, it was kind of interesting, all the meta stuff? But I just wished I'd cared more--the people in the book weren't really characters, just pieces on a chessboard or something.

Also, there's the bit where Paul Auster puts himself in the story and has the protagonist be jealous of him because of his pretty wife? Er, yeah. *facepalm*

[calvinahobbes]

Heh, I had conveniently forgotten that part...