Recent reading
Feb. 25th, 2017 09:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaFinally have gotten rid of the cold and went running today again, and it felt great! \o/
Stretto by L. Timmel Duchamp (#5 in the Marq'ssan Cycle)
Final book in the series, and wow, it came together in a way that had me staying up late at night to finish it. Although like the previous books, there were some scenes that were hard to read--horrible patterns of interaction in both private and political relationships keep repeating themselves. But there are definitely also people who manage to get out of those patterns, and what a payoff that is. And the ending is hopeful. I think I understand why the author insists on having those difficult-to-read elements--she wants to write about a potentially utopian political transformation, but not to ignore the way that political actors such as intelligence agencies and the military manipulate, repress, and torture political opposition in today's world. So yeah. Recommended, if you can stomach extended scenes of (mostly psychological) torture, among other things.
Heavy Time by C J Cherryh (audiobook, in the Alliance-Union 'verse)
I was not that into this, although I ought to have been--it's about downtrodden miners in space who work for a corrupt company. Themes include: how much do you help other people, with risk to yourself? Basically, I liked the beginning and end but thought it dragged in the middle, and also I was confused about some things, which is maybe because of listening to it on audiobook. Like, I never figured out what the Shepherd organization actually was.
Stretto by L. Timmel Duchamp (#5 in the Marq'ssan Cycle)
Final book in the series, and wow, it came together in a way that had me staying up late at night to finish it. Although like the previous books, there were some scenes that were hard to read--horrible patterns of interaction in both private and political relationships keep repeating themselves. But there are definitely also people who manage to get out of those patterns, and what a payoff that is. And the ending is hopeful. I think I understand why the author insists on having those difficult-to-read elements--she wants to write about a potentially utopian political transformation, but not to ignore the way that political actors such as intelligence agencies and the military manipulate, repress, and torture political opposition in today's world. So yeah. Recommended, if you can stomach extended scenes of (mostly psychological) torture, among other things.
Heavy Time by C J Cherryh (audiobook, in the Alliance-Union 'verse)
I was not that into this, although I ought to have been--it's about downtrodden miners in space who work for a corrupt company. Themes include: how much do you help other people, with risk to yourself? Basically, I liked the beginning and end but thought it dragged in the middle, and also I was confused about some things, which is maybe because of listening to it on audiobook. Like, I never figured out what the Shepherd organization actually was.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-02-26 08:27 am (UTC)I keep thinking about you taking up running and feeling like I should really try it myself, but I'm in such bad shape (and asthmatic) I'm sure it would be awful at first. You ended up paying quite a lot for shoes as well, right?
Sorry, that was not very book-related! What do you think you are reading next?
(no subject)
Date: 2017-02-26 08:58 am (UTC)I thought it would be awful to start running, but now I'm actually looking forward to doing it. When you start, you don't have to do it all or nothing--I mean, you can alternate running and walking, and also I run super-slowly. Like, it's probably not faster than a fast walk. I did do it all or nothing in a way, though--like, I committed to doing it every other day for a couple of weeks and then evaluating. If you just do it once a week you probably won't notice as much results. Yeah, I paid a lot for shoes, but I have sensitive feet and also I didn't actually have any kind of running shoes lying about. I'm sure you can try it out with just any old pair of trainers you have, and then buy shoes if you find you like it. I have no idea how asthma would influence running though.
I am now reading a super-interesting book called The Forgotten Revolution: How Science Was Born in 300 B.C. and Why It Had to Be Reborn by Lucio Russo.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-02-26 09:08 am (UTC)Ooh, that is a really cool sounding book! Oh no, the cover looks so dull! Aww, the chapter titles makes me think I am not scientifically-educated enough to understand much of it! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2017-02-26 12:19 pm (UTC)Ha ha, don't judge it by the cover. : P And yeah, you probably need a basis in math/science/technology to appreciate all of it, but I guess you can skip the more technical bits. I will review it when I'm done! : )
(no subject)
Date: 2017-02-26 12:22 pm (UTC)