Recent reading (travel edition)

[luzula]

Now on the train between Copenhagen and Hamburg, will be in Paris tonight. I don't know how I spent my whole life not knowing that Köln = Cologne? Number of people wearing masks so far: one (me). No, wait, now some more pople are putting them on, but ffs, they don't work if they're not over your nose. Or under your chin. At least I have the good sort of mask. (ETA: Now we are in Germany and almost everyone has a mask.) Also, I am annoyed that it's impossible to use dictation on the train; I'll have to save my hands up, sigh.

Spent last night catching up with a fannish friend in Copenhagen, who since I met him last has written a Ph D thesis on fanvids, wow.

Lieutenant Hornblower by C S Forester (1952)
Read on sanguinity's recommendation. I tried a Hornblower book once before, the first one written chronologically, but that one didn't stick, I think because I was unfavorably comparing it to O'Brian. This one is better written and is a fun Age of Sail adventure. The first part where they're stuck with an abusive captain is appropriately claustrophobic. And yes, I can see the Bush/Hornblower! : ) I don't know that I'm going to be actively fannish about this, though, or at least that's my prognosis. Though sanguinity, I'll certainly read your fic when you finish it! And if you have any other fic recommendations, I'll take them.

Spear by Nicola Griffith (2022)
This feels a bit thin compared to the richly layered Hild, but it is a novella, after all. I was enjoying it from the start, but it didn't really take off for me until the main character met Nimue. I liked the remixing of Arthurian canon, and the background Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot.

Comments

[nnozomi]

Happy travels! I hope you have a lovely time in Paris and points onward.
(I only know the Hornblower books from other fictional characters who read and enjoy them, but they sound like fun.)

[luzula]

Ugh, I had a stressful late train and had to rebook my tickets. /o\ But thanks, I hope there is no further drama...

Which fictional characters are that? : )

[nnozomi]

Hoping for peaceful and undramatic travels!

Which fictional characters are that? : )
That would be Peter Marlow, a naval cadet, and his sister Nicola, obsessed with all things Navy! They come from Antonia Forest's Marlows series, one of my favorites.

[regshoe]

Hmm, perhaps I should try the Hornblower books—I do keep hearing about them, although I think I've got them a bit mixed up with the Aubrey-Maturin books which are actually a different thing.

A PhD thesis on fanvids, that sounds very cool!

[luzula]

Ugh ugh, I had a very stressful changeover in Hamburg where a train was quite late and I had to decide between taking that one and only having 5-10 min changeover in Cologne and potentially not getting to Paris at all that day if I missed it, or not taking that one and gambling that there would be tickets on another, later connection from Hamburg. I did the latter, but had to pay 125 euros extra since that connection had no interrail slots left. I'll get to Paris at 11 pm. /o\

I would recommend the Aubrey-Maturin books over the Hornblower books--I just love Patrick O'Brian's writing style, and I think you'd like it as well. I don't actually read Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin as lovers, but as platonic friends (though I don't mind reading the slash when it's well written), but either way they're lovely books.

[regshoe]

Oh nooo, that must have been very stressful! At least you've got a connection to Paris—and I hope the Paris-London leg of the journey tomorrow goes smoothly. :)

Hmm, that sounds good (and I like the sound of a main character who's a natural philosopher :D )–perhaps I'll sample both series! I see that the Hornblower books are old enough to be on Faded Page whereas the Aubrey-Maturin ones are not–but I can get them from the library, so I'll put the first one on the list for when I next go there.

[philomytha]

I've only read a few of the Hornblower books, but I did have an awful lot of fun with the TV series featuring Ioan Gruffudd, it's extremely entertaining and also pretty slashy.

[luzula]

*does an image search*
That does look like some lovely eye-candy, at least! Thanks for the rec.

[scribe]

I also recently read Spear and enjoyed it a lot! I haven't read Hild but it's been recommended to me, and maybe I'll try it on strength of how much I enjoyed her prose. (Also I'm always easy for Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot)

Hope your travels continue well!

[luzula]

Would love to read Hild in book club! I was thinking of rereading it for when the sequel comes out.

Ugh, I had a stressful late train and had to rebook my tickets. /o\ But thanks, I hope there is no further drama...

[scribe]

Oh no! Fingers crossed for no further drama!

[chestnut_pod]

Sorry to hear about the train shenanigans! Travel can be so stressful; hopefully it's smoother from here on out.

I felt just the same way about Spear! It was a fun remix; I appreciated the Mabinogion edging its way in there.

[luzula]

Thanks for the sympathy! Better than my mother, who said was only what I should expect for not flying...

Yes, it was fun, but I am much looking forward to the sequel to Hild.

[chestnut_pod]

Pshaw, flying is worse!

[osprey_archer]

Oooh! I've been on a bit of an Arthurian kick recently, and Spear looks interesting...

I've also long meant to read the Hornblower books (or at least attempt the Hornblower books) but that is not at the top of my list right now. Still, it sounds like they get better as they go, which is a good quality in a series.

Hope your next train behaves better!

[luzula]

I do recommend Spear, and it's a short and easy read.

Ha, well, the Caledonian Sleeper was delayed 4,5 hours...but we've arrived in Scotland now!

[scintilla10]

Sorry to hear about the travel frustrations! Yay for catching up with friends. :)

Also, Spear sounds intriguing!

[luzula]

Thanks, the train delays continued, but at least we didn't have another connection after this one!

[baronjanus]

Hey! *waves* Sorry you're arriving just in time for a big heat wave :( unless you're already moving on to Scotland, like the tag says? They should be cooler, but today in the Paris area is gonna be hellish. And the masks are mostly off on trains, which is terrible, makes my skin crawl every time I visit there

[luzula]

Yes, moving on to Scotland! I spent yesterday in London which was also unreasonably hot...but Scotland is pleasantly cool. : )

[baronjanus]

I yearn to move slowly further north, as our ancestors migrated south when the ice wall came

[starshipfox]

LMAO it took me YEARS to figure out the Köln = Cologne thing. I mean, Cologne?? WTF, English?

[luzula]

I assumed Cologne was the French name!

[sanguinity]

Answering a question from elsewhere: I'd recommend either Hornblower on the Hotspur or Flying Colours next, your choice.

Hotspur is the next (by internal chronology) after Lieutenant and is at the better end of the range for a 'typical' Hornblower novel. That is, one that runs by the formula of Hornblower at sea, problem-solving his way through successive engagements with the French with Bush as his immediate subordinate. There's some nice stuff with Bush (as there is in most novels with Bush in), but it's not as slashy as what you just read. Basically a solid Royal Navy sailing adventure at the better end of Forester's range, with some of Forester's better character work.

Flying Colours is atypical of the series, and my second-favorite overall: it's set mostly on land, with Hornblower and Bush prisoners of the French. (If that sounds familiar: the fake married fic of mine you read is an AU of Flying Colours.) The first part is lovely hurt/comfort slashy goodness, and while there are parts of the novel I'm meh about (it was written during Forester's early period, and has some of the weaknesses of that era, particularly in Hornblower's relationships with women), there's a lot that I love about it anyway. It begins immediately after the cliffhanger at the end of the previous novel (A Ship of the Line), but you can just jump in here, if you want -- I think he gives enough of a "Last Time on Hornblower" to be comprehensible.

Do let me know if you have questions about either!

[luzula]

Er, sorry for the late reply! I've just been...busy. Anyway, thanks for the recommendations! Probably I will go for the slashy hurt/comfort in the second one. *g*

Oh, and if you have fic recs, I am happy to take those as well. : )