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

[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. : )