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Temperatures haven't really broken the low 30s F this week (it was 9F when I went to work this morning), which means that I've spent much of the last 7 days bundled up under my blankets with hot drinks and a bunch of books.
What I Finished Reading This Week
The Hacker and the State – Ben Buchanan
This book is an examination of state-sponsored hacking, what states want it to accomplish, what people worry it will accomplish, and what it is and isn’t actually suited to accomplishing. It’s well-written and informative and I’m glad I picked it up.
A Sorceress Comes To Call - T. Kingfisher
I’ve read three or four of Kingfisher’s other books and while I’ve liked aspects of all of them to varying degrees, this is the first by her that I’ve enjoyed in its entirety. Its setting, pacing, and protagonists feel like vintage Robin McKinley, which I love. Other things I loved: the villain is super creepy, and I liked how Kingfisher gave hints as to how she became so evil without either excusing it or beating readers over the head with it. I liked that the protagonist had agency, but in a way that made sense given her background and the situations in which she found herself, and that she didn't get a massive Badass Level Up but worked with what she had to achieve her aims. Kingfisher's handling of the psychology and behavior of abuse victims was deftly done. That the secondary protagonist is a late-middle aged woman, and Kingfisher's depictions of her extreme competency and how many around her fail to perceive it, is delightful.
It's not a perfect book. There's a marked change in pacing between the first 4/5th of the novel and its rushed conclusion. The weird is-this-or-isn't-it-Christianity ("Bible" and "Archbishop" are capitalized; "god" is not) was distracting. The secondary protagonist's "Woe is me I can never marry the man I love who openly and steadfastly adores me because I'll grow unattractive as I age" was not believably portrayed. It seems little more than an expedient plot explanation for why she was still living with her brother at the start of the novel, which is disappointing because it would have made for some excellent character complexity if Kingfisher had actually bothered to develop it.
That said, I liked this book despite these quibbles and will most likely read it again.
Ansuz – Malene Sølvsten
I ENJOYED THIS BOOK IMMENSELY. It’s your typical YA fantasy set-up: lonely, misfit, parentless protagonist at a new school learns that Her Past Harbors A Dark SecretTM and that The Fate Of The World Rests On Her ShouldersTM. Along the way, she grudgingly learns the value of companionship and trust, acquiring friends, allies, and even a potential love interest (Not All Of Whom Are What They First Appear To BeTM), and has to fight for her life against increasingly dire odds.
None of this is a spoiler: if you’ve read similar genre offerings in the past you’ll immediately—and correctly—spot that this is where the story is headed. What sets Ansuz apart is how well it’s all done. The protagonist is extremely likable in her misanthropic glory. The secondary and tertiary characters are engaging. The characterizations are consistent and not everyone falls in line with the protagonist's desires just because she wants them to; nor do their actions take the path of least plot resistance. Everyone has their own agenda, and what they decide to disclose to each other (or not) and why they decide to cooperate with each other (or not) drives the narrative. I particularly appreciated the protagonist’s refreshing skepticism and obstinacy in the face of everything that's happening to her (although the fact that not one—not one!—of these teenagers thinks to fire up Wikipedia when things get weird—not even once!—does beggar belief).
The worldbuilding is good. The pacing is good. The cliffhangers are exciting as are the plot twists, very few of which are evident until they slam into the characters (and readers) at 80 mph. This book has a lot of genre beats but I am more than happy to go along for the ride because it's just so well done. It was a struggle not to gulp this one down and I’ll be starting the sequel immediately.
I Am Morgan Le Fay – Nancy Springer
I enjoyed this one even more than I Am Mordred. Springer’s writing is even better, and the narrative is less episodic. Her descriptive language is evocative and dreamlike: her settings feel like something out of the Mabinogion or Chretien. Springer’s blending of pagan elements into the Mallory- and Pyle-framework fits the story well and is her own creation, rather than being lifted directly from Bradley and Paxson. Her preferred themes—alienation, ambivalent sibling relationships, longing for a parent’s love—hit even harder here than in the previous volume.
That said, this is essentially longform fanfiction, a “just so” story about what happened to Morgan Le Fay in childhood to turn her into the adult she becomes. The novel takes us up to that point and no further—we don’t even get to see her I Am Mordred cameos from her own perspective. This, combined with the stronger narrative through-line in this novel leaves the impression that the story has broken off abruptly rather than properly concluding. End verdict: I enjoyed this volume even more than its predecessor and I’m glad I’ve read both, but I don’t know that I’ll return to them any time soon.
What I Am Currently Reading
The Party and the People — Bruce Dickson
Very early days for this one.
Lake of Souls — Ann Leckie
So far I've read the short stories "Lake of Souls" and "Footprints".
Chinese Communist Espionage — Peter Mattis & Matthew Brazil
I picked this one up after a long reading hiatus.
Coyote Run — Lilith Saintcrow
This book is grand good fun.
Fehu — Malene Sølvsten
Being, of course, the sequel to Ansuz, because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
What I’m Reading Next
This week I acquired Eva Dou's House of Huawei and Dali Yang's Wuhan.
これで以上です。
What I Finished Reading This Week
The Hacker and the State – Ben Buchanan
This book is an examination of state-sponsored hacking, what states want it to accomplish, what people worry it will accomplish, and what it is and isn’t actually suited to accomplishing. It’s well-written and informative and I’m glad I picked it up.
A Sorceress Comes To Call - T. Kingfisher
I’ve read three or four of Kingfisher’s other books and while I’ve liked aspects of all of them to varying degrees, this is the first by her that I’ve enjoyed in its entirety. Its setting, pacing, and protagonists feel like vintage Robin McKinley, which I love. Other things I loved: the villain is super creepy, and I liked how Kingfisher gave hints as to how she became so evil without either excusing it or beating readers over the head with it. I liked that the protagonist had agency, but in a way that made sense given her background and the situations in which she found herself, and that she didn't get a massive Badass Level Up but worked with what she had to achieve her aims. Kingfisher's handling of the psychology and behavior of abuse victims was deftly done. That the secondary protagonist is a late-middle aged woman, and Kingfisher's depictions of her extreme competency and how many around her fail to perceive it, is delightful.
It's not a perfect book. There's a marked change in pacing between the first 4/5th of the novel and its rushed conclusion. The weird is-this-or-isn't-it-Christianity ("Bible" and "Archbishop" are capitalized; "god" is not) was distracting. The secondary protagonist's "Woe is me I can never marry the man I love who openly and steadfastly adores me because I'll grow unattractive as I age" was not believably portrayed. It seems little more than an expedient plot explanation for why she was still living with her brother at the start of the novel, which is disappointing because it would have made for some excellent character complexity if Kingfisher had actually bothered to develop it.
That said, I liked this book despite these quibbles and will most likely read it again.
Ansuz – Malene Sølvsten
I ENJOYED THIS BOOK IMMENSELY. It’s your typical YA fantasy set-up: lonely, misfit, parentless protagonist at a new school learns that Her Past Harbors A Dark SecretTM and that The Fate Of The World Rests On Her ShouldersTM. Along the way, she grudgingly learns the value of companionship and trust, acquiring friends, allies, and even a potential love interest (Not All Of Whom Are What They First Appear To BeTM), and has to fight for her life against increasingly dire odds.
None of this is a spoiler: if you’ve read similar genre offerings in the past you’ll immediately—and correctly—spot that this is where the story is headed. What sets Ansuz apart is how well it’s all done. The protagonist is extremely likable in her misanthropic glory. The secondary and tertiary characters are engaging. The characterizations are consistent and not everyone falls in line with the protagonist's desires just because she wants them to; nor do their actions take the path of least plot resistance. Everyone has their own agenda, and what they decide to disclose to each other (or not) and why they decide to cooperate with each other (or not) drives the narrative. I particularly appreciated the protagonist’s refreshing skepticism and obstinacy in the face of everything that's happening to her (although the fact that not one—not one!—of these teenagers thinks to fire up Wikipedia when things get weird—not even once!—does beggar belief).
The worldbuilding is good. The pacing is good. The cliffhangers are exciting as are the plot twists, very few of which are evident until they slam into the characters (and readers) at 80 mph. This book has a lot of genre beats but I am more than happy to go along for the ride because it's just so well done. It was a struggle not to gulp this one down and I’ll be starting the sequel immediately.
I Am Morgan Le Fay – Nancy Springer
I enjoyed this one even more than I Am Mordred. Springer’s writing is even better, and the narrative is less episodic. Her descriptive language is evocative and dreamlike: her settings feel like something out of the Mabinogion or Chretien. Springer’s blending of pagan elements into the Mallory- and Pyle-framework fits the story well and is her own creation, rather than being lifted directly from Bradley and Paxson. Her preferred themes—alienation, ambivalent sibling relationships, longing for a parent’s love—hit even harder here than in the previous volume.
That said, this is essentially longform fanfiction, a “just so” story about what happened to Morgan Le Fay in childhood to turn her into the adult she becomes. The novel takes us up to that point and no further—we don’t even get to see her I Am Mordred cameos from her own perspective. This, combined with the stronger narrative through-line in this novel leaves the impression that the story has broken off abruptly rather than properly concluding. End verdict: I enjoyed this volume even more than its predecessor and I’m glad I’ve read both, but I don’t know that I’ll return to them any time soon.
What I Am Currently Reading
The Party and the People — Bruce Dickson
Very early days for this one.
Lake of Souls — Ann Leckie
So far I've read the short stories "Lake of Souls" and "Footprints".
Chinese Communist Espionage — Peter Mattis & Matthew Brazil
I picked this one up after a long reading hiatus.
Coyote Run — Lilith Saintcrow
This book is grand good fun.
Fehu — Malene Sølvsten
Being, of course, the sequel to Ansuz, because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
What I’m Reading Next
This week I acquired Eva Dou's House of Huawei and Dali Yang's Wuhan.
これで以上です。
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