Pratchett, Primeval & the List!

“There was this about vampires : they could never look scruffy. Instead, they were... what was the word... deshabille. It meant untidy, but with bags and bags of style.” 

I think I've said before that I read in all genres, at least a little. I'm reading my first Lord Peter Wimsey right now, but I hadn't dug into Fantasy or Sci Fi in a long time, til recently.

This week I read my first Terry Pratchett. I heard 1 & 2 of Discworld are just spoofs on the high Fantasy genre, whereas he comes into his own in book 3; so I decided to skip the book I have (#2). I went to the library and picked out a stand-alone title called Monstrous Regiment. It begins with the trope of the girl who dresses as a boy to join the army, but what Pratchett does with that trope is hilarious. One reviewer compared it to Sharpe, and I think that's a good comparison (and to the Hornblower TV series). A small squad of anti-heroes, funny and quirky, but in a serious setting.

Anyway, it was fantastic, I highly recommend it. Especially if you like to read books with women protagonists. You'll find it fulfilling in a way I can't describe without spoilering the book.

On the other side, I've been watching Connie Willis' favorite show, Primeval. (Well something had to replace Psych, of which I watched every single episode.)

Watched all 5 seasons. It's about a group of London scientists who discover these anomalies through which prehistoric creatures are able to come through time. They have to contain them, so there's a dino-of-the-week element; but the real strength of the series is in its long stories. I enjoyed every one of them, through each season. Now: There are plot holes you could fly a spaceship through. There are so many absurdities I'm tempted to create a drinking game! You have to be able to disregard the logic of the thing, and just enjoy the sort of political-thriller-tude of it.

The series also does romances well. There are several, plus the one Grand Romance between Connor the geek and Abby the animal lover. Willis is right--Connor is adorkable.

"So, eight years she's been living in the past. My God! How are we going to explain Celebrity Love Island to her?"

The show gets a ZERO in terms of casting people of color (or, needless to say, people of non-heterotude). There are a lot of cast changes, so it's really inexcusable. Especially since it takes place in London! Really, really bad. But the ladies are done up well. It's always a man, plus Connor, who *stars*, so this is no Alien. But the women basically dress appropriately, shoot accurately, and are active.

Oh and then there's Lester, the bureaucrat running the operation. He gets all the good lines, I lurv him.

"You know I could have been ambassador to Moscow by now. Maybe even Cabinet Secretary. Instead I'm watching a dinosaur trash my office. Still, no regrets."

"We may stand on the brink of Armageddon, but at least we have an irritating student on our side. How reassuring!"

Not sure whether to continue in this vein or not. Maybe get back into Dr Who. Or read the SFF books I brought with me--the Nanaimo 50 List! I've got Rothfuss, Sawyer, Shinn, Wicked and that underwater book. I've only read 3 books from the list so far (I'm counting Pratchett), though Step-mommy the French horror novel, and my dad read Living Biblically. Does that count?

I've read (not counting kids' books) 24 books since moving out here, just not the "right ones" ! Meh heh heh. Ahhh books. Having a library card isn't helping (graphic novels!)
   
   

Nanaimo Island Reads: The final picks

Frak it I chose 40 books. But the good news is... Goodreads informs me I read 51 books last year. And 41 in 2010. And 18 so far. So 40 books is just right, cause I also have my ebooks, a couple books in Nanaimo, and anything else I can't resist this year.

Onto the 40, which you can find here.

First I arranged them alphabetically by title...

 

That was no help. Next I tried dark to light...

 

Okay, good to know I have an appropriate mix of weepies and laughs. Then I tried literary to genre...

 

A good mix. And most of the genre is top notch ("literary" if you will.) But all I managed to eliminate was four books...

• The Cairo Trilogy only for weight concerns--it's three books, wrapped in a quality hard cover.
• The Khadra just because it's not speaking to me at the moment.
• And the Martin because I don't want to read 5 books and then be on the hook for 10 years as I await the other. Ever notice how long it takes authors to get that last book out? (Looking at you Jean Auel.) Or they die and then their successors put the last book out in two volumes and that means more waiting (yes, you Robert Jordan.)
• [Forgot to photograph.] A Jennifer Crusie Harlequin, cause I already have unread books by her on my ereader.

And then I added three:

• The more I read of Wicked's themes, the better it sounded.
• I read the first pages of Still Alice and immediately wanted to keep going. (I did this with a couple books, which was a mistake! I want to read them now!)
• And I wanted Fall On Your Knees, or Mercy Among the Children. Knees sounded less crushingly depressing.

 

There are 40 books now.

Some fall in the "What's All the Fuss?" category.

• The Prey series
• The Quebec Stephen King
• Ruth Rendell as Barbara Vine--supposed to be better than Rendell as Rendell
• Pratchett
• Nobel winning Toni Morrison
• Nobel winning Pamuk
• Sarah Waters
• That damned Time Traveler
• That damned burnt guy
• And I added back in Slumdog cause I want to see the movie already! (Oops I guess I added back in 4)

Then there's the games winners:

• French Books Picked by Anglos
• Nonfiction Books Chosen by People Who Haven't Read Them
• Books Picked Blindly by Country (results here)
• Books Chosen Blindly by Bombastic Reviews, First Page Images, and Other Nonstory Text

The two chosen by fate:

 

Two I chose because they're among my husband's favorite novels:

• Margaret Laurence's Jest of God - I loved the TV movie of The Diviners, and then hated the movie of Stone Angel so I read the book and it was excellent. This one's about a lonely small town teacher, living with her passive aggressive mother, and her attempt to break out.
• The Name of the Wind I bought for Fernando because customers and a work friend said it was the best fantasy novel they'd read in years.

Books from fave authors:

• Heyer's Reluctant Widow--been so long I don't remember anything about it.
• Sharon Shinn's Mystic and Rider
• Jane Langton: I first read her because she was recommended by Connie Willis, and I can see why. There's always a subject (Monticello, the dodo, Emily Dickinson, Escher) to thematically work alongside the mystery. And I love the professor couple who are the regulars in the series.
• I read Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries almost until I started my degrees, and then fell behind. The tone of the books are a surprisingly good match for Austen.
• Alan Moore I lobes.
• Well I only read one AJ Jacobs, but really enjoyed it. And coming from a church that followed the Old Testament rather closely, I think I'll enjoy this one.
• Cathleen Schine: Loved The Evolution of Jane, The Love Letter, and Rameau's Niece. Hated She Is Me. Own-but-too-scared-to-attempt The New Yorkers and The Three Weissmanns. Time to get back on the horse.
• No romance novelists made it because I've got a bunch in my ereader.

And others I chose when cataloging:

• My Lucky Star - About a couple New York writers going out to Hollywood, compared to screwball comedies.  I opened and read a scene at random and it actually did sound like an old screwball.
• Indiscretion - Regency romance. All the reviews say this author (who's male) is more Georgette Heyer, less Amanda Quick.
• The Serial Killer's Club - About a guy who discovers the serial killers have a club--he infiltrates and then starts killing them. And it's comedy. Also recommended by ex-colleague Groom.
• Saga - Mentioned this before, about three people writing a mini-series for no one to watch.
• Ruth Rendell - Read Simisola years ago and loved the detective and his wife.
• Starfish - This is the one about the underwater station full of mentally damaged people.
• Hominids - And the one about the parallel Neanderthal world. Also recommended by SFF reading/writing Widdershins.

 

During this process, as I came across shorter books, I eliminated them by creating a To Be Read Before I Leave Town list.

• Harvey Pekar's Quitter - I've read most of his comics, they're so so so good.
• Vonnegut's Mother Night
• A tiny Tom Stoppard play
• Some random book I came across today
• An Agatha Christie I'd started months ago (I refuse to bring along books that are partly read. Taking up precious cargo weight limit!)
• Rumpole of the Bailey short stories that I'm half done. I'd been keeping them as insomnia stories, and they're super witty. But... goes against the rules.
• Barmy in Wonderland - Might still bring cause I like to save Wodehouse for my darkest moments and I'm not totally dark right now. But this is a hard cover, and a beautiful one at that--beautiful paper, beautiful typeface. My dad bought it for me and it's one of the finest books I own. Don't want it ruined!

 

Two I've already knocked off:

• D.A. - Short story by Connie Willis. Fernando bought me this limited edition at Worldcon. About a teenager recruited for a space program, who doesn't want to be there.
• Borderline - Though eliminated in the games, I really wanted to see the movie, so I had to read the book. The movie's been duly watched as well.

Phew. Well thanks for taking the journey with me. Will report back on the books.

Shocking Update!  I was just going through the "Read It" list of my old book catalog--We Reads--and realized I picked out the wrong Jane Austen mystery (I own almost all of them, though unread.) It will be Jane and the Ghosts of Netley.

Shockinger Update!  Apparently I already read Harvey Pekar's The Quitter, too.

     

The Penultimate Edition of : Nanaimo Island Reads! (If you need some book recs, check it out)

Thanks so much to those who participated in my goofy book choice games. I know it was a bit random, but if I were to ask people their favorite books, I could get one "I hated it!" for every "It changed my life!" And then I'd feel like I was choosing between people, rather than between books.

Also, some books simply get more publicity--there was a hit movie, it won a big American award, the author was on Oprah--so more people might have read them; yet they might not be "better" books.

Which doesn't mean you shouldn't plead a case for a book in here you've read. :-) Descriptions included as usual, in case your To Be Read pile hasn't already reached the ceiling.

Click on the book descriptions to go to the Goodreads page of each book...

Leave you babbling <-- Our winner, recommended to me by various ex-coworkers: Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare's attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Hitchcockian <-- runner up, recommended to me by two ex-coworkers: a ghost story set at Hundreds hall following the story of the Ayres family as their home and society crumble around them on post war Britain.

Most romantic in years <-- Recommended by no one, but won the Pen Faulkner award.: It is a perfect evening until a band of terrorists breaks in, taking the entire party hostage. Friendship, compassion, and the chance for great love lead the characters to forget the real danger that has been set in motion and cannot be stopped.

Wrenching, soaring <-- Lost! Recommended eons ago by My Book Enabling Friend who owns more books than me, and has read more than me, especially good literature: The story of Sydney Henderson's family, as told by grown son Lyle, is about the price they all pay for Sydney's refusal to abandon his principles.

Mythic quality <-- Was a huge hit, even before Oprah recommended it. I think Enabling Friend recommended it, but also customers, and everyone says it has a SHOCKING ENDING. I've read two other Oprah picks, they were excellent.: Chronicling five generations of this eccentric clan, "Fall On Your Knees" follows four remarkable sisters whose lives are filled with driving ambition, inescapable family bonds, and forbidden love.

Obsession! Possession! <-- Impulse buy. Supposed to be a literary vampire novel.: a centuries-long quest to find the source of that darkness and wipe it out. It is a quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the legend of Dracula

Spun like Arabian Nights <-- A hit at one point (before the movie), and recommended by a very interesting ex-coworker.: Grenouille’s quest to make the finest perfume in the world–and in the process of doing so he kills twenty-five virgin girls.

Afraid to turn the pages <-- Other runner up. My mother reads a lot of thrillers, recommended the author years ago.: Rules of Prey introduces Lucas Davenport, the badass Minneapolis cop who plays by his own rules but gets the job done when no one else can.

Knockout ending <-- Well you've all heard of this one too, I'm sure. : the story of Alice's slow but inevitable loss of memory and connection with reality, told from her perspective. ...readers learn of the progression of Alice's disease through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so they feel what she feels -- a slowly building terror.

Weary sun rising - Clear winner! Well it's time I finally read a Pratchett.

Dam the flood of disaster - I feel I should read a Norton. "A ship is stranded on an uncharted planet, and notwithstanding the breakdown of disclipline of the mixed alien/human crew members, a shocking and fascinating discovery is made."

Monstrous dwarf Queen Victoria - Bwa ha ha! Recommended to me by a very widely read coworker back in the 90s: "i suppose it could be defined as a "psychological thriller" but its very jungian, steeped in metaphor and symbolism and eroticisim and mythology and shakespeare."

Communications panel - Once caught my eye when looking for sci fi to buy: "Miles is less than 4 ft tall and deformed with delicate bones that break at the slightest strain. He makes up for this physical deficiency by an enormous personality. He’s smart, quick-thinking, creative and cheeky."

As she smiled - Was looking for another sci fi humor author: "one man has discovered the hideous truth: that humanity's ascent to civilization has been ruthlessly guided by a small gang of devious frogs."

The chilling flicker of disillusion nudged like the first twinge of toothache, unexpected, unwelcome, an uneasy hint of possible trouble. - I gotta love this line. I have so been there. Anyway, Francis is on the list because he's considered one of the top mystery authors of all time, and I still haven't read him.

Sea horse penis! This is the nurse talking about her burned patient's body. I remember picking it up and reading a little when the movie was a huge hit, and thinking: There's gonna be some disappointed women buying this book. It is arty.

Shut off the wireless - What a beautiful quote! Beautifully bound book too, I wished I could show that to you guys. About the "impending horrors of the coming Nazi occupation in Europe" and the impact on a museum guard, and a regular.

To the memory of my father: The winner! Maybe you Americans instinctively sensed it's about a Canadian connection to the US Civil War. "A Canadian counter-intelligence novel with a memorable romance at its heart, The Halifax Connection brings to life 1860s Montreal and Halifax with wit, action and a finale that will leave you breathless."

To Mata Hari - Love that dedication. A spy on trial for being a Nazi war criminal. I've never read Vonnegut--seems like a good place to start.

A visitation - Like Twilight, this author was inspired by a dream of the character--in this case a hearing impaired female tailor. "It really tells the life of deaf woman... being excluded from conversations, the tiring practice of lip reading, and the feelings of hopelessness that accompany the affliction. I am a hearing impaired woman myself and I was shocked that someone out there understands." (goodreads reviewer)

Devil in the details - I'm torn about this one. On one hand there's this: " Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin's stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction." On the other hand, no one's explained to me why it's so stunning. Also, it's not finished yet.

Nattering about evil - That's exactly what the book is apparently about--the nature of evil, how someone becomes wicked. Intriguing!

Top Picks:


The Time Traveler's Wife
The Little Stranger
Rules of Prey
The Light Fantastic
The English Patient
The Halifax Connection
The Museum Guard


Pretty much any book that begins with "the". Tune in... later... for the thrilling conclusion!

 

SOS! Help me winnow down the last 22 books!

Hey y'all, it's coming down to the wire now. This Friday I go to a friend's house to cat sit, then as soon as that's done it's back to Vancouver to mother sit (my mother's having knee replacement surgery) and then back to Nanaimo. So I more or less need to pack this week. Which means... book decisions!!

I've thought up some really random ways to choose the rest of the books. I hope you'll enjoy them. Sorry the writing is so small--you might need to zoom in (command + on a mac).

Now the results for...

 

Here are the books you unwittingly voted on...

Nigeria: Half of a Yellow Sun by Adichie, and The Bride Price by Emecheta

"Biafra’s impassioned struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria in the 1960s, and the chilling violence that followed."

"A powerful story of a modern Nigerian girl who rebels against traditional marriage customs."

Kenya: The In-Between World of Vikram Lall by Vassanji

"Against the unsettling backdrop of Mau Mau violence, the grandchildren of an Indian railroad worker search for their place in a world sharply divided between Kenyans and the British."

Lebanon: DeNiro's Game by Hage

"about a Lebanese petty criminal during the bloody civil war, who is only a little more ethical than a shithead." (Goodreads reviewer, lol)

Egypt: The Cairo Trilogy by Mahfouz

"the engrossing story of a Muslim family in Cairo during Britain’s occupation of Egypt"

Turkey: My Name is Red by Pamuk

"At once a fiendishly devious mystery, a beguiling love story, and a brilliant symposium on the power of art"

India: The White Tiger by Adiga, and Q&A (Slumdog Millionaire) by Swarup

"unsubtle look at 21st Century India... told by a working class fellow who, through ambition, intelligence, and a willingness to be utterly ruthless is clawing his way up the rungs of the Indian class ladder."

"a kaleidoscopic vision of the struggle between good and evil - and what happens when one boy has no other choice in life but to survive."

And so, Yellow Sun, Red, and the Cairo Trilogy make it on the longlist. Thanks again for the help! I'm enjoying our little democratic game.

BONUS! Most douchey review I came across on Goodreads (ohhh the hipstertude of it all!)

"Postcolonial lite. I feel like this is what I'm supposed to be reading while I listen to MIA and rock last season's mirrored "ethnic chic" from Urban Outfitters. To show that, you know, I'm a citizen of the world, and a really hip westerner who gets the shifting forces of globalization.... did I feel a bit pandered to? I did feel a bit pandered to. ... To be honest, I might have given it three stars if it hadn't won the Booker and made a bunch of Best of the Year lists."