I did it! I finished my first RIP XIII read just in time to return it to the library and not incur any overdue charges. This is a perilous situation that many of us have been in, right?!
European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman is the second in Theodora Goss' series that started with The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. I read that one in July and it surprised and delighted me and this one was just as good, if not a bit better as it delved more into feelings and morality. I've seen a complaint of the first book that it was sometimes not quite period accurate in the language and I noticed that in this book as well. All I can say is that I had already suspended my disbelief enough to accept that beast women, poisonous girls, patchwork monster ladies, and vampiric dames existed so letting a few conversational anachronisms pass was not so hard. I really got into the story and the 700+ pages flew by. The characters are all interesting and the eastern European settings will certainly trigger a bit of wanderlust!
This book picks up right where the first one left off and it promises a third volume picking up where this one ends (if enough of us buy this one!) so it is definitely for series readers. And, as it ties in to so many classic monster and mystery tales, it is also a perfect perilous read for those who enjoy some humor, romance, and friendship in their adventures.
I had seen Theodora Goss' The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter around for a while but was on the fence about whether I wanted to read it or not. I used to really love new stories with historically or fictionally-based characters but, recently, I've found many of them to be annoyingly inaccurate or badly constructed. But then I saw a glowing mention of this and decided to give it a shot anyway.
The story starts with Mary Jekyll, simultaneously mourning the death of her mother and also finding out a huge secret that her mother had been keeping. The secret leads her to meet Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau, and other daughters of famous, well, mad scientists. They join forces to try and figure out what motives joined their fathers and to discover whether they can trust each other as they have each been betrayed by their "creators". Oh, and did I mention Holmes and Watson are there too?!
So, basically this was a Wilkie Collins novel of orphaned women trying to keep their heads above water, but with the wonderful added elements of horror and science fiction that other Victorians did so well. I really cared about these characters and loved the reminders of each of their original stories. The sequel, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, is out today and I can't wait to dive into it. I wouldn't even mind rereading this one so soon!
As soon as I heard about Catherynne Valente's latest book, Space Opera, I decided it wasn't for me. After all, I had never watched a single Eurovision performance and that's what this was billed as -- Eurovision in space. But then I started seeing the reviews that she was retweeting on Twitter and they said things about Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett and laughing and loving and, well, I gave in and grabbed the last copy at my local indie bookstore (which was a good thing since it's out of stock in many places and already on its sixth printing!). Then I started hearing even more amazing things about the audiobook, read by Valente's partner, actor Heath Miller, and so I promptly put in a hold for that at the library. I ended up doing the entire thing on audio but am glad I have the hardcover to put on my shelf because this is a book that I'm definitely going to want to revisit, perhaps quite soon.
So, this story *is* kind of Eurovision in space but, then again, it's so much more, enough that it can be enjoyable for many different sorts of readers. It's definitely a commentary on current U.S. politics. It's also a celebration of diversity. And it's, most of all, a plea for all humans to improve our behavior and to prove our claim to sentience. Liberally peppered with angst and profanity, Valente's frustration with the current state of the world certainly came through and mirrored my own. What she has managed to do that I haven't though is to create a possible solution. Now, the chances of that solution--a performance by the earth's greatest living pop group at an intergalactic competition to try and prevent the human race from being destroyed--being in our future is probably quite slim but I appreciate her creativity. The real solution is probably going to be much more painful and require an effort from more than two people. In the meantime, we are only going to be kept sane by bonding together over things like smart and entertaining art. For now, I suggest we bond over this book.
I wasn't going to write about Dennis E. Taylor's We Are Legion (We Are Bob) because I thought I simply went on a frivolous sci-fi bender (starting with Artemis by Andy Weir) and was just reading for pure entertainment. Well, that was true about the first book, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about the Bobiverse. In fact, there was some minor thing in an episode of the new Netflix version of Lost in Space that made me press pause and have a ten minute side discussion with my husband about future technology options that I had started considering while reading this book.
I heard about this book when I was talking to a bookseller at one of my local indies who said "I shouldn't be doing this because I am supposed to be selling books, but there is this great series that you might like and it's really hard to find so you'll need to get it from the library." Well, I put it on my list and then recently activated the hold when I needed a fun read. That bookseller didn't steer me wrong. The premise of this book is that a tech company millionaire decides to participate in a program that freezes brains when you die until mental transplantation into nice, healthy bodies is possible in the future. Well, the freezing happens much faster than Bob expects when he is hit by a car soon after signing up. The next thing he knows, he is waking up in 2133, property of a fundamental religious government who thinks his disembodied consciousness is an abomination but still wants to use it to run a very complex system -- in this case, an interstellar probe to look for habitable planets. One of the abilities of the probe is to replicate itself and its operator, therefore precipitating the galactic proliferation of Bob.
This seems like such a nerdy book premise and, of course, it has definitely got lots of geeky pop culture references (only the "original" Bob wants to be called Bob so all of the others have to choose their own names). But it is also very thought-provoking when it comes to deciding how we as a species (or really, the representative intelligences we send out) should interact with the universe and any other life we find out there. It also feels very current in exploring problems like nuclear proliferation and climate change. It even explores what constitutes a "real" person. I have been thinking about all of this and more for weeks. I can't wait to continue on to the other two books!
Jane, Unlimited is the latest by Kristin Cashore, of Graceling fame. Although she spells her name wrong, she sure knows how to tell a compelling story.
The beginning: Jane is an uber-orphan, first losing her parents when she was two and then losing her aunt/guardian recently during her first year of college. She is grieving and adrift so, when invited to a unique island home by a former tutor, Jane leaves her life behind and heads to Tu Reviens. Almost from the first moment they arrive, she begins to sense (and investigate) the mysteries unfurling around her.
The twist: What follows are five different stories stemming from a single choice, a full set of alternate realities.
I don't think I can even begin to tell you anything else about this book because my brain hurts when I try to put it into a nice little pigeonhole in my mental library. This is a story with many genres and I found them all equally strong. The only thing I hoped for as I read was more romance because I liked Jane best when she was considering love and/or attraction. I wrote a little bit after I finished Bitterblue, the final book in the Graceling trilogy, and one sentence just stood out to me as I looked back: "It was harder to side with Bitterblue when she was being irrational or petulant but then a learning experience would happen and she would win me over again." This is almost EXACTLY how I felt about Jane too! She had a tendency to blurt without thinking first, to ask impertinent questions, or to be downright rude and I would get annoyed by her only to have a personal revelation or a discovery bring me right back to her side as an ally. Also, her hobby was making umbrellas which I couldn't get enough of for some reason. Anyway, if you aren't sure about genre fiction and need a unique story that lets you dip your toes in it, pick this one up!
I know it's time to write up my end of the year post but first I wanted to mention one more book for the year, one I just finished reading today even though I was fighting a heinous headache. I just couldn't put this one down for any reason. Bathing the Lion by Jonathan Carroll is another gem from this not-well-enough-known author. It is science fiction turned on its head, a thoughtful musing on what our value is as human beings. I don't want to get too into the plot because the unfolding is beautiful so I'll just say that it starts with one set of truths and then turns those on their heads and applies an entirely different set of rules and facts.
The blurb on the back from Neil Gaiman says "[BTL] is a departure for Jonathan Carroll" but I humbly beg to differ. The three Carroll books I have now read have one thing in common -- they allow readers a complete escape whilst simultaneously exploring the deepest truths of humanity and relationships. In fact, I was having a Carroll-esque dream last night when who should appear but Gaiman (and his adorable son, Ash), whom I chastised for his blurb. I apparently felt quite strongly about this!
I just have one more Carroll book on my TBR so my next mission will be to seek out copies of some of his other books -- and to dive into rereads, of course.
Still working on that big stack I mentioned last time. Here are some of the recent-ish fantasy and sci-fi books I've enjoyed!
A lovely friend put this book, Lightless by C.A. Higgins, in my hands and told me I had to read it. I picked up the sequel at the same time based on the cool-sounding premise -- a state-of-the-art space vessel with an artificial intelligence and a scientist/mechanic who cares for her, even when faced with sabotage, terrorists, and an evil government interrogator. I don't read tons of straight-up science fiction but I would read a lot more if it was all like this! It was tense and exciting and so smart without trying to prove it's smart, if you know what I mean.
Ghost Train to New Orleans is the sequel to Mur Lafferty's The Shambling Guide to New York City and it was just as fun as the first book. Zoë and her colleagues head to New Orleans to write their second Shambling Guide and from the moment they board the ghost train, everything changes for Zoë. Luckily, everything is happening is a gorgeous, supernatural New Orleans where there are parties and beignets and plenty of things to hide from. I wish there were more books in the series because she mentions heading to London next!
I told you I wouldn't be able to wait very long before reading my next Company book and here I am, already done with The Life of the World to Come. This one brings together two of my favorite characters in an unexpected plot twist that has been building over a few of the books. I loved the way it was done and I loved this book. I totally understand why people love rereading this series because you become really invested in the lives of these not-quite-humans.
And yes, I read Monstress: Volume One - Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. It has an incredible story and the artwork is amazing. It had a feeling of familiarity even though there was nothing in it that I had ever seen before. I'm really looking forward to the next trade (which just came out a couple of weeks ago).
Black Projects, White Knights is a collection of short stories set in Kage Baker's The Company alternate history series. The fifteen stories revisit some familiar characters like Mendoza, Joseph, and Kalugin and I enjoyed those but my favorite were the four stories featuring Alec, the mysterious child who is possibly genetically-modified, possibly a cyborg, but certainly a bright and unique boy. My favorite was The Dust Enclosed Here which happens to be available online. If you want to read a fun story about a technologically advanced kid who meets a holographic William Shakespeare and liberates him, then this is your lucky day!
I'm starting to get sad that I'm about halfway through the Company books already. Luckily it should take me some time to get through the remaining ones as they are getting very hard to track down! I have the next one (The Life of the World to Come) and a standalone (The Empress of Mars) but haven't found used copies of any others. Now I'm in the mood to scour my local used bookstores yet again ...
Now that I'm done hosting my favorite event of the year, it's back to regular reading for me and that includes my "issue" readings on climate change. As we all know, non-fiction isn't the only way to explore an issue. I was therefore very happy to see a post from Unbound Worlds with five "cli-fi" books listed. Per their post, "Climate Fiction, or Cli-Fi, is a growing branch of science-fiction literature that deals with the effects of climate change on human society." Of course, just because there's a new focus on these books, it doesn't mean that they haven't existed all along. Goodreads lists 134 books in this genre.
So, my question for all of you is
Have you read any cli-fi and, if so, do you have recommendations?
I think I will be starting with Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins for three reasons: I'm a fifth-generation Californian (even though I don't live there now), my great-great grandfather was instrumental in bringing water to Los Angeles, and my mom's cousin still runs a working citrus farm in the San Fernando Valley. This will make the read more heartbreaking but also give it more weight and relevance to my life.
After these two review copies, I will be caught up on reviews. Yay! Considering this first one was the book that finally interested me after the election last November, you will agree that I have been in a bit of a slump. It's nice to have the time and will to do some of the things I love again.
The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigl was indeed the book that finally got me reading again after the shock and horrors of the election. I needed a true escape and I found it with Charlie Dawson, ferryman extraordinaire. Ferrymen are the ones who are there at the moment you die, meant to help you head to the afterlife. Charlie is the best at the Institute but the job has taken its toll on his sanity and he wants nothing more than to leave and rest. Then he gets a mysterious assignment where he is given a choice whether or not to save someone from suicide. His choice changes everything.
I got so lost in this book. It was deep and dark, delving into hopelessness and depression, but beautiful. There are chase scenes but also long, thoughtful talks with friends. There's even a romance -- though I didn't find it very probable. It reminded me of a Georgette Heyer mystery where two people bicker non-stop through the entire novel and then VOILA, they are madly in love, with no logical reason why. But, as with Heyer's improbable couples, it didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book. I loved its quirkiness and heart and plan on rereading it at some point.
You've probably seen All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai around. It has been getting a lot of press and publicity. It's a pretty basic story -- boy grows up in ideal future, loses his mom and best girl, messes with his dad's time machine, and inadvertently screws everything up, giving us, well, the "dystopian today" you and I are living now. He then has to decide whether to find a way to reset the future, restoring the people who ended up not existing in this timeline, or accepting the current timeline where his mom is still alive, his best girl is even better, and there's a sister who he is beginning to love.
Mastai is a screenwriter and this book definitely reads like a movie. That's not a bad thing. In fact, if you're having trouble focusing on books for any particular reason right now, this might be a good one to pick up. The time travel is very well thought out and is different from any method or process I've read about before. There are also some serious philosophical questions to ponder and I definitely kept thinking about them days after finishing the book. (Also, I have an extra ARC of this one if anyone wants me to send it their way.)
Wishing for that alternate today or an unexpected way out,
I have no idea exactly what I need to tell you about Curioddity by Paul Jenkins to give you the best overview of this story because there is A LOT going on in this quirky sci-fi mystery. I should obviously tell you about Wil, the subpar, broke private investigator, who lives in an apartment with weird sounds in the pipes, the revolting scent of cooked mushrooms, and a cat-lady landlord. Also, since it's the main point of the plot, I'll need to tell you that he gets a strange elderly visitor to his office who hires him to find a missing item from the Curioddity Museum. I could tell you about how Wil's head frequently comes in contact with sharp or heavy objects because, well, it's something he is certainly aware of and it's also the way he meets the lovely and free-spirited Lucy. I might tell you about Wil's parents, the chess-playing twins, or the man who sells crap items on the tv, but out of context you aren't really going to understand what they're doing there. There's also the Perpetual Penny, the unordered golf club, and the ninja-bots, all things that you obviously don't need to know about before going into the story but, by mentioning them, I am hoping to pique your interest. However, if I only tell you about these things, you still wouldn't have any idea about how fun this story is and that's what I really want to tell you. It is funny and mind-expanding and sweet and perilous as all get out.
The writing is a little shaky at times but this is Jenkins' first novel after a career of writing comics and video games. I'm giving him a pass because he has a great imagination and some obviously stellar influences. I'm going to file this on my shelves along with The Order of Odd-Fish, The Somnambulist, and all of my other favorite quirky, science-fictiony stories.
About a year and a half ago, I gushed over what an amazing story Greenglass House was (as did Lory, Ana, and Kim in the comments section). Now that I've read my second Kate Milford book, the newly-released The Left-Handed Fate, I have to do it all over again.
Set in the same slightly-askew Nagspeake-ian universe, this is a nautical adventure full of peril, mystery, magic, and more. The story takes place right at the start of the War of 1812, off the east coast of the United States. The Left-Handed Fate is a British privateering ship, currently assisting young natural philosopher Max Ault to continue the work his father began -- namely, to find the pieces of what might be a weapon to end all wars. With the help of the captain's children, Lucy and Liao, and the rest of the Fates, there is a race over sea and land to solve this mystery and escape the mysterious men in black and the dastardly French.
Now, I keep writing sentences here and then erasing them because they are too bland and formulaic and this book is the exact opposite. It's chock-full of battles and races and puzzles and magic. There are tiny romances and slightly larger betrayals and kids who are learning and growing and figuring out their value systems. There's also enough history to get the reader interested in finding out more. I adored it all. I read so fast that my eyes hurt but I also kept slamming the book shut when the intensity rose to an almost unbearable level. I wished it would never end but also couldn't get to the resolution fast enough to calm my pounding pulse. It was definitely all I look for in an RIP read!
As I near the end of my Top 100 Chapter Books project over at The Estella Society (I'm on book #88/100 right now), I've determined that one of the main qualities of a truly great middle-grade story is that it should be a satisfying read for a wide range of ages, including adults. This book, with its light dusting of mild swears and truly adult dilemmas, was entirely satisfying to me while also being a book that I plan to hand right over to the twelve-year-old boy sitting next to me.
My third RIP read is the fourth novel in Kage Baker's The Company series. The first three books have fairly standard mishaps and perils as the immortal cyborgs that work throughout time for the company called Dr. Zeus (collecting artwork, literature, historical artifacts, animal, and plant species that would otherwise have been lost in time) interact with humans and each other. This book, though, reveals a couple of major conspiracies and also takes us into our future, a time that is not pleasant in many parts of the world. I found it very hard to read right now, as we too have a very uncertain future. Mention of a second U.S. Civil War never seemed like such a threat as it does right now. And targeted pandemics in a time of such open and unrepentant racism seem just as likely. I truly hope that Baker's bleak visions of the future end up to be nothing more than science fiction after all.
If you're interested in starting this series, there's a great recent post by rocalisa that lists all of the books, novellas, and short stories by publication date (and also includes where to find them, which can be tough these days -- many Kage Baker books are out of print). There's also a big reread going on at tor.com and they're only in the middle of the third book so you could easily start and read the posts that are already up!
I have to admit that after reading the first chapter of The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, I took to Instagram to ask my fellow readers if I should keep going. Why? Because the first chapter was dark and violent and full of surprisingly awful characters and I didn't know if I could stomach a book that continued on like that. Luckily, a couple of you convinced me to stick with it and, while it's probably not going to be an all-time favorite, it was a unique read with some very big ideas and some really interesting characters that paid off in the end.
I don't really know how to summarize this story without giving everything away. It's a story that builds, turns back, flip-flops, and builds again. The main character is Carolyn and we know at the start that she calls herself a librarian, she's nowhere near normal, and she's walking down the street the early morning hours, covered in blood. What follows is the building of an alternate universe where manipulation of the laws of physics and biology is possible for those who have the knowledge. The owners of that knowledge, however, happen to be a horrible, horrible bunch.
There is a LOT of killing in this tale and a LOT of violence, but, strangely, also some extremely honest friendships and connections, including some that you really would never expect. The story is rooted in the intersection between science fiction and fantasy but so much of it is brutally real that it doesn't necessarily seem like a genre book most of the time. It definitely has the potential to be a long-lived cult favorite.
Out today in the US (last September in the UK) is Iain Pears' Arcadia. Each of his novels has moved into new territory and he manages to excel in every genre, every setting, and with a continually diverse set of characters. He is also a master of novels with multiple narratives and this one takes the cake as most complex so far. Pears even created an app that allows the reader to follow a single narrative if desired, rather than moving back and forth through space and time (although this doesn't seem to be mentioned in the US publicity so I'm not sure if the app is only available in the UK).
You may know Arcadia as a utopia, first inspired by the writings of the poet Virgil and the idyllic Greek province of the same name. There is no literal Arcadia in this novel but the idea of a utopia is played with, both in how to return to one from a heavily-damaged world and also which elements would be necessary to construct one from scratch. I won't go into the characters or plots in the book, mostly because it's so incredibly complex and I honestly wouldn't know where to stop. Just know that the book starts in 1960 Oxford with professor (and British spy) Henry Litten and it ends up somewhere you would never expect.
I have read all of Pears' novels (including his art mystery series) and this might be my favorite of them all. I really liked An Instance of the Fingerpost but the sci-fi/time travel aspect of this one has pushed it ahead. I loved the elements that reminded me of Connie Willis and Kage Baker's novels and I appreciated the parallels to worlds like Narnia. I also jotted down Fahrenheit 451 so there must have been some elements of that story in this one as well. But this novel was so much more than the sum of its parts and narratives. I enjoyed every moment of reading it.
Somewhere around when The Prestige came out on video (Feb 2007), I enthusiastically rented it and watched it. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale (not to mention David Bowie!) didn't hurt my enjoyment, of course, and I thought it was a smart and intense tale.
Years passed and I finally realized that The Prestige was based on a novel by Christopher Priest and that it was widely acclaimed. I found a gently used copy and it sat on my TBR shelves for a couple of years more.
Well, I finally got around to reading it a month or two ago, long after I had forgotten the movie, and what I read was an amazing and powerful story of rivalry and revenge and science gone wrong. The layers of story, from Andrew Westley in modern times, back to the dueling narratives of illusionists Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier, were rich with intrigue and secrets and horrifying truths. It was all I had expected it to be and so much more.
After I finished reading is when it all went wrong. I had the innocent thought "now I should re-watch the movie". The holidays came and I forgot about it until David Bowie passed away. Then I happened to see The Prestige was streaming from my cable company and I hit play. What followed was the most infuriating book-to-movie experience of my life. There was almost nothing in the movie that was the same as the book except for the main character's names! Hubby was less than pleased to have to sit through a movie where I sighed and shouted and raved through the whole thing. I kept yelling "that's not the way it happened!!" Because, not only was it not the same, it was far worse. It took all of the most brilliant parts of the book story and just threw them away, replacing them with totally annoying, pedestrian plots instead.
And so, David Bowie aside, I would strongly recommend that you grab the book and enjoy an amazing read -- and get your Christian Bale fix elsewhere.
I guess lately I've been in the mood for some non-standard reads. All three of these were fun and quirky and highly original (and all from my TBR -- yay!).
I picked up Icelander by Dustin Long a few years ago at Half Price Books based on the cover and the blurb.
A Nabokovian goof on Agatha Christie: a madcap mystery in the deceptive tradition of The Crying of Lot 49 ... an intricate, giddy romp steeped equally in Nordic lore and pulpy intrigue.
This book was actually one of the ones that had been on my TBR the longest so I decided it was time to get to it. I don't even know how to explain the plot though. There's a real-life adventurer family and a fictional literary account of their exploits and a supernatural Icelandic race that lives underground. The story is told from different viewpoints that weave around a murder and lead toward the revelation of a secret nemesis. It's very strange but also strangely compelling. It reminded me of a Jonathan Carroll novel but more scattered.
The Alchemaster's Apprentice is a stand-alone novel set in the Zamonian world created by German author Walter Moers. His books are some of my favorite stories ever and this one was no exception. It's the story of Echo the crat (a cat that can talk in any language to any creature) and the countdown to the end of his life. His caregiver has died and he's slowly starving to death until he is taken in by the evil Alchemaster (like a magical tyrant). The Alchemaster promises to fatten up the little crat with the most delicious foods ever imagined under one condition -- at the next full moon, he will be allowed to kill the crat and harvest his fat.
I know this sounds super strange but it's actually a beautiful tale with tons of suspense and action but also lots of thoughtful musing. All of Moers books are incredibly readable so I have to also give credit to his English translator, John Brownjohn.
Finally, I happened to be browsing the shelves at my favorite indie, Third Place Books, and they had Cannonbridge featured face-out on the science-fiction/fantasy shelves. It's the third book from Jonathan Barnes, an author that I have greatly enjoyed in the past (you may have heard of The Somnambulist and possibly The Domino Men). This is a book that caters to readers of classics as the titular character mysteriously appears at various times through history to the likes of Byron and Shelley, Dickens, and Wilde and becomes a famous author in his own right. Modern day Cannonbridge historian Toby Judd begins to suspect something is very wrong just as his tidy little life starts falling apart. What follows is an adventure of classic proportions.
This story was not quite as good as The Somnambulist and I think it was because of the ending (which I obviously can't talk about). Still, it was an exciting read and I was happy to find that I was able to identify almost every classic author visited! It also made me want to go back and reread Barnes' other two books which are some of my quirky favorites.
When I read S.E. Grove's The Glass Sentencelast November, I fell in love with the world building, the characters, and the plot. I was therefore very excited to see the sequel (this will be a trilogy) out so soon and so I got to it immediately.
The Golden Specific picks up where TGS left off, with the main character, Sophia Tims, still trying to locate her parents -- explorers who went missing when she was a child. What complicates this is that they all live in a world where time has been fractured in different regions of the globe. The eastern seaboard of the US is in 1892 but other parts of the world are either far behind in time (the Prehistoric Snows region that would have been Canada) or are far ahead (Australia). This makes is difficult and dangerous to travel and hard to find a missing person. Luckily, Sophia has friends and the Fates on her side.
I adore this series. It has diverse characters and settings, interesting alternate histories and religions, and a more complex plot than you get in many middle grade stories. Also, for being a second in a trilogy book, I was surprised to be so satisfied with the ending of this book. It, of course, left some loose ends but there were no major cliffhangers or unanswered questions. It is now just a matter of finding out HOW things work out. Book three is going to be so fun!
I read some great books over the past couple of months. In no particular order they are
First up, I read Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier when we were in Kauai. I hadn't read any du Maurier in years but this was just as good as Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel. It's quite gothic with brooding good guys and equally brooding evil ones. It definitely put me in the mood for rereads too!
I wanted to read Andy Weir's The Martian before the upcoming movie but had to wait for hubby to read it first since I technically bought it for him. (I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that!) It was a super compelling read and I loved Mark Watney. Now I can finally watch that movie teaser trailer!
After devouring all of the volumes of Scott Pilgrim this spring, it was time to read Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley. This was a super awesome story about second chances and unintended consequences.
I don't know why I finally gave in and read my last unread Gaiman but Anansi Boys called to me and I couldn't resist. It was as good as expected with great characters and mythology. But now I am without a Gaiman on my TBR shelf. I guess now he just has to hurry up and write something new!
Are any of these books on your favorites list?
Filling the keeper shelves,
K
Almost immediately upon receiving The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks, I knew that Sam Maggs was someone who would understand me. I knew it because she created this, THE GEEK GIRL'S LITANY (which you can also watch above), which is right on the back of the book --
I am a geek girl and I am a feminist.
I embrace the word "fangirl" with open arms.
I don't have to prove my nerd cred to anyone ever.
Whether I'm a comics n00b, or a fic writer typing up her next chapter, or a hardcore gamer who sometimes forgets to sleep (not that I ever do that), no one else gets to decide whether I do or do not belong.
From SuperWhoLock to Shakarian I accept all fandoms and ships as equally meaningful and important in our geek girl lives.
Even if your OTP is my NOTP, I will still like you (though I may have to unfollow your blog).
I will support empowering, lady-created media and amazing female characters that make me feel like I could be Batgirl, if I just had some yellow Doc Martens and a vigilante complex.
I'm the Doctor, not a companion; Buffy not Bella; nobody's sidekick, love interest or token female.
I'm driving this ship.
I'm a fangirl, a feminist, and a force to be reckoned with.
I've known inside for years that I was a fangirl but I also felt like I was a bit shabby at it. I don't really collect anything besides movies and books. I never write fan fiction or ship any characters (except for frequently imagining myself, Oliver Queen, and a salmon ladder in the same room ... ahem). I have never attended a con. I don't have any geeky tattoos. I don't even know half of the acronyms that the twitter-residing fangirls use.
BUT!
Now I have validation from Sam Maggs that loving the things that I do love in the way that I love them is enough. My simple Doctor-Hoo shirt is just as valid as someone else's amazing Tardis dress. Watching every Studio Ghibli movie chronologically counts the same as having, admittedly, the coolest Totoro bed in the world. And having watched every Star Trek episode (except any of Enterprise ... blech) is as Trekkie as putting on a tiny red dress or prosthetic ears. Every kind of fan and geek is authentic, and, if each fangirl and boy everywhere (including me) abides by Sam's rules about being respectful and kind to other fans, we can all live in a great big, beautiful, nerdy world together.
So, what else is actually in this book besides validation? Intros to a few fandoms, some slang terms, interviews with geek goddesses, tips about fan fic and cons, and lots more. There's tons of goodness in this tiny book and I highly recommend it to all fangirls and guys, both aspiring and pros.
Normally I don't post early about books -- and this one isn't out for two weeks (May 12) -- but Quirkbooks has a great pre-order deal going where you can score swag. Check it out if you're interested!
