Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Hope's Folly Is Out Today/Update


Hope's Folly
, the third book in Linnea Sinclair's Dock Five series, is out today. The copy I pre-ordered is now on its way! This one is about Philip instead of Chaz and Sully. As much as I liked Philip, I'm a little worried he'll be too normal and uncomplicated to carry a whole book for me (which is why I preferred Gabriel's Ghost/Shades of Dark over An Accidental Goddess - the characters in the latter were much more normal with fewer complicated, darker issues than the former). Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Over the weekend, I started a review on Catherine Asaro's The Charmed Sphere, the first book in The Misted Cliff fantasy series. It looks like I may not have a lot of time to make progress on it this week, unfortunately - but I'm hoping I'm wrong about that. The next books in the review queue after that one are:
  • Watchmen by Alan Moore (had to read this before the movie came out)
  • A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
  • Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (I'm about halfway through this one now and really enjoying it now that it's gotten going)
After Moon Called, I'll be starting Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower in preparation for the March Blogger Book Club.

8 comments:

orannia said...

Thank you Kristen! Lots of interesting books in the queue :) I just loved Moon Called - Patricia Briggs writes so well!

Anastasia said...

Parable of the Sower a good book, quite excellent. That was my introduction to Octavia Butler, and turned me into a devoted reader.

I guess I have Linnea Sinclair firmly in the "nice fluffy romantic read" category, so that's another reason it was hard to enjoy the darker books.

A Shadow in Summer is on sale for $6 hardcover at Amazon right now. Looked at it yesterday, but something didn't appeal to me entirely, it just didn't have a hook. Instead, I bought Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory (I do love fantasy about cities), Nightwings by Rober Silverberg (a classic I've been searching for a while, has just been re-issued in an illustrated edition, it really sounds lovely, strange and dark. And I like Robert Silverberg, the few works I read had satisfying emotional resonance).

Also bought Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness from Norilina edited by Mike Allen that's been getting a lot of praise, and Waking Beauty by Paul Witkover (a dark, sensual fantasy I've heard was one of a kind).

Then I have The Book of Joby on the way, getting more and more curious about it, if only I could find a large chunk of free time! The Living Blood by Tananarive Due is on sale at Amazon for $5.50; it's a supernatural thriller/horror by one of the few spec. fic. writers of color. I've had my eye on her for a while, but since horror isn't sf/f, the bargain sale was exactly the impetus I needed.

On a personal note, you don't write for a living, do you?

Anastasia said...

Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente is out today!

I'd totally forgotten since I pre-ordered that book last July. It's my most anticipated reads for 2009.

Kristen said...

Orannia - Have you read the books after Moon Called? If so, how did you like them?

Anastasia - I'm really looking forward to reading Parable of the Sower. It will be my introduction to Octavia Butler as well. I've wanted to read one of her books for a while.

From what I've heard, Hope's Folly is a return to "nice fluffy romantic read."

I liked A Shadow in Summer but it didn't hook me enough to want to run right out and buy the sequels immediately.
Pandemonium sounds interesting. What have you read by Robert Silverberg that you really liked?

Let me know what you think of Waking Beauty. I've heard some pretty good things about that one as well.

I know what you mean about needing a good chunk of free time. Maybe next week there will at least be more of it.

No, I don't write for a living, although that would be fun (well, depending on what I was writing). I make websites for a living. Occasional proofreading is the closest I get to writing at work.

Palimpsest is another one that sounded good. The Orphan's Tales is still sitting unread on my bookshelf. It sounds wonderful.

orannia said...

I have read the books after Moon Called (Blood Bound and Iron Kissed - am still waiting to borrow Bone Crossed from the library). I really liked them. Patricia Briggs writes very well and I like the world she has created and the characters - all interesting. I also especially like that Mercy isn't all superpowerful and perfect. She is, however, sensible, which is great in an urban fantasy heroine.

FYI - Patty has also written another series called Alpha & Omega set in the same world but running parallel (almost) to the Mercy Thompson series. They are written in the third person.

Kristen said...

Orannia - I also like that Mercy is not all superpowerful and perfect. Today I got Blood Bound from the bookstore. I've seen Cry Wolf in the bookstores, too. Maybe I'll read that after I read the rest of Mercy's series. Mostly I've heard it's not as good as that series. What did you think?

orannia said...

I definitely enjoyed Cry Wolf just as much as the Mercy Thompson books. It is different in that it is written in the third person (which I actually prefer) and the main female character (Anna) is very different to Mercy. I like Anna though - she has amazing inner strength.

There is actually a novella called Alpha & Omega in the On the Prowl anthology that helps set the scene for Cry Wolf. You don't need to read it, but I thought it was a good introduction :)

Kristen said...

Orannia - Thanks for your thoughts on Cry Wolf. I've been wondering if the novella in On the Prowl was actually necessary to read beforehand or not.

Earlier today I finished Moon Called. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I got the next book.