Books Read: 2007
Jul. 30th, 2007 09:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yendi67. Eifelheim, by Michael Flynn. For the first time in ages, I've read all five Hugo-nominated novels. After reading Eifelheim, I remembered why I usually don't bother; the fact that four of the five books are actually good is a minor miracle, but this one is dull enough to almost counterbalance the rest of the slate. The hook -- the traditional "aliens stranded on Earth/First Contact" concept transported to the Middle Ages -- is a great one, and there's about 100 pages of interesting plot, science, and character development. Alas, the novel's over 300 pages long, and William Godman's fictional dad would have trouble cutting it down to just the good bits. That said, Father Deitrich, our protagonist, is a solid, compelling character, and he saves what little there is that's worthwhile about this read. The lowest points of the book are those moments set in the present day, as none of the contemporary characters (searching for the reason that the titular town was never resettled, the "explanation" for which never flies, incidentally) are interesting, believable, or likable. Recommended only for Hugo nominee completists.
68. The Fungus, by Harry Adam Knight. Knight -- the pseudonym of John Brosnan and Leroy Kettle -- crafts a fun, nasty little horror tale. A mycologist, like all good fictional scientists, Messes With Nature, and Bad Things Happen. In this case, an enzyme is released that causes funguses to grow and mutate rapidly (although not to spore, the only reason the world's not dead in a heartbeat). We get some great early scenes of Nasty Things happening to the residents of England (athlete's foot, a venereal fungus, and wood mold all do nasty stuff to people), followed by an attempt by the military and some scientists to get back into London and find the cause (and potential cure) for the problem. The Fungus is a fun but gruesome little horror novel. Recommended for the non-squeamish.
69. Killer's Choice by Ed McBain
And
70. Killer's Payoff, by Ed McBain. I'm still steadily working my way though the 87th Precinct books, nabbing them as they come in through interlibrary loan. These two introduce Cotton Hawes, but still provide plenty of time for Burt Kling and Steve Carella, as well as more appearances by Meyer Meyer (I believe that Killer's Choice is the first time we've seen his family and home life). As always, McBain writes with a flair that few of today's crime writers could even hope to approach. Recommended for fans of crime/police novels.
71. Little (Grrl) Lost, by Charles de Lint. This YA novel from CDL is not set in in the suburbs of Newford (as far as I can tell -- the city remains nameless, but we get some familiar characters), but has the same magic feel of his other books. TJ is a fourteen-year-old girl whose family, thanks to some bad financial mojo, is forced to move away from her friends. While moping, she discovers a six-inch-tall "Little," in this case a sixteen-year-old runaway with a punk attitude. Elizabeth (the runaway) and TJ set off on a quest to find a local author (Sheri Wood) who has written books about Littles, and, en route, Bad Things Happen. It's not CDL's best work, but it's a solid YA (sub)urban fantasy novel, with good characters and some surprising twists. Highly recommended.
68. The Fungus, by Harry Adam Knight. Knight -- the pseudonym of John Brosnan and Leroy Kettle -- crafts a fun, nasty little horror tale. A mycologist, like all good fictional scientists, Messes With Nature, and Bad Things Happen. In this case, an enzyme is released that causes funguses to grow and mutate rapidly (although not to spore, the only reason the world's not dead in a heartbeat). We get some great early scenes of Nasty Things happening to the residents of England (athlete's foot, a venereal fungus, and wood mold all do nasty stuff to people), followed by an attempt by the military and some scientists to get back into London and find the cause (and potential cure) for the problem. The Fungus is a fun but gruesome little horror novel. Recommended for the non-squeamish.
69. Killer's Choice by Ed McBain
And
70. Killer's Payoff, by Ed McBain. I'm still steadily working my way though the 87th Precinct books, nabbing them as they come in through interlibrary loan. These two introduce Cotton Hawes, but still provide plenty of time for Burt Kling and Steve Carella, as well as more appearances by Meyer Meyer (I believe that Killer's Choice is the first time we've seen his family and home life). As always, McBain writes with a flair that few of today's crime writers could even hope to approach. Recommended for fans of crime/police novels.
71. Little (Grrl) Lost, by Charles de Lint. This YA novel from CDL is not set in in the suburbs of Newford (as far as I can tell -- the city remains nameless, but we get some familiar characters), but has the same magic feel of his other books. TJ is a fourteen-year-old girl whose family, thanks to some bad financial mojo, is forced to move away from her friends. While moping, she discovers a six-inch-tall "Little," in this case a sixteen-year-old runaway with a punk attitude. Elizabeth (the runaway) and TJ set off on a quest to find a local author (Sheri Wood) who has written books about Littles, and, en route, Bad Things Happen. It's not CDL's best work, but it's a solid YA (sub)urban fantasy novel, with good characters and some surprising twists. Highly recommended.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-30 01:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-30 01:29 pm (UTC)His Majesty's Dragon is just a fun adventure with a great setting.
Rainbow's End is a nifty near-future sci-fi work, with lots of great technological ideas (and a good sense of fun).
Blindsight is a fucking masterpiece, the sort of book that will break your brain (in a good way).
And Glasshouse is by Charles Stross, which is pretty much the best way to describe it. :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-30 01:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-30 01:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-30 01:31 pm (UTC)