Capsule reviews
"But 'song," you say, "what did you read on your grand adventure?"
I will tell you, as I am a kind and giving 'song. Yes.
* Lamentation, by Ken Scholes. A first novel that doesn't read like one. I've been loving his short fiction, and this doesn't disappoint - a lovely fully-realized world and some excellent intrigue. (Oh, and the reviewer who said there was a dearth of strong female characters? Was on crack, seriously. Some great women, some surprises, and hints that at least one female character will be doing some interesting evolving in book two.) I can haz sequel nao?
* The Caryatids, by Bruce Sterling. I... you guys. I have a problem here. I love Bruce Sterling. His cyberpunk stuff? Rocks my socks? This... no, you guys. This is a bad book. I'm really sorry to say that, but it is. The characters are cardboard cutouts, and the worldbuilding - suffice to say that Sterling cites the bullshit pop psychology of "tend and befriend" as absolute truth and works from there. At which point I was kinda agog and just wandered off to read something that wasn't awful.
* The Memory Palace, by JoSelle Vanderhooft. Now this is what I'm talking about. This is a memoir told as a novella-length poem, which sounds twee in concept but 100% is not. Vanderhooft is fearless here, chronicling the loss of her father, her coming out to herself and to the world, her struggle with depression, all in gorgeous and incisive verse. I salute her. She bares all, and it's beautiful.
* Dangerous Space, by Kelley Eskridge. People wonder why I call myself 'song when I don't play an instrument or sing. Eskridge Gets It. Her character Mars, a sound tech, feels music the way I do, deep down soul-level. She knows what it is to live the music. In Dangerous Space, Mars becomes entwined with an up-and-coming band that also feels the music a bit too deeply as they channel it up from the depths. Enter an intriguing new technology, and... well, I won't spoil it. This novella is up for the Nebula, and deserves it.
* The Little Sleep, by Paul Tremblay. This is a modern homage to noir, featuring a narcoleptic detective. Which could be played for laughs, but isn't very often. I found the exploration of how neurological upfuckery changes your whole life fascinating, and I'm looking forward to discussing this book with hardcore noir fan Adam. The character is fantastic. The case is fun as well, featuring an AmericanIdol Star contestant with a problem only the protagonist can solve.
So what have you been reading lately?
I will tell you, as I am a kind and giving 'song. Yes.
* Lamentation, by Ken Scholes. A first novel that doesn't read like one. I've been loving his short fiction, and this doesn't disappoint - a lovely fully-realized world and some excellent intrigue. (Oh, and the reviewer who said there was a dearth of strong female characters? Was on crack, seriously. Some great women, some surprises, and hints that at least one female character will be doing some interesting evolving in book two.) I can haz sequel nao?
* The Caryatids, by Bruce Sterling. I... you guys. I have a problem here. I love Bruce Sterling. His cyberpunk stuff? Rocks my socks? This... no, you guys. This is a bad book. I'm really sorry to say that, but it is. The characters are cardboard cutouts, and the worldbuilding - suffice to say that Sterling cites the bullshit pop psychology of "tend and befriend" as absolute truth and works from there. At which point I was kinda agog and just wandered off to read something that wasn't awful.
* The Memory Palace, by JoSelle Vanderhooft. Now this is what I'm talking about. This is a memoir told as a novella-length poem, which sounds twee in concept but 100% is not. Vanderhooft is fearless here, chronicling the loss of her father, her coming out to herself and to the world, her struggle with depression, all in gorgeous and incisive verse. I salute her. She bares all, and it's beautiful.
* Dangerous Space, by Kelley Eskridge. People wonder why I call myself 'song when I don't play an instrument or sing. Eskridge Gets It. Her character Mars, a sound tech, feels music the way I do, deep down soul-level. She knows what it is to live the music. In Dangerous Space, Mars becomes entwined with an up-and-coming band that also feels the music a bit too deeply as they channel it up from the depths. Enter an intriguing new technology, and... well, I won't spoil it. This novella is up for the Nebula, and deserves it.
* The Little Sleep, by Paul Tremblay. This is a modern homage to noir, featuring a narcoleptic detective. Which could be played for laughs, but isn't very often. I found the exploration of how neurological upfuckery changes your whole life fascinating, and I'm looking forward to discussing this book with hardcore noir fan Adam. The character is fantastic. The case is fun as well, featuring an American
So what have you been reading lately?