Book Lists

Books I've recently read:

Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler. An unbelievably phenomenal book -- well, collection, I guess I should say. It includes the three novels: Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago. Deals with the interactions between the aliens who rescue/capture the last of the human race. Dawn is an excellent portrayal of the dynamic between captor and captive. Adulthood Rites: the crossing of boundaries between the same, which leads to Imago: the intermingling of the two cultures and the true synthesis. To further these themes, Butler is very careful in the choosing of the main character's gender in each novel. The main character in Dawn is female and is of the captives but uses her position to further the cause of the captors; in Adulthood Rites, male and sides with the dominant group but sympathizes with the most rejected group of the captives; in Imago, the main character is genderless and assists in the integration of both groups. Freaking loved it. Finished it a good three weeks ago but still, at random moments of the day, I'll think of it for some odd reason. Pretty sweet. Also, the first book in a long time (since graduation, in fact) that kept me up all night until I finished the novel. Which means: I pulled three very late nights within days of each other.

In Conquest Born by C. S. Friedman. While reading this book, I finally made the connection in my head that "space opera" was the amalgam of "space" and "soap opera" -- it was not a reference to the epic and tragic nature of these tales. Nevertheless, an interesting read. The main chick was pretty kickass -- had powers, overcame a tragic past, was able to torture a powerful male into submission with her sexual powers...tho, not necessarily so much that last one. It was her psychic powers that beat him into submission. Ending was the kind that one calls "smart" -- the author deliberately avoided a happy ending or a truly tragic one, it was just rather bittersweet and somewhat realistic (if you can call the passage of psychic powers from one individual to the other "realistic").

Read/Reading the Nightwalkers series by Jacquelyn Frank. A semi-enjoyable paranormal romance series. For some inexplicable reasons, the characters have their deepest, most philosophical thoughts in the middle of (rather tedious) sex. I started it because I was between books and the most recent online order had yet to arrive -- oh, why am I acting ashamed? Everyone needs a little pleasure in life, even if it only comes from really bad fic.

Books I've recently acquired and am planning on reading:

Recently placed one of those orders on Alibris that make you wince but also drool with anticipation. Received today the first two books of my order: New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear and The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia. I loved Bear's collaboration with Sarah Monette in A Companion to Wolves (a society where homosexuality is encouraged in order to protect the larger society), and then her book Dust (one of those books where ppl change genders, where the society of the future has a very tenuous connection to the current one but you can still pick out the occasional derivation), so I thought I'd try this one. Supposed to be some kind of detective story set in a society that resembles Victorian England. As to Sedia: I read The Secret History of Moscow -- it was entertaining enough, not too bad, not too brilliant. Which is forgivable, for a first time author. Anyway, this book sounded intriguing enough to try Sedia once again: the main character is an "automaton skilled in the use of alchemy."

On a Borders trip: bought The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. le Guin. A world where ppl change gender at will, and the outsider must become the ambassador to this culture.

Waiting to arrive from Alibris:

Chalice, a Robin McKinley book. Loved her since I was in Middle School -- refuse to give her up just because I'm "grown up."

The Changeling Sea, by Patricia McKillip -- another childhood favorite. A bittersweet tale that taught me the meaning of the term "bittersweet."

Stories of Your Life and Others, by Ted Chiang. Have read so many positive reviews about this author. He's published very little but what he has, is said to be beautifully written. A collection of short stories.

And finally, Carnival, also by Elizabeth Bear. The premise is that the two diplomats sent to the world of "New Amazonia" (hint hint) are chosen for this role because they're gay -- which is acceptable to the woman-dominated society of NA, and a compromise for the patriarchal society from which these men come.

I'm noticing a theme in my spec fic: I'm fascinated by books that play with gender/sexuality. Figures: I had to leave Smith to finally explore this element.