State of the Reading Union: Pt 2

[akashiver]

Fiction (in no particular order)

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

One of my colleagues recommended this children's fantasy to me. It's a quirky, neo-Victorian fantasy narrated in part by a sarcastic, enslaved djinni. After reading that sentence, you already know if this is your thing or not. Enjoy.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

Enough said.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

This isn't usually my kind of book, but it's so well done, I ended up plowing right through it. Egan has a masterful command of language and character. Even if you're not a "lit fic" type, it's worth having a look at this one.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

An astonishing high fantasy debut. I've already had many things to say about how good it is, so if you like fantasy, go read it already.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré

This is a very different type of fiction than I'm used to. It doesn't pander to the reader, doesn't bother explaining the professional jargon, just drops you into the middle of Cold War espionage and lets you watch what unfolds. Also, I love the dialog. More supervillains should talk the way these spies do.

Short Story Collections


What we talk about when we talk about love by Raymond Carver

Carver's often talked about as a symbol of What MFA Programs Try To Write. You know what? His stories bear very little resemblance to the bad lit prose I've read. He had a brilliant, economical grasp of character and situation, and his stories are precisely-cut gems of pain.

There once lived a woman who tried to kill her neighbor's baby by Li︠u︡dmila Petrushevskai︠a︡ 

Another short story that shows what can be done with brevity, and in this case, the form of the fairy tale. Very different from any other short stories I've read.

Comments

[gollumgollum.livejournal.com]

I am so fucking in love with Raymond Carver, in all his busted glory. I think he's the reason i'm so patient with my drunk patients, and he's totally my writing Elvis.

[sarcastibich.livejournal.com]

Amulet of Samarkand by Stroud was fun. The sequel The Golem's Eye I was okay with, not as strong as the first. The third and final book Ptolemy's Gate I forced myself to finish because I hate unfinished series*. If you can walk away from a series, and if you don't like the second book if you start it, I'd suggest picking something else up instead of the third.



*This is why I read Shelters of Stone by Jean Auel, because I wanted to finish the "Earth's Children" series that started with Clan of the Cave Bear. I regret EVERY MINUTE I SPENT reading that final book. So, so so so so sooooooo bad.