Lootz: Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on September 27, 2014 18 Comments
Welcome to this biweekly feature where I showcase all the books I bought/won/received for review in the past fortnight. First, the physical pile:
Fiend – Requested from Blogging for Books because I wanted to give their program a try, plus I found out recently that this is a zombie book! I love zombie books, but they tend to be hit or miss with me, so I hope this one will be good.
Silverblind – Last year one of the first books Tor ever sent me unsolicited was Copperhead, and even though it was the second in a series and I hadn’t read Ironskin, I gave it a shot. To my delight, it was pretty enjoyable! This year Tor once again surprised me when they sent Silverblind, book three. Since I was able to jump on board book two with no problems, I may just check out this follow-up.
Falling Sky – My thanks to Pyr for sending the finished copy of this along, and I’m reminded I should probably read this one soon!
The Free – Two surprises from Orbit Books landed on my doorstep a couple weeks ago, the first being The Free, a title that that had previously escaped my notice until it popped up on NetGalley last month. At the time, I knew too little about the book to put it on my to-read list, but now my interest is piqued and I just might fit it in if I have time.
War Dogs – The second surprise from Orbit, this book might prove to be too “hard sci-fi” for me, but I’ve never read Greg Bear and I’ve always been curious. We actually own a boatload of Bear’s books because my husband was apparently quite a fan of his before we got married, and I know he’s already eyeing my ARC.
Here’s also something different this week that I want to feature. Obviously I’m a avid reader, but I’m also an artist and a gamer, so it probably won’t be a surprise to know I’m a collector of art books, especially from video games. My friend Brian sent me these beauties that he was originally going to toss or bring to the used bookstore, and I was more than happy to take them in and give them a good home! I have played/do play Warcraft and World of Warcraft, and I have to say the art team at Blizzard are always phenomenal.
Not too much to see in the digital pile this week, because I didn’t request or buy anything. The NetGalley TBR is starting to grow out of hand again and let’s face it, it’s not even October but I’ve already put together my reading list for the month and I’d be lucky to get through it as it is. But I did finally get approved for this one book:
Broken Monsters – after sitting as “pending” for weeks, my request finally got approved one day before the book’s release date, but Mulholland also gave me auto-approval! I’ve been looking forward to this for a while, so I’m excited – and I think it will be a great horror/suspense book to read closer to Halloween.
Book Review: Age of Iron by Angus Watson
Posted on September 26, 2014 18 Comments
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Iron Age
Publisher: Orbit (September 9, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Age of Iron ended up surprising me in many delightful ways, but what I didn’t expect at all was how addicting it was. It simply grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go. It’s dark, brutal, violent and gritty, and yet I was completely immersed in its harsh, war-torn world.
We begin the story with an introduction to Dug Sealskinner, a mercenary on his way to join up with King Zadar’s grand army at Maidun Castle, hoping for a way to earn some steady coin. But then he is waylaid at Barton, a town that gets attacked and annihilated by the very same people Dug had wished to join. In the aftermath, he meets up with a strange young girl named Spring, and together they encounter Lowa Flynn, formerly one of Zadar’s favored fighters who now finds herself on the run and seeking revenge on the king for her murdered band of warrior women.
King Zadar is a tyrant like no other with his twisted sense of how the world should be. His betrayal of Lowa and failure to capture her has earned him a dangerous enemy, but his killing and pillaging across the country has also made him the target of a young druid named Ragnall, who too seeks to make his way to Maidun to rescue his kidnapped fiancée. Ragnall and his mentor Drustan end up joining with our trio, and together the five make up a rather motley party of unlikely adventurers, all with a common foe.
Very little is known about life in Iron Age Britain; that the book began with this fact and a “this is what really happened” kind of statement in its foreword made me wonder what I’ll be in for. Large swaths of the book filled with history lessons, perhaps? But no, while we do indeed get a torrent of rich, scintillating details about the world, all of it no doubt painstakingly researched and cross checked and checked again by the author, none of it felt blatant or overtly shoved down my throat.
In fact, Watson placed storytelling and characters first, which is what I think made the book’s pacing so successful. He gave backstories to even the more minor characters, in a way that didn’t bog down the story but instead enhanced it, as every detail seems purposely placed to provide insight into the people and life at the time. The plot is also constantly driving forward, and there aren’t many places where it loses steam. History clearly has a role in this book, but the ultimate goal here is epic adventure, and we certainly don’t sacrifice storytelling or momentum.
It also wouldn’t feel complete without a bit of magic, which brings us to the druids. I admit I was very much drawn to the mention of them in the book’s description, as I’ve always been interested in the subject. And the druids of Age of Iron are fascinating indeed. There are all kinds of druids – healers, soothsayers, magicians, some who are benevolent and others who are bloodthirsty and depraved. This latter sort of druid seems to get the most attention, in the form of Felix, the druid who serves King Zadar. As cruel and wicked Zadar is, Felix makes him look like a snuffling choir boy. Some of the druid’s deeds are hard to read about, described in all its gruesome, gory details, and Watson doesn’t spare his readers one bit in this area.
I guess here’s where I should mention that no one is safe in this book – men, women, children and animals are all subjected to some horrific, violent fates, and it can get quite graphic – disturbingly so. If you’re squeamish or turned off about that kind of stuff, here’s a caveat: you might want to stay far away.
And yet, Age of Iron isn’t all doom and gloom, and blood and guts. There is humor, and there are inherently good people in this book. However, none of them are so black-and-white as that either. Characters like Dug, Lowa, Spring, and Ragnall serve as good counterpoints to the depravity and viciousness of people like Zadar and Felix, but our so-called heroes aren’t without their weaknesses. They may endear themselves to you, make you laugh or make you root for them, but be prepared to despise them sometimes too, because in the end they are also flawed people and simply trying to survive a world trying to do them in. I was all the more impressed by the well-roundedness of these characters, and whether you love them or hate them, I thought they were all very developed and well written.
Needless to say, I can’t wait for the next book. Age of Iron is one hell of a novel. The polish and skill in the writing makes it hard to believe it’s his fictional debut, but you can bet Angus Watson’s got my full attention. I’ll definitely be watching for his future works as well as the progress of this series with great interest.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Orbit Books!
Tough Traveling: Companions
Posted on September 25, 2014 18 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information. Compulsive list-maker that I am, I’m very excited to take part!
This week’s tour topic is: COMPANIONS
You will normally meet them for the first time at the outset of the tour. They are picked from among the following: Bard, Female Mercenary, Gay mage, Imperious Female, Large Man, serious soldier, Slender Youth, Small Man, Talented Girl, Teenage Boy, Unpleasant Stranger, and Wise Old Stranger.
Wendy’s Picks
It’s probably cheating to add Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien to any of these lists…
Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines
Isaac Vainio’s ability to pull almost anything from a book is a bibliophile’s dream, but it’s his badass dryad companion, Lena, who often pulls his butt out of the fire.
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
This one puts an interesting spin on the companions, by starting with an enigmatic older wizard, and adding a young warrior as his companion. A young shapeshifting woman soon joins them, as well as an older couple, a mage and an alchemist.
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Prince Jorg refers to them as his road brothers, and each one is talented in various forms of murder and/or mayhem. His most notable companion, and my favourite of the bunch, is the Nuban.
The Barrow by Mark Smylie
Another dark twist on the companions. Stjepan Black-Heart is joined by a mercenaries, a brothel owner, a young woman disguised as a man, a scandalized noble and the sister at the centre of that scandal.
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
Alif is pretty hopeless, and mostly remains that way throughout the book. It’s a good thing he has companions like Vikram the jinn to guide him, and most especially, Dina, the level-headed girl next door who defies preconceived Western notions about Muslim women.
Mogsy’s Picks
I’ve been reading a lot of quest narrative fantasies as of late, so like Wendy, I’m pretty happy for the chance to talk about some of my more recent reads, which I don’t think I’ve featured in past Tough Traveling lists yet.
Gleam by Tom Fletcher
Talk about some interesting companions. It’s a wild whacky world in Gleam, so it only makes sense to have wild whacky characters. Alan enlists the help of several friends, new and old, on his quest for some magic mushrooms, including the mysterious and deadly Mapmaker called Bloody Nora.
Age of Iron by Angus Watson
Dug Sealskinner is just a simple mercenary hoping to join up with an army and make some coin, but he can’t seem to help collecting companions along the way. First a strange child named Spring, then Lowa, an exiled warrior seeking her revenge, and Ragnall, a druid trying to reunite with his kidnapped fiancee.
Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards
Arkamondos, a young scribe finds himself hired on to chronicle the exploits of a rough band of Syldoon led by the formidable Captain Braylar Killcoin. Despite being a group of brutal, gritty warriors, every one of the Syldoon fighters display their individual quirks and qualities that made them each very memorable.
The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
Enter an unlikely group of diverse heroes in this fun adventure with just a touch of darkness: Lord Frith, jaded and broken and looking to avenge his murdered family. Sebastian, an exiled knight whose only crime was falling in love with another man. Last but not least, Wydrin, the cheeky mercenary girl also known as the Copper Cat, who has a scary obsession with sharp blades.
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
Shara’s companion, the unforgettable and indomitable Sigrud is a fiercely loyal bodyguard and helper, and he can fight like no one else. Turyin Mulaghesh, the soldier turned governor, also joins up with Shara to help her uncover the mysteries of Bulikov.
Waiting on Wednesday 09/24/14
Posted on September 24, 2014 13 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan: February 10, 2015 (Orbit)
The Powder Mage trilogy is one of the more interesting fantasy epics that I’ve read in recent years, I’m very much looking forward to the conclusion.
“Adopest has fallen…
Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing and his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away.
With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son.
And Taniel Two-shot, hunted by men he once thought his friends, must safeguard the only chance Adro has of getting through this war without being destroyed…”
Book Review: The Godless by Ben Peek
Posted on September 23, 2014 17 Comments
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Children
Publisher: Tor (UK: August 14, 2014), Thomas Dunne (US: August 19, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Godless caught me off guard a bit, as it ended up not being the kind of book I was expecting at all. Mainly, it doesn’t read like it was meant to have a traditional story plot, and I don’t doubt that could be the reason for the many reviews I’ve seen describing it as confusing or difficult to summarize. Books like these are generally not my cup of tea, but The Godless did manage to hold me rapt with its epic world and fascinating mythology.
Thousands of years ago, the gods warred. After their conflict, the dead or dying ended up scattered across the world, becoming part of the forests, mountains, and other features of the land. Since then, men and women have awakened with strange and spectacular powers that are derived from the fallen gods’ bodies. The Godless takes place mostly in Mirea, a city built by a massive stone wall that spans a mountain range which houses the body of one of these gods, Ger.
The book follows the lives of several characters: Ayae, the young apprentice of a cartographer who discovers she is “cursed” after emerging completely unharmed from the flames that devoured her shop; Bueralan, an exiled baron who leads a team of mercenaries hired by Mirea to sabotage Leera, a neighboring enemy kingdom; and Zaifyr, a mysterious, centuries-old mystic who teaches and advises Ayae after the emergence of her powers.
The Godless is indeed a bit difficult to describe, as I found it overall heavy on ideas and history while coming in on the lighter side when it came to plot and character development. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Even though books like this aren’t typically my taste, they are chockfull of potential if written well. To its credit, The Godless did keep me interested, but it didn’t have the momentum I desired. While the concepts of the gods and the individuals with special powers are nothing short of extraordinary, I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing from the story, a lack of a unifying thread tying it all together which would have made this one a truly engaging read.
The characters themselves are well-formed with very complete backstories, but their personalities seemed muted somehow. I felt no particular affinity towards any of them, and despite the time spent with each character, I regarded them from an emotional distance. The Godless also isn’t something I would call fast-paced or a page-turner, though it does have its moments at the beginning and towards the end. There’s a lot of detail to take in in between, meant to be absorbed and savored, so I wasn’t surprised this one ended up being a slower read.
I think I went into this expecting something akin to a heroic fantasy, but that wasn’t how it played out, and it was through no fault of the book or the author. By design, the narrative seemed more interested in emphasizing the complex philosophy and theological ideas, the political history between Miera and Leera, as well as the lore and mythology behind the gods’ war and the Cursed.
It’s a compelling read, and there’s no denying that. This first book is a great introduction to a series with a boatload of potential. Still, while I enjoyed reading about the world of The Godless with its diverse peoples and cultures, its rich history and politics, my own priority would be characters and story. But obviously, we all have different tastes. If the sort of world building I described in the above paragraph is something you enjoy, then this book would be perfect for you.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Tor UK!
Panels: Battlefields: Night Witches
Posted on September 22, 2014 Leave a Comment
Discrimination was the least of the problems that the Night Witches of Russia would face in World War II. Learn more about these brave women here or in Garth Ennis’ Battlefields: Night Witches.
AudioBook Review: A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
Posted on September 22, 2014 14 Comments
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
Genre: Fantasy, Dragons
Series: Memoirs by Lady Trent #1
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates (February 2013)
Author Info: swantower.com
Narrator Info: Facebook
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was not exactly what I expected. That is to say, there isn’t a lot about dragons, much less their history. I was expecting something that could almost be an accompaniment to His Majesty’s Dragon, and, if I wanted to get my headcanon on, I could manage a good mash up, with this book being like a prequel where Lady Trent and her ilk are learning about the enigmatic creatures. But alas, this is actually a memoir *of* Lady Trent, by the lady herself. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re looking for dragons, they be not really here.
Instead, we get a look into the life of a young woman with an insatiably curious scientific mind that takes particular interest in the insect-like sparklings in her backyard. These tiny creatures would be the instruments of her fate in many ways, first sparking her interest in dragons, and later inspiring her continued research that leads her and her husband across the world to find real live dragons.
I’ve mentioned a few times now that I am steadily growing tired of speculative media where women are the inferior of the species, but sometimes, despite my misgivings, I can appreciate a book that sticks to this concept if it is done well. Most often, such stories are written by women, with Lois McMaster Bujold, being the most prominent example that springs to mind. Actually, prior to reading this book, Bujold was the only author I consider to write underprivileged women well, by showing how they understand their role as lesser beings, and work within it to achieve their goals and prove themselves, and are respected by men who aren’t bound to their society’s close-minded views. Brennan allows Isabella Trent to speak plainly about the role of females in society, though Isabella does not necessarily rail against it. She simply realizes that her passions do not coincide with societal norms for her sex. Fortunately, she is loved and respected by men who will not simply indulge her desire for knowledge, but encourage and enable it.
A recent essay by a young girl who lauds the character of Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter series, speaks about how Hermoine’s skill and intelligence is what is respected about the character, without her ever needing to play the damsel in distress to get the boys to help her out. Isabella has to struggle a bit to make the men in her life understand how important her study of dragons is to her, but once they do understand, they quickly respect her for her intelligence and consider her their equal in as much.
In terms of the dragons, as I mentioned, we don’t see much of them, even during the pivotal and climactic moments. But I liked the way Brennan maintained Trent’s critical and scientific mind when the dragons are present–especially at a particularly critical moment. It makes her seem emotionally detached from everything and everyone else, but this too is addressed well by Brennan, and when Isabella does allow herself emotions, I found it to be very moving. In fact, I was surprised by my reaction to the ending. I had not quite realized how deeply I had become involved.
I give some credit there to Kate Reading, whose narration, as always, is impeccable. She gives such nobility, humility, dignity and strength to the women she narrates.
I also liked Isabella’s relationship with Dagmira, the irascible maid servant assigned to her when she travels across the world to study dragons attacking Dagmira’s village. It is an atypical relationship that never quite reaches the point of friendship, though grudging respect creeps in from time to time. It is a refreshing and sometimes amusing companionship.
The political intrigue and illegal comings and goings that eventually take over the plot in the second half of the book are the story’s only flaw. It all works, and thankfully does not slow anything down, but at times, the connection to the dragons feels a bit tenuous and forced. When things turn in this direction, the lack of dragons becomes more glaring.
Still, a very enjoyable read, and an unusual take on ‘history’ and science that brings dragons to life.
Sunday Musings: Nothing but the Rain
Posted on September 21, 2014 6 Comments
It’s nice to wake up to the rain at your window, even if there’s a little bit of lightning and thunder to go with it. For me, it signifies a day that should be spent in bed with a good book, and/or a good lap top.
CURRENTLY READING
In my quest to find a Superman book that will help me finally appreciate the character, I’ve come, at last, to All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Superman already has so much working against him with me, because I just don’t like the character and have yet to find a well written story about him, despite numerous recommendations that I disagree with for various reasons. There’s also my dislike for Grant Morrison to worry about.
But I did like Morrison’s writing in We3 when he let Frank Quitely’s art tell the story, as it should be, with sequential storytelling. And I definitely like Morrison’s creative decision to avoid “re-doing origin stories or unpacking classic narratives.” [x]
That’s an approach I can appreciate, so, despite my negatives about Superman stories in the past, I’m walking into this one feeling pretty positive.
GAMERY THINGS
There are lots of video games based on movies or television shows and comics, but what about video games based on novels and short stories? Imagine my gamer surprise when I discovered that my recent read, I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream is also a game! Guess what I will be playing soon??
That said, the story it is based on is quite … trippy… to put it mildly. This game is going to be veeery interesting, to say the least. Perhaps I shall save it for the wee hours of my Extra Life charity gaming marathon.
BOOKISH THOUGHTS
My dad can literally count on one hand how many times he’s been late to a scheduled appointment. It’s a trait that he has instilled in me. Not only does it show respect for other people’s time, but it gives you that extra time to read. This also works well with my kids’ extra curricular activities. An hour and a half worth of gymnastics lessons? Perfect reading time.
YA Weekend: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Posted on September 20, 2014 15 Comments
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of Throne of Glass
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s (September 2, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Few subsequent installments in a Young Adult series have lived up to the bar set by their first books, so color me impressed by the way Heir of Fire has managed to do this while at the same time helping me get over the bad taste that Crown of Midnight left in my mouth.
This is going to be a difficult review to write without stomping all over spoiler territory for the previous books, but I’ll do my best not to divulge anything beyond what’s already in the book’s description. So much has happened in the series since the beginning. We last left Celaena on a ship bound for Wendlyn, sent there by her former lover and captain of the King’s Guard Chaol Westfall. Significant events as of late have also marked Wendlyn as her destination for answers to her past, and a way to thwart the King of Adarlan’s nefarious plans.
Not only has Heir of Fire sparked my enthusiasm to follow Celaena on her adventures again, it’s also now my favorite book of this series. I noted as well that this third book was remarkably light on relationship drama and all that bullshit. Coincidence? Probably not. The incessant shoving of an unimaginative, hackneyed romantic side-plot down my throat in Crown of Midnight was what almost made me lose my patience with that last book. It’s a welcome change to be somewhat free of that stuff this time around, and I’m glad Heir of Fire switched gears to focus on more action and rigorous story-development.
Of course, there were a few close calls with Rowan Whitethorn, introduced here as the warrior tasked by the Fae-Queen Maeve to train and guide Celaena to control her magic, but Celaena thankfully manages to remember that the remains of her poor and battered broken heart still technically belongs to someone else. I honestly thought Rowan would be yet another blip in the long line of male-mentors-to-YA-female-protagonists, but rescued from being labeled as yet another possible love interest (boring!), he actually ends up becoming a formidable mentor, ally, and friend to Celaena (much more interesting!) Getting to that point was also quite the journey, their interactions punctuated by ups and downs, but then some of the strongest and most loyal partnerships are forged in this manner.
Back in Adarlan we also have a couple storylines threaded with mystery and intrigue, as Chaol does some sleuthing and uncovers several important revelations about Aedion, the newly arrived general at the royal court. Meanwhile, Prince Dorian struggles with his own secret, one that could cost him his life if his father the king ever found out about it. He strikes up a friendship and later a romance with a palace healer who tries to help him. It would cheapen the experience to give way any more detail than that, but suffice to say, both Chaol and Dorian’s storylines ended up converging in a shocking, gut wrenching climax that seriously knocked me for a loop. Looks like things in this series has started moving away from the predictable throwaway elements, and is instead focusing on working in bolder and weightier developments that might actually cause major ripples further down the road.
It also wouldn’t be right to talk about this book without mentioning the Manon Blackbeak, another character who makes her first appearance in Heir of Fire. The King of Adarlan’s latest plans for domination involve Manon and her people, the wyvern-riding witches. Vicious, bloodthirsty and completely determined to prove herself as the most capable Wing Leader, Manon became an instant favorite, despite her role thus far as an accessory to a tyrant. I loved the side story in here of how she ended up with her wyvern – kind of like How to Train Your Dragon, except considerably less heartwarming and with 500% more brutality. But the bond between rider and mount is well-written and convincing, and the circumstances behind how Manon actually ended up with her wyvern made for an amazing sequence, and it’s one of my favorite scenes in the book.
This one’s much longer book than its two predecessors, but almost everything in the story was important, with hardly any dithering around. It’s a step up from both Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, dealing with heavier and more developed themes. We also go deeper into each character, with the new players like Rowan, Aedion and Manon getting the introductions they deserve, and even familiar characters like Celaena, Chaol and Dorian getting much love and attention from the author when it comes to building up their stories and personalities. So whaddya know, looks like a series can indeed mature with time and subsequent novels, and Heir of Fire is exemplary.
Book Review: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Posted on September 19, 2014 14 Comments
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Genre: Science Fiction, Short Stories
Originally published in 1967, republished in 1983
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I can’t truly appreciate one of my favourite authors, Octavia E. Butler, without having read anything by her friend and mentor, Harlan Ellison, which is why I have included him on my Bucket List Worlds Without End reading challenge.
As you can tell by my four stars, I am not disappointed, but that does not necessarily mean that I enjoyed Ellison’s work in its entirety. Similarly, I don’t like the context of everything Butler writes, but gods do I love reading what spills from their incredible minds.
In Ted Sturgeon’s introduction to this collection of short stories, he comments on the hallucinogenic nature of one particular tale, but notes that Ellison never partook of such stuff. A biochemist friend confirmed to Sturgeon that, due to a blood fraction that is chemically, almost identical to psilocybin (as found in ‘magic mushrooms’), some people’s brains may well “live out their lives, with a consciousness more aware, more comprehending, more–well, expanded–than the rest of us.”
I have always been fascinating by Butler’s mind, and her willingness to write things well beyond the typical fare we are used to in the genre of speculative fiction. And I can see how Ellison influenced and encouraged that, in reading his work. The topics and settings are sometimes quite obscure and the characters don’t follow any conventions that can easily be discerned. Women are, as seems to be typical of (male) writers of his time, not much more than two-dimensional, and I’m not overly fond of some of the things that happens to them. But there is a depth to the stories and the emotions he evokes. Such expansive and complete universes he builds within just a few thousand words.
And the style of his writing. Sturgeon comments that Harlan has learned and knows the necessary structures of writing, and can contain himself within them, but here, he has become “big enough, good enough–confident enough” to go well beyond. To “write it as it came, let it pour out as his inner needs demanded.”
The results are truly spectacular, and something I think any aspiring writer should read. Again, you may not like the content, or even the form, but I would hope you could appreciate the uniqueness of the voice and the mind behind it.
The BiblioSanctum 