Another Japan reading poll

[kate_nepveu]

Here are the books that I am definitely taking to Japan:

• Scott Lynch, Red Seas Under Red Skies
• Kij Johnson, The Fox Woman and Fudoki
• R.H.P. Mason, A History of Japan
• Sei Shonagon, The Pillow Book

I am possibly bringing various John M. Ford books that I haven't read yet, in case that memorial panel actually happens—does anyone know if it's going to? If not, well, Ford is not my ideal vacation reading.

For the last half-dozen-ish slots, I find myself with a plethora of mass-market paperbacks, so, like everyone else: a poll!

Note: If a series is specified as "up to," include any comment on how many I should bring.

[Poll #1038918]

Comments

[schulman.livejournal.com]

Martha Wells' The Wizard Hunters is excellent -- consider having at least the second book with you too, though.

[kate_nepveu]

I'm going slow on this series because it's very possible that nothing will ever live up to _The Element of Fire_ for me.

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

I like most of her other books, but I am with you on The Element of Fire. I love that book so very, very much.

[schulman.livejournal.com]

The Element of Fire is the one book of hers (except for the Stargate tie-ins) that I haven't read yet, so I can't provide a benchmark there. (I do own it.) I did like The Wizard Hunters quite a lot better than Death of the Necromancer, probably because I like the protagonists better.

Completely irrelevant, but have you read China Mieville's Un Lun Dun yet? It's my first Mieville. Very much like Neverwhere, but without quite so many of Gaiman's writing tics.

[kate_nepveu]

No, I won't read Mieville's books (for reasons stated here: http://kate-nepveu.livejournal.com/190318.html#cutid2 )

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

I'm not familiar with the other books (hell, I'm not even familiar with many of the other authors), but the Chanur books are terrific, and the Dresden books are fun.

[montoya.livejournal.com]

Of the ones I've read, I'd say:

The Marks isn't all that great, and not really at all what I think of as vacation reading. It's all dark blood sex land king magic stuff, like that horrid Swordspoint non-sequel.

The Wells is very good; but be warned that the third volume gets bogged down and isn't as good as the first two.

The Flewelling is fun, basically a generic epic fantasy that happens to be more urban and civilized than most. It's not a complete book, though, but the first half of a two-book story. It's not great, but it's solidly decent.

[kate_nepveu]

the first half of a two-book story

Thanks, I'll drop that one off the list, then, and save it for when I can get the second half in a hurry if I need it.

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

Actually, LUCK IN THE SHADOWS is the first of a trilogy, it's the second Flewelling series (also now a trilogy) where the first book was literally cut in half and ends quite abruptly.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

The Elemental Logic books strike me as diametrically opposite to The Fall of the Kings; for one thing, I'd never describe them as "dark." Where TFoK is all about an attempt to restore a (tradional male) monarchy as an insanity and horror, the Elemental Logic books are about the restoration and recreation of a modified omsbudsman/monarchical goverment after an invasion. They're both pretty critical about traditional fantasy tropes involving goverment and patriarchy, but they come at it from completely opposite directions.

And while both involve sex, I didn't think there was a lot of it, and again the approaches were pretty different; TFoK treats sex as the inspiration for monomaniacal folly and in the Elemental Logic books, as Oyce says, "lesbian sex saves the world!" It's kind of sweet.

That said, Kate, I don't know if they're great vacation reading -- I always find the opening of FL hard-going, although once I'm into it, I love the immersion into the world.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I recently read Fire Logic on vacation, and it worked out well for me. The first third or so was IMO slow and occasionally painful going, but since I was on an airplane and didn't have anything else to, I just kept on reading. Then I got seriously sucked into the plot and read straight through the second half of the book while sitting out in the Southern California sunshine for several hours, and got a sunburn. But, mileage obviously varies.

[montoya.livejournal.com]

Both of them have that thing where the king has a mystical bond to the land, and it involves blood and sex and what-not. I used to kinda like stories like that, and then I read one too many of those Datlow/Windling goth fairy tale books and burnt out entirely on psychosexual fantasy.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

Mostly I voted for books I know and like, but I voted for the Woodbury because I want someone I know to tell me whether it's good or not. :)

[kate_nepveu]

Heh, got it. And thanks for the note about the Elemental Logic books & vacation-ish-ness.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I voted for books I haven't read, but own, in the self-interest of finding out what somebody whose taste I trust thinks of them.

Of the books I have read, I liked Fire Logic, and found it to be really good for vacation reading: complex enough to be interesting but not so heavy as to harsh the vacation buzz.

Simon's Homicide is really good, but possibly too dark for vacation? It's been a while since I read it, so I don't remember it too clearly.

The Dresden books are fluffy and crack-like, but IMO they have some "skanky race issues" (as the kids say these days) which you might find off-putting in the wake of IBARW.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

which you might find off-putting in the wake of IBARW.

(Or, you know, always.)

[kate_nepveu]

I put _Homicide_ on because it might have less of a narrative pull, therefore making it suitable for reading in short chunks. Yes, no?

And _particularly_ in the wake of; one of the wretched trailers this weekend was for a movie with Denzel Washington playing the only African-American to make it big in the Mafia, and I said to Chad, "you know, this is not what I needed to see this week."

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

That's what I figured. In that case, you'll *definitely* want to avoid Dresden book #4 (http://desdenova.livejournal.com/215677.html) until such a time when you can read really bad ethnic stereotypes without sporking your eyes out.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

The Marks and Simon are good, but dark and somewhat dense; the Flewelling isn't terribly good, but it's fun; the Hambly is good, fast-paced, and fun though it has some dark moments; the Cherryh series is good, fun, and also dense. If you take them all, you'll have plenty of choices.

[kate_nepveu]

I have to say I didn't expect Chanur to be getting so much love, since my default assocation with Cherryh is still _Cyteen_, which is very emphatically not a vacation book.

Thanks.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

The Tanya Huff books are a bit older and I think that's why they aren't getting votes. Because *I* think they're perfect for vacation and, as everyone knows, I am never wrong. Of course, you have to consider I adore everything Huff writes...

MKK

[kate_nepveu]

Can you tell me what the deal with the fourth book is? The back cover made it look like it was less closely tied into the series, but I'm just guessing--I very dimly remember the first book, and that's all.

And, yeah, it looks like she was having fun with her Id Vortex there. Brother and sister assassins! In the same body!

(Though Chanur isn't recent either and it's making an unexpectedly strong showing.)

[montoya.livejournal.com]

I'm really surprised by this. Back when I was purging my library, and asked rasw for advice, nobody really stuck up for those books, with the result that I pegged them as Lackey-lite generic DAW fantasy, and pitched 'em.

[khavrinen.livejournal.com]

A couple of tidbits that may or may not be helpful:

Although the first of the Quarters series stands alone fairly well, the second and third are, like the Flewelling, two halves of of two-book story arc. ( The fourth one is almost completely tangential -- as if she felt obligated to have four to go with the "quarters" theme -- so if you only have three you don't have worry about being left hanging. )

Stranger at the Wedding seems to be set in the same world as "The Windrose Chronicles" ( The Silent Tower, The Silicon Mage, and Dog Wizard ), but I don't think there were any character overlaps, though admittedly it's been about ten years since I read it so my recollection may not be that accurate.

[kate_nepveu]

The fourth one is almost completely tangential

Ah, that's what I thought, thanks.

Googling suggests that the protagonist of _Stranger_ is a minor character in the prior books: http://www.barbarahambly.com/hambooks.htm

[oyceter]

I voted for the Marks because they made me happy about SF/F for the first time in a long while, though like others say, I'm not sure if they're happy vacation reading. They don't depress me; Earth Logic actually makes me very quietly happy, but they're nice, solid books and not fast, fun skims.

I voted for the Shinn out of pure self-interest; I read a short story of hers set in that world, which I liked, but Shinn has historically had some gender issues for me (see: SAMARIA x1000).

[kate_nepveu]

Yeah, I read the first Samaria trilogy when they first came out, and possibly would be a fair bit more critical of them now.

OTOH they look fluffy. We'll see.

[kgbooklog.livejournal.com]

I just finished the Lynch, and it has the same strengths and flaws of the first one, plus two completely worthless cliffhangers (it's really hard to convince a reader that the protagonist's life is in danger when you have a contract for five more books).

Fudoki I really liked, even though I can't describe it in any way that would make it sound like something I'd like.

I liked the Lindskold series, even though the author forgets some details at times. But it's complete at six books instead of never ending.

I liked the Marks, and have the third one on my to-read pile. But the first two make a complete story arc by themselves.

I read the first Huff book and it was okay, but not as good as her urban fantasies.

I really like Wells, but suggest you find Death of the Necromancer first if you can, since that deals with the heroine's family. This trilogy does have good stopping points between books, so not having the others isn't too bad.

I read the Hambly after it was mentioned in the Fantasy of Manners discussions, and it was pretty good (haven't read anything else by that author). I did find myself caring less about the heroine than her sister.

Butcher is fun and fast-paced.

[kate_nepveu]

it's really hard to convince a reader that the protagonist's life is in danger when you have a contract for five more books

There is that, but somehow that doesn't much bother me.

Lindskold's Wolf series is complete at six? Maybe I should wait until the sixth is in pb/I can get it from the library, then. Thanks.

I've read _Death of the Necromancer_ and thought it was okay, not as vibrant as _Element of Fire_, but enough people have said nice things about this airships series that I picked up this one used.

[syfr.livejournal.com]

I voted for Chanur so I have someone to discuss it with. Besides, I like C.J. Cherryh's books a lot.