Welcome to September! The weather here is perfect for what, in my head, is really the true beginning of Fall. It's a marvelously crisp autumnal morning, and we have all the windows thrown open to let in fresh, cool air that lacks even a hint of the oppressive humidity that August brought. If Summer here only lasts one blistering month, I just might have to consider settling in for the long haul.
The other great thing about September is that it brings October, but in this case I'm not talking about the month of ghouls and candy corn--I'm talking about October Daye, the changeling (half-faerie, half-human) protagonist of Seanan McGuire's Rosemary and Rue, which releases today. At some point in the not-too-distant future, I imagine, her books will have a strict-on-sale date (which is usually imposed as an author becomes more widely known), but luckily for those of us who have been looking forward to this book, there was none for this release. I was lucky enough to find the book over the weekend; I devoured it on Saturday evening and have been pondering a review ever since.
This book is such an enormous amount of fun. Those who read a lot of fantasy--and especially the kind in which the magical world intersects with our own--will appreciate the author's technique. She's really done a fantastic job of fleshing out the world that Toby--short for October--lives in, but does so subtly, not bashing the reader over the head with the fantastic creatures and characters that pass in and out of her life. A lot of this has to do, I think, with a somewhat (wonderfully) nontraditional approach to the magical world she's introducing to us all. Many writers choose to have their protagonist also be a newcomer to the setting of their books, but McGuire's Toby is well-versed in the lore of her world--she's just been out of it for a while. It allows her to explain the rules to us by showing, not telling. It doesn't hurt that, much like the reader immersed in the book, Toby lives in both worlds--we can relate to her in this one and follow her into the other.
I appreciated the lack of stereotypical romance plots that many authors use to add another degree of conflict to their characters' lives. You know the kind: somewhere, a couple of pages before it happens, the dialogue changes ever-so-slightly, and already you're groaning because you can already tell that the author's going to throw these two characters together. I hope that if Toby is able to move on from some unfortunate events in her past, that things will continue to be reasonable in that regard, and not drag us through the Ranger, no--Joe, no--Ranger, no--Joe god-awfulness that Evanovich subjects her readers to every summer (and sometimes on holidays!). I think we can trust Seanan not to do that--she's altogether too clever at what she does for that tired trope.
I don't want to give a lot of spoilers here, so it's difficult to discuss the plot of the book, but I think it's fair to say that even if you think you know where the story's headed, you may be surprised to see how it gets there. Seanan is fearless. She doesn't put her characters up on some high shelf and make them untouchable. The bad guys don't suddenly develop Stormtrooper Syndrome when they're chasing Toby down a dark alley--and neither does anyone else. Bad things happen--though I have to admit, occasionally pushing the limits of plausibility in Toby's case, but then again she's a magical creature and has a lot of friends (and enemies) in high places, and so I was willing to accept the way things went in that regard.
There is such a high level of attention to detail in these books. Every character has a signature scent to their magic, which I find such a wonderful little tidbit, something that really enhances the world and my experience of it. We get a pronunciation guide to all the fun-but-obscure faerie names--and there are many types of faerie populating this universe. There are rose goblins--catlike creatures with thorns instead of fur--they're hypoallergenic! McGuire is clearly familiar with the realms, both mundane and magical, that Toby inhabits and gives us so much that it's so easy and enjoyable to climb on and go along for the ride.
One thing that I was left wondering about was the faerie world's sensitivity to iron, which is an established weapon against fae and their ilk both in and out of Toby Daye's universe. Iron is used in the book against magical creatures, even against Toby herself, to cause great harm, but Toby is also Daoine Sidhe and has some blood magic in her limited repertoire. Furthermore, Toby is part-human. Since iron is a fairly significant component of blood--at least, of human blood--it seems like there should be some problems there. I'm not sure if the signature copper scent of Toby's magic is supposed to be a hint that faerie blood is different, but if iron is such a powerful weapon against those of faerie, I'm curious how that might be resolved. Perhaps if faerie blood is different from human blood, the mixing of it would be one of the things that makes changelings weaker, and why Toby experiences painful backlash when she overexerts herself magically. I imagine that this will be addressed in future books--with several more already scheduled to come out or in the works (March and September 2010!) she can't put all her cards on the table just yet, after all!
Having read Seanan's blog posts for the past few years, it's easy to see how her personality really shines throughout the book, from the blaze orange text on the cover to Toby's real name, the dialogue's snarky wit and the appearance of wonderfully interesting takes on the typical faerie lore, not to mention the pair of Siamese cats and the San Francisco setting. She's done her research, added a fair measure of creativity, and stirred in a heaping helping of her own curious life; the result is completely captivating.
There's so much to talk about and I really don't want to give away too much, so I'll simply say this: if you enjoy urban fantasy, read this book. If you enjoy impeccably-crafted worlds rich with detail, read this book. If you like a main character you can relate to, read this book. If you love a good story, read this book.
While the "girl hero against the world" genre is ubiquitous, Toby Daye is no Stephanie Plum (though there was a car wreck that made me quirk my eyebrow--and doesn't Harry Dresden drive a Beetle?) and I don't expect to see the same formula but with different covers in future releases from McGuire. The October Daye novels show great promise, and I'm adding my voice to the already-growing list of reviewers shouting: read this book!
More about Rosemary and Rue can be found on Seanan McGuire's website, here, including a preview sample of the story. The sequel, A Local Habitation, is slated for March 2010.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Boy, time does fly. It's been three months since I started that new job, and while I like it, the schedule doesn't quite seem to jive with my early-bird nature. The good news (for this book-loving soul) is that I've definitely found a way to take advantage of all the new books in my life, not to mention the Half-Price Books just up the street.
Pretty much the entirety of my 45-minute lunch break is spent reading, nearly every single day. At first, I would do this in my little office cubicle, because the chair was comfy and the food I bring is pretty simple. Then a bigwig took up temporary residence in the conference room right opposite my cube--a conference room that we don't call "the glass fishbowl" for nothing. My boss rather discreetly told me that while she and everyone else knew I was on my lunch break and not just goofing off, that it would be better to sit out in the building's atrium area if I was going to read. That was, for the most part, fine and dandy. The only reason I hadn't gone out before was a) new-job jitters in an unfamiliar place and b) the construction.
Our building is currently in the process of being converted from a convention center to an office building. The floor that I work one was one of the first done, but now they're working on redoing the rest of the building--and it is loud. I'm happy to say that about ten minutes into my break, however, the construction guys (I haven't seen any girls, anyway...) all head home for the day--I work a later shift so my "lunchtime" is at 3:00. Usually by the time I'm finished eating, all is quiet and I have a good half hour to read before heading back into the office.
My roommate and I have also decorated our patio, covering every available surface with plants, and it's a lovely sanctuary where I've spent many summer Saturdays curled up with a good book, cat snoozing by my side.
In the past three months I've plowed through pretty much all of Piers Anthony's Xanth series, with the exception of some of the more recent ones. A friend was cleaning out her shelves in preparation for a move and offered to send me her collection because she thought I would like them. I did, although sometimes the puns and gimmicks got a little tiring. So I took a break from those and read other things for a bit.
I read through the Riftwar Saga, by Raymond C. Feist. Sometimes the books were so dense that I would realize that I had been skimming through the past few pages and put it aside for a couple of days until I was ready to jump in again. It's definitely more of an old-fashioned feeling fantasy, and although more of the sequels are available to me, it might be a while before I'm feeling up to plunging back in again.
I re-read 1632 by Eric Flint, which has always held a special place in my mental library, as the town the story is set in, Grantville, is based on a town right outside the one I grew up in, and the school, at least, I have visited and know well enough to smile at the descriptions.
I also re-read Christopher Stasheff's A Wizard in Rhyme books, which I read for the first (and only, until now) time back in college, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that while I remembered enjoying the books, I didn't remember much of what had happened. Essentially, it was like reading a brand new series but with the added bonus of knowing I'd be happy at the end.
My husband and I went to see Julie & Julia, which I enjoyed, and stopped at the bookstore not long after (I had a gift card I'd been wanting to use) to pick up Julie Powell's book. It was interesting, but the Julie portrayed by Amy Adams was certainly a more likeable Julie. I'm still planning on picking up Child's book, My Life in France, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Finally, the most recent thing I pulled off my roommate's shelves was an unexpected pleasure--Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines. The story of Jig left me giggling as the genre was turned on its head--in a good way. We have the second book in the series, Goblin Hero, which will be next week's lunchtime entertainment, but I've just today found out there's a third in the series, Goblin War, and that the author has another series in progress as well that sounds really exciting, so I see a trip to Half-Price in my near future.
So that's my whirlwind update. Stay tuned for something even more exciting very soon: I've gotten my paws on Seanan McGuire's Rosemary and Rue and I can't wait to talk about it!
Pretty much the entirety of my 45-minute lunch break is spent reading, nearly every single day. At first, I would do this in my little office cubicle, because the chair was comfy and the food I bring is pretty simple. Then a bigwig took up temporary residence in the conference room right opposite my cube--a conference room that we don't call "the glass fishbowl" for nothing. My boss rather discreetly told me that while she and everyone else knew I was on my lunch break and not just goofing off, that it would be better to sit out in the building's atrium area if I was going to read. That was, for the most part, fine and dandy. The only reason I hadn't gone out before was a) new-job jitters in an unfamiliar place and b) the construction.
Our building is currently in the process of being converted from a convention center to an office building. The floor that I work one was one of the first done, but now they're working on redoing the rest of the building--and it is loud. I'm happy to say that about ten minutes into my break, however, the construction guys (I haven't seen any girls, anyway...) all head home for the day--I work a later shift so my "lunchtime" is at 3:00. Usually by the time I'm finished eating, all is quiet and I have a good half hour to read before heading back into the office.
My roommate and I have also decorated our patio, covering every available surface with plants, and it's a lovely sanctuary where I've spent many summer Saturdays curled up with a good book, cat snoozing by my side.
In the past three months I've plowed through pretty much all of Piers Anthony's Xanth series, with the exception of some of the more recent ones. A friend was cleaning out her shelves in preparation for a move and offered to send me her collection because she thought I would like them. I did, although sometimes the puns and gimmicks got a little tiring. So I took a break from those and read other things for a bit.
I read through the Riftwar Saga, by Raymond C. Feist. Sometimes the books were so dense that I would realize that I had been skimming through the past few pages and put it aside for a couple of days until I was ready to jump in again. It's definitely more of an old-fashioned feeling fantasy, and although more of the sequels are available to me, it might be a while before I'm feeling up to plunging back in again.
I re-read 1632 by Eric Flint, which has always held a special place in my mental library, as the town the story is set in, Grantville, is based on a town right outside the one I grew up in, and the school, at least, I have visited and know well enough to smile at the descriptions.
I also re-read Christopher Stasheff's A Wizard in Rhyme books, which I read for the first (and only, until now) time back in college, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that while I remembered enjoying the books, I didn't remember much of what had happened. Essentially, it was like reading a brand new series but with the added bonus of knowing I'd be happy at the end.
My husband and I went to see Julie & Julia, which I enjoyed, and stopped at the bookstore not long after (I had a gift card I'd been wanting to use) to pick up Julie Powell's book. It was interesting, but the Julie portrayed by Amy Adams was certainly a more likeable Julie. I'm still planning on picking up Child's book, My Life in France, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Finally, the most recent thing I pulled off my roommate's shelves was an unexpected pleasure--Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines. The story of Jig left me giggling as the genre was turned on its head--in a good way. We have the second book in the series, Goblin Hero, which will be next week's lunchtime entertainment, but I've just today found out there's a third in the series, Goblin War, and that the author has another series in progress as well that sounds really exciting, so I see a trip to Half-Price in my near future.
So that's my whirlwind update. Stay tuned for something even more exciting very soon: I've gotten my paws on Seanan McGuire's Rosemary and Rue and I can't wait to talk about it!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Home is where you hang your hat...
We rejoin our heroine in her new digs. In the past two months she's completely changed just about everything--left the cushy-but-occasionally-dull office job and the college town that's had the shine worn off for a few years now and headed into what John Green's protagonist Miles Halter might call "The Great Perhaps."
I'm back! Who knows how long it'll last this time, as I've had very little time to devote to reading whilst uprooting my life and settling in a new town.
The books are all unpacked, though, and beckoning. Our new/old roommate has a collection several orders of magnitude larger than mine, and I'm itching to get my fingers on them just as soon as I can get everything else sorted out.
The first order of business, replacing my wonderful former job. Check.
Check? Awesome!
More details to come...
I'm back! Who knows how long it'll last this time, as I've had very little time to devote to reading whilst uprooting my life and settling in a new town.
The books are all unpacked, though, and beckoning. Our new/old roommate has a collection several orders of magnitude larger than mine, and I'm itching to get my fingers on them just as soon as I can get everything else sorted out.
The first order of business, replacing my wonderful former job. Check.
Check? Awesome!
More details to come...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Weehah.
Well, hey, looky there.
Life's changed for the bookwench. While she still loves reading, she no longer spends her days laboring over books and coffee. She's moved up in the world! Now her days are spent behind a desk in that cushy office job she always wanted, but turns out it can be pretty dull, too. The people she works with are much nicer, though, and the work more fulfilling aside from the whole lack-of-books thing. She's thinking about getting a library card since, in the six months since she left her old job, everything on her shelves has been read and re-read. She's starting to feel desperate, feel the itch for new words, new worlds.
A return? Who knows. But when the sun comes out the words may flow again.
Life's changed for the bookwench. While she still loves reading, she no longer spends her days laboring over books and coffee. She's moved up in the world! Now her days are spent behind a desk in that cushy office job she always wanted, but turns out it can be pretty dull, too. The people she works with are much nicer, though, and the work more fulfilling aside from the whole lack-of-books thing. She's thinking about getting a library card since, in the six months since she left her old job, everything on her shelves has been read and re-read. She's starting to feel desperate, feel the itch for new words, new worlds.
A return? Who knows. But when the sun comes out the words may flow again.
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