Books 11, 12, 13

[thistlechaser]

Book 11 of 2012: A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge (reread).
Book 12 of 2012: The Children of the Sky, by Vernor Vinge.

I liked Fire Upon the Deep so much the first time I read it, I wanted to reread it again so I could fully enjoy the direct sequel, Children of the Sky. My last two books (Flowers for Algernon and Jurassic Park) were rereads as well, so I thought this would work out. It didn't.

Algernon and Jurassic Park worked as rereads because it had been so long since I last read them, it might as well had been the first time. Fire was too new, I remembered way too much of it. I skimmed a lot of the book (which is sad, since I enjoyed it so much the first time, but I knew all the big plot twists, so it felt like there was no point).

Children, on the other hand, I loved. Vinge is so amazing at world building, I loved seeing his Tine aliens again. In some ways, the humans were too human though -- they were so realistic that it almost (almost!) made the book hard to enjoy: how people can ignore or change or misunderstand reality for political/religious-ish reasons. (How's that for a clunky sentence!)

Book #13 I just barely started, but I'm so much in love with it already. Beguilement (The Sharing Knife, Book 1) by Lois McMaster Bujold. I'm only three chapters in, but it's so hard to put down. Such a wonderful fantasy! I love the magic (I think that should likely be in quotes, "magic") of the world she's writing.

Comments

[socksofjello.livejournal.com]

How far in is His Majesty's Dragon on your list? I'm real interested in hearing your thoughts on it (and its many sequels, if it catches you).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

High! I really want to read it. Assuming I don't read the next book of this series next, hopefully next!

[mel-redcap.livejournal.com]

Woot, you're reading Bujold! She's one of my two or three favourite authors, and the Sharing Knife series is awesome. (Her Chalion series is set in a different world with completely different magic, but has a similar sort of 'feel' to it if you want to branch out a bit. :3)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I've only read one other thing by her, but I'm in love! And yay so many of her books ahead of me! :D

The Chalion is on my ipad and waiting for me!

[kelen.livejournal.com]

Lois McMaster Bujold is pretty much my favorite author. I adore her work. Which is strange. I normally don't like everything an author does, but I've yet not to enjoy one of her novels. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to read more of her books! I've only read one other, so I have plenty ahead of me! :D If only more were available in ebook format...

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

95% if not 100% of her books are available in ebook format. In fact, the most recent release in one of her series included a CD with the hardcover edition that contained all but one of every previous book in the series. If you can't find the Vorkosigan books otherwise, I'd be happy to send them to you. The CD even encouraged sharing. Baen books is so awesome, they're one of the few publishers that seems to get epublishing.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think I was confusing her with someone else. I noticed I have the first books of all (most?) of her various series already. Also, I noticed that I read the first Chalion book but never the rest, even though I own them already. So much good stuff to read!