book notes
Nov. 23rd, 2005 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snugglekittyFirst, is everyone aware that we can now request AV materials through the Minuteman library system again? It's very exciting. :)
Next, a few book reviews.
The Well-Favored Man by Elizabeth Willey was a recommendation from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
starkeymonster. I loved it! It was a fantasy of manners of just the sort that I love. The book approached sexuality and romance in a way that I approve of. The dragons were hysterically funny. There were strong female characters. It was great. Four stars.
Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy edited by Al Sarrantonio was something I picked up in Porter Square Books on a whim. It's an anthology with this premise: "Write me the best story of your career. No limitations." Now, I'm not completely convinced that these were the best stories of the authors' careers - they're some pretty fantastic authors! However, I thought it was a good anthology, and some of the stories ("Crossing Over" by Harry Turtledove, "Blood, Oak, Iron" by Janny Wurtz, "Shotgun" by Charles de Lint, and a few others) were truly excellent. If you are a fantasy enthusiast, you should read this book. Amazon has the hardcover right now for under ten bucks, if you want a copy of your very own.
I was a little confused by the preponderance of ghost stories. I don't generally consider ghost stories to be fantasy exactly. I'm not sure what I consider them to be, but I found the number of them in the book surprising.
Like any anthology, it included some duds, and some things that made me think, "Well, okay, but why is it here?" but I was favorably impressed. I will read the sci fi anthology Sarrantonio did. Three and a half stars.
Next, a few book reviews.
The Well-Favored Man by Elizabeth Willey was a recommendation from
starkeymonster. I loved it! It was a fantasy of manners of just the sort that I love. The book approached sexuality and romance in a way that I approve of. The dragons were hysterically funny. There were strong female characters. It was great. Four stars.Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy edited by Al Sarrantonio was something I picked up in Porter Square Books on a whim. It's an anthology with this premise: "Write me the best story of your career. No limitations." Now, I'm not completely convinced that these were the best stories of the authors' careers - they're some pretty fantastic authors! However, I thought it was a good anthology, and some of the stories ("Crossing Over" by Harry Turtledove, "Blood, Oak, Iron" by Janny Wurtz, "Shotgun" by Charles de Lint, and a few others) were truly excellent. If you are a fantasy enthusiast, you should read this book. Amazon has the hardcover right now for under ten bucks, if you want a copy of your very own.
I was a little confused by the preponderance of ghost stories. I don't generally consider ghost stories to be fantasy exactly. I'm not sure what I consider them to be, but I found the number of them in the book surprising.
Like any anthology, it included some duds, and some things that made me think, "Well, okay, but why is it here?" but I was favorably impressed. I will read the sci fi anthology Sarrantonio did. Three and a half stars.