two books that don't belong in the same post

[snugglekitty]

While out of town, I've read March Upcountry and The Stolen Child.



March Upcountry is the first book in a quartet by David Weber and John Ringo. It was a suggestion from 7j. I have liked other books by Weber, but was a little uncertain about this - how good would it be without spaceships throughout? But actually I liked it pretty well. It was funny, and relatively believable. As in other cases, I was glad for the existence of Google, so that I could look up military history references. It was focused once again on Marines, which seems to be Weber's favorite branch of the military. I'd give it three stars. It passed the time quickly.

The Stolen Child is Keith Donohue's first book. I got it out of the library because I had read that it was a new and very different book on the fey. Those reviews were correct. I kept reading it because I didn't entirely understand my own reactions to it. The book reminded me a lot of The Time-Traveler's Wife, in that it had elements of fantasy, but was more like fiction than fantasy. The book follows the life of a changeling who has taken human form, and the human boy who is now learning to be fey. Both characters struggle with learning to relate to others, and yearn for the lives they lost when they were first stolen. An odd and thought-provoking read, although it's not what you'd call a beach book. Three stars.



I also have with me My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme, Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson, and the brand-new Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey. I feel I should start the latter, so I can get it back to the library quickly, but I'm intimidated by its size. We'll see.

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[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

You probably know this already, but just in case you don't, I thought I'd mention that the newest Betsy Taylor novel is out. It's called Undead and Unpopular, and I'll be returning it to the Minuteman Library System shortly. :-)