a couple of older sci fi titles

[snugglekitty]

Last week, I read Lady of Light: The First Book of Westria by Diana L. Paxson. Damn, that book is witchy. I mean, she doesn't actually jump up and down saying, "I'm a pagan! I'm a pagan!" but it felt like she had. I thought the writing was too flowery, I liked it less than her other books, my favorite of which is Brisingamen. (Which reminds me that I've been meaning to make up a list of fiction that takes god-possession seriously. I'm not a horse, but I think it's an interesting topic.) I didn't really like any of the characters and the way the world was set up was just a bit too easy ideologically. Two stars, and I'm not reading the rest of the series, not even the second book of Westria, which was in the same volume, which I own. It's been listed on paperbackswap already.

This week, I read Telzey Amberdon, which was a suggestion by chiennefolle. It was a collection of linked short stories, originally written by James H. Schmitz, edited by Eric Flint (perpetual co-author of Mercedes Lackey, if you're wondering why his name seems familiar). I liked it all right but didn't feel strongly about it. I think the non-Telzey stories at the end were my favorite. Three stars. I notice that the Cambridge Library has the second, third, and fourth volumes in the series. I wonder if they'd like a donation of the first. Then I could still read it, and so could everyone else.

I have a whole crop of new books out of the library today - I hope I'll find some of them more compelling.

Comments

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I remember you mentioning not long ago that you were going to send your paperbackswap books via media mail. Now I can't find the post where you said that. How do you do media mail?

[globedoc.livejournal.com]

Forget Telsey, find books with Trigger Argee in them! Read A Tale of Two Clocks and The Demon Breed (formerly called the Tavula... something... I can't remember), my two favorite works by him. Oh, and Balanced Ecology.
I LOVE Schmitz because his protagonists are usually female, a rare thing indeed in his day, and their exploits are worthy of any male protagonist. He was rather attacked for this in the 50's, where editors and readers felt he was devaluating the feminine charm or somesuch nonsense. But Campbell added him to his "stable" of writers, and his future was thus ensured. I have just about anything he's ever written if you want to borrow something.
Though to be honest there are some good Telsey stories, too, Demon Night and the very first Telsey story, by far the best one, whose name escapes me.
The Hub series of stories is great too, Padagan is one awesome protagonist.