I almost wish Martin wouldn’t title each chapter with a character’s name. In *Storm *I kept skipping ahead to read the chapters about Brienne and Jaime.
Pam, is *Dreamsongs *worth getting? It’s two enormous volumes. Do you like his short stories? I’ve only read the Tuf Voyaging stories.
Now that I’m actually a couple chapters in, I see what you mean. He’s springing a whole NEW cast of characters on us! Gah! Does he come back to any of the familiar group in this book or is it all new viewpoints?
I think so. I haven’t read all of his short stories either, but I’ve read quite a few and there were no clunkers. I think Dream Songs collects them all, and his comments are good reading too.
If you already have the RRetrospective, you don’t need Dreamsongs. But the Rretrospective is one huge volume, and hard to hold if you read in bed.
jayjay, I missed the familiar characters in Feast, and it seemed like there was a lot of placement going on – putting people in place for the next book.
There’s a new Jon Snow chapter up at his website.
He’s one of my favorite authors, and that is my favorite of his books.
Do you have a next one by him that you would recommend? I came across him by chance browsing at the local bookstore; I wasn’t familiar with him at all.
He’s primarily an essayist, and I’ve read several collections, all of which are (as collections of essays are apt to be) somewhat uneven. The only other full-length work of his I’ve read is Monster of God, about man-eating tigers, etc., which, though perfectly readable, isn’t as seriously wonderful as Song of the Dodo.
The only Quammen I’ve read is Natural Acts. I think it’s still in print. I didn’t know “science” could be so entertaining.
Today I’ll finish Elmore Leonard’s *Mr. Paradise * – which is very good – and then I’ll start on Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War in Burma, by the recently deceased Geore Macdonald Fraser and which I’ve been looking forward to.
Thanks for the recommendations, twickster and AuntiePam. I’ll be looking out for them.
If you can’t find Natural Acts, let me know and I’ll send you mine. I probably won’t read it again. And it’s a loaner from a friend who moved to Juneau. I can’t find her to return it. I’ll stop feeling guilty if I can get it out of the house.
OK, I *finally *finished Mrs Jeffries and the Silent Knight. I got it on sale and bought it because I like mysteries and it was billed as “Mrs. Jeffries is the Miss Marple of Victorian Mystery.”
It is a thoroughly unremarkable mystery. While I didn’t hate it I can’t say that I will be looking for the rest of the series.
Inspector Witherspoon is called to the scene of the murder. While he is not portrayed as being a totally bumbling idiot, it is made clear that he can’t solve any of these murders without his trusted staff, headed up my Mrs. Jeffries. The cook and footman and the rest scour for clues, figure out the mystery and discreetly make Witherspoon believe he solved it himself.
It just didn’t work for me. Too many supporting characters whose only job was to look for clues. If there were one, maybe two people pulling Witherspoon’s strings I might be able to buy it, but with everyone on his staff and one of the neighboring aristocrats all working to figure it out for him and then in the end tricking him into believing that he solved it himself - well, as I said, I didn’t buy it. That shtick got old in only one book, I can’t imagine bothering with the rest of the series.
It is not too uncommon in mysteries that the end clue is so flimsy as to be unable to hold up in court, and this is no exception. Heck, maybe during Victorian times this *would *have held up in court, likely they didn’t have the same requirements as we do today, but the murderer broke down and confessed on the least little bit evidence.
Am still reading The Last Guardian of Everness. I am more than half way through and keep thinking it shows signs of promise, but maybe I should put it down.
Next up: The Dark River (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 2)
I just got the first installment of Flashman from the library and with the exception that this book is in very poor state and chunks are falling out of it, making it difficult to read whilst bathing, I am thoroughly enjoying Flashy’s adventures so far. Up to the duel right now. but the book shape is disconcerting.
Currently working my way through “The God delusion” by Richard Dawkins (yes I know I’m a year later than everyone else on this but so sue me). I’m enjoying it quite a bit, Dawkins’s style is engaging and witty, as well as taking no prisoners which is very chortle-worthy.
I’m mostly skimming Michael Dirda’s Classics For Pleasure. I started off reading it word for word, but now I’m just picking for recommendations.
I’m halfway through Roman Blood, by Steven Saylor. It’s a murder mystery set in ancient Rome, during Sulla’s dictatorship. A young Cicero has hired the “detective” to solve a murder that one of his clients has been accused of: a patricide, which calls for a very nasty death sentence.
You are in for a treat. These are some of my favorite mysteries/historical novels. Roman Blood is OK, the next 3-4 get better, then they fall off a bit, IMO. All still very, very good.
67 books for me in 2007.
Right now I’m slogging through Bowling Alone and A Brief History of Time.
Neither is exactly what I’d call a fun read, but I’m glad I’m finally getting around to BA. I tried to read ABHOT when it came out, but ran into a brick wall when he started talking about the elemental particles. Found it hard going agin, but am determined to make it to the end. When I finish these 2, I’m definitely going to be in the mood for some light reading.
I’m almost finished with this book myself. Mr. singular is a huge fan of Flashman and has read all the books many times. I noticed the author’s Death Notice here on the boards, and let hubby know about it. As a tribute to the fallen author, I decided to try it again. I cannot warm up to this character - and I enjoyed Ignatius J. Reilly, so I can tolerate unpleasant characters! I’ll finish the book, but I really can’t see pursuing this series.
Oh, and I joined Goodreads too!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Boilerplate Rhino.
I’ve read the first two and enjoyed them a lot. Not as much as my beloved Sharan Newman, but a lot.
And it’s nice to know that I do remember some of my Latin and ancient history courses!