book recs?

[hoosierbitch]

I haven't been reading much lately (well, of the non-internet variety) and I'd like to do more. I have intermittent periods of really long down time at work that I could fill up with reading. But I feel like a runner prepping for a marathon--like, "Great Expectations" was unexpectedly hilarious but scattered, "Wuthering Heights" was scary but not a

Comments

[hedgerose]

I was, actually, going to rec you The Sparrow, because ugh it's FANTASTIC-- I can read it over and over again.

I love pretty much all of the authors you've listed, which yay. Have you read The Winter Prince, by Elizabeth E. Wein? It's a fantastic Arthurian re-telling, from Mordred/Medraut's point of view. Warning for incest, tho. There are four sequels to it, too. :)

Also Susan Cooper? The Dark is Rising series? Also Arthurian, tiny boys doing magic, Wales, etc.

[hoosierbitch]

Thank you! They've got "Dark is Rising" at the library right next to where I work, and "Winter Prince" is on its way over. The Minneapolis library system is so nice. :-)

THANK YOU!

Also: SPARROW. I haven't reread it yet. Every time I try, I just remember all the parts that punched me in the heart, but I think I need to try again because there were also so many parts that lifted me up in ways that I'd never been light before. Y'know?

[hedgerose]

SPARROW SPARROW SPARROW. SLDKJFGH. I just. The world-building, and the slow ache and the way everything builds and builds and and.

ALSO DO NOT READ THE SEQUEL TO THE SPARROW. I was incredibly disappointed in it, and it's one of the few books I regret reading.

[hoosierbitch]

I COMPLETELY AGREE.

I READ IT, EXPECTING BRILLIANCE, AND WAS CONSUMED BY FUCK YOU AND ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU MISSED. My BFF, however, enjoyed it.

Sometimes I wonder how we are still friends.

It's kind of like "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead." Just. NO.

[daria234]

The Boleyns are secretly ROBOTS and they were never supposed to have feelings at all!

Okay, that wasn't a real spoiler.

Since you're also into Greek yums, should I assume you've read Atwood's Penelopiad and Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles?

I just started The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt and I'm liking it so far a lot. It's named of course after the book by Margaret Cavendish, which is also a fun book that I like, in part because it's like whoa, who knew feminist sci fi was that old?.

[hoosierbitch]

Totally already read 'em both, Literary Braintwin. :-) Loved Peleopiad (I'm an Atwood fan, too), but I didn't finish Song--mixed feelings abt it. Can't remember why now... If I can't think of a good reason, I'll give it a second shot.

I've pre-ordered Blazing World, since it hasn't hit MN library shelves yet, so I'll let you know how it goes.

THANK YOU, YOU CLASSICS GODDESS YOU!

[daria234]

Figured you'd read them lol. I was conflicted too about Miller's book but enjoyed it anyway. There's the relationship starting as teens, which makes a lot people uncomfortable, and then the portrayal of women which is almost non-existent. I thought the characterization of Achilles was pretty good but I didn't think an ancient Greek audience would recognize this character as Patroklos, but once I got past that, I liked it as a novel.

Fair warning on Blazing World - I'm only 80 pages in, so for all I know, the last part sucks lol.

BTW Lady Macbeth was a robot too. In case you didn't know.

Totally random thought: WHERE is the steampunk novel about Lady Macbeth?

[hoosierbitch]

Also, YOU EVIL SPOON WIELDING MONKEY

GODDAMN

NOW I HAVE TO REEXAMINE EVERYTHING

DO OTHER PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ROBOTS?

ARE THERE OTHER ROBOTS?

ARE THERE STILL ROBOTS TODAY?

YOU ARE A LIFE RUINER. FYI. CONGRATS. HOPE YOU'RE FEELING PROUD OF YOURSELF.

[meretricula]

her publisher has done a shit job of advertising and so nobody seems aware of this, but Robin McKinley has a new book out called Shadows that I liked very much, so that is my first rec! if you like Hilary Mantel, Mary Renault is also a writer of gorgeous historical fiction (with canon queer relationships! YOU'RE GOING TO CRY SO MUCH, IT'S GR8), though mainly of Greco-Roman history. I'd maybe start with The Last of the Wine and see if you like her writing style, because that's a stand-alone, but she's got a trilogy about Alexander the Great that is super popular (I am a bad fan, it's on my shelf but I haven't read it yet). and no fangirl I've met has failed to love Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

other suggestions of first books in series you might like (but that's a bigger time investment, so maybe put them on the to-read-later pile): Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, Graceling by Kristen Cashore, His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik, and Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. haha can you tell I'm a teen librarian, god I'm

[photoash]

I really liked Fangirl too way more than expected :) it made me laugh my way through it.

[elrhiarhodan]

To fill your female-author, female-centric fantasy shopping cart:

Anything by Sharon Shinn, but especially her Samaria books and the Twelve Houses series

Anything by Lois McMaster Bujold, especially the three Chalion books (some peeps prefer her space fantasy series, but not me).

Also recommend:

Maria V. Snyder - The Study Series is my favorite

Deborah Harkness - The All Souls Trilogy (though only the first two, Discovery of Witches and The Shadow of Night are published, the third one, Book of Life, is out in July)

I'm just now reading Rachel Hartman's Serafina, which is excellent.

I have lots more, but these are the ones off the top of my head.

[frith_in_thorns]

Seanan McGuire's October Daye books. They're urban fantasy/fairytale noir, and really woman-heavy. With a large amount of queer characters, too! Also there are currently seven of them out so they will keep you going ;) But seriously, I have SO MUCH LOVE for these books :D

[sorchasilver]

Seconding this, I love these! And also her InCryptid series, the third of which has just been released.

McGuire also has a bunch of free short stories set in both series available free from her website.