Books read in June 2018

[nou]

As per last month, by default I’m just stating whether I’d recommend the book (yes/maybe/no), whether I decided not to finish it (DNF), whether it’s a re-read, and whether I can remember there being any content that needs to be warned for (cw). I’m happy to expand on the reasons for my opinions if anyone is interested though — just comment and ask.

Recommend:

• Lifelode, Jo Walton (re-read) (cw: child death)
• Diaspora, Greg Egan (re-read)
• The Player Of Games, Iain M Banks (re-read) (cw: violence, torture, rape)
• Look To Windward, Iain M Banks (re-read) (cw: violence, body horror, suicide)
• Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho (re-read) (cw: slavery, racism)

Maybe recommend:

• The Algebraist, Iain M Banks (re-read) (cw: violence, torture, child abuse)
• Inversions, Iain M Banks (re-read) (cw: child abuse, child death, torture, violence)
• State of the Art, Iain M Banks (re-read) (short stories)
• Is That A Fish In Your Ear, David Bellis (DNF)

Wouldn’t recommend:

• The Diary Of A Bookseller, Shaun Blythell
• The Root, Na'amen Gobert Tilahun (DNF)

What have you recently read and enjoyed? (Feel free to point towards posts on your own journal.) Do you have any opinions (good or bad) on the books above?

Comments

[booklectica]

I’d be interested to know about the two you wouldn’t recommend?

(Also, are you thinking of going to Croydon Pride at all? I’m tentatively planning to be there.)

[nou]

I found The Diary Of A Bookseller to be boring and repetitive, and very much in the “this happened, then this happened, then this happened” style, with no attempt to develop an overall narrative. It could possibly have been edited into something better, maybe, but I’m not sure there was enough substance even for that. I nearly DNFed this one but I kept hoping it would get better (it didn’t).

The Root, on the other hand, would have been better with different editing. The style is clumsy — even in the first two sentences there’s confusion over referents: “The door had barely opened into the lemon-yellow infirmary before Nurse Dan was hurrying over to help him onto a cot, resignation clear on his round, pink face, the skunk of weed thick as always. He reached for Erik’s arm but pulled back at the appearance of the two men that followed him.” — and a couple of sentences later there’s bewilderingly fast point-of-view switching: “Despite his appearance, Erik was not moving as if he were in pain — nothing like the bent over, cradling vivid yellow-green-purple bruises under his clothes posture that he usually appeared here with. Erik took all this in through a haze of euphoric sensation [...]”

It’s not just the sentence-level stuff, though; the way the backstories were fed through in the first couple of chapters felt really clumsy as well.

Basically though, the reason I DNF was that the plot didn’t interest me enough to get me through the clumsy writing.

Croydon Pride: I’m going for a late breakfast with Sarah and Bec before the parade, then taking Tobes to the Pride crafts at the Museum of Croydon, then ending up at Wandle Park at some point. I have Tobes overnight after that. Email or text me for details if you’re interested in breakfast!

[booklectica]

Thank you, that’s interesting. Agree given your quotes that that’s clumsy writing.

I can’t get to Croydon till the afternoon but hopefully will catch up with you in the park - cool.

[nou]

Great! Drop me a text when you get there.

[selki]

I enjoyed Zen Cho's book, as I have enjoyed her shorter works.

Just posted about some books: https://selki.dreamwidth.org/513003.html

[nou]

Thank you! I’ve downloaded a sample of The Armor of Light.

I’m really looking forward to the sequel to Sorcerer. I had been intending to delay my re-reading until it’s out, but I just really really wanted to read it again. You know how sometimes you get in the mood for a particular book and nothing else will do?

[selki]

I sure do!

[doseybat]

Massive fan of Jo Walton here, must get a copy of Lifelode. Among Others was wonderful. Must force self into the future and finally get an eReader probably, I have always had dead tree books as such a comfort thing have not quite managed to take the plunge yet.

[nou]

Lifelode isn’t available as an eBook, and it was a small press publication in the US so not very easy to get hold of over here, but I’ll lend you my copy if you like?

eReaders are just so good for travelling with.

[doseybat]

On a completely different subject, need to buy more sugar cane before 22nd, except I need up to 10 this time. Wonder if West Croydon market will still have them

[nou]

I know the stall is still there — not sure if they always have sugar cane though.

[doseybat]

Thank you would very much appreciate borrowing the book. Also wondering about asking whether you might have time to check out sugar cane availability? Work need ideally 6 of them for the festival next weekend. Maybe I could come down and collect them and get you lunch if yes? Just checked my local Leyton place and they do not know where to find any

[nou]

I won’t be near that part of Croydon before the weekend unfortunately. (I was there yesterday, but didn’t walk through the market, bah!)

Do you need someone to buy the cane for you or just to confirm they still sell it and/or ask them to save some for you to go and buy from them on Saturday? bob is working from home on Wednesday and might be able to wander past the market (but can’t guarantee it).

[doseybat]

Either confirming the cane on sale or buying would be great, buying would be better. Would be greatful to Bob if that was possible and was not too much trouble. Today I have successfully found chopped up sugar cane bits in China Town, and would still like some big canes but this is now less critical. Our event will run for the whole of the next weekend and I would collect the canes during the week.

[miss_newham]

Hello Bat! Hello Kake! Butting into your conversation here - Kevan is going into Croydon today, so I've asked him to check out the market for you.

[nou]

Oh, thank you both so much!

[doseybat]

Amazing thank you!

[miss_newham]

No sugar cane, says Kevan! Sorry about that - at least we saved you a journey.

[doseybat]

Big thank you, it is very helpful to know I don't need to travel over there :)

[doseybat]

Today I spoke to a few shop staff in Chinatown and apparently the sugarcane season will begin in September, so my hopes are not great

[nou]

All contact info is in a friends-locked post at the top of my journal. NB this is a public post so anyone can now see your mobile number!

[doseybat]

Oops thank you for pointing this out

[katstevens]

I generally enjoy Iain (M) Banks: the only one above I can remember reading is The Player of Games, which I thought was great in terms of concept, but the ending seemed a bit underwritten, maybe? It was all over too soon!

[nou]

Agreed! It does seem to wrap up in rather a rush.

I think my favourites of his are Use of Weapons and Excession.