Reading Post #43

[desertvixen]

 I think 43 is correct.  It's been awhile.

They Fought Like Demons by Blanton and Cook was an excellent look at women soldiers during the Civil War.  It paints the subject in fairly broad strokes, but showcases some interesting cases.

 Eleanor of Provence: Queenship in 13th Century England by Margaret Howell was an excellent, if scholarly read.  I used it as my bedtime book for about two weeks.  It covers not just Eleanor's time in England, but mostly the economic and political facets of her role in English and French history.  It was one of the sources for the recent book Four Queens.  It is relatively heavy, but definitely worth the read.

 I was planning to do a more in-depth review of The Sunrise Lands by S.M. Stirling, but I got sidetracked.  He's starting another trilogy, it appears, and in this one we're going to find out why the Change happened.  (The Change, of course, is the primary event that kicks off both Island in the Sea of Time trilogy and Dies The Fire trilogy.)  It's good, what you expect of the series from Stirling by now (and yes, that means both good and bad). 

Spoilers for Sunrise Lands behind the cut:

He appears to be going with some outside alien force causing the change.  We get to find out what happened to the 1400 BC Nantucket, with some regular time people as well - I really liked that part.  Rudi Mackenzie all grown up, and I don't think the female readership is going to argue with that.  There's also a traveler character who kicks off the book, Ingolf Vogeler, who puts me briefly in mind of Cazaril from Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.  I predict that Rudi and Matilda are going to end up together, or at least have an Encounter.  I also predict that Odard is going to end up giving his life for Matti.  Lastly, I see he has found a replacement (sort of) for the Lesbian Sailor Ninjas (Marian Alston and Swindapa from Island in Mary and Ritva, with their entrance into the first fight scene as the Twin Naked Blonde Stacked Swordswomen.

Frozen in Time: The Fate of The Franklin Expedition by Baltie and Geiger was fascinating.  I know how the story ends, but the getting there was fascinating.  The pictures of preserved crewmen were impressive, as well.

 Maharanis: Family Saga of 4 Queens by Lucy Moore was excellent.  Following the two families into their relationships and history as India evolves from a British colony to a modern day country was fascinating.  I definitely recommend this one.

 The Body in The Library by Agatha Christie is a Marple mystery, and pretty good.  Aunt Jane appears to be growing on me.  I need to find a better copy of this one, though - it's a used one and a little too battered for my taste.

 The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan was just fascinating.   That's really all I have to say about it.  I almost could not force myself to put it down.

 The Duel by Barbara Metzger was very good, one of her better recent ones.  I liked the hero and heroine quite a bit, and the unsavory relation was well done.  My favorite part of her books are the humor and the insane families.

Cruel as the Grave by Sharon Kay Penman was quite good, her second medieval mystery.  I picked up a nice hardcover at a UBS.

First Ladies by Margaret Truman was very good, too - an interesting look at the presidential spouses by a presidential daughter.  It's nicely dishy and story-teller-style.

 An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer was smashingly good.  It took me awhile to read it, since I was reading it at bedtime, but I enjoyed it very much.  I was definitely surprised by Lucy's secret, and I loved Lady Barbara Childe.  Nice visit from the Avon family.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen was tolerable, but only that.  I seriously wanted to kill some of the characters.  The BBC series of it was excellently done, however.

And, I finally read "Winterfair Gifts".  I don't much care for the other stories, so question for my fellow LMB fans - is it in an omnibus yet?  I loved this, more than I thought I was going to. 

2500 Recipes: Everyday to Extraordinary by Andrew Schloss and Ken Bookman, is a nice update of the previous one from the 90s, 50 Ways to Cook Everything.  Recipes have been updated, and changed up some, and this time they put the helpful techniques and  recipes in the first chapter, not the last.  Definitely good.

I also reread Memory and A Civil Campaign this week.  I soooo want another Vorkosigan book, and I want it to deal with Ivan, and Lady Alys, and Vorbarr Sultana (the wicked corrupt capital).  Simon would be good too.  I don't want another Diplomatic Immunity.

 I'm saving Barrayar for a pick me up after Brian leaves for Afghanistan.

 Lastly, I've been picking up some of the Sweet Valley stuff to add to the teen-lit collection I seem to be amassing.  One thing that is refreshing - the "ideal dress size" in the books is a SIX.  Not a zero, or a two, but a six.  Makes you realize how times have changed.

 DV

Comments

[kd5mdk.livejournal.com]

Lastly, I see he has found a replacement (sort of) for the Lesbian Sailor Ninjas (Marian Alston and Swindapa from Island in Mary and Ritva, with their entrance into the first fight scene as the Twin Naked Blonde Stacked Swordswomen.

I've always wondered if he's throwing these characters in with the hopes that he'll get optioned for a film someday.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind seeing Lancers as a movie, but the trilogies are just too big.

DV

[kd5mdk.livejournal.com]

There was considerable discussion on the Stirling listserv back in the days when I participated speculating that Drakon was written with the hopes of landing a movie deal. I think it would work (if feel a lot like Terminator Redux)

Lancers would make an excellent movie, but I think would suffer a lot from current opinions on the Raj's effect on India. Steve's a lot more positive on the idea than a lot of people now, and it would probably offend a lot of people from there.

Conquistador would be a harder transfer.

The Sky People could be a lot of fun. Do it in a not quite campy 1960s style and I think the audience could really buy into it.

Finally, he's got an anthology of short fiction coming out soon, maybe something from there would work.

[pstratt.livejournal.com]

I saw this in the Wall Street Journal non-fiction list. I have no idea what it is, but you'll understand why I'm posting it :)

The Vixen Diaries
Karrine Steffans / Grand Central Publishing

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

LOL!

Must try.


DV

LMB omnibus

[filkferengi]

_Miles In Love_ is due out in Feb. 2008 & includes "Winterfair Gifts."