August 2011

Here’s my Stuff I’ve Been Reading post for August.

1. Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.  Martin’s new novel is about Lacey Yeager, a rising star in the New York art world.  As selfish and cunning as she is fascinating, Lacey makes a character study as intricate as a piece of art herself.  Unfortunately, I didn’t like this protagonist as much as I did the one in Shopgirl; not even the witty narrator could sell what became, ultimately, a flawed persona.
2. Fantasy and Science Fiction, Mar/Apr.  I read this magazine of short stories and novellas in snatches at work, which is probably why I remember almost none of the stories, except a charming retelling of one of the tales from 1,001 Nights.
3. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.  I’ve read Austen many times before, of course, but this was the first time I’d read the R. W. Chapman edition given to me as a Christmas present.  It was excellent–Elinor Dashwood is always one of my favorite Austen heroines.
4. Colours in the Steel by K. J. Parker.  See previous post for thoughts at the time.
5. The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King.  This book follows up the cliffhanger ending of its predecessor in a satisfactory way.  I’m already looking forward to The Pirate King, which is a pretty spectacular title.
6. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett.  One of my least favorite Discworld novels, this book is a satire about the Holy Wood, which isn’t magic, but a kind of alchemy.  Dungeon Dimension creatures enchant familiar Ankh-Morpork characters into a kind of acting craze, which a not-quite-hero, not-quite-wizard must put to rights.  Also features the Librarian.
7. The Belly of the Bow by K. J. Parker.  Book two of the Fencer Trilogy.
8. The Best American Short Stories 2010 edited by Richard Russo.  As usual, I particularly liked the story by Rebecca Makkai, whose novel The Borrower I’ve been wanting to read.  As well, Tea Obreht, whose novel The Tiger’s Wife I read earlier this year, makes an appearance.  I enjoyed almost all the stories in this edition, except, to my surprise, the ones by Karen Russell and Wells Tower, whose short story collections I’ve formerly appreciated.
9. Od Magic by Patricia McKillip.  A gardener with powers he himself doesn’t realize comes to work at the wizard’s school in Numis, where a traveling magician, a princess, a quarter warden, and a bevy of wizards discover a nameless, wordless threat.  This charming story is an enjoyable fairy-tale-like read, comparable to select Sherwood Smith and Robin McKinley.

Also, look! I’ve started tagging authors.  This particular list makes me look quite well-read indeed.