While She Knits

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting and waiting for Anachred to post, but where is she?

Last Friday's While She Knits post had over 100 comments.  We rock.  And we also, apparently, read.  A lot.

So, if no one minds, how about this for a new question?  Fill in the blanks.

Have you ever read ______________ by _____________?  I've been thinking about reading it.  Is it any good?



(sorry Anachred for any miscommunication on my part and I apologize for the post if you had something in mind)

Comments

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I'll start. Has anyone read The Lion Hunter, the latest book about Telemakos by Elizabeth Wein?

[rowana.livejournal.com]

Has anyone else been reading Heyer? I've just finished reading 'The Black Moth' followed by 'Devil's Cub'. I had very different opinions on the respective heroines - Diana made me want to stop reading 'Black Moth' at several points, since her main character trait seemed to be her incredible beauty - highlighted at regular intervals in very descriptive ways. Mary from 'Devil's Cub' fell in the same bracket of some of Heyer's better heroines, I thought, like Anthea from 'The Unknown Ajax' or Frederica.

The plots were fun, as they always are. Heyer does seem to do the same thing over and over, but she does it very well, most of the time, I think.

(*Does not ask about Checkers' mood. At all.*)

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley? Thats one of my absolute favorites. How about The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale? Another really good one. How about His Majesty's Dragon, by Naomi Novik? I Love Love Love that book.

The reason I ask? All three of those authors are releasing books really really close together at the end of September.

September 18th, Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale will be released.
September 20th, Dragonhaven by Robin Mckinley will be released.
September 25th, Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik will be released.
(At least, I THINK I have those dates right. They're somewhere thereabouts, at least.)

I think my favorite authors are all conspiring together. I just don't know whether they're conspiring against me, or for me... gah.

[cyberskiver.livejournal.com]

I've read the Blue Sword and The Goose Girl. Liked them both. I hadn't heard about the new books, though, so thanks!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I adore Shannon Hale's books. I just finished Austenland and it was so much fun! Jade, you've GOT to read it. I think you'd like it.

I've had His Majesty's Dragon sitting here on my TBR bookcase since Christmas. I really need to read it. Are the sequels good, too?

knit knit knit

[(Anonymous)]

Has anybody read the Hornblower books by Forrester?

mwt

[avian-xj.livejournal.com]

oh! I hadn't even heard that one was out, and I still need to read the first one that I skipped over by accident. *adds a skicky note to the ever growing pile*

Re: knit knit knit

[empmai.livejournal.com]

No, but they're on my list now!

Re: knit knit knit

[agentmaly.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking I need to read those, since my family all love the movies made with Ioan Gruffudd. But they're yet another one of those 'I'll read that when I remember, which will probably be years from now given all the other things I haven't read yet' things.

I once read a review of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series in which the reviewer said they had feared the books would be another poor imitation of the excellent and seminal Hornblower series, but had been pleasantly surprised. So that's a vote in their favour.

Sorry, Checkers...

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

I totally failed to remember, is all.

I like your idea (I was thinking of a prompt myself, but thinking that Friday was a long time away--week slipped by in an unusual amount of reading, actually) thanks for doing it.

About the Attolia chapter by chapter...I'll read it all in a few sittings, and then get it back to the library. (Wishful thinking tells me they'll come out with a hardback set to match the most gorgeous KoA, as they have the art for it, though the trend seems in the other direction.

Re: knit knit knit

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

They've been on my TBR list FOREVER. They're moving up, though...

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

I actually am! And usually that's not my kind of thing, but I've had an idea for a Regency, and want to research both in non-fiction and novels in the genre.

I just read Devil's Cub. Was very impressed with how much she pitches things up so that by the end the very thing you knew MUST happen is such a great relief and joy.
I'd only read the Corinthian before, which I think I want to reread now. I have the Nonesuch out (as my obligatory second in research) but we shall see.

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

Anyone read Daughter of the Forest? (Juliette Marillier)
That one blew me away. Very hard, very uncomfortable, but so well written and quick for it's size.

Heyer

[(Anonymous)]

I don't like insipid heroines, and whatsername in Black Moth wasn't my favorite, but when Heyer writes a pretty fluff for a heroine, it isn't because it's the default position for her. It's more like equal opportunity for fluffheads. Some people ARE beautiful, shy, and spineless. In real life they are lovely people and it doesn't surprise you that someone could love them and want to take care of them. It didn't bother me that her luminous beauty was harped on, because I thought it was necessary to the plot: it was because she was luminously beautiful that she attracted the attention of the Black Moth. And I liked the hero. Even if his taste in women was insipid.

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

I really liked Anthea-- but more than that, I liked Hugo!

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

There's one, Summers at Castle Auburn, and then there's another-- I Capture the Castle. I keep meaning to read both. Verdict?

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

And has anyone read Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan? I know I've mentioned it before. It's excellent.

Re: knit knit knit

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

... are they historically accurate? *dares to hope*

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

I Capture the Castle is great -- a very odd book, but great. Don't see the film version afterward or you'll be bitterly disappointed. The girls and their father are cast perfectly; the American brothers, horribly.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

I hated 'I Capture the Castle' the first time I read it, but enjoyed it a lot more a few years later. I think that you'd enjoy it, but I'm seconding the don't-see-the-film idea.

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

OMG *tackles* New McKinley???? HEEEEEEE YAY!! I hart you now. ♥

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

HMD and sequels are GOOD, yes. She's always been one of my favorite authors, but I dunno if you'd have read any of her fannish work.

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

An author I love that I don't see get recced very often is Patricia McKillip, particularly her Winter Rose, The Book of Atrix Wolfe, and Song for the Basilisk, as well as the Cygnet duology. I neither read or felt interested by some of her older and better known works like The Riddle-master of Hed and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, though, but the ones I've read I loved. Very different sort of fantasy writer, very abstract. Lovely.

Re: knit knit knit

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, they are historically accurate. They are also quite grim in places. Hornblower is unlike any character I can think of from any other book. Very shy and very proud at the same time. A brilliant military thinker, but not superman. He saves the day again and again, but in the process makes mistakes that he hates himself for. Start with Mr. Midshipman Hornblower. It's a prequel written by Forrester after the success of the other books, so it isn't always listed as first in the series, but it is a good place to start.

My only caveat is that if you read them and love them, you may never appreciate Patrick O'Brien. If you already like O'Brien, you may not like Hornblower. They are just a little out of tune with each other and it makes your teeth buzz when you try to read both.

mwt

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I loved I Capture the Castle. It's quirky and has a lot of humor. I don't think I'd have appreciated it when I was young, especially the ending. I'm not knocking any of the younger readers, I'm just saying that *I* as a young reader would not have been able to appreciate the ending, where now I can. And it made me want to go live in a castle in England for awhile, but definitely only in summer.

I think you'd like it, Willow. It's a nice mix of romance and realism.