Reading Log: July 2020
So, this one is going to be a short blog today. I’ve not been reading a whole lot personally over this past month and I’ll explain why that is in just a moment. Basically, over the past month, I’ve done 3 things since the last time I wrote a “Reading Log” entry:
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests, I read for & wrote my Prospectus and sent it to my Dissertation Director. My research focus is in what ways can Afrofuturism (specifically, film and other related media) be used to increase empathy and mitigate the affects of racism.Remembering my childhood summer days, I started writing consistently at night and using the fading summer sun at nighttime to work drafts and drafting–was able to finish 2 drafts (The Independent & Unhallowed) by doing this.Having gotten away from reading because of #1 & #2 above, I recently stopped writing so much at night, and trying to make sure I take time to read again.
Essentially, days were taken up with reading and writing for school (when not working) and nights were taken up with creative writing. This left little time for reading, but I could tell my stress level was going up. I’ve now cut down on the creative writing a bit and I’m making sure that I set a stopping time of sundown (when the sun actually goes down and I can no longer see well enough without turning on lights in the house) as my reading time. I’ve been doing that for the past week and a half, and so far its worked great.
The Eye of the World
I’ve not checked the sidebar to see if it is still grabbing the information from Goodreads correctly, but I went in and cleared all books from my currently reading list except the one(s) that I’m actually reading at my (own) designated reading time. For this month, that should be The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.
Like Tad Williams’ works mentioned in a previous post, this book is an Epic Fantasy novel (I liked the ones from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. It was just when Game of Thrones took over the landscape and got “discovered,” the epic fantasy landscape shifted and morphed into this pastiche of writers, each trying to be the next “GoT” that has really soured me on the genre lately.) I’m hoping the success of Brandon Sanderson, who himself was inspired by Jordan, will shift the genre back to a more palatable (and stable) stance–but that remains to be seen. This is the first in a 14 book series. Unfortunately, he died before completing the series–and Sanderson was asked to complete the series from Jordan’s detailed notes. I’m glad he was able to–there are several series that I’ve read over the years that were not resolved due to untimely deaths from authors.
When The Eye of the World debuted in the 1990s, it was “hot stuff,” the GoT of its time (without all the sex & violence). It captured the hearts and minds of the fantasy community at the time (and made a sizable impact to those outside of the fantasy landscape). Like GoT, it inspired a whole cadre of writers to write in Jordan’s style and genre. I’ve read the entire series and I’ve owned them all in paperback. Before I started school and began to have to deal with the “poor graduate student” conundrum, I was slowly working my way through and converting my Jordan collection into premium paperbacks (new) and hardcovers (from the local used bookstore). I’m only half-way through, but one of these days, if the money situation eases, I’ll try to complete the set.
As I only started a week and a half ago, and I’m not really in any hurry, I’m only a little over half-way through (this will be probably my 5th complete read through). I’m wanting to get to my favorite part–which is where Rand comes to a fairly large city and interacts with some important people–that’s all I can say without spoilers, but anyone who’s read the book knows exactly what scene I’m describing–and for it to be a serious, epic fantasy book, where the world is constantly on the line, Jordan displays some masterful comic timing and delivery along with wonderful world-building and characterization in that one fairly brief encounter. I love it and hope one day to write scenes of that caliber!
Well, you’re all caught up–sorry there’s not more. Have a great weekend!
Sidney
Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:
Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric Spec
Purchase HawkeMoon on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase Dragonhawk on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase WarLight on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase Ship of Shadows on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase Faerie Knight on Amazon.com (Paperback) or Kindle
Currently Working On (7/2020):
“Project Wall” (Science Fiction Story)
Drafting: First Draft
Unhallowed (Weird Western Story)
Drafting: 2nd Draft (Working Draft)
Childe Roland Graphic Novel
Up Next: Rough Draft (Story)
I, Mage (Urban Fantasy Story)
Drafting: 1st Revision
