All Over Again

[image error] Roary Prepares for His First Halloween

Purely by coincidence, many of the books I’m reading this week are re-reads.  In many cases, it’s been decades since I read the original, so there are lots of little surprises along the way.

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.

A reminder that I’m always happy to hear what you are reading!

Recently Completed:

Not Quite Dead Enough by Rex Stout.  Set during WWII.  This one turned out to be two novelettes, the title piece and one called “Booby-trap.”  Both were good, and it was nice seeing Wolfe pushed, repeatedly, out of his comfort zone.

Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan.  (Fictional) Percy Jackson serves as narrator of twelve accounts of the trials and travails of twelve Greek heroes.  Those not familiar with the series may find his occasional allusions to events and character in the series confusing, but Riordan doesn’t hold back as the contractions and just plain weirdness of many of these myths and legends are presented. 

In Progress:

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny.  Almost done.  Enjoying all over again.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede.  Full Cast Audio Productions version.  A friend reminded me of this charming series.  Originally published in 1990, this was one of the first series to take on what has now become a common trope: turning fairytale (especially Disneyesque) expectations for princess and princesses, wizards, witches, and dragons, on their head.

Also:

I’ll be writing the Introduction to a reprint anthology featuring the best of DreamForge and Space and Time magazines, so I’m doing a bit of reading to get prepared for that.