FF: Change, Transformation, and Self-Discovery

One new author, but mostly continuation of series I’ve become interested in.

The Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include either short fiction or magazine articles.

Kwahe’e Approves of Sammy

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 few opinions tossed in.

Recently Completed:

The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, edited by S.M. Stirling.  Although there are a fair share of “we’re just holding on and here come the bad guys” stories,” there’s a lot of thoughtful treatment of how people would react to “the Change,” whether immediately, a few years later, or even decades on.

Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane.  Audiobook.  Kit and Nita’s summer holiday becomes entangled with underwater magic.  Lovely use of non-human perspective.  Some very good material regarding making choices – even if those choices don’t benefit oneself.

Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy by Wendelin Van Draanen.  This time Sammy finds herself accused by a priest of stealing his treasured personal cross.  While trying to clear herself, she discovers a homeless girl and uncovers a monumental scam.  Includes a very well-rendered softball game and the first hints about Sammy’s absent father.

In Progress:

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett. Audiobook So far, I’m enjoying a great deal.  The setting is richly detailed, so much so that it’s been easy to overlook that the plot is comparatively skimpy, and the characters fall into very familiar types.  Some interesting events do eventually happen – not plot twists, since I’d been expecting something along these lines, but intriguing developments.

Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elf by Wendelin Van Draanen.  Sammy is blackmailed to find a missing dog.  Only part way in, but Nancy Drew never had such problems!

Also:

Beginning of the month magazines…  Good article in American Archeology about the possible impact of the bow on cultural development.