Chris’s Comments (group member since Feb 25, 2011)

Chris’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

I had high hopes for this; I’ve enjoyed many other books by Seanan McGuire and her alter ego Mira Grant. But I was disappointed. There were some high points; the sirens were interesting, and the personalities and interactions of the deaf siblings kept me engaged. But otherwise, this was a standard B grade horror flick. Too many tropes, too many one dimensional characters like the hunting couple. Too bad.

The calendar says that the season has changed, but here on the Gulf Coast it still seems like summer. Has the seasonal change affected your reading choices? What are you reading this month? Tell us about your current reads and recommendations.

I loved the way this arc ended. So many threads, all tied up in such a satisfactory way. Dragons are once again present in the world in partnership with humankind. Trade is poised to flourish again the the Rainwilds. The Duke of Chalced’s plans were thwarted, and his agent Hest got what he deserved. We learned so much about the Elderlings! What a great story.

I have now read four of the books, because those are the ones that I've found in used bookstores. According to CJ Cherryh's site, http://www.cherryh.com/www/univer.htm, most of the books can be read standalone and in any order.

In general, I've found the overall political situation murky, possibly because Cherryh's characters spend so much time internally discussing all the possible ramifications of any situation. But the central characters are well drawn and compelling. My favorite so far is Finity's End; Fletcher's actions and reactions to his changing situation are completely understandable and sometimes distressing.

My copy finally arrived, and I devoured this. I really liked the compact storytelling. The depictions of Sandor's life as a marginal trader was believable, and made a tremendous contrast with the Reilly family vessel. It brought home the time and distance issues of interstellar travel; had Sandor not followed Alison, there was no guarantee that they would ever cross paths again. I imagine that is also the impetus for the multigenerational merchant ships; if you left part of your family on a station, or split to another ship, you or they could be so changed when you met again. I agree with a number of the comments above about the murky political situation, but I think it was clear enough for me to get the gist of the action. I enjoyed this!

I stopped by a used bookstore and picked up a sackful of new (to me) books. Just finished Enchantment, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The action moves between present day upstate New York and medieval Ukraine and involves elements from many Russian folk tales. An engaging and enjoyable story.

I continued on with the remainder of the series, and I liked each book better than the one before. Each subsequent book deals with the consequences of the previous solution. Andats are like TNT; there are plenty of peacetime applications, but there's nothing to prevent the unscrupulous from exploiting their power. A thought-provoking and interesting series.

I just couldn't get into this. The Wild West/Seattle setting was interesting, but the steampunk elements didn't fit seamlessly (see what I did there …. a sewing machine joke!). None of the characters particularly appealed to me. I'm not sorry I read this, but it was just ok for me.

This was the first Janny Wurts novel I've read, and I enjoyed this old-fashioned high fantasy. Elienne makes a quick decision, opting for an unknown future to escape her captors. What follows takes her to a new role in a new land where she fulfills a prophecy and finds new purpose and hope. A satisfying and entertaining tale with enough twists and turns to keep me engaged.

What are you reading this month? Tell us about your current reads and recommendations.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and went on to read the remainder of the series. This is a nuanced world with elaborate etiquette. I loved the idea of poses to compliment or even take the place of words. Kathi, I definitely agree that the diverse cast of characters adds richness to the story.

I found the idea of the andat disturbing. Not only do they require a significant price from their poet, but they have seemingly unlimited powers to do good or evil, and to have significant effects on the world at large. Im not sure that anyone should wield such vast power, or that anyone even with the best of intentions can remain uncorrupted by it.

I nominate Children of Ruin for SciFi, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This is the newly released sequel to Children of Time.

I nominate Shadowscent : The Darkest Bloom by PM Freestone for Fantasy. Just heard about it on a convention panel and it sounds interesting.

What are you reading this month? Tell us about your current reads and recommendations.

I love, love, love this one. Shel, I completely agree, you've caught all my high points. We've gone from the disappointment of the birth of the undeveloped dragons, through the difficult upriver trek, to end with a surprising optimism. Our group is by no means established, but we can at least see a possibility that they may be able to establish a self-sustaining society. Can't wait for the next one!

Blackfish City introduces an unusual and complex post-apocalyptic society reacting to sea level rise as a result of climate change. There are interesting characters and multiple threads that come together as the story progresses into a cohesive whole. But the real star might be the city itself, cobbled together by ingenuity and ruled by charisma, strength, and greed.

I really enjoyed this post-apocalypse-Tony-Hillerman fantasy. This is top-notch worldbuilding, founded on elements of Navajo mythology and climate science. There's a wonderful sense of place, a concrete understanding of the terrain and style. The heroine is sassy and capable, and is friends (friends?) with all sorts of questionable people. Really enjoyed it, looking forward to the next one!

Shel wrote: "I finished the rest of the October Daye series and now I have to wait for the next book like everyone else! I then read through Wholly Unraveled: A Memoir and [book:Caroline: Little..."

I started reading the October Daye series recently, and I've been bingeing. They read quickly, and they're hard to put down. I didn't care much for the first one, but I was hooked by the second. What a ride!

The heat is definitely on! Let us know what you are reading during these hot summer days and whether you recommend it.

Thanks for the explanation, Kathi, the abrupt ending makes more sense, as well as the fact that this arc has four books instead of the usual three. I simply couldn't stop there; I went on and read next month's book (don't worry, no spoilers here).

The dragons are pitiful creatures. You can imagine the hatching scene …. everyone expecting a joyful celebration, the bands ready to play, feast prepared, ready to usher in a new age. And then the reality sinks in.

The relationships between the dragons and their keepers are the star. Every dragon has a distinctly different personality. While we don't see every dragon-keeper relationship in detail, it's clear that they are also unique. Some verge on friendship. Only Thymara stands aloof from her dragon, maintaining more of a business relationship.

Can't wait until next month, when the plot threads really get going ….

I just finished The Priory of the Orange Tree. It's meant to be a standalone book, although it's quite long. I liked the beginning quite a bit; some interesting world building and characters. But about half way through, I think the author realized that her story line was too big for a single volume and started cutting everything but the main plot line. Honestly, it would probably have made a better trilogy!