What are you reading in Q1 of 2023?

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

Let us know what you’re reading during the first quarter of 2023 (January, February, March). All genres welcome here!

[Michelle]

I'm reading two spiritual works and a military scifi called Glory Boy.

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

I started the year with the first book in our current series, The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker and my comments are in the folder for that series.

Then I read A Lily in the Light by Kristin Fields, 7/10. I struggled to rate this book because I have mixed feelings about it. It’s not really a mystery, although there is a huge mystery at the heart of it (what happened to 4 year old Lily?). It’s not really the story of a ballet dancer’s path to success, although POV character Esme is a ballet student at the beginning of the story and a star at the end. It’s not really a family drama, although the family is torn and damaged by Lily’s disappearance in horrible and lasting ways. And because it is and is not all those things, the author seemed to have trouble deciding how to tell the story. Overall, the writing is excellent—evocative and impactful. The characters are interesting, especially Esme. Even though Lily is in the title, this is Esme’s tale. Only Cerise felt unreal to me, even before the disappearance. The ballet scenes, both practice and performance, seemed authentic. This is the passage with that contains the title: It always pained Esme that lilies were so beautiful from far away and disturbing up close. There was nothing harder to look at than a lily in the light. It really lends a different perspective to the title and the story.

Currently reading Tales from Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin for a different Goodreads group discussion.

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

Tales from Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin: 7.6/10. Novellas and short stories are not my favorites, and these are a mixed bag.
The Finder (novella, 8/10) is a historical look at the “sort of” founding of the Wizard’s School on Roke. Satisfying story, a good balance between detail and brevity.
Darkrose and Diamond (short story, 5/10) is a love story, mostly unsatisfactory to me. Darkrose is barely fleshed out as a character, while Diamond is a puzzle to me, with his confused priorities and mixed ambitions. It felt like there was so much more that could have been explored here.
The Bones of the Earth (short story, 10/10) achieves what so few short stories do—a story that feels complete in itself. Perfect tone with just the right amount of detail to immerse the reader in the story.
On the High Marsh (short story, 6/10) is a good story, not great.
The Dragonfly (short story, 9/10) is a “bridge story” between Tehanu and The Other Wind according to the author, and as such, the reader is able to predict what may happen to Dragonfly/Irian. Still, it’s a wonderful story and certainly whet my appetite for the final Earthsea book.
The book includes a Foreword by the author and a lengthy “Description of Earthsea” appendix.

Cricket For Dummies by Julian Knight, 5.5/10. Half of the book was truly “cricket for dummies”—basics of the game: the pitch where it’s played, the roles of the players, the equipment, types of matches, terminology, scoring, and rules. Very helpful! The rest of the book was about the history of the game and several chapters of outdated information about international cricket matches, rivalries, and famous players. This content was neither necessary nor helpful to a cricket novice like me. I just want to be able to follow what’s happening when my grandnephews are playing of discussing cricket. And only about half the book satisfied that need.

The Arctic: Capturing the Majestic Scenery, Wildlife, and Native Peoples of the Far North by Jennifer Kingsley, 10/10. NOTE: The book I read is called The Arctic: Reflecting the Landscape, Wildlife, and People of the Far North by Sven-Olaf Lindblad with Elizabeth Warner. When I enter the book’s ISBN, this similar book comes up. It’s a coffee table book, but the photographs are stunning and the short narrative sections describe both the enduring beauty and the daunting challenges faced by the Arctic regions. The landscapes, seascapes, and icescapes, the terrestrial, marine, and avian wildlife, and the people, both indigenous and settlers, are all depicted in text and photos. It is obvious that the author has a great love for the Arctic and its inhabitants, as well as a great fear for their future.

Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, 7/10. Regency romance is not my thing, and it took a while for the fantasy elements to really blossom (view spoiler)[after the initial exposure in the garden when Kate is almost poisoned. I found the epistolary style interesting—mail service was pretty fast in Regency England! Neither Kate’s nor Cecy’s “voice” was particularly unique, so I sometimes found myself confusing them, as well as the aunts and various gentlemen of interest. And the rapid development from romantic interest to marriage was surprising. (hide spoiler)] Still, it was a quick read, fun and pretty light. I will likely read the others in the Kate & Cecelia series.

Talking God by Tony Hillerman, 8/10. Leaphorn and Chee are “fish out of water” in Washington, DC with an intriguing mystery that each gets involved in by different paths. Excellent, fast read.

Now diving into Moving Mars by Greg Bear.

[Michelle]

I read four historical fiction works: The Douglas Bastard (which was fair at best), Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger & Band of Brothers (which were good), and The Wall (which was great).
I read a free fantasy book which was surprisingly good: Slaves of the Sword and Wand.
Three military sci-fi which were excellent: Guardian,Steadfast, and Leviathan.
And two excellent, fun and hilarious urban fantasies: Gobbelino London & A Contagion of Zombies and Gobbelino London & A Complication of Unicorns

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

Moving Mars by Greg Bear, 6.5/10. Some parts of this book are wonderful and others, not so wonderful. The narrator, Casseia, can be incredibly immature and socially awkward, as well as politically naive, yet her path ultimately leads to both political and scientific power. While some of the science was a bit dense, most of the story was enjoyable. I did think there were too many tangents or side stories that really didn’t go anywhere or add much to the plot — almost as if Bear wanted to take the story in a different direction and then changed his mind. I was reminded how enduring and frustrating political conflict can be.

Call of the Bone Ships by R.J. Barker, 8.5/10. I have comments in our groups discussion of this series.

Atlantis by David Gibbins, 5.5/10. A very slow start and a whiz-bang final half/third of the book.

The Codex by Douglas Preston, 7/10. A bit far-fetched but certainly action-packed.

The Grand Tour by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, 6/10. By the end of this book, I could at least remember which main character was which and who was married to whom. But I have no clear sense of the role of magic in this version of the historical period of Regency England, or much about how it works. I would have preferred a bit more of that and a bit less of the whole “Regency” flavor, although I suppose that is what makes these books unique. Overall, I enjoyed the book—it has a light feel to it, even when the circumstances seem dire. A pleasant diversion from all that is grim and dark.

Currently reading Songs of Earth and Power by Greg Bear for a different Goodreads group.

[Tash]

I've been on a bit of a sci-fi kick recently, as I've been reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson. A challenging read but a great one so far.

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

Tash wrote: "I've been on a bit of a sci-fi kick recently, as I've been reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson. A challenging read but a great one so far."

I have that on my shelf but haven’t read it yet (along with way too many other unread books…)

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

So far in March: Songs of Earth and Power by Greg Bear, 6/10. This really is Michael’s story—his trials and triumphs, his infatuations and loves, and really, his messy and somewhat miraculous becoming who he needed to be. All the other characters serve that ultimate story. His development and abilities seemed almost too much, too good, too convenient—just when he needed to be stronger, more skilled, more daring, braver, whatever, he always was. The Serpent Mage is far more complex than The Infinity Concerto. I think both sections could have used some judicious editing. Bear certainly takes the basic Celtic legends of the Fae/Sidhe in new and different directions, stirring in the basic creation story of the Judeo-Christian tradition, the concept of multiple, parallel worlds, and the idea that there is power and magic in the arts (music, dance, poetry). It’s an interesting mix. I found much of the story to be bleak and somewhat depressing, like a feeling of heaviness or pressure while I was reading. Even the ending did not seem to do enough to dissipate that feeling. So I can’t quite decide how I feel about this book. I found it creative, inventive, and fascinating, yet sad and sort of overdone or overblown.

The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin, 10/10. This book, the last in the Earthsea series, brings the various plot lines and characters together and resolves them in a manner that is elegant, bittersweet, and utterly fitting. Yet it’s not too neat and tidy—the reader can see where there will still be uncertainty, conflict, and growth. But with a sigh and a few tears, this particular saga of Sparrowhawk/Ged, Tenar, Lebannen, and Tehanu is complete, with help from Alder the mender, Irian, the mages of Roke, and even the Princess. The author’s writing is so spare, yet so evocative! Such a treat to read!

The Bone Ship's Wake by R.J. Barker, 9/10. My comments are in our group discussion of this book.

Now reading Geomancer by Ian Irvine.

[Tash]

Kathi wrote: "I have that on my shelf but haven’t read it yet (along with way too many other unread books…)"

A shelf of unread books? I certainly know what that is like!

[Kathi, There’s no such thing as too many books!]

Wrapping up Q1 of 2023:
I finished Geomancer by Ian Irvine. Irvine doesn’t get much attention in fantasy circles, but I think his books are solid. This is the first in The Well of Echoes series, and I rated it 8/10. The characters are interesting and three-dimensional; the narrative follows Tiann, Nish, and Irisis with chapters from their points of view. The world of Santhenar is populated by humans but there are other sentient humanoid species as well. Plenty of action propels the story forward, but it’s balanced with some introspection by the POV characters.

The Mislaid Magician; or, Ten Years After by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, 7.5/10. Probably my favorite of the 3 books in the Cecelia & Kate series. I was glad there was more magic in this installment—ley lines, protective spells, the influence of the stone circles, scrying, even ciphers and enchantments on their correspondence—I welcomed it all! Best of all was the (view spoiler)[enchantment that binds England together as a country, cast thousands of years ago (hide spoiler)]! I could have done with less “Georgy-drama” and some of the emphasis on the antics of Kate’s and Cecy’s respective children, but I suppose that is in keeping with the overall tone of the series.

A Green Journey by Jon Hassler, a surprising 8.5/10. This turned out to be a well-told story—finished it in a day! Complex, interesting characters, with more depth than their initial chapters indicated, against a backdrop of change in the Catholic Church and the turmoil of The Troubles in Ireland. Ultimately a story of forgiveness and of finding oneself.