David > Recent Status Updates

After being very impressed by some of Charles de Lint’s short stories (read several years ago), I’m finally starting a novel of his.

Well, “The Unholy Grail” is certainly a pivot from “The Snow Women.” While the earlier story was farcical and vulgar, this one is sinister and almost sadistic. It shows that Leiber does have some range, but so far neither Fafhrd nor the Gray Mouser are shaping up to be likable, interesting characters. I sure hope that changes.

I want to go to Meldilorn.

“The Snow Women” novella wasn’t to my liking. No likable characters and a plot that just wasn’t very satisfying. Even Fafhrd the young hero was more of a dishonest jerk than the noble warrior I was expecting. I hope the Gray Mouser’s origin story is better.

Honesty this first story “The Snow Women” isn’t that great so far, but I like the generally humorous and pulpy tone. If only Leiber wouldn’t be so tawdry in his imagination.

“Ever since he had discovered the rationality of the hrossa he had been haunted by a conscientious scruple as to whether it might not be his duty to undertake their religious instruction; now, as a result of his tentative efforts, he found himself being treated as if he were the savage and being given a first sketch of civilized religion—a sort of hrossian equivalent of the shorter catechism.”

“The Good Trip” is the least satisfying story so far. It feels like LeGuin was testing an idea, a narration during an LSD trip, or a similar kind of trip. But in the end, I found the meaning too obscure, the drug-inspired ramblings without much value, and the story in some ways too slight. The ending isn’t bad, and there’s still plenty of evocative prose, but I was restless throughout. At last it ended.