Propping up a dodgy memory

Today I finished reading Great Working Horse Stories by Angela Goode (Allen and Unwin 2009), which was a Christmas present from Mum. I've been nibbling away at it for a while because it's a huge collection of hundreds of Australian anecdotes, some as short as a few hundred words.

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Carried away by what felt like a rare opportunity, I picked up Rookie by Scott Sigler at Swancon. I didn't mean to, because while I like aliens (and by extension space travel) I'm not that familiar with american football. I am, however a fan of milfic, and so this sporting tale presses enough military buttons to keep me reasonably interested if not intimately aware of the significance of every play. Tim Powers has written several poker-heavy books where I have the same problem, but as long as I can get a feel for the shapes, the ebbs and flows of the action, that is enough. Sigler has managed this quite well.

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ED: And now I've finished it the final cut is here: http://stephbg.livejournal.com/517148.html

* usual not-a-review disclaimer blah blah blah it's-all-about-me blah blah blah*

I didn't quite know what to expect from A Book of Endings by Deborah Biancotti. Off the top of my head most of the other Twelfth Planet Press publications I've read have been pulpy and/or noirish, and so I just let this one flow over me. I also don't recall having read anything by Biancotti herself, so there were no expectations there. Short story authors don't tend to stick in my head.

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I'm not quite sure where to begin in this record of my impressions of Scott Sigler's Ancestor. Let's get out of the way that it's a Jurassic Park ripoff. Maybe ripoff is too harsh but the comparisons are undeniable: Genetic Experiment Goes Awry On Small Island Resulting In A Mismatched Group Of Scientists et al Being Hunted Down By Monsters Whilst Isolated From The Outside By Harsh Weather Conditions. Let's throw in some industrial espionage and a lot of guns and...

Hmmm. Maybe "ripoff" isn't too harsh after all.

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What do these books have in common?

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I have good news and bad news from Middle Niece:

She really liked the Evernight books, and wants more. Thanks for the rec leecetheartist.

She really liked the Traci Harding, and wants more.

If anyone was wondering, this is what Twilight looks like:



Godzilla is for scale.

I wonder how many commentators have read all the bastards volumes? Eh? Eh?

BTW If anyone on the flist disagrees with my snap judgements about the things, or has seen any half-intelligent (and informed, damnit) essays on the subject I'd really like to know. I haven't actually read much in the way of commentary. It's a bit backward of me I know.

Yes, I read it in a day. Yes I'm blind.

( Whatever )

I have just borrowed the rest of the Twilight books from Middle Niece, who adores them beyond reason. Struck by inspiration I loaned her some Traci Harding. The exchange went something like this:

"These are awful. I think you might like them."

"You're going to hate these."

So much for being a good influence.

Today I finally finished the anthology Moon Flights by Elizabeth Moon. I say "finally" because it was sadly uncompelling, and it took longer than it should to get through it. More than once I did the how-many-pages-are-left flick forward, and there was one story I couldn't bring myself to finish. To call this a disappointment would be something of an understatement, because I am terribly keen on Elizabeth Moon and her work. (Remember my review disclaimer - I am expressing a personal opinion here, not an independent assessment.)

( But it's all right )