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I have tried to read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell as two people said it was good. I am done trying. I made it about seven or eight pages in, by forcing myself. The story might be good. The author's style and word choice and diction for the narrative part echoes her characters' time and place. This is not only gimmicky but, I find that particular style of phrasing to be positively painful to read. I wanted to yank my eyeballs out by the time I gave up. I flipped through the book in case later sections used a different diction but I saw no sign of this. The thing is over 700 pages long. I'd lose my mind! (That, and I'd never finish it before the 14 day mark. Since the author hadn't gotten me to care in the least about her characters, or even to have any idea who they were other than pompous twits, I saw no reason to give her a chance to do so when I'd have no prayer of finding out what happened. I don't even know what was supposed to start happening or why I'd want anything to happen, and for this, I'm grateful. I think it's a sign of a badly-written book when you've made it that many pages in and the author hasn't gotten a single ONE of those hooks into you, though....)
I'm partway through de Lint's Trader, one of two that were recommended to me after I so disliked Memory and Dream. I am presently stuck, but this is because every sign points to the main character being an idiot in the next few pages, and I simply do not wish to read it. Other than that, the book is a huge improvement over M&D. I do not want to strangle any of the viewpoint characters. Neither do I disbelieve in any of the viewpoint characters, or the world they're in. I am more than halfway through the book. By more than halfway through M&D, the world was believable (and stayed so to the end of the book), but the main character was a complete loss. :P
I've also a copy of Lindskold's The Pipes of Orpheus to read, and then Michelle West's The Sun Sword. I'm oddly reluctant to read the last, although of all the books presently on my 'to be read' list, it is the only one we own. The only one I was sure enough that we got it without first pre-reading at the library. It's the sixth in the series - the series up till now has rocked - even if it turns out to suck, I do not want to own only the first five books of the series. I don't expect it to suck, though. I just don't want the series to end quite yet.... But I do want to read that book. :) Sometime.
All in all a mixed bag. There was a short story in Powers of Detection (one of only a couple worth mentioning, more's the pity) by Donna Andrews. It was actually pretty good - not in the top tier, but pretty good. (At that, it was probably the best story in the book. I liked the story by Anne Bishop more, but this is because I knew the characters - as a story it was somewhat inferior, honestly.) Her books have descriptions so odd that it is with some nervousness that I've placed holds on them at the library. I have this sinking feeling I might regret it. Libraries are lovely things, though - at least there won't be any money wasted with the time, if so.
I'm partway through de Lint's Trader, one of two that were recommended to me after I so disliked Memory and Dream. I am presently stuck, but this is because every sign points to the main character being an idiot in the next few pages, and I simply do not wish to read it. Other than that, the book is a huge improvement over M&D. I do not want to strangle any of the viewpoint characters. Neither do I disbelieve in any of the viewpoint characters, or the world they're in. I am more than halfway through the book. By more than halfway through M&D, the world was believable (and stayed so to the end of the book), but the main character was a complete loss. :P
I've also a copy of Lindskold's The Pipes of Orpheus to read, and then Michelle West's The Sun Sword. I'm oddly reluctant to read the last, although of all the books presently on my 'to be read' list, it is the only one we own. The only one I was sure enough that we got it without first pre-reading at the library. It's the sixth in the series - the series up till now has rocked - even if it turns out to suck, I do not want to own only the first five books of the series. I don't expect it to suck, though. I just don't want the series to end quite yet.... But I do want to read that book. :) Sometime.
All in all a mixed bag. There was a short story in Powers of Detection (one of only a couple worth mentioning, more's the pity) by Donna Andrews. It was actually pretty good - not in the top tier, but pretty good. (At that, it was probably the best story in the book. I liked the story by Anne Bishop more, but this is because I knew the characters - as a story it was somewhat inferior, honestly.) Her books have descriptions so odd that it is with some nervousness that I've placed holds on them at the library. I have this sinking feeling I might regret it. Libraries are lovely things, though - at least there won't be any money wasted with the time, if so.
