How about Team No-Plot-Holes?

(this is a cross-post from my regular blog)


I kid, I kid...I don't actually advocate burning of the Twilight books. Unless, of course, I'm freezing to death. Or just really chilly. Now, like the guy in the above photo, I admit that I haven't actually read the series. I watched a bunch of people I follow on Twitter react with derision after reading the final book, and have heard from many sources that the writing is pretty abysmal. I may eventually read them, but don't hold your breath. Also? Robert Pattinson is really, really not attractive. Sorry. And watching someone while they sleep? That's not romantic and sexy. That's stalking, and it's both creepy and the reason we have restraining orders.

So! I thought it would be fun to post about five books that I recommend instead of Twilight, or to pick up if you've read Twilight and need another vampire / werewolf story to feed your addiction:

5. Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett
I put this one at number five because while I did find it enjoyable, I think it's one of the Discworld books that works better if you've read some of the others. Some of the books in the series can almost stand alone, and others are a bit more meaningful if you've already been introduced to the characters. That said, I don't think any Discworld book is totally inaccessible as a first encounter with the series.

4. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
I like that in Blood and Chocolate, the girl is the werewolf, and the boy she falls for is the human. Main character Vivian isn't completely without flaws, but I didn't have trouble putting up with her. The story has a little less impact to it than the ones I placed above it, but I do remember that I liked the book. I haven't seen the film version, but the wikipedia summary leads me to believe that the screnwriters took a lot of liberties. Might be a fun one to watch for creeps, though.

3. the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
Also known as the Southern Vampire Mysteries, this series served as the inspiration for the HBO series True Blood. I wrote a review of the first book, Dead Until Dark, back when I read it:  "The heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is no Sunshine, but she's a good character. In some ways, she's similar to Sunshine, in that both are pretty ordinary girls--not geniuses, not knockout babes, not karate champions. Where Sunshine had a magical heritage, Sookie has a magical talent--she can read people's minds. Because of this, she has few friends and zero romantic experience. When she meets an "out of the coffin" vampire, things change, and before long, Sookie's trying to solve a mystery and stay alive long enough to figure out whether or not a vampire boyfriend is what she really wants.

My only objections to this story: unnecessary (in my opinion) murder of a family member, even more unnecessary murder of a pet, and a vampire named Bill. My friend Tamsyn, who gave me the book, pointed out that Harris was likely trying to create an alternate take on the stereotypical vampire tale. Instead of femmy glam vampires named Lestat or whatnot, she created a vampire who represented a typical 1870s American Southerner. I'm okay with that, but wish she'd called him Will or Liam or even William. I just don't dig the name Bill, having once had a horrible coworker by that name.

Pressing through my misgivings about the name turned out to be worth it, and the story was really enjoyable. I was surprised but not incredulous when the murderer was revealed, which is always really nice in a mystery. There was also one really unexpected and funny moment where it is revealed that a certain extremely famous, dead but occasionally still spotted singer still kicks around as a creepy pet-fancying vampire. I'm definitely going to look for the second book in the series the next time I'm in the mood for a sexy mystery."

Possibly best of all -- if you're looking for something to carry on with now that Twilight is over -- there are now nine books in the series. I sent my friend Rachel the first book and she called me a crack-pusher for getting her addicted.

2. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
I read this book on the recommendation of the fabulous Kerri Anne, and I loved it. LOVED it. The book makes a significant but not unwelcome change to the archetype, featuring werewolves whose transformation is triggered not by the full moon, but by the coming of winter. Unfortunately, the werewolves in question live in Minnesota, where winter doesn't screw around. Fantastic, believable characters and a tightly-woven plot made for a serious page-turner. I had this book with me the day I had to sit in the waiting room at the lab for four hours to have blood draws done, and the time flew. If that's not a hardcore endorsement, I don't know what is.

1. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
I absolutely loved Sunshine. Not only is it my favorite vampire book ever, but it's also probably on the top ten list of books I've read in the past few years. There's a slightly more extensive review here, which concludes thusly:  I usually don't go for vampire stories, but I enjoyed this one immensely and would recommend it to anyone. It's got enough magic and undead for the sci-fi / fantasy fan and more than enough down-to-earth, believable characterization for those who tend to prefer non-fantasy fiction.


If you've read any other great vampire or werewolf books, please leave a comment. I'm always open to suggestions for new books to read!

Which Discworld Character are you like? created with QuizFarm.com

You are Captain Carrot Ironfounderson of the City Watch in the greatest city on the Disc, Ankh-Morpork! A truly good natured, honest guy who knows everyone and is liked by all. Technically a dwarf, but only by adoption. You'd rather not be reminded that you are the true heir to the throne, but that does explain why people naturally follow your orders. Carrot Ironfounderson 88% Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 56% Greebo 56% Death 50% Lord Havelock Vetinari 50% Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 50% The Librarian 50% Commander Samuel Vimes 38% Cohen The Barbarian 31% Rincewind 19%

A New Book Meme

Total number of books owned: I have no earthly idea, so I'm going to guess somewhere between 500 and 700. I'll let you know when we move again and I have to pack them!


Last book bought: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. I checked it out from the library and loved it so much that I bought it at Barnes & Noble the day I finished it.


Last book read: Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper


Five books that mean a lot to you: This is going to be difficult!

1. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

It was one of the first Discworld books I read, and is still one of my very favorites from that series. Whenever I'm trying to introduce someone to Discworld, I usually recommend this one, because it works pretty well as a first look. It's funny, it has action, and you don't really have to be familiar with the whole Discworld universe to be able to enjoy it. Plus, I love Sam Vimes.


2. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

I'm counting the whole trilogy as one item. I realize they're not for everyone, but I really do love them. I have my mom's 1970s paperback copies, so they have the wonderful old-book smell and everything. Thinking of these books reminds me of reading The Return of the King for the second time. It was the summer before the movie came out, and I was reading it at this really cool outdoor church in a weird artsy commune type town, sitting on a ledge overlooking a field. I don't think I could've found a more perfect place to read about the battle at Minas Tirith.


3. Rusalka by CJ Cherryh

This has been one of my favorite books since I read it the first time. I think I was about twelve years old then. I also have a fondness for it because my mom recommended it to me. In a way, I feel like I grew up with the characters hanging around in my head, because I read it several times over the years that I first started trying to write fiction of my own. Rusalka and its two sequels really aren't the best books ever, but they'll always have a special place in my heart.


4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Whenever a really and truly amazing book comes along, it's always special. American Gods was that book for me last year. Other than Good Omens, this was my introduction to Neil Gaiman, and I've been hooked ever since. With a really good book, I feel like I'm caught up in the story. With this one, I felt like I was actually in the story, down on the ground, watching it unfold right alongside Shadow. It was a great ride.


5. Tailypo by Joanna Galdone

This book scared the pants off me when I was a kid, but I loved it anyway. I don't know how many times I looked at it at the school library. My mom works at the public library now, and several years ago she brought home some raggedy picture books that her branch was going to throw away. She saved them from the garbage and was planning to take them to Goodwill so they wouldn't go to waste. One of the books was Tailypo and I snatched it up. It still scares the pants off me, but I'm so very happy to have it.


Tagging: the bibliophile, Megs, Blogapotamus Rex, the Pop Culture Librarian, and Danger. Who knows if they'll see this, but I figured it was worth a try!

A Bookish Birthday

                    

Besides getting to take two fantastic outdoorsy trips for my birthday (which was on Tuesday), I was also the lucky recipient of several new books. On Friday, my sister gave me Terry Pratchett's Night Watch and Sergei Lukyanenko's Day Watch. Then, while we were at Barnes & Noble on Sunday to pick up some books that he wanted, MB let me get a two-in-one novel of Eric Garcia's Anonymous Rex and Casual Rex from the bargain table, even though he'd already taken me on the aforementioned trips and given me Munchkin Bites:




When I told the bibliophile about the finding the Rex book for so cheap, she admitted that she'd already got me a copy for my birthday, so while Danger and I were at B&N tonight / yesterday for our weekly chai date, I exchanged the first Rex book for Hot and Sweaty Rex, after being tipped off by the bibliophile that it was also on the clearance table. Yay! On Danger's insistence, I also got to pick out two more birthday books, so after much pondering, I settled on Charles De Lint's Memory & Dream and Bridge to Terabithia. Hooray for bookish birthdays!

                    

This is an outrage, ya'll.

I'm sharing it so that I won't have to experience this horror alone:

The Ultimate Discworld Casting Pages

Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens?

Tom Cruise as Nobby?

POSH SPICE as Lady Ramkin??

I love Kevin Smith, truly, but cast as the PATRICIAN???

JOHN TRAVOLTA or HUGH GRANT as Sam Vimes???????

ADAM FUCKING SANDLER as CARROT?????

At this point my head has exploded. Some of the suggestions on the site are good, but most of them make me wonder what books these people have been reading, since it's obviously not the same ones that I've read.

Mort

I finished my re-read of Mort today. I enjoyed it a lot, though it wasn't as well-done as I remember. It has been interesting watching Pratchett's concept of Death (the character, of course) evolve. In the first two Discworld books, Death was more...not exactly malicious....but more deadly. Upon once again being denied the chance to reap Rincewind's soul, Death cut a mayfly out of the air. In later books, it is very clear that Death does not kill; he merely collects after the fact.

In Mort, the Death of later books is beginning to take shape. He objects to the mistreatment of cats. He makes it clear to his apprentice Mort that his job does not involve killing. He goes on a short-lived holiday to experience the thrills of the flesh and even finds a job as a short-order cook. However, in a scene toward the end of the book, Death knocks over and breaks several life-timers (hourglasses) during a fight, which seems inherently irresponsible. It's also inconsistent, as Death is dueling with his apprentice in anger for Mort mucking about with fate. Yet Death seems to not notice the premature ending of a half-dozen lives, which is surely quite a bit disruptive to fate.

Pratchett plays around with the idea of an alternate reality, a device he will exploit successfully in Jingo. The character of Mort is believable and intensely likeable. My only real complaint about Mort is that the ending feels somewhat tacked-on. The characters are in Death's world and all is uncertain, and then you turn the page and Mort is suddenly married to Death's daughter, who is Duchess of Sto Helit even though she had no claim to the title before the previous Duke's lifetimer was smashed during the fight. The Princess who Mort saved from assassination--which created the alternate reality--is Queen of her kingdom. All is well. But it just feels too neat. Death explains it away by saying he had a chat with the gods. Fine, I guess...but it seems like a lazy way to wrap up a number of loose ends.

Overall, I was satisfied with the book, but it definitely shows a Discworld that's still experiencing growing pains.



http://perso.ens-lyon.fr/florent.bouchez/discworld/images/death.jpg

Equal Rites

Today I completed my first re-reading of the summer project by finishing Equal Rites. It's been years since I last read it, and I didn't recall most of the story. Equal Rites was my introduction to Granny Weatherwax back when I read it the first time, and I didn't like Granny all that much until very recently. Re-reading E.R., it was hard to say whether I'd been unfair to Granny back then, or if the fact that I like her now--very much--was coloring my re-reading of her first starring role.

E.R. is definitely not on par with Pratchett's later, better books, but it wasn't truly awful. It gave me the feeling that the city of Ankh-Morpork hadn't really been fully conceived yet, which is probably perfectly accurate. There wasn't a lot of continuity between the place-details in The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, and E.R.. This is most noticeable when it comes to Unseen University. In later books, the faculty is pretty stable, and there are several recurring characters, including the Bursar and the Archchancellor, Mustrum Ridcully. No one recognizable has arrived yet in E.R., with the exception of the Librarian. The culture and physical setting of the Ramtop Mountains and main character Esk's village of Bad Ass are depicted in good, solid detail. Ankh-Morpork itself is beginning to take shape, but hasn't yet begun to occupy the nearly-a-character role it takes on in later books.

Granny is not as fleshed out as she will become in later appearances, but the framework is there, and some of the filling-in is starting to take shape. Pratchett's irreverent style and throw-away one-liners haven't quite come into their own yet, either, but two passages did catch me just right:


"They had been in Ankh-Morpork for three days and Granny was beginning to enjoy herself, much to her surprise. She had found them lodging in The Shades, an ancient part of the city whose inhabitants were largely nocturnal and never inquired about one another's business because curiosity not only killed the cat but threw it in the river with weights tied to its feet. The lodgings were on the top floor next to the well-guarded premises of a respectable dealer in stolen property because, as Granny had heard, good fences make good neighbors."


"[Granny] stood up. 'Let's find this Great Hall, then. No time to waste.'
          'Um, women aren't allowed in,' said Esk.
          Granny stopped in the doorway. Her shoulders rose. She turned around very slowly.
          'What did you say?' she said. 'Did these old ears deceive me, and don't say they did because they didn't.'
          'Sorry,' said Esk. 'Force of habit.'
          'I can see you've been getting ideas below your station,' said Granny coldly.'"


http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/terrypratchett/Char_GWeatherwax.htm

The Light Fantastic

I finished The Light Fantastic today. It's the second Discworld book, and I liked it a lot more than I expected. I think I have been unfairly judging the first two books in the series for years now. Sort of embarrassing! I really enjoyed the story, even though the eleven days that have elapsed since my last post tell me that I probably won't be able to complete the reading / re-reading of the entire series by the end of the summer. I think perhaps it will be a good idea to figure on the project lasting into the fall, especially since I'll probably only be reading the Pratchett books at work on my lunch break, and reading other things at home. Next up, Equal Rites.

summer reading project

I don't know how well this will go, but I am hoping to re-read Terry Pratchett's Discworld series in chronological order this summer. There are 30 books so far, not counting The Last Hero and the ones that are classified as young adult fiction.

I finished The Colour of Magic today, and I think it might be the first time I've actually read it all the way through. My first Discworld book was Soul Music, shortly followed by Small Gods, and I didn't really start reading them in order until a few years into my Pratchett habit. I also never went back and picked up the first two books in the series, until now. I'd tried to read them each at least once before and had trouble getting into them. I've never been a huge Rincewind fan, so I think that had something to do with it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed The Colour of Magic. I'm sure many Pratchett fans will disagree, but I don't really feel that the author had hit his stride quite yet in the early Discworld books. Even the third book in the series, Equal Rites, didn't really zing like his more recent stuff. But the fourth book, Mort, had parts that left me with my mouth hanging open. It was as if suddenly Pratchett nailed what he was after and just ran with it.

It will be interesting to try to work my way through the books one by one instead of jumping around to just re-read my favorites.