Peri is a simple fisherman's daughter who has lost both mother and father to the sea--her father in the physical sense and her mother in an emotional sense. Left to her own devices, she learns simple magic that brings together the sea, 2 princelings, a young magician and Peri herself, and changes them all.
Impression: I enjoyed this one as much as Ombria in Shadow. McKillip uses the same rich language and takes the ambiguity of the ending of Ombia and spreads it through the whole book in Changeling. While Ombria's ending leaves you questioning what has happened, however, the story in Changeling is clearly told as it uncovers the mysteries of the past and their effect on the present. It's definitely another book I will need to read again to catch all the nuances of the story and the story telling.
Atrix Wolfe, the greatest known mage in the world, released his magic 20 years ago and the world, both real and fey, is still paying for that one terrible night when he ignored the rules that guide mages and their power. A queen has lost her consort and daughter, an evil has been released, and a princeling mage has a book once hidden. Past and present, the real and the magical, and all these elements come together as the characters try to save and find the balance once again in their world.
Impression: I still think Ombria in Shadow is the best I've read from McKillip, but this would have to be my second favorite so far. Unlike Song of the Basilisk, the writing is closer to the richness and depth of Ombria and the same layered writing that I originally fell in love with. I do have to say I liked the ending of this one better than Ombria's though: the Ombria ending requires that you reread it to figure out what happened, maybe even make a judgment without being sure; this one was clear, concise, and very touching.
I like how McKillip ties the past and present together in her novels, and presents a view of the magic and real that is both separate and inclussive. Those elements are more clearly presented in Atrix Wolfe than the other novels I've read. It looks like the depth of language was not something she developed over time though. Atrix Wolfe was published before Song but Ombria was published after. I wonder why she changed for Song? Anyway, I still prefer the richer language. :)
Nanny works for the wealthy Mr. & Mr.s X watching their son Grayer while finishing out her Masters degree. Things begin well enough, although Mrs. X has her quirks, but the situation goes further and further south as Mrs. X takes advantage of her employee and pushes the boundaries Nanny has set while imposing more and more outrageous demands of her own, Mr. X's mistress starts to consider Nanny part of the Mr. X package, and Nanny finds herself attached to and concerned for their son in the ensuing confusion.
Impression: I was laughing from the very beginning, but, then, I can kinda relate. I was a live-in nanny for a summer. Granted, the family I worked for wasn't as wacked out as the one in this book, but they had their moments as well. I definitely want a copy of this book for my own - it's something i want to be able to reread again.
I actually received this from a kind fellow bookcrooser and have already shared it with my 14-year-old who read it in a day and thought it was funny. It'll be going on to the 16-year-old, then it will be released into the wild, maybe at oldest's high school. :)
Rook remembers fire. Saved by an uncle and sent to the bards of Luly, he avoids remembering the past. When the past will not leave him alone, he sojourns in the hinterlands and finds a new magic in music that is actually very old. He returns to Luly to find the past has not forgotten him, and finally turns to the land of his birth to remember and to avenge those lost in the fire of his childhood, becoming a true bard and restoring his heritage as he does so.
Impression: This story was very different than Ombria in tone and style and I'm very curious to see if the next book I'm about to read is different from them both. McKillip just might be one of those versatile authors who changes with every new story, or her writing became more rich the longer she wrote. Regardless, Basilisk was an enjoyable read, though not as dense and layered as Ombria (which remains my favorite so far). As with Ombria she has an ending that surprises, though in this case it's not as strong since she doesn't foreshadow it at all earlier in the novel (if she does, I missed it). The story is still a good one and, in this case, leaves us with the question: who really did defeat the basilisk?
This book asks the question "what happened during Shakespeare's lost years?" and comes up with an answer of a fantasy nature. A young wil comes home one night to find his wife and daughter gone, and his search for them will take him to the lands of the fairy and back again.
Impression: I should have read the description, I don't know why I didn't. Maybe I did at the time I added it to my amazon.com wishlist. Regardless, this was not what I expected when I actually read it. The writing is good enough, and the idea of fantasy touching Shakespeare's life in a way a littl more direct than just in his head is intriguing. However, for a short read, it took me awhile to get through it. And while relatively engaging and interesting, I doubt I'll read it again. I think one of my favorite things about it was the various quotes from several of Shakespeare's plays that appeared sprinkled through out and well woven into the book.
I've placed this book on my bc.com book shelf (you can see the entry for it here) and have already chosen a place for it's release. My oldest will be taking it with her to release at her high school.
Update: It only took her 3 days to remember to find a place to drop it off. lol It's finally out in the wild.
The ruler of Ombria has died and his great-aunt, Domina Pearl wastes no time in taking over as his young son's regent. Lydea, his mistress, must find a way to protect the poor prince, Kyel, even though she's been kicked out of the palace with only the clothes on her back. With the help of Mag, a mysterious girl who serves a sorceress known as Faey, and the bastard son of the ruler's younger sister, Ducan, Lydea unravels the mystery of the shadow Ombria and reaches out from her lowly position as an innkeeper's daughter to protect not only the prince, but Ombria itself.
Impression: Wow. Just . . . wow. McKillip is the author I want to be (in my own voice, of course, and probably a bit more actual description, but still the author I want to be) with thick, rich sentences full of texture; depth of character and setting; and a tale that is deep and bautiful.
The story itself is an unexpected, imaginative, engaging tale. Unexpected and imaginative in that it's a unique world and the events that happen fit perfectly within this tale but are not events I've encountered elsewhere. She took some very famililar basic elements and turned them into something never seen before. Her ending, even more unexpected than the rest of the story, leaves you wondering what really happened, but doesn't leave you disatisfied. It's just an incredible story incredibly written.
This book must be reread because there's no way to get it all in one sitting. It's one of those books, the ones that are so layered that rereading it again and again reveals something new every time. It is well worth the price of even a hardbound or quality paperback, editions I do not buy too often because of the price. I've already ordered more of her novels, including an oop recommended by the friend who introduced me to McKillip. And I'm really looking forward to reading them. A lot.
The first omnibus edition of 4, each containing 2 of the Cheysuli series, Shapechanger's Song has the first 2 books originally printed separately as Shapechagers and The Song of Homana.
In Shapechangers, the main character is Alix, the daughter of a princess and a Cheysuli - shapeshifter - warrior, is kidnapped by on of her then unknown (by her) Cheysuli relatives and finds herself caught up in an ancient Cheysuli prophecy. Meanwhile her childhood friend, the prince of Homana is torn between rescuing her and a war between Homana and the sorcerers of Ihlini.
The Song of Homana takes place several years later with the crown prince of Homana, Carillon, returning from exile, ready to retake his throne from the usurping Ihlini. With a Cheysuli warrior at his side, he returns to a land oppressed and still unready to accept the Cheysuli people to raise an army of both the Homanan and Cheysuli peoples.
Impression:Shapechangers was definitely my favorite of the two. Not that Song was bad, it wasn't. But is was definitely a slower read for me. First there was the switch in characters, from Alic to Carillon, which was not only a character shift but also a shift in gender since Alic is female and Carillon is male. The second jolt is in pov: Shapechangers was written in third person and Song was written in first. I think if I had the 2 or 3 years that usually pass between books, the transition wouldn't have been such a bump for me.
That being said, I picked up all 4 omnibuses of this series because 1) I liked Roberson's Del and Tiger series, and 2) I'd been wanting these books for some time. She does not disappoint thus so far (I've just started book 3). The characters are well developed and change over time in believable ways; the setting is rich, unique, and consistent; and, despite the passage of years between books (book 3 finds one of the children as the main character and near grown), she writes in such a way that you can see the flow from one book to another. I can definitely see myself reading these again one day.
As the title says, this book discusses 38 mistakes that fiction writers make and how to avoide them. Each chapter title is structered as "Don't do this," for example "Don't Mangle Characters' Speech." Topics include everything from procrastination to the basics of writing to what writers do when they're done.
Impressions: While the author has some good advice, there's some things in this one that I had some strong negative reactions to. For example, he doesn't believe in crit groups or workshops (which he calls clubs). His suggestion is to find a professional, published author to take a look at your work. Between lack of time and fear of being sued, it's next to impossible to find authors willing to do this anymore. As for his devaluing workshops, I personally have found them to be growth experiences, both for me as a person and for my writing. I see absolutely nothing wrong with getting a reader's take on your writing.
That's not to say the book doesn't have some good suggestions, but he comes off abrassive and has an absolutist tone that I personally find annoying. It's funny what some writers will consider absolute rules when so many good books get into print that break those rules. Granted, I believe there are guidelines to writing, and I think a writer should know them, but to treat them as the only way to write is wrong to me.
I also disagree with taking a negative approach. I understand it goes hand in had with the title, but I would much rather be told what I should be doing in a positive way. For example, instead of Don't Describe Sunsets, how about "Trim Your Description." Both chapters could explain using necessary details rather than loads of description, but one presents the topic in a more positive manner.
MWA members and authors such as Phyllis A. Whitney, Edward D. Hoch, John Lutz and others give insight to writing a novel and mystery novels in particular. The book covers not only the specifics to mysteries, but the very basics of novel writing, from preparation to market, and has a half dozen chapters on specialties such as the medical and legal thriller.
Impressions: While not as good as Writing the Breakout Novel, this is still an excellent resource, particularly for the mystery writer. I picked it up to help me with my mystery novel (which is probably on indefinite hold while I work on a few other things and learn more about the genre), but have found myself picking it up and looking up things for my non-mystery novels as well.
Written in a question and answer format, The Writer's Mentor covers the common questions posed by new writers: when to write, how to write, where to write, how much writing, and so on.
Impressions: I have always wanted a mentor. Being unable to find one, I figured I was pretty much stuck mentoring myself. When I found this book, I had hoped that just maybe I'd find something of a better mentor than myself. Unfortunately the book didn't live up to even half of what I had hoped. It's okay, but it's definitely very basic and didn't really impress me. The author has an easy voice, and the book itself is an easy read, but if you're an advanced writer it's not going to help you much. She does have a few good suggestions of things to try here and there, but again, most of them I've tried, heard, or am doing.
The second book (and now the only one available) in Writer's Digest short story handbooks, this volume covers more advanced techniques over the same topics as the previous handbook, as well as a few more. Chapters are written by John Updike, Orson Scott Card, Janet Burroway, and many other well published authors. There's a mix in terms of who writes on the various topics, with some topics being covered by several writers and others only having one chapter by one author. However, it is another book with chapters on everything from getting started to marketing, and includes topics such as making your fiction three dimensional, using symbols, and chapters on three forms of specialized fiction: the short short, literary fivtion, and children's fiction.
Impressions: I actually found this volume to be more at my level in terms of where I am as a writer. Not saying that the previous volume is bad, I actually got quite a bit out of it, but it was more basic than this one. However, volume 2 definitely is for more advanced writers, and, after 3 years of writing classes, I got enough out of them to qualify for a bit more advanced than beginner. ;) I am a bit disappointed that the first volume seems to be out of print and is not being used for the short story workshop/class given by Writer's Digest Schools, though. The two books, in my opinion, work best if read together (or one right after the other).
Harry's back with an attitude. Yes, Harry's hit the teens, those emotional, hormonal, self-centered years that all parent just love, and all his resentments are starting to boil over. His return to Hogwarts for his 5th year is almost derailed, and when he gets to the school he finds his previous encounter with Voldemort now turned into something from his supposedly derranged mind, Dumbledore distant, he's unable to confide in Sirius for his godfather's safety, a new professor with an agenda designed to bring Hogwarts firmly in the Ministry of Magic's hands, and, of course, all his usual problems with Snape, Malfoy, plus the extra pressures of passing his OWLS.
Impressions:Order is darker and more adult than any of the previous Harry Potter stories, and even has a death at the end, but it is still an enjoyable read. One oif the things I've enjoyed about the Harry Potter books is the consistency. Even though Rowling works in fantasy and magic, it's not an anything goes world. And the books are easy reads that still draw a readeer in at any age--even the books that written more for children are engaging for adults. I'm not sure the books are worth the madness that goes on when they're released for the first time, but they are so enjoyable that it is easy to see why they manage to get readers in every age-group.
The newest thing in the publishing industry now days is to name writers the "new JK Rowling." For the record, I don't want to be the new JK Rowling. As much as I would love to write a book that crossed age boundaries like the Potter books some day, I would rather be the author that everyone else is named after. So, who wants to be "the new domynoe?" ;)
Another collaboration of writers on writing a novel, this one 445 pages and 55 chapters long. Authors include Sue Grafton, Terry Brooks, and Janet Fitch, among others, and has interviews of Margaret Atwood, Tom Clancy, Terry McMillan, Joyce Carol Oates, and several other well known writers. It begins with basics in The Craft, discusses more advanced techniques in The Art, continues on to The Process, takes a side trip into The Genres, and finishes yp with The Marketplace and The Interviews. Most topics are covered by only one author, but a few have a second author presenting a different perspective or a specific point of a topic.
Impressions: This book blew me away and was immediately posted to my recommended books list at my writing journal. I don't even think I've ever READ a book on writing as fast as I read this one, particularly one of 445 pages! And I plan to eventually find some time to read it again, this time without a highlighter in my hand but with a pen.
I refer back to this book often in my writing, have spots bookmarked and commented on, and even the interviews have passages highlighted. As I move books off my small bookshelf on my desk, this is one of the few books that actually stays whenever I'm thinning things out. Only one other book is better: Writing the Breakout Novel. I can't recommend this book highly enough to novelists.
Providing advice on writing the short story, chapters are written by Katherine Greer, John Fitzgerald, Dennis Whitcomb, and others. topics are presented in an order that writers are likely to need them, from how to get started to marketing, and each topic is generally covered by several authors. Topics covered include plotting, flashbacks, transisitons, and a story's openin, middle, and end, among others.
Impressions: I picked this up in an effort to get a handle on my one weak point in college creative writing classes: the short story. I've since elarned that short stories don't always have closure, can be as short as 50 words and as long as 10,000, and can be as concise or as verbose as an author wants and still be good, but when I picked this up, my sotries weren't working, not for my professors at least. Unfortunately the professors weren't very good at giving concrete lessons in writing and the books they chose for textbooks were not much better more often than not. This book gave me a good start as a beginning short story writer who had no idea how to trim her description to reasonable means or how to find the closure her professors demanded. I can't say the book gave me everything I needed or that it fixed every wrong in my writing, but it certainly gave me a start!
Now I just have to figure out how to get my nopvel voice back after aiming my writing for the more concise short story that actually has a better chance of publication (i.e. under 4500 words whenever possible).
Update: This book works particular well when read in conjunction with The WD Handbook of Short Story Writing Vol. II.
This is the story of the Herald with the thieves past, Skif. An orphan in the care of his uncle, who treats him as nothing more than a servant, Skif escapes into the city and meets up with a small band of thieves. He becomes quite the pickpocket and cat burglar until Chosen. Then his adventures really begin.
Impressions: I think I actually enjoyed this Valdemar novel even more than Brightly Burning. Skif is a wonderful scoundrel and getting the peek into his past is a much enjoyed journey. As always, I enjoyed Lackey's writing.
The story of Lavan Firestorm, a Herald Firestarter, a merchant's son who was originally enrolled in the same school that trains the Heralds by his parents. Bullied near daily by the older students, it isn't until he releases his gift in self-defense that anyone is aware he even has a gift. He becomes chosen and trained to be a Herald, it is only during a conflict with Karse that everyone learns how truly devastating his gift can be.
Impressions: Personally I love Lackey's Valdemar books, even though they are more aimed at a y.a. audience, and Brightly Burning is no exception. It's nice to see her filling out some of the back history and charcater histories now days. I even cried at the end of this one. Course, my husband would just say I'm a sucker. ;)
amazon / b&n WARNING: Adult content - not a book for the younger set!
Anita Blake, supernatural detective and vampire hunter, has taken on the responsibility for a wereleopard pard and now one of her people has been kidnapped. In the process of rescuing him, she is wounded and might become a wereleopard, putting even further strain between her and on-again, off-gain boyfriend Richard. When other wereanimals are also kidnapped, Anita must find and confront the kidnapper, and at the same time keep herself from being kidnapped as well. However, the fascinating politics are overwhelmed by the continuing problems between Anita and her two lovers, Richard and Jean-Claude, especially when a third man comes into her life.
Impressions: This is my third or fourth disappointment in Hamilton's Blake series. I know that characters are supposed to change over time, but this was a whiplash about face for Anita. She starts off with sexual morals that are quickly tossed out the window when she finds herself attracted to two men. But instead of picking one, she sleeps with them both, and agonizes over a choice she never actually makes. (My understanding is the next book is more of the same, only worse.) In fact, her problem gets worse when she accepts yet a third lover in the mess. The character libido fest and sexual angst overwhelm the rest of the story.
Add to this even worse editing errors than in previous books, and it was a disappointment all around. Obviously the rest of the story line wasn't strong or good enough to make up for the disappointments. It's turning into her Merry series, and I didn't like my first taste of that at all.
If Cerulean Sins is this bad, I'm done with the series. There's only so much same old, same old and sexual perversions one can take, especially if all that attempts (dismally) to mask a lack luster plot and character changes that are far too extreme. If she ever gets Anita back out of bed and on the job again, maybe I'll pick the series back up then.
With articles from the likes of Orson Scott Card, Mary Kittredge, and Dean Koontz, this book covers everything from planning and plotting to marketing. Most of the various topics only have one chapter, therefore only one viewpoint, but the chapters are arranged in a working order - that is, they are arranged in an order that is similar to a writer's work on the novels.
Impressions: Though there is some very good information presented, I actually found this to be a somewhat mediocre book. For one, it doesn't acknowledge that different authors work differently and generally presents only one person's view on how to develop and work with each topic. The books I've found to be the most helpful are the ones that present varied optinions and give me more than one option to consider and try. Anyway, I picked this up when I signed up for the Writer's Digest Novel Workshop, and in that format it worked well since there is also the workshop's lessons and the correspondence instructor to give other ideas. As a stand alone book, however, I would recommend Writing the Breakout Novel over this one.
Update: I would like to add that The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing is also a better book for the novelist. I haven't opened the WD book since I finished reading it, but I've gone back to the Maas and the Complete Hanbook again and again.
Anne let the love of her life get away when she was younger, based on the advice of her family that was not suitable because of their different social stations, and has never married since. Now he comes back into her life seeking a wife, and neither she nor him assume it will be her. However, the attraction between them remains.
Impressions: I think this was, perhaps, my least favorite of the Ausitn novels, and I was glad when I was done. Like the previous two, the brevity of the book helped.
Elizabeth, the second of five girls in a family with moderate financial means. She's spirited, gives as good as she gets, and is attracted to a man she finds disagreeable because of his attitude towards the "lower" classes and an overheard comment on his opinion of her looks. The main question of the book? Will they get together or won't they? Both are unwilling in their attraction to each other, yet can't seem to change it even when they try. and they do try.
Impressions: You'd think I'd like a book with a smartass, strong-willed heroine. And while I think this is perhaps my favorite of the Austin books, it's still not something I would have read, or would choose to reread, if it weren't recommended on my list of classics or required by a class. What can I say? I've found very few classics I can actually say I like. This one was okay. And for me, that's saying something.
Two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, fall passionately in love, but behave very differently. Marianne is ruled completely by her heart and her actions are ruled by her heart in such a way that her behavior borders on improper for the time. (In fact, her behavior is almost modern!) Elinor, the more logical of the two, suffers her love silently and keeps within the social boundaries of the day.
Impressions: I read this because it's on my list of classics a writer should be familiar with. While it wasn't as boring as a number of classics I was forced to endure during my college days, it didn't do anything to improve my attitude about classics either. The one saving grace: it was mercifully short, so even though the language is sometimes hard to understand, it went fairly quickly.
As this book states in the introduction, "self-editing is probably the only kind of editing your manuscript will ever get." Gone are the days when editors actually edited or gave suggestions on edits the manuscripts they felt worthy of publication. Now days writers are on their own.
Written by two professional editors, Self-Editing For Fiction Writers covers some of the most difficult characteristics of writing that authors need to think about: showing vs. telling, point of view, and dialogue among them They also cover a few things that most other books on editing don't: beats, proportion, interior monologue, and sophistication.
Impressions: This is one of the best books on editing I've read. It's clear and concise, and the concepts are made easy to understand, which also made it a very quick read. I even found myself skipping forward to look for the cartoons, then going back to finish reading. Like most books on writing, I don't necessarily agree with everything the writers suggest, but the book still landed on my recommended bookshelf.
Updates: Since reading this book, I've reread it and tend to check back through it occasionally with things I'm having trouble with or need a little advice on.
