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Wed Reading Meme...
Dec. 31st, 2014 12:23 pmI'll get to the Wed Reading Meme eventually, this is sort of in lieu of it or rather along side of it?
What Jars Me or You or Anyone out of a Story?
Interesting question. For one thing, it is unlikely to be universal. For another, as a writer, it has always worried me and often brought my own writing to a crippling halt. See, what interests me isn't necessarily the same thing that may interest someone else. We don't think the same way or process information in the same manner.
I occasionally forget this. Well that is until I do the reading meme or a review, and I get a response about how "that" would throw "the responder" out of the story. Or read a critical review of something I loved, and the reviewer is upset with things that I was either oblivious too or barely noticed. I know that this has happened to everyone.
For example? In June of this past year, a co-worker loaned me his favorite sci-fi novel of all time - The Lord of Light by Roger Zelzany - after plodding through the first 100 or so pages, I finally gave up on it. Frankly, dear reader, it bored me to tears. The characters felt derivative, the female characters pure stereotypes, and the story...ugh. I could not figure out why people liked it. Was it the world-building? Seemed somewhat simplistic to me and the logistics didn't work. Was it the religious philosophy? Possibly, co-worker is agnostic/atheist and he loved the idea of space travelers finding a primitive planet and setting themselves up as Gods over it, which he hadn't seen done before. (I had and rather more subtly and far better else where.) I don't know. Our mileage varied. In stark contrast, the less well-reviewed series of novels by Illona Andrews, featuring Kate Daniels, spoke to me.
I loved the characters, loved the use of Russian and Persian mythology, rarely used.
Or it was new to me. Others didn't see what I liked in it, or thought it was uhm..okay but nothing to squee about (not that I tend to squee, rave maybe but not squee, ahem). My co-worker didn't like it.
And...while watching the documentary on Mark Twain, it hit me that for every person that was moved by the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are quite a few who view the book as racist due to the language (they can't get past the language, the use of the word "niggah" jars them out of the story - even though it is essential to the story and gets across how people thought at the time).
( Read more... )
1. What you Just Finished Reading
Stealing Heaven by Madeline Hunter - Hunter, as far as I can tell, appears to have actually done some research or is a better historical writer than the last two writers (Sarah McLean and Lori Brighton). Although the dialogue was a bit better in the other two books, or I liked it better - possibly because it wasn't attempting to sync with the times? In short, it depends on what you are looking for. If you are a stickler for historical accuracy, go read Hunter, if you want banter, go read McLean.
If you want subversive gender flipping, read Brighton. Although, Hunter is rather subversive in her own way, yet remains somewhat accurate to the period (as far as I know).
The book takes place during the medieval period, or Edward the I's reign. Edward according to the blurb at the end of the book was responsible for taking control over Wales and Scotland, shortly after William the Conqueror.
Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons. In 1259, he briefly sided with a baronial reform movement, supporting the Provisions of Oxford. After reconciliation with his father, however, he remained loyal throughout the subsequent armed conflict, known as the Second Barons' War. After the Battle of Lewes, Edward was hostage to the rebellious barons, but escaped after a few months and joined the fight against Simon de Montfort. Montfort was defeated at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, and within two years the rebellion was extinguished. With England pacified, Edward left on a crusade to the Holy Land. The crusade accomplished little, and Edward was on his way home in 1272 when he was informed that his father had died. Making a slow return, he reached England in 1274 and was crowned at Westminster on 19 August.
He spent much of his reign reforming royal administration and common law. Through an extensive legal inquiry, Edward investigated the tenure of various feudal liberties, while the law was reformed through a series of statutes regulating criminal and property law. Increasingly, however, Edward's attention was drawn towards military affairs. After suppressing a minor rebellion in Wales in 1276–77, Edward responded to a second rebellion in 1282–83 with a full-scale war of conquest. After a successful campaign, Edward subjected Wales to English rule, built a series of castles and towns in the countryside and settled them with Englishmen. Next, his efforts were directed towards Scotland. Initially invited to arbitrate a succession dispute, Edward claimed feudal suzerainty over the kingdom. In the war that followed, the Scots persevered, even though the English seemed victorious at several points. At the same time there were problems at home. In the mid-1290s, extensive military campaigns required high levels of taxation, and Edward met with both lay and ecclesiastical opposition. These crises were initially averted, but issues remained unsettled. When the King died in 1307, he left to his son, Edward II, an ongoing war with Scotland and many financial and political problems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England
The book takes place in 1276 and focuses on the minor rebellion in Wales, spearheaded by the heroine, who as a young girl had been seduced and ravaged by the King. Although that wasn't really the reason behind it - as she makes clear, so much as it is that the Welsh or Cymru People don't particularly like being under English rule.
(I don't know if this has changed any in the last 1000 years...because when I was in Wales in the 1980s, the Welsh pretty much felt the same way. And I know Scotland was voting this year to secede from the union. [ETA to clarify and correct spelling error, thanks to comment below. Oh, they voted not to, which was most likely a wise decision. I think the time for that has long past...]) Can't say I blame them - I wouldn't like it either - the English, god love them, tend to consider anyone who isn't English to be beneath them or at least they did in this book and historically (Twain comments on it in the documentary and in his writings). Although to be fair, it's not just The English - pretty much everyone has this problem. We do have that problem as a human race, don't we? We think people who are different than us are beneath us. Stupid, gets us into all sorts of trouble.
Anyhow, the heroine, who is a Welsh princess falls in love with an English Knight who has been commissioned by the King to marry her younger sister (mainly because the King still has feelings for the Welsh princess, and her sister inherits the father's land and title) and quell any issues in Wales. In return he'll make him a Baron and give him back his fathers lands and title. The English Knight sneaks into a courtyard to get a look at his bride, who claims to be ill and thus far unavailable. Instead he finds her sister, but doesn't realize it until later. They fall madly in lust. Much chaos ensues...and well most of the book focuses on the political conflict between the two characters. The heroine's devotion to her father's cause and to Cymru (Wales), and the hero's devotion to his King.
I liked it for the Welsh history bits...which didn't jar me because they synced with my own, admittedly limited, knowledge of the time period.
What I'm reading now?
Leviathan Wakes by J.A Corey - just started it on the plane. So far rather interesting. Begins with a mystery. Then jumps back to explain the world. I'm reading it in part to satisfy my space-opera/mystery genre craving, and because I've decided to rework my own sci-fi novel, which I wrote 15 years ago, and never finished. Came close. It has potential. Needs some tweaking.
What I'll be reading next?
No clue. Depends on how engrossed I get with Leviathan Wakes, I suspect.
Right now, debating if I want to go grocery shopping again or really need to. Got a bunch of stuff yesterday. But admittedly won't be able to again until after work on Friday. Have taken today off, and tomorrow is a holiday.
Tonight - considering doing a marathon of my musical DVDs. Sort of in the mood.
What Jars Me or You or Anyone out of a Story?
Interesting question. For one thing, it is unlikely to be universal. For another, as a writer, it has always worried me and often brought my own writing to a crippling halt. See, what interests me isn't necessarily the same thing that may interest someone else. We don't think the same way or process information in the same manner.
I occasionally forget this. Well that is until I do the reading meme or a review, and I get a response about how "that" would throw "the responder" out of the story. Or read a critical review of something I loved, and the reviewer is upset with things that I was either oblivious too or barely noticed. I know that this has happened to everyone.
For example? In June of this past year, a co-worker loaned me his favorite sci-fi novel of all time - The Lord of Light by Roger Zelzany - after plodding through the first 100 or so pages, I finally gave up on it. Frankly, dear reader, it bored me to tears. The characters felt derivative, the female characters pure stereotypes, and the story...ugh. I could not figure out why people liked it. Was it the world-building? Seemed somewhat simplistic to me and the logistics didn't work. Was it the religious philosophy? Possibly, co-worker is agnostic/atheist and he loved the idea of space travelers finding a primitive planet and setting themselves up as Gods over it, which he hadn't seen done before. (I had and rather more subtly and far better else where.) I don't know. Our mileage varied. In stark contrast, the less well-reviewed series of novels by Illona Andrews, featuring Kate Daniels, spoke to me.
I loved the characters, loved the use of Russian and Persian mythology, rarely used.
Or it was new to me. Others didn't see what I liked in it, or thought it was uhm..okay but nothing to squee about (not that I tend to squee, rave maybe but not squee, ahem). My co-worker didn't like it.
And...while watching the documentary on Mark Twain, it hit me that for every person that was moved by the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are quite a few who view the book as racist due to the language (they can't get past the language, the use of the word "niggah" jars them out of the story - even though it is essential to the story and gets across how people thought at the time).
( Read more... )
1. What you Just Finished Reading
Stealing Heaven by Madeline Hunter - Hunter, as far as I can tell, appears to have actually done some research or is a better historical writer than the last two writers (Sarah McLean and Lori Brighton). Although the dialogue was a bit better in the other two books, or I liked it better - possibly because it wasn't attempting to sync with the times? In short, it depends on what you are looking for. If you are a stickler for historical accuracy, go read Hunter, if you want banter, go read McLean.
If you want subversive gender flipping, read Brighton. Although, Hunter is rather subversive in her own way, yet remains somewhat accurate to the period (as far as I know).
The book takes place during the medieval period, or Edward the I's reign. Edward according to the blurb at the end of the book was responsible for taking control over Wales and Scotland, shortly after William the Conqueror.
Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons. In 1259, he briefly sided with a baronial reform movement, supporting the Provisions of Oxford. After reconciliation with his father, however, he remained loyal throughout the subsequent armed conflict, known as the Second Barons' War. After the Battle of Lewes, Edward was hostage to the rebellious barons, but escaped after a few months and joined the fight against Simon de Montfort. Montfort was defeated at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, and within two years the rebellion was extinguished. With England pacified, Edward left on a crusade to the Holy Land. The crusade accomplished little, and Edward was on his way home in 1272 when he was informed that his father had died. Making a slow return, he reached England in 1274 and was crowned at Westminster on 19 August.
He spent much of his reign reforming royal administration and common law. Through an extensive legal inquiry, Edward investigated the tenure of various feudal liberties, while the law was reformed through a series of statutes regulating criminal and property law. Increasingly, however, Edward's attention was drawn towards military affairs. After suppressing a minor rebellion in Wales in 1276–77, Edward responded to a second rebellion in 1282–83 with a full-scale war of conquest. After a successful campaign, Edward subjected Wales to English rule, built a series of castles and towns in the countryside and settled them with Englishmen. Next, his efforts were directed towards Scotland. Initially invited to arbitrate a succession dispute, Edward claimed feudal suzerainty over the kingdom. In the war that followed, the Scots persevered, even though the English seemed victorious at several points. At the same time there were problems at home. In the mid-1290s, extensive military campaigns required high levels of taxation, and Edward met with both lay and ecclesiastical opposition. These crises were initially averted, but issues remained unsettled. When the King died in 1307, he left to his son, Edward II, an ongoing war with Scotland and many financial and political problems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England
The book takes place in 1276 and focuses on the minor rebellion in Wales, spearheaded by the heroine, who as a young girl had been seduced and ravaged by the King. Although that wasn't really the reason behind it - as she makes clear, so much as it is that the Welsh or Cymru People don't particularly like being under English rule.
(I don't know if this has changed any in the last 1000 years...because when I was in Wales in the 1980s, the Welsh pretty much felt the same way. And I know Scotland was voting this year to secede from the union. [ETA to clarify and correct spelling error, thanks to comment below. Oh, they voted not to, which was most likely a wise decision. I think the time for that has long past...]) Can't say I blame them - I wouldn't like it either - the English, god love them, tend to consider anyone who isn't English to be beneath them or at least they did in this book and historically (Twain comments on it in the documentary and in his writings). Although to be fair, it's not just The English - pretty much everyone has this problem. We do have that problem as a human race, don't we? We think people who are different than us are beneath us. Stupid, gets us into all sorts of trouble.
Anyhow, the heroine, who is a Welsh princess falls in love with an English Knight who has been commissioned by the King to marry her younger sister (mainly because the King still has feelings for the Welsh princess, and her sister inherits the father's land and title) and quell any issues in Wales. In return he'll make him a Baron and give him back his fathers lands and title. The English Knight sneaks into a courtyard to get a look at his bride, who claims to be ill and thus far unavailable. Instead he finds her sister, but doesn't realize it until later. They fall madly in lust. Much chaos ensues...and well most of the book focuses on the political conflict between the two characters. The heroine's devotion to her father's cause and to Cymru (Wales), and the hero's devotion to his King.
I liked it for the Welsh history bits...which didn't jar me because they synced with my own, admittedly limited, knowledge of the time period.
What I'm reading now?
Leviathan Wakes by J.A Corey - just started it on the plane. So far rather interesting. Begins with a mystery. Then jumps back to explain the world. I'm reading it in part to satisfy my space-opera/mystery genre craving, and because I've decided to rework my own sci-fi novel, which I wrote 15 years ago, and never finished. Came close. It has potential. Needs some tweaking.
What I'll be reading next?
No clue. Depends on how engrossed I get with Leviathan Wakes, I suspect.
Right now, debating if I want to go grocery shopping again or really need to. Got a bunch of stuff yesterday. But admittedly won't be able to again until after work on Friday. Have taken today off, and tomorrow is a holiday.
Tonight - considering doing a marathon of my musical DVDs. Sort of in the mood.