Karen Sandler

Tag: lois mcmaster bujold

  • Best Book in November – RTW

    It’s the last Wednesday in November and YA Highway’s Road Trip Wednesday asks, What’s the best book you read in November?

    I have been reading Old School for all of November, and part of October as well, reading paper books rather than using my Kindle. In October, I bought a whole pile of books by one of my fave science fiction/fantasy authors, Lois McMaster Bujold, from one of our local UBSs (Used Book Store). I’ve been making my way through those books ever since.

    A side note: I do love finding books I want to read in USBs. I like the idea of supporting a local business. But I feel a little guilty when I do that because I know the author doesn’t get her share when I buy her book used. Not to say you should never buy books used. Just be aware of that fact when you do.

    So, among my LMB purchases was a three-fer titled Miles, Mutants & Microbes. LMB has published so many books in the Miles Vorkosigan universe that her publisher has gone back and repackaged a number of them together in various volumes. Miles, Mutants & Microbes includes the novels Falling Free and Diplomatic Immunity sandwiching the novella Labyrinth.

    Of the three, Falling Free was definitely my November best book. Falling Free takes place a couple hundred years before the birth of Miles Vorkosigan, the featured player in most of the Vorkosigan Saga books. In Falling Free, we’re introduced to the quaddies, genetically engineered humans designed to live in freefall. Their bodies thrive without gravity (where normal humans would lose muscle mass and therefore bone density). And they’re able to navigate a living environment in freefall because in place of legs, they have an extra pair of arms. Hence the quaddie designation.

    It’s a very cool story with a triumphant ending. Reading LMB’s later books that feature quaddie characters is all the more fun because we know their origin story.

    If you haven’t checked out any of Lois McMaster Bujold’s books, I highly recommend her. She writes both excellent science fiction and fantasy. And I’m quite thrilled that she will be the Guest of Honor at BayCon in San Francisco, which I will be attending in May.

    So how about you? What have you been reading this month?

  • RTW – Best Book in August

    Yikes! August is nearly over, so YA Highway‘s blog prompt asks, What was the best book you read in August? I say Yikes! because this being August 29th, I only have three more days until a book deadline. Remember that giant, evil Stay Puft marshmallow man from Ghostbusters? Imagine him as August 31st, and you’ll get an idea of how that deadline is starting to feel to me. Minus the sticky-sweet white stuff.

    Anyway, I digress (I digress a lot in my blog, don’t I?). My favorite book in August is a bit of a challenge since it’s really more a series I’ve been reading. That is, a certain subset of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series. Back in July, my son and daughter-in-law stayed with us a week between when they moved out of their apartment and when we all went back east to help them move into their new home. Near the end of that week, my son recommended this particular set of Vokosigan books. He knows what I like in SF/fantasy (great characters), and I think Bujold is da bomb, so I started downloading the sub-series to my Kindle, starting with Memory.

    As I read Memory, I quickly figured out that I really ought to read another book, Mirror Dance, before reading Memory. So I put Memory aside, and started reading Mirror Dance. Then, partway into Mirror Dance, I realized that, strictly speaking, I should read Brothers in Arms before reading Mirror Dance. Ack! I consulted my son, who said he’d never read Brothers in Arms, but enjoyed the rest of the sub-series anyway. So I forged ahead, deciding that I’d go back at some point and pick up Brothers in Arms.

    So, in the latter half of July and all through August, I’ve read (in this order), Mirror Dance, Memory, Komarr, and am just about to finish A Civil Campaign. Apparently, a novella which I’d read some time ago, “Winterfair Gifts,” follows A Civil Campaign, so I guess I was already out of order. Roberts would frown.

    So, favorite book? Although I’ve loved all of these (and am really glad my son recommended them), I’d say Komarr is my favorite. It features a very cool mystery subplot within a fantastically well-developed science fiction setting. And it sets up the final book, A Civil Campaign, splendidly.

    If you haven’t checked out Lois McMaster Bujold, I highly recommend her. She’s a master of character, complex world-building, and intricate plot. She handles science fiction and fantasy with equal skill. Her Sharing Knife and Chalion series are simply wonderful.

    Sigh. I guess I better get back to work. Stay Puft is leering at me from the corner of my office. Is that a whip in his hand?

  • RTW – Best Book in July

    YA Highway‘s Road Trip Wednesday asks today, What was the best book you read in July? I’ve been on a bit of a Lois McMaster Bujold kick for nearly the entire month (which means I’ve read 1 1/3 of her long, Vorkosigan science fiction sagas). I do recommend Ms. Bujold, both for her fantasy and science fiction. She writes a great story and wonderful characters.

    So, since I’ve been Bujolding up a storm, the only YA book I’ve read in July is the marvelous Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (isn’t that a great author name?). There is a Groundhog Day-like premise (the movie, not the annual tradition), but it’s done in such a fresh and, well, peculiar way, it makes for a riveting read. Its mix of present day world and British WW2 setting also contributes to this fantastic story.

    As I mentioned in my Goodreads review, my only real complaint about the book is that darn it, there’s no sequel available. It ends with more loose ends than an unraveling afghan. Only the main story line is tied up. The book is just begging for a follow up. Anyone out there know of plans for a Peculiar book two? I’d love to hear about it.