The Reading List

White Knight, the last book in the Dresden Files until Small Favor comes out in April, got off to the slowest start in the series. Harry’s transition into a Warden of the White Council and his commitment to an apprentice (the daughter of a friend) felt a little too much like ”jumping the shark.” However, the last one-third of the book was some of the best Butcher has written. Harry’s argument with his own inner demon and his exploration of self lends a degree of authenticity to his character that has been strangely absent. For the first time in the series, you feel as though Harry might be vulnerable to death. This was a welcome addition to a series in which the hero seems to be divinely protected.

Why did I wait so long to read Karl Schroeder’s Sun of Suns? He reads like warm butter on french bread–smooth, light, and tasty. His world-building is top-notch, his characters remind me of Haldeman or Drake, and his plotting thus far moves foward rapidly. I would place him firmly in the “New Comprehensible” with the likes of John Scalzi. Were it not for the slightly more adult theme of revenge, I would almost say that Schroeder had intended this book to be in the grand tradition of Heinlein’s juveniles. So far, it is simply brilliant.

Mike McPhail’s anthology Breach the Hull is full of military science fiction goodness. I’ve read several of the short stories in there, and so far, I am impressed with their imagination and quality. I’ll give everyone a full review when I finish. I obviously can’t talk about every short story in the anthology, so I’ll try to pick a few here and there and capture the high points.

Asimov displays considerable aplomb with his Foundation series. I’ve read a little bit ahead of the reading group (which is going to meet this Friday!) to maintain a bit of context about the events in the book, but I’m impressed with Asimov’s prophetic grasp about what happens to a society when it wanes. His stories have a feeling of an epic poem to them. The plots are vast, featuring fallible men doing what they can to stave off darkness. Like the monks in dark and middle ages, the men and women of the Foundation are working to preserve knowledge. Asimov makes such a bland task seem both earth-shattering and exciting.

I’ve finally gotten my hands on Tom Kratman’s Carnifex. I devoured A Desert Called Peace and am eager to continue voyeuristically watching the commander of Legio Del Cid descend further into darkness in order to annihilate his enemies. I still have Elizabeth Moon’s Trading in Danger to read, and while in Half Price books yesterday, I came across Chalie Stross’ Merchant Prince series. Since he was a hugo nominee several times over, I decided to take a chance on the the three book series. The back covers make them sound similar to the Dresden Files, so I figure I’ll enjoy them. S.M. Stirling’s new Lords of Creation novel, In the Courts of the Crimson Kings just came out, and I still need to get to Scott Lynch’s Red Seas Under Red Skies, his follow-up to the Lies of Locke Lamora.

This is going to take a little while.