I thought I’d take advantage to my unexpected day off (a “perk” of working motherhood, I suppose, when you have child home sick) to update my list of books read. It’s been three months since I last posted anything about the books I was reading, and though I’ve gathered up everything I can find, I’m sure I’ve probably missed something.

Stealing Fire from the Gods: The Complete Guide to Story for Writers & Filmmakers<, by James Bonnett.

Unlocking the secrets of story reveals the secrets of the mind and awakens the power of story within you. Work with that power and you can steal fire from the gods. Master that power and you can create stories that will live forever.

This was my New Years’ writing book purchase and was, for me, and excellent choice. I honestly need to go back and reread this to make any kind of accurate summary of Bonnett’s theories, but I’ll just say that any writer who feels an affinity for the work of Joseph Campbell will appreciate what he’s done. Unlike Christopher Vogler, who’s A Writer’s Journey distilled Campell’s work into a formula aimed primarily at Hollywood, Bonnett concentrates more on process than product, giving much more insight into why archetypes function as they do, by introducing Jung into the conversation, and how to let structure work for you instead of being a slave to structure. As I said, I need to reread and take notes to give a more detailed report, but very worth the effort!

Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende

Orphaned at birth, Eliza Sommers is raised in the British colony of Valparaiso, Chile, by the well-intentioned Victorian spinster Miss Ros and her more rigid brother Jeremy. Just as she meets ans falls in love with the wildly inappropriate Joaquin Andieta, a lowly clerk who works for Jeremy, gold is discovered in the hills of northern California. By 1849, Chileans of every strips have fallen prey to feverish dreams of wealth. Joaquin takes off for San Francisco to seek his fortune, and Eliza, pregnant with his child, decides to follow him.

Allende is undeniably a great writer, but I found learning about the three different worlds depicted in the novel the most interesting part of the book: Victorian Valparaiso, Imperial China, and Gold Rush California provide an interesting contrast to one another, and it was interesting to see these cultures that are otherwise pretty unfamiliar to me. Even the Gold Rush, of which I have a greater knowledge, was awash with detail and description that brought it to life for me in a whole new way. A rambling, pleasant read, but not the most satisfying story.

Harrowing the Dragon, by Patricia A. McKillip
A collection of short stories, most of which I’d read previously in other anthologies. I’m glad to have them all in one book, now, ready to dip into whenever I need a dose of McKillip’s unique style.

Swordspoint, by Ellen Kushner, and The Fall of Kings, by Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman
I’m grouping these together, even though I didn’t read them consecutively. The first was a reread for me, though it’s been a good decade since I last picked it up. It remains a great story, even though I can’t figure out how I enjoyed it so much when I’m not sure I really like either of the main characters. It must be all the dashing swordplay. My only quibble with this book is how one of the viewpoint characters just drops out of the story towards the end, playing no role in the climax or resolution whatsoever. It makes me think his whole storyline was simply filler. But otherwise the book is a classic, deserving of the enduring praise it has received.

The second book, likewise, seemed a little stretched out. I think it could have been told more compactly. All the same, it made me cry at the end, and I won’t blame it entirely on that time of the month. A very touching tale that adds a fascinating dimension to the world Kushner created. I only wish the women in the story played a less peripheral role, but I anticipate the most recent addition, Nebula-nominated The Privilege of the Sword, will make up for that minor failing.

Odalisque, by Fiona McIntosh

Captured by slave traders in the inhospitable desert, Lazar fought his way to freedom, earning the coveted position of Spur of Percheron. Charged with protecting his adopted city from enemies on both sides of its walls, he has led a charmed life as confidant to and protector of Zar Joreb for many years. But now Joreb is dead…

I read about this book online in a few places, with such glowing phrases of anticipation I went looking for it eagerly, even though I’ve never read any of the author’s other work. Sadly, I was disappointed. An intriguing setting is about all this book had to offer. Well, less critical readers than I might enjoy the story, which is a political melodrama spiced with an impeding war between the gods. But, personally, I’m not encouraged to go looking for the second volume when it comes out.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, Alan Alda
Yes, I know…an aberration in my usual fantasy-stuffed reading list. I don’t typically read biography, and neither am I an avid fan of Alda, but my sister gave this to my mother who passed it on to me, so I went ahead and read it. The man had an interesting life, that’s for sure. I’d like to add a few more biographies to my reading list: anyone have any suggestions?

Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold

A royal dowager, released from the curse of madness and manipulated by an untrustworthy god, is plunged into a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. All I can say is no wonder this book won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. I’d never read Bujold before last year, when I picked up The Curse of Chalion and was totally swept away. After that, I eagerly picked up the first book in her new duology (The Sharing Knife: Beguilement) and was equally impressed by her setting, characters and skillful writing. Paladin of Souls surpasses them both by far. You know how picky I am, and I cannot find a single thing in this book to pick apart. The story is carefully told, each detail given precisely the right amount of emphasis to build tension and plot. The characters are unique individuals, real people trapped in extraordinary circumstances, surprising you sometimes, but never acting, er, uncharacteristically. I adore how unabashedly Bujold’s characters fall in love with one another, hopeful, awkward, but without all the angst and denial present in so much fantasy, where characters wait until the last possible moment to realize they’re in love. The inner journey of the main character is twined perfectly with the outer complications of the plot, so when they reach their simultaneous conclusions and the book ends, I just let out a happy little sigh of contentment.

I liked it so much I went out and bought the only remaining fantasy book of hers, The Hallowed Hunt, and am reading it now, and I’m wondering which of her many SF titles I want to start off with — and I never read SF.

***
I think that’s all of them, but I probably missed something along the way. What I’ve never counted in my reading list is the books I read to the kids; perhaps I’ll do a special edition that covers those. It’s been a year filled with fairies, for us, but right now we’re reading The Bridge to Terebithia (which I’ve never read before) and soon I’m going to introduce them to some of my favorite books from when I was a girl: Misty of Chintoteague (ponies!!!).

Coming Soon:
The Hallowed Hunt, by Lois McMaster Bujold
Kushiel’s Scion, by Jacqueline Carey
The Darkness that Comes Before, by R. Scott Bakker
Un Lun Dun, by China Mieville