Thoughts on the various things I'm currently reading.
The Secret Country, by Pamela Dean
I love the premise: kids inventing an elaborate fantasy world in their games, then stumbling into that world, which proves all too real, warts and all. Yes, I know, many, many people have done it, but it happens to be one of my pet tropes.
Unfortunately, the book so far has mostly been told from the point of view of the wettest blanket among the group. I can understand being clumsy and scared of things, but Laura is such a damn killjoy I'm getting frustrated. I'm hoping this is just Dean leaving ample room for character growth.
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Sky Coyote, by Kage Baker
I read In the Garden of Iden over vacation (thanks to Tor providing a free copy of the e-book) and enjoyed it a great deal. As soon as I got back, I picked up this sequel from the library. So far, it doesn't disappoint. Joseph is a great, snarky narrator and we're getting to see more of the Company's dark side.
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Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones
This one I'm not reading for the plot but rather for the two main characters hanging our, creating a story about their superhero alter egos and generally having a grand ol' geeky time. There's such joy in these parts, and they remind me a great deal of myself and my friends.
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Widdershins, by Charles de Lint
Sadly, I couldn't renew this one and am thus stuck at a quarter into the book, while I wait for the interlibrary loan to deliver it again. So far, I'm reading with trepidation: it's customary to be meaner to one's protagonist in sequels than you were in the original. But how is de Lint going to top the sheer 'Owwww' of The Onion Girl. Preemptive cringing time! I'm also looking forward to actually getting to know Geordie. I've found him likable in the previous stuff I've read, but a bit of a cypher.
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