Favorite Books and Current Reads

[Maxine MagicFox]

It's not that I care about different book covers. I think you are missing my point. I'm annoyed with the over-saturation of a product that is being obviously overhyped to the point that there are several different copies of the same book with different covers in the store, sometimes sitting side by side.

<_< Why can't they do that with some other book that ISN'T getting a movie/mini-series?

Anyways, putting that aside. ^_^ Kino, you should check out the book series Temeraire. It's such a beautiful book. The book so far is kinda "meandering" but then again, I do like the pace and the focus of it. It's just a fun read. Not much excitement but very delicious. I recommend it to you, though, because I think you would find it absolutely fun because of the historical basis present in the book. It's history - with dragons! XD

Anyways, I'm enjoying it immensely.

Other books I've enjoyed these past two weeks:
The Hunger Game series. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I do feel the finale was rushed and had the sense that the author was kinda "ok... I'm done with this book now that the action is over. Bleh." But otherwise, it's in my top five most favorite series.

:3 And, not that I expect anyone of you guys to appreciate it, but the Ranger's Apprentice series has absolutely won my heart. Problem is, as with most kid's books, they are awefully short so I chewed through the first five books with ease. *Sigh* I'm putting the rest on hold until I get more money and even then spread them out farther apart.

Also am reading Nicholas Flemmel series (WHAT?!! I LOVE CHILDREN/YA BOOKS!! LEAVE ME ALONE!! ) Is fun, but maybe hasn't completely won my absolute-love, but I still am enjoying the read. I'm currently beginning the second book.

And finally The Green Rider, but I've not gotten that much into it yet to make any opinion. Seems like it's going to be fun, though. A little whimsical but then again... this is usually what I love most in books. ...which is why childrens' books attract me so much. So I get the feeling it's going to be quite fun for me to read.



..... >_> So many books... *sigh* my bank account is depleted. T-T (I blame Ranger's Apprentice for being too damn short and so damn good and forcing me to purchase the next in the series)

Donations please? Anyone?

[Etrian Veteran]

[Maxine MagicFox]

^_^ Yay!! I have a Ranger's Apprentice buddy?

Aww, Last week on Tuesday (a day I have off) I was reading in Barnes and Nobles with their 1 hour sample reading and I was looking for a new book to read. I read quite a few but once I read Ranger's Apprentice I'm like MUST BUY!!!! I LOVE Will but more than anything I LOVE LOVE LOVE Halt!!

Book 5 spoiler: [hide]T-T So sad... book 5 didn't feature much of Halt, but I'm glad that Will is now a ranger.... *sniffle*[/hide]

I think more than detail, I love the characters in RA. I think what hooked me was Halt reaching out and surprising Will when he snuck into the room. It was SUCH a thrill and I dunno, I just loved the whole scene and how he came to be apprenticed.

NF is good but Josh is really getting on my nerves. STOP IT WITH THE SPOILED BOY ACT!!

[Etrian Veteran]

[Maxine MagicFox]

I agree with everything said in that post. RA works well without a central bad guy. It's kinda set up that way with the way Rangers are.

[beekee]

Kino! Kino, I need your expertise!!!

If I were going to be looking for some good books about gay wizards to buy, do you think you could give me a short list of recommendations of what to start with, either titles or authors? <3

I want to get in on this, but I'm not sure where to start.

[Kinokokao]

DUNDUNDUN! KINO TO THE RESCUE!

I recommend these titles:

Havemercy by Danielle Bennett and Jaida Jones (should be available in a paperback at any major bookstore) -- story told through 4 first-person narrators; involves a gay wizard and flying mechanical dragons. Has a central gay romance. Has a sequel, but it's an optional read (no gay wizards in the sequel). Incredibly tender romance, too, I absolutely adore it.

Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff (should be easy to find) -- main character, Tony, is one of my favorite gay wizards ever. He lives in Vancouver and works on a TV show about a vampire who assists a private detective solve crimes -- which is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that Tony was originally a minor character in Tanya Huff's Blood series, so this is a spin-off, but you absolutely don't have to read those books to start this series. Anyway, Tony's recently split from his vampire ex-boyfriend and has an insufferable crush on the TV show's hunky side kick, Lee. He discovers the special effects wiz' on the show is, in fact, a real goddamn wizard, and something evil that she fled to our world to escape has found her. Ir's urban comic fantasy at its finest. There's two sequels, Smoke and Mirrors and Smoke and Ashes, which I also recommend.

Melusine by Sarah Monette (recently went out of print, so may be hard to find) -- story told through 2 first-person narrators; main character Felix is extremely gay, but no dedicated romance. One of my favorite books ever, if not my favorite book. It's necessary to read the sequel, the Virtu. Optional read is the 3rd and 4th books, Mirador and Corambis. Story is very dark and mature; be warned there is rape, sexual sadism, (minor spoiler: [hide]unrequited incestuous lust[/hide], and Mildmay swears like the thief/assassin he is. Delightful <3

The Fire's Stone by Tanya Huff (out of print, might be easier to find in her duology Of Darkness, Light and Fire, which comes with a completely unrelated story) -- this was my favorite book from when I was 13 up until a few years ago. Involves a bisexual prince, not a gay wizard, but has a central gay romance. Rather cliche but cute story, and a short read. No sexual content; completely appropriate for 13 year old kino.

Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling (easy to find in bookstores) -- so, here's the thing; this is a good fantasy that happens to feature an extremely subtle romance between the two leads. I feel conflicted mentioning it because, on the one hand, I fucking love this book (and it's necessary sequel, Stalking Darkness) but on the other, there isn't much gay content. However the story and characters are fantastic, and it's a gender-neutral world complete with women in the army and a matriarchal monarchy, so that's nice. Anyway, I'm going to mention it just as part of the "mainstream gay fantasy" canon and let you decide what level of gay romance you want to read.

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (not sure of print status, but surprisingly easy to find in used bookstores) -- I also feel I have to mention this one since it's a classic. I went back and forth between loving it and not loving it when I read it. The main couple are already together when the story opens, and the focus is more on the intricate plot of noble intrigue and political subterfuge. I'm hesitant to recommend it; I'd say pick it up only once you've read everything else.

If you're willing to explore small/indie press publishing (more expensive, generally $15 POD trade paperbacks rather than $7 mass-markets, and sometimes hard to find) than a recommend these:

The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek -- fantastic book. I still think about it sometimes and I read it a few months ago. Set in a "Wild West" type environment with trains and a unique twist on traditional magic systems, so great world building. Central gay romance, plenty of sex scenes, and a tightly written, engrossing plot. It's small press, so some of the writing makes me eye-roll just a little, but on the whole it's very well done and enjoyable. And, yes, gay wizards <3

Magebound by Katica Locke -- I put off reading this for years based on the plot, but having read it I recant my earlier reluctance. Central gay romance, but it's a short book and definitely needs the sequel (which has yet to be released) because it ends in a rather weird spot. It's about a slave who gets bought by a magician to serve as his assistant and run his shop, but of course things become more complex than that. The main character is almost an unreliable narrator because of his prejudices toward his new magician master. Anyway, I really liked it.

So, my "shopping list" to cover a wide variety of romance levels and plots, would be:

Havemercy by Danielle Bennett and Jaida Jones
Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff
The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek

Those three, in that order, to get you started, unless you liked the sound of one of the others more.

[beekee]

[Kinokokao]

Absolutely it's the editing. Also, small press books tend to be written more for the fan-girl in mind -- the sex scenes are more prominent and tend to follow the conventions you see in fanfic/fangirl writing... bossy seme, for starters, and the fact that they fall into seme/uke roles so easily. Mainstream fantasies tend to downplay the sex and up the romance, which is fine by me -- they tend to fall more into the category of "strong fantasy books that happen to have gay character/gay romance" rather than being a "gay fantasy" like small press books. There are exceptions, of course; the God Eaters reads like a mainstream fantasy, but there are some sections that, were I the editors, would advise be cut or downplayed.

Lynn Flewelling is an amazing writer; you'll definitely enjoy her gender depictions. I will say that her latest works have slipped in quality, which is sad. I may have mentioned somewhere before, but she kind of has a "trans" character in her spin-off series, the Tamir Tryad. (Set in the same world as Luck in the Shadows, but involves a character mentioned only in passing, and set several hundred years prior to the events of Luck in the Shadows). Anyway, the plot is that there's a prophecy that states only a woman may hold the throne, but one queen goes mad (kind of a "Bloody Mary" situation) so her son usurps the throne. The King then goes about quietly killing his female relations, so to establish a patriarchal succession. A wizard obeying the prophecy, helps hide a female heir (king's niece) as a boy... by killing the twin boy child and using forbidden magic. So Tobin is being raised as a boy ignorant of his "true" gender. There's some neat issues with that when Tobin comes of age and learns the truth, but ultimately it doesn't speak to the core trans issue of choice --Tobin/Tamir is a victim of circumstance.

I'm wracking my brain trying to think of trans characters in fantasy. Tanya Huff writes a lot of strong, female leads and gay/lesbian characters abound, but no trans now that I think about it. There's only a handful of her books that I would not recommend, and most of that is her earliest works. I was a bit obsessed with her for a while; at one point I owned everything she'd ever published. I'm missing her 2 newest books, one in the Valor series (space marines, bleck) and one new one that's urban fantasy, but has a straight female lead so I'm not that intrigued by it.

As for Havemercy -- I hope you enjoy it! You'll have to let me know what you think.

[beekee]

That small press publishers would have different standards of editing, or edit less critically, does make sense - after all, similar patterns crop up with television. But I never put the two together before. Good to know!

I just got Havemercy in the mail today (one day early!) and I admit to BEING PSYCHED. I probably won't read it until tomorrow or maybe even Wednesday - I'm in the middle of book five of the Dresden Files, and I'd like to finish one book before picking up another. Not just because I want to see what happens in this one, but because I want to have all my attention for Havemercy when I do read it.

I've flipped through a few sections already, though, and I think I am going to like it. I'm also quite eager to see how they bring about a four-perspective narrative for my own notes. Looks like they even switch mid-chapter at times, which shows some daring and skill.

I didn't realize that they were newer authors or that this was their first novel. A lot of writers are showing off good first novels now, apparently, so that shouldn't come as a surprise to me. I love the comment in the beginning of the book about writing a book taking a army. Aye.

The character you mentioned in the Tamir Tryad is I guess properly "discount" trans, and there are a few of those in fiction, moreso in anime. I've done plenty in narrative roleplaying games before, so in that light, I have to say I wouldn't judge any harm or callousness in doing so in principle, although it's of course not the same thing.

I've been puzzling over how best to write the perspective of a trans character when their "I'm trans" identity isn't fully established at the beginning of the story. The most direct issue I see is pronouns and other reference. I know that when I was much younger, gender identity was always part of my awareness, in feelings and motivations and perceptions, but I didn't necessarily think about it. I didn't really have a language in which to think about it, to reconcile it with the usual way we use words to denote gender. I absolutely thought of myself as "he" - which is, after all, just a word - and I think a trans character in that phase of growth just as likely would also.

This means that, one way or another, the effective transition (which may take any number of forms) would be part of the story. That might get a little tricky in places.

Looking at it that way, it may be best to just address it head-on, no metaphors or alterations, and just bring it right to the reader exactly for what it is.

[Kinokokao]

[Maxine MagicFox]

Max is now a member of goodreads.com ('cuz, you know, there's like... an app for that.... :3 )

http://goodreads.com/pennamf <-- me


... 127... and I SWEAR I've still probably missed some. :\
I think I should also make a category for "Unfinished". There are books that I will either never finish reading, or will probably finish one day but just not interested today... or tomorrow... or this year.

And, yes, I put my middle name in the url 'cuz my mom was the one who downloaded the app and I dunno what kind of username she's going to choose. (FYI: Me and my mom share the same first name)

[Skele Von Mann]

[Doktor_Q]

[Skele Von Mann]