2023 a Trilogy / JAMM

2023 a Trilogy

by JAMM (The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu)

fantasy

copyright 2017

partly read in June 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Fantasy? science fiction? social satire or commentary? Hard to categorise.

Did I enjoy reading it... as far as I read it? Sort of. In fact I enjoyed it more after I had read some background on "JAMM". Interesting people!

I had been thinking, the authors are comedians who are writing rubbish knowing -- in their own minds -- that their work will sell. Based on their own reputation. I was wrong!

These two -- the actual authors -- seem to have made a career of... umm... weird thinking. Consistent thinking. Which I admire.

Unfortunately I did not admire the writing. Lots of semi-contemporary references. Some obvious, some beyond me, some very obvious and unexciting. Not my thing.

If you see the problems of today's "civilisation" -- and like to read about what is happening and what could possibly happen -- read on.

I like my books to be a bit more subtle. Lightly sampled, as they say, like caviar. Rather than slathered on like marmalade.

An interesting book but not one that I am interested in reading.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"Take a lesson from the weather… it pays no attention to what the critics say." … per Ginger Meggs

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Special Topics in ... / Marisha Pessl

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

by Marisha Pessl

fiction

copyright 2006

partly read in June 2020

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

Readable? Sort of. My wife gave up reading it. I lasted 50 pages then skimmed the last few pages. Readable -- sort of -- but not worth the effort.

The book is a continuous series of literary (I think) allusions. The message from the author is, I'm so clever I bet you are not as widely read as I am.

I enjoy a book where the author is clever with words and with references. In this case, I make an exception. So I have not rated it as three, so bad it's embarrassing. After all, I did enjoy the first few pages... till the confusion and lack of coherence sank in.

Up herself, I say. Pretentious, my wife says, and she has read some reviews.

The narrator had a mother who had killed herself and a father who is a -- again pretentious -- dickhead. Then there's a character who apparently hanged herself and the body was discovered by the narrator. So what? Who cares? In 50 pages I never found out, never cared.

Don't bother. Unless you enjoy pretentious, I'm-so-smart, writing by an author who is somewhere up herself.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Children of Earth and Sky / Guy Gavriel Kay

Children of Earth and Sky

by Guy Gavriel Kay

fantasy

copyright 2016

read in June 2020

rated 7/10: well worth reading

As I'm reading I'm thinking, Oho, these characters and places are lightly disguised real places: I recognise Italians, Russians(?), English... An easy way to get character variation, I think. As I read I realise, Oh, it's "taking place in a world based on Italy, Istanbul and the Balkans in the 15th century." (Wikipedia) Not so lightly disguised after all.

And I'll pinch another quote, from... a quote... in the author's afterword: 'Kay writes "history with a quarter turn to the fantastic".' Yes, I can see that. It's based on history but it's a story of people who could have lived there & then, if history had been different.

I'm not fond of "historical fantasy". This author says that he does not write historical fantasy, good. I enjoy this book as a fantasy -- and enjoy the historical references. Then am surprised to find that the history is closer to the book than I realised. No, I don't know much history.

So, it's fantasy. With violence and sex, lots of each. Lots of characters, plenty of very likeable characters. With several quick deaths to keep the character count under control. Interestingly, I accept the deaths because the characters accept death as being likely. They live in dangerous times.

There is also a lot of action. Lots of those characters generating lots of plot lines, I regularly lose track of the "minor" stories. Half way through and I think, there's too much happening, there is no way these can all be wrapped up, this must be book one of a series... and I am wrong.

Some stories are wrapped up with an historian's summary -- the author, that is -- providing a few sentences of, And then this & that happened... The key plots are simply followed to their natural and satisfying conclusions.

If, like me, you are weak on history, this is a very enjoyable book. I suspect there would be extra enjoyment if you already have an interest in the real world history which has provided the setting -- the inspiration for the setting -- of this rollicking tale. 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

The Obelisk Gate / N.K. Jemisin

The Obelisk Gate

(Broken Earth #2)

by N.K. Jemisin

fantasy

copyright 2016

read in June 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

There's a solid "scientific" basis for the dystopian world of this book. It's still fantasy. Which is neither good nor bad, I just like to be clear :-)

The powers used by the characters are... wow! ... super powers. There's a lot of gosh! wow! going on. Extra powers discovered just in time to save the day. Not to worry, it's an enjoyable book.

The theme of people being hated and feared for being "different" is thoughtful and well done. The message of environmental destruction is there, without interfering with the story.

I read book one five years ago, I was well into this book before I realised it. Part of this is fading memory... Part is that the book is enjoyable but vague. By which I mean, much of the depth -- much of the significance -- is understated, so it does not stick in my mind. Oh, also, I believe that my taste in books has shifted over the years...

I see that I rated book one as eight. I don't believe that book two is as good. Then my current state of, "what I want to read" has brought this book down to six.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)