I haven't read much more by Link beyond these earlier stories, but intend to catch up. This is an A+ collection here.I haven't read much more by Link beyond these earlier stories, but intend to catch up. This is an A+ collection here....more
More like 1.5 stars because I did finish this book. Total garbage, but I've had far worse entertainment for a couple of hours while staring at a screeMore like 1.5 stars because I did finish this book. Total garbage, but I've had far worse entertainment for a couple of hours while staring at a screen....more
Long ago I read Porter's short story "Rope" and made a mental note to read more by her. Years later, I ended up spending a lot of time at the UniversiLong ago I read Porter's short story "Rope" and made a mental note to read more by her. Years later, I ended up spending a lot of time at the University of Maryland libraries, where they have her papers and a Katherine Ann Porter room. This was a another mental prod, but a lot of time went past again.
Finally the fates conspired and I read Pale Horse, Pale Rider, a set of three short novels that are all about the ways that the past affects the present. All three were good, but it's hard to top that creepy noir energy of Noon Wine....more
After finding the first book good but not so lovable, I fully did love this one. I wonder if I would have liked it as a kid. Probably. Too bad I neverAfter finding the first book good but not so lovable, I fully did love this one. I wonder if I would have liked it as a kid. Probably. Too bad I never saw this one at the school library OR the public library.
The setting is great, the sinister underground labyrinth, the awful elder gods, the oppressive cult. Then the interesting plot structure, with the gradual realization that there are alternatives to the fate and belief system that you grew up with.
Somewhere in early 2021, I started to use a browser extension to download free online short stories into epub format, and then transfer them to my e-rSomewhere in early 2021, I started to use a browser extension to download free online short stories into epub format, and then transfer them to my e-reader using Calibre. This is very similar to the way I once downloaded mp3s and transferred them to an iPod, and I loved doing that so much that I also bought a souped-up revamped iPod classic later that same year.
With both e-books and mp3s, there is a dangerous slippery slope here, where I have to watch and make sure I am not spending more time on building a collection and creating amazing metadata, as compared to actually reading books and listening to music.
Anyway, that has nothing to do with this story, which was one of many that I pulled from tor.com. This story was fine. I don't think I knew what an undine was before, and it is convenient to have this word in the title so that I will kind of remember what it means....more
I read this as a kid but never any of the later Earthsea books. I liked it then; I liked it now. But it was never a favorite. I enjoyed my re-read, buI read this as a kid but never any of the later Earthsea books. I liked it then; I liked it now. But it was never a favorite. I enjoyed my re-read, but it still lacked a little something. Other juvenile fantasy series that I liked more (we didn't call it YA back in the '80s) included Narnia, Prydain, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising. One thing those series had was a large, endearing cast. This book is full of solitary journeying, lonely struggles. It is very good but not quite loveable.
Really lovely. I read an e-book version of the original novel (not exactly a novel though). Still want to catch up on the "other stories" and perhaps Really lovely. I read an e-book version of the original novel (not exactly a novel though). Still want to catch up on the "other stories" and perhaps more works by Jewett....more
Fantastic premise for exploring a really important contemporary issue. The execution isn't quite there, but what a great metaphor.Fantastic premise for exploring a really important contemporary issue. The execution isn't quite there, but what a great metaphor....more
I originally read this as a teen and LOVED it. Then later, when I read Garc铆a M谩rquez, I was like "oh this is who Ian McDonald ripped off!" This book I originally read this as a teen and LOVED it. Then later, when I read Garc铆a M谩rquez, I was like "oh this is who Ian McDonald ripped off!" This book is also in part a loving tribute to the Martian Chronicles, which later became one of my very favorite pieces of fiction.
I am generously giving this 5 stars. It is flawed. It's self-indulgent and there is (in hindsight) something a bit disconcerting about Anglo-Irish McDonald playing around with global cultures and brown people. It's one thing when Rushdie (another clear influence who I later read) does something similar. It's different coming from this white dude in Belfast.
But this book remains a lot of fun and held up better than I might have feared.
Also, I've always wondered if the Flaming Lips song "All We Have Is Now" was inspired by this book?...more
I so wanted to like this. I would love to read all kinds of stories envisioning what happened to SW characters after just the first movie and no additI so wanted to like this. I would love to read all kinds of stories envisioning what happened to SW characters after just the first movie and no additional canon. (There are old SW comics that do this, and those are on my to-read list someday). Even though I lost interest in this franchise when the prequels came out, I still sometimes think about what the original intentions were with these characters, their relationships, the backstories.
Also we had a copy of the original Star Wars novelization in my house growing up, and I read it and liked it a lot. It was published as by George Lucas, but was actually by Foster.
But whatever, this just isn't really worth reading even out of curiosity....more
This was an interesting and challenging series, not anything like what I would have expected. Kind of like doing a difficult crossword puzzle, where yThis was an interesting and challenging series, not anything like what I would have expected. Kind of like doing a difficult crossword puzzle, where you thought you understood an emerging theme based on obscure clues, but then you realize your guess was all wrong, the cruciverbalist has tricked you, you need to go back and erase all the answers you had filled in before. "Cruciverbalist" is also the kind of word that would pop up in The Book of the New Sun.
I had a vivid memory of this, among all Hardy Boys books I read in like 4th grade. Because it introduced me to the very idea of riding a bike in a citI had a vivid memory of this, among all Hardy Boys books I read in like 4th grade. Because it introduced me to the very idea of riding a bike in a city. I had these memories of Joe Hardy riding through New York traffic that were really appealing. And when I was in my 20s, weaving a bicycle around downtown traffic jams, I would think back to this.
Anyway this book was fine for what it is. I certainly forgot all about how the Casefiles were a grim reboot of the Hardy Boys concept, with Joe's girlfriend having been blown up by a car bomb in the first book. I am not really into it, seems unnecessarily violent!...more
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