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What I've Read
Master of Djinn by Djeli Clark (Hugo Nominee - Best Novel) - This is a novel that is potentially a great novella or a great first book in a trilogy and doesn't quite land on either. I loved the detective plot, and when it was wrapped up, I felt like the book lost some drive. I would happily read all the short stories in this universe that the author mentions in passing, but I also really would like it if, say, they were not mentioned so much in this book. All in all, this is very good book - characters, plot, and world are all very solid and interesting, but I think it needed another editorial pass - there were a lot of places where the writing itself felt repetitious or information was given awkwardly. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it *quickly* as opposed to stretching it out over a month for book club. I'll try and re-read it sometime later to see.
This closes out my Hugos Best Novel Nominee category for 2022! My hopes are for She Who Became the Sun to win, as it has the most "punch you in the face" ending, or Light from Uncommon Stars, which I think did fascinating things with genre expectations and made me starvingly hungry for donuts.
Monsters in the Closet - Harry Benshoff - At long last, I have finished reading this book and I think it did a few things really well. The trends in film and the summation of history for each chapter were incredibly helpful - I recommend this book as a queer historical text as well as a book for monster movie aficionados. However, I think towards the end, Benshoff stays in the real of gay and lesbian cinema, while I am trying to get more into queer theory, and those are not quite the same thing. Very solid, highly recommend.
What I'm Reading
I have been reading a lot of Star Wars fic, with a focus on Mandalorians, clone troopers, and the odd pockets of calm that exist outside the plots of the films. A lot of it is shorter and goofier fic, so I'm not going to log it for novel-reading reasons.
I will however, recommend particular authors - SPQR and Blackkat are both writing excellent fic in this space and I have enjoyed a huge amount of it.
a simple thing by iridan - Star Wars: the Mandalorian (not in continuity with Book of Boba Fett) Author Summary - Boba Fett likes to be in control. Din Djarin feels more out of control with every passing day. Giving control over to Boba would make both of them happy. Din just doesn't understand why that has to be so complicated.
I am maybe ten chapters in, it's got 50 planned chapters and 46 up to this moment. It's 670,000 words now and I am in love.
Minor gripe - I encountered the Star Wars Expanded Universe in the form of books about Luke Skywalker's academy on Yavin 4, where he trained his niblings as well as Jedi students from all around the galaxy. I'm not calling it Legends now. I get that there's a Disnified continuity that is in canon with the films, but I don't care - I grew up with comic books having multiple canons that got revamped every five years. I can handle keeping two things in my head at the same time - but I will not call it Legends.
What I'll Read Next
Strange Adventures -Tom King (Hugo Best Graphic Novel nominee)
Never Say You Can't Survive - Charlie Jane Anders (Hugo - Best related work)
Unconquerable Sun - Kate Elliott (book Club)
Republic Commando - Karen Traviss (Star Wars Mandalorian stuff)
Master of Djinn by Djeli Clark (Hugo Nominee - Best Novel) - This is a novel that is potentially a great novella or a great first book in a trilogy and doesn't quite land on either. I loved the detective plot, and when it was wrapped up, I felt like the book lost some drive. I would happily read all the short stories in this universe that the author mentions in passing, but I also really would like it if, say, they were not mentioned so much in this book. All in all, this is very good book - characters, plot, and world are all very solid and interesting, but I think it needed another editorial pass - there were a lot of places where the writing itself felt repetitious or information was given awkwardly. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it *quickly* as opposed to stretching it out over a month for book club. I'll try and re-read it sometime later to see.
This closes out my Hugos Best Novel Nominee category for 2022! My hopes are for She Who Became the Sun to win, as it has the most "punch you in the face" ending, or Light from Uncommon Stars, which I think did fascinating things with genre expectations and made me starvingly hungry for donuts.
Monsters in the Closet - Harry Benshoff - At long last, I have finished reading this book and I think it did a few things really well. The trends in film and the summation of history for each chapter were incredibly helpful - I recommend this book as a queer historical text as well as a book for monster movie aficionados. However, I think towards the end, Benshoff stays in the real of gay and lesbian cinema, while I am trying to get more into queer theory, and those are not quite the same thing. Very solid, highly recommend.
What I'm Reading
I have been reading a lot of Star Wars fic, with a focus on Mandalorians, clone troopers, and the odd pockets of calm that exist outside the plots of the films. A lot of it is shorter and goofier fic, so I'm not going to log it for novel-reading reasons.
I will however, recommend particular authors - SPQR and Blackkat are both writing excellent fic in this space and I have enjoyed a huge amount of it.
a simple thing by iridan - Star Wars: the Mandalorian (not in continuity with Book of Boba Fett) Author Summary - Boba Fett likes to be in control. Din Djarin feels more out of control with every passing day. Giving control over to Boba would make both of them happy. Din just doesn't understand why that has to be so complicated.
I am maybe ten chapters in, it's got 50 planned chapters and 46 up to this moment. It's 670,000 words now and I am in love.
Minor gripe - I encountered the Star Wars Expanded Universe in the form of books about Luke Skywalker's academy on Yavin 4, where he trained his niblings as well as Jedi students from all around the galaxy. I'm not calling it Legends now. I get that there's a Disnified continuity that is in canon with the films, but I don't care - I grew up with comic books having multiple canons that got revamped every five years. I can handle keeping two things in my head at the same time - but I will not call it Legends.
What I'll Read Next
Strange Adventures -Tom King (Hugo Best Graphic Novel nominee)
Never Say You Can't Survive - Charlie Jane Anders (Hugo - Best related work)
Unconquerable Sun - Kate Elliott (book Club)
Republic Commando - Karen Traviss (Star Wars Mandalorian stuff)
