I'll just jump in my time machine, go back to the twelfth century, and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophesy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show.

Giles ,'Selfless'


Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


§ ita § - Jul 07, 2013 11:36:35 am PDT #21003 of 28370
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I'm looking interestedly at that Cold Magic series, Consuela--I have a question--is the same character on the front of all three books?

I did impulse buy The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway last week. Saw someone blog about it casually, and before I knew it, I was downloading.

Anyone here read it?


Consuela - Jul 07, 2013 11:42:07 am PDT #21004 of 28370
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

I have a question--is the same character on the front of all three books?

Not sure, since I got the 2nd & 3rd on my Kindle. Lemme look. And the answer is... maybe? There are two female leads, Cat and her sister Bee. They're supposed to be "Phoenician", but the standard ethnicities don't apply. Cat is described as having black hair and amber eyes, though.

I suspect the publisher whitewashed her a bit, although she's never described as dark skinned (unlike the male lead, who is partly of African descent).


Amy - Jul 07, 2013 11:42:56 am PDT #21005 of 28370
Because books.

Despite all the trauma (and the drama), there's something weirdly cozy and domestic about it for me.

Oh, I agree. And I think the epilogue really helped, too, as well as the family tree in the back. Plus, I was really impressed that she had Simon living with Julia and Toby, and Julia's first baby his . That's a fairly bold move for a YA book, even if she didn't explain any of it in much detail.

I think that's the other thing that I really liked -- she balanced it so well, especially with Sophie, who dreamed of a white dress and a church wedding but was also very honestly straightforward about not regretting her night with Simon, or having any problem with her brother's and Simon's fluid sexuality, while still acknowledging how difficult it could make things.


§ ita § - Jul 07, 2013 2:47:35 pm PDT #21006 of 28370
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Cat and her sister Bee

Cousin?

The woman on the first two covers looks darker skinned than the third, but the review I read said the epic was written in close pov of just one person, so it seemed to fit that it would be her on all the covers.

The first book was on sale for $1.99, and it doesn't really take up space per se, and insert standard excuses here:


Consuela - Jul 07, 2013 9:06:17 pm PDT #21007 of 28370
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

Cousin?

Yes, cousin, but raised as sisters. One thing I really like is that the relationship between the women is as important as the romantic relationship between the two romantic leads.


EpicTangent - Jul 08, 2013 9:18:10 am PDT #21008 of 28370
Why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit? - Zenkitty

Please see Amy's 2 posts above for a very coherent write-up of pretty much exactly precisely how I felt about The Fitzosbornes at War, but couldn't quite verbalize.


Amy - Jul 08, 2013 9:52:05 am PDT #21009 of 28370
Because books.

They're so good!

Did they really think they were going to get away with this? People, I swear.


Kat - Jul 08, 2013 4:16:51 pm PDT #21010 of 28370
"I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret." Leigh Bardugo

Have any of you read Hangman's Daughter? I finished it yesterday -- 16th century Germany and a murder mystery. So enjoyable.


Pix - Jul 08, 2013 5:24:00 pm PDT #21011 of 28370
The status is NOT quo.

I read it. Enjoyable, though I kept feeling like it had the potential to be even more so, if that makes any sense.


Polter-Cow - Jul 08, 2013 8:35:00 pm PDT #21012 of 28370
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

Heeeeey, le nubian, it's months later, but I just finished The Human Division, and I can totally see your criticisms, but I really liked it anyway. Scalzi's comments here do help me understand what happened regarding the lack of resolution on the mystery plot, and I do agree that the B-team becoming the A-team was the real story, but it's still a bit frustrating. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel, though.

If you liked the writing and the world of the book, I highly recommend you read the other books in the series. I promise each one of those has a beginning, middle, and end.