And a young Minerva.

Aimee, There's a really good fanfic called "Oversexed, Overpaid, and Over Here," that's set during WWII (and, of course, the Grindelwald war in the wizarding world) and features a young and in-love Minerva working in the British war effort.

I also like Of a Sort, which looks at first-years being sorted in various significant years (including Dumbledore, Minerva, Tom Riddle, the Black Sisters/Lucius Malfoy, the Marauders, Tonks, and Neville's backstory (although the author has not gone back to this story in some time, so it is still incomplete)).

ETA: The WWII-era story makes me remember the fanfic I'd work up on an outline of which would probably end up pretentious and really bad if I ever wrote it, as well as extremely angsty--it's a wizarding Holocaust story, using the real-life person of Jan Karski as the connection between the oppressed wizards in Poland and Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic in London. I just don't think I have the nerve to write something so completely out of what I know, other than as history.

Jilli, I'm sure you have long since read "Sunshine" by Robin McKinnley(sp). Pretty standard "alt reality where the supernatural is real" concepts, but executed stunningly well. I also have been enjoying Stross's Merchant Prince series.

In terms of Fledgling, I share the disappointment. I loved almost everything else Octavia M. Butler wrote. Aside from the issues ita brings up it just was not up to her usual standards. Characters were unconvincing, the vampire society seemed implausible (even given the biological premises) . Butlers sudden death was unfair anyway. But it seems like death was in an extra mean mood to time it so that was her final work.

Than again, I also want to shag the living daylights out of Alan Rickman in his Snape robes

I'd prefer to do it with him *out* of the robes, but whatever floats your boat. I'll take Rickman any way I can get him.

Okay, I just got a hilarious flashback to Rickman peeling layers off a wriggling Mastrantonio in Prince of Thieves to consumate his marriage while the abbot intoned the vows overhead. "I can't DO this with allllthatRACKETTT!"

I had no problems reading Fledgling quickly, and in fact finished it in about a day and a half. I also taught classes during that period, and slept, so that's good time. I would argue that it definitely wasn't statutory rape. It seems to me that statutory rape is a crime because of the idea that we believe children cannot decide for themselves whether or not to have sex with older people (or something like that?). Clearly, though they may have called her a child, the main character had the intellectual and emotional capacity to make those decisions and her society had no issues with her sexual activity. So I was cool with it, once I stopped imagining the physicality of the situation.

Of course, I'm having issues recalling the main character's name, and it's the next day. That seems to imply that i also didn't care much for the characters, which is true. But I thought the biology/history was really interesting, and I was interested to see how it would all play out. I wouldn't have minded staying in the universe a little longer, actually.

It probably wasn't as good as any of the other OEB I've read (Parable of the Sower and Patternmaster sticking in my mind), but I still enjoyed the read.

I'm reading The Russian Debutante's Handbook right now, which is quite fun and amusing so far. I want to compare the style to other writers, but I'm drawing blanks, even though I know I've read books that felt similar.

I just finished reading Misstress in the Art of Death -- and it was fun! Like c.s.i., 12th Century England.

The lead character in Fledgling wasn't considered old enough to mate with her own kind. And she looked like a kid, and wouldn't always. That was enough for me. Of course, I then remember the amnesia that leaves her looking even younger and the ick crawls again. Throw in that she seems to have drugged her humans (her having a dependence on them too makes it worse, not better, for me) and, yikes.

Octavia Butler wrote some amazing fiction. Even what I consider some of her more throwaway work (the Clay's Ark stuff is kinda 'just' adventure for me) is better than Fledgling.

I read the new Harrison last night. You're right, Jilli, big HSM. Big spoiler alert ----> Holy ####, I can't believe Kisten is dead! Wow, that took balls. Although I think it just cleared out the way for Rachel and Ivy's Big Big Gay Lurve. And I really think that Ceri is like, Queen of the Elves or something big like that. And is it just me, or is David getting a lot sexier? And is Matalina going to die soon? And the ending! Rachel is so sad. But I am glad Piscary is dead.

It was fun. But the ending!

I know, Erin, the ending! I wonder if Skimmer was the one to kill Kisten. I don't believe Ivy did.

I agree with you about Ceri being Queen of the Elves; I really want to see her and Quen get together. They'd be well-suited, and it would piss Trent off no end.

I don't know what is going to happen to Matalina. At the reading, Kim Harrison said that Jenks was the closest thing she had to a sacred cow character, and the solution to his lifespan is already there in the books; the characters just haven't figured it out yet. But I hope Matalina is okay. Jenks would be gutted if he got an extended life-span, but she died.

I was amazed when Skimmer beheaded Piscary. Holy crap, talk about trying to prove to someone you love them! And even with that, Ivy will care more about Rachel than Skimmer.

Of course, I want the next book right NOW, dammit.

dammit.... too much white font....

resiting ... resiting....

Oh, that's good news about Jenks . I really like that particular, uh, particularity. Is that vague enough?!

I agree with you; I think Harrison laid some strong groundwork for Skimmer being Kisten's killer. I mean, Skimmer was jealous of Rachel AND Kisten's emotional importance to Ivy. I think Skimmer helped negotiate the deal with Al and got Kisten's 2nd death as a reward -- one she asked for.

All in all, I thought it was a good read, and had some great HSM. I also hadn't thought of Ceri getting together with Quen! I love that idea!

But in the book she seemed fascinated with Trent.

I'm kinda sad that Kisten's dead; he was sexay. But he was also a little...weaker than I like in a strong protag's love interest, male or female. I like stength matched with strength.

Maybe that's why I don't have have a boyfriend. I KNOW I smell good, dammit. . .

Oh! and about Matalina. I dunno if she's safe. I mean, Harrison gutted Rachel pretty well in this book. I do like that she doesn't back down from the hard buy good writing decisions -- like not making Trent into a fuzzy puppy, even though it would be much easier for him to become one.