Giles, if you would like to get by in American society, then you are going to have to follow our traditions. You're the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it's all meaningless.

Buffy ,'Sleeper'


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."


Consuela - Mar 10, 2021 6:47:22 pm PST #26516 of 28452
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

The last Chanur novel is more of a TNG-type spinoff than a direct sequel, although it deals with a lot of the same issues. It's just that the Chanur of the title is Hilfy, rather than her aunt Pyanfar. And I like Hilfy, but Pyanfar is totally badass.


-t - Mar 10, 2021 8:47:02 pm PST #26517 of 28452
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Hm. Not completely certain I did read that.


Beverly - Mar 10, 2021 11:33:54 pm PST #26518 of 28452
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.

Thirding the Chanur books. All Cherryh's scifi is at least engaging--my favorite being a little morsel titled Merchanter's Luck--has a Firefly ring to it.

And if you're a fantasy fan, Cherryh's got you covered there, too--from Gates of Ivrel and Faded Sun trilogy through The Tree of Swords and Jewels on to her Russian folk tales: Rusalka, Chernovog, et al.


Toddson - Mar 11, 2021 5:43:20 am PST #26519 of 28452
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"

I enjoyed the Pride of Chanur series - had them all at one point. The Faded Sun trilogy was good, as were most of the others I remember reading.

I liked Margery Allingham; I think her best was Tiger in the Smoke. You might try Josephine Tey as well - her best known book is The Daughter of Time, which isn't a traditional mystery.


-t - Mar 11, 2021 7:47:46 am PST #26520 of 28452
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Josephine Tey I have read most if not all of. I will try skipping to Tiger in the Smoke for Allingham. I guess Peter Davison played Campion in the BBC series, maybe I'll give that a watch although what resemblance those bear to the books is always an open question.

ETA: Kindle Unlimited has "The Essential Margery Allingham" which is three books including Tiger in the Smoke so I will give that a try. Thanks for the pointer, Toddson!


Toddson - Mar 11, 2021 8:46:21 am PST #26521 of 28452
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"

One thing to watch out for - after Allingham died, her husband (I think it was) tried to continue the Albert Campion series. I didn't like those, although I did enjoy most of the others.

And there's Dorothy Sayers, who wrote the Lord Peter Wimsey books, which I liked. One of them - The Nine Tailors - explained change ringing, which was a help when listening to the bells in the cathedral.


Dana - Mar 11, 2021 8:47:56 am PST #26522 of 28452
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.

I was very excited a few years ago when I was in the UK and heard change-ringing on a Sunday morning.


-t - Mar 11, 2021 8:54:36 am PST #26523 of 28452
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

I was obsessed with Wimsey for a while in high school, fortunately the public library where I regularly waited for rides after soccer practice had all the novels so it was easy enough for me to feed the obsession. I have in the back of my mind that it would not be a good idea to reread but I have no idea where that came from...

Allingham is the only one of the Queens of Crime that I have not read at all and it's a curious omission, although I don't think there's an actual reason for it.


Dana - Mar 11, 2021 9:02:20 am PST #26524 of 28452
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.

It's the same with me. I own pretty much everything by Sayers, Christie, and Marsh.


Volans - Mar 11, 2021 10:18:16 am PST #26525 of 28452
move out and draw fire

I tweeted this question but asking here also: are there any stories in which magic exists sort of like technology does IRL and becomes obsolescent due to new and better magic, social changes, etc?