The side-effects of the book diet

[selenay]

Last night I finished the book I was reading (Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara, enjoyed it muchly thank you) and therefore needed a new book to read.

Now, when I went on this book diet it was largely because I needed to curb the number of books entering my house. 23 in three months? Not good. The side-effect of this is that I unconciously decided that I should not do any re-reads until the book diet is over and that promise to myself has become stronger as the weeks go by.

If I'm not re-reading, then the logical thing is to use this time to get a handle on the to be read pile of doom. No library, only unread books from my personal stash. Thus my dilemma last night.

I think that I know why I buy stuff. I wandered along the shelves picking things up and thinking about them and putting them down because none of them really called to me at that moment. A couple of books did appeal, but they were second books in the series and I need to re-read the first ones to remind myself of what's happening. Thus they were disqualified. I wasn't in the mood for Martha Wells (sorry) or Laurie Lee or Trudi Canavan.

Eventually I identified what I did want to read: Temeraire! But that would be a re-read. Drat. And then Patrick O'Brien caught my eye. He's one of the reasons that I tried the Naomi Novik books in the first place, it's got the needed action and adventure with a hint of epicness but not world-ending epicness. No dragons, but big sailing ships are almost as good and I am rather fond of Aubrey and Maturin.

I'm now a thid of the way through Desolation Island and I've finally got some clues about why I buy so many books. Hoorah for me!

Comments

[evil_plotbunny]

I love both Michelle Sagara (who also writes as Michelle West) and Patrick O'Brien. I have been hovering around the Naomi Noviks but not delved in yet.

[selenay]

I haven't tried any of her Michelle West books - are they very different? And will I definitely like them if I like the Sagara books?

I ask because I cannot finish a Robin Hobb book but I love her Meghan Lindholm books.

You definitely need to try the Naomi Novik books if you enjoy Patrick O'Brien. They have a similar tone and the Napoleonic era seems spot-on, but NN does a wonderful job of imagining how the world would be different if there were dragons involved.

[evil_plotbunny]

They're thick epic fantasies with convoluted plots and casts of thousands. I always look at them a little suspiciously, but when I open one, I'm always pulled in quickly. Also, look for her first series (currently published by a small press under Sagara West, I believe). Those have more in common with the Cast books and they held up well on a recent reread.

I have the same problem with Robin Hobb vs. Megan Lindholm.

We have a few NN books in the library, but I think they went into storage. However perhaps I shall try her once I get through the Kage Baker books I just got through ILL.

[selenay]

I'll see if I can get the first West book from the library before committing to purchase, because I own three Hobb books (on the basis that I like Lindholm and surely I'll eventually learn to like Hobb?) and I don't want to make the same mistake with this author. The Cast books are very enjoyable so the next one might be on the list of books that I buy after the diet is over. I'll also have a look around for the Sagara West books to see whether I can borrow or not.

I can't work out how an author can be so totally different just by chaning psueds and I've met a couple of other people who can't read Hobb but love Lindholm.

You should definitely try NN when you can. The books suck you in and don't let you go from the first page :-)

[evil_plotbunny]

That makes sense. She's a Canadian author, so with any luck that will have encouraged the libraries up there to stock her books.

I think it's the other way around. The author wants to write something different but doesn't want to turn off her original audience, so it's published under a different name and then the fans find out and it works for some of them and not others.

I was hovering over them before we moved. I'm sure I'll get around to reading the first some time this year.

[boulder-girl.livejournal.com]

I love Michelle Sagara. I always feel like I'm missing something or everything, but she keeps it interesting and something about her style just clicks with me.

[selenay]

Her style rolls along and it's very absorbing. She gives just enough information that you aren't completely confused, but I'm constantly wanting to know more about the world because she keeps so much back.

Perhaps that's what makes them so absorbing? That constant urge to turn the page in case she finally explains this thing that's been bothering you for three chapters.

[selenay]

Hmm, I'd never really looked at it before, but that makes sense. If what she's writing is so different (and Hobb is very different from Lindholm in every way) then it's a good idea to use a different pseud. If nothing else, it means that I can more easily stick to the stuff of hers that I enjoy :-) And some authors do write very different things - even down to style - when they do this.

You do need to get to the NN :-) The first one is still my favourite, but I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them.

[evil_plotbunny]

I shall try them at some point.