Bad bad me

Er, work has been nuts? What other excuses can I use?

Ack, just realised that there's an SFSA meet tomorrow: Star Wars day, all three original films. Doubt I'm going to make that - need to work on Probe. I wasn't able to go to the special meeting this past Monday [Bruce Muzik on "Quantum Physics and its application to everyday life coupled with the Power of the Mind"] as I had my dance lesson.

Anyway, I've been reading a whole bunch of Sean Russel, borrowed from Grant Charlton.

I finally, six months, later, continued with The Initiate Brother and am almost at the end of its concluding sequel, Gatherer of Clouds. Before finishing this set, I read World Without End but Grant has never been able to find the sequel, Sea Without a Shore (sequence is called "Moontide and Magic Rise").

I also reread Robin McKinley's The Hero and The Crown (hadn't reread in years so it was all fresh again to me) and The Blue Sword (which I reread often since I have a copy).

Then there was L Neil Smith's The Crystal Empire. Interesting alternative history - imagine the Muslim and Jews all happy as one united empire... Thought the ending was a bit weak, though.

Lined up to read:

• Peter F Hamilton's Judas Unchained
• Michael Scott Rohan's The Singer and The Sea; The Gates of Noon (second of a trilogy of which I've read the last one, duh); Run to the Stars
• Scott Westerfeld's The Risen Empire
• Lyn Abbey's Siege of Shadows

Yes, I know I need to catch up on writing...

But things have been a bit hectic lately and aren't exactly slowing down for the next few days!

I must admit I was amazed at the interest people are showing in this fledgling blog, from a couple of comments people made last night at the lotsoffun 27dinner in Jozi. :) Am I actually doing something right? Feedback appreciated!

Finished the Turtledove

So last night, instead of going to dancing because I was grumpy from work, I sat on my couch and finished the Harry Turtledove.

One of the things I have liked about these two books is that the approach to relationships is more realistic. While the Fox got the girl at the end of book one, beginning of book two starts with his pain at her having run off, leaving him with their young son, a couple of years after they got married.

I still reckon my favourite Turtledove series is the World War II Balance series, although the last addition to that was really crap.

Board games meeting and cheesecake?

We're going to be playing board games at this month's SFSA meeting (Saturday). For some reason I thought it was a games day, which was real lekker last year, until I read the email again just now.

I also see that the starting topic for this month's discussion evening is Science , Pseudo Science and Science Fiction. I've not been to a discussion evening in ages. This must be rectified! Al's cheesecake and I need to be reunited...

The Empress of Earth

So last night I finished reading Melissa Scott's The Empress of Earth, the conclusion to the Silence Leigh trilogy.

Now while I'm sure I did read it once many years ago, although I had to wait years to get my grubby little paws on it, I must admit I couldn't remember anything.

I enjoyed but there were parts where I did feel as if I were just wading through the technical explanations of her system for space travel etc. Went on and on and on.

Sucker for a reread

Man, am I a sucker for a reread. :)

Yesterday I was over at my SO and found his brother - who is a member of SFSA, btw - had the Melissa Scott "Silence Leigh" trilogy, which made a huge impact on me sometime in high school. A few years ago, I bought the middle book secondhand from Grant's shop.

So the Harry Turtledove has been interrupted (which is fine, because it's actually an omnibus of two books and I'd just started the second one late on Friday night [well, Saturday morning by that stage]).

Grant has said to me a couple of times, and recently, that he doesn't understand how someone can reread books. Well, sometimes it's a lack of access to new material (which Grant doesn't suffer from - I'll take photos sometime) and sometimes books, like music, need to be revisited to discover all the nuances. And sometimes, it's just a comfort read, liking eating chocolate. :)

Say no to magazines

So after I climbed into bed last night with a cup of cocoa and the Harry Turtledove, I realised I'd forgotten to mention that I've cut down on reading the various magazines that the office gets. So voila, more time for reading novels!