Reading, Regenesis, Princess Ben, tithe and the Stepsister Scheme

[samvara]

Reading opportunities have been, well, lacking really.

• Regenesis by CJ Cherryh. I've been waiting for this book for, oh, 20 years and I enjoyed it a lot. I don't think I can talk about it well though, I loved the way it talks about sweeping socio-political relationships and the way it maps intimate psychological moments. I love the language, the ambivalent morality, the complex slave culture, the way Cyteen society is so evolved in some ways and so brutal in others. I love Justin and Grant, the azi team Caitlin and Florian and the tensions arising from psychologically cloning generations of twisted relationships.
• Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch. Princess! Witch! Dragon! Sort of! Benevolence uses her magic and wits to survive the tragic loss of her parents, drudgery as a slave in an enemy army camp and the vagaries of her own youth.
• tithe by Holly Black. Teen supernatural romance, Kaye discovers her faerie roots just in time to become aware of her future as a potential sacrifice, clearly an elven knight and some homicidal encounters will make this relationship one to remember. I question the choice to hook a 16 year old up with some old elvish guy, but I recognise the genre is hypnotically compelling for some.
• The Stepsister Scheme by Jim Hines. A bit on the silly side, Cindarella's husband has been stolen away, who will help her? The angry, violent and talented Sleeping Beauty and the magical Snow White (who work for Cindarella's mother-in-law) take her on the adventure of a lifetime. I like the weaving of the different myths.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Will you be happy, if I kill myself tonight?

[samvara]

Dude, I would be deeply saddened.

[jennifew]

My main problem with Regenesis was the thoroughly unsatisfying answer to the question of who killed Ari I. (Who was ultimately responsible, that is.) "Someone you've never heard of before" is not a Good Answer to that kind of thing--especially in a long-delayed sequel like this!

But, oh, Justin and Grant! Florian and Catlin! Ari II trying to not become like Ari I while at the same trying to be at least as good as Ari I! Not to mention the sheer ethical issues so inherent a part of Union (particularly Reseune) society, that tend to be invisible the first time you read Cyteen...though that may just be because the first time you read Cyteen simply following what's going on is a bit of a chore. :)

I love Cherryh's SF. :)

[samvara]

Yeah, I wanted it to be Denys. I do like that their response to Kyle is to go all out to save him including partially resolving with Jordan.

and yeah, I re-read her stuff because it's fun but also because I get more out of it over the next few reads!