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icepixieI've gotten bogged down in the third book of S.L. Viehl's Stardoc series. Mostly it's because the main character still loves this dude who is really a...well, "giant heel" hardly covers it, but it'll do, I suppose. She acknowledges that he's evil, but somehow can't stop being into him. I hear it can take a while to really root someone out of your heart, but sweetie, he sold you to reptilian interstellar slavers. I think at that point, it's okay for you to hate him without reservations.
It doesn't help that this is the same guy who had no problems telepathically taking over her mind for fairly shady reasons (not that there are good reasons to telepathically take over someone's mind, but some are better than others, you know?) and then, under the influence of alien goo, physically raped her. I cringed a lot at that one, but stuck with the series because I thought he was going to be left behind after that book. Not so much, sadly. And then there is this, and while there are hints that he's playing some kind of long game and this particular betrayal was not all as it seemed, I've pretty much reduced this book to a grudgeread. I want his ass airlocked ASAP.
I went to the library yesterday, though, so I have other books to read. I finally picked up a Borges collection, and I am now in possession of Android Karenina. I can only assume this will go better than the last time I attempted Tolstoy. (I was twelve, it was War and Peace, you can guess who won that round.) I also got a book on Venice from the same fellow who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Sadly, the books I requested are all at another branch, so I'll have to wait another few days for my collected Auden (I...thought I needed more of him in my life), Cold Comfort Farm (which I hear is fun) and The Bostonians. Yes, the last one is James, BLEH--The Turn of the Screw was okay, but I got about thirty pages into The Ambassadors before I realized that was going to be one of the texts from the orals list I covered via MasterPlots--but I hear there's canon femslash or at least extreme subtext, and for some reason I am very into femslash right now. I think it's Warehouse 13's fault. ;)
It doesn't help that this is the same guy who had no problems telepathically taking over her mind for fairly shady reasons (not that there are good reasons to telepathically take over someone's mind, but some are better than others, you know?) and then, under the influence of alien goo, physically raped her. I cringed a lot at that one, but stuck with the series because I thought he was going to be left behind after that book. Not so much, sadly. And then there is this, and while there are hints that he's playing some kind of long game and this particular betrayal was not all as it seemed, I've pretty much reduced this book to a grudgeread. I want his ass airlocked ASAP.
I went to the library yesterday, though, so I have other books to read. I finally picked up a Borges collection, and I am now in possession of Android Karenina. I can only assume this will go better than the last time I attempted Tolstoy. (I was twelve, it was War and Peace, you can guess who won that round.) I also got a book on Venice from the same fellow who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Sadly, the books I requested are all at another branch, so I'll have to wait another few days for my collected Auden (I...thought I needed more of him in my life), Cold Comfort Farm (which I hear is fun) and The Bostonians. Yes, the last one is James, BLEH--The Turn of the Screw was okay, but I got about thirty pages into The Ambassadors before I realized that was going to be one of the texts from the orals list I covered via MasterPlots--but I hear there's canon femslash or at least extreme subtext, and for some reason I am very into femslash right now. I think it's Warehouse 13's fault. ;)
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Date: 2010-09-20 03:45 am (UTC)OMG. I can see the self-help book now: He's Just Not That Into You (Besides, He Sold You To Reptilian Interstellar Slavers).
I'm not sure I could stomach that, even in a grudgeread. I salute your efforts.
Cold Comfort Farm (which I hear is fun)
That was just recommended to me the other day! Rumor has it it's excellent.
I've gotten as far as Memory in the Vorkosigan series, but my pace is finally slowing due to the slogging ennui of this and Mirror Dance. Post-death Miles is such a drag, heh. But it's a good thing I slowed down to a reasonable rate, because I made the mistake of ordering the upcoming Bujold on Amazon along with Miles in Love, and free shipping means neither of them will get here 'til late October, and nooooooooooooooo! So I need to ration things out a bit. : )
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Date: 2010-09-20 05:41 pm (UTC)I'm going to buy this character a copy right now!
I'm not sure I could stomach that, even in a grudgeread. I salute your efforts.
Yeah, at this point it's really only a grudgeread because I bought most of the series when I was at McKay, and I'm hoping once I get past this one, it'll magically return to the level of awesome of the first book.
I do remember Mirror Dance as being a bit of a drag, but Memory! Miles showing up with all his medals! Hee!
FYI, I tend to think Komarr is less than interesting, but with the caveat that I read it when I was sixteen, so, you know, my taste may not have been all it is today. But A Civil Campaign makes up for it all. *hearts* Oooh, and I need to order the upcoming Miles book.
Does Miles in Love include the "Winterfair Gifts" short story? I found that reading it made me much less stabby about Diplomatic Immunity, so I'd read it between ACC and DI if I could do it all again. (Technically it comes between them, anyway, even if it was published after.)
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Date: 2010-09-20 06:01 pm (UTC)Aww, an unmerited-optimism grudgeread, no less. You are brave, indeed. ;P
Miles showing up with all his medals! Hee!
And Gregor just about falling out of his chair at the sight! Muahhaa! Yes, it's definitely picking up now that Illyan's plot is going full-force. Just had to get Miles out of his funk in the second hundred pages or so. Btw, lol!Alys!
my taste may not have been all it is today.
Hahaha, ah, sixteen...
But A Civil Campaign makes up for it all. *hearts*
Yes, you keep hinting at that... which is why I splurged and bought the omnibus - thought that one might require a re-read at some point. It does include "Winterfair Gifts," too, and that story would've been harder to come by at the library... And the omnibuses are $10 on Amazon! Muahaha!
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Date: 2010-09-20 10:17 pm (UTC)thought that one might require a re-read at some point
Yeeeesss...
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Date: 2010-09-21 12:01 am (UTC)