I bin reedin' paper'd text

[minxy]

Reeeeeeeading:

Books:

Rosemary Kirstein's The Steerswoman's Road (The Steerswoman/The Outskirter's Secret)

Now, I thought I'd made a pretty good representative read through the literature out there reasonably described as feminist post-apocalyptic fantasy, but I missed Kirstein entirely, and I have no idea how. This novel was filled with interesting characters, from those that were relevant in the first 100 pages and never again, to those who were and are clearly lifetime friends and repeating guest stars. I thought it particularly interesting that women played an integral role in stuff, but there was very little theorizing on why the wizards were more male, and the steerswomen generally female, and the only blatant feminism a discussion of the role of childbearers in the harshest climes and most difficult conditions. A mark in the favor of showing, not telling, I guess. Wonder if it will continue thusly or if at some point there will be a break on the part of some character who will say, so that's why you track the maternal line, or that's why the first steerswoman and first wizard were woman, but the steerswomen remained largely a sisterhood order.

The center two woman are pretty marvelous, Rowan and Bel; they would be, and I'm obviously drawn to Rowan as the naturalist observer and scientist, but it seems to me that the author loves Bel best, partly as Rowan does and partly because I feel like she has a bit more empathy for someone itching to take action. The revelations of the sources of magic are no small source of glee, and the subtlety with which the information for why is presented naturally through the work, and Rowan's easy logic to get answers or miss them is unfailing.

Outskirter's Secret, though, does have the rather marvelous theme of knowledge keepers and knowledge sharers being respected as part of a universal honor system, and that is obviously going to gratify me a little bit. I still remember, though, the first time I was paid, not for what I did, but for what I knew, as a source of information best appreciated when it wasn't needed. I felt somewhat guilty for being less than useful then (not that I would have wished a medical need for me to be around, but I like being useful) and I still sometimes wish I could be furnished with a hammer or something during down times so I can see the results of something I did that wasn't just compensating for disaster. The real surprise, though, is when questions and too much information aren't greeted with long suffering rolling of the eyeballs. That the stuff in my head is not interesting to anyone else is a deeply held belief of mine and clearly the idea that there would be people, even in a fantasy world, that could have their lives measurably changed just from the information seems just Earth shatteringly tender to me.

naominovik = Naomi Novik's The Jade Emperor, book 2 of the Temeraire series.

I am quite fond of Temeraire and Laurence, I must say. Sweet boys, both of them, though I have to admit that I tend to imagine Temeraire's expressions more or less similar to my dog's expressions (without the floppy ears, obviously) and that's probably some kind of wierd sacreligious canine-pomorphizing, but there you are. That said? Goodness but there were long periods where nothing happened in this book; there was the interesting perspective of those completely foreign to Asiatic cultures, particularly when Britain and the rest of Europe were rather dirty and rough by comparison, but, you know, been there. Seems like when things started to happen they happened quickly and things fell into place and clearly there'd been a lot of organising and behind the scenes stuff working that out, but only the last hundred pages or so held me the way the first book did.

I'm still anxiously awaiting the third book, though. Heh.

The Pyramids: Their Archaeology and History by Miroslav Verner.

*turns book over* I really thought there was going to be more mathmatics in this. I must confess to being bored by the begats of the earliest archeologists. Maybe it will have more meaning to me after I see the pyramids? But seriously, you gotta sell me on why I need to know this; what was learned, not just a list of names. Maybe there will be more math further than one chapter in.

Faaaaaaaanfic (all Atlantis for whatever reason):

Read kormantic = Pares's 400%, the entertaining sequel to two other stories about Rodney and Cadman that I, actually, haven't read, since I have yet to actually *see* duet, but I loved her Cadman. Seriously, Laura was great, and considering this was a story that starts het and turns slash with a number of partners changing faster than your average dance hall's the fact that everyone was sympathetic and downright likable and quirky was refreshing. Poor John, though, squicked by the het and still in denial himself of teh wonder that is Rodney. SGA, NC-17, I'm pretty sure. Nice and long fic.

cesperanza wrote a bloody marvelous OT4 fic called Three Lovers, from Teyla's perspective, in which no one is abandoned, no one is cutoff from home, there are subtleties and nuances within every single relationship within the group and the development of the relationships feels wonderful and natural. Plus, I really adore Teyla. SGA, NC-17.

Rebecca = blueraccoon's Truth Table follows Data Set with some very agreeable D/s pron, and I really love that she's settling in the SGA fandom so nicely. *brings housewarming present.* Rodney/John, NC-17.

minnow1212 wrote the marvelous Five Ways Ronon Dex Kisses a Team Member, het and slash and mostly not-alien induced and sweet and wonderful and rated R.

Wriiiiiiiting:

I blame rydra_wong and paian for unleashing the plot bunnies (lookit tha boanes!) And here I find myself writing Teal'c fic (Teal'c and Cam Go A-Courting. May become and informal series, with possibly a better series title, but I can't tell yet) and planning more. *glares* Although, I feel much better for finally letting them discuss ice cream, as per taselby's prompt-that-I-ignored way back when, but it's unreal that I had to make time to write the ficathon story and purely due to meta discussions arising from the ficathon, I now find myself uber-productive, fannishly. Hasn't hurt the RL productivity, though, so we feed the plot bunnies (and then RW and paian sneak in and entice them MORE, and then they get fat and lazy and make stoopid grammatical errors, you watch. It's all down to diet.)

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

You are going to be singlehandedly responsible for a comma splice, I just know it. *g*

Too much RL today; I want to go back to the novels.