vodkafan
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Posts posted by vodkafan
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11 hours ago, Madeleine said:
Hope the tubs are water and mouse proof!
Yes they are safe as houses in there. There was simply no room back in the house, every bookshelf is already full.
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I see you have got Convenience Store Woman behind you now! Congratulations too on your upcoming new house. Will you have more space for books, or will you be ditching some you have read?
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34 minutes ago, Athena said:
I loved reading your reviews! Yes, there are two more Earthsea books. One is a short story collection, the other a novel. I haven't read either one yet so I'm really not sure if they'll be as good as the first four. I really enjoyed reading your reviews, I'm glad you enjoyed these books and that your daughter inspired you to read them
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Did you think I had them about right? Did you feel the same about the last book being much more female?
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Since I moved back all my own books are in 32 litre plastic tubs anyway in my shed. There are no shelves for them in the house.
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Great article ! I don't fit into any of those tribes though! And yet I thought my way would be one of the most natural and obvious - I arrange them according to size!
Because sometimes you have a small shelf which can only take the old size paperback (I am talking the ones from 50s, 60s, 70s) , then all the newer larger standard paperbacks of the same size on another shelf, and then hardbacks, then at the bottom you usually have a deep shelf for those big coffee table hardbacks , right?
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Tehanu 4/5
Ursula K. Le Guin
This book follows on directly from events in The Farthest Shore, but luckily I don't have to allude to any of that, because this book ploughs a different furrow. Out of the four, this book is notably by far the most female book. The main characters are all women, their interactions and relationships are examined.
The men are either ignorant (ie they don't listen ) or they have lost their powers and are enfeebled, or are simply bad.
Through the characters the author discusses much the basic differences between men and women. As far as the world of Earthsea is concerned, we learn that Male and Female magic is different and comes from a different source; women's magical power seems to be innate to them, while men have to learn it and give up something big in exchange. Despite this, only men are taught the high magic of Sorcerers, there has never been a female Sorcerer.
(Much like every woman can cook but only men get to be a Michelin chef. )
It was a very satisfying book and everything went full circle and wrapped up pretty well.
I have heard there are two more Earthsea books, but it feels like these characters have done their bit, so perhaps their stories have finished?
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The Farthest Shore 4/5
Ursula K. Le Guin
Book number three is different again. Time has jumped forward a lot of years. There have been some changes in the world since the events of The Tombs Of Atuan, but now something has happened, something very bad, emanating from somewhere on the edge of the world in the far West . It is spreading outwards and Eastwards slowly like a plague . A young prince is sent to Roke by his father to offer his services. But the council of the arch wizards of Roke are undecided of what action to take, or whether to take any at all; safe in their island where magic is strong they hope it may sort itself out.
The Archmage Sparrowhawk disagrees; something must be done . He suspects it is no pure accident that the prince is the one who came to warn them. But although brave, the boy is young and untried: will he be up to the task?
In this one we learn a lot more about the ancient dragons and their power.
Plot wise, there is a sub-plot which I saw the ending of from about a quarter of the way in, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment.
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The Tombs Of Atuan 4/5
Ursula K. Le Guin
The second book of the Earthsea series. The titular tombs are mentioned a couple of times in the first book, but at first there seems no connection at all with the main character of that book, in her unhurried style the author tells the story of a completely new person to the same small level of detail. Which confused me no end, I wondered if Ged would not show up at all and maybe all four books were each based around a different character? But Le Guin knows what she is doing and this story is as rich and enjoyable as the first.
We find in this story that there are different forces in the world, the Wizards of Roke are not all powerful.
The first book reminded me a bit of Jack Vance's Dying Earth series ; this one did even more so. I think it was that the use of magic is very structured. It is well thought out, there are rules and logic to it.
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A Wizard of Earthsea 4/5
Ursula K. Le Guin
I had heard of Le Guin of course, but somehow had only managed to read one of her books before now (The Left Hand Of Darkness) way back when I was a teenager, which I had enjoyed but found markedly different to all the SF I was reading at the time, by authors such as Roger Zelaney, Damon Knight, Samuel Delaney, Jack Vance, Asimov. I put this down to being a female voice, which when I lost myself in the main character made me feel the story events in a totally different way. It was something I kind of wondered at.
Fast forward forty plus (cough) years and here thanks to my daughter I have that voice in my head once again.
(General overview, no plot spoilers!)
This first book is a Bildungsroman and introduces us to both the central character (of all the first four books) and to the fantasy world of Earthsea. Earthsea is a world of perhaps a thousand islands, large and small in a vast archipelago surrounded by navigable seas. The level of technology is in the early iron age I guess although not too much use seems to be made of metal. Wooden sailing ships which trade between islands are the only method of transport. It is a human world, and there are a few different human types and several languages. The default physiology is brown skinned, and the only white skinned people live in the North East Kargish islands. They are a bit aggressive at times. There are also Dragons, (proper fire breathing ones) , an ancient race who mostly keep to themselves. There is also magic. Low level magic is everywhere. Most ships carry a weather maker who can put wind into the sails, and every village has a witch. However, there are only a few hundred proper Sorcerers, who learn their craft at the Institute on Roke, the island of wizards.
The boy Ged, a simple goatherd shows early promise and is after some time with a kindly Mage is sent to Roke. He is gifted but not yet wise and early in his training is goaded into doing something truly terrible. I won't say anymore than that.
I found the writing style very gentle and unhurried, but never slow; it keeps up a tension. It was satisfying in that as a reader I could see the seeds of conflict brewing, while the characters in the story could not, which kept me reading. We are often told that good writing should "show, not tell" but Le Guin breaks this rule; she is a "teller". Dialogue is used adequately; the characters say what is needful but no more. But it works.
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Thanks Willoyd. Oops yes that should have been Peter Ackroyd of course, well spotted.
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On 14/01/2020 at 7:56 AM, Athena said:
My Kindle is from 2013, would love to know what the main differences are with the newer Kindles vs. older ones, if you're up for posting about it at some point
. I feel I don't use mine enough to justify buying a new one, but then again maybe I would use it more if I had a new one that wasn't so slow as my Kindle is 
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Oooh I'm so glad you enjoyed these books! I've got the first 4 Earthsea books in an omnibus too, it was a gift quite a few years ago, and I've read them several times, loving them each time. I look forward to your review(s)!
Thanks Gaia, my new kindle is more than a bit of a mystery to me, I was trying to get to grips with it today.
I feel sure I will read the Earthsea books again, there was much to savour in them. Will review on Saturday!
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Convenience Store Woman 5/5
Sayaka Murata
Another Christmas gift book from my daughter. This was a quick read, about 3 hours, I couldn't put it down. It is weird, wacky and hilarious and slightly disturbing, I can't say any more!
Except to urge everyone to go out and buy, borrow or steal this and read it!
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10 hours ago, Raven said:
Calm down, it's just a place where steam engines were put together (they usually have large cranes in their roofs that can lift the body of the loco on and off its wheels).
I know a few steam train enthusiasts who would be incredibly excited by your description !
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Sorry, I am dying to know what goes on in the Erecting Shed
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Happy reading Gaia! Thanks for looking in on my blog. I have heard of Death Note, how was it?
I like your way of organizing each month into a different post on the first page...sadly the number of books I might read in a year wouldn't justify it
Looking on your TBR, and knowing how much you read in sheer volume, there were several books I was surprised that you had never yet read.
Good luck with your goals, and saving money! Yes stay away from bookshops if you can, you have a few to be getting on with
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Good luck with your 2020 reading, and the self-control!
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Have just today finished the first 4 books of the Earthsea saga by Ursula K. Le Guin, which my daughter gave me for Christmas in an Omnibus edition. They were very good, I will review them on Saturday when I have more time!.
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4 hours ago, Athena said:
Happy Reading in 2020, VF
! It's great you have a Kindle again 
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Thanks Athena! It's been so long since I had one I am not quite used to it yet, they have changed a little.
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29 minutes ago, Hayley said:
Happy reading for 2020! Hugely recommend both the Wilkie Collins books you’ve got.
You also made me realise I haven’t added my kindle books to my list!
Thanks Hayley! Yes kindle books can soon add up.
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Open for business!
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reserved
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PRIORITY reads to finish off!
These are books I started in 2019 but for some reason didn't finish! They are cluttering up my spaces and weighing on me:
London The Biography Edward Rutherford
Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood
London The Novel Edward Rutherford
The Body Bill Bryson
The Incredible Human Journey Alice Roberts
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The OLD TBR Pile organised! A lot of these were in my Amazon account for the kindle, so they haven't moved for the last three years!
Victorian authors, obscure works and classics
The Poor Gentleman Hendrick Conscience
Two On A Tower
The Return Of The Native
A Laodician
A Pair Of Blue Eyes
Jude The Obscure
The Woodlanders
Far From The Madding Crowd all above by
The Mayor of Casterbridge Thomas Hardy
Post Haste RM Ballantyne
Autobiography Of Anthony Trollope
Lady Anna
Miss Mackenzie 4 above by
Twelve Years A Slave Solomon Northup
Letters Of Two Brides Balzac
Birds Of Prey
Charlotte's Inheritance
Run To Earth A Novel
The Doctor's Wife
Lady Audley's Secret Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Little Dorrit Charles Dickens
The Mill On The Floss
Madame Bovary
Tess of The d'urbervilles
Lady Susan
Thoughts On The Education Of Daughters
The Last Man
Maria, Or The Wrongs Of Woman
Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman
The Perpetual Curate
Equality
Looking Backward 2000-1887
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Picture Of Dorian Grey Oscar Wilde
Nicholas Nickleby Charles Dickens
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow Washington IrvineShirley
Bleak House
The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
The Moonstone
The Woman In White
RuthThe Importance Of Being Earnest
Basil
Les Miserables
Mrs OliphantConfessions Of An English Opium Eater Thomas De Quincey
Testament Of Youth Vera Brittain
Books set in Victorian times by modern authors
Under A Cloud-Soft Sky
The Singing Winds
Shelter From The Storm
Snow Angels
The Road To Samarcand Patrick O'Brian
Reference works and 18th-19th century history, social history
London The Biography Peter Ackroyd
The Dictionary Of London
Raj Lawrence James
The Age of Revolution 1789-1848
The Age Of Capital 1848-1875
The Age Of Empire 1875-1914Slavery A New Global History Jeremy Black
Balti Britain - Ziauddin SardarAsians In Britain 400 years of History Rozina Visram
Random must reads
Nice To See It To See It Nice Brian Viner
It's A Small Medium And Outsize World John Taylor
Connections
Rules For Virgins
The Life And Loves Of A She Devil
The Passion Of New Eve
The Haunted Hotel
Ten Interesting Things About Human Behaviour
Slave Girl Sarah Forsyth (autobiography)
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers Paul Hoffman (biography of Paul Erdos)
The White Mists Of Power Kristine Kathryn Rusch
I Think I'm OK
Undercover: The True Story Of Britain's Secret Police
King Solomon's Carpet Barbara Vine
Good Behaviour Molly Keane
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
One Day David NicholsGeisha Liza Dalby
In The Heart Of The Sea Nathanial Philbrick
Spycatcher Peter Wright
The Horse Whisperer Nicholas Evans
The German Invasion Of Norway Geirr H HaarrAccidents In The Home Tessa Hadley
A Fine Balance Rohinton Mistry
Lord Of The Flies William Golding
Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier
Untying The Knot Linda GillardOne of Our Thursdays Is Missing,
Thursday Next First Among Sequels,
Something Rotten,
The Well Of Lost Plots,
Lost In A Good Book,
The Eyre Affair Jasper FfordeLife Of Pi - Yann Martel
The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared - Jonas JonassonThe Terror
Round the BendInfidel Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Nerd Do Well Simon Pegg
The Voyage Out Virginia WoolfRenoir My Father Jean Renoir
Shopping, Seduction And Mr Selfridge Lindy Woodhead
7 Trips Through Time And Space anthology
Night Watch Andrew m Stephenson
SF
Out Of Time-Five tales of Time Travel
Strange Loops
The Time Travel Megapack
The Martian Way Isaac Asimov
The Green Brain Frank Herbert
The Steampunk megapack (26 stories)
Viridis
Lady Of Devices A Steampunk Adventure
Steampunk EroticaBest New SF 25
Meeting At Infinity John Brunner
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Welcome to my 2020 New Start !
What's new this year is that I have a kindle again after three or four years without one. I plan to re-read many old favourites , get my teeth into several old classics and indulge in the best of new fiction too. Let's get to it!
(k) denotes kindle ebook
® denotes book read primarily for research purposes
keeping the same simple rating system this year:
1/5: I didn't like it
2/5: It was okay
3/5: I liked it
4/5: I really liked it
5/5: It was amazing!January
A Wizard of Earthsea 4/5
The Tombs of Atuan 4/5
The Farthest Shore 4/5
Tehanu 4/5 all by Ursula K Le Guin
Convenience Store Woman 5/5 Sayaka Murata
February
The Butterfly House 2/5 Marcia Preston
March
April
May
June
July
In The Year Of Jubilee George Gissing (re-read)
August
Now and Then 2/5 William Corlett
Our Friend The Charlatan George Gissing (re-read)
September
Eve's Ransom George Gissing (re-read)
October
November
December
Madeleine's Book Log - ongoing
in Book Blogs - Discuss your reading!
Posted
I will probably try to pick up Murder At The Fitzwilliam and The House On Vesper Sands, they sound like fun. By the way have you read The Shivering Sands by Victoria Holt?