Read-in-Progress Wednesday

[geraineon]

This is your weekly read-in-progress post for you to talk about what you're currently reading and reactions and feelings (if any)!

For spoilers:

<details><summary>insert summary</summary>Your spoilers goes here</details>

<b>Highlight for spoilers!*</b><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF; color: #FFFFFF">Your spoilers goes here.</span>*

Comments

[douqi]

I'm halfway through an American urban fantasy (The War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, I've forgotten how nice it is to read competently-written genre fiction again) and then Across the Empire is the next c-novel on my list.

I really, really do need to find time to write up my reviews for the last couple of baihe novels I read though.

[aurumcalendula]

I should reread that sometime! I think that was one of the first few urban fantasy novels.

[douqi]

Yes, I think there's some debate about whether this was first or whether De Lint was first. I did get on much better with this than my previous attempts at reading De Lint though (I'm not quite sure why, as there's nothing egregiously wrong with De Lint that I can see. We're just not sympatico).

[larryhammer]

Moonheart, which I think of as his first full-on urban fantasy despite the secondary world sections, was definitely published before War, but to many of us at the time the latter was what I'd now call the genre codifier. At the time, I was reading everything in Terri Windling's fantasy imprint as it came out, because they were all Stuff I Really Liked, and War far and away was the best.

I liked de Lint's first half-dozen novels, but connected less and less with his writing and had stopped buying by the early 90s. (Being a poor grad student made that decision easier.)

[geraineon]

Hm, how about a quick review format of maybe just a few sentences (then you can go into more detailed review when you find the time, should you want to do it)

[douqi]

Probably a good option actually, especially since they have overlapping themes (and the leads from the earlier book make cameo appearances in the later book).

[halfcactus]

I swear, having to write up reviews (even if it's just privately) is the worst part of reading/watching anything lol

[alterkrmn]

*Nods in agreement*

[larryhammer]

It's been a few years since I reread that. Almost afraid to -- I still have the original paperback and it's yellowing.

For bonus fun, read it while listening to early/mid-80s era Prince as your background music. (I mean, yes, some of the songs were recorded by Cats Laughing, Bull's band at the time, but we all know who the Phouka is.)

[douqi]

Pretty sure it's the Prince energy that accounts for practically everyone in the book feeling ambiently queer.

[larryhammer]

I thought it's because practically everyone in the book is ambiently queer, but I could be misreading a couple characters.

[duckprintspress]

oh, that's actually on my TBR! (The War for the Oaks, I mean).

[douqi]

It's a fun read, bit of a throwback. People on Goodreads seemed to find the 80s clothing descriptions cringe, but I genuinely liked them.

[duckprintspress]

I was a kid in the 80s and usually find that kind of thing both silly and nostalgic, so I'll likely be a fan lol.