Booooooooooookssssssssss

[tsukinofaerii]

HOMG HOMG HOMG HOMG!!!! (FLAIL)

This morning, I fell out of bed (I missed the bedside table! \o/), turned on my phone and oozed to the kitchen for coffee while it did its thing. After coffee had been obtained, what did my phone tell me via e-mail?

Tongue of Serpents, the next part of the Temeraire series, came out in stores today! Woohoo!

Flat statement: I love happy dragons. Dragons in literature are just awesome. But I want them to be protagonists. When the dragon in a book is treated like a vicious animal, or it's openly a villain, I go frowny faced. It probably has something to do with the way I sort of see dragons as stand-in horses, and I adore horses. I would go frowny faced at a villain horse, too. (Not an evil horse, though, because I have one and it is an inescapable fact that some horses are evil.) My first dragon books were Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern, and that did a lot to shape my views, too. It has a lot of faults, but (to me) Pernese dragons are the picture I hold other dragons up to. I'll take animalistic dragons, but I prefer intelligent ones.

The Temeraire series is Real World Pern on delicious crack. If it were fanfic, I would call it a Historical AU With Dragons. It takes place in the Napoleonic Wars, with all the baggage that implies. Warning: Spoilers Be Below

His Majesty's Dragon establishes our world wonderfully. We meet Captain Will Laurence (called Laurence in the narration), who opens the book as a sea captain who just took the prize of a dragon egg from a French vessel. Of course, things being what they are, the egg is closer to hatching than they are to land, and a young dragon has to be put in harness by its captain immediately, or it will fly away, dragons being considered on a level with parrots in intelligence. This, we find out as the books progress, is a bloody lie, but the result is that Laurence becomes the Captain for the newly hatched dragon, which he names Temeraire. The person who harnesses a dragon is always given the rank of Captain, but by harnessing Temeraire, Laurence is effectively doing a switch of service, from the Navy to the Aerial Corps, which is much less prestigious, and involves a significant social sacrifice. The course of the book takes Laurence from resenting Temeraire, to basically being in platonic love with him. Temeraire adores his Laurence. They are ♥.

Temeraire, like all dragons, can speak, and he's also extremely intelligent. Before long, Laurence is reading books on math and philosophy, and having Temeraire explain them to him. Temeraire also has a sense of social justice, and this plays out through the entire series as Laurence's sense of tradition, duty and propriety clash with Temeraire's radical ideas. For example, Temeraire isn't happy that there's no dragon representative in Parliament.) The over-all story covers this clash in a lot of ways, with Temeraire changing Laurence by challenging his ideas and making him try to explain them. Laurence, meanwhile, gives Temeraire the framework to change the world.

So far, the story has covered England, China and Africa. The cultures are presented incredibly vividly, and the differences in how they treat their dragons is phenomenal, and also highlights the situation of dragons in England. As a Chinese breed, Temeraire's delight in discovering his native culture is just amazing, and he carries the lessons with him. Really, Temeraire is just a brillian, fun character—book five Victory of Eagles is a balancing act between Temeraire's childish delight and Laurence's dark resignation, with the two merging together into a very satisfying ending. (Pro-tip: Don't read Empire of Ivory unless you have Victory on hand and ready to go. I read Empire as soon as it came out, and I spent the next several months chewing my nails. Cliffhanger!)

The author, naominovik, is One Of Us, and I always like to support fellow fans. Something I particularly like about Temeraire is that the series doesn't pull punches, or particularly sugarcoat itself. Novik said in an interview:

Anybody who enjoys this period and likes it has to deal with the fact that this was not a great place to be anybody other than a rich white guy. Not even just a white guy. You had to be rich, because class is also a major issue, although that’s one that I’ve dealt with somewhat less so far. I think one solution that writers do is to modernize. So that if you read a lot of Regency romances, for example, very frequently the characters are basically all modern in their attitudes. And I felt very strongly that was not the way I wanted to go. To me, that breaks the suspension of disbelief and the sense of world building. So then, all right, I have a situation where the world is a pretty sexist, racist, classist place, and for myself as a reader, what matters to me is that I don’t get the feeling that the author is sort of glorifying the sexism, racism, or classism of the characters. That if there are things that are bad, the author deals with them and responds to them. And for myself, to enjoy writing in this period, that’s one of the reasons why I love the idea of doing alternate history and using dragons as sort of a focal tool. Because it let me—in a way that I felt made sense, that didn’t break the sense of the world—it let me sort of fix some of this stuff.

This plays out beautifully in the stories. Laurence (our protagonist) starts out being shocked that there are women Captains aboard dragons, and makes some incredibly facepalmy goofs (including calling one Captain "Miss", which earns him a pointed correction) before he gets the point. He and his father are in a falling out over their stances on the slave trade, which we get some incredibly painful scenes about when Laurence's story takes them to the African continent. Class is an issue right off the bat, since Laurence from from the upper class and the aviators are considered rude and uncouth—his manners effectively make him an outsider. The author acknowledges the problems of the era, and weaves them in, addressing them as appropriate to the time period.

I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone who wants to read historical AUs lightly. It doesn't gloss over anything, or take short cuts. There's some serious gut punches, and Laurence has a ton of privilege that he's still working on shedding. Temeraire is constantly questioning. But if you like dragons, like awesome fantasy-adventures, like historical AUs, or are just tired of seeing historical lit that doesn't address the injustices of the time, this is a good series for you.
This is a good week for books. On Sunday, I picked up Red Hood's Revenge by jimhines, another book I've been kicking over the traces for. This is book three of his Princess series, and it's so good that I was already mourning the end at chapter 8.

The Princess series is a riff off of our favorite fairy tales, and picks up after the story is over. The three main characters are Snow (White), Talia Malak el-Dashat (better known as Sleeping Beauty) and Danielle de Glas neé Whiteshore (who recently acquired the name Cinderella). Brought together by Danielle's mother in law, Queen Beatrice, of course they're all best friends. Predictably, they're princesses with histories roughly correlating to the fairy tale they're aligned with. Not interested yet? Warning: Spoilers Below. Also warnings for mentioned rape, death, torture and pretty much anything you'd expect out of a real, old school fairy tale.

Talia is a princess of the Middle East analog kingdom of Arathea, and corresponds to the ideas of beauty from those nations, with dark skin and dark hair. She was indeed asleep for a hundred years. She woke up to find herself with a pair of newborn twins, conceived by her "Prince Charming" while she was cursed, with her entire family slaughtered around her. The new rulers couldn't risk the old family taking power from them, after all. She killed her Prince and fled, now wanted for his murder. Over the course of eight years, she's put her fairy-blessed grace to good use, becoming incredibly deadly with any weapon you put near her. She makes her way to the island kingdom of Lorrindar, where Queen Bea takes her in.

Snow was the daughter of an extremely vain queen, of course, who wanted to take over her body as a replacement for her own aging one. In this way, she taught Snow magic, just enough to make her open as a vessel. Snow, being curious, learned much more than her mother planned, eventually finding out her plans and escaping. She ends up falling in love with the hunter who was sent to kill her, and they live a few happy years before the queen discovers that Snow isn't dead. The queen tracks her down and tortures the hunter to death. Snow is saved by her "seven dwarves"—elemental protectors who take a year of her life each in repayment every time they're summoned. Snow was due to be executed for her mother's murder, but she escaped and was also taken in my Queen Bea.

Danielle is the only one who's story had a "happy ending", so to speak. Her mother's spirit gifted her with the ability to speak with animals. She met her prince, they danced all night, and eventually he rescued her from her vicious stepmother and stepsisters. When the appeared to protest the wedding, the doves watching ended up clawing her stepmother's eyes out and permanently scarring her sisters. Her stepmother eventually died of her wounds, but the sisters' resentment never went away. Danielle is sweet, kind, and slowly becoming a stronger character with every book. Queen Bea takes her into her confidence after a while, and that is where the actual books begin.

Each book is a deconstructionist romp through the "after-story" of a specific fairy tale (or two!). They read easily, but in no way are they light reading. The first is called the Stepsister's Scheme, and is the fall-out from Danielle's own story. The Stepsisters want revenge, and to do that they're going to go after Danielle, her husband and, most importantly, her unborn child. Book Two, the Mermaid's Madness, is The Little Mermaid from Hans Christen Anderson, except with out the happy ending. (Yes, you heard me right. Compared to the story in Mermaid's Madness, the Anderson version is a happy ending.) The Little Mermaid is completely and utterly insane, driven that way by the magic used in her story and the way her story ended. The characters develop, including the dropped tidbit that Talia is a lesbian, and she's in love with Snow, who doesn't return the interest.

That thread is followed through in Red Hood's Revenge, where Talia's current and past loves are a definite theme, and so is Snow's discomfort with Talia's feelings for her an her rediscovered relationship with a woman from her past (it reads as jealousy in denial to me). Roudette (Little Red Riding Hood and the world's most notorious assassin) is a a character I got surprisingly attached to, even though she's ruthless, cruel, and generally not a good person. In Roudette's tale, her grandmother was the wolf that the Hunter killed, and the Hunter was part of the Wild Hunt which eventually destroyed Roudette's entire village and family, starting her quest for revenge. This is merged with Talia's story; the ruler of Arathea wants Talia dead for several reasons, one of them being that she's a threat to the current power. As long as Sleeping Beauty lives, rebel factions will flock to her banner. Roudette is the one sent to kill her (or collect her), and they all end up traveling to Arathea for the last furlong of Talia's tale.

The main cast is entirely strong, capable characters, who also happen to be female. They spread a range of personalities, and are allowed to grow beyond their initial archtypes. Danielle is sweet and kind, but she's hardening as she learns what it takes to rule a nation. Snow likes the cock, and has no problem letting everyone know it. She's pushing herself too hard, though, and I expect to see the outcome of that in the next book, Shadow of the Snow Queen. Talia is a classic bad ass action girl, who is still aching over her losses. She's learning to trust again, thanks to Snow and Danielle. If you want a good, female-oriented, kick-ass fantasy series, this is so it. The author's LJ Entry does a good job of covering why you should read it:

1. Talia's fairy curse. I'm not going to spoil this, but the writers out there know the feeling you get when you come up with a twist that just feels right, something that blows you away. The "truth" behind Sleeping Beauty's curse did that for me, and I'm hopeful readers will feel the same way.
2. There will be smooching! (No, it's not a kissing book. It has plenty of fencing and fighting, too.)
6. Two words: sewer goblins.
7. Certain elements in this book are guaranteed to offend twice as many people as previous books.
9. Gazebo.
10. Because kick-ass princesses are awesome, that's why!

Why can argue with that?

In other, less essay-like news, I started poking at Girl Steve, intending to just write a short story and get it out of my system. Well, I have the short story I wanted, but it doesn't feel like it wants to be short. D: It ends, and it's a good ending, but it feels like it wants to go on. Like... It has a "Chapter 1" feel to it. Pretty sure Valtyr is to blame, somehow. Somehow, I have the feeling that I am going to write an Ults story that revolves around pretty dresses. Yeah, IDGI either.

But, speaking of writing, did anyone see this secret today? Show of hands for who saw it and didn't immediately think of using emoticons and symbols in a story. (looks around) Yeah, I thought so.

So... If anyone wants me, I'll be at my computer, making Tony ♥ and Steve ♥, while everyone else says :O. And possibly also eating something.

Comments

[muccamukk]

I'll wait for the paperback on Novik. I've enjoyed that series so far, it's really fun and creative, and I thought she did the African sequences very well.

As far as being a fellow fan goes, I was in Master and Commander and Stargate: Atlantis fandoms at the same time she was, and I honestly like her books better than her fic (which isn't a huge strike against her fic, in that the books are so good). I also find that quote interesting (and awesome) considering she as a fic writer has caught some flak for not following that advice in a historical AU in Banddom.

Show of hands for who saw it and didn't immediately think of using emoticons and symbols in a story. (looks around) Yeah, I thought so.

Oy, one of the most heartbreakingly effective paragraphs I've ever read was Dorky's single :) in that dark fic I recced last week.

[tsukinofaerii]

I'll go buy the hardback, because I am impatient that way. I didn't have any idea of her fannish history, just that she is fannish, but it's good to see that she learned!

Oh, ouch, why did you remind me of that fic? It makes me tear up so hard to think of it. Tooooonyyyyyy.

[valtyr]

The new Temeraire isn't out here til SEPTEMBER. I may have to import it.

Emoticons have their place. They would probably fit best into MA (Steve did get trapped in the Internet once) but an epistolatory fic in email could fit into any verse. Would be cute in Ults; we know Steve is a) rubbish at Talking About Feelings b) capable of eloquent love letters. And Ult Tony probably deploys netspeak and emoticons as annoyance bombs.

[tsukinofaerii]

I plan to purchase it today, and will happily report on how awesome it is. :D

I settled on MA, for the lol factor, though emails between Steve and Tony in Ults would be potentially adorable. It's not an epistolatory fic though. It's... Well. Here, a line in progress:

Blue cookie dough smeared over his forehead as he pushed his hair out of his eyes, thinking. "... ♥♂!"

Alas, I cannot find an easy symbol for "iron", and using "fe♂" would be cheating.

[valtyr]

Ult Steve and Tony emailing would be lulzy and, in time, d'aww.

That sounds adorable. Is there anything cuter than MA Steve with a crush?

Also, I approve Ults fic about pretty dresses. Pretty dresses were a significant theme in my last Ults fic! Also Pietro's haircut. I look forward very much to reading Girl Steve's response to them. Also to her meeting Wanda and Natasha.

[tsukinofaerii]

Tony would spam Steve with "suggestions" on ways to relax. Some of them would not be Work Safe.

That sounds adorable. Is there anything cuter than MA Steve with a crush?

Absolutely nothing. :D It's topped out at 1200 words, which is a shaky count, what with the way it's made. (pets it) Tony has a lot of :( as Tonys do.

I think this one is taking place before Natasha shows up. Stevie has only been awake a short time, and I have a semi-solid idea fir her interactions with Natasha, but I have to set up her friendship with Tony first. D: It feels like it wants to be big. EEP.

[settiai]

*tilts head*

Okay, so that princess series? Sounds kind of awesome. I'll have to check it out.

[tsukinofaerii]

:D t is definitely worth checking out, and so far they're all in paperback (the author has not made it big enough to have hardback releases), so they are cheap.