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The Little Sister (Raymond Chandler)
Raymond Chandler's writing is still the most amazing stuff I've ever seen, don't get me wrong. This book seemed a little more worn than the others -- or maybe I'm getting more used to it. I still love the voice he's given to Marlowe, and I still think his work is probably worth reading no matter what, but this one didn't fill me with glee. It's easy to read, it's atmospheric, the actual writing is good, but... the plot is incoherent (no surprises there) and the characters, particularly the women, don't interest me at all.
It's the whole time capsule thing again -- the setting and atmosphere is one of a time I don't know, won't ever know. That's interesting, up to a point, but it doesn't count for that much. The female characters actively irritated me this time, all histrionic and taking advantage of our dear shop-worn Galahad. It's amazing the way said Galahad gets himself out of trouble. I'm surprised he hasn't spent more time being arrested in the course of all these novels.
I'd love to see Marlowe meet a decent woman or two. At this point, one would do.
A Fisherman of the Inland Sea (Ursula Le Guin)
I love the way Ursula Le Guin builds (on) worlds. Some of these stories are about worlds we already know about, if we've read her other work; some of them are almost entirely new. I liked all of them, some more and some less: I particularly liked the opening essay, The Rock That Changed Things, and Another Story. I didn't get the "I'm not smart enough for this" feeling so much with this set of stories, which is good, and I enjoyed the way she writes as much as always, so clear and with wonderful images.
I think my favourite thing is the way she writes about people, though. Regardless of whatever trappings they come with of world-building or whatever, whether they're supposed to be aliens, you can relate to them and feel for them. The only thing I was sad about was that I wished that there was more written about the Night marriage between Hideo and Sota, in Another Story, because the love between them seems to me as notable as the love between Hideo and Isidri.
There are other worlds contained in this relatively small book, and it's lovely.
Raymond Chandler's writing is still the most amazing stuff I've ever seen, don't get me wrong. This book seemed a little more worn than the others -- or maybe I'm getting more used to it. I still love the voice he's given to Marlowe, and I still think his work is probably worth reading no matter what, but this one didn't fill me with glee. It's easy to read, it's atmospheric, the actual writing is good, but... the plot is incoherent (no surprises there) and the characters, particularly the women, don't interest me at all.
It's the whole time capsule thing again -- the setting and atmosphere is one of a time I don't know, won't ever know. That's interesting, up to a point, but it doesn't count for that much. The female characters actively irritated me this time, all histrionic and taking advantage of our dear shop-worn Galahad. It's amazing the way said Galahad gets himself out of trouble. I'm surprised he hasn't spent more time being arrested in the course of all these novels.
I'd love to see Marlowe meet a decent woman or two. At this point, one would do.
A Fisherman of the Inland Sea (Ursula Le Guin)
I love the way Ursula Le Guin builds (on) worlds. Some of these stories are about worlds we already know about, if we've read her other work; some of them are almost entirely new. I liked all of them, some more and some less: I particularly liked the opening essay, The Rock That Changed Things, and Another Story. I didn't get the "I'm not smart enough for this" feeling so much with this set of stories, which is good, and I enjoyed the way she writes as much as always, so clear and with wonderful images.
I think my favourite thing is the way she writes about people, though. Regardless of whatever trappings they come with of world-building or whatever, whether they're supposed to be aliens, you can relate to them and feel for them. The only thing I was sad about was that I wished that there was more written about the Night marriage between Hideo and Sota, in Another Story, because the love between them seems to me as notable as the love between Hideo and Isidri.
There are other worlds contained in this relatively small book, and it's lovely.
