Recent books

[cahn]

-The Princes in the Tower, Alison Weir. I've been meaning to read about Richard III since reading The Dragon Waiting, oh, what, fifteen years ago now? I just love Weir's books, probably because I'm just about exactly the right audience-- I have a very passing familiarity, but I don't really know how the pieces fit together. She makes what seems like a pretty convincing case, to me, that Richard III killed the Princes. (Compare this with her solution to Who Killed Amy Dudley? in her book on Elizabeth, which I think is a very clever solution that undoubtedly would've been right if it were a mystery book... but as history... I'm not quite sure.)

It's really interesting to read this along with Dragon Waiting, and see how Ford's world is different. In particular it's fascinating to see the people who seem like they were probably decent enough, in real life, who were twisted diabolically by his alternate history, and those who weren't all that nice, who are twisted into much nicer people. Ford is so cool. Was. Wah.

-Gifts and Voices, LeGuin. I'll read anything she writes, because I love her voice, but these were kind of forgettable to me. Voices in particular had some good bits, but also some kind of dumb bits, I thought, and was forgettable enough that i"m not interested enough to discuss either of them.

Comments

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

No, oh no, oh no! Richard III did not kill the Princes. La la la I can't hear you. I must find this book and refute it, point by point! (Have you read Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey? Not er - entirely historically correct, but it made me fall for Richard III.)

Mind you, I agree about Gifts, so I won't go looking for Voices, then.

[charlie-ego.livejournal.com]

If you do refute all the points, I want to know! I don't actually know anything about the Princes besides what I've read in this book.

Hmm... so maybe you should read The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford. I honestly have no idea whether you would like it-- I adore Ford and will basically buy anything he writes (wrote), but I've had mixed success in recommending him to people. But if you like any of his work, it'll be this one-- an alternate Richard III (and you will like this Richard, and you'll be pleased at the solution to the Princes), an alternate Europe where Byzantium is the major power and Christianity is a minor cult, wizards... I'd say more but I don't want to spoil! (Though if you decide you don't like it and stop halfway through let me know and I'll tell you his "solution" :) )

*goes looking for Tey*

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

Read it. Totally for the Richard III - found some parts a little slow, but it was fun.

*pushes you towards the Tey. Brat Farrar!*