I have a lot of books. And I read a lot of books. I figured that since I have trouble coming up with things to update this blog with, maybe some of you would be interested in what I'm reading. As I finish books, I'll try to put up a little blurb on what I thought of them.

I just finished reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. I won this book in some kind of contest, which is surprising because I never win things :). I can't even remember when or where I entered (possibly on Tor.com since October is Steampunk month), but a mysterious envelope from Subterranean Press showed up a couple of days ago with no note or message or anything. Steampunk is a genre that I'm not especially familiar with. I think I've read a handful of books that would be considered steampunk, but the only one that springs to mind is Perdido Street Station by China Mieville, which has the dubious honor of being probably the strangest books I've ever read. But (as far as I know) all the stereotypical elements are accounted for in Boneshaker: goggles, gas masks, airships, strange clockwork or steam-powered mechanical devices. Plus pirates, zombies, and more! It was an interesting story, and well written, but it seemed to go by too quickly -- I wish that she had gone a little more in-depth at times. All in all a good book though, if you're interested in the genre. It made me want to broaden my steampunk exposure.

Now from his breast into his eyes the ache of longing mounted, and he wept at last, his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms, longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer spent in rough water where his ship went down under Poseidon's blows, gale winds and tons of sea. Few men can keep alive through a big surf to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind: and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband, her white arms round him pressed as though forever.

The Odyssey, Homer

Has anyone else been keeping up with the controversy about The Golden Compass movie? When I was in college, I got the first book of the series (The Golden Compass, which the movie is based on) and really enjoyed it. It was a great story, set in an interesting universe with interesting characters. So I got the rest of the series. The second book was good too, although there were a few wtf parts. The third book was the most blasphemous thing I've ever read.

The author, Phillip Pullman is a very outspoken atheist, and sees his series (His Dark Materials) as kind of an anti-Chronicles of Narnia. I've read a number of articles with different views on the meaning behind the series: an attack on God or Christianity or the Church, or any organized religion. Interestingly, I read an article about how the movie (which is toned down from the books) is making both Christians and atheists angry -- the athesits think it isn't anti-God enough.

Anyway, this long, boring introduction is just for this link. In it, Scalzi references an essay by Brandon Sanderson, a fantasy writer. He has some interesting things to say about the nature of fiction (especially fantasy fiction) and censorship.

A couple of further links. This is from Sanderson's blog, and has some background about why he wrote the open letter. And there is a Snopes entry on the Golden Compass movie.