The Dresden Files

I'm on a re-read of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files, ahead of the release of Skin Game at the end of the month. It's not the first time I have re-read them, I tend to take a run at the last couple of books at least before the next comes out, but it's the most concentrated burst of re-reading I have done. Over the course of the series his writing becomes much more fluid and engaging, but even in the first couple of chapters we are introduced to characters and ideas that are vital throughout the series. I don't know if he had an overarching plan when he started, but Butcher weaves the threads beautifully. It really stands out how much control he has over his plotting. I like that.

I also like the sense Butcher conveys that Dresden has a life outside the books. You feel that time is passing in between episodes, that things happen that we have no knowledge of. Dresden is not the only character who develops. Even little things like Murphy's haircut changing, or the Alphas aging and leaving college - they all make a three dimensional world.

In fantasy/sci-fi, you hear a lot about world building. World-building isn't just understanding the geography of a fictional world, it's creating a believable physical, mystical and emotional landscape in your world. I think some contemporary or urban fantasy writers skimp on that a little bit, with a "heck, it's New York, everyone knows New York" attitude, but Dresden shows how well it can be done even in a familiar real-world environment.

I've been thinking about maybe attending my first con, and Jim Butcher is going to be over here for Easter Con next year, so that may be a good first visit!

A Song of Ice and Fire

I read the first book a few years ago, loved it and immediately bought the second. But somehow, it's never been the right time to start reading it. Until this week. Is it because season 4 of Game of Thrones has just started? Possibly. I didn't watch seasons 2 or 3 of the show - I found the unrelenting violence a bit much - but I did watch s4e01, and thought I would have a better idea of what was going on if I caught up with the books.

Recommending books

I find recommending books harder than recommending restaurants. If someone goes to a restaurant I love and doesn't like it, well clearly they are wrong, but c'est la vie. But if someone doesn't like a book I have recommended, well, that tears at the heartstrings.

The books I have been recommending most vocally, of late are:
Longbourn by Jo Baker
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K Jemisin
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

So far, these recommendations have gone well, but one person only gave The Night Circus 3 stars on Goodreads. I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and ask why? But sadly, her review made it very clear. She just didn't love it as much as I did. I must learn to be as philosophical about books as I am about restaurants. Of course, a long time ago I stopped recommending my favourite restaurants to some people because I knew they wouldn't love them as I did. I should adopt that for books, rather than go through the pain.

Who am I to say this is shit?

"An author on Facebook the other day noted, quite correctly, that writing is a craft and as a craft it can be evaluated fairly easily. This isn’t about whether a story is to your liking, but rather, does the author know the basic rules of writing a story? Rules can be broken, of course, but they must be broken with some skill — breaking the rules out of ignorance creates, you know, a fucking mess. A writer not knowing the difference between a possessive and a plural is not some avant-garde hipster trick. It’s a basic lack of craft awareness. At that point you’re not a marksman doing tricks; you’re a toddler with a handgun." More brilliance from Chuck Wendig

This actually ties into a really good piece I read the other day on the death of expertise. There is this bizarre notion that everyone's opinions are equally valid and it is just mean to provide critique. Here's a little tip - an educated opinion is more valid than a uneducated opinion, and educated critique is actually a really important tool to raise the quality of a work, be it dance, cooking or writing. I think a lot of writers could benefit from more critique and harder editing, and a bit less having sunshine blown up their arses.

www Wednesday

Meme from should be reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: Chuck Wendig's Blackbirds, but it isn't really grabbing me.

Just finished: Sharon Shinn's Archangel. It was a bookclub pick, otherwise I can't imagine ever choosing it. It's the first in a series which I will not pursue, although I didn't actually hate it.

Next in line: N.K Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Another bookclub pick.

Life is too short...

...to read bad books. If it has no obviously redeeming features (and morbid fascination for bad writing can be a redeeming feature) by 25% in, I will abandon it.

Known unknowns

You probably shouldn't have someone's ambition be to join a super-secret organisation that they actually haven't heard of.