October 15, 2008
Making Money
By Terry Pratchett
I'm a huge fan of Pratchett's to begin with, so it's probably no surprise that I really enjoyed this book. It has a few things that seem a wee bit off, as though Pterry is picking the low-hanging fruit rather than reaching for the better, higher stuff (a recurring bit about a dog playing with a sex toy got a little old for me, for example), but I love Moist von Lipwig and I absolutely adore Vetinari and both have big parts in the book, so I was happy.
This is basically a sequel to Going Postal, but you don't have to have read that to get what's going on. Semi-reformed conman Moist is hemmed in until he takes over the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, and he completely revolutionizes the banking system. Good stuff. I know only a wee bit about how banking actually works, but I understood what was going on and enjoyed the read.
Book 13 in 2008.
October 13, 2008
Califia's Daughters
By Leigh Richards
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but more for the characters than the story. The plot is a bit rambly and the conclusion is strange and rushed, and we're left with some unanswered questions. It feels like a setup toward a sequel, and without the next book I'm sort of left hanging.
The main character is Dian, one of the head warriors in her small post-apocalyptic enclave. After the ravages of the previous decades, the male:female ratio is about 1:12, so women do all the strenuous and dangerous work while men are carefully protected. Dian and her large, well-trained wolfhounds help keep their settlement safe but everything is turned on its ear when a caravan from a Northern city arrives.
This is a thoughtful and quiet book with only occasional bouts of action, but that was fine by me. I was interested in Dian and how she handled herself and the folks around her as well as in how Richards examined the effects of such an imbalance in the sexes. I hope there's a sequel; if there is, I will be sure to read it.
Book 12 in 2008.