Let's Get Literate! Hafte Sorvalh for President of the Universe

[renay]

The last four days: four solid days of Socializing With People. I slept for ten hours last night. It was like being drunk. Is this what cons are like?

• Lumberjanes #16 by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, & Brooke A. Allen
• The Human Division by John Scalzi
• The End of All Things by John Scalzi

Lumberjanes continues to be adorable. I'm apparently the only one in my city reading the comic issue by issue given that they don't even seem to be stocking it on my comic shop and just provide one issue for me each release day. Why such terrible life choices, city? I'm really digging the current storyline and Rosie, which I assume will be wrapped up next issue. I really love the way Stevenson writes about girls, women, and their relationships. I'm gonna miss her when she steps back from the comic.

The Human Division was, predictably, really enjoyable. Should I have read it two years ago? Yes, yes I should have. As per usual my brain is a jerk. I would not have been able to handle it serially, though, for sure, given that some of the stories were so short and only provided context to larger events as part of the whole. I get enough of this kind of "WAIT FOR IT" torture from my comics and television, thanks! When I finished, my first thought was "I want to be besties with Abumwe!" My first question was, "So the Obligatory Heterosexual Relationship was necessary because…?" because in my mind there was another, more interesting and complicated relationship available throughout the whole book and into the end in the two main characters. But this played to the action movie tropes more easily, I guess. I ship weird things. I feel like it will be a long, long time before we see an explicit, blossoming relationship that's not heterosexual hanging out in the forefront in this type of commercial SF.

Anyway, what struck me about this book when I finished it is the number of women everywhere in the novel, often in leadership positions. It was startling, and then I was shocked because I was so startled over it. The End of All Things also follows this trend, too, and sets up a fascinating power dynamic at the end of the book. Really, reading this book made me go, "Why is it so hard for so many other writers to do this?" It's part of why I love this universe. It feels so full of people, not just men.

My favorite things about The End of All Things, which I'll be writing up more thoughts for this week for B&N, are Rafe Daquin and Hafte Sorvalh. I would read an entire book about Hafte and her political adventures. I suspect Scalzi could make it interesting, too, although since a book of political shenanigans isn't exactly commercial I will be dreaming of this for a long time. (I still have not yet given up my hopes for a book about Zoe and her adventures, even though I see Zoe's Tale derided almost constantly as a repeat of The Last Colony, as if Zoe's perspective doesn't matter at all, ugh.) The End of All Things was a great resolution to all the drama of The Human Division, and my craving for more of this universe has been satisfied. ♥

I've started Court of Fives by Kate Elliott, which comes out August 18. Her elevator pitch for the novel is "Little Women meets American Ninja Warrior in a fantasy setting inspired by Greco Roman Egypt." That's probably relevant to someone's interest. ;)

Comments

[litomnivore]

Cons, in my experience, are actually easier, because there are so many people and if you come with people, they'll want to do other things at the con that you might not be interested in? So the socializing is broken up, so you can check in over dinner. I find that a lot easier than MARATHON SOCIALIZING (crack of thunder).

Court of Fives sounds AMAAAAAAZING.

[renay]

I suspect my first con experience is gonna be me escaping to a dark corner 16x times. :D

[readingtheend.pip.verisignlabs.com]

Yay for John Scalzi! I have only read one of his books thus far, and I enjoyed it and am willing to read more. And I do love that he bothers about female characters -- it's such a low bar to clear, and yet soooo many male authors make all the important characters men. Bah.

[renay]

My go-to rec is to throw The Android's Dream at people and hope for the best, although I do think Old Man's War or Lock In would also be good introductions. :D

The fact that so often in the background of stories authors fill those roles with men is a painful failure of imagination. I see it all the time and sometimes I wish I could unsee it. CURSE YOU, PATTERNS.

[goodbyebird]

A lot of bigger cons have Quiet Rooms now, for people who need a breather. For me, I find vidcons are perfect because it's ten minutes of squeeful socializing followed by 45 minutes of watching awesome vids in a dark room. Basically tailored for me *g*

But yes, ten hour coma-flop afterwards does sound familiar.

[renay]

One day I will go to a vidcon and wander around like a bemused child needing everything explained to her. IT'LL BE A BLAST. XD

The end of all things & Hafte Sorvalh

[(Anonymous)]

I just read the book, and googling Hafte Sorvalh brought me to your review which I liked and agreed with .
To me Scalzi is a master of honest, witty and bluntly funny characters.
The last book of a 6 book epic scifi series, focused on Humanity's unlikely survival amidst inner conflict facing annihilation by 2 major alien alliances. So reading the very last part of the book, I was puzzled how the author will end it all.
And then comes the part where Hafte Sorvalh says how much he is fed up dealing with Humans, So she rather helps and makes us an ally, but she really wants us leave her be. How unexpected, irrational twist that was, how funny and honest the outrage I still cant believe.