We Want It! - November 2012

[helloladies]

Because we haven't quite managed to work out a way for us to consume ALL the entertainment yet: to keep us from emerging haggard and zombie like after regular all night box set marathons, book splurges and music overload we've set up this monthly space where we can express our pure fannish glee at the fact that so many projects of awesome potential are continually being made. All of our past wants and desires can be found in the We Want It! tag.

---

Books

Spoilers for The Killing Moon! Gujaareh, the city of dreams, suffers under the imperial rule of the Kisuati Protectorate. A city where the only law was peace now knows violence and oppression. And nightmares: a mysterious and deadly plague haunts the citizens of Gujaareh, dooming the infected to die screaming in their sleep. Trapped between dark dreams and cruel overlords, the people yearn to rise up—but Gujaareh has known peace for too long.

Someone must show them the way.

Hope lies with two outcasts: the first woman ever allowed to join the dream goddess' priesthood, and an exiled prince who longs to reclaim his birthright. Together, they must resist the Kisuati occupation and uncover the source of the killing dreams... before Gujaareh is lost forever. (source)

The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin — I suggested a co-read to owlmoose and we tried reading Railsea by China Miéville. Unfortunately, that was derailed by artistic choices in the text, so KJ suggested The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin. Needless to say, I gobbled it up while she was still on an epic quest for a copy of the novel and cannot wait to read the sequel that completes the duology. This amuses me, because I've had a copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms since the year it was published, but was too scared of it. I tackled The Killing Moon the same way I tackled tough lit crit essays, though; with copious notes and commentary in a notebook, which has given me confidence to read all the rest of Jemisin's work ASAP. Fantasy, why so hard for me to get?

A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression, and the survivors have no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world, to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but come to discover that in order to preserve their culture, they may have to change it forever.

Now a man and a woman from these two clashing societies must work together to save this vanishing race—and end up uncovering ancient mysteries with far-reaching ramifications. As their mission hangs in the balance, this unlikely team—one cool and cerebral, the other fiery and impulsive—just may find in each other their own destinies...and a force that transcends all. (source)

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord — I know Jodie introduced me to Karen Lord but I don't remember what blog talked about this book. I think I saw it elsewhere under the American cover, but I like this cover better. Yet another book I will read because the cover art pulled me in. #predictable

Nothing can match the power of a single voice…

Ruby Martin expects to spend her days repairing robots and avoiding the dangerous peacekeeping forces that roam the corridors of the generation ship The Creative Fire. Her best friend has been raped and killed, the ship is falling apart around her, and no one she knows has any real information about what's happening to them. The social structure on board Creative Fire is rigidly divided, with Ruby and her friends on the bottom, but she dreams of freedom and equality.

Everything changes when a ship-wide accident reveals secrets she and her friends had only imagined. Now, she has to fight for her freedom and the freedom of everyone she loves. Her enemies are numerous, well armed, and much more knowledgeable than Ruby. Her weapons are a fabulous voice, a quick mind, a deep stubbornness, and a passion for freedom. And complicating it all—an unreliable A.I. and an enigmatic man she met – and kissed – exactly once—and one of them may hold the key to her success. If Ruby can't transform from a rebellious teen to the leader of a revolution, she and all her friends will lose all say in their future, and nothing will ever change. (source)

The Creative Fire by Brenda Cooper — So, John Picacio posted the cover art for this novel. Yep, I am interested when there are ladies on covers and the blurb sounded pretty awesome. Sign me up!

Shine: a collection of gems that throw light on a brighter future. Some of the world's most talented SF writers (including Alastair Reynolds, Kay Keyon and Jason Stoddard) show how things can change for the better. From gritty polyannas to workable futures, from hard-fought progress to a better tomorrow; heart-warming and mind-expanding stories that will (re-) awaken the optimist in you. (source)

Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF edited by Jetse de Vries — A long time I added this to my to-read list, and then got involved in a degree and completely forgot about it. I was reminded by an SF Signal Podcast about optimistic SF. It's indicative that I had really forgotten, because I tried to look it up on Goodreads and discovered that it was...already on my shelf. Ha.

Emaline works at her family's vacation rental company the summer before she leaves for college. She must confront her values, goals and choices as her relationship with city-boy Theo evolves and she's forced to say goodbye to the beach town where she grew up. (source)

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen — NEW SARAH DESSEN OMG (ignore the fact I never managed to read last one because of school. Whatever! TWO INSTEAD OF ONE!) Via realjohngreen

Minor spoilers for Daughter of Smoke and Bone! Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it. While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream? (source)

Days of Blood and Starlight Laini Taylor — Okay, so I had some feelings about Daughter of Smoke and Bone, because Taylor is obviously using an instalove trope to play subversion games and I'm just not convinced it's working. I was so conflicted over the first book and I want to read the sequel just to figure out what the heck is going on and if I like what's happened to the characters or like the new things that have been revealed. In a lot of ways it's like coming in to a completely new main character. Weird.

---

I cashed out a long standing family bond last week, so assume I've maybe already ordered some of these (don't worry I also put plenty of money into the house deposit fund and even paid off some of my student loan — I really am responsible):

Books

'On Land and At Sea' — Kage Baker & Kathleen Bartholomew: I dislike Subterranean limited edition release policy, but I am not going to wait however long it takes them to put out regular hardbacks to get the second (and sadly last, as this book was completed by Bartholomew after Baker died) book in Kage Baker's Nell Gwynne set. Pre-ordered - *boom*! 'The Women of Nell Gwynne's' presented a much more cynical vision of how a Victorian female spy agency might work than the 'The Agency' series, by Y S Lee, but it was no less fun. I'm hoping this new installment will be as entertaining, based on what I've heard about the book from Chasing Ray.



'Dangerous Work: Diary of an Arctic Adventure' — Arthur Conan Doyle: Another Chasing Ray recommendation that I've added to my wish list. This is Arthur Conan Doyle's diary of his time spent as a ship's surgeon, which has been newly published by the British Library. Polar exploration and the creator of Sherlock Holmes, in one book. SCREAMING! It is rather expensive, but I'm going to justify it as an early birthday treat.



'Farthing' — Jo Walton: Ana sent me a very enthusiastic e-mail about 'Farthing', so on to my mental list it goes. I remember Jenny talked about the Small Change trilogy in…wow, 2010! Really, TWO years ago?. Annnnnyway, I am slightly fascinated by alternate history, but I don't always know enough about the period books are set in to totally appreciate the 'alternate' side of things. Growing up in Britain, I know enough about the WWII period to get by, so this seems like a good alternate history to try out. And all you've got to do to get me to consider a book right now is say 'it has LGBTQ characters in it'. Wait did I just open the door to flailing recommendations? Kinda hope so.

Television

Nashville: I'm really excited that Nashville will be shown on More4 in 2013. Amy highly recommends it and keeps waving around interesting articles about its female characters. I am a little bit of a country fan, although probably the kind real country fans laugh at. And I am always down for a good movie about singers with country roots (which is how 'Crazy Heart' tricked me into watching a gross male fantasy). But I'm mostly waiting for 'Nashville' because Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere are the stars of this program and they are both actresses with wide ranges.

Other

One thing I definitely want to treat myself to for my birthday is a literary metal cuff from Jezebel Charms. I bought one for my friend's birthday this year and their 'Sense and Sensibility' cuff was lovely. I'm just not sure which one to get. I'm leaning towards this 'Persuasion' cuff which has a quote from Wentworth's letter to Anne:



There's also an awesome squid cuff and the 'Dracula' quote cuffs are super good too. I really wish their Dr Who cuffs were still available as well.

Anyway, enough lusting. Help me decide?

Comments

[myfriendamy]

Yay for you getting Nashville! It's my favorite show from the new season and I hope you like it, too!

[bookgazing]

I'm super excited about it. I mean I can't promise I won't spend ages refusing to get over Hayden's role in Heroes and imagining that the cast of Heroes had moved to Nashville...I will try not to be too annoying about it.