The Week in Womble aka Almost There
Helloooooo!
I have a project going live over Monday and Tuesday next week/ Stress levels have been high and switching off has been not fun and a dying broadband connection while working from home is added stress. I’ve been on a few book evets via the power of the net, so this week explored The Jasmine Throne, The Wayfarer series, and Wild Time. Fun even if not quite the same as sitting in a book shop for one!
But four days in then a lovely 11 days in a row off. I see a big pile of books, finishing the Untamed and seeing daylight a priority. This weekend was lovely though as the UK had sun and temperature in double figures. It’s been a long winter and nice to think of somethings other than staying at home in the future.
Oh look who is back
I see the rather rubbish critic Katharine Coldiron is whining on their own blog that we apparently slated her inability to review a book well because of ‘everyone who is mad about authority imbalances in book criticism’ to which they say ‘I respect that but given how little I’m paid and how little I’m known, I find this silly. Hitting me is not really punching up for everyone’
Welllllllll
No in the nicest way it is not always just about you Coldiron. They represent Locus (however little they think they’re paid which itself is a fascinating comment) one of the most long-running SF magazines. Perhaps just perhaps we amateurs think a professional magazine should behave in a professional way regards book reviewing. There are bloggers who don’t get paid anything (of which there are many) who have higher standards of quality and integrity than Coldiron. If their pay is an issue and this is why they produce substandard work then just perhaps they need to find a more lucrative career path. Perhaps they review for the status of calling themselves a Locus reviewer, perhaps they see this a bridge to future book deals. I don’t know but I still think their approach in that review was abysmal and they were the ones abusing their power by proxy of their magazine hitting down on debuts.
They also ignore the various issues of unconscious racism being put to them. I would note I blame the editor equally for not noticing this and I note they don’t really explore their various poor choices in reviewing work by women of colour. I did notice they decided to use their blog post explaining yourself to also promote their future work which is telling. I won’t be reading their books but I will be intrigued if they review (or will be allowed to review) any more. I’ll be watching with interest
Things I listened to
I caught up with Fangirl Happy Hour - a lovely geek podcast with Renay and Ana discussing geek things. But like me 2020 has been hard soo not many episodes last year for good reasons. But I’ve missed hearing their input and got booktempted into Descendent of the Crane. LOVELY go listen if you’ve not tried it before
Breaking the Glass Slipper – loved a recent episode with Ncole Glover talking about inequality in magic. This booktempted me into buying their new novel The Conductors (out 4/3). Considering how many blame me for booktempting. I now see podcasts are the true criminals…I forgive you!
What I’ve Been Watching
Wandavision – Episode 8 – a line like “But, what is grief, if not love, persevering?” is the kind of beautiful line that quite easily makes a story stand out. There is a lot to cover off in the last episode so I am hoping the final superhero landing is done well!
Subjective Chaos Awaits
And so it begins….the first round nominations are chosen and my fellow judges are about to experience the joy of reading and making decisions. March to June will be FUN/TORMENT I love it!!
The list is here!!
What Have I been Reading and Reviewing?
As time was short this week alongside novels I put some effort into clearing my novella pile
The Swimmers by Marian Womack - absolutely fascinating tale of an ecological dystopia
The Children God Forgot by Graham Masterton – I wish I can forget this terrible novel that was a DNF
Witherward by Hannah Mathewson – a new urban fantasy series that I think has a lot of potential
Smoke Screen by Thomas Enger & Jorn Lier Horst (translated by Megan Turney) - a fine slice of Nordic Noir
The Future God of Love by Dilman Dila – Very refreshing approach to a tortured male artist and a great fantasy setting to boot
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafar – Review to come but this tale of a child touched by alien technology is one of the saddest tales I’ve read
Dread and The Broken Witch by Andrew Wallace – couldn’t click with this very much
Fireheart Tiger – loved the exploration of toxic relationships in love and diplomacy in a fantasy tale – review to come
The Expert System’s Champion by Adrian Tchaikovsky – fine sequel to a story I enjoyed and this time an evolutionary puzzle to unpeel…with molluscs – review to come
The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Hossain – review to come but this impressed me a LOT
One Day All of This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky – Review to come but one of the funniest and also coherent time travel tales I’ve read.
What am I Going to Read?
In the near future folk, tales, galaxies, friends, peace, brothers, sun and coasts!
And so much more!! Good luck for the future – we will get there. See you in a week!
