(no subject)

[skygiants]

So yes, I used to be one of those people who had nothing but contempt for romance novels based on little evidence but a general feeling of EW ROMANCE NOVEL COOTIES. You would not catch me dead reading one, you definitely would not catch me dead reading one in a public place; this is especially ridiculous considering the sheer novel of terrible, terrible books I read as a young teenager. Including Piers Anthony. Including The Color Of Her Panties. (Which, to my everlasting shame, I then passed on to my little brother, who passed it on to his BFF, who had to make a brown paper cover so he could take it to school without getting In Trouble With The Authorities. BUT I DIGRESS.)

But then I grew older, and started finding more shiny ways to procrastinate on the internet, and I started reading the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books site - and you know what, the ladies over there make some good points about the general dismissal of romance as a genre. Especially by people who have never really read a romance. Which, at the time, included me. So I am thinking, perhaps this is a thing I should fix! Perhaps I should broaden my horizons. I adore Georgette Heyer, who is classed as romance; I love Lois McMaster Bujold, who is not classed as romance but often easily could be; I have a guilty love for Sharon Shinn, who totally should be classed as romance even if she usually is not. Why should I assume that I would not enjoy well-written romance novels?

Then I went and bought Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels, which is not actually a romance novel, but it did seem like the least I could do considering all the staving-off-boredom-during-work the website has brought me. Which was extremely enjoyable, if slightly repetitive in places, and read very much like a book-shaped version of the site. However, that did not actually fix the expanding-my-horizons problem, although it does technically count for my distressingly neglected nonfiction count for the year.

Anyway, having started to think about my own attitudes towards romance novels, I now turn to my flist for your expert opinion.

[Poll #1390713]

Comments

[magwana.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Peters is also Barbara Michaels. Stupid pen names. And yeah, the gazillions of Amelia Peabody books take a great deal of dedication to read in order. Most of them are worth it, though! But all the Barbara Michaels ones are standalones (Vanish with the Rose being my favorite, because the heroine does not end up with the broody, sexy, standard hero-type, but with the goofball. I like goofballs.)

I am so pleased to have touched YOU intimately. It is a special bond.

Yes. Yes, it is. That moment of awakening when you realize Sword of Shannara is just Lord of the Rings with a sword instead of a ring? It is a special, special moment in a young person's life.

[skygiants]

Ooh, I did not know that about the pen names! Or about the standalones, which is extra-good to know because I have a certain wariness about picking up another huge long mysteries-esque series at this time (in theory, I am still planning to read my way all through the Cadfael books. In theory. Uh.) And I too approve of goofballs. :D

A Happily Ever After is surely destined from this!

OH MAN, it was exactly Sword of Shannara too that spurred the discovery on! To be fair, with Sword of Shannara it is . . . kind of hard to miss. Oh Terry Brooks. Oh your poorly, poorly disguised hobbits and Rangers.

[magwana.livejournal.com]

Yeah, huge series are intimidating. Which is why I am pretending that you never wrote about Michelle West, who I now really want to read, but my library has only the first book of her giant series.

Seriously, library, what is wrong with you?!

Indeed it is! She even wrote an Egyptology standalone, which was the first one I read, and which I loved but cannot remember the name of.

Yes. And once you've seen it, you cannot unsee it, and you notice that all these other books are (slightly less blatant) Tolkein ripoffs. It is a very sad day.

[skygiants]

My library has the first, third, fourth, and sixth books . . . but that is STILL UNHELPFUL, considering I need the second.

(But you should totally read her, because she is awesome. And it's a completed series, so it's not dragging on forever waiting for a sequel or anything, at least! *helpful*)

*makes note* To Google, away!

Someday, someone needs to make a list of all the totally-not-orcs and really-completely-not-hobbits there are out there. Although it would be sort of a Herculean task!

[magwana.livejournal.com]

I will take it under advisement, and perhaps will stumble upon a complete set at my local used bookstore. Or, alternately, buy it all on Amazon in a fit of crazy spendiness. Whatever.

It would be near-impossible, and yet. So helpful!

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

I am actually still rather fond of Brooks, mainly on account of later works and things like his book on writing and how awesome he is in person.

But seriously, I found Sword painful to read at the time. I will never be able to reread that book.

[skygiants]

My Terry Brooks-devouring phase was a very important stage in my literary development! I definitely still remember some of the books fondly. (I also remember with less fondness and more embarrassment the time I sat down at age eleven and decided to write myself into one of the Shannara books.) But . . . it's absolutely one of those series I know for sure that if I want to cling to any fond memories at all, I can never go back and reread ever.

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

I must confess to thinking I will be able to reread select parts. ...Though there is definitely a chance I will come out of it somewhat disillusioned.

[skygiants]

Every so often I am tempted to go back and read the Scions of Shannara books - especially the one with the evil jungle, which really creeped me out in the good way when I was younger - and then I am like 'no, no, self! If you are going to dive into a tremendous epic fantasy, at least make it a new tremendous epic fantasy that will probably not destroy your childhood illusions!' But the temptation absolutely exists.

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

I have, strangely enough, had some urges to reread the Voyage books recently. But they are not with me, and besides, there is John le Carre that must be read. Tremendous epic in a completely different genre! It is good to expand horizons somewhat.

[skygiants]

Exactly! Hence this post, really. :D And the efforts to read more nonfiction, too (uh, unsuccessful as those may have been so far.)

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

*applause!*

[magwana.livejournal.com]

I also love with a fiery passion the Magic Kingdom for Sale books - they are delightful! But Sword? NO. Not again.

[skygiants]

I don't remember those quite as well, but I do remember that "Magic Kingdom For Sale - SOLD!" is about the best title for a fantasy novel ever.

[magwana.livejournal.com]

It is! And I haven't read them in years, but I remember them being funny and sweet. Although, now that I think about it, the women were somewhat deficient. Willow? She was just so perfect. No flaws, except for being part tree. And that doesn't really count as a flaw.

[skygiants]

Yeah, I do not exactly remember it being awesome on the female characters either - but again, I don't remember much.

For some people, it might be an asset! (Those darn tree-huggers. *ducks*)

Also, have I mentioned before how much I love that icon of yours? Because . . . I love that icon. SHADAYIM!

[magwana.livejournal.com]

I remember the characters - the dog who was prime minister! The terrible, terrible wizard! The tree-girl!

Heee! Tree-huggers. *ba-dum-bum*

That is my favorite epsidode, I think. It's hard to choose (because, also, Lesbian Spank Inferno! The Truth Snake!) but the set up and writing and follow through are just all so perfect. And this icon makes me giggle every time I see it.

[skygiants]

The DOG! Okay, the dog I do remember, and he was kind of adorable.

It is totally up among my favorites too - I can never decide between that one and Captain Subtext (the cushions rant! That is the quintessential Steve moment, for me) but on the other hand, SHADAYIM kind of have to trump all!

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

Magic Kingdom is marvelous! LAWYERS IN FANTASYLAND. Win.
But Sword is one of those things that you're not quite sure should even have been published, even if the author later proved good.