skygiants | (no subject)

I just finished Michelle West's Sea of Sorrows; four books in, the series continues to focus amazingly on the ways in which women hold power, which is a thing I continue to really appreciate!

The first half of the book was a bit scattered - the Ospreys are doing some stuff here! and the Voyani are doing some other stuff there! and Jewel's gang are over here! and the demons are doing some stuff too! and here's Valedan! and here's Kiriel the angstiest eighty-page fight scene known to man! and and - and it all felt a bit like getting pieces in place for the next book, but I kind of loved the second half, aka Diora and Teresa and Jewel and Avandar and Margret and Elena and Kallandras and a magic elf and a magic stag and bunch of Voyani GO ON A FIELD TRIP. Uh, more specifically, I really liked the focus on the relationship between Diora and Margret as they learn to appreciate each other and the different-but-not-bad rules for being powerful women in their cultures - and by the way, dude, you can't tell me I am not supposed to be shipping them. Margret spends about 50% of her time thinking about how beautiful Diora is, and Diora keeps going on about how much Margret reminds her of one of her tragically dead wives, and the amount of time they spend musing on the texture of each other's skin whenever they have to take hands for whatever reason is - well, it's a lot of time! And then at the end Margret is like "STAY WITH ME YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO MARRY THAT RANDOM PRINCE YOU WILL NEVER BE HAAAPPY" and Diora is like "yes but it is my duty :( but maybe I can come visit sometimes maybe? After the war?" and Margret is like "bitch please, the war will go on forever, you are coming back way sooner than that!" and then they make out! Well. Exchange cheek-kisses. Same difference.

I am also finding Avandar and Jewel more hilarious than I should, I think. I have this suspicion that underneath all his stoic alpha super-powerful ~otherness~ Avandar is secretly a bit bemused. He is following all the rules for Supernatural Alpha Romance! Check it!
1. tall, dark, handsome, insanely powerful and unreadable
2. ~secret supernatural identity~
3. epic backstory angst involving him being an enormous dick to lots of people, and also personal tragedy, and HE KNOWS NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE THINGS HE'S DONE
4. surprise accidental claiming the girl as his consort and therefore one of his possessions! but for good reasons, really!
5. SURPRISE TELEPATHIC BOND involving the girl SEEING HIS ANGSTY DREAMS

And yet, instead of falling into his manly arms, Jewel continues to go "DO NOT WANT DO NOT WANT DO NOT WANT," which is a much more sensible reaction. And all her friends are like "I think . . . that might be bad news," and Jewel is like, "yeah, I know, but I'm stuck with him. SIGH." I mean, I sort of ruefully suspect that eventually there is going to be Jewel/Avandar anyways, just because the tropes pointing so much in that direction, but for now I am enjoying Jewel's sanity! I am also entertained by how well the cover image sums it up nicely: Avandar strikes a dramatic pose, and Jewel looks disgruntled.

I also laughed at Elena's rescue by the Perkiest Demon. I mean, he's not actually perky in any way really, but compared to all the rest of them he is practically a font of skipping hearts and flowers and sunshine! "THE WORLD IS SO PRETTY GUYS!" And Isladar basically seems to consider him something akin to an excitable fifteen-year-old, as far as demons go.

I am intrigued by Isladar's pet human baby also. And I am looking forward to Adam-and-the-Den! And Diora and Teresa and Yollana's FIELD TRIP north. Never enough field trips! And also I guess some plot stuff happened with the Voyani and the cities rising too, whatever.

My glee, however, was a little bit harshed when I went to Amazon to link to the book and stumbled over this review:

Anybody picking up a book by a female fantasy writer knows not to expect much. As a rule anything on the physical world will tend to be sketchy. Anything to do with war and combat will be flat, with pretty colors. On the upside, female fantasy authors will generally have interesting characters, set in interesting cultures. Too, they will devote some attention to their writing style.

Thank you for your incisive generalizations, mystery Amazon reviewer! Yes, I am sure every single book written by a female fantasy author does conform to your rules. EVERY ONE.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But that review helpfully lets me know that Female Fantasy Authors will be focusing on the stuff that I actually find interesting!

XD

This is true! If characterization and culture-building is for sissies than I am indeed proud to be one. \o/

Anybody picking up a book by a female fantasy writer knows not to expect much.

Wow. At least now I can have some feminist rage in my day.

Is any day complete without it? *dry*

"Anything to do with war and combat will be flat, with pretty colors."

. . . .what does that even mean? I don't understand.

Also that review more or less says, "anybody picking up a book by a female fantasy writer knows not to expect much. They just have interesting characters and good world-building. Oh, and they actually care about writing. Pfffft."

. . . .which is exactly what I mean when I say "don't expect much," obviously. Everyone I know reads books going "ugh, these great characters and worlds and writing are all well and good but when will we get to the long physical descriptions?" Definitely.

I think possibly they mean that because, you know, girls like fabric and colors and things, they'll write a lot about . . . flags? Or something? Instead of the blood and gore and military maneuvers that are proper to a battlefield? I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

I don't know about you, but I feel lost until I've gotten to a chapter in a book describing the ground.

What I find deeply amusing by Mystery Reviewer's assumptions, particularly this one, On the upside, female fantasy authors will generally have interesting characters, set in interesting cultures, is that male authors (by default, since if you generalize about female writers you must also logically generalize about male writers) will not have interesting characters, nor interesting cultures in which these characters exist. Um, what other reason could there be to read a fantasy novel except to experience interesting characters and cultures? (Except maybe sex.)

FOR THE BATTLE SCENES, DUH. The . . . sketched-in-grayscale battle scenes, apparently, since color also Something That Girls Do!

Um, what other reason could there be to read a fantasy novel except to experience interesting characters and cultures?

I would add a few things--I use fantasy to think hard about my own culture and values, and there's some good fantasy satire too. I've also read a few fantasy novels for their beautiful language.

All true! And sometimes I just read fantasy novels to get a sense of wonder about the world - I sometimes really enjoy fantasy set in 'our' universe that has no real opportunity for culture-building.

But also, you know, for the battle scenes. *solemn*

All quite true!

Oh whatEVER, Amazon reviewer.

*decides to be an amused alien anthropologist instead of getting enraged*

*uses appropriate icon*

As usual, Cordelia Vorkosigan is an inspiration to us all. :O

(Even though Bujold is a lady writer, so as we know she totally can't write war and battle situations.)

Anybody picking up a book by a female fantasy writer knows not to expect much. As a rule anything on the physical world will tend to be sketchy. Anything to do with war and combat will be flat, with pretty colors. On the upside, female fantasy authors will generally have interesting characters, set in interesting cultures. Too, they will devote some attention to their writing style.

I demand a list of examples proving otherwise! (Just to make my inner!feminist calm down. >3>;)

First thing to come to mind: the author of Full Metal Alchemist, classic battle shounen that I was babbling about yesterday, is a lady! EPIC FIGHT SCENES UP THE WAZOO.

Sherwood Smith, author of the Inda books, aka My Favorite Fantasy Series Ever, focuses on a battle culture and has some truly epic battle scenes also.

I will return with other examples when I am not stealing time away from my family to comment. :D :D

"Too, they will devote some attention to their writing style," which I clearly have no grasp on.

Sorry - had to finish that for anonymous idiot. :P

You fixed it! :D

I have to admit, I love the 80 page fight scene of angst.

Also, I do ship Jewel/Avandar, but in no small part because they are hilarious. And, you know, just have really interesting effects on each other.

And that reviewer clearly didn't read the book. *so not amused*

I kind of have to admit I enjoyed it a lot too! (Though poor

genarti, who was staying with me at the time, had to put up with me cackling occasionally and announcing "THIS FIGHT SCENE IS NOW FORTY PAGES LONGER THAN IT WAS AND EVEN ANGSTIER!")

It's true, they do! I find the dynamic really interesting; I also possibly laugh too much every time Jewel metaphorically (or literally) kicks Avandar in the shins and runs away. And I love that the page count that in any other series would go to Jewel thinking about whether Avandar is hot . . . instead goes to Diora thinking about whether Margret is hot.

Aaaaaaaaand yeah. (EIGHTY PAGE FIGHT SCENE, DUDE, SEE ABOVE.)

I must admit to a terrible weakness for the way West turns fights into epic character explorations (often of an angsty nature!). ...Also that fight had Isladar being his magnificent bastard self, which is always awesome.

Her treatment of Avandar is one of the things that made me really love Jewel. "Okay, so you're an incredibly powerful, immortal guy with a terrible past. Now will you stop being a total prick and shut up?"

Girl bonding is a wonderful thing.

Not to mention she has plenty of descriptions of settings. ...But maybe the ones that aren't based on medieval Europe don't count. :|

I am so in love with Jewel by this point! (Though I am also really enjoying getting to see her den muddle along without her. "What would Jewel do?" "Jewel would be really rude and storm out." "Okay, but what would Jewel do that would be USEFUL?")

And something that West does not stint on! :D

Everyone knows that it doesn't count as proper fantasy unless it is based medieval Europe and full of elves and dwarves. *dry*

It is so easy to fall in love with her once we get to her being all sensible in the face of overwhelming odds! (Haha, yes. I harbor a deep love for Teller and Finch.)

Which is one of the many reasons to love her.

Precisely.

It's true! Also I think for me the falling-in-love happened faster once we got away from all the people who already knew she was awesome and among people who had to be convinced, because man, did she ever rise to the occasion. (ME TOO. I am way looking forward to getting more of them in the next book.)

Very, very true. :D