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Aug312010
‘Books We Love’ with TJ from Dreams and Speculation
by Carolyn • Posted in Books We Love
Books We Love is a regular fortnightly feature here at Book Chick City. It’s where we discuss our favourite books; the books we absolutely adore, would recommend over and over again, and will keep forever on our bookshelves. I hope you enjoy and find some new-to-you authors and books to read. You can view the full schedule HERE.
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My guest today is TJ, the chick behind the fab blog, Dreams and Speculation. You may also know TJ from her previously named blog Book Love Affair, but recently she had a name and design make-over and I think they both sound and look fab!
I enjoy TJ’s blog as she reads the kinds of books I don’t – High Fantasy is a genre I would love to get into, but the complex world-building and, more often than not when dealing with HF, the 600+ pages, always makes me put these books on the back burner. And if I decide not to read them at least I can read the very well thought out and in-depth reviews by TJ to let me know if the book is worth the time or not.
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Thank you, Carolyn, for giving me the chance to put some of my favorite books out there to your readers! But I have to say, there is nothing quite as hard as choosing just a few books to recommend. I want to make huge lists with genre-specific notes: “If you like literary fiction, you must read Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko. Or do you prefer awesome science fiction? Then you must go to Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness! Urban fantasy? Easy! Seanan McGuire’s Rosemary and Rue or Stacia Kane’s Unholy Ghosts are both gritty and made of awesome…”
Well, after a lot of consideration, I decided to narrow it down to three books.
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler is considered a “classic” science fiction writer for a reason. If you read her Kindred then you can see why. She’s incredibly sensitive to the issues she wants to write about (in this case, the treatment of women and the effects of slavery) and makes it so easy to access that even a person who hates science fiction would probably enjoy the story. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride from beginning to end, but the most thoughtful and beautiful rollercoaster you can imagine.
Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi
I suspect almost every fan of science fiction has heard the incredible buzz that has followed Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl. However, his short story collection has gone a little under the radar. It’s titled Pump Six and Other Stories and is just incredible. It’s sort of like Ray Bradbury if he were incredibly depressed and on crack. In other words: amazing. Now, the hardcover copies have gone out of print, but in December the book will be re-released in paperback. Until then, I advise getting a taste of the awesomeness of Bacigalupi’s short fiction by heading to his website and sampling the stories he has up for free. I especially recommend “The People of Sand and Slag” and “The Fluted Girl,” because both are utterly creepy and powerful. The rest of the book is just as good, too!
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
I was a little torn about whether I should put Cashore’s Fire or Graceling up as my recommendation. They’re both fantastic, but I decided to go with Graceling because I think that it’s better to read it first, before Fire. Anyway, what Cashore has going for her is that she creates female protagonists with unconventional views of marriage and family. Not only that, but each protagonist is incredibly consistent in her beliefs and just wonderfully developed. Cashore is one of the reasons that I could never give up reading young adult books.
I hope that I’ve intrigued a few of you with these excellent authors and titles!
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8 Comments
I loved Graceling. I got it from the library and as soon as I finished it I ran out and purchased it. Its a lovely book.
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I've been reading a lot of Octavia Butler this year, and Kindred is on my shelf waiting for me. I love the way she turns science fiction into social commentary, and the way she takes on issues like race and sexism. Love her!
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I read Graceling earlier in the year and really enjoyed it. Fire is still on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I must get round to it. Thanks for sharing your favourites
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I can honestly say that I have never heard of any of the 3 books. However, what an impressive eclectic mix! I love seeing that people read a little bit of everything
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I have Graceling on my book shelf – every one loves it so much I'm looking forward to reading it. I haven't heard of the short story collection you listed but I am a big fan of Ray Bradbury and his short stories so I'll have to check it out – I'm curious what a depressed and on crack Bradbury story looks like
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Just for the record, this is TJ of Dreams & Speculation answering comments. Open ID doesn't let me have much choice with the name it shows on Blogger.
Tiah, have you read Fire, too? I think I like it even better than Graceling–but then again, I love everything she writes.
Heather, I actually only discovered Butler last year and am still catching up myself! I think my next read will be Lilith's Brood…but she does handle issues just masterfully, doesn't she? And in such an entertaining fashion!
Laura, definitely give Fire a shot soon–I liked it just as well, if not better than Graceling. And thank you for commenting.
Felicia, I hope you might give one a try then! They're all very worth the time, I promise.
Heather, ha! Depressed Ray Bradbury on crack is an interesting sight indeed. I hope you enjoy it if you pick it up, because I love it to death myself.
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Thanks for the great post TJ! Also, just FYI you can use Name/URL instead of Open ID as it let's you enter what name you like
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That does a looks a lot better, doesn't it! Thanks for the tip.
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