In 2008 I swore to not buy any books for a year, in order to get caught up on (and re-read) books that I already owned. This actually went on from November 2007 until about February of this year. I still have stacks of unread books, so I’ve continued to be frugal and only buy books that are of immediate use (research value, playing in a game) or the next book in a series I’m already embroiled in. Rarely, I would buy something outside those rules because it just interested me and I planned to read it immediately (that would be Death’s Daughter by Amber Benson).
This week I engaged in a little “retail therapy” and bent those rules. I had Amazon credit, which I spent on a birthday present for my wife, but I also snuck Legion by Dan Abnett into the cart since I was already getting free strade bait, I acquired some used books. I was specifically hunting for Patriot Witch by C.C. Finlay, the first book in the Traitor to the King series. Fantasy set during the American Revolution. As I’m currently into that period of history, fiddling with Colonial Gothic, and running Whiskeyjacks, it dovetails nicely. I also discovered a book call The Nature of Monsters, by Clare Clarke. The title caught my eye as I was passing by. By the blurb, it appears to be a Rosemary’s Baby-type tale set in the period between 1666 and 1718. Again, kismet, it had to come home.
As I was ready to check out I spotted Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulk “writing as Ian Fleming”. A new James Bond novel, just released in paperback this past May. I’ve never been impressed by the non-Fleming Bond novels, because my interest in Bond is piqued again. Not only will it provide a nice break from reading fantasy and history, but I also just completed my James Bond 007 Roleplaying Game collection, acquiring the last few adventures that I was missing.
A few days ago I finished Victory of Eagles, the fifth book in Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. The Napoleonic era, with dragons. Likeable characters, an interesting and logical alternate history, dragon cultures that make some sort of sense, and good solid stories. The fifth book was every bit as good as the first, and I highly recommend them. I may pick up the sixth book, In His Majesty’s Service, in hardcover if I have the funds.