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Feb. 11th, 2009 07:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zanzjanI was going to start off this post with "I rarely read fantasy, but...". However, looking at the list of books I've read so far in 2009 (six, for the record -- not too shabby, all things considered) it seems that five of them are fantasy, and the one that isn't is a Rudy Rucker book, which while technically SF I think we can all agree that Rucker is a category unto himself.
Aaaaaaanyhow. I just finished Margaret Ronald's Spiral Hunt. Urban fantasy, yadda yadda. This makes now two novels I've read by VP alum this year. I had exceedingly high expectations of both, and for reasons I don't expect require clarification I'm only writing a review of this one. So yes, I know Maggie Ronald, I think she's awesome, I don't think those facts altered in either direction my assessment of the book, and that's your official disclaimer.
And here's your official review, the short version: the book is fantastic.
Long version: with first novels, there are certain "stumbles" that you develop an eye for (particularly when you're also a newbie writer and doing your damnedest to avoid those same stumbles yourself, which is a lot easier said than done.) There was none of that here, none of the insecure blundering around through obvious plot digressions that creep into so many early novels. There were a few things that I thought could have used a tad more clarity at the end, but they were all very minor and that's a quibble I've had, sometimes on a far grander scale, with Much Bigger-Name Authors (Neal Stephenson, I'm looking at YOU.) It was smooth, polished, moved through the narrative in a straightforward fashion without feeling either constrained or forced, and without sacrificing character or detail or the larger view surrounding the story.
Totally recommended.
Now, to go look up when I can expect the next one...
Aaaaaaanyhow. I just finished Margaret Ronald's Spiral Hunt. Urban fantasy, yadda yadda. This makes now two novels I've read by VP alum this year. I had exceedingly high expectations of both, and for reasons I don't expect require clarification I'm only writing a review of this one. So yes, I know Maggie Ronald, I think she's awesome, I don't think those facts altered in either direction my assessment of the book, and that's your official disclaimer.
And here's your official review, the short version: the book is fantastic.
Long version: with first novels, there are certain "stumbles" that you develop an eye for (particularly when you're also a newbie writer and doing your damnedest to avoid those same stumbles yourself, which is a lot easier said than done.) There was none of that here, none of the insecure blundering around through obvious plot digressions that creep into so many early novels. There were a few things that I thought could have used a tad more clarity at the end, but they were all very minor and that's a quibble I've had, sometimes on a far grander scale, with Much Bigger-Name Authors (Neal Stephenson, I'm looking at YOU.) It was smooth, polished, moved through the narrative in a straightforward fashion without feeling either constrained or forced, and without sacrificing character or detail or the larger view surrounding the story.
Totally recommended.
Now, to go look up when I can expect the next one...
