August 29, 2007

Book binge

Ah books, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Otherwise known as why my credit card is slightly singed...I swear I went out today to buy presents for father's day and other imminent celebrations and with firm resolve not to spend much else but somehow my brain interpreted that as "hell, buy a book or four for yourself while you're there".

And I'd already bought a couple on Sunday. Of course, I'm almost done with all three of them. The muse, apparently, wants new stories and wants them NOW (plus there are just lots of cool books out at the moment). I'm not sure why the sudden booklust. After all, I brought a swag home from Dallas just over a month ago and collected quite a few more at the RWAus conference a few weeks ago. Face it, I'm a story addict.

So now I have Lilith Saintcrow's The Devil's Right Hand (oh frabjous Japhrimel joy), the second in Eileen Wilk's werewolf series (the first being one of the books I bought on the weekend and have devoured already - the other two were Samantha Grave's Sight Unseen and Warlord by Elizabeth Vaughan), the new Melanie Rawn (I shall try not to pout that it isn't the third Exiles book) and The Lies of Locke Lamora on the recommendation of the lovely Jonathon who runs Of Science and Swords. Plus there is Bujold and Pratchett on order! Excuse me while I wipe off the drool.

I love the feeling of having lots of books just waiting for me to sink into. Is there anything nicer (apart from maybe Captain's Jack and Mal and John appearing on your doorstep ; 0 )?

And hey, it's my birthday soonish so I must deserve presents!

PS On another note - Lilith Saintcrow's series has been redesigned - here's the new look:



Here's the old cover for Working for the Devil (which I really liked)



The new black white and red thing I've seen in a few urban fantasy books lately, so I'm wondering if it's the new trend. It's certainly eye-catching but to me (and a bookseller I spoke to today agrees) it says "suspense" not "urban fantasy". I don't think it's particularly appealing to a female (and maybe that's the point - to grab the guys who might not want the chick's-butt-in-leather-pants/chick in leather/chick from behind/chick with tattoos look we've been getting in UF for while to be what they're seen reading) and it doesn't set an expectation of the type of book it is. It does say tough gal heroine, which is certainly Dante. But hmmmmm. Jenny Crusie has done a few great posts on covers on Argh Ink...I'm not sure these meet her criteria. But hey, I'm not in a publishers marketing department. Thoughts? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Would you expect this to be urban fantasy (particularly when dark urban fantasy is often shelved in horror in Australia in non SF/F bookstores)? If you saw it from a distance and couldn't read the tag line that is.

I love her stuff so I'll still buy it regardless of the cover (and so should you) but the new look surprised me when I first saw it.

3 comments:

Tannia said...

I'm with you Mel. That cover says cops, spies, kick butt heroine to me too. Saying that, I would probably pick it up because of it. Wouldn't I be surprised. Fran

Blue Tyson said...

Locke Lamora is a decent book, spoiled somewhat by a sloooooooowwwww start.

Definitely not your girly romance! :)

Think a lot more to the Steven Brust end of things.

M.J. said...

Well I'll just have to see whether my poor 'ol girly brain can cope. Seeing as Steve Brust, Stephen Donaldson, Tolkien, Gaiman, Pratchett, David Weber, Feist and many other blokes have failed to cause a meltdown, I might just survive : )