InsaneJournal

Starting a Meme: Recent Reads
Which books that left a lasting impression on you did you read - or reread - over the last three months?

To clarify things: only books that you read voluntarily and completely count. That means, if you tackled Emily Brontë for school, it does not count (probably with the exception that you are a rabid fan of hers and are absolutely in love with her prose ever since). If you have to go to your book pile and look up title and summary to list the book, it does not count.

• C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series (save book 4, which is due summer 2009) - Lord of the Fading Lands, Lady of Light and Shadows, King of Sword and Sky proved to be truly addictive reads. (I admit, Fey - esp. Sidhe - are one of my kinks. Deal with it.). Get me right, the books have their fair number of issues, including an "ugly duckling"-story, an almost too powerful heroine, perfect hero, evil enemies, and so on. But they are just enough balanced with the heroine's zealous mother, the hero's former world-scorching madness, the suffering of some of the enemies and who could withstand the temptation of the Tairen? These giant, magical cats with their wings, venomous fangs and dinosaur-like spikes at the tip of their tail, who all have their own, intriguing personality with just enough ferocity, wiseness and strangeness to be believable non-humans and not-gods? And Sidhe / Fey!
• C.J. Cherryh's Morgaine Saga - Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth, and Exile's Gate were my Christmas holiday read this year. A series I reread multiple times - in both, German and English. Cherryh's lovely style in a believable, enticing mix of Medieval society and science fiction! The plot I'd like to see done like "Lord of the Rings" for cinema!
• Markus Heitz' Die Mächte des Feuers - Second reread. I just love the setting of dragons pulling the strings in an AU world of the 1920s. Chilling fun!
• L.K. Hamilton's Swallowing Darkness (Meredith Gentry series book 7) - The Meredith Gentry series probably holds one of the most titillating take on the Sidhe I've come across. Sadly it descended into classical "Laurellian Porn" from book 3 onwards, only to have a grand revival with this book! Very fast paced, fierce, partially bloody action with tough characters and just a touch of sex where its relevant to the plot!