A pair of Sleators

The essay I read on Sleator (and mentioned previously) is here - it’s more a set of mini-reviews, picking out common themes and tracing Sleator’s writing over a sizeable chunk of time (although the author’s idea about what should have happened in Parasite Pig, apparently inspired by all the bits I found boring and/or self-indulgent in Cryptonomicon, appears to miss the point of who is in control of the protagonist’s actions and their motives). Anyway. I agree that Sleator’s work went downhill (although I like The Boy who reversed himself) in the late 80s – these two (Tests (2008) is the latest, The Last Universe is 2005) are better, but I think he still hasn’t got a firm grasp on what the story needs to be yet, even if the ideas are interesting.

( William Sleator, Tests. )

( William Sleator, The last universe. )

Assorted fiction, hard copy

Attempting to catch up on my backlog again.

( Leighton Houghton, Heron's quest. )

( Sandra Glover, The nowhere boy. )

( Shirley Jackson, Life among the savages (re-read). )

( Alan Bennett, The uncommon reader. )

( KJ Parker, The company. )

( Joanna Canaan, A pony for Jean. )

( Mary Treadgold, No ponies (re-read). )

( Winifred Mantle, The Penderel puzzle. )

( Robert Fisk, The age of the warrior. )

( Victoria M Azaro, Saffron. )

( James and Deborah Howe, Bunnicula (re-read). )

( Elizabeth Enright, The four-storey mistake (re-read). )

( Alison Bechdel, Invasion of the dykes to watch out for. )

( Gillian Bradshaw, The sun’s bride. )

( Cynthia Voigt, Tell me if the lovers are losers. )

Okay. This leaves me with one book I've written up but can't find the file, 2 books for 50books_poc, one NZ book I had issues with and am debating going into more detail on, and 11 books I've read on the iPod that I intend to review, plus 2 unpublished novels for critique that I don't. Woo hoo! (and no, don't mention the manga)