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xindigosaberx Decided to do something a little different and less bleak today. I'm going to list my favorite books and why. I read a lot, though these days it's admittedly via audible so I can multitask(a bad habit I have yet to shake). I was raised by a librarian and spent all but one of my first 18 years in her care(most of those summers and vacations in her library), it's probably pretty obvious why books and writing play such a major part in my life. I do think my love of storytelling is what saved me from the addictions that trapped most of my siblings. So in a strange way although my guardian was abusive...I think a lot of the things she imparted to me saved my life. It's a very strange place to be, to know you owe your life and a lot of the things that you love- to the person who caused most of your trauma. But it's a large part of the reason why I don't hate her, even now. Anyway, here are the books I love most:
Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover- It's no longer Canon in the Star Wars universe, strictly classified 'Legends' but it details a story from the viewpoint of the Jedi High Council member Mace Windu. It's set on his homeworld and details the culture he came from in a way that is brutally ornate in description alongside the darker aspects of surviving a war. It also shows a side of the Jedi we don't often see in media, their vulnerabilities (Windu clearly has PTSD and depression) and how these things can be made peace with and become strengths. Stover is one of my all time favorite authors for his opulent characterizations, he does an extreme deep dive into any character he employs and I pick up his books with confidence, knowing it will be a new favorite.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan- I don't usually like zombie stories. I don't like the idea of having an excuse to 'brain' your neighbors. It seems like Gore porn a lot of the time to me, even though I like the overall genre of horror. However, the way Ryan portrays the main character's narrative in this story, how she often muses on the identities of the zombies she comes in contact with, and even in the midst of so much despair she humanizes the monsters, the aspect is written to perfection. Some people might take to their new reality with gusto, fighting violently and never giving it much thought- but I think most of us would be exactly like the main character; simply wanting peace, and wondering if these monsters had a name, a family, if they loved someone and if they wish they'd died instead.
Circe by Madeline Miller- This was a hard one for me to get into. I don't always like mercurial characters. The way they can come across as a villain so easily, but a switch is flipped and suddenly they are the most welcoming and gentle of people. Which is exactly how Circe came across to me in the Odyssey. But this book was delightfully and unexpectedly the opposite. From the beginning it explains who she is, what she thinks, what she feels, and it makes it clear exactly why she behaved the way she did. I enjoyed the descriptive writing style of Miller immensely. I haven't read such poetic world building in quite some time. I plan to read one of her other Greek epics 'The Song of Achilles' for that reason. Every single exchange involving Helios, I was transfixed. He's not the only God/Titan in Circe's story, but he was certainly my favorite.
The Silmarillion by J.R.R.Tolkien- From ages 18-35 I reread this book once a year. At first because at 17 I'd written a book report on it and my English teacher told me it was so big a book it wasn't surprising I'd missed a few key aspects but encouraged me to reread it when I got older.(I still got a passing grade on that report, though I was mortified as I reread and realized how much I hadn't grasped) The Silmarillion is a vast undertaking of the Elves in Middle Earth from the beginning of their world, their creation and awakening, their travels and exploits and most of all, their struggle against Morgoth and his servants. It's been one of my top favorites since I was 17, I've spent quite a bit of time exploring it and I could talk for hours about the different ages of the world, elven kings and elven genealogies, magic, The Valar, and so on. But my biggest take away from this book is that it is the precursor to all modern fantasy whether movie,TV or books. The genre would not exist to its current prevalence without Tolkien or The Silmarillion.
Beowulf- I can honestly say the first time I read it was in graphic novel form and I was so young I had absolutely no business owning it, but for some reason my guardian let me buy it. I didn't know its history or significance or anything beyond its subject matter. A warrior rescues a king and his people from a grotesque monster. That was all I needed to know. I reread it later, in it's restored format and then the novelization. I can say I like the original translation the best. The graphic novel was good, but it didn't do it justice in terms of the sheer heroism and risk. It's a fantastic story and that is why it's survived in popularity this long. I could go into all the scholarly aspects of it, and the symbolism, the cultural significance...but the truth is in spite of my love of history, I just don't care. The story itself is a rare one, it doesn't need all the trappings modern stories have, what it has is the whole picture of a heroic epic. The hero, the princess, the monster, the peril, the feat itself, victory- everything a mind needs to enjoy and be moved by a story. This story is perhaps single-handedly responsible for my lifelong joy of combat and warrior codes.
The ENTIRE Kushiel Saga by Jacqueline Carey- The saga began with Phedre no Delauney de Montreve and is a historical fantasy retelling of both ancient Europe and Jesus Christ who upon his crucifixion bled onto the ground and a divine 'child' sprung forth, known in the story as Elua- and angels who fell from heaven to protect him when he chose to remain on Earth. The story takes place in a country called Terre d'Ange(France) that is populated by the descendants of these fallen angels, their monarch's line directly descended from both these angels, and Elua while most nobility hails from a line of one of the angels who took ownership of a specific provence when they settled in Terre d'Ange. It is a story mixed heavily with (graphic but incredible)sexual escapades, political intrigue, heartbreaking romance and the exploration of philosophical concepts. It is in a word, beautiful. There's really no words I can find to give it justice that surpass that. I found Carey's writing gorgeous, her characters lovable(even and especially the villains), her world thought provoking and the romance life changing. I, like many of her readers with similar backgrounds of abuse and sexual assault, found her story to be healing in a way none of us expected. It returns dignity to the survivor in the most profound way without, perhaps, even meaning to. It lets the reader reclaim their sexuality and sensuality. I cannot stress how much I loved every book set in this world, and how much I would recommend it to absolutely anyone who enjoys reading fantasy.
Honorable mentions: Emma by Jane Austen for being clever, funny and enjoyable. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas for excellent world building, in depth characterizations, dynamic female characters and suspense rich plots. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier an Irish fairytale pseudo retelling that is beautiful, moving and sucks the reader in.
Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover- It's no longer Canon in the Star Wars universe, strictly classified 'Legends' but it details a story from the viewpoint of the Jedi High Council member Mace Windu. It's set on his homeworld and details the culture he came from in a way that is brutally ornate in description alongside the darker aspects of surviving a war. It also shows a side of the Jedi we don't often see in media, their vulnerabilities (Windu clearly has PTSD and depression) and how these things can be made peace with and become strengths. Stover is one of my all time favorite authors for his opulent characterizations, he does an extreme deep dive into any character he employs and I pick up his books with confidence, knowing it will be a new favorite.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan- I don't usually like zombie stories. I don't like the idea of having an excuse to 'brain' your neighbors. It seems like Gore porn a lot of the time to me, even though I like the overall genre of horror. However, the way Ryan portrays the main character's narrative in this story, how she often muses on the identities of the zombies she comes in contact with, and even in the midst of so much despair she humanizes the monsters, the aspect is written to perfection. Some people might take to their new reality with gusto, fighting violently and never giving it much thought- but I think most of us would be exactly like the main character; simply wanting peace, and wondering if these monsters had a name, a family, if they loved someone and if they wish they'd died instead.
Circe by Madeline Miller- This was a hard one for me to get into. I don't always like mercurial characters. The way they can come across as a villain so easily, but a switch is flipped and suddenly they are the most welcoming and gentle of people. Which is exactly how Circe came across to me in the Odyssey. But this book was delightfully and unexpectedly the opposite. From the beginning it explains who she is, what she thinks, what she feels, and it makes it clear exactly why she behaved the way she did. I enjoyed the descriptive writing style of Miller immensely. I haven't read such poetic world building in quite some time. I plan to read one of her other Greek epics 'The Song of Achilles' for that reason. Every single exchange involving Helios, I was transfixed. He's not the only God/Titan in Circe's story, but he was certainly my favorite.
The Silmarillion by J.R.R.Tolkien- From ages 18-35 I reread this book once a year. At first because at 17 I'd written a book report on it and my English teacher told me it was so big a book it wasn't surprising I'd missed a few key aspects but encouraged me to reread it when I got older.(I still got a passing grade on that report, though I was mortified as I reread and realized how much I hadn't grasped) The Silmarillion is a vast undertaking of the Elves in Middle Earth from the beginning of their world, their creation and awakening, their travels and exploits and most of all, their struggle against Morgoth and his servants. It's been one of my top favorites since I was 17, I've spent quite a bit of time exploring it and I could talk for hours about the different ages of the world, elven kings and elven genealogies, magic, The Valar, and so on. But my biggest take away from this book is that it is the precursor to all modern fantasy whether movie,TV or books. The genre would not exist to its current prevalence without Tolkien or The Silmarillion.
Beowulf- I can honestly say the first time I read it was in graphic novel form and I was so young I had absolutely no business owning it, but for some reason my guardian let me buy it. I didn't know its history or significance or anything beyond its subject matter. A warrior rescues a king and his people from a grotesque monster. That was all I needed to know. I reread it later, in it's restored format and then the novelization. I can say I like the original translation the best. The graphic novel was good, but it didn't do it justice in terms of the sheer heroism and risk. It's a fantastic story and that is why it's survived in popularity this long. I could go into all the scholarly aspects of it, and the symbolism, the cultural significance...but the truth is in spite of my love of history, I just don't care. The story itself is a rare one, it doesn't need all the trappings modern stories have, what it has is the whole picture of a heroic epic. The hero, the princess, the monster, the peril, the feat itself, victory- everything a mind needs to enjoy and be moved by a story. This story is perhaps single-handedly responsible for my lifelong joy of combat and warrior codes.
The ENTIRE Kushiel Saga by Jacqueline Carey- The saga began with Phedre no Delauney de Montreve and is a historical fantasy retelling of both ancient Europe and Jesus Christ who upon his crucifixion bled onto the ground and a divine 'child' sprung forth, known in the story as Elua- and angels who fell from heaven to protect him when he chose to remain on Earth. The story takes place in a country called Terre d'Ange(France) that is populated by the descendants of these fallen angels, their monarch's line directly descended from both these angels, and Elua while most nobility hails from a line of one of the angels who took ownership of a specific provence when they settled in Terre d'Ange. It is a story mixed heavily with (graphic but incredible)sexual escapades, political intrigue, heartbreaking romance and the exploration of philosophical concepts. It is in a word, beautiful. There's really no words I can find to give it justice that surpass that. I found Carey's writing gorgeous, her characters lovable(even and especially the villains), her world thought provoking and the romance life changing. I, like many of her readers with similar backgrounds of abuse and sexual assault, found her story to be healing in a way none of us expected. It returns dignity to the survivor in the most profound way without, perhaps, even meaning to. It lets the reader reclaim their sexuality and sensuality. I cannot stress how much I loved every book set in this world, and how much I would recommend it to absolutely anyone who enjoys reading fantasy.
Honorable mentions: Emma by Jane Austen for being clever, funny and enjoyable. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas for excellent world building, in depth characterizations, dynamic female characters and suspense rich plots. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier an Irish fairytale pseudo retelling that is beautiful, moving and sucks the reader in.
