Wool comb, that is.

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Tags: Eye-Candy Friday by --Deb
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Here’s what I read in August:

1. MERLIN by Stephen Lawhead (447 p.) Second in his King Arthur trilogy, telling the story of Taliesin’s son and how he came to be Arthur’s mentor

2. PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Justin (256 p.) A childhood classic, and such a fun, creative one–lots of wordplay and imaginative, outside-the-box thinking. (Subtraction stew!) Always enjoyable, and a long time since I visited.

3. ARTHUR by Stephen Lawhead (443 p.) Third in the King Arthur trilogy and about, well, King Arthur. It’s as good as the first two, except the story is split between three narrators and that irks me and throws me off–just as you get attached to one narrator, they’re gone…

4. PILOT’S CHOICE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (598 p.) Two novels in one volume, from the team’s Liaden universe, telling the story of Er Thom and Anne Davis’s wooing (and their son Shan), and Da’av and Aelliana’s meeting (parents of Val Con). Love stories with a science-fiction backdrop, purely wonderful story telling.

5. KNITTED COMFORT FOR THE SOLE by Lena Maikon (127 p.) A collection of sock and slipper patterns, review here at Knitting Scholar.

6. LIADEN COMPANION VOLUME 1 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (303 p.) A collection of short stories in the Liaden universe–as much as I am not a fan of short stories compared to full-length novels, these, because they’re liaden, are wonderful.

7. LIADEN COMPANION VOLUME 2 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (303 p.) Second collection, not quite as strong as the first, but still good.

8. KNITTED GIFTS by Ann Budd (143 p.) A collection of knitting patterns for gift-giving, and they are wholly delightful! Review here at Knitting Scholar.

9. BALANCE OF TRADE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (451 p.) A stand-alone Liaden book, telling the story of Jethri as he becomes an apprentice trader to a Liaden master. I love reading his story, and so hope the authors give him a sequel one of these days.

10. DESIGN IT, KNIT IT by Debbie Bliss (146 p.) A look into the mind of a knitting designer, and why/how she makes some of the choices she does–along, of course, with some of the patterns. (Review here at Knitting Scholar.)

11. CRYSTAL SOLDIER by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (321 p.) A pre-Liaden history, of how Jela (with his tree) and Cantra meet, and the kind of danger they and the universe are facing … all of which…

12. CRYSTAL DRAGON by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (359 p.) … will ultimately lead to the story of the Great Migration to the Liaden universe.

13. 13 WAYS AT LOOKING AT THE NOVEL by Jane Smiley (570 p.) A thorough analysis of what novels try to do, and some of the factors that make them successful (or not). As well as a brief synopsis of the 100 Great Books she read to be able to make these comparisons. Excellent.

14. AGENT OF CHANGE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The story of Val Con and Miri’s first meeting–a Liaden book, of course, and since it’s the first one, it’s the shakiest in terms of tone, but not the least bit shaky in terms of the story being told.

15. CARPE DIEM by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Val Con and Miri get stranded in a backwater world but make the best of it, because, well, they needed a vacation anyway. Totally enjoyable, one of my favorites.

16. PLAN B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (330 p.) As the Liaden Department of the Interior moves directly against clan Korval, the family puts Plan B into effect, and ends up on Lytaxin, under attack from the Yxstrang.

17. I DARE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (467 p.) The ultimate (so far) Liaden book, where Korval brings the fight back to Liad and back to the Department … it’s a grand conclusion of the story, and then, right at the end, this enticing tease that makes you want more (as if you didn’t already). “It’s kind of complicated.” Man, I love these books.

18. TWO CHEERS FOR DEMOCRACY by E.M. Forster (363 p.) A series of essays, mostly written around WWII, about politics, writing, art, and the things that make democracy worth while. Excellent. I haven’t read these in years, but they’re still great.

19. CAPRICE & RONDO by Dorothy Dunnett (539 p.) Book 7 in the House of Niccolo series that I’ve been slowly working through over the last few months (instead of galloping through like usual). The penultimate book, where Nicholas finally works through his troubles and is allowed back home.

Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading by --Deb
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