swatkat

+ The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan: Meh. Remind me never to pick up those much-hyped chick lit things again.

+ The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco: Way too many 'now our characters have a deep and meaningful discussion with other characters', but highly enjoyable. I am, in many ways, the ideal reader of a mystery novel - I never guess the right answer and I always fall for the red herrings, which means, the end always leaves me shocked. Although, I did have my suspicions about You Know Who, and the end filled me with geeky joy.

+ The Last Moghul by William Dalrymple: Very, very good. Dalrymple is as fascinated as I am with the Delhi of yore, and it shows here. Well-researched, and the right mix of facts with narrative. I could have done without the slams on academia - I'm not really well-read when it comes to 1857, especially Delhi in 1857, but his claim that there has been no nuanced historical study of early colonial India and that every historian ever only indulges in jargon and fails to look at the colonizing British from the 'right' perspective is absurd. In fact, his fascination with whom he calls the 'White Mughals' comes with a kind of defensiveness, which I suppose springs from the hostility that he must - as a British journalist/researcher studying colonial India - have faced every now and then (and that he is probably not taken very seriously by academics). Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book, and wish to see more from him in the future (also cannot wait to discuss this with the Little Historian when I get back).

+ Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny: Wow. I'm sorry, this book requires a lot more thought than I am capable of right now. It uses Hindu and Buddhist mythology in a way that left me speechless. I would have been happiest if the protagonists were brown people to begin with (they did not seem to be, from the hints Zelazny leaves us), but that just means that there is an extraordinary degree of appropriation at work, and that, coupled with the story of colonization... And, of course, the way it uses Hinduism's conflict with and appropriation of Buddhism. As I said, it deserves a lot more thought than I'm capable of right now. Also, this Kali? Would have eaten Neil Gaiman's 'Mama-ji' alive, and thank god for that (although, while the book does very good on the culture part, I would have been happier if Zelazny had taken a little more time developing the female characters; not that it has much in the way of character - I read it for the plot). I also loved the disjointed narrative, which, as you know, is one of my bullet-proof kinks.

I finished reading American Gods. I have mixed feelings.( spoilers inside for both Neverwhere and American Gods )

That said, I'd recommend Good Omens to anyone who hasn't read it.

Thoughts, flist?

NPH and Jason Segel being adorable. Clearly there needs to be a HIMYM musical episode, possibly one with a return of Robin Sparkles.

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I finally watched the last two acts of Dr. Horrible. I'm too tired to write a review (except maybe to say "Oh, Joss, you never change, do you?" and "ILU NPH!!!!"), but will someone please rec me Billy/Penny fic? roga?

And while we're at it, won't somebody write me a Dr.Horrible/Pushing Daisies crossover? Bonus points for having singing involved (because songs make EVERYTHING better).

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I also finished the Temeraire books at a go (yes, this is what I've been doing instead of writing fic. what deadlines? *facepalm*), and again, too tired to write a review, but the series does get better with the later books. The fourth and the fifth, especially, were impressive, because of the dragons. I demand more dragons. And also Roland, who is awesome, and should have a series of her own.

I have in front me the City Watch trilogy, which means I finally get to read Guards! Guards!, and then re-read Feet of Clay. Then there is Night Watch. And Maskerade.

Pratchett ate my brain.