Friday, May 10, 2013

Book's I've Re-read this Week

This week has be a re-read week as the Heinlein book is this month's pick for the Ottawa Sci-fi and Fantasy Readers.

The The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. This is the second time around that I've read this book. I believe that I liked it better the first time around. The story is one of revolution on the moon. The "Loonies" are tired of being treated like second class citizens as the colony on the moon was initially a penal colony. Generations later they decided to revolt for their own freedom. Basically you have a pretty thought provoking libertarian novel set in space.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Now this is a novel I've read twice, saw the BBC TV show and now listened to the BBC radio production with an all star voice cast. I continue to love this book.

Poor Richard Mayhew decides to help a young woman, Door, on his way to supper one night. For his small act of kindness he's pulled into London Below an alternate version of London in which the fantastical is all to real. Will Richard and Door be able to solve the mystery of who murdered her parents, avoid the incredibly creepy Croup and Vandemar, while figuring out a way to return Richard to London Above.

If you know of the name of the literary trope that describes Croup and Vandemar please let me know. The same archetype has shown up in so many books including:

  • Finch and Mullet in Tad Williams Otherworld series
  • Mr. Pin and Mr. Tulip in Terry Prachett's The Truth
  • Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd in Ian Flemmings Diamond's Are Forever
  • Goss and Subby in China Mieville Kraken
Plus enumerable other examples in TV's and movies.

2 comments:

zeroasterisk said...

Excellent choices... the moon is a harsh mistress especially is not only entertaining, but actually is a good reflection on society.

Simon MacDonald said...

@zeroasterisk

Yeah, it should be an interesting discussion at my book club on Tuesday. The only problem I have with it is Whyoming just disappears during the second half of the book.