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The Chains that You Refuse is a collection of 22 genre short stories, covering all ends of the spectrum. With the exception of high fantasy, I think pretty much every subset of the sff genre is represented. Unfortunately, that also means that there’s no real unifying theme to the book.
There are several stories I really liked-“Gone to Flowers” (sci-fi cyborg military heroine who I think is the lead of Bear’s sci-fi series that I haven’t read yet), “The Devil You Don’t” (ancient immortals in the old west) “And the Deep Blue Sea” (post-apocalyptic messenger), and “This Tragic Glass” (sci-fi meets genderbent Kit Marlowe) , to name a few-but there are also a few that I’m not ashamed to admit that I may not be smart enough for. Though it may be more accurate to say that Bear’s work in general requires careful reading and paying close attention, and I may not be capable of applying that kind of attention to short stories.
Still, a very interesting collection, and a good representation of Bear’s tastes.
There are several stories I really liked-“Gone to Flowers” (sci-fi cyborg military heroine who I think is the lead of Bear’s sci-fi series that I haven’t read yet), “The Devil You Don’t” (ancient immortals in the old west) “And the Deep Blue Sea” (post-apocalyptic messenger), and “This Tragic Glass” (sci-fi meets genderbent Kit Marlowe) , to name a few-but there are also a few that I’m not ashamed to admit that I may not be smart enough for. Though it may be more accurate to say that Bear’s work in general requires careful reading and paying close attention, and I may not be capable of applying that kind of attention to short stories.
Still, a very interesting collection, and a good representation of Bear’s tastes.
Hell and Earth by Elizabeth Bear
Oct. 30th, 2008 09:41 pmI have very little to add about the plot that I didn’t cover in my post on Ink and Steel. While you can read Ink and Steel without reading Hell and Earth, I’d still recommend reading them together. I still don’t like the Stratfrord Man duology as much as I do the first Promethen Age duology or New Amsterdam, but it’s quite good. I think, though, that I’ve pinpointed why I’m not quite as crazy about them.
In her other books, conventional narrative tropes are thrown out the window altogether. There are no clear villains or heroes, no definite right and wrong, and the threat is arguably a threat only from one perspective. Relationships come in all shapes and sizes, and those that are romantic aren’t important because they’re romantic. Here, we have good guys and bad guys-and, yes, still those in between-the threat is something that must be stopped for the good of all, and the central romantic relationship (though more prominent in the first book than here) is important because it’s romantic. Compared to most books, it’s still throwing all the tropes out the window, just not as much so as her other books. I suspect, though, that that may makes the books more accessible on some levels.
( vague spoilers )
In her other books, conventional narrative tropes are thrown out the window altogether. There are no clear villains or heroes, no definite right and wrong, and the threat is arguably a threat only from one perspective. Relationships come in all shapes and sizes, and those that are romantic aren’t important because they’re romantic. Here, we have good guys and bad guys-and, yes, still those in between-the threat is something that must be stopped for the good of all, and the central romantic relationship (though more prominent in the first book than here) is important because it’s romantic. Compared to most books, it’s still throwing all the tropes out the window, just not as much so as her other books. I suspect, though, that that may makes the books more accessible on some levels.
( vague spoilers )
Ink and Steel by Elizabeth Bear
Oct. 21st, 2008 10:39 pmThough the first two Promethean Age books are set in modern times, the third moves back in time to the early days of the Prometheus Club during the later years of Elizabeth Tudor’s reign. Kit Marley (later Christopher Marlowe) was a spy in the service of Elizabeth and the Prometheus Club, and wove magic into his works that helped strengthen Elizabeth’s rule. After his death, his friend, William Shakespeare, takes his place, but is unable to create the same magic. Except that Kit did not die, but was saved by Morgan le Fae and taken into faerie, where he is healed and becomes involved in a private war between rival factions of the Fae court, and he and Will struggle to maintain a balance between their new professional and personal lives.
You don’t need to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, but I think the perspective of the modern age-what both the fae court and the Promethean Club become-makes it more interesting. Many things assumed before (such as the identity of Kit’s true love) are revealed to be something else, and some characters are shown in a very different light. Bear also plays around more with the idea that fiction shapes reality, and that as legends change, so do the realities of the legends, a theme that I’m pretty fond of, and the end has a very interesting take on sacrifice for love.
Somehow, though, I didn’t like it quite as much as I did the other books by Bear that I’ve read. Which is strange, as I tend to love Elizabethan intrigue. Then again, while I adored the fae court in Blood and Iron and Whiskey and Water, I didn’t find the dynamics there as fascinating here, and preferred the human court. (I suspect I was also subconsciously comparing it to Marie Brennan’s Midnight Never Come, and while that one started more slowly for me, I think I prefer the human/fae warring courts and lovers there. And…well, very honestly, I find explorations of female sexuality more interesting than explorations of male sexuality, though only slightly, and I prefer a balance between them. Blood and Iron and Whiskey and Water had a balance of both, while Ink and Steel is pretty much exclusively male. Then again, New Amsterdam objectively had more focus on male sexuality, too, but I didn’t notice it as much there.)
As usual, I suspect I’m coming across as more critical than I intend to. And (since it can be read independently) I’m deliberately leaving out some details pertaining to the other books in the series to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read it, and those bits factor into my enjoyment. One other bit that I quite enjoyed is the extremely positive portrayal of Will's wife, Anne. Due to overexposure in high school and college, I haven't sought much fiction on Shakespeare, but most that I have encountered dismisses her or portrays her negatively, and I very much liked Bear's portrayal. The book is very good, and I enjoyed it very much (it’s over 400 pages long, and I only started it yesterday) I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Bear’s other books. However, it and its sequel, Hell and Earth are, as I understand it, effectively one large book (though this wraps things up nicely, and doesn’t leave you feeling like you must read more to have the conclusion you want) so I could end up loving the two as a whole more than I do Bear’s other books.
You don’t need to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, but I think the perspective of the modern age-what both the fae court and the Promethean Club become-makes it more interesting. Many things assumed before (such as the identity of Kit’s true love) are revealed to be something else, and some characters are shown in a very different light. Bear also plays around more with the idea that fiction shapes reality, and that as legends change, so do the realities of the legends, a theme that I’m pretty fond of, and the end has a very interesting take on sacrifice for love.
Somehow, though, I didn’t like it quite as much as I did the other books by Bear that I’ve read. Which is strange, as I tend to love Elizabethan intrigue. Then again, while I adored the fae court in Blood and Iron and Whiskey and Water, I didn’t find the dynamics there as fascinating here, and preferred the human court. (I suspect I was also subconsciously comparing it to Marie Brennan’s Midnight Never Come, and while that one started more slowly for me, I think I prefer the human/fae warring courts and lovers there. And…well, very honestly, I find explorations of female sexuality more interesting than explorations of male sexuality, though only slightly, and I prefer a balance between them. Blood and Iron and Whiskey and Water had a balance of both, while Ink and Steel is pretty much exclusively male. Then again, New Amsterdam objectively had more focus on male sexuality, too, but I didn’t notice it as much there.)
As usual, I suspect I’m coming across as more critical than I intend to. And (since it can be read independently) I’m deliberately leaving out some details pertaining to the other books in the series to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read it, and those bits factor into my enjoyment. One other bit that I quite enjoyed is the extremely positive portrayal of Will's wife, Anne. Due to overexposure in high school and college, I haven't sought much fiction on Shakespeare, but most that I have encountered dismisses her or portrays her negatively, and I very much liked Bear's portrayal. The book is very good, and I enjoyed it very much (it’s over 400 pages long, and I only started it yesterday) I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Bear’s other books. However, it and its sequel, Hell and Earth are, as I understand it, effectively one large book (though this wraps things up nicely, and doesn’t leave you feeling like you must read more to have the conclusion you want) so I could end up loving the two as a whole more than I do Bear’s other books.
New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear
Aug. 29th, 2008 05:54 pmIt begins in 1899 with a vampire detective aboard a Zeppelin, migrating to the colonies, and ends in 1903 with Tesla and Paris. I say this first and in relative isolation because there are a few people who won’t care about anything I have to say beyond that.
A collection of six stories ranging from short story to novella length, creating a continuous, novel length story despite each individual story managing to stand on its own, New Amsterdam is an AU book set from 1809-1903, in a world where England still controls the American colonies. Part steampunk, part eldritch horror and part detective noir, the book focus on the lives of Lady Abigail Irene Garrett, a sorceress and Detective Crown Investigator for the English crown, and Don Sebastien de Ulloa, a wampyr (vampire) over a thousand years old who is also a renown detective, as well as Abigail Irene’s friend and sometimes lover, and their various loves.
Abigail Irene (never to be referred to only as Abigail) drinks too much and has been famous for both her lovers and her beauty, though she seems to have slowed down a bit as she approaches her middle years. Absolutely loyal to the crown-and the former lover of Prince Henry, heir to the thrown-Abigail Irene finds herself in the position of being far from home and caught between different political factions, the crown, nobility who expects her to cover for them before standing for justice, and a mayor who plots rebellion. A mortal with mortal worries and investments, her concerns lie in her here and now, and what side is ultimately best for her generation, and the next few.
Sebastien is so old that he doesn’t remember his real name, or even the name of the town where he was born. His chief concern is for the people in his life, his court. First, there’s Jack, his young courtesan who dreams of revolution. Then, of course, there’s Abigail Irene, who probably comes closer to understanding him than any one else. Then there’s Phoebe, an American authoress he met aboard the zeppelin, and with whom he later seeks shelter. Last, there’s David, another wampyr he turned centuries before, eventually moved on, but who seeks him again. The larger picture is only an issue with him in terms of his court and their wants. Not because he doesn’t care about mortals (there’s no “bad boy emo anti-hero” air about him) but because he knows that, in a few generations, it won’t matter anymore because someone else will decide the world needs changing again.
( Slightly spoilery ramble about relationships and sexuality in the book. )
Some people, I suspect, will have problems with the ending, but I thought it was extremely fitting with the theme of the book. It’s written to give a fitting conclusion to the story, not to give the readers warm and fuzzy feelings.
A collection of six stories ranging from short story to novella length, creating a continuous, novel length story despite each individual story managing to stand on its own, New Amsterdam is an AU book set from 1809-1903, in a world where England still controls the American colonies. Part steampunk, part eldritch horror and part detective noir, the book focus on the lives of Lady Abigail Irene Garrett, a sorceress and Detective Crown Investigator for the English crown, and Don Sebastien de Ulloa, a wampyr (vampire) over a thousand years old who is also a renown detective, as well as Abigail Irene’s friend and sometimes lover, and their various loves.
Abigail Irene (never to be referred to only as Abigail) drinks too much and has been famous for both her lovers and her beauty, though she seems to have slowed down a bit as she approaches her middle years. Absolutely loyal to the crown-and the former lover of Prince Henry, heir to the thrown-Abigail Irene finds herself in the position of being far from home and caught between different political factions, the crown, nobility who expects her to cover for them before standing for justice, and a mayor who plots rebellion. A mortal with mortal worries and investments, her concerns lie in her here and now, and what side is ultimately best for her generation, and the next few.
Sebastien is so old that he doesn’t remember his real name, or even the name of the town where he was born. His chief concern is for the people in his life, his court. First, there’s Jack, his young courtesan who dreams of revolution. Then, of course, there’s Abigail Irene, who probably comes closer to understanding him than any one else. Then there’s Phoebe, an American authoress he met aboard the zeppelin, and with whom he later seeks shelter. Last, there’s David, another wampyr he turned centuries before, eventually moved on, but who seeks him again. The larger picture is only an issue with him in terms of his court and their wants. Not because he doesn’t care about mortals (there’s no “bad boy emo anti-hero” air about him) but because he knows that, in a few generations, it won’t matter anymore because someone else will decide the world needs changing again.
( Slightly spoilery ramble about relationships and sexuality in the book. )
Some people, I suspect, will have problems with the ending, but I thought it was extremely fitting with the theme of the book. It’s written to give a fitting conclusion to the story, not to give the readers warm and fuzzy feelings.
Whiskey and Water by Elizabeth Bear
Jul. 7th, 2008 12:44 pmSet seven years after the war between the fae and the Promethean mages has ended, Whiskey and Water takes the attention somewhat away from the fae, ditching most of the Arthurian aspects, and refocuses some of it on the machination of hell and its denizens, as a poet comes from hell to claim vengeance for the death of his lover during the war, bringing with him the revelation of plots that threaten both sides of the divide between the Promethean mages, and threaten the new Queen.
It’s hard to explain why I love this series so much. Even though the books are set in the modern age, they’re deeply rooted in mythology and intricate plots in ways most urban fantasy can only dream of, and build up the modern aspect around them. The characters and relationships are complicated and messy in ways all across the board, yet they all work. In any other book, the Keith/Elaine/Whiskey triangle (with a side of Carel, though not in this book) would send me running. Here, I just want more. Ditto with the subplot involving a character sworn to celibacy who has to get rid of it, and it somehow not being skanky when parties of all varieties come forward to offer to help him with that.
Another thing that shows up in Whiskey and Water is the theme of belief shaping reality, that believing something exists causes it to exist, with grave consequences. At the end of the book, it’s hard to tell what in that world exists because of its own merits, and what exists because of human belief.
It did need more Elaine and Whiskey, though. As a sidenote, the cover for this book is amazing, with an angel itting on a throne of horns, surrounded by angel and demon servers, facing the lone human in the piece, with everyone wearing Elizabethan dress, in an ancient serving hall.
Can anyone recommend other books by Bear? I’ve had her short story collections recommended to me, but that’s it.
It’s hard to explain why I love this series so much. Even though the books are set in the modern age, they’re deeply rooted in mythology and intricate plots in ways most urban fantasy can only dream of, and build up the modern aspect around them. The characters and relationships are complicated and messy in ways all across the board, yet they all work. In any other book, the Keith/Elaine/Whiskey triangle (with a side of Carel, though not in this book) would send me running. Here, I just want more. Ditto with the subplot involving a character sworn to celibacy who has to get rid of it, and it somehow not being skanky when parties of all varieties come forward to offer to help him with that.
Another thing that shows up in Whiskey and Water is the theme of belief shaping reality, that believing something exists causes it to exist, with grave consequences. At the end of the book, it’s hard to tell what in that world exists because of its own merits, and what exists because of human belief.
It did need more Elaine and Whiskey, though. As a sidenote, the cover for this book is amazing, with an angel itting on a throne of horns, surrounded by angel and demon servers, facing the lone human in the piece, with everyone wearing Elizabethan dress, in an ancient serving hall.
Can anyone recommend other books by Bear? I’ve had her short story collections recommended to me, but that’s it.
Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear
Apr. 3rd, 2008 04:56 pmThis is a very complex book, and one that has to be read carefully, and as such, it's hard for me to think of a way to write it up without having to pause while describe one thing to explain ten other things connected to it so that it can be fully understood, and the author is very, very into turning genre tropes on their head and crushing normal expectations. It all makes perfect sense as you read, as long as you pay attention, but is hard(for me at least) to explain. But I shall try.
Centered heavily around Arthurian legend and Tam Lin, the book is centered around Seeker, a woman taken byt he Fae in her youth and bound into the service of the Seelie queen Mebd, for whom Seeker brings mortal children back to the seelie court. Opposing Mebd are the unseelie court, and the Promethean Club, a group of mortal mages devoted to destroying the Fae, among them Seeker's human mother, and Matthew, who has viewed the fae as his enemies since his brother was taken from him years ago, and returned old and mad. If the situation weren't already tense enough, all three sides learn the a Merlin-mortal beings made of magic, named after the famous one- has come to age. And with a Merlin comes a Dragon Prince, and all three sides set off to win the Merlin-and, by default, the dragon prince-to their side.
And at this point, I lose the ability to properly explain things without explaining 10 other things, so I'll just do (spoilery) quickies.
Centered heavily around Arthurian legend and Tam Lin, the book is centered around Seeker, a woman taken byt he Fae in her youth and bound into the service of the Seelie queen Mebd, for whom Seeker brings mortal children back to the seelie court. Opposing Mebd are the unseelie court, and the Promethean Club, a group of mortal mages devoted to destroying the Fae, among them Seeker's human mother, and Matthew, who has viewed the fae as his enemies since his brother was taken from him years ago, and returned old and mad. If the situation weren't already tense enough, all three sides learn the a Merlin-mortal beings made of magic, named after the famous one- has come to age. And with a Merlin comes a Dragon Prince, and all three sides set off to win the Merlin-and, by default, the dragon prince-to their side.
And at this point, I lose the ability to properly explain things without explaining 10 other things, so I'll just do (spoilery) quickies.
( clicky )
Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear
Apr. 3rd, 2008 04:56 pmThis is a very complex book, and one that has to be read carefully, and as such, it's hard for me to think of a way to write it up without having to pause while describe one thing to explain ten other things connected to it so that it can be fully understood, and the author is very, very into turning genre tropes on their head and crushing normal expectations. It all makes perfect sense as you read, as long as you pay attention, but is hard(for me at least) to explain. But I shall try.
Centered heavily around Arthurian legend and Tam Lin, the book is centered around Seeker, a woman taken byt he Fae in her youth and bound into the service of the Seelie queen Mebd, for whom Seeker brings mortal children back to the seelie court. Opposing Mebd are the unseelie court, and the Promethean Club, a group of mortal mages devoted to destroying the Fae, among them Seeker's human mother, and Matthew, who has viewed the fae as his enemies since his brother was taken from him years ago, and returned old and mad. If the situation weren't already tense enough, all three sides learn the a Merlin-mortal beings made of magic, named after the famous one- has come to age. And with a Merlin comes a Dragon Prince, and all three sides set off to win the Merlin-and, by default, the dragon prince-to their side.
And at this point, I lose the ability to properly explain things without explaining 10 other things, so I'll just do (spoilery) quickies.
Centered heavily around Arthurian legend and Tam Lin, the book is centered around Seeker, a woman taken byt he Fae in her youth and bound into the service of the Seelie queen Mebd, for whom Seeker brings mortal children back to the seelie court. Opposing Mebd are the unseelie court, and the Promethean Club, a group of mortal mages devoted to destroying the Fae, among them Seeker's human mother, and Matthew, who has viewed the fae as his enemies since his brother was taken from him years ago, and returned old and mad. If the situation weren't already tense enough, all three sides learn the a Merlin-mortal beings made of magic, named after the famous one- has come to age. And with a Merlin comes a Dragon Prince, and all three sides set off to win the Merlin-and, by default, the dragon prince-to their side.
And at this point, I lose the ability to properly explain things without explaining 10 other things, so I'll just do (spoilery) quickies.
( clicky )
