I only read the intro and the chapter on the Bentivoglioes losing Bologna, but very well written and might come back and read more, later, should timeI only read the intro and the chapter on the Bentivoglioes losing Bologna, but very well written and might come back and read more, later, should time allow...more
I skipped a lot of the back half of this because I'm really only interested in early Italian theatre: Ariosto, Ruzante, Aretino. But this was very useI skipped a lot of the back half of this because I'm really only interested in early Italian theatre: Ariosto, Ruzante, Aretino. But this was very useful, took a ton of notes. And makes a point of going beyond the literary examination of the surviving scripts to ask questions and propose scenarios for how these plays were staged. Commedia dell'arte sounds interesting but I caught myself skimming and realized it was time to move on....more
Only read the intro and the Ariosto play. Might come back later and read the Aretino play. We'll see. I Suppositi/The Pretends wasn't nearly as funny Only read the intro and the Ariosto play. Might come back later and read the Aretino play. We'll see. I Suppositi/The Pretends wasn't nearly as funny as his La Cassaria, what gives?...more
Great resource on the poet, but the poems...? A very prosaic (?) translation, and so I guess I came away understanding the content, but I feel like thGreat resource on the poet, but the poems...? A very prosaic (?) translation, and so I guess I came away understanding the content, but I feel like these poems were supposed to bite, and that just isn't there. ...more
Navvy Dreams is a big, sweeping space opera of a kind I haven't seen in a long time, where everything hangs on character. It's been comped with KOTOR Navvy Dreams is a big, sweeping space opera of a kind I haven't seen in a long time, where everything hangs on character. It's been comped with KOTOR and I think that's about right: it's all the stuff you want from something like Star Wars, but fresh and far enough away that nothing feels rote. The universe feels expansive, like there's always a little bit more waiting just beyond the margins of any given page, and I liked learning the ins and outs of how these worlds operate. The conflict is operatic, as it should be, but our heroine Polla has a real down-to-earth quality that keeps us grounded in her struggles and invested in the mystery of just what exactly has happened to her....more
Very interesting look at the power sharing arrangement between Isabella and Francesco, going against the perceived notion that Francesco was an oafishVery interesting look at the power sharing arrangement between Isabella and Francesco, going against the perceived notion that Francesco was an oafish simpleton who went with the wind, and that Isabella either never had any real power, was constrained to the realm of art/soft power, or lost her status when Gonzaga began his affair with Lucrezia Borgia. ...more
What foolish folk, the men of Erl, who walk the fields we know! In Erl that had sighed for magic there was indeed magic now. The pigeon-loft and old lWhat foolish folk, the men of Erl, who walk the fields we know! In Erl that had sighed for magic there was indeed magic now. The pigeon-loft and old lumber-lofts over stables were all full of trolls, the ways were full of their antics, and lights bobbed up and down the street at night long after traffic was home. For the will-o'-the-wisps would go dancing along the gutters, and had made their homes round the soft edges of duck-ponds and in green-black patches of moss that grew upon oldest thatch. And nothing seemed the same in the old village....more
Oh Christ, this was devastating. Perfectly captures the endless boring summer days of childhood, and a sort of regret(?) melancholy(?) that catches upOh Christ, this was devastating. Perfectly captures the endless boring summer days of childhood, and a sort of regret(?) melancholy(?) that catches up with you in adulthood....more
"The Ysidra," is about some lowly soldiers stumbling around a high fantasy battlefield in the battle's chaotic aftermath. ThI've got a story in this.
"The Ysidra," is about some lowly soldiers stumbling around a high fantasy battlefield in the battle's chaotic aftermath. They see a dead wizard and some dead knights and some other fun stuff. I was thinking a tiny little bit about Farley Mowat's tall tale about acquiring a V2 rocket in April 1945, but mostly a lot about Die Nibelungenklage, a medieval german lament for the passing of a generation of warriors. BTW, the title comes from a parrot-like bird I read about in a medieval bestiary.
It's always fun to see who gets published alongside you in these things, and the stories I've enjoyed reading so far are:
"Aloof Stars and Their Distant Answers" by Eric de Roulet — a woman travels to a remote mountain to ask a magic statue (?) to help her find her missing friend
"Wizards Unwelcome" by Adie Hart — a jaded jeweller reluctantly teams up for a journey with a wizard.
"Ignorance Is Bliss" by Josie Jaffrey— a demon in lapus lazuli becomes trapped in a time loop while trying to carry out a woman’s three wishes. Some very neat logic games here.
"I See You, Witch" by Zoe Shakes — about a witch on Hallowe'en
I guess if these stories have anything in common it's that for the most part they're strong on atmosphere?
I haven't finished reading this yet, but I look forward to returning to it.
Interesting. Didn't realize so much was known about the real Faustus, will have to look more into him at some point. Bit of a problem with the book isInteresting. Didn't realize so much was known about the real Faustus, will have to look more into him at some point. Bit of a problem with the book is that it's so diffuse, I felt it sort of went off the rails a bit when it got into engineering. The author does connect it back to the art of magic but at times why he was taking certain paths. 'Why this guy in particular?' I kept asking myself. That's not to say the book is ever uninteresting, there's a lot of weird little freaks in here, inventing cryptography and carving designs on turnips so no one can steal them when they rot, and all kinds of stuff....more
Safe to say I loved it and it's going to stick with me for a long time to come. Holder has a real talent and I believe he's doing something unique witSafe to say I loved it and it's going to stick with me for a long time to come. Holder has a real talent and I believe he's doing something unique within genre fiction.
Real curate's egg thing going on here. Some parts I found tedious, some brilliant. Doesn't really cohere. Liked the cyberpunk stuff, which isn't normaReal curate's egg thing going on here. Some parts I found tedious, some brilliant. Doesn't really cohere. Liked the cyberpunk stuff, which isn't normally my thing. Possibly has an evolution of the light/darkness of stars metaphor employed by Alan Moore/Matthew Stover/Nic Pizzolato et al, but have to think on it more. Big points for that. Kinda has that Atwood thing going on where a literary writer talks themselves into thinking they're doing some classic scifi stuff for the first time. But some of the stuff, particularly the ending, is really well done.
Elfin anthropology. Really enjoyed this, but didn't finish it. Will return eventually.Elfin anthropology. Really enjoyed this, but didn't finish it. Will return eventually....more
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