Time to reread my favourite sad gay fantasy novel

The greatest shame in the entire Middle Earth legendarium is that Tevildo, Prince of Cats, appears only in one early version of Beren and Luthien.

A good Saturday.

After reading 42 issues in about as many hours, I'm now all caught up on Giant Days. So ridiculously charming and delightful. Recommended to everyone who enjoys laughter and being delighted.

I also read these in August. Homestuck is definitely better as a webcomic than on paper (too much multimedia you're missing out on), but I had to see what Hussie had to say for himself in the author's commentary. I can't, in good conscience, recommend Homestuck to everyone, but it's very funny, does some great stuff with the medium, and absolutely nails the realities of ridiculous bullshit internet friendships of the late 2000s. It's worth a shot.

Brain weasels stopped me from reading much over August, but at least I finally finished this. It was really great, and I want David Lynch to be my friend. And also I want to rewatch everything he's ever made. (The picture is the most Lynchian photo I've ever taken)

"I love plumbing, and then I could do plumbing of copper pipes coming out, but not shiny new copper - it would be old copper. Then I'd have different kinds of sinks and plumbing and faucets. I don't have a clue why this appeals to me, but the look of it and the design of it is thrilling. Plumbing is guiding water, and controlling water is such a thrill."

Becky Chambers is one of the best authors working in spec fic. I'm not sure what to call her specific subgenre (I've heard it referred to as 'cozy sci fi' which I quite like), but it's one I'd love to see more of. Slice of life stories about decent people being decent to each other, in an interesting setting. This novel, even moreso than the first two, exemplifies the genre really well. No epic adventure or grand politics. Just... People.

Another weekend of illness (my cold seems to have gone straight to my chest), but at least it's a nice excuse to stay in bed and read. This arrived for me at the library earlier in the week, and everything else I'm reading has been put on hold. I loved the first two, and am very excited about the this one too.

Getting back to three of my great loves - academia, folklore, and socialist realism.

Heartwrenching and beautifully drawn, it was immediately clear why this won an Eisner award this year. Shooting it to the top of my to read list was the right decision.

I will admit that I had to take a couple of hours between sittings. I could have devoured it in one go, and usually would have done, but I got the news my parents' Corgi was hospitalized yesterday, so was very worried and not in the mood for sad stuff. He's doing fine now though!

Spending my weekend cat sitting. Got three books and fifty years of Godzilla movies. Gonna make a dent in the Lynch biography, but will break it up with some other stuff too.

"Give yourself permission to express yourself as freely and completely as possible, have faith that this is a worthy endeavour, and believe that you can do it" - Robert Henri, The Art Spirit, quoted in Room to Dream.
Words to live by.

I'm not sure what to expect from this, but David Lynch is one of my favourite film makers, so whatever he has to say, I'm looking forward to it.

The trouble with having a large 'To Read' pile is that it means you have to occasionally make some tough decisions.

Short and sweet, a good book about a good robot. Would recommend, especially when you're feeling miserable and wanting something warming.

Well, I may have had to go home from work and go to bed, but at least I've got something fun to read while ailing in my sickbed.

Being on Day One of what I really hope isn't a bad flu (but suspect might be) sucks, but it does also give me an excuse to stay in bed and read an entire book in one sitting. I've had a copy of Uprooted since the end of last year, and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. Asshole Wizards are my favourite kind, and weird dark European Folklore is also 100% my jam, and this had both in spades, as well as a compelling female protagonist.

Well, since everyone keeps telling me how good it is...

I think if I'd discovered Phonogram when I was 18, it would have changed my life. At 26, I still think it's great, but not in the same worldshaking way.

I'm not crying you're crying. My only regret is that the next book hasn't been written yet.

My currently reading/ to read in the coming weeks pile. Earlier in the year, I made the resolution that I wouldn't read any more novels by straight white dudes this year. (Comic books get a pass, but I'm definitely also trying to read more diversely there as well). As you can see, it's coming along well! (Also, Armistice continues to wound my heart every couple of pages)

Okay so I'm now about 100 pages in, and basically every conversation anyone has makes my heart ache. The subterfuge is great too, but man this book /hurts/.

Aaaaaaa I'm so ridiculously excited to start reading this. The first one is one of the best books I've read all year, so I can't wait to get stuck in.

Thoroughly mediocre, which is almost worse than it it had been bad, because it's such a great concept. If it had been one or two authors writing it, instead of a stable, I think it would have been a lot better. It picked up a bit by the end, but it was a real drag to get through overall. Can't recommend.