reading (Asmov's Dec 2008)

I finished reading the first of the Asimov's that have stacked up in recent months on Tuesday evening. This issue could have been at least partially themed "People I was never into." "Still on the Road" was a short, short, which was well written and expressed the idea well. "The Flowers of Nicosia" was the longest story in this installment and was constantly referring to someone else I never idolized. I like "In Concert" and "Welcome to Valhalla". "In Concert" was disconcerting in its ordinary bits and whimsical in its heart. "Welcome to Valhalla" was was contemplative.

The most amusing story for me probably wasn't meant to amuse. "Way Down East" just cracked me up with its attempt to do the undemonstrative Mainer finally expressing emotion. Really, up here a heavy sniffle says a lot. A blinking of the eyes and turning away is huge. You just can't go from sub-zero to 80 degrees and warm breezes, gradual is best.

7. Asimov's December 2008

reading (Strangled Prose)

I started "Strangled Prose" on Tuesday night and finished it on Thursday night. Hess' mysteries are quick and easy reads. This one is set earlier than the last one I read, after reading that one I went through the pile and put them in order by copyright. This one didn't have much for secondary characters at all. All the males were hitting on the Mary Sue main character with every other breath. It's a burden to be so wanted, but somehow she perseveres and solves the crime. The book is an easy read, but isn't going to change your life unless you're freezing and have a match or have run out of Charmin.

I very rarely get everything worked out in a whodunit before the last page. Well, alright, being honest, I often don't work out all the details even after the last page. But this one was easy, I had my favorite suspect fairly early in the book and had worked out most of the details before the end. I think the end kind of clunked. The murderer's final speech was cliche (more cliche), but more importantly, didn't match up with the motivation explained later. I can picture the actor to play the part saying, "wait, what's my motivation here?" in the last scene.

8. Joan Hess "Strangled Prose"