Book Log 41/2010 - Terry Pratchett: I Shall Wear Midnight

Terry Pratchett: I Shall Wear Midnight
Tiffany Aching #4, 2010

I love Pratchett's Discworld and Tiffany Aching is one of his most endearing characters, a young proto-witch who lives in 'the chalk' where people keep sheep and life is simple... until the Nac Mac Feegles, the Wee Free Men get involved. In this, the fourth Tiffany book, she's already doing the regular duties of a witch, (you know, cutting old ladies' toenails, bending for them as can't bend and wiping for them as can't twist) though still in her teens. It's a cross between being a district nurse and a family guidance counsellor with very little actual witching involved but a lot of headology.

But something's stirring, something nasty, that's insinuating itself into people's minds... something that tells them a witch, any witch, is Not To Be Trusted. Tiffany fears it's All Her Fault because she drew the attention of the thing when she kissed the Wintersmith, so it's up to her to deal with it because she's a witch and that's what witches do. They deal with what's in front of them when no one else will.

This is a beautifully crafted book, economical but thoughtful, everything you've come to expect from Pratchett, and it brings Tiffany's story to a well-rounded conclusion. I hope it's not the last we see of her, but if it is, it's a satisfying end. Highly recommended.

Book Log 41/2010 - Terry Pratchett: I Shall Wear Midnight

Terry Pratchett: I Shall Wear Midnight
Tiffany Aching #4, 2010

I love Pratchett's Discworld and Tiffany Aching is one of his most endearing characters, a young proto-witch who lives in 'the chalk' where people keep sheep and life is simple... until the Nac Mac Feegles, the Wee Free Men get involved. In this, the fourth Tiffany book, she's already doing the regular duties of a witch, (you know, cutting old ladies' toenails, bending for them as can't bend and wiping for them as can't twist) though still in her teens. It's a cross between being a district nurse and a family guidance counsellor with very little actual witching involved but a lot of headology.

But something's stirring, something nasty, that's insinuating itself into people's minds... something that tells them a witch, any witch, is Not To Be Trusted. Tiffany fears it's All Her Fault because she drew the attention of the thing when she kissed the Wintersmith, so it's up to her to deal with it because she's a witch and that's what witches do. They deal with what's in front of them when no one else will.

This is a beautifully crafted book, economical but thoughtful, everything you've come to expect from Pratchett, and it brings Tiffany's story to a well-rounded conclusion. I hope it's not the last we see of her, but if it is, it's a satisfying end. Highly recommended.

Book Log 42/2010 -

42) 8/11/10
Lisa Shearin: Magic Lost, Trouble Found
2007

This was one of those books that kept cropping up on the Amazon site under the list presented as: If you liked X you'll also like Y. Eventually I cracked and bought it. It's pleasant enough to try the next one, but it didn't rock my world.

Raine Benares, an elf, is a sorceress of moderate powers. Her chief skill is finding things which have been lost. For lost read stolen (or possibly kidnapped).  When Quentin, her some-time employee and supposed friend, does a little illicit thieving, he picks the wrong target and almost gets himself killed. Luckily Raine and her pirate cousin are there to save his bacon, but in the process the amulet that he's stolen bonds itself to Raine. This draws all sorts of unwelcome attention from too many quarters.

What is the amulet? What's its purpose and why can't Raine remove it without killing herself? There are two warring factions from the Goblin royal household trying to get their hands on it (and now on her) and a hunky Guardian who never quite gets to be a true love interest – though there are hints that the next book will develop that.

Her presence is putting the people she cares for in danger and if she can't get some answers soon, she's toast.

It's a good enough plot with plenty of action. My chief beef is that every person in Raine's world seems to be a thief, a pirate or (most likely) a magic user of extraordinary ability. In fact there don't seem to be any ordinary people living in Mermeia at all. Sometimes it's a little too convenient. Why can't they just be magic users of average ability, or maybe just a few ordinary humans?

I'm also puzzled as to why she needs to be an elf. It doesn't seem necessary for the plot and she seems to be a very down-to-earth human. maybe that will become evident in Book Two. Despite my reservations I think I'll give it a try: Armed and Magical.

Book Log 42/2010 - Lisa Shearin: Magic Lost, Trouble Found

42) 8/11/10
Lisa Shearin: Magic Lost, Trouble Found
2007

This was one of those books that kept cropping up on the Amazon site under the list presented as: If you liked X you'll also like Y. Eventually I cracked and bought it. It's pleasant enough to try the next one, but it didn't rock my world.

Raine Benares, an elf, is a sorceress of moderate powers. Her chief skill is finding things which have been lost. For lost read stolen (or possibly kidnapped).  When Quentin, her some-time employee and supposed friend, does a little illicit thieving, he picks the wrong target and almost gets himself killed. Luckily Raine and her pirate cousin are there to save his bacon, but in the process the amulet that he's stolen bonds itself to Raine. This draws all sorts of unwelcome attention from too many quarters.

What is the amulet? What's its purpose and why can't Raine remove it without killing herself? There are two warring factions from the Goblin royal household trying to get their hands on it (and now on her) and a hunky Guardian who never quite gets to be a true love interest – though there are hints that the next book will develop that.

Her presence is putting the people she cares for in danger and if she can't get some answers soon, she's toast.

It's a good enough plot with plenty of action. My chief beef is that every person in Raine's world seems to be a thief, a pirate or (most likely) a magic user of extraordinary ability. In fact there don't seem to be any ordinary people living in Mermeia at all. Sometimes it's a little too convenient. Why can't they just be magic users of average ability, or maybe just a few ordinary humans?

I'm also puzzled as to why she needs to be an elf. It doesn't seem necessary for the plot and she seems to be a very down-to-earth human. maybe that will become evident in Book Two. Despite my reservations I think I'll give it a try: Armed and Magical.

New Purchase: iPod Touch

Yeah, I couldn't resist it. At long last I've bought an iPod Touch (4th gen, 32g). I managed to get it on to the house wifi network (score one point for me!) but I'm still fathoming out how to work it to get the best advantage. It's the first ipod I've ever owned, so I'm really only just beginning to grasp first principles. Yes I have managed to use it to listen to a series of podcasts from the (free) university lectures available, and I have managed to sync it to my google calendar, but there's lots more I can do with it, I'm sure.

My big bugbear is that everything seems to hinge on being able to operate the itunes software. Since I'll mostly be using the touch for audio books and radio plays (transferred from my own computer files for starters) It's annoying to keep finding myself accidentally connected to the itunes shop.

For some reason I don't seem to be able to edit titles. I keep getting pushed towards getting the title and track info from the web, but a lot of the music I listen to is folk music from small-time record labels. It's not ON the web to download. Why can't I just edit the details in itunes once I've got the mp3s sitting there? I found a screen that looks like I should be able to do that but for some reason all the boxes I need to edit are greyed out. Frustrating.

I'm looking forward to getting the video recording up and running. One of the reasons for buying the Touch was that I'd been contemplating a small HD video recorder and this feature is incorporated into the Touch. That's one of the reasons I went for the 32gig memory instead of the 8gig.

So, come on, all you iPhone and iPod owners, give me some general hints and tips please.

New Purchase: iPod Touch

Yeah, I couldn't resist it. At long last I've bought an iPod Touch (4th gen, 32g). I managed to get it on to the house wifi network (score one point for me!) but I'm still fathoming out how to work it to get the best advantage. It's the first ipod I've ever owned, so I'm really only just beginning to grasp first principles. Yes I have managed to use it to listen to a series of podcasts from the (free) university lectures available, and I have managed to sync it to my google calendar, but there's lots more I can do with it, I'm sure.

My big bugbear is that everything seems to hinge on being able to operate the itunes software. Since I'll mostly be using the touch for audio books and radio plays (transferred from my own computer files for starters) It's annoying to keep finding myself accidentally connected to the itunes shop.

For some reason I don't seem to be able to edit titles. I keep getting pushed towards getting the title and track info from the web, but a lot of the music I listen to is folk music from small-time record labels. It's not ON the web to download. Why can't I just edit the details in itunes once I've got the mp3s sitting there? I found a screen that looks like I should be able to do that but for some reason all the boxes I need to edit are greyed out. Frustrating.

I'm looking forward to getting the video recording up and running. One of the reasons for buying the Touch was that I'd been contemplating a small HD video recorder and this feature is incorporated into the Touch. That's one of the reasons I went for the 32gig memory instead of the 8gig.

So, come on, all you iPhone and iPod owners, give me some general hints and tips please.