I <3 blurbs

"A vile and deadly virus is purging the unsuspecting streets of London. People are collapsing, bleeding to death and worse... Working in London's Centre for Infectious Diseases, Mike Davenport has his own problems to deal with..." Uh, Mike? I don't think this one will wait.

ETA: Even better, a Web bookshop's blurb for the same novel: "A deadly disease is sweeping through London but nobody seems to know why or how to combat the virus."

ETA: And best of all, the cover quote: "... races through the blood like the virus it describes."

___

"Jason Donavon walked in darkness, seeking release from his curse."

___

ETA: "The only female sovereign in the galaxy, Lady Zara was descended from a long line of powerful women - women with the ability to telepathically sense people's emotions. It was a gift that felt more like a curse as she faced the raw strength and masculine senualityt of her betrothed - the stranger sent to uncover her secrets (oo-er!), to breach her defenses (OO-ER MISSUS!) both as a monarch and a bride.

"As Commander of the Galactic Guard, Logan did not lack for courage or confidence. He had sacked many a stronghold, and the defiant ruler of Nubria would be merely one more conquest. As he schooled his new spouse in the ways of passion, though, it was Logan who was tempted to surrender..." etc etc. I am wholly in love. Where is the planet Nubria? You tell me, and I go.

Recent / Current Reads

Stephen Baxter's Space. Had a ball reading this. A note mentions it was partly based on exisiting shorter fiction, which would explain its picaresque nature. Lots and lots of people flying around the solar system explaining physics to each other, lots of travelogues, lots of keen planetary engineering. Nice conclusion despite a briefly embarrassing trip through Gethsemane.

Ian Serraillier's The Silver Sword: Polish children survive WWII and seek their parents. Based on a true story. Read this as a kid and fantasised about living in a bombed-out cellar, eating soup.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I'm hugely enjoying this, but if Goblet of Fire is comparable, there should be no difficulty in paring it down to one movie. I'm maybe halfway through and look forward to Slytherin getting their comeuppance for their massive sledging. If McGonagall doesn't kill Umbridge, Snape will.

Will Ferguson's Hokkaido Highway Blues. One of those contrived travel narratives - he hitchhiked across Japan - but wonderfully written, insightful, self-deprecating and funny without straining.

Margaret Drabble's Jerusalem the Golden. Only a couple of chapters in. First couple of pages a mighty struggle but worth the effort. More on this when I have a better picture of it.

Gods know how much other half-read stuff is sitting around the house. Fellowship of the Ring is one (guess where I got stuck) and some Gibson is another.

(no subject)

Yay, another list of SF books, pinched from ashamel, who pinched it from patchworkkid.

( Boox )