Bragworthy

I have received the holy grail, and I am bragging about it to everyone I know!


Behold!!





and I got the ARC of the second too! (I just didn't have it with me at work, when I took the photo). Stay tuned for reviews on SFRevu later in the fall. So far, I'm most impressed by the apparent retail of these books, less than $30 each, and about 700 pages. If you are looking for that perfect gift to keep your husband/wife/child/sibling/cousin/friend out of your hair for a good long white, this is it.


and I also got the ARC for the new M.John Harrison, Nova Swing. It's a psuedo-sequel to Light (and the covers of both books are negative opposites of each other, which is just the coolest thing. I need to post a photo of the books next to each other, so you can see it in all it's glory). He writes so. . . halucinagenically. A nice contrast to Martin, don't you think?


i'm gonna go dive in my Martin.

i like linking to reviews.

Not much to report today. I logged onto SF Revu to find two of my reviews were published: Pandora's Closet, a fun collection of "enchanted item" short stories, and Splinter, by Adam Roberts. go check it out.


don't think i write reviews super fast, those were done a few weeks ago, just had to wait for the right SFRevu edition to see them published. The review of the adorably punny Un Lun Dun is up as well. My favorite China Mieville so far.

I just finished Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time, a story of Christopher, a teenaged autistic boy who decided to investigate the murder of his neighbor's dog. It isn't the dead dog, or the neighbor that is important. it's the story that is told through the ideas of an autistic person, how he views the world, how he views and interacts with other people and his parents. A great read. This was a "reading together" book at my local library a few months ago.


Just picked up A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin, from the library. and in fact, i think i'm going to go pop a cold one, and dig in.

The Road, Un Lun Dun, etc. . .

finished McCarthy's The Road. It is beautiful, desolate, painful, transparent. Get a copy, you won't regret it. I'll get a review that's longer than 3 sentences up soon. i promise.

nearly done with China Mieville's Un Lun Dun. I'd thought it was pronounced "Ooon Loon Doone", but i think it's more like just how it looks: unlundun. Un-London. get it? A very modern, very fun Alice in Wonderland. has a nice environmental twist that might have been accidentental. Very punny as well. I need to find a use in everyday language for the word "Smombie" and "smoggler", not to mentio all the fun toys. again, i shall have a review up, eventually, that is more than a few sentences.

one of the libraries here has a monthly book sale, where they get rid of discards and donations. paperbacks were 3 for a buck, and i found books 3, 4 and 5 in the Wheel of Time series. I haven't found a library in the county that has books #3 or #4, and i just got them for 34 cents a peice. damn. Also picked up Tim Power's Last Call. his Anubis Gates is one of my favorite books, ever, so I hope this one is as good.

I'm still staring at this book with the Eagle on the cover.

we're making turkey burgers tonight. this isn't exactly a "recipe", as i don't really measure anything. but this is the mix i keep coming back to.

1 - 1.25 lbs ground turkey
half an onion, minced , or half a bunch of green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Worcheshire sauce
sea salt
ground pepper to taste
a few ounces mushrooms, minced (optional)
2 tbsp oil

blend everything but the oil in a large bowl. let sit 5-10 minutes, stir up again to get the top bits on the bottom, and the bottom bits up top. let sit another few minutes.

pour the oil in a skillet, and heat over medium/medium-high heat. Using a large spoon, put globs of turkey in, and shape it into a patty. Sure, you could form the patties before hand, but i've found that's just a waste of time. forming the patties right in the skillet is surprisingly easy. when the bottom is cooked through, flip them over. cooking time depends on how hot your skillet is, how big your patties are, and what kind of skillet you are using.

although i think it's obvious, these should be served on warm buns. french fries and veggies on the side is nice too.

If you don't like Worcheshire sauce there is something wrong with you. but, in the case that you are weird, and you want to use something else, try any kind of bbq sauce or marinade. be careful of those with a high sugar content, as the sugar can burn in the skillet, taking away an amazing amout of tastiness with it.

Vellum, or not.

I made it 70 pages into Hal Duncan's Vellum, and decided the weird threshold was more than even I could handle. it's going back to the library, and maybe I'll give it another try next year. when i'm more mature, or something.

next on the "to be read" pile was Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Holy shit is it depressing! i've been reading a lot of action-adventury type stuff lately, so this is quite the departure. it took some getting used to. I couldn't put the book down last night. . . it's like a trainwreck, i can't look away.

just got my ARC of M.L. Bushman's Miracle, it is her first novel. small press, has an eagle on the cover. i'll keep you posted.