Three Novellas

Back from crashing at fairestcat's and studying oncampus. Studying went reasonably well; I now have a much better idea what I need to bug my organic TA about. Crashing at Cat's was just dangerous, because she had books I don't: Legends II and Irresistible Forces. Cat generously let me hijack both for late evening/bedtime reading, so I got to inhale Neil Gaiman's Shadow novella, "The Monarch of the Glen", "Winterfair Gifts" by Lois Bujold, and Catherine Asaro's "Stained Glass Heart."

"The Monarch of the Glen" is typical Gaiman. Shadow deals with oddness and makes a decision. I am not one of the die-hard Gaimanites of the world, but I do like reading about Shadow. He meets the most interesting people in some odd places.

I am, however, a relatively hard core Bujold fangirl. "Winterfair Gifts" was really good. I don't think there's much more to say about the story, except perhaps to wish to be a fly on the wall when Arde and Cordelia first ran into each other in Vorkosigan House. And what's up with Baz's "deserter" status these days? I guess it's cleared, but it's not specifically mentioned.

"Stained Glass Heart" was... okay. ( A longer explanation of why. )

fairestcat also let me borrow Contact Imminent, which I've been meaning to read for months. So my study schedule today may be kind of doomed. Whoops.