Swan Tower - I should have posted this on Valentine's Day. (Or not.)

Is that the same Mary Stewart who did an Arthurian series? I read the first few of those when I was much younger, until the sex in (I believe) the third book made my not-yet-mature self run screaming for the hills.

I think the only reason I haven't picked up Crusie before now is that her stuff is contemporary, and I'm such a hard sell on that. But I've seen lots of people praise her, and I read a post on her blog about what makes a relationship spark that had me nodding a lot, so I should give her a try.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Yes it is the same Mary Stewart...her Arthurian series came later (I think). Like you, I was too young for that third book and never did return to that series. But! Her early work is just plain fantastic. (Also, no sex that I recall...) The only Stewart book I didn't really care for was Thunder on the Right, which I read during the flight home from Sirens. Man, I spent DECADES looking for that book. So disappointing.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to contemporary romances...I have to be in a very specific mood to push through some of the books I've tried. (I started an Evanovich this morning and I've been marking it up.) But Crusie's something different... Guh. The humor and secondary characters alone...

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Well, I remember quite liking The Crystal Cave, so I'll put Stewart on my list. I didn't know about her other books, but the enthusiasm people have been showing for them is a good point in their favor.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Stewart was a BIG influence on me. She fails in the feminism department from time to time, sometimes seeming to go out of her way to do so ("I know, it's a man's world. I don't resent it," says one heroine, to which I actually yelled at the book, "AND WHY NOT!" This is annoying and was annoying when I was fifteen, too; but her feel for setting is amazing, she's funny, and in one book a defining moment involves the hero standing at the theater at Delphi and reciting in Greek.

P.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Oh, yes, Thunder on the Right is awful compared to the others. Definitely skip that one. To me it reads as though some crazed editor yanked the original manuscript out of Stewart's hands and rewrote it to their idea of what a gothic should be like, complete with bestial villain psychologically and sexually dominating the poor innocent girl (not the heroine, but still).

I think Touch Not The Cat could be a great entry point for swan_tower, though. A historical mystery with a light helping of the paranormal, a smart and well-grounded romance, and some great action toward the end as the villainous plot is revealed and the lovers must fight for their lives. It's not my absolute favorite Stewart, but it's a good one.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

I must say, it's got a pretty good title. :-)

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)