flemmings | (no subject)

Given the constant heat and humidity of this summer, the weather's been remarkably unthunderous so far, but today we had an actual storm. Not as bad as the ones in my childhood which were slow-moving and extremely loud: this was barely half an hour. The oddity was that I woke up to darkness and rain-- so much for that 5% chance of they were touting last night-- which had been going on for a while to judge by the puddles: and then the storm started. Luckily it was over long before I had to go out for my massage. Of course the sun also came out and the world steamed. And the sidewalks dried up except unter den linden so yes, the walker's wheels were coated with catkins and seedlings. But there were still puddles at the street corners where I could rinse them off.

I think the massage helped some, but I felt a little off-kilter afterwards. Which can happen, but usually doesn't. Had good intentions of sweeping up the tree gunk on my front path but umm no. We won't even mention the jungle out back.

Otherwise at a loose end, like everyone else on the RoL FB suffering post-Stone&Sky letdown, and in my case suffering post-JS&MN and Damned letdown as well. Yes, three winners in a row is nice (and rare) but what do you do for afters? Um well, I still have the new Points novel to go to.

(I wonder was I the only one who wondered if Abigail had been glamoured in S&S? Though I suppose that she, like Peter, has had some practice in resisting fae and genii locorum who try it on. But also, why is it called Stone and *Sky* when the biggest element around is the sea?)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I gobbled S&S AND the latest Ben Jan and have noone to blame but myself. Lolsob.

I really actually liked the dual narration (got the audiobook!) and I was interested in how Peter and Abigail have different approaches. Peter is very bound up in Being A Cop and his procedures and how to make everything work legally. Abigail doesn't seem to give much of a damn about that. She's intensely loyal but her loyalties are more personal, and she's really sharp. She seems harder, but almost more idealistic maybe? Idk.

That said phrases like "I was lit up lips to lips" not only threw me out of the book but halfway across the room. Please NEVER write a sex scene again, Ben Aaronovitch!

I liked the dual narration too, largely because I like Abigail's voice and Peter, for all he's Chaotic Good, can be almost Benton Fraser at times. Also he's getting more settled as he grows older, less Chaotic and more by the book and therefore less interesting.

That phrase went right past me at the time but now, ewww. The sex scenes in Moon over Soho didn't bother me at all, because it was a guy being horny, which Ben must know about, and it was Peter being glamoured just like his dad was and hence not thinking with his brain much if at all. Now, a yaoi writer like me cannot complain of people writing opposite-sex sex, except that I maintain that yaoi guys aren't intended to be real guys and Abi is intended to be a real girl- or woman, I suppose: she's 17? now. So yeah, please don't write sex scenes, Ben.

"I wonder was I the only one who wondered if Abigail had been glamoured in S&S?"

I can't believe I forgot to comment on this but which was why I wanted to comment in the first place. Like Peter, she seems pretty good at strongly resisting glamour, but I got the sense it was like early Peter/Beverly -- like it was a mettyfor* for the enchantment of falling in love. But it also seems like the glamour might influence you more the you were around it? Idk.

*Like them Maypoles.

It took Peter a while to get used to resisting glamour. It said in the book how long Abigail's been an apprentice but of course I've forgotten it. Also the various rivers she hangs around with probably weren't trying to glamour her so I don't know that she does get much practice in resisting. But it's quite possible Ione was doing it subconsciously?

OTOH it sounds like Abigail has sexual experience but this may be the first time she's been In Love in love.

Edited 2025-07-14 14:53 (UTC)

I don’t know if you follow the “Witness for the Dead” books by Katherine Addison, but the third one (The Tomb of Dragons) is out recently and is a good read.

That's the Goblin Emperor woman? I couldn't get into that one but maybe should give it another try.

Yes. The protagonist of the "Cemetaries of Amalo" trilogy (that's the actual title of the trilogy, my remembering it as "Witness for the Dead" is just that's what the protagonist's job is) is a secondary character in The Goblin Emperor.

Edited 2025-07-15 01:07 (UTC)