Yesterday I wanted a kiss from the Luck Child, and today I have got it--a gorgeous glory of a
review in Strange Horizons from that wonderful reviewer who always sees what no other reviewer sees, Tom Atherton of Wales. It's strong and wide-ranging and full of insight, delineating aspects of the book I like to see revealed. (He's even got a few criticisms, and I can tell you that he's the sort of reviewer whose remarks I will remember, next time I am revising a novel.)
Earlier he wrote an equally insightful review of
Thaliad (and he begins this review with
Thaliad) that pleased me very much--even, I can say, enlightened me. I am infinitely grateful to him for the results of his story-mining and contemplation.
I have sometimes doubted that beauty and perception can find their reward in our culture of trend and frantic change and celebrity. The fact that
Strange Horizons has picked up Tom Atherton as a reviewer is heartening.
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In more Luck Child news, most or all of my marked galley pages turned out to be not lost forever but scattered about "in the mail bin."
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Images in this post: Art for
Glimmerglass (Mercer, 2014) by Clive Hicks-Jenkins of Wales, book design by Mary-Frances Glover Burt of Georgia. Art for
Thaliad (Phoenicia, 2012) by Clive as well, with design by Andrew Wakelin, also of Wales. May I just confess that I love Wales?
I confess that I never wrote and posted a "review" _Glimmerglass_ for dozens of reasons -- all of them because of my shortcomings and preoccupations rather than anything pertaining to the book -- but I will by action rather than words give _Glimmerglass_ my highest praise: in other words, because only one visit was not nearly enough balm for the soul, I am returning for another restorative visit to Cooper Patent, and I am sure that repeat visits will happen in the future.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks, Tim--glad you enjoyed a trip to that peculiar little village!
DeleteI have to second this. My preoccupation and laziness kept me from making comments on the book's Amazon page.
DeleteWell, I'm grateful when people do but understand when they don't. I am pulled in many directions and often don't do as much as I would like to do for other writers.
DeleteCongratulations on the excellent review! Now I want to reread Glimmerglass with new understanding and even more appreciation.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's a nice compliment for Tom Atherton! I did not know his reviews until he reviewed Thaliad, and I was so surprised that he didn't review (back then) beyond his own site. He's awfully good, well read and quick to catch on to subtleties and allusions.
DeleteHow lucky! Hurrah, little USPS imps!
ReplyDeleteAnd Atherton's review gives me the kick I needed to finally write about the second half of Glimmerglass. Any day now.
Oh, look at that--even more luck! I always find what you have to say so interesting.
DeleteAnd yes, imps!
Glad they found some of your pages!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's much better to have the notes that include why I did or didn't do things.
Delete