What I’m currently reading!

 As usual, I’m reading multiple books, both new and re-reads. So this isn’t a review, just sharing what I’m reading now.

I have a pile of books I got from my membership of Chicon, this year’s Worldcon. I’m too late to vote for most of them, but hsppy just to have them as part of the deal. A$75 for all those books plus the privilege of a virtual attendance at panels is very reasonable! 

The shortlisted book I am reading now is True Believer: The Rise And Fall Of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman, which is part of the “Related Works” short list. I am finding it a fascinating work, especially since I’m also reading a book about Jack Kirby, the artist who worked with him on comics, Jack Kirby: The Epic Life Of The King Of Comics. Kirby was not a great fan of Lee, claiming to have created a lot of the characters and stories for which Lee claimed credit. Riesman mentions all this, and that Lee was not quite the jolly, likeable character he appeared to the world as. However, he also says that the two of them were arguing over things that we can never be sure of. He gives detailed descriptions of what each of them said and when, and why this or that character might or might not have been created by each of them. Both of them told different stories at different times of their lives.

There is some sadness too, and mention of elder abuse in Lee’s later life, when he would believe all sorts of nonsense told to him.

I’m also reading Harry Turtledove’s newest book, Three Miles Down. It’s not his usual alternative universe, but a science fiction piece set in the 1970s, during the Nixon era. In it, an American FBI ship goes out to sea to raise, if possible, an alien spaceship on the sea bottom, next to a Soviet submarine. One of those aboard the American ship is a young scientist, Jerry, who is terribly excited to be invited to join the expedition.

I have to admit, not his best book so far, in my opinion. I love the idea, but I’m in Chapter 6 already and nothing has really happened. There is a Soviet ship hovering around, but not doing anything much. The characters eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, all described in loving detail, and consider what they might find, when not discussing books and films that were out at that time. I don’t mind the occasional mention of what Jerry is reading or has seen, but it goes on and on. 

Still, I will finish and hopefully the pace will pick up soon.

My audiobook of choice, right now, is Barbara Hambly’s Bride Of The Rat God, which I can’t find in ebook, for some reason. I have read the original print copy, many times, but can’t find it. Maybe it’s out of print, but the audiobook isn’t. It’s narrated by Marguerite Gavin, who is wonderful. She manages to voice all the characters so you are never unsure of who is speaking.

In case you haven’t read it, the novel is set in 1920s silent movie Hollywood and is seen from the viewpoint of Norah, the British widow of an American soldier killed during the Great War, living with her sister in law, a major silent film star. There is a cursed necklace and some gruesome murders. And in between there are some well described filming scenes of a movie called She Devil Of Babylon, when what the director really wants to film is Kafka’s Metamorphosis. And there are three cute little Pekingese dogs which can do more than they might seem to be able to, including protecting their mistress from evil.

Great fun, and well read by Marguerite Gavin.

I’ve recently bought and started reading Death and Hard Cider, Barbara Hambly’s latest Benjamin January murder mystery novel. She has written quite a few of these and they are every bit as good as the first. The quality has never waned.

I’ve also been reading some Marvel comics. The most recent is Loki: The God Who Fell To Earth, by Daniel Kibblesmith and others. It is hilarious! Loki is now the ruler of Jotunheim, while Thor rules Asgard. Everything is going fine, so he is utterly bored and leaves a living snowman, Frosti, in charge while he heads for New York. There, he asks millionaire genius Tony Stark if he can join the Avengers. Tony tells him to get lost. Thor has already rolled around laughing at the idea. So, he uses his brains to defeat a scary creature threatening New York and impresses his brother and Tony. And meanwhile … very funny! 

So…am I the only one who reads masses of books at once?