Back in the book haul saddle for summer again

Like everyone else, my book buying budget does have its limits(especially these days) yet I still consider it a necessity to get new reads whenever I can.

To that end, I was happy to get a June box from Book of the Month Club and to finally get one of their Centennial editions-celebrating the 100th anniversary of BOTM-which was Catcher in the Rye, a book that I haven’t read in a long time and should be an interesting cultural experience to go through again.

In addition to These Summer Storms(which I mentioned last time), my third pick was The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. The title character  here is a samurai swordswoman for an intergalactic corporation whose final ties to the company have now been severed, leading her to follow her former employer into eternal retirement.

However, the current powers that be insist that she take on one last mission which, due to personal connections, she really can’t refuse. Also, this gives Isako a shot at revenge as her former apprentice, Matim, is behind the corporate scheme that set all of this into motion. 

Fonda Lee is best known for her Green Bone Saga trilogy, which I’ve wanted to get into but haven’t been successful on that front. Since this novel is a standalone, my chances of clicking with her work might be better.

With strong yet sensitive leading ladies and creative world building that Lee’s books have been highly praised for, it would be totally remiss of me not to give this story a serious try:

This past weekend, I went to my local library and after returning three books(two of them I actually finished), I only borrowed two, one of which is a cozy fantasy and the other a more ferocious one.

Julie Leong’s The Keeper of Magical Things is definitely on the milder side as we are introduced to Certainty Bulrush, whose minor magical abilities are not enough to be considered fledged mage in the guild that accepted her but potent enough for a special assignment.

She must work along side Mage Aurelia, whose off putting manner makes her difficult to say the least, in transporting a set of  slightly magical items for storage in the remote village of Shpelling. They are to set up a warehouse to properly sort out the objects from counter spelling each other as well as keep an eye on the little cat dragon that followed them and maintain as low a profile as possible.

After awhile, Certainty and Aurelia not only find a way towards a friendship, they also grow to believe that some of the packed away items might be more useful out in the regular world. Can they discover a path to truly make that happen or will they bring down more trouble on their heads?

Leong’s earlier novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, is on my BOTM reading challenge list(that I hope to get to very soon!) and I was going to wait until I read that one first but with both books being standalone stories(set in the same universe)it didn’t make sense to wait that long. Besides, these novels sound like total delights and why should I deny myself the joys of such an enchanting world:

The other library loan is quite the massive volume but having read Joe Hill before, it ought to be relatively fast paced.

King Sorrow begins with college student Arthur who is being blackmailed into stealing rare books from the university library and the only solution that he and his friends can think of is to summon the title dragon demon to rid them of their enemies.

Trouble is, King Sorrow demands an annual tribute for his services and as the years go by, the price becomes more difficult to pay. Can Arthur and company rally again to end this ongoing nightmare or are their real problems just getting started?

I’ve heard nothing but elaborate praise from critics and readers alike about this book and even if I completely exhaust my renewal options here, there is no doubt in my mind that this will totally be worth it. Plus, given the state of things right now, conjuring up a dragon doesn’t sound that bad:

Speaking of libraries, I must say a few words about the recent passing of a favorite fictional librarian who helped a certain Slayer save the world a lot.

Anthony Stewart Head had many featured acting roles in his life and career, starting with a series of coffee commercials that inspired a novel to roles in fantasy shows like Merlin, comedies such as Ted Lasso and even a Jane Austen adaptation (2007’s Persuasion).

However, he is and will be best remembered as Watcher Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who began as the hapless school librarian at Sunnydale High and then later an owner of the local magic shop( which as one character noted had the longevity potential of a Spinal Tap drummer).

 His blend of extensive knowledge, sharp movements of sarcasm and fatherly love for his charges made him a key player in this often changing yet steadfast supernatural drama that more than one generation calls their emotional home.

During these past few days, I have seen numerous fans and contemporaries give him nothing but absolute praise for his generous nature on and off screen and so many people crediting Giles with the reason they become librarians and that’s quite the legacy indeed.

It is beyond sad to see good folks leave us for worlds unknown yet it can be comforting to discover the positive impact they left for us, no matter how small it might seem.

 Anthony Stewart Head was a fine figure of a person who used his artistic talents to breathe life into what could’ve easily been a stock character and made him someone worth living up to, flaws and all. Plus, instilling a love of literary based knowledge in the bargain is a great bonus, even if it’s a bit smelly: