SFF

What Makes This Book So Great

Tor. Jan. 2014. 464p. ISBN 9780765331939. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466844094. LIT
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OrangeReviewStarThe Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Among Others believes there are two types of readers: those who reread and those who don't. She tells of her own experience as a rereader in this collection of more than 130 essays, which first appeared as blog entries on the Tor.com website. Walton's case for revisiting favorite books, eloquently made in the introduction but illuminated in each essay, is that the practice can be simply comforting but can also provide endless opportunities for new perspectives and even revelations about works that readers thought they knew well. Walton shares not only her deep love for sf and fantasy in general and these novels in particular but the insights of a truly thoughtful reader. Especially enjoyable is her book-by-book analysis of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan Saga."
VERDICT Although readers will miss out on some of the spirited discussions that appeared in the comments for these blog entries, it is still worth the time and money for any serious sf or fantasy fan, akin to a genre version of Nancy Pearl's Book Lust. Walton's affection for many of these titles is contagious, and fans will find their own reading lists growing. Since the author covers many core texts of the genre, this volume is also useful for collection development librarians seeking to fill holes in their sf shelves.
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