Random Book Face-off for the Week: Orphanage by Robert Buettner and Clone Republic by Steven L. Kent.
I've been heavy on the military sci-fi this week. Jack Cambell's Lost Fleet series still reigns as my Deep Space Tactics book, but for ground pounding infantry tales I'm quickly being seduced by the MC of Orphanage, Jason Wander.
Jason Wander is a punk, a high school drop out from the same town I went to high school at (I graduated, thanks), and an orphan. I love the voice. I love the wit. I love that I laughed and cried and my heart broke and soared... Just go read the book. It's an emotional roller coaster but it's worth it.
Clone Republic was very good too. The MC is Wayson Harris, a "real" human raised with a few thousand clone warrior in an orphanage on far-future Earth. Harris has a good voice, but the abuse of contractions, or the lack thereof, stopped me. The cadence sounded off. But the story is good. By far, my favorite character is the Merc, Freeman.
Mercenaries that *spoiler deleted*. It was awesome! And the ending demands that I get book two.
Random Rant of the Week: Language in writing.
I understand cadence of language will be determined by character voice. For my sanity, use contractions. Can't sounds so much more natural than five billion can nots littering the page.
Random Weekend Fun: I'm going to break away from my blood-and-gore-and-body-count rut with a little bit of spy action in the form of Ally Carter's Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover.
And then I'm going to write a little and up my body count in DC because I haven't killed anyone in pages. That's just unacceptable in the middle of a war!
So.... What's your random?
P.S. If you're looking for a good read this weekend all those pretty covers link up to Indiebooks Online. Go buy an addition to your TBR pile and support Indie booksellers while you're at it :o)
ReplyDeleteMy random: I worked at a school function last night and all evening, stared at this box across the room. I couldn't tell what was in it, but the side said "Fun, Beautiful, Easy" with a picture of what looked like a baked potato. After the event, I had to see what was in the box. It was craft sand. I'd decided it must be a Britney Spears doll. ;)
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