Here is, for all those interested, a list of the books that I’ve managed to read in 2009. I always enjoy these lists when I see them on other people’s blogs, as they provide me not only with inspiration for my own reading, but also with a rough idea of what that other writer might be interested in. So, here we go (and don’t dream of getting this in chronological order):
The Blade Itself – Joe Abercrombie
I See By My Outfit – Peter S. Beagle
Strange Roads – Peter S. Beagle
We Never Talk About My Brother – Peter S. Beagle
Lythande – Marion Zimmer Bradley
Green Rider – Kristen Britain
First Rider’s Call – Kristen Britain
The Gargoyle – Andrew Davidson
Adventures in Unhistory – Avram Davidson
Pawn Of Prophecy – David Eddings
Queen Of Sorcery – David Eddings
Magician’s Gambit – David Eddings
Castle Of Wizardry – David Eddings
Enchanter’s End Game – David Eddings
Guardians Of The West – David Eddings
Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman
The Glass Key – Dashiell Hammett
The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett
The Thin Man – Dashiell Hammett
Lustrum – Robert Harris
A Song For Nero – Tom Holt
The Hotel New Hampshire – John Irving
The Lions Of Al-Rassan – Guy Gavriel Kay
Cell – Stephen King
Duma Key – Stephen King
It – Stephen King
Lisey’s Story – Stephen King
On Writing – Stephen King
Die Känguru-Chroniken – Marc-Uwe Kling
The Gunseller – Hugh Laurie
A Game Of Thrones – George R.R. Martin
A Clash Of Kings – George R.R. Martin
A Storm Of Swords – George R.R. Martin
A Feast For Crows – George R.R. Martin
Dragonharper – Anne & Todd McCaffrey
Blood Sucking Fiends – Christopher Moore
Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook – Terry Pratchett
Nation – Terry Pratchett
Unseen Academicals – Terry Pratchett
The Name Of The Wind – Patrick Rothfuss
The Tales Of Beedle The Bard – J.K. Rowling
Indecent Exposure – Tom Sharpe
Riotous Assembly – Tom Sharpe
Wilt – Tom Sharpe
Barnacle Bill The Spacer And Other Stories – Lucius Shepard
Softspoken – Lucius Shepard
The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter – Lucius Shepard
The Writer Got Screwed (But He Didn’t Have To) – Brooke E. Wharton
Verena Kyratzes 
Do. You won’t regret it.
I see. Well, guess I’ll read more of Shepard’s from now on.
Mhm… I liked the story, I would even go as far as to say that I liked it a lot. It is crazy, you’re right about that, but once you’ve read a bit more of Shepard’s absolutely wonderful writing you realize that he can’t do stories without crazy. I’m thinking of the sentient helicopter in Life During Wartime or the entire plot of The Sun Spider. But in Shepard’s case crazy if often beautiful. The Scalehunter’s Beautiful daughter had it tough though, since my all time favorite Shepard story is The Man Who Painted The Dragon Griaule, set in the same universe, and The Scalehunter’s Daughter just falls miles short of the brilliance of Griaule.
So, to sum it up, it’s a beautiful story with amazing images, but I had expected more. That happens to me sometimes, when I am really looking forward to something, it just can’t reach my expectations, no matter how good it is.
The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter. I had read it two years ago, in a 1990 cheap sci-fi magazine, but only now did I realize it was Lucius Shepards’. I can’t remember very much about the story, but it was surely crazy. I’m curious… how do you like it?