Remiss

Maybe. But feeling no remorse.

I still don't have the review for The Historian ready to post. And no backup plan for a post except to ramble about this and that.

I'm not feeling much remorse about the review because I've been having so much fun. On two fronts. One is with the Weekly Geek scavenger hunt. The other is with reading.

I've found half the keywords of the scavenger hunt. I probably won't find them all by the deadline but that wasn't the primary motive for me anyway. I have just thoroughly enjoyed exploring the WG blogs--mostly book bloggers. I've read dozens of reviews and added a couple dozen titles to my wish list and even ordered several from the library.

In the last two days I've read one full novel and half of a second. Granted the novels were written by a teenager and intended for children and have pictures on about every other page. But they are rollicking good stories and I'm enjoying them as much for the astonishment that the first was conceived by a ten year old and written, submitted and published before she was thirteen. And English wasn't her first language!

I am speaking of :

Swordbird

and Sword Quest

by Nancy Yi Fan

I was enthralled enough that I failed to notice the sky going dark as I read in the back yard this evening. I had expected to notice when I could not longer read but as the sun's light faded the sodium vapor light guarding the trailer park's pool behind us took over and I never noticed. If it hadn't been for the mosquitoes making a banquet of me I might still be out there.

These epic quest fantasies may not be the absolute best I've ever read but they are plenty charming enough and they showcase a budding talent that bears watching. The fresh spirit of their author informs every line. She is most definitely one for whom the audacity of hope comes as natural as breath.

You will excuse me as I pick up Sword Quest to find out how Wind-voice and his companions get out of their latest scrape with the minions of the tyrant Maldeor who is intent on finding the mythical sword before they do. For whoever wields this sword would be invincible. Maldeor wishes to rule the world with it. Wind-voice wishes only to free the enslaved and ensure freedom for everybird. Of course I know Wind-voice's quest succeeds because Sword Quest is a story from the ancient legends of the birds whose quest for freedom from tyranny was the focus of Swordbird.