Arranging Your Hors-d'oeuvres
Aug. 10th, 2004 01:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
filkferengiSome people like to put starkly contrasting colors and shapes right up against each other; others prefer a subtle spectrum, gradually shading from one to the other along a gentle arc.
Emotions are like that, and can be arranged in a similar variety of ways. A possible example of the latter might be moving from the theological and ethical ambiguities of Sayers' _Nine Tailors_ [surely one of the most *depressing* books in the universes--powerful, unquestionably, but also depressing] to the theological and ethical questioning of Bujold's _Chalion_ books, where people struggle and hurt, but also learn and grow, to the pain, struggle, and growth of _Memory_, then continuing the journey through _Komarr_ and _A Civil Campaign_, by end of which the cycle would have gone round from tragedy back to comedy.
The regencies of Georgette Heyer would be the natural follower-on thereto. When one is sated with wit and fun, there are always the Heyer mysteries to try, elaborate puzzles constructed with her husband, the lawyer [Lawyerspouse, yay! an idea towards I am both rhapsodic and enthusiastic. ;)]. From there one could transistion quite easily to some Agatha Christie mysteries, which could bring one neatly back to Sayers, or on to Allingham, or starting a new cycle leading any number of interesting places: history, alternate history, Discworld, wherever.
Thanks to our new friend, the tivo, I like to arrange tv shows similarly [although perhaps not as elaborately]. For a mystery theme, I might alternate Poirot with Sherlock Holmes. I enjoy "Dead Zone", but it is often dark or ambivalent, so I always save "Monk" for afterwards, to clear the intellectual and emotional palate.
So, the question becomes: how do *you* arrange *your* hors-d'oeuvres?
Emotions are like that, and can be arranged in a similar variety of ways. A possible example of the latter might be moving from the theological and ethical ambiguities of Sayers' _Nine Tailors_ [surely one of the most *depressing* books in the universes--powerful, unquestionably, but also depressing] to the theological and ethical questioning of Bujold's _Chalion_ books, where people struggle and hurt, but also learn and grow, to the pain, struggle, and growth of _Memory_, then continuing the journey through _Komarr_ and _A Civil Campaign_, by end of which the cycle would have gone round from tragedy back to comedy.
The regencies of Georgette Heyer would be the natural follower-on thereto. When one is sated with wit and fun, there are always the Heyer mysteries to try, elaborate puzzles constructed with her husband, the lawyer [Lawyerspouse, yay! an idea towards I am both rhapsodic and enthusiastic. ;)]. From there one could transistion quite easily to some Agatha Christie mysteries, which could bring one neatly back to Sayers, or on to Allingham, or starting a new cycle leading any number of interesting places: history, alternate history, Discworld, wherever.
Thanks to our new friend, the tivo, I like to arrange tv shows similarly [although perhaps not as elaborately]. For a mystery theme, I might alternate Poirot with Sherlock Holmes. I enjoy "Dead Zone", but it is often dark or ambivalent, so I always save "Monk" for afterwards, to clear the intellectual and emotional palate.
So, the question becomes: how do *you* arrange *your* hors-d'oeuvres?
no subject
Date: 2004-08-11 10:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-12 02:26 am (UTC):-)
Besides, They're well-written, character-driven, & lots of fun., those are exactly the kinds of books I love to read!!