It's been a long, hot summer, curiously bereft of book posts. The Natives are restless.

Ok, ok, ok. My bad, people.

Truth be told, I haven't finished a book in the last two months. Back in June, I started reading a book about the experiences of a first-year med student learning about human anatomy via dissecting cadavers (no, it was not Mary Roach's Stiff, which is said to be a very enjoyable and funny read). I got about three chapters in and realized that I was bored. The author was determined to convince me that this was all such a wondrous, magical, spiritual journey, but I was bored. So I set it aside.

I then ran across Vernor Vinge's The Children of the Sky, his long-awaited sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep and its sort-of-prequel, A Deepness in the Sky, both of which were absolutely awesome. Perhaps best known for his origination of the concept of a technological singularity, Vinge is a smart, sophisticated writer, equally impressive in his handling of complex technological concepts, inventing alien cultures, and writing compelling characters.

This one is engaging, but (life and) the quadrennial festival of bad television coverage of sports has intervened, preventing me from getting this thing done. Children stumbles a bit in the front end, with a somewhat unbelievable naivety affecting several characters, but the world Vinge created in Fire is thoroughly engaging. I am looking forward to re-focusing and finishing this one.

What are you reading, damnit?