reviews_and_ramblings | The Inside Reader: Jan Irving

Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends - Silas Weir Mitchell

This week I will host another "special" inside reader: Jan Irving. I think Jan has a reading background quite similar to mine, I arrived to the Gay Romance world only three years ago, and so if you ask me what are my Top 10 list, probably among them there will be also het romance. So it's for Jan, whose list is not striclty LGBT, but it's all the same interesting to understand her as a reader and author. So welcome Jan!

Growing up in the seventies, there were very few images of women I could look up to and I was hungry for that, so most of my list features strong women characters. I also had a hunger for the unusual and enjoyed fresh twists.

1) Deerskin by Robin McKinley. A story of rage, nightmare, and true love. McKinley took a fairy tale and reinvented it in an accessible way. Her prose is beautiful and the story has several things that I always look for--a strong central female character and an atypical happy ending. The prince in this story is overweight and smells of dog, but he is a tender and protective man.

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Ace Trade (May 3, 2005)
Publisher Link: http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780441012398,00.html?Deerskin_Robin_McKinley
ISBN-10: 0441012396
ISBN-13: 978-0441012398
Amazon: Deerskin

From the award-winning author of Sunshine comes a novel that "will involve readers from the first to the last page with its sheer beauty, its anguish, agony, horror, despair, and, ultimately, its joy" (Kliatt). As Princess Lissar reaches womanhood, it is clear to all the kingdom that in her breathtaking beauty she is the mirror image of her mother, the queen. But this seeming blessing forces her to flee for safety from her father's lust and madness. With her loyal dog Ash at her side, Lissar will unlock a door to a world of magic, where she will find the key to her survival-and an adventure beyond her wildest dreams.

2) The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey. I loved all of McCaffrey's work as a teenager, including her better known Pern series. This had all the passion and heartbreak and romance I craved, as well as Niall Parollan, the delightfully acerbic hero of the series. Helva was born human, but is transformed into a fast, beautiful ship. After reading this book, I'm with Helva--I definitely would rather be one of these ships than merely human.

Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Del Rey; 26th printing edition (December 12, 1985)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345334312
ISBN-10: 0345334310
ISBN-13: 978-0345334312
Amazon: The Ship Who Sang

Helva had been born human, but only her brain had been saved and implanted into the titanium body of an intergalactic scout ship. But first she had to choose a human partner, to soar with her through the daring adventures and exhilarating escapades in space.

3) Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre. Snake is a healer on a world polluted by radiation, traveling among nomads in the desert sands until ignorance and fear leads a villager to kill her dreamsnake Grass, the precious and rare creature that imparts dreams and release from pain. No longer a healer, Snake goes in quest of another dreamsnake. This is a haunting and lyrical book, and I deeply felt Snake's journey and feeling of grief at the loss of her destiny.

Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Spectra (September 1, 1994)
ISBN-10: 0553296590
ISBN-13: 978-0553296594
Amazon: Dreamsnake

An award-winning novel set in the post-apocalyptic future follows a young woman who travels the earth healing the sick with the help of her alien companion, the dreamsnake, pursued by two implacable followers.

4) Jaran by Kate Elliott. Tess Soerenson, sole heir to her brother's dukedom, can't take the pressure so she runs away to Rhui, a primitive planet that the Chapalii, the aliens who have conquered Earth, are fixated on. She is adopted by a band of nomads led by Ilya Baktiian, a man who believes it is his destiny to rule the tribes and conquer the settled peoples of his world. This is a book of finding family, shattering heartbreak, and coming of age. I also adored Tess's friendship and understanding of Ilya very slowly blooming into a strong and mature relationship.

Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: DAW (September 3, 2002)
Publisher Link: http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780756400958,00.html?Jaran:_Kate_Elliott
ISBN-10: 0756400953
ISBN-13: 978-0756400958
Amazon: Jaran (The Jaran, Book 1)

The first book in Kate Elliott's acclaimed Jaran series-the groundbreaking story of a young woman coming of age on an alien planet...and her effect on the human race's survival.

5) Firedancer by Ann Maxwell. Reba is a young firedancer, a woman who can create fire. Her protector is Kirt'n, a guardian who must be strong enough guide her, or kill her if she ever loses control of her abilities. I was absolutely engrossed in this story of pragmatic survival and sensuality. It's a shame that Maxwell never continued the unfinished series.

Paperback
Publisher: Pinnacle; 1st THUS edition (July 1, 1995)
ISBN-10: 0786001550
ISBN-13: 978-0786001552
Amazon: Fire Dancer

Rheba is the sole survivor of a blaze that destroyed her planet, and Kirtn is the Bre'n warrior sworn to protect the exquisite, sensual fire dancer on a perilous journey to a far-off planet.

6) The Snake, The Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters. My favorite installment of the wonderful Elizabeth Peters' series featuring Amelia Peabody, sleuth and wife of irascible Emerson. In this story, Emerson loses his memory and Amelia's steadfast support is reminiscent of Isis. The Master Criminal makes an enjoyable appearance, still trying to win Amelia. The series is pure fun.

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1st THUS edition (February 1, 1994)
Publisher Link: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446364782.htm
ISBN-10: 0446364789
ISBN-13: 978-0446364782
Amazon: The Snake, the Crocodile & the Dog (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

The delightful seventh adventure for popular heroine Amelia Peabody. The 19th-century Egyptologist and her dashing husband, Emerson, return to Amarna, where they first fell in love. When Emerson is kidnapped, Amelia must rescue her husband, find the culprit, and save her marriage.

7) The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge. Caradoc, a British chieftain, resists the Romans as they conquer England. Although he is drawn to a beautiful Celtic queen, he chooses to marry his best friend, and the book offers a very quiet love story that gives him the strength to endure exile to Rome. This is an unflinching book of painful choices, heartbreak, war, and triumphant love. More, I was deeply affected by Caradoc choosing someone he initially just liked to marry rather than the flashy passion he experiences as a young man.

Paperback: 704 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (October 28, 2007)
Publisher Link: http://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/catalog/showBook.cfm?ISBN=155652708X
ISBN-10: 155652708X
ISBN-13: 978-1556527081
Amazon: The Eagle and the Raven

Spanning three generations, this historical novel tells the tale of Boudicca, the most famous warrior of ancient Britain, and Caradoc, the son of a Celtic king, who sets out to unite the people of the Raven and lead them against Rome. Caradoc's objective is not easily accomplished as the Roman army advances into Britain, raping Celtic women and burning villages to the ground. His efforts are also met with fierce opposition from Aricia, the vain queen of a northern tribe who swears allegiance to the Romans after Caradoc slights her, and from Gladys, Caradoc’s warrior sister who falls in love with her Roman captor. Unfortunately, Caradoc’s endeavors are left unresolved when he is taken prisoner, but Boudicca, a strong-willed woman, ultimately takes up the cause that was Caradoc’s legacy.

8) Child of the Morning by Pauline Gedge. Born to be a princess, Hatshepsut becomes the first woman pharoah of Egypt. Lush and sensual, the book makes the life and times of the queen vividly real. In a forbidden love for her architect, Senmut, Hatshepsut puts her country above her own heart. The story was inspired by the writings on her funerary temple, a beautiful and groundbreaking piece of architecture I definitely want to visit one day.

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (April 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1569763240
ISBN-13: 978-1569763247
Amazon: Child of the Morning: A Novel

Based closely on historical events, this sensuously beautiful, astonishingly evocative novel tells the story of one of history’s most remarkable women—the first female Pharaoh of Egypt. Thirty-five centuries ago, Hatshepsut, the youngest daughter of the Pharaoh, was to marry her father’s illegitimate son and heir to the throne, Thothmes, in order to cleanse the bloodline in accordance with Egypt’s supreme law. Fearing his son’s incompetence, Hatshepsut’s father chose her as the heir—provided that the unprecedented ascension by a woman did not inspire the priests to commit treason or instill enough hatred in the envious heart of her half-brother and future consort to have her put to death. Rich in historical detail, this account recalls the rule of one of Egypt’s greatest queens who, under her father’s guidance, assumed the throne at the age of 15 and ruled brilliantly for more than two decades.

9) Thornyhold by Mary Stewart. Stewart's books were among those that inspired me to travel to Greece and Turkey in search of Roman and Greek ruins. This story is unlike many of her previous novels since it is a quiet and mature coming of age and finding home for young Gilly, who moves into her deceased relative's house and finds she may have inherited a few of her gifts. What I love about this story is so much isn't said. The story moves effortlessly and inevitably.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (October 1, 2008)
Publisher Link: http://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/catalog/showBook.cfm?ISBN=1556527934
ISBN-10: 1556527934
ISBN-13: 978-1556527937
Amazon: Thornyhold

During Gilly Ramsey’s lonely childhood, the occasional visits of her mother’s cousin Geillis were like the visits of a fairy godmother. But years later, when she inherited Geillis’s home, Thornyhold, she also inherited her cousin’s reputation as a witch. The undeniable powers at work in the peculiar house would eventually force Gilly to choose her own path through the enchanted woods around her. This bestselling novel delicately depicts a young woman falling in love in the delightful English countryside, where Thornyhold’s magic casements open upon peril, but also upon hope and happiness.

10) "After the Games" by Connie Bailey in the anthology Sandals and Sodomy. Beautiful concubine Valerius tells his story to the fighter Alaric, giving the gladiator a brief glimpse of freedom. I was mesmerized by Valerius' story. Was it true? I think what mattered most was Valerius gave Alaric some sage advice on how to survive being a slave. I have a real passion for stories set in ancient Rome and this was a delightful find that led me to wonder what happens the next time these two meet?

Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (July 15, 2008)
Publisher Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_78&products_id=1537
ISBN-10: 1935192019
ISBN-13: 978-1935192015
Amazon: Sandals and Sodomy

Enter the ancient world through a portal of marble pillars to see the wonders—beautiful and terrible—that await you: luck lost and love found in the infamous Trojan War; the binding of hearts and souls in the Sacred Band of Thebes; the horrors and pleasures of the gladiators' arena; the whims and fancies of the emperors; and the touch of the gods and goddesses upon the affairs of mere mortals. Sandals and Sodomy will transport you to another time... another place... where the battles of good and evil are overshadowed by the struggles for love.

After the Games by Connie Bailey: When the Emperor sends a beautiful concubine, Valerius, to the slave pens to slake the hunger of his fiercest beast, the fighter Alaric, he doesn't anticipate that Alaric just isn't interested. But to keep Valerius from being punished, the fighter keeps him close for one night, a night that turns from talkative to passionate.

About Jan Irving: Jan Irving has worked in all kinds of creative fields, from painting silk to making porcelain ceramics, to interior design, but writing was always her passion.

Visit Jan's blog at http://jan-revealed.livejournal.com

Wylde by Jan Irving
Release Date: 12/2009
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1665

Blurb: Noah Matthews brought his son Josh to the pristine woods of Washington State to make a fresh start. The first night in their new home, Noah meets Kell Farraday when the laconic police chief shows up on his doorstep searching for two people lost in the forest. It's the start of a sexy new friendship when Kell decides to pursue the shy but flirtatious Noah. But a new beginning won't be so easy. Noah's former boyfriend shows up to try to reclaim a place in his life, and worse, Josh is drawn to the growing mystery in the forest. People disappear and then one turns up dead. There's something haunting the forest. Something watching. And soft-spoken and confident Kell's reassurances can't ease Noah's fear when Josh goes into the woods alone.