Author Squee!

[jen_qoe]

And talking of author squee, been catching up on some reading recently...  (can you tell I'm trying to avoid OU work? :-)  )

....anyhoo, as there is an OU deadline looming, I'll keep this short, but...

Daniel Fox's Jade Man's Skin?  Awesome with a slice of how gorgeous is that?!  Language to drown yourself in and loved the way the story's going.  Really, really need to read the next one... Please tell me there's a next one... :-)  If you haven't already availed yourself of a copy, do so posthaste.

Then there's Aliette De Bodard's Servant of the Underworld.  Aztec mystery!  Very cool!  (Did you need more than Aztec mystery?)  It is utterly brilliant, completely absorbing and totally edge of the seat stuff.  Also, don't forget to nom this one for the Best Newcomer awards next year... :-)

On the short fic side, I can definitely recommend:
Doctor Diablo Goes Through the Motions by Saladin Ahmed, which appeared in Strange Horizons here... Funny and pretty damn excellent.

Also, the very beautiful and moving After the Dragon by Sarah Monette, which appeared in Fantasy Magazine here... And since I've got all the sensitivity of an iron clad rhino, it's got to be very good to get me saying that! :-)