::: Eclipse (Meyers)

Edward's obsessive and controlling behavior is starting to seriously vex me, and all the back-and-forth and bargaining over Bella's choice is wearying.  Bella needs to kick him in the butt and tell him to lighten the heck up.  Felt v. bad for Jacob but then he acted like a prat and practically tried to date-rape her (she let him off WAY too easily on that).  Sad to see Bella give in to everything everyone else wants (marriage, the big huge wedding, etc etc) rather than sticking to her guns.  Edward is basically remaking her into this nice little early-1900s-girl that (presumably) he always wanted.  And still no sex!!  She and Edward are so conventional they're very nearly boring, even with the sparkly skin and the blood.  Still no substantive discussion of souls or heaven/hell etc and Eddie Baby's concern re: possible damnation seems to have just faded away.   Curious. 

On the other hand, Rosalie's backstory was pretty heartbreaking and made me understand her attitude towards Bella a bit better, and the growing alliance between the shape-shifters and the vampires is intriguing.  I predict Jacob's going to imprint on SOMEBODY in the next book, they can't stop talking about it.

The VOLTURI!!!! were nowhere to be seen but you know they're lurking.  I assume they will be back with a vengeance in the last book.

::: Stories of Your Life and Others (Chiang)

A reread, but better (is that possible??) every time I read it.  The title story makes my mind feel funny, like trying to look at life at a 90° angle from the way you've always seen it.  (I had to go look up Fermat's Principle of Least Time again; what a strange thing, to think of a particle of light as intending to end up somewhere!!)  All the stories have a little of that same sensation -- not to mention physics, linguistics, genetics, math, science, religion, all braided together; they're incredibly cohesive stories, not an extraneous event or phrase.  Ted must be a fascinating dinner companion.   Write more, Ted, you have not produced nearly enough to satisfy my lust for truly outstanding SF! 

AND he's a Clarion West alum...well, maybe I'll try for next summer.  Maybe between now and then I'll learn to think like a heptapod.