Kate Can Cook

As I mentioned previously, Jazz and I saw the movie, Jane Austen Book Club. We decided that we would read the novels together. In true Grigg style (see movie), we bought one book with all the books within it. I used to have at least 3 (maybe 4) of her novels, but I have NO IDEA what I did with them. So now we have one copy of all of her novels, and we’re thinking of getting second copies from the library.

I’ve been reading quite a bit recently. A co-worker gave me the “Born In…” trilogy from Nora Roberts, mostly because it’s set in Ireland so she thought I would like it. I’m not really a fan of romance novels, but I guess these were okay, because they were set in Ireland. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really read them, I more skimmed them. In fact, last night, in my attempt to just finish the last book already so that I could move onto better fare, I quite literally moved through the last 10-15 pages like so:

(said aloud, to Jazz): “They’re arguing, blah blah. He wants her to stay, she wants to go back to New York, blah blah. She’s decided to stay, blah. They’re getting married, blah blah. The end.”

I really have a difficult time with most romance novels. The only novel I’ve never been able to finish was Wuthering Heights. (This fact causes a great amount of contention between my supervisor and I. She is a HUGE lover of everything any of the Bronte sisters spit out, especially this load of horse crap disguised as a novel. I say this with full appreciation that most people with taste think Wuthering Heights is a work of genius. I, obviously, do not have taste, and I am okay with that.)

Anyway, off the subject. About a week ago, I had finished the second book of the Born In trilogy (the names are really funny… Born in Fire, Born in Ice, Born in Shame… mine would be Born in Wedlock… DUN DUN DUN!) and was itching for something to read. Jazz, for about the millionth time, suggested I read one of his Star Wars novels.

Moi? I thought, ego clouding my eyes. You want me, grand master English extraordinaire, lover of T.S. Eliot and Whitman, to read your Star Wars books? Then I remembered that, in the movie, Grigg convinces that chick to read novels he likes, and she ends up enjoying them. So…oh, what the hell. They can’t be any worse than the repetitive dung — I mean, lovely stories — Nora Roberts churns out.

And, today, I want to tell you I was wrong. Not only are they NOT worse than Nora Roberts, they are FAR BETTER than some — nay, many — contemporary works. Granted, I’ve only read one book fully, and only one author.

Jazz gave me “Star Wars: Republic Commando: Hard Contact” to read first, because the story was relatively isolated from the rest of the universe. Wow.

Karen Traviss is a genius. The story centers around a Jedi padawan — Etain — whose Master, Fulier, was killed. She is on a hostile planet with important plans that need to get into the right hands. She’s also unsure of herself and doesn’t think she’s fit to be a jedi.

Add in four clone commandos — Niner, Fi, Atin, and Darman — sent in to kidnap a doctor on the planet who is creating a virus that will kill only clones. First, they have to find Etain, who has the plans to get to the doctor. Then, they have to get the doctor. Oh, but don’t mind the hundreds of droids and the hostile inhabitants.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s full on geekdom. Clone troopers with lots of fancy weapons, political/military intrigue, “aliens” known as gdans. But there’s also more to the story. There’s a question about humanity — what makes it? About love — who is permitted to feel it? About what defines you as a person — is it the gifts you are born with, or the ones you develop while in challenging situations? About what makes us — all of us — similar, and what makes us different. Just because we look the same doesn’t mean we are the same. And just because we have different pasts, paths, and reasons doesn’t mean that we’re really all that different.

I’m not reading too much into this book. It’s all there and more, right on the surface.

I actually read this thoroughly. No, I drank it in, let it seep into my mind. Wow. I wanted to be indifferent to it, and I’m not. Yesterday, as a surprise, Jazz bought me the second of the Republic Commando series (hence the rush to finish the romance). The third comes out at the end of October. I can’t wait to see what happens now.