Thankyou so much Andrea.. here I was brooding about the tax cut and raising the debt ceiling, and you remind what life is worth living for: mediocre novels. Andrea has better taste then I.. I go for straight camp classics like Shannara, The Death Gate Cycle, and anything by McCaffrey.. well I haven't read any of those in six years, but they are what I remember most vividly from my teens.

While we are on the subject of Literature for a long afternoon in the shade, I suggest Georgette Heyer's classic, The Quiet Gentleman. The alternative title for this novel is Speak Softly, and Carry a Small Pearl-Handled Pistol. The mystery is gently worded yet cunning, and the dialogue is sprinkled with deliciously dry humor. Niki and Andrea of course know this, but for anyone else who ventures into our page, I highly recommend it.

Currently I am reading The Masqueraders, which could be called Hansel and Gretel go on a Gender Bender. Babes in the woods come to London disguised and admirably so. Robin is an excquisite blond beauty full of charm and delight, and his sister Prudence is a even headed boy of twenty.. Lets just say the two of them are nameless adventurers avoiding their murky past as Jacobites in a failed rebellion.. remember Bonny Prince Charlie holed up in the oak tree? Prudence of course, falls in love with quiet, tall, deeply intelligent *sigh* fellow who Robin call's the Mountain.. Here's a taste:

[Prudence] came back to Arlington Street to find Robin posturing above a bouquet of red roses. Robin achieved a simper. "Behold me, my Peter, in a maidenly flutter!"

Prudence put down her whip and gloves. "What's this?"

"My elderly admirer!" said Robin in an ecstasy, and gave up a note. "Read, my little one!"

Prudence gave a chuckle over the amorous note. "Robin, you rogue!"

"I was made to be a breaker of hearts," sighed Robin.

"Oh, this one was cracked many times before!"

Robin tilted his head a little; the merry devil looked out of his limpid blue eyes. "I've a mind to enthrall the mountain," he said softly.

"You won't do it. He's more like to unmask you than to worship at your shameless feet," Prudence answered.

Incidentally, Robin is a lot like Miles Vorkosigan (see Andrea's reading list): Short and very very intelligent. Of course Robin's also a master swordsman, and looks damn good in a hoops and petticoats. Sorry Miles, one can't have everything. ;)