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[d_aulnoy]

Have you ever read a sequel to a much beloved book?  Has that sequel ever managed to recreate the initial experience?  I'm thinking, no.  It's like asking if you've ever managed to recapture a first love ...  You might find something new, something different, which is as marvelous in its own way, but never, never, will you manage to recapture that intangible something - the dart of the eyes, the quirk of the brow, the brush of the skin - that spells "first love" to you.  Well, inversely, I've just found the literary equivalent of the attempt to rekindle an old flame: it came complete with the first surge of delight ("It's so good to see you again!), the stilted efforts at previously comfortable conversation ("So ... the NIN album, hm?") and the eventual floundering sensation of realizing that the protestations of undying love ("It's amazing how nothing's ... changed ...") are ringing falsely enough to make Shitzu's howl.

Tanith Lee's Metallic Love. 

I'm off for a nice rebound relationship with Skin Folk ...

Comments

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Whoops! Forgot about the authors on my friends-list ...

I do see a huge difference between planned series and decades-down the line follow-ups. I'm looking forward to _Valiant_ immensely ... but after the debacle of Storm Constantine's second Wraethu trilogy, and now _Metallic Love_ ... bah. I'm also now remembering Caroline Stevermer's gorgeous _Scholar of Magics_ (which had to have followed _A College of Magics_ by a good decade or so), as well as, to go back to the metaphor, all of those people who say things like "And the second time I met X, we were both so much more mature ..."

And once again, generalization shoots Helen in the foot.