Which is your favorite?

[littlemissattitude]

This is a very simple poll: Which of Kage Baker's novels of The Company is your favorite, and why?

I'll start. I like all of them, but I have to say that "Mendoza in Hollywood" is my favorite. There are several reasons. One is a very silly reason: Baker has set the scene for most of the action in the book squarely in the middle of Caheunga Pass, in the Los Angeles area - an area I've driven through many, many times while growing up in southern California. Another reason is the film festival - not another word about that, you'll have to read the book. But the main reason I like this one the best is the way Baker ties this third book in the series to the first and second novels in some unique ways.

So - What's your favorite?

[nemogbr]

Interesting premise to the series.

They are immoral, but are servants to a rapacious company.
Haven't read the fourth book as of yet and would like to see what happens next.

Sky Coyote was interesting in how they portrayed the future humans and how the immortals felt about them.

It's like the question; what would you do with immortality?

Watch television all day?

[dwndrgn]

I haven't read them all yet so I'll not choose a favorite. I will say that I like her writing style, it is straightforward and easy to read but complex at the same time, if that is possible.

[littlemissattitude]

Originally Posted by nemogbr

Sky Coyote was interesting in how they portrayed the future humans and how the immortals felt about them.

If you like that aspect of Baker's Company world, you'll really like "The Graveyard Game". It goes into that aspect of the story quite a bit more. In that respect, you'd probably also like the short story collection, "Black Projects, White Nights". Baker addresses that subject in some of the stories there, as well.

And, dwndrgn, I know exactly what you mean about the stories being straightforward, but complex at the same time. I think that's why I like these books so much. They are an easy read, but every time I read them I catch something else and start to realize that she has really built up a complex, well thought out, world. She's paid attention to history, to anthropology, and to psychology in creating both world and characters.

I think sometimes that it is really funny that I first picked up "In the Garden of Iden" at the library mostly because it looked like a romance novel spiked with a bit of science fiction. I rarely read romance novels, but happened to be in the mood for one that day. And of course, the fact that it seemed to have a time-travel aspect didn't hurt. But, once I got into it, I realized that this was not meant to be "just" a romance novel at all, although it functions pretty well just on that level. Nice, I suppose, when a writer can satisfy several demographic groups at the same time.

[Marianne]

I didn't vote on the poll because I have read only one Company novel-The Garden of Iden. I did read The Anvil of the World, which I loved! But that is not a Company novel, so it isn't on the list

Marianne

[littlemissattitude]

Originally Posted by Marianne

I didn't vote on the poll because I have read only one Company novel-The Garden of Iden. I did read The Anvil of the World, which I loved! But that is not a Company novel, so it isn't on the list

Marianne

Marianne...nice to see you. I trust you've been busy? I had just been wondering a few days ago what you've been up to.

Funny that you mention "The Anvil of the World". I was at the library today, saw it on the shelf and almost picked it up. I started reading it some time ago, but had some crisis or other interrupt and never got to finish it. But, I've got so much else going on right now in the reading/writing department that I decided to leave it until another time.

[nyx_lily]

Hi all, new here and just had to post a reply Anyway, I chose Mendoza in Hollywood, even though The Graveyard Game came very close. I liked MiH as much as the other books, but what gave it the edge was the scene where they just finished watching the Babylon movie and they all drove up out in the middle of nowhere.. and Imarte started dancing. Too bad not more people came to this poll.. I would love to hear more opinions about the books. I don't remember why I picked up In the Garden of Iden. I do remember it was at around the same time that I started reading Connie Willis (don't remember which author I read first).. maybe I was in the mood for time travels

[Brown Rat]

Sky Coyote is my favorite. I like the early Californian historical setting, I studied California Indian culture in college so it was fun to see Baker's depiction of same, and I've always been a fan of stories about Coyote and other tricksters.

[littlemissattitude]

Sky Coyote is interesting. I grew up in the area where the Chumash lived, so I could definitely relate. Then again, I used to drive through Cahuenga Pass all the time, which is part of why Mendoza in Hollywood is my favorite.

And, yes, the tricksters are awfully cool, aren't they? I took an anthropology course on the California Indians a few years ago and we spent some time on them.

And, by the way, welcome. Always glad to see another Californian around here.