Unthinkable Wings

In the comments of this mildly satirical piece on how to write book recommendation lists, the author, James Nicholls, wonders if anyone would be interested in his "Top Ten Books That Are By Any Objective Standard Terrible That James Nevertheless Rereads."

Which got me wondering what I reread that falls into that capacity... but also wondering whether, if a book can keep you coming back to it, is it really terrible across the board, or is it merely mostly terrible, yet with one redeeming feature (which, admittedly, you may be virtually the only person left alive who still values it)?

I've got a suspicion I might, ten or twenty years down the line, end up placing "A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet" in that category - I certainly think it's going to end up looking like a massive period piece, unless of course civilisation does break down entirely - but I do enjoy it very much, even though I'm not quite convinced it's actually a good book...

Anyone else get massive "Always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm" vibes off this (i.e., I am not reminded of Cold Comfort Farm, but of what it's satirising?)

I just saw - on the feminist SF blog Aqueduct Amble - the awards list for The Gaylactic Award - who the devil came up with that name? - for SFF positively portraying queer themes or characters.

The Other Works category has two Whoniverse related nominees, namely Torchwood S1, and The Empty Child/ The Doctor Dances.

To which I had two reactions, one sensible, the other decidedly stupid.

(i) "Torchwood S1 = awardwinning = ++ Out of Cheese Error Divide by Cucumber and Reboot ++". Or, as Ten would say, "What. What. WHAT?!"

(ii) "Why did they nominate 'The Empty Child', I wouldn't call the unpleasant householder having sex with the butcher for off the ration meat as positive... Oh. Yes. Jack. And Algy. But mostly Jack."

*headdesk*

Followed closely by the question, how on earth can you rate Torchwood above 'The Empty Child', which is one of the best pieces of telly I've seen in years. OK, it's not about queerness, but neither is Torchwood as such (arguably what Torchwood is about is innuendo, but so is pantomime, which is hardly a great progressive force) - though on the other hand, one of the themes is the deadly effect of denying the truth about yourself, and the liberating force of admitting it, even when it's something you've felt shamed and marginalised by. Without hitting people over the head with the moral, either.