Rain, Flood, and Songs of Love and Death

For three days and three nights, my town suffered from severe flooding.  Monsoon rains have been unforgiving and merciless.  In our house, flood waters came up to mid-thigh.  Out on the streets the waters came up to higher than a man.  We carried what we could up to the second story of our home, and locked ourselves in with enough food and water that would last for about two, maybe three nights. You can just imagine our fear and worry, the frustration at the unstopping pouring rain.  

Still, this was not as bad as it had been in September 2009, when a typhoon called Ondoy came and submerged practically the whole city and claimed thousands of lives.  Much had been lost then.  I could definitely say that for my family at least, this time around wasn’t as bad as it was before.  We are now on the recovery, cleaning the mud and debris from our homes and our streets; and hoping, like we did before, that such a thing will not happen again.  But nature doesn’t play favorites.  We wait and see. 

During those nights of fear, anxiety, and loss of electricity, I chose to read “Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love.” I thought it was most appropriate for reading in candlelight.  And I was right; I couldn’t have chosen a better book to read that time.  Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, the stories in this book were alternately tragic, joyful, sexy, suspenseful, mysterious, and poetic.  It’s a smooth blend of the best that sci-fi, fantasy, and romance have to offer.  I’d like to say that I have a favorite among them, but I definitely enjoyed all of the tales, and I will surely revisit this book in the uncertain future.  This book is absolutely beautiful, and will stay in my mental list of most memorable books.  The premise at the back says:

From zombie-infested woods in a post-apocalyptic America to faerie-haunted rural fields in eighteenth century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, join star-crossed lovers as they struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Here are the story titles and their authors:

1. Love Hurts – Jim Butcher

2. The Marrying Maid – Jo Beverly

3. Rooftops – Carrie Vaughn

4. Hurt Me – M.L.N. Hanover

5. Demon Lover – Cecelia Holland

6. The Wayfarer’s Advice – Melinda M. Snodgrass

7. Blue Boots – Robin Hobb

8. The Thing About Cassandra – Neil Gaiman

9. After the Blood – Marjorie M. Liu

10. You, and You Alone – Jacqueline Carey

11. His Wolf – Lisa Tuttle

12. Courting Trouble – Linnea Sinclair

13. The Demon Dancer – Mary Jo Putney

14. Under/Above the Water – Tanith Lee

15. Kaskia – Peter S. Beagle

16. Man in the Mirror – Yasmine Galenorn

17. A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows – Diana Gabaldon