Highlights and Lowlights - August 2024
Books are rated using a very primitive rating system:
“+” are good, and more “+” are better
“-” are not good, and more “-” are worse
I’m happy to answer questions about anything here.
Highlights - The Sagara and the Andrews. I think these folks simply
write stuff that I like.
Lowlights - Kinship with the Stars - Poul Anderson (collection)
Here’s a quick summary of what’s more in-depth below:
( ++ ) The Man in the Maze - Silverberg
( ++ - - ) Kinship with the Stars - Anderson (collection)
( +++ ) Sweep of the Blade - Andrews [Innkeeper Chronicles #4]
( ++ 1/2 ) Majestrum - Hughes [Henghis Hapthorn]
( ++ 1/2 - ) Winter’s Gifts - Aaronovitch [Rivers of London novella]
( +++ ) Cast in Oblivion - Sagara [Elantra #14]
( ++ 1/2 ) A Fire in the Sun - Effinger [Marid Audran #2]
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison
Collection - The Best Time Travel Stories Of All Time ed. by Malzberg
===========================================
August 2024
( +++ ) Sweep of the Blade - Andrews [Innkeeper Chronicles #4]
Fun! This one is 100% focused on Dina’s sister Maud and her daughter
Helen, and it takes place on vampire Arland’s home world. I was a little >bummed to have no Dina, no Inns, and no Earth, but this is a very
enjoyable entry in the series. Arland has proposed marriage to Maud, and
she has deferred, pending a visit to his home world. Maud has to >(re-)navigate vampire politics and aggression while making sure she &
Helen stay safe. Arland’s family is very unhappy with Maud’s deferral
and they test the heck out of her, in ways only these vampires can. In >parallel, Maud uncovers a serious threat to Arland’s entire home world,
and things race ahead from there.
( ++ 1/2 ) Majestrum - Hughes [Henghis Hapthorn]
Henghis Hapthorn is Old Earth’s foremost “discriminator” (i.e. >investigator), using a sharp intellect, astute powers of observation,
and the best technology of the age to aid his case-solving. When the >harrowing (but otherwise successful) outcome of a previous case
transforms his almost-AI aide into a living creature, and also
transforms his intuitional self into a separate being inside his head, >Henghis realizes that the rational universe is giving way to an emerging >magical one - where his intuitional alter-ego will shine, but where he,
the rational one, will fall into the background. The two cases he finds >himself on (one from the Archon himself) are part and parcel of this
universe transition, and Henghis gets pulled into it quite deeply.
Hughes’ writing in the Archonate universe reminds me greatly of Vance’s >Gaean Reach. Very enjoyable.
( +++ ) Cast in Oblivion - Sagara [Elantra #14]
Very good, as is typical in this series. Some very important things get >resolved, but which also open doors to some very interesting new issues.
The first half is taken up with The Consort coming to dinner at Kaylin’s >home, and the second half is taken up with the results of the many >conversations and plans that happen during that evening.
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison
On 9/5/24 11:25 PM, Titus G wrote:
On 5/09/24 10:35, Tony Nance wrote:
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison
January 2014.
The Stainless Steel Rat Harry Harrison e 3
Futuristic super criminal. A bit over the top. Enjoyable pot boiler.
March 2014
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge Harry Harrison Not Finished.
A bit over the top. Too similar to its predecessor.
When I first read these last century from the library, I just loved
them. Are they a first reading for you?
They are, and I am greatly enjoying this one.
When I started reading this newsgroup in the mid-1990s, it didn't take
long for me to realize I had a pretty non-standard introduction to SF -
at least non-standard compared to almost everyone on the group at the
time. As two examples (of many), I've never read a Heinlein juvie, nor a Norton, and when I tried to catch up in my 30s, they simply did not work
for me. At all.
But over the many years, I have circled back to read a lot of the works
I missed, and the Harrison just popped up the other night.
Fun stuff so far,
Tony
On 9/5/24 11:25 PM, Titus G wrote:
On 5/09/24 10:35, Tony Nance wrote:
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison
January 2014.
The Stainless Steel Rat Harry Harrison e 3
Futuristic super criminal. A bit over the top. Enjoyable pot boiler.
March 2014
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge Harry Harrison Not Finished.
A bit over the top. Too similar to its predecessor.
When I first read these last century from the library, I just loved
them. Are they a first reading for you?
They are, and I am greatly enjoying this one.
When I started reading this newsgroup in the mid-1990s, it didn't take
long for me to realize I had a pretty non-standard introduction to SF -
at least non-standard compared to almost everyone on the group at the
time. As two examples (of many), I've never read a Heinlein juvie, nor a
Norton, and when I tried to catch up in my 30s, they simply did not work
for me. At all.
But over the many years, I have circled back to read a lot of the works
I missed, and the Harrison just popped up the other night.
Fun stuff so far,
Tony
There are many Harry Harrison books available for free at Project
Gutenberg. I can't remember the details now but my favourites included
The Ethical Engineer and Toyshop. The engineer was also a crook but may
have been more serious than the rat.
Just looked up Gutenberg. 14 books. Most popular is The stainless steel
rat.
On 9/7/24 9:22 AM, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
On 06/09/2024 16.29, Tony Nance wrote:
On 9/5/24 11:25 PM, Titus G wrote:
January 2014.
The Stainless Steel Rat Harry Harrison e 3
Futuristic super criminal. A bit over the top. Enjoyable pot boiler.
March 2014
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge Harry Harrison Not Finished.
A bit over the top. Too similar to its predecessor.
When I first read these last century from the library, I just loved
them. Are they a first reading for you?
They are, and I am greatly enjoying this one.
When I started reading this newsgroup in the mid-1990s, it didn't take
long for me to realize I had a pretty non-standard introduction to SF
- at least non-standard compared to almost everyone on the group at
the time. As two examples (of many), I've never read a Heinlein juvie,
nor a Norton, and when I tried to catch up in my 30s, they simply did
not work for me. At all.
Andre Norton is the first author that I ever sought out by name, at
the age of about eight. Unfortunately, I now find her work nearly
unreadable -- certainly a slog. So, I completely sympathize with
you there.
I did make it through the first few Witch World novels (whichever ones
made up an SFBC collection), but nothing really grabbed me there. I
don't remember if I read anything else by her.
However, I'm surprised that the Heinlein juvies were problematic
for you. In my experience, they work just as well in my second
childhood as they did in my first. RAH didn't write down to his
audience.
I just had a thought: was it the "father figure states the moral
of the story to the protagonist"?
That's almost surely a part of it. Authoritative lecturing (esp to >youngsters) has never gone over well with me. I also think in a way --
unique to Heinlein -- the way I initially read this newsgroup decreased
my chances of success with Heinlein. As you'd remember, he was very >extensively discussed here. I read pretty much everything that was
posted out of interest, not realizing it might spoil the reading. When I
went to read a few of his, every nitpick and critique seemed to catch my
eye.
Tony
On 9/8/2024 10:12 PM, Tony Nance wrote:
On 9/7/24 12:10 AM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
In article <vbgh3k$15dv9$1@dont-email.me>, Titus G
<noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
On 7/09/24 09:29, Tony Nance wrote:
On 9/5/24 11:25 PM, Titus G wrote:
On 5/09/24 10:35, Tony Nance wrote:
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison
January 2014.
The Stainless Steel Rat Harry Harrison e 3
Futuristic super criminal. A bit over the top. Enjoyable pot boiler. >>>>>> March 2014
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge Harry Harrison Not Finished.
A bit over the top. Too similar to its predecessor.
When I first read these last century from the library, I just loved >>>>>> them. Are they a first reading for you?
They are, and I am greatly enjoying this one.
When I started reading this newsgroup in the mid-1990s, it didn't take >>>>> long for me to realize I had a pretty non-standard introduction to SF - >>>>> at least non-standard compared to almost everyone on the group at the >>>>> time. As two examples (of many), I've never read a Heinlein juvie,
nor a
Norton, and when I tried to catch up in my 30s, they simply did not
work
for me. At all.
But over the many years, I have circled back to read a lot of the works >>>>> I missed, and the Harrison just popped up the other night.
Fun stuff so far,
Tony
There are many Harry Harrison books available for free at Project
Gutenberg. I can't remember the details now but my favourites included >>>> The Ethical Engineer and Toyshop. The engineer was also a crook but may >>>> have been more serious than the rat.
Just looked up Gutenberg. 14 books. Most popular is The stainless steel >>>> rat.
He also wrote the ultimate space-opera sendup, _Star Smashers Of
The Galaxy Rangers_. I'm kind of scared to see if 63 year old me
still thinks it's as funny as 13 year old me did. Probably no --
it never is.
I do have that one, and I'm curious how it will go for me (never read it
before).
As I recall, it was written ironically, with tongue firmly in cheek, to
take all the space opera tropes, put them into the story, and turn them
up to 11.
On 9/9/2024 11:53 AM, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 9/8/2024 10:27 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
Agreed on 'Zero Stone' and 'Uncharted Stars'. I loved Norton when I
was
a teenager - don't know what I'd think now.
Norton was the first author to give me a real sensawunda in
contemplating Deep Time. Her 'Forrunners' gave me goosebumps.
pt
Eet ! The first space cat that I read of.
Lynn
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