Highlights and Lowlights - August 2023

Nowadays I post these whenever I’ve read “enough”, whatever
that is. Lately, that’s been “monthly”. August turned out to be a
pretty high quality month.

I think there are no spoilers, not even minor ones. If something
does seem spoiler-ish, it happens early in the book in question
and is front-and-center.

Books are listed in reverse chronological order from how I read them,
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 on the list.

Highlight - Either Magic Claims [Andrews] or The Siren Depths [Wells]

Lowlight - Master of Space and Time [Rucker]

Here’s a quick summary of what’s more in-depth below:
( + - - ) Master of Space and Time - Rucker
( ++++ )The Siren Depths - Wells [Raksura #3]
( ++++ ) Magic Claims - Andrews [Kate Daniels - Wilmington Years #2]
( ++ ) Tales of Known Space - Niven
( ++ ) Alliance of Equals - Lee & Miller [Liaden #19 per https://sharonleewriter.com/liaden-universe-correct-reading-order/ <—— 1) this is a new URL; 2) I believe there were some minor changes to those lists]
( +++ ) The Silent Gondoliers - Goldman
( +++ ) Cold as Ice - Sheffield [Cold as Ice #1]

Now Reading:
Long work - The Empress of Earth - Scott [Silence Leigh #3]
Collection - The Best of Murray Leinster

==========================================August 2023
( + - - ) Master of Space and Time - Rucker
Meh. Feels like this was supposed to be a “madcap screwball comedy” in a near-future sf-nal setting. This centers on Joe and Harry and their resulting adventures from accessing timeloops to make their wishes come true. Unlikeable characters who went in uninteresting directions after a decent start. Not my thing.

( ++++ )The Siren Depths - Wells [Raksura #3]
This was excellent - partly because I had been slow to realize something super obvious: Moon’s insecurities and anger and abandonment issues are perfectly normal, justifiable, sensible, etc. That is: “Duh, Tony”. We learn where Moon was born and hence what court he belonged to. And we learn a lot more about the Fell and what they’re trying to do. Lots of entertaining dialogue & exchanges, and Moon grows and develops in many ways.

( ++++ ) Magic Claims - Andrews [Kate Daniels - Wilmington Years #2]
This is more of the same good fun stuff we had throughout the original Kate Daniels series. I need to be a bit oblique here so as not to spoil some big stuff. Kate & Curran are contacted by a nearby community to remove/defeat a magical community that is demanding humans as tribute/sacrifice. By the end of the book, Kate & Curran are well on their way to establishing their new lives in a new type of community.

( ++ ) Tales of Known Space - Niven
This is a very good collection that — as many of you mentioned here — is not quite as good as Neutron Star; but I found it almost as good (minus 1-2 stories that fell short). In addition to the stories, Niven gives us a nice introduction to the whole volume, a few short story-specific intros, and some interesting Afterthoughts.

( ++ ) Alliance of Equals - Lee & Miller [Liaden #19 per https://sharonleewriter.com/liaden-universe-correct-reading-order/ <—— 1) this is a new URL; 2) I believe there were some minor changes to those lists too]
This was pretty good, even though roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of the book focuses on teen Padi and her inevitable “coming of age” into her maturing Liaden gifts.There’s a lot of Shan & Priscilla here, and lots of new AI-oriented issues, primarily stoked by the mess Theo left behind a few books ago and its ongoing fallout.

( +++ ) The Silent Gondoliers - Goldman
This was super short, super sweet, and super delightful. It’s the story of Luigi and why the Venice gondoliers stopped singing. Although completely unrelated, this is very much in the same vein & spirit of The Princess Bride.

( +++ ) Cold as Ice - Sheffield [Cold as Ice #1]
This was very good, with a great mix of well done characters, making great observations. This is set in the Jovian system, primarily Ganymede & Europa, in the aftermath of a disastrous war involving Earth, Mars and the Belt (so the Jovian system was mostly out of it, though — like everyone — they are affected by the consequences). Also front-and-center — and super important to the plot — scientists are trying to determine if Europa has life. Isfdb says there are sequels, and I’ll definitely seek the next one out.

Now Reading:
Long work - The Empress of Earth - Scott [Silence Leigh #3]
Collection - The Best of Murray Leinster

Tony

In article <30b35601-6bea-42bd-9600-4956364a1773n@googlegroups.com>,
Tony Nance <tonynance17@gmail.com> wrote:
>Highlights and Lowlights - August 2023
>
>Nowadays I post these whenever I’ve read “enough”, whatever
>that is. Lately, that’s been “monthly”. August turned out to be a
>pretty high quality month.
>
>
>( ++++ ) Magic Claims - Andrews [Kate Daniels - Wilmington Years #2]
>This is more of the same good fun stuff we had throughout the original
>Kate Daniels series. I need to be a bit oblique here so as not to spoil
>some big stuff. Kate & Curran are contacted by a nearby community to
>remove/defeat a magical community that is demanding humans as
>tribute/sacrifice. By the end of the book, Kate & Curran are well on
>their way to establishing their new lives in a new type of community.
>

I've really enjoyed the two Wilmington books. They are more like
novellettes and pretty much bore in on one storyline each (though
there are lots of hints about goings on elsewhere. [The news of
Jim is a bit surprising as we have had his viewpoint before, and
he seemed like a good guy if uptight]). I like that they have
sincerely tried the domestic life before coming to the realization
that "We're superheroes, darn it!". One thing that puzzled me a
bit is that the menace here seemed a good bit like the one Hugh
faced in his new life, but that wasn't mentioned. (Or I could be
misremembering that book).

I do not see a publisher's imprint on these books, just the Literary Agency.
My memory is that the Atlanta books were from a mainstream publisher.
Perhaps the Andrews are testing the indie waters with their main draw
after doing the Innkeeper stuff?

>
>( ++ ) Alliance of Equals - Lee & Miller [Liaden #19 per
>https://sharonleewriter.com/liaden-universe-correct-reading-order/
><—— 1) this is a new URL; 2) I believe there were some minor changes
>to those lists too]
>This was pretty good, even though roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of the book focuses
>on teen Padi and her inevitable “coming of age” into her maturing
>Liaden gifts.There’s a lot of Shan & Priscilla here, and lots of new
>AI-oriented issues, primarily stoked by the mess Theo left behind a few
>books ago and its ongoing fallout.
>

I like the fact that what Theo did off-handedly just to get away is having
some reprecussions. You don't just birth people and leave them in
squalor as a distraction. I'm not recalling if it were this book or
not, but I did feel things had worked out badly for the young AI T'chol(?)
the last time we saw her, and I hope that gets fixed.

>
>Now Reading:
>Long work - The Empress of Earth - Scott [Silence Leigh #3]

Liked it.
>Collection - The Best of Murray Leinster

I think I've read that one. Certainly he has a huge body of work, much
of it very good, almost all of it entertaining.

Does it have "Keyhole"?

>
>Tony
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 1:39:58 PM UTC-4, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> In article <30b35601-6bea-42bd...@googlegroups.com>,
> Tony Nance <tonyn...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >Highlights and Lowlights - August 2023
> >
> >Nowadays I post these whenever I’ve read “enough”, whatever
> >that is. Lately, that’s been “monthly”. August turned out to be a
> >pretty high quality month.
> >
> >
> >( ++++ ) Magic Claims - Andrews [Kate Daniels - Wilmington Years #2]
> >This is more of the same good fun stuff we had throughout the original
> >Kate Daniels series. I need to be a bit oblique here so as not to spoil
> >some big stuff. Kate & Curran are contacted by a nearby community to
> >remove/defeat a magical community that is demanding humans as
> >tribute/sacrifice. By the end of the book, Kate & Curran are well on
> >their way to establishing their new lives in a new type of community.
> >
>
> I've really enjoyed the two Wilmington books.

Me too - they have the same feel that had me enjoying the
earlier series so very much.

> They are more like novellettes

Agreed - especially the first of the two. Second one comes in
around 230 pages (aha - isfdb says 238), and it feels significantly
longer than #1.

> and pretty much bore in on one storyline each (though
> there are lots of hints about goings on elsewhere. [The news of
> Jim is a bit surprising as we have had his viewpoint before, and
> he seemed like a good guy if uptight]).

Also agreed - thought Jim would do better. Can kinda guess/see
where this is headed.

> I like that they have
> sincerely tried the domestic life before coming to the realization
> that "We're superheroes, darn it!".

Including that Curran agreed to give it a try - I think he knew
it wasn't going to end up that way from the start, but he really
truly tried.

> One thing that puzzled me a
> bit is that the menace here seemed a good bit like the one Hugh
> faced in his new life, but that wasn't mentioned. (Or I could be
> misremembering that book).
>
> I do not see a publisher's imprint on these books, just the Literary Agency.
> My memory is that the Atlanta books were from a mainstream publisher.

From what I can piece together from my hard-copies and isfdb:
The Wilmington books are published by NYLA, which stands for
"Nancy Yost Literary Agency". NYLA apparently did e-books for
the original Kate Daniels series, while Ace did the paper books.
(And maybe Ace had some e-rights too.) NYLA also did e-books
for most (all) of the other Andrews series. I didn't investigate
who did the paper books for the other series - I've only read
their Kate Daniels stuff.

> Perhaps the Andrews are testing the indie waters with their main draw
> after doing the Innkeeper stuff?
> >
> >( ++ ) Alliance of Equals - Lee & Miller [Liaden #19 per
> >https://sharonleewriter.com/liaden-universe-correct-reading-order/
> ><—— 1) this is a new URL; 2) I believe there were some minor changes
> >to those lists too]
> >This was pretty good, even though roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of the book focuses
> >on teen Padi and her inevitable “coming of age” into her maturing
> >Liaden gifts.There’s a lot of Shan & Priscilla here, and lots of new
> >AI-oriented issues, primarily stoked by the mess Theo left behind a few
> >books ago and its ongoing fallout.
> >
>
> I like the fact that what Theo did off-handedly just to get away is having
> some reprecussions.

Me too, inexperienced twit that she is. No Wesley Crusher for her. One of
the many many many things I like about the Liaden universe is that actions
have consequences and repercussions.

> You don't just birth people and leave them in
> squalor as a distraction. I'm not recalling if it were this book or
> not, but I did feel things had worked out badly for the young AI T'chol(?)
> the last time we saw her, and I hope that gets fixed.

I agree with all of that.

> >
> >Now Reading:
> >Long work - The Empress of Earth - Scott [Silence Leigh #3]
>
> Liked it.

I just finished it last night, and I'm still mulling it over. I think
I'm disappointed - I have to think it through some more. It will
show up in my next one of these posts, whenever that happens.

> >Collection - The Best of Murray Leinster
>
> I think I've read that one. Certainly he has a huge body of work, much
> of it very good, almost all of it entertaining.
>
> Does it have "Keyhole"?
>

Indeed it does - it's the next to last story. I'm mostly liking this
collection, but I'm kinda shocked it doesn't have "Exploration Team".
But as you say, he has a huge body of work.

Tony