Reading List Update: #62-74
Sep. 23rd, 2007 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedibuttercupThirteen more books since I last posted, September 3.
You're not reading that wrong, I really did read 13 books in the last 19 days. I've kind of been burying myself in them while (a) life was crazy enough I needed the escape and (b) Dad had my HP:DH so I couldn't write fic. Eight were fantasy and five military sci-fi this time, over half of which were rereads.
62. Hour of the Octopus, by Joel Rosenberg. Paperback, 263pp. 2nd of the D'Shai series. More of the first-- "a lightly humorous mystery set in an Asian-influenced fantasy world with very strict cultural standards and etiquette"-- only with more emphasis on politics this time as the main character adjusts to his sudden elevation in rank and solves new mysteries. Good, but not as riveting as D'Shai. I'll be interested to see what happens in the rumored third novel in the series.
63. Cordelia's Honor, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Paperback, 596pp. Part of the Vorkosigan saga. I decided to finally get my toes wet in this series, and this book-- combining the first two tales (chronologically) in the series-- seemed like the perfect start. It was-- riveting, engrossing, etcetera and so on; I'm such a sucker for this combination of space opera with slightly backward noble culture and very strong, imperfect but honorable central characters. If Miles is much like his parents, I might have to pick up the rest of the series, too.
64. The Ninth Talisman by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Hardcover, 317pp. 2nd of the Annals of the Chosen. I'm still intrigued by this universe, but troubled by the developments in this book; whereas The Wizard Lord felt like a complete tale, this felt like half of one. And I really hate it when major plot developments only make sense if one or more characters-- whether hero or enemy-- are complete fucking idiots. The main hero ends this one alone against the world, and I'm not sure whether I care if he succeeds with his desperate plan or not.
65. The Mother of Lies by Dave Duncan. Hardcover, 343pp. 2nd of the Dodec duology. I read the first one-- Children of Chaos-- fifty books ago, and was impressed; this sequel didn't let me down, unlike #64. The four lost children of Celebre reach their destinies, mostly in unexpected yet satisfying ways. My only complaint was that the endgame for the queen of the bad guys was terribly cliche and seemed to exist only to support the potential for further stories in the universe, but in all other ways, I quite enjoyed this unique fantasy world.
66. Oath of Swords by David Weber. Paperback, 481pp. 1st of the War God series. Reread. This series is a little Tolkien flavored, but not extremely so, and centers on an entirely invented race-- the hradani. Specifically, Prince Bahzell Bahnakson, an oversized, stubborn as heck, honorable "barbarian" type who embarks in traditional epic fantasy fashion on a hero's quest with funny sidekick at his side, encountering and conquering all sorts of impossible obstacles. But he's-- an especially endearing example of the genre; I grin hugely every time I pull this series out for comfort reading.
67. The War God's Own by David Weber. Paperback, 374pp. 2nd of the War God series. Reread. More of the adventures of Bahzell Bahnakson; a little more epic in scale that the previous book, but just as enjoyable. Bahzell has started to settle into his newfound hero role, but there is still plenty of adventure in store for him as he picks up a few more sidekicks and finally heads home, where more trouble is afoot in his father's domain.
68. Wind Rider's Oath by David Weber. Paperback, 570pp. 3rd of the War God series. Reread. This is where the awesomeness of Bahzell starts to become just a weensy bit overkill; might as well rechristen him SuperHradani as the plows through his enemies. But his personality continues to be endearing, and the secondary cast carries more weight, as there are two other main story threads Bahzell is not directly involved in. The one with the baron's daughter especially intrigued me, and I hope if there's ever a fourth book she has a prominent role.
69. With a Single Spell by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Paperback, 263pp. A Legend of Ethshar. Reread. I picked this one up again because #70 is a direct sequel, which is unusual for this series, which generally are set in vastly differing time periods in a shared world. It's a quick, fun read, where the lead character, Tobas, sets off into the world after losing his master and his home with only the ability to create fire (see title), and stumbles his way into a hero's quest that unexpectedly ends in love and riches. Lots of dry humor.
70. The Spriggan Mirror by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Paperback, 365pp. A Legend of Ethshar. Picks up a thread left untucked in #69 and runs with it, from a different POV. Not quite as fun as the original, but a decent yarn. Tobas has to fix some unintended consequences of his luck and his love life that were established in the prior book, with the help of a clever merchant named Gresh, who has his own unusual adventures and romance along the way.
71. March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 586pp. 1st of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Spoiled brat Prince Roger, Heir Tertiary to the Throne of Man, gets stranded on a steaming backworld with his Marine bodyguards after his transport ship is sabotaged. It's a long hike to the nearest starport, with vicious wildlife and native barbarians blocking the way and a severe shortage of supplies, and the Marines don't respect their charge at all. Fortunately, Roger isn't actually an idiot; he just never had sufficient motivation to grow up before. That's about to change.
72. March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 664pp. 2nd of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger is a spoiled brat no longer, but he's still got a lot to learn about being a leader. His Marines (and the reader) have begun to respect and like him, but there's a long way to go yet before they reach the port, and repeated battles and skirmishes are whittling down their numbers. Luckily, they've also found some native allies.
73. March to the Stars by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 588pp. 3rd of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger's really bad year reaches an end as he, his surviving Marines, and his native followers finally reach the starport. But he's paid his way there with the blood of too many friends and allies, including the Marine Captain who'd become his father figure during the trek, and once their goal is reached, they discover there's a greater plot afoot back home. No rest for the weary.
74. We Few by David Weber and John Ringo. Hardcover, 392pp. 4th of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger and his surviving Marines and local allies finally make it off Marduk and head back to Earth to save his mother from a coup attempt. He's become a worthy Heir to the Empire-- but he's grown up in a hard school, and that's left its marks, too. The series as a whole is great for comfort reading; Roger kicks lots of ass (without becoming too perfect), finally proves his worth, and earns the hand of the woman he loves. Oh yeah, and saves the Empire. The secondary cast is awesome, too. Plus, room is left for more stories in the 'verse.
Next up: Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers. I've only read a few of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, but enjoyed each one; I thought it was time I expanded my collection a little.
~
You're not reading that wrong, I really did read 13 books in the last 19 days. I've kind of been burying myself in them while (a) life was crazy enough I needed the escape and (b) Dad had my HP:DH so I couldn't write fic. Eight were fantasy and five military sci-fi this time, over half of which were rereads.
62. Hour of the Octopus, by Joel Rosenberg. Paperback, 263pp. 2nd of the D'Shai series. More of the first-- "a lightly humorous mystery set in an Asian-influenced fantasy world with very strict cultural standards and etiquette"-- only with more emphasis on politics this time as the main character adjusts to his sudden elevation in rank and solves new mysteries. Good, but not as riveting as D'Shai. I'll be interested to see what happens in the rumored third novel in the series.
63. Cordelia's Honor, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Paperback, 596pp. Part of the Vorkosigan saga. I decided to finally get my toes wet in this series, and this book-- combining the first two tales (chronologically) in the series-- seemed like the perfect start. It was-- riveting, engrossing, etcetera and so on; I'm such a sucker for this combination of space opera with slightly backward noble culture and very strong, imperfect but honorable central characters. If Miles is much like his parents, I might have to pick up the rest of the series, too.
64. The Ninth Talisman by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Hardcover, 317pp. 2nd of the Annals of the Chosen. I'm still intrigued by this universe, but troubled by the developments in this book; whereas The Wizard Lord felt like a complete tale, this felt like half of one. And I really hate it when major plot developments only make sense if one or more characters-- whether hero or enemy-- are complete fucking idiots. The main hero ends this one alone against the world, and I'm not sure whether I care if he succeeds with his desperate plan or not.
65. The Mother of Lies by Dave Duncan. Hardcover, 343pp. 2nd of the Dodec duology. I read the first one-- Children of Chaos-- fifty books ago, and was impressed; this sequel didn't let me down, unlike #64. The four lost children of Celebre reach their destinies, mostly in unexpected yet satisfying ways. My only complaint was that the endgame for the queen of the bad guys was terribly cliche and seemed to exist only to support the potential for further stories in the universe, but in all other ways, I quite enjoyed this unique fantasy world.
66. Oath of Swords by David Weber. Paperback, 481pp. 1st of the War God series. Reread. This series is a little Tolkien flavored, but not extremely so, and centers on an entirely invented race-- the hradani. Specifically, Prince Bahzell Bahnakson, an oversized, stubborn as heck, honorable "barbarian" type who embarks in traditional epic fantasy fashion on a hero's quest with funny sidekick at his side, encountering and conquering all sorts of impossible obstacles. But he's-- an especially endearing example of the genre; I grin hugely every time I pull this series out for comfort reading.
67. The War God's Own by David Weber. Paperback, 374pp. 2nd of the War God series. Reread. More of the adventures of Bahzell Bahnakson; a little more epic in scale that the previous book, but just as enjoyable. Bahzell has started to settle into his newfound hero role, but there is still plenty of adventure in store for him as he picks up a few more sidekicks and finally heads home, where more trouble is afoot in his father's domain.
68. Wind Rider's Oath by David Weber. Paperback, 570pp. 3rd of the War God series. Reread. This is where the awesomeness of Bahzell starts to become just a weensy bit overkill; might as well rechristen him SuperHradani as the plows through his enemies. But his personality continues to be endearing, and the secondary cast carries more weight, as there are two other main story threads Bahzell is not directly involved in. The one with the baron's daughter especially intrigued me, and I hope if there's ever a fourth book she has a prominent role.
69. With a Single Spell by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Paperback, 263pp. A Legend of Ethshar. Reread. I picked this one up again because #70 is a direct sequel, which is unusual for this series, which generally are set in vastly differing time periods in a shared world. It's a quick, fun read, where the lead character, Tobas, sets off into the world after losing his master and his home with only the ability to create fire (see title), and stumbles his way into a hero's quest that unexpectedly ends in love and riches. Lots of dry humor.
70. The Spriggan Mirror by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Paperback, 365pp. A Legend of Ethshar. Picks up a thread left untucked in #69 and runs with it, from a different POV. Not quite as fun as the original, but a decent yarn. Tobas has to fix some unintended consequences of his luck and his love life that were established in the prior book, with the help of a clever merchant named Gresh, who has his own unusual adventures and romance along the way.
71. March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 586pp. 1st of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Spoiled brat Prince Roger, Heir Tertiary to the Throne of Man, gets stranded on a steaming backworld with his Marine bodyguards after his transport ship is sabotaged. It's a long hike to the nearest starport, with vicious wildlife and native barbarians blocking the way and a severe shortage of supplies, and the Marines don't respect their charge at all. Fortunately, Roger isn't actually an idiot; he just never had sufficient motivation to grow up before. That's about to change.
72. March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 664pp. 2nd of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger is a spoiled brat no longer, but he's still got a lot to learn about being a leader. His Marines (and the reader) have begun to respect and like him, but there's a long way to go yet before they reach the port, and repeated battles and skirmishes are whittling down their numbers. Luckily, they've also found some native allies.
73. March to the Stars by David Weber and John Ringo. Paperback, 588pp. 3rd of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger's really bad year reaches an end as he, his surviving Marines, and his native followers finally reach the starport. But he's paid his way there with the blood of too many friends and allies, including the Marine Captain who'd become his father figure during the trek, and once their goal is reached, they discover there's a greater plot afoot back home. No rest for the weary.
74. We Few by David Weber and John Ringo. Hardcover, 392pp. 4th of the Empire of Man series. Reread. Roger and his surviving Marines and local allies finally make it off Marduk and head back to Earth to save his mother from a coup attempt. He's become a worthy Heir to the Empire-- but he's grown up in a hard school, and that's left its marks, too. The series as a whole is great for comfort reading; Roger kicks lots of ass (without becoming too perfect), finally proves his worth, and earns the hand of the woman he loves. Oh yeah, and saves the Empire. The secondary cast is awesome, too. Plus, room is left for more stories in the 'verse.
Next up: Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers. I've only read a few of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, but enjoyed each one; I thought it was time I expanded my collection a little.
~
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-25 02:29 am (UTC)I read the first few of Bujold's "Miles" books but I haven't kept up. Have you ever read David Drake? His stuff is a bit darker than Ringo and Weber but still very good. I think his Leary-Mundy RCN series http://www.david-drake.com/RCN.html is as good as the Honor series myself and his Hammer's Slammers series helped put Military SF on the map. You can find most of Drake's writings at www.baen.com
no subject
Date: 2007-09-25 06:57 am (UTC)Any particular reason why you didn't keep up with the Vorkosigan books?
I have read Drake's "Hammer's Slammers" book of collected shorts, but it's all senseless violence with very little continuous plot, despite some very well-drawn characters and well-illustrated action. I couldn't get into it. I haven't been brave enough to dip a toe in the the series you mentioned yet. What's the angst/victory quotient like in it?
Keep in mind-- girl here. I totally choked on Ringo's "Ghost" series; I could not identify with the main character at all, and I came to the conclusion I like Ringo best when he's co-writing with someone. Weber's much more my speed as far as military sci-fi goes. And Weber's fantasy series is just plain awesome; I recommend it whole-heartedly.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-26 01:56 am (UTC)Yeah "Hammer's Slammers" is kind of senseless and random, but that's probably the way Vietnam was for David Drake. He's admitted that his writing has helped him deal with his Vietnam issues over the years. His newer books do have somewhat of a softer, more optimistic tone.
I think his RCN series, while very hard edged in places, does have alot of redeeming qualities. First of all, his two main characters are very developed and engaging. Leary is the estranged son of the leader of a space-faring semi-democrazy who joined the navy. He's a hard drinking womanizer but also one of the best navigators in known space and a born leader. In the first book, "With the Lightnings" he meets up with Adele Mundy, an expert librarian and information specialist living in exile. Her father was the leader of an attempted coup d'etat against Leary's father and 95% of her extended family was killed in retaliation. She's very closed off emotionally and an expert pistol shot because duels are legal, but she and Leary becomes friends and help each other out when a foreign power invades the planet they are on. Mundy helps Leary and his crew escape the capital city and they take over a space ship and they play a big part in stopping the invasion.
As the series progresses, they play bigger parts in the war that develops. Leary becomes a naval hero and Mundy a spy. They also make strides in dealing with their family's history. Leary still loves to have a good time, but has to do some hard things because of the war, one of which is reconnecting with his father. Mundy begins to open up more because of the friendship Leary shows her and moves into her old family mansion. There is a pretty good cast of supporting characters, but the main focus is on Leary and Mundy. The two always come out victories in the end and they do pay a price for each victory, but overall their lives are pretty rewarding. And they aren't romantically attracted to each other in the least bit :)
I don't care for the "Ghost" series too much either. I only started reading them because I got them free as package deal for buying another Ringo e-book. There were some entertaining bits in the first book and I made it through the second, but I stopped near the beginning of the third one. I think Ringo is writing them mostly to fulfill a private fantasy and let off some steam. I don't think he expected Jim Baen to like them enough to publish.
I do think Ringo has spread himself too thin in some cases. I love much of what he's done, but some things like the Posleen book "Hero" and "Ghost" I don't care for too much. I can understand him wanting to make as much money as he can while he's red hot, but he should slow down and put some more time into his books. Drake went through a similar period in the 80s.
Drake is a historian and translates Latin for fun. He gets the ideas and plots for most of his books from classical history and literature, but its much more subtle than Weber's "Rob S. Pierre" :) Usually he bases it on obscure stuff, but "Cross the Stars" is his "Odyssey."
I kind of lost my enthusiasm for the "Miles" books. I think a big part of that was because I stopped seeing them in bookstores and they never seemed to make it to the Science Fiction Bookclub. Its alot easier to keep up with series these days :)
no subject
Date: 2007-09-26 11:55 pm (UTC)Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan is awesome, yes! I wouldn't say that Miles is like his parents; he's his own self, but definitely worth getting to know. And, yes, he's imperfect but honourable, though. And Barrayaran culture is for the win. 8-)
no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 07:09 am (UTC)The "March Upcountry" series is one of those throwback, straightforward hero-arc tales: not many surprises, but really engrossing (at least, so I found) as far as the characters and their progression through all the challenges thrown in their paths. I tend to read them all at a gulp, then rage at the end that there isn't yet a book #5. =)
no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 07:17 am (UTC)> There is a pretty good cast of supporting characters, but the main focus is on Leary and Mundy. The two always come out victories in the end and they do pay a price for each victory, but overall their lives are pretty rewarding. And they aren't romantically attracted to each other in the least bit :)
OK. That bit right there? Sold me on the series. Next time I'm in Borders I'll go looking for them. =) Thanks for the detailed rec!
no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 07:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-09 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-09 06:26 am (UTC)Honestly, my main problem with the Honor Harrington-verse, and the "Rob S. Pierre" thing? Isn't necessarily that he's building from a pre-existing plot. It's that he's working from an already half-filled-in template that I know, that I've studied, that I got A pluses in during high school and college, and it totally sours the anticipation of what-comes-next. I can geek out over space opera, or I can geek out over historical fiction, but mixing them that way is just dissonant for me.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 08:52 am (UTC)I haven't been able to get my hands on any of the rest of the series yet, but OMG thankyou. You should have said it was Aubrey & Maturin in space!!!
♥♥♥
no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 01:48 am (UTC)You can download the rest of Drake's Leary-Mundy books from http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=ddrake or search places like Amazon for hard copies.