Re: Highlights and Lowlights - September-October 2024

In article <vh3j06$2fl4m$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance  <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

On 11/11/24 11:57 AM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

In article <vgt8vs$11om5$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance  <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

Highlights and Lowlights - September-October 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.
>
My annual dip in fall reading done dipped real good - just five here
over the course of two months.
>
Highlights - all five were fine
>
Lowlights - none
>
October
( +++ ) The Spiral Labyrinth - Hughes [Hengis Hapthorne]
( +++ ) Fair Trade - Lee & Miller [Liaden #24]
( +++ ) Cast in Wisdom - Sagara [Elantra #15]
( ++ 1/2) The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge - Harrison [Stainless Steel
Rat #2]
>
September
( +++ ) The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison [Stainless Steel Rat #1]
>
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World - Harrison
Collection - The Best Time Travel Stories Of All Time ed. by Malzberg
>
===========================================
September-October 2024
( +++ ) The Spiral Labyrinth - Hughes [Hengis Hapthorne]
This one picks up immediately after “Majestrum”, and we see Hapthorne
pulled forward through time into the era where magic and will hold sway,
and Hapthorne’s logic and reasoning are mythic things of the past that
seem to have no effect. His previously internal “intuitional self” has
become a real person who has significant skills in this era, though he
is new to them. Hapthorne’s AI assistant has also become sentient,
manifesting as a member of a highly prized and rare species. Hapthorne
is desperate to get back to his home and time, AND deal with the entity
that pulled him forward, as they have bad intentions for the entire
universe.
>
( +++ ) Fair Trade - Lee & Miller [Liaden #24]
This is a Jethri Gobelyn book, picking up immediately after “Trade
Secret”. As such it occurs a hella long time ago in the Liaden Universe
(i.e. long before Val Con, Miri, etc), and picks up as Jethri begins his
time on a new ship with new responsibilities. The overall plot driver is
a gigantic meeting about a civilization-wide proposal (written by Jethri
and his late father) concerning trade between planets, and it’s pretty
easy to make the connections with this proposal and the way the
“current” Liaden Universe is set. It finishes up in a mildly incomplete
spot, where I fully expect “Trade Lanes” to address. All good stuff, as
you’d expect Liaden stuff to be.
>
( +++ ) Cast in Wisdom - Sagara [Elantra #15]
Nice that this one actually doesn’t require Kaylin to save the world.
It’s focused almost entirely on Kaylin and many companions investigating
the border zones between the fiefs, trying to figure out what the heck
is going on in these strange gray areas. We learn a lot, of course, and
some major things happen to a few characters. These are always fun
reads, and I’ll surely keep moving forward.
>
( ++ 1/2) The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge - Harrison [Stainless Steel
Rat #2]
( +++ ) The Stainless Steel Rat - Harrison [Stainless Steel Rat #1]
I was surprised to discover I hadn’t read any novels by Harrison, and I
decided to remedy that by reading a 3-in-1 collection of The Stainless
Steel Rat. It’s neat what Harrison points out, alludes to, mentions,
etc. He writes in a smooth voice and with humor, both obvious and wry.
As most (all?) of you know, The Stainless Steel Rat is “Slippery” Jim
DiGriz, a master thief in a far future universe where thieving is almost
impossible to do. He makes mistakes, and gets thwarted occasionally, but
eventually comes out on top. By the end of the first one, he has been
co-opted into joining what amounts to a space police force as a special
investigator. These first two (and the third I’m in the middle of) see
him on dangerous missions where he uses his thieving and planning skills
to try to thwart others. These were really well written, and I’ll be
reading more Harrison as I move forward.
>
Now Reading:
Long work - The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World - Harrison
Collection - The Best Time Travel Stories Of All Time ed. by Malzberg
>
Tony

 
Thanks, as usual!
 
Still way behind on Liad & Elantra...
 
I believe I read all the SSR books at one time but I cannot now
recall any specifics beyond the premise.  Perhaps time for another
go.  As far as Harrison, I recall liking the "Deathword" books,
"Technicolor Time Machine" (though admittedly, it's a one joke
premise) & "Star Smashers Of the Galaxy Rangers".  As we discussed
recently here, I read that when I was about 13, and when I looked
at "Bill The Galactic Hero" it seemed very heavy handed to me and
I didn't finish it.  I'm a bit scared I would think the same about
Smashers now.  Of his late works, I liked the King of the North
series (or whatever it was called) though I suspect a lot of it was
his co-author, and it fell a bit off the rails at the end.

>
Interesting! I have the Deathworld trilogy, and Star Smashers... and
Bill... and I was thinking of doing Deathworld next. I'd never even
heard of the "King..." books. If I'm guessing right, isfdb calls it "The
Hammer and the Cross".
>
Tony

Yes, "The Hammer & The Cross" would be it.  It's an alternate history
where Norse paganism survives alongside Christianity with England united
with the nordic countries for a while and one guy who is cutting a
swathe across the setting and inventing the scientific method as well.
There are also distinct fantasy elements as the Norse gods are real to
some (nebulous) extent and the Holy Grail (which is actually a ladder)
is also involved.
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