Re: Highlights and Lowlights - March 2025

In article <vshefb$3pfuv$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance  <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

>
Highlights and Lowlights - March 2025
>
>
( +++ ) The Emperor’s Wolves - Sagara [Wolves of Elantra #1]
This is a very interesting prequel showing how Severn became one of the
Emperor’s Wolves, including that it illuminates how Severn

gained a lot of his knowledge and skills.

I keep saying I need to get back this series and not doing it...

>
( +++ ) Sweep With Me - Andrews [Innkeeper Chronicles Novella - maybe
entry “4.5”?]
Fun like the others in this series, this one is set on Earth at the
Gertrude Hunt Inn, featuring Dina and Sean and some of the other regular
characters. Sean is now a co-Innkeeper with Dina. As with most of these
stories, powerful/dangerous guests arrive with various agendas and bring
various difficulties with them, and Dina and Sean have to use a
combination of power, perceptiveness, knowledge, and cleverness to keep
everyone safe. This is not to imply these stories all feel the same -
the Andrews team is excellent at introducing new characters, races,
twists, problems, etc.

Looking back I see I thought the resolution of this one was a bit
weak though it was very entertaining up to that point (philosophical
space chickens!).  I guess we will not get any new ones in the forseeable
future, though there is apparently a manga adaption.

>
( ++ 1/2) The Planet Explorer (aka Colonial Survey) - Leinster (part of
his Planets of Adventure collection)
Originally 4 separate stories, they were rewritten to feature the same
protagonist and then (originally) packaged as the fix-up novel “Colonial
Survey”. Here in the Planets of Adventure collection, it is titled “The
Planet Explorer”. Two of the four stories are also known under alternate
names — “Solar Constant” was originally “Critical Difference”, and
“Combat Team” was originally “Exploration Team”. Classic stories, very
well done.

Yes, and Leinster's only regular Hugo I believe.

>
( +++ ) Legends & Lattes - Baldree
This was delightful…slight, direct, and fun. Our protagonist orc Viv
retires from hired “blood work” to open a coffee shop in a multi-species
city that has never heard of coffee. Great characterizations, fun
supporting cast. I will read the next one (which I gather is a prequel,
which is not something I usually pursue, but I’ll try this one).
>

I have got the first one somewhere, but it has not percolated up.
(Or pour-over-ed up)

( +++ 1/2) Salvage Right - Lee & Miller [Liaden #25]
This one is totally focused on Jen Sin and the Tensori Light station
that had crept into our universe to enslave and destroy. Tocohl and
other AIs also have huge roles, as do Tolly & Haz, Anthora & Ren Zel,
and Theo & co. The main mission is to refurbish the station, make sure
there are no remnants of the original Tensori Light in any of the
programming, and open up the station as a Liaden trading post in a
region that sorely needs it. Very interesting twists and turns throughout.

Looking forward to this one as I really enjoyed _Accepting The Lance_.
I hope things work out for Tocohl who kind of got birthed and then
stuck in a bad (non-piloting) situation for a pilot as I recall.

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