TMWNM is of a particular genre of 70s-80s fiction that included various Hard Guys With Hearts Of Gold Fighting The Good Fight (With Lots Of Action!). TMWNM is of a particular genre of 70s-80s fiction that included various Hard Guys With Hearts Of Gold Fighting The Good Fight (With Lots Of Action!). Cole and Bunch's Sten novels are a particular close mark to this novel in the science fiction realm, full of uber-competent good guys, lots of SF-sounding lingo, and a post-Vietnam / Reagan Era motif of mistrusting authority.
The Sten books, at least, have a sense of humor. TMWNM -- the first in Perry's Matador series -- does not. It seems to take itself in dead earnest, not only questioning bloody violence, but even relatively bloodless violence, in what we are assured is a good cause.
The book is competently written, the pages turn quickly, the philosophical musings are passingly legit (if a bit facile). But ultimately I found I had to drag myself back to picking the book up, because (a) I didn't much care what happened to the protagonist, (b) I wasn't terribly vested in what happened to the antagonists, either, and (c) I was dreading what portmanteau SF word the author would pointlessly slide into the text next.
Those who like this sort of thing will find it the sort of thing they like....more
To be honest, something about this installment of Mercy's adventures just didn't do it for me. Maybe it was because she spent so much of the story terTo be honest, something about this installment of Mercy's adventures just didn't do it for me. Maybe it was because she spent so much of the story terrified, crippled by head-aches, or otherwise disabled, and, too often, a victim. Maybe it was because the author spends a fair amount of time with other-PoV interludes, taking us away from Mercy and increasing problems.
It's a lovely Old School Vlad Taltos novel -- evocative (and set in their period) of Jhereg and Yendi. We're back to a wise-cracking low-level mob bosIt's a lovely Old School Vlad Taltos novel -- evocative (and set in their period) of Jhereg and Yendi. We're back to a wise-cracking low-level mob boss, planning his wedding, protecting his turf -- and obsessing over the 800 Imperials he's out. Pursuit of that money will land him in conflict with the Left Hand, and change him in myriad ways ...
... that we never realized until much later in the series, which is a neat trick, deftly (if not unexpectedly) played. And, in the meantime, we get a break from morose, contemplative Vlad, who's not as much fun (but who's probably a better person and more sophisticated character).
After the retro lark that was Tsalmoth, we're back to Troubled, Contemplative Vlad again. I can both regret that and appreciate that, as Vlad's story After the retro lark that was Tsalmoth, we're back to Troubled, Contemplative Vlad again. I can both regret that and appreciate that, as Vlad's story continues by fits and starts of the mundane, the personal, and the cosmic. This book has it all -- House politics, Dragaeran history, clever plans, morose maunderings, witty verbal byplay, glimpses of a supporting cast maturing even as the protagonist does.
Oh, and show tunes. This time we get lots and lots of delicately crafted Dragaeran show tunes that just *might* be able to be sung to the show tunes of our own world.
All in all, a satisfying book. Can't wait for the next one....more
Oof. This one hits hard -- indeed, seems to be an endless "Oh, you know how everyone keeps cheating fate? Well, that ends now" tale of woe and pain anOof. This one hits hard -- indeed, seems to be an endless "Oh, you know how everyone keeps cheating fate? Well, that ends now" tale of woe and pain and regrets. It's hard going, and that's a tribute to McGuire's ability to invoke pain as well as enjoyment.
Even so, the crazy-quilt extended family of heroes has become a more and more difficult read, not because of the emotional costs of a few members being snipped here and there, but because a huge cast that barely works when focused on one just one or a couple of characters dealing with their own issues becomes a slow-motion disaster when using the PoV of a character who touches nearly every player, every group of players, in the saga.
I won't say it didn't end on a fitting and satisfactory note, but at some point the "you will only possibly understand what is going on with Character X if you read this novel and this novella and this short story" multiplied by a few dozen drags the narrative through-line to a halt. Which is a shame, because there's some powerful stuff going on here. ...more
I hesitated before diving back into this one. It had been so long since the first Cinder Spires book, and I remembered it as being very complex woven,I hesitated before diving back into this one. It had been so long since the first Cinder Spires book, and I remembered it as being very complex woven, lots of players, lots of loyalties, lots of considered and crafted backstory. It seemed daunting ...
And then I started reading "The Olympian Affair," and that all went away. Well, not really. The cast of characters is huge, and their interrelationships many. The backstory, already thick, becomes thicker. There are wheels within wheels, conspiracies within conspiracies, plots that stem from the personal to the paradigmatic.
But Butcher's writing makes it *feel* all so easy, all so straightforward. Like any other individual character, you are just along for the ride, and if people are sacrificing themselves for others or for grand causes left, right, and center, then by the Makers you can act as though it is all profoundly heroic and enjoyable and understandable, even if looking back on it all, it still feels a muddle.
So 5 stars for TOA -- it will suck you in and only reluctant suck you out, and you won't know why but you'll be craving the next installment ......more
What happens when the most powerful being operating -- Titania of Faerie -- decides to the remake the world in the image she wants it to be, and to puWhat happens when the most powerful being operating -- Titania of Faerie -- decides to the remake the world in the image she wants it to be, and to punish October Daye for her impudence in resisting her?
Well, something very much like this. It's a fun tale of alternate reality -- but it's also hard to describe it as a Toby Daye book because, well, she's not in her right mind for the vast majority of it. McGuire has done a masterful job of crafting a new Faerie from pieces of the old, but as a reader I kept finding myself wanting to slap the protag every time she protested her helplessness, unimportance, or duty to defer to Purebloods, which would have meant a lot of slapping.
Still, plenty of unexpected reveals and new perspectives on old characters make it a great time ... especially if you have the next volume to roll over to, which from the PoV of someone who considers October very, very special indeed....more
Okay, a 5-star rating is probably ridiculous, because this novella will not change lives, inspire, or be taught in schools a century hence.
But it was Okay, a 5-star rating is probably ridiculous, because this novella will not change lives, inspire, or be taught in schools a century hence.
But it was damned entertaining, highly imaginative, and a good read I just had problems putting down. So it gets 5 stars from me. Suck it up, Thomas Hardy.
As with the original novella, Scalzi is seriously channeling Larry Niven here, extrapolating out a whole bunch of implications of simply tweaking one constant in our society: what happens if, when murdered, 999 out of 1,000 times the victim simply wakes up at home in bed.
The new permutations this time -- from entertainment to travel to, yes, murder and crime -- are delightfully explored with Scalzi's breezy, almost noirish text. And I definitely cannot wait to read the next....more
The author's worldbuilding is as strong as ever -- the interdicted city of Marandur is delightfully imagined -- but the execution of a thrilling and eThe author's worldbuilding is as strong as ever -- the interdicted city of Marandur is delightfully imagined -- but the execution of a thrilling and engaging tale around it was just lacking for me. Very much a slog, which characters who feel more like set pieces and conflicts that are set up and knocked down with careful management. I have the other books, but will likely set them aside for now....more
Campbell does a great job here channeling the "juvenile" SF/F of my youth; I could see Andre Norton's name on this, easily. That's a good thing, becauCampbell does a great job here channeling the "juvenile" SF/F of my youth; I could see Andre Norton's name on this, easily. That's a good thing, because his depth of imagination for this world is delightful, as is his building of a menace that draws two young prodigies together against all law and tradition.
My biggest problem is that, Campbell tends toward being a straightforward writer, and these are very straightforward books. Problems arise, problems are solved. Characters mistrust each other, characters get trust built. The difficulties seem epic and untouchable, yet somehow our protagonists managed to overcome all of them, not easily, but also ... straightforwardly. Targets set up, targets hit. It ends up feeling a little bloodless and disengaging....more
This very dark Outsiders run continues to lurch on its dysfunctional path. The art's not as good as Book 1, and drama-by-people-making-bad-decisions oThis very dark Outsiders run continues to lurch on its dysfunctional path. The art's not as good as Book 1, and drama-by-people-making-bad-decisions only goes so far. But it's still a read and I'm still willing to leave space on the shelf for it for further re-reads....more
A bit of noir, a bit of super-heroics, a large dash of urban fantasy, and you get the delightful, and remarkable, Mr. Finn. He sucked me in from Page A bit of noir, a bit of super-heroics, a large dash of urban fantasy, and you get the delightful, and remarkable, Mr. Finn. He sucked me in from Page 1 and managed to entrance, intrigue, amuse, entertain, and frustrate me all the way through Page N. A nicely built universe, engaging characters, and well-structured story, all with sass and cynicism and lovely structure.
I have no idea if we will see a sequel. If so, I'll be there to read it.
(Lightly marred by some editing gaffes every 20-30 pages or so. Forgivable, for the quality of the storytelling.)...more
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