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Read In November
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Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Dec 2, 2016, 12:19:41 AM12/2/16
to
Here are some short reactions to what I read in November, along with
Amazon affiliate links for each.
Two Souls (Twenty Sectors Book 1) by DL Dunbar
http://amzn.to/2gSAvxq
Debra Dunbar writes the "Imp" and "Templar" urban fantasy series,
both of which I enjoy, though with a nod to "Imp" which has more
humor and over-the-topness. "DL Dunbar" is her new penname for SF.
This series start is a bit reminiscent of Lindsay Buroker's recent foray
into Space Opera, and like those books reeks strongly of "Firefly" (though
Dunbar has less "Star Wars" in the mix). At some point in the far
future, Sol has a somewhat ramshackle empire as such things go in the
Twenty Sectors and has just won a war against the Shani because
our military was just slightly less decrepit than theirs. Winning
admiral, and third son of the dying emperor, Drake, is desperate to
rehabilitate the navy in the wake of the war, but his unbeloved brother,
first son of the emperor and heir to the empire keeps redirecting the
funds elsewhere. Suddenly, however, the brother offers a substantial
infusion of funds to the navy if only Drake will fill in for him
at a state meeting with one of the more advanced alien powers in the
region, at which time he may also, by the way, have an opportunity
to buy alien comm tech for his ships. Suspecting a catch, but
not having much choice, Drake goes. In the meantime, his sidekick
is taking steps to fortify border planets from a sudden incursion by
a new menace, and is falling for a half-Shani salvage operator... and
across the sectors the chief diplomat of the wasp like Graha-Es ponders
why she has been sent on a mission to the low rent side of the Twenty
Sectors, and what The Mother's sudden promise of her long delayed
"second soul" joining may portend..
I have to say this was a bit slow to get going, and I found the TV
science very distracting. The idea of the scale of space was totally
missing and we got plot points like freighters often coming across
each other on their routes when there was no in-story mechanism to
constrain them to "space lanes" or whatever. There were also old-time
SF tropes like overpopulation and having to live on "food gels".
There was also less snark and humor than the Imp books. I'll pick
up the next one, but on the whole I think so far Dunbar seems less
suited to SF than UF.
At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
Well, it finally happened: Even *Weber* got tired of this series.
After a fairly typical long slog through reams of meeting minutes and
introductions and deaths of minor characters on both sides in places
that we don't care too much about and holding actions of fairly major
characters that we also don't care about, we suddenly get an out of the
blue and totally unconvincing denouement. In particular, we are asked
to believe that a viewpoint character whose thoughts we have been privy
to for a number of books has been very pointedly not thinking about
some very important stuff. And that this character also failed to
take opportunites to resolve things which were presented fairly regularly.
In the meantime, the characters we *do*, (or did) care about hardly
appear at all. In particular, the initial hero of the series falls in
love and we almost don't notice it all. I have to say also, that
the good guys advantages have escalated to the point of the whole
thing not being a challenge (and to the point of moral hazard in
sending troops into situations where the elite cabal knew more of the
situation than they were prepared to tell). I guessed the final
Churchill quote that would be deployed several chapters before it was.
Weber's afterword says Merlin's story is not done, but since he stopped
telling it several books ago, I'm not sure that matters.
HMS Nightingale (Alexis Carew Book 4) by J.A. Sutherland (Au
http://amzn.to/2gSrKmW
After the traumatic events of Book 3, Alexis has been rewarded
with an independent command, but as she is clearly suffering with
PTSD a sympathetic admiral has given her a customs ship in her
home sector as kind of a milk-run to give her a chance to recuperate.
Of course things are never that simple for Alexis and her new ship
is an unhappy one and there are unexplained ship disappearances
in her patrol area.
As usual Sutherland does not disappoint though this is a bit
smaller scale book than the last one. Alexis's troubles are
portrayed fairly deftly and she finds comfort in an odd place
and is moving towards the view that it might not be shameful to
admit she needs some help. We also get hints of an unexpected
resolution to the initial inheritance delima that kicked off the series.
Magic Binds (Kate Daniels) by Ilona Andrews
http://amzn.to/2gMAm2a
This is finally the book where Kate has to throw down with her
uber-powerful father in defense of her adopted hometown, Atlanta.
Matters are not helped by having a prophecy proclaiming that
her two paths forward will either cost the life of her mate, or her yet to
be conceived child. And she has put her wedding plans in the hands
of an evil Russian wizard.
As usual Andrews does not disappoint. There are action, humor,
family reunions, fallings out with old friends and cake.
The Void War (Empire Rising Book 1)_ by D. J. Holmes
http://amzn.to/2dQhsqE
In the future we have FTL travel, but only through twisty corridors
of dark matter. Then the British and the Chinese find at almost the
same time a group of systems in a "void" where no dark matter exists,
so navigation is fast and sure. War ensues.
Honestly, I could not care about any of the characters here. The main
protagonist is a British commander who seems to be an emotional teenager
obsessed with his secret affair with a princess and I did not find him,
or any of his crew engaging at all. We also have material at the start
of each chapter taken from a future history of the era that gives away
way too much. I don't think I will be picking up book 2.
--
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..
Amazon affiliate links for each.
Two Souls (Twenty Sectors Book 1) by DL Dunbar
http://amzn.to/2gSAvxq
Debra Dunbar writes the "Imp" and "Templar" urban fantasy series,
both of which I enjoy, though with a nod to "Imp" which has more
humor and over-the-topness. "DL Dunbar" is her new penname for SF.
This series start is a bit reminiscent of Lindsay Buroker's recent foray
into Space Opera, and like those books reeks strongly of "Firefly" (though
Dunbar has less "Star Wars" in the mix). At some point in the far
future, Sol has a somewhat ramshackle empire as such things go in the
Twenty Sectors and has just won a war against the Shani because
our military was just slightly less decrepit than theirs. Winning
admiral, and third son of the dying emperor, Drake, is desperate to
rehabilitate the navy in the wake of the war, but his unbeloved brother,
first son of the emperor and heir to the empire keeps redirecting the
funds elsewhere. Suddenly, however, the brother offers a substantial
infusion of funds to the navy if only Drake will fill in for him
at a state meeting with one of the more advanced alien powers in the
region, at which time he may also, by the way, have an opportunity
to buy alien comm tech for his ships. Suspecting a catch, but
not having much choice, Drake goes. In the meantime, his sidekick
is taking steps to fortify border planets from a sudden incursion by
a new menace, and is falling for a half-Shani salvage operator... and
across the sectors the chief diplomat of the wasp like Graha-Es ponders
why she has been sent on a mission to the low rent side of the Twenty
Sectors, and what The Mother's sudden promise of her long delayed
"second soul" joining may portend..
I have to say this was a bit slow to get going, and I found the TV
science very distracting. The idea of the scale of space was totally
missing and we got plot points like freighters often coming across
each other on their routes when there was no in-story mechanism to
constrain them to "space lanes" or whatever. There were also old-time
SF tropes like overpopulation and having to live on "food gels".
There was also less snark and humor than the Imp books. I'll pick
up the next one, but on the whole I think so far Dunbar seems less
suited to SF than UF.
At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
Well, it finally happened: Even *Weber* got tired of this series.
After a fairly typical long slog through reams of meeting minutes and
introductions and deaths of minor characters on both sides in places
that we don't care too much about and holding actions of fairly major
characters that we also don't care about, we suddenly get an out of the
blue and totally unconvincing denouement. In particular, we are asked
to believe that a viewpoint character whose thoughts we have been privy
to for a number of books has been very pointedly not thinking about
some very important stuff. And that this character also failed to
take opportunites to resolve things which were presented fairly regularly.
In the meantime, the characters we *do*, (or did) care about hardly
appear at all. In particular, the initial hero of the series falls in
love and we almost don't notice it all. I have to say also, that
the good guys advantages have escalated to the point of the whole
thing not being a challenge (and to the point of moral hazard in
sending troops into situations where the elite cabal knew more of the
situation than they were prepared to tell). I guessed the final
Churchill quote that would be deployed several chapters before it was.
Weber's afterword says Merlin's story is not done, but since he stopped
telling it several books ago, I'm not sure that matters.
HMS Nightingale (Alexis Carew Book 4) by J.A. Sutherland (Au
http://amzn.to/2gSrKmW
After the traumatic events of Book 3, Alexis has been rewarded
with an independent command, but as she is clearly suffering with
PTSD a sympathetic admiral has given her a customs ship in her
home sector as kind of a milk-run to give her a chance to recuperate.
Of course things are never that simple for Alexis and her new ship
is an unhappy one and there are unexplained ship disappearances
in her patrol area.
As usual Sutherland does not disappoint though this is a bit
smaller scale book than the last one. Alexis's troubles are
portrayed fairly deftly and she finds comfort in an odd place
and is moving towards the view that it might not be shameful to
admit she needs some help. We also get hints of an unexpected
resolution to the initial inheritance delima that kicked off the series.
Magic Binds (Kate Daniels) by Ilona Andrews
http://amzn.to/2gMAm2a
This is finally the book where Kate has to throw down with her
uber-powerful father in defense of her adopted hometown, Atlanta.
Matters are not helped by having a prophecy proclaiming that
her two paths forward will either cost the life of her mate, or her yet to
be conceived child. And she has put her wedding plans in the hands
of an evil Russian wizard.
As usual Andrews does not disappoint. There are action, humor,
family reunions, fallings out with old friends and cake.
The Void War (Empire Rising Book 1)_ by D. J. Holmes
http://amzn.to/2dQhsqE
In the future we have FTL travel, but only through twisty corridors
of dark matter. Then the British and the Chinese find at almost the
same time a group of systems in a "void" where no dark matter exists,
so navigation is fast and sure. War ensues.
Honestly, I could not care about any of the characters here. The main
protagonist is a British commander who seems to be an emotional teenager
obsessed with his secret affair with a princess and I did not find him,
or any of his crew engaging at all. We also have material at the start
of each chapter taken from a future history of the era that gives away
way too much. I don't think I will be picking up book 2.
--
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..
Robert Carnegie
Dec 2, 2016, 5:55:44 AM12/2/16
to
Maybe you're jaded or I am, but my interest was
aroused most by the word "delima". How dull if
you meant "dilemma".
I put it into Google and interest continued,
in the colourful and complicated career of
Philippines politician Leila de Lima. But I assume
she hasn't yet become a metaphor - or whatever
else you call it when a person becomes a figure of
speech.
aroused most by the word "delima". How dull if
you meant "dilemma".
I put it into Google and interest continued,
in the colourful and complicated career of
Philippines politician Leila de Lima. But I assume
she hasn't yet become a metaphor - or whatever
else you call it when a person becomes a figure of
speech.
hamis...@gmail.com
Dec 2, 2016, 8:15:15 AM12/2/16
to
On Friday, December 2, 2016 at 4:19:41 PM UTC+11, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> Magic Binds (Kate Daniels) by Ilona Andrews
> http://amzn.to/2gMAm2a
> Magic Binds (Kate Daniels) by Ilona Andrews
> http://amzn.to/2gMAm2a
> And she has put her wedding plans in the hands
> of an evil Russian wizard.
>
I'd say dark rather than evil.
> of an evil Russian wizard.
>
William December Starr
Dec 2, 2016, 7:32:33 PM12/2/16
to
In article <eaceja...@mid.individual.net>,
(Work-safe.)
-- wds
t...@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) said:
> At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
> http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51BKGkW9TxL.jpg
> At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
> http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
(Work-safe.)
-- wds
Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Dec 3, 2016, 1:34:23 AM12/3/16
to
-dsr-
Dec 3, 2016, 1:08:05 PM12/3/16
to
On 2016-12-02, Ted Nolan <tednolan> <t...@loft.tnolan.com> wrote:
>
> At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
> http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
>
> Well, it finally happened: Even *Weber* got tired of this series.
> After a fairly typical long slog through reams of meeting minutes and
> introductions and deaths of minor characters on both sides in places
> that we don't care too much about and holding actions of fairly major
> characters that we also don't care about, we suddenly get an out of the
> blue and totally unconvincing denouement. In particular, we are asked
I call brain-eater.
>
> At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold) by David Weber
> http://amzn.to/2gsqqdF
>
> Well, it finally happened: Even *Weber* got tired of this series.
> After a fairly typical long slog through reams of meeting minutes and
> introductions and deaths of minor characters on both sides in places
> that we don't care too much about and holding actions of fairly major
> characters that we also don't care about, we suddenly get an out of the
> blue and totally unconvincing denouement. In particular, we are asked
Additional evidence: the most recent Honorverse novel that he wrote.
-dsr-
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