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From: Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com>
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Subject: Highlights and Lowlights - July 2024
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2024 08:27:34 -0400
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Highlights and Lowlights - July 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 on the list.


Highlights - The Pratchett and Andrews were particularly good.

Lowlights - Nothing “lowlight worthy”, though there was exactly one 
story in the Father Brown collection that was truly objectionable.


Here’s a quick summary of what’s more in-depth below:
( ++ 1/2 ) The Grief of Stones - Addison [The Cemeteries of Amalo #2; 
same universe as The Goblin Emperor]
( +++ - ) Night Lamp - Vance
( ++ 1/2 ) Witch King - Wells
( ++ - ) The Wisdom of Father Brown - Chesterton
( +++ ) One Fell Sweep - Andrews [Innkeeper Chronicles #3]
( +++ - ) Cast in Deception - Sagara [Elantra #13]
( +++ ) Guards! Guards! - Pratchett [Discworld #8]

Now Reading:
Long work - A Fire in the Sun - Effinger [Marid Audran #2]
Collection - Kinship with the Stars - Poul Anderson

===========================================
July 2024

( ++ 1/2 ) The Grief of Stones - Addison [The Cemeteries of Amalo #2; 
same universe as The Goblin Emperor]
This is another highly enjoyable story by Addison focusing on decent 
people (esp protagonist Thara) trying to do decent things in the midst 
of crime, deceit, and tragedy. Thara is a Witness for the Dead, meaning 
he has been “blessed” by a god with the ability to see a corpse’s last 
moments and even dig into their memories (this is more effective the 
more recent their demise). In this volume, a murder investigation leads 
Thara to a school for foundling (abandoned) girls, where he receives an 
anonymous note asking for his help. The two plotlines progress in 
parallel, and eventually converge.

( +++ - ) Night Lamp - Vance
Good, solid, typical, enjoyable Vance. Jaro Fath is an orphan with 
trauma-induced amnesia surrounding his mother’s death and his own severe 
beating shortly thereafter. His adoptive parents love him and plan for 
him to become an academic, but Jaro is driven to learn his true origins 
and recapture his memories. This one is long for a Vance novel, partly 
due to Maihac’s way-too-long tale explaining his reappearance (hence the 
minus). There are also a great many wry and/or humorous exchanges.

( ++ 1/2 ) Witch King - Wells
I enjoyed this, and though I think it functions well as a standalone, it 
does indeed set up well for a sequel. Some time in the last month or 
so(?), Scott Dorsey described this book very well, and I am quoting 
(i.e. blatantly stealing) this part of his description:
“This is an epic fantasy with two different story lines at different 
times with the same lead character, a demon prince whose family had an 
agreement with the Saredi civilization to host them, except that years 
ago the Saredi were wiped out by invaders called the Heiararchs and 
since then nothing has been the same.  This is a solid and well-written 
fantasy story of new societies, old societies, betrayal and unlikely 
allies. … “

( ++ - ) The Wisdom of Father Brown - Chesterton [12 Father Brown 
Stories, this is the second half of the volume “Father Brown Crime 
Stories”, where the first 12 stories are “The Innocence of Father Brown”]

Having read the first 12 stories already, I was in a better-prepared 
mindset to read these, and they were mostly pretty good, well written, 
and occasionally clever. Father Brown is a very observant and clever 
fellow, which helps him solve the many mysteries that seem to find him. 
One story (“The God of the Gongs”) was exceedingly dated in horribly 
racist and offensive ways, and I did not finish it.

( +++ ) One Fell Sweep - Andrews [Innkeeper Chronicles #3]
Fun! These are like my favorite candies or desserts - there’s probably 
not much of substance or value to them, but they sure are good. The Inns 
on Earth are neutral/protected way stations for galactic travelers. Two 
parts of the Inn Code are that nobody on Earth can know about the Inns, 
and that Inns are required to be safe for their guests. Dina is an 
Innkeeper, which imbues her with strong powers, mostly/especially when 
on the grounds of her Inn. This story largely focuses on a race seeking 
sanctuary after being hunted to near-extinction, and the efforts of the 
hunters to finish the job.

( +++ - ) Cast in Deception - Sagara [Elantra #13]
Young Barrani are behaving hastily/stupidly, and we see Kaylin and 
Bellusdeo accompanying them on their ill-considered journey in an effort 
to minimize peril for all involved (including the city of Elantra). Lots 
and lots and lots of talk about politics in this one, mostly 
condescending to Kaylin while they’re at it. We learn that it is 
possible that some of the Barrani High Court may be in league with — or 
at least helping — Shadow/Ravellon. Also, Kaylin may have gotten herself 
on the wrong side of the Consort in an even worse way than the first 
time. (This is the Consort’s fault, but she’s unlikely to see it that 
way, much less admit it.)

( +++ ) Guards! Guards! - Pratchett [Discworld #8]
Consistent high quality, very funny in parts. A few bumbling magic users 
bite off way more than they can chew when summoning a dragon. After the 
dragon becomes king of Ankh-Morpork(!), Vimes, Carrot and the other 
guards — with the help of the Librarian (ook!) and Lady Ramkin — try to 
stop the dragon. Good stuff.

Now Reading:
Long work - A Fire in the Sun - Effinger [Marid Audran #2]
Collection - Kinship with the Stars - Poul Anderson

Tony