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From: Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Highlights and Lowlights - July 2024
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2024 14:52:35 -0500
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On 8/1/2024 7:27 AM, Tony Nance wrote:
> 
> 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

All of the Innkeeper / Ilona Andrews books are awesome.  I have been 
trying to decide if they are science fiction or fantasy and leaning 
towards the science fiction genre since there are SPACE SHIPS.

Lynn