On Bujold

With the gift of a kindle from the brother-in-law and sister-in-law (wow! Thanks, you two are the best!), I was able to read the near-complete e-book library that came on the DVD-ROM tucked in the back flap of "Cryo-burn," the latest in the Miles Vorkosigan adventures by Lois McMaster Bujold. Having dug in and re-read four of them in the past week, I am once again in awe at the woman's skills. What is it that makes her books so damn good? Is it the flashes of humor that are not only very human, but very funny? Is it how the bad guys are stopped in the nick of time, or the challenges that the heroes have to overcome? Is it the creative world-building she presents, or how she immerses the reader in those worlds without ever having us notice it? Could be the characters you can't help but root for. All that and more, of course, is what makes Bujold a master writer, both in Sci-Fi and Fantasy. No ratings here except to say "Damn."

Discord and Unincorporated

"Discord's Apple" had a great premise: what if you inherited- albeit against your will- a basement full of the artifacts discussed in a dozen different mythologies? What I didn't expect was graphic sexuality, and how author Carrie Vaughn moved the premise from the core of the story to the background. I wanted to explore more of what that basement contained and how it got that way, but the heroine soon faces a ruthless opponent and gains some mythological help, and before you know it the story comes to a chaotic conclusion that was well written, but not very satisfying for me. I want to rate this one higher, but despite some great ideas and creative presentations, I had a hard time really enjoying this one as much as I wanted to. Flawed? Yes, but original and showing promise. 25 /42 Richmans,

Now why did I have to try to read the Kollin brothers (Eytan and Dani) fine "the Unincorporated Man" three times? Because the copy I told the library was missing 40 pages was not repaired; it was just put right back into circulation. This happened three times. Finally, I got past page 92. It's great, but does it have new classic status? Let's run through the checklist.
*A detailed and bold vision of the future? Yah.
*A part of the book that will stay with you? Oh my, will the VR plague issues be with me.
*Will I want to read it again? Er... maybe.
*Moral and Philosphical messages? A great deal; in fact the comparisons to Heinline are very apt- no sci-fi work since "Starship Troopers" has had so much political theory disguised as sci-fi plot. And therefore, people might really hate this book.

But as great sci-fi does, it raises questions about the dangers of technology- both those that will affect the body and those that will affect the mind. It may not have the action that some readers want, and it has its slow spots. But one thing never happens when you read this- you never feel that the reality in which the characters live is anything less than real. So what score does this rank? Does it break into the fabled 40's? Not yet. For now, I'm giving the book a probationary 36/42. This book is many things- a warning about the dangers of technologies headed our way, about the nature of corporations and freedom, and a bit of adventure. It's rich sci-fi with a message, and worthy the late night ours . But will I read it again? Not for a long time, which along with some of the slow moving political theory is what keeps "Unincorporated" out of the 40's. But don't let that stop you from reading it.

A book like a decent steak.... rich and meaty!

Meaty? A book? Well, yes. “Empire in Black and Gold” has substance to it- you can sink your teeth into this one. Complex characters? Not too much backstory, but yet they are developed. Action? You got it. Betrayal? Yup. Combat? You Betcha! And the endless variety of insect-related groups keeps the unique aspect of the book fresh. Adrain Tchaikovsky’s first volume in the “Shadows of the Apt” series is a fun one, one you can tear into, like a large sized, simple steak served without fancy crap like blue cheese or chipotle reduction. Good, solid meaty stuff- creative settings but not a world that requires half a book to understand. Plot: one good man, grown old, and his students against an evil empire-- and those in danger will not listen to his warnings. Good premise, mixed into a world of insect-styled people and machinery of all sorts. No, it won’t haunt you after you read it; it won’t leave you changed, and you probably won’t need to re-read it down the road. But you’ll want to read the sequel, that’s for sure. 28.5/42 Richmans- tasty, rich, not too complex, but full of flavor. That extra half point is earned by great pacing and smooth reading.

Bujoldian fun

How to talk about a great book that might not match up to the knockout work of its predecessors? Eeeeeech. ? It's tricky. I mean "Cryoburn" is fun. The writing is smooth, Miles is manic as usual and the story keeps moving at a fine pace. Speaking of writing, in this volume of the Miles Vorkosigan saga, Louis McMaster Bujold flows from several points of view with ease- other authors try the same stuff and fall flat- not here. It's a bit annoying that with the stakes a bit lower than inter-planetary war, the story's level of tension doesn't ratchet up as high as some of Miles' earlier adventures. Miles seems comfortable in his Auditor role, so he's not struggling for the personal goals that drove him on for so long; this means the book has less emotional punch overall than earlier Vorkosigan books or the fantastic "Chalion" (rated at 41 Richmans). So this is not the best of the Vorkosigan books. I'm still going to re-read it down the road. I'll take something from Bujold that is less than perfect than the best efforts of a lot of other authors. And I'm ready for the next Miles Adventure- or anything else Lois writes next. "Cryoburn" gets 31.5/42 Richmans.

The motto on Vermont's liscense plates.

Where to start with "Live Free or Die" by John Ringo? It's been a long time since I read a book so chock full of creative sections and ideas, and yet at the same time lags and feels repetitive a few times. Like the end of Peter Jackson's film version of "Return of the King," there are many spots where one is sure things are going to wrap up, and then the story moves on again. The book is inventive, has a good sense of humor and a clear political message that keeps running through the narrative. There are plenty of surprises, including one far-fetched event that seems to have been dropped in from an old erotic stories posting on usenet (it has to do with blonds- don't worry, that won't spoil anything). Is it worth reading? Sure, if you are looking for a bit of creative adventure mixed humanity's first steps into the galaxy. I kept reading the thing to the end, if only to see how Ringo wrapped up the story. Tighter pacing would have made this far more difficult to put down. The uneven pacing threw me off, but the creativity drew me back.
24 out of 42 Richmans.

Well, that was depressing. Which is good.

When Orson Scott Card says ""This is the golden age of fantasy, with a dozen masters doing their best work. Then along comes Ken Scholes, with his amazing clarity, power, and invention, and shows us all how it's done.... I wish all five volumes of this series were already published so I could read them now", you expect something astounding. Well, Schole's "Lamentation" almost fully lives up to Card's high praise. The writing is excellent to the point where even when you know what may happen to characters down the road since they are archetypes, you don't care, since they are written so well. What keeps the book from "New Classic" status? Well, maybe because it is a book about the destruction of a city in a world where humanity is already recovering from a whole mess of apocalypsing. Or maybe its hard to love a book so filled with scheming characters and haunted heroes. And the book's style, which involved jumping from character to character was something I found kind of jarring. But it is a book you can dive into very easily- and a strong ending that leaves you knowing a sequel is coming. Solid. 28.5/42 Richmans.

So what is it? and ... Imager #3

There's no magic involved. Aristocrats and schisms, yes. And yes, there is a faith very close to Christianity and a setting very close to western Europe. Medieval facets of life, such as a Doge and a Jewish Ghetto are part of the landscape. But no wizards, no powers- aside from talents for violence and political disaster. So, not exactly historical fiction, nor fantasy, "The Left Hand of God" by Paul Hoffman manages to be a damn fine read regardless. Given gruesome surroundings at the start, young Thomas Cale is a hero with a skill for battle- and a few other things. I'm saying nothing else about the plot here, but the writing is descriptive, with bits of narration peppering a tight and descriptive flow. Worth reading? Yes, with a firm 29/42 Richmans standing behind it.

L. E. Modesitt's "Imager" series is also set in a world that echoes medieval Europe. With this third volume, "Imager's Intrigue," our hero is thrust ever deeper into a lethal world of politics and... hey, this book is a lot like the first two. There's suspense, threats to the nation and the life of the hero Rhenn, and of course, now he's married to his long-time love. In this volume, the stakes are raised as are Rhenn's responsibilities. While perhaps not as thunderous in it's conclusion, it still is a solid read, with 28/42 Richmans. If you were a fan of the first two of the "Imager" series, this one will still be quite satisfying. Probably.