• Re: Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024

    From Scott Lurndal@21:1/5 to Tony Nance on Sat Mar 2 15:13:55 2024
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024


    ===========================================
    ( ++++ ) Neogenesis - Lee & Miller [Liaden #21] NOTE: Steve Miller
    passed away less than a week before I read this. It truly was the next
    thing on the short stack, but I would have picked it next anyway given
    the circumstances.

    Holy cow, this was great - one of my very favorite entries in the entire >series (a high bar indeed). The last several chapters are superb, as
    many different plot threads that have been brewing over several books
    come to a head, and Val Con and Miri have quite a day dealing with them
    in their co-position as delm of Clan Korval. Subtract the very last
    chapter, and this could function as a serviceable series-ender, though
    there are many many directions the series could go forward. The last
    chapter is clearly a stepping off point to one specific direction, but
    I’m sure they’ll fold some of the other ones in along the way.

    _Salvage Right_, as the follow-on to Neogenesis closes out those threads
    that come to a head in Neogenesis. It's more fun even than Neogenesis.

    We'll have to see how the upcoming _Ribbon Dance_ does at closing out the
    Shan and Padi sequence.

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  • From Ted Nolan @21:1/5 to Scott Lurndal on Sat Mar 2 18:38:23 2024
    In article <TmHEN.137629$[email protected]>,
    Scott Lurndal <[email protected]> wrote:
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024


    ===========================================
    ( ++++ ) Neogenesis - Lee & Miller [Liaden #21] NOTE: Steve Miller
    passed away less than a week before I read this. It truly was the next >>thing on the short stack, but I would have picked it next anyway given
    the circumstances.

    Holy cow, this was great - one of my very favorite entries in the entire >>series (a high bar indeed). The last several chapters are superb, as
    many different plot threads that have been brewing over several books
    come to a head, and Val Con and Miri have quite a day dealing with them
    in their co-position as delm of Clan Korval. Subtract the very last >>chapter, and this could function as a serviceable series-ender, though >>there are many many directions the series could go forward. The last >>chapter is clearly a stepping off point to one specific direction, but >>I’m sure they’ll fold some of the other ones in along the way.

    _Salvage Right_, as the follow-on to Neogenesis closes out those threads
    that come to a head in Neogenesis. It's more fun even than Neogenesis.

    We'll have to see how the upcoming _Ribbon Dance_ does at closing out the >Shan and Padi sequence.


    I'll have to get back to the main sequence. I think I read one of the
    short story collections most recently. Sad to think there might not
    be any more.
    --
    columbiaclosings.com
    What's not in Columbia anymore..

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  • From Scott Lurndal@21:1/5 to Tony Nance on Sun Mar 3 16:44:16 2024
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:
    On 3/2/24 1:38 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <TmHEN.137629$[email protected]>,
    Scott Lurndal <[email protected]> wrote:
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024


    ===========================================
    ( ++++ ) Neogenesis - Lee & Miller [Liaden #21] NOTE: Steve Miller
    passed away less than a week before I read this. It truly was the next >>>> thing on the short stack, but I would have picked it next anyway given >>>> the circumstances.

    Holy cow, this was great - one of my very favorite entries in the entire >>>> series (a high bar indeed). The last several chapters are superb, as
    many different plot threads that have been brewing over several books
    come to a head, and Val Con and Miri have quite a day dealing with them >>>> in their co-position as delm of Clan Korval. Subtract the very last
    chapter, and this could function as a serviceable series-ender, though >>>> there are many many directions the series could go forward. The last
    chapter is clearly a stepping off point to one specific direction, but >>>> I’m sure they’ll fold some of the other ones in along the way.

    _Salvage Right_, as the follow-on to Neogenesis closes out those threads >>> that come to a head in Neogenesis. It's more fun even than Neogenesis.

    We'll have to see how the upcoming _Ribbon Dance_ does at closing out the >>> Shan and Padi sequence.


    I'll have to get back to the main sequence. I think I read one of the
    short story collections most recently.

    So -- from a plot/significance perspective -- how are the short story >collections? (I know the writing will be excellent.) I think I've only
    read 1-2 short stories in the Liaden Universe total.

    They (the shorts) are helpful as they fill in some gaps in
    the liadenverse. Like who Daav's dad was, and how he came
    to be his dad (which helps explain at least one scene in
    the latter books). Or the description of Miri's first
    act of heroism (touched on in one of the novels, as well).
    et alia.

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  • From Robert Woodward@21:1/5 to Tony Nance on Sun Mar 3 10:06:00 2024
    In article <us25um$2ibu2$[email protected]>,
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 3/2/24 10:13 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024


    ===========================================
    ( ++++ ) Neogenesis - Lee & Miller [Liaden #21] NOTE: Steve Miller
    passed away less than a week before I read this. It truly was the next
    thing on the short stack, but I would have picked it next anyway given
    the circumstances.
    <SNIP>

    That is all awesome to know - thank you. I believe publication order
    puts Accepting the Lance[1] and Trader's Leap as the next two before
    Salvage Right. Very much looking forward to all of them.

    Tony
    [1] Not sure what happened with Accepting the Lance, but it doesn't
    look like it was ever released in a softcover format.

    You must have missed it somehow. I have a mass market paperback edition
    that I bought new in November 2020 (and the ISFDB lists it as well).

    --
    "We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
    Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. —-----------------------------------------------------
    Robert Woodward [email protected]

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  • From Ted Nolan @21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Mar 3 18:34:00 2024
    In article <us263l$2ibu2$[email protected]>,
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 3/2/24 1:38 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <TmHEN.137629$[email protected]>,
    Scott Lurndal <[email protected]> wrote:
    Tony Nance <[email protected]> writes:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024


    ===========================================
    ( ++++ ) Neogenesis - Lee & Miller [Liaden #21] NOTE: Steve Miller
    passed away less than a week before I read this. It truly was the next >>>> thing on the short stack, but I would have picked it next anyway given >>>> the circumstances.

    Holy cow, this was great - one of my very favorite entries in the entire >>>> series (a high bar indeed). The last several chapters are superb, as
    many different plot threads that have been brewing over several books
    come to a head, and Val Con and Miri have quite a day dealing with them >>>> in their co-position as delm of Clan Korval. Subtract the very last
    chapter, and this could function as a serviceable series-ender, though >>>> there are many many directions the series could go forward. The last
    chapter is clearly a stepping off point to one specific direction, but >>>> I’m sure they’ll fold some of the other ones in along the way.

    _Salvage Right_, as the follow-on to Neogenesis closes out those threads >>> that come to a head in Neogenesis. It's more fun even than Neogenesis.

    We'll have to see how the upcoming _Ribbon Dance_ does at closing out the >>> Shan and Padi sequence.


    I'll have to get back to the main sequence. I think I read one of the
    short story collections most recently.

    So -- from a plot/significance perspective -- how are the short story >collections? (I know the writing will be excellent.) I think I've only
    read 1-2 short stories in the Liaden Universe total.

    Sad to think there might not be any more.

    Very sad indeed.
    - Tony


    In general the short stories don't introduce major plot points, but may
    fill in some things that have been hinted at or throw some more light
    on things mentioned only in passing.

    For instance, we have had stories on:

    The story hinted at when D'avv & Aliana made their first courier
    delivery, and the recipients seemed to have their own fully
    fleshed out story going on that only impinged briefly on
    the Korvals'. Well, they did.

    More backstory on the political troubles of the world where
    Theo got her pilot's license.

    How Norbears got their name & came to be on Liaden ships.

    How D'aav upheld Korval's honor with a waterballoon fight.

    How Yxtrang Diagon Rifle brough honor to his Captain and
    adopted clan during a bawdyhouse visit.

    The backstory at Tinsori Light

    How Aunt Kareen, the least likable Kroval, reacted to
    Plan B, and what it cost her.

    How a stranded Liaden scout finds love, allows his wife
    to thrive (which she had not been doing), and arranges
    to get his halfling daughter off-world for lifesaving
    treatment while dying himself.

    How a neighboring estate on Surebleak comes to terms
    with the Korval holding.

    All enjoyable and well done, as you might expect.
    --
    columbiaclosings.com
    What's not in Columbia anymore..

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  • From Titus G@21:1/5 to Tony Nance on Thu Mar 14 17:28:29 2024
    On 2/03/24 11:06, Tony Nance wrote:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024
    snip
    ( +++ ) Slow Bullets - Reynolds (novella)
    Very good. Short, swift, neat ideas, dark, even vicious in spots. A vast interstellar war is ending, complete with an official cease fire; a
    female soldier gets captured by a sadistic male opponent, who tortures
    her and leaves her to die when peacekeepers show up to enforce the cease fire. She passes out and wakes up in a hibernation chamber on a ship
    that is clearly malfunctioning. The ship’s dying computer is waking some
    of its passengers, many of whom are soldiers from both sides of the war…including her nemesis (of course!).


    A good teaser of a summary. Three stars. I enjoyed this but nowhere near
    as much as his short five star masterpieces of dark vicious ideas,
    Diamond Dogs and A Spy in Europa.
    From the list of his other books, The Prefect, (originally Aurora
    Uprising), is listed as being in the Revelation Space series though it
    is not listed as such in Fantastic Fiction so I now have a copy. Has
    anyone read it?

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  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to Titus G on Thu Mar 14 09:46:36 2024
    On 3/13/2024 9:28 PM, Titus G wrote:
    On 2/03/24 11:06, Tony Nance wrote:

    Highlights and Lowlights - February 2024
    snip
    ( +++ ) Slow Bullets - Reynolds (novella)
    Very good. Short, swift, neat ideas, dark, even vicious in spots. A vast
    interstellar war is ending, complete with an official cease fire; a
    female soldier gets captured by a sadistic male opponent, who tortures
    her and leaves her to die when peacekeepers show up to enforce the cease
    fire. She passes out and wakes up in a hibernation chamber on a ship
    that is clearly malfunctioning. The ship’s dying computer is waking some >> of its passengers, many of whom are soldiers from both sides of the
    war…including her nemesis (of course!).


    A good teaser of a summary. Three stars. I enjoyed this but nowhere near
    as much as his short five star masterpieces of dark vicious ideas,
    Diamond Dogs and A Spy in Europa.
    From the list of his other books, The Prefect, (originally Aurora
    Uprising), is listed as being in the Revelation Space series though it
    is not listed as such in Fantastic Fiction so I now have a copy. Has
    anyone read it?

    I have. And the titles are in reverse order. It was originally
    released as 'The Prefect' (what I bought it as) and renamed when the
    second book in the series was released and the series was given the name
    "The Prefect Dreyfus Emergencies".

    It is set in the Revelation Space universe but other than that is a
    separate story line from the rest of the Revelation Space books. It is
    about a cop solving cases among the huge number of orbital habitats in
    the Glitter Band. I liked it and both of the sequels, will buy another
    in the series.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

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