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[Decrepit]

At 1824 this evening, 15 May 2023, I concluded an initial read of Deeds of Honor, first book in Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion World Chronicles series. It's a novella of short stories that shed light on differing aspects of the world depicted in Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion and Paladin's Legacy novels. Several are material originally intended for inclusion in the novels themselves, but jettisoned before publication. Several, such as Torre's Ride and Falk's Oath, are legends/myths from olden times. Several add to what we know of the series' cast, whether important, secondary or bit player. I enjoyed them all, and recommend the book to all who enjoy all things Paksenarrion. That said, there seems little in reading it without having already read the two primary series. (And Surrender None, though I don't know that it's an absolute necessity).

Book two, Deeds of Youth, is due out mid-July 2023.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: May 16 2023, 01:02 AM

[Decrepit]

At 1321 this afternoon, 25 May 2023, I concluded an initial read of The Green Count, book three in Christian Cameron's late-medieval historic fiction series Chivalry. This title started out at a disadvantage, following hard on the heels of rereading Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion and Paladin's Legacy books, the first a long-time favorite, the second a new favorite. Be that as it may, once acclimated I became invested with The Green Count, and remained so throughout. A worthwhile entry to a (so far) solid series that sees us follow the adventures of the series' main protagonist and a group of characters with whom he associates (or opposes). As is usual with Cameron, combat, both small-scale and large, is plentiful and well described. As is also usual, the various after-the-ending chapters are well worth reading.

The very last thing (other than technical stuff) in my Kindle e-book is the opening chapter of Killer of Men, book one in Cameron's The Long War. My original thought was to skip this, having read the series to its then-completion only a couple of years ago. My mistake was in reading its first two sentences, which utterly hooked me. I remained thoroughly engrossed 'til chapter's end. A wonderful book (and series)! This, for me, is likely to remain Cameron's masterpiece. But again, Chivalry is well worth a read by those with an interest in the genre.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: May 25 2023, 09:31 PM

[Decrepit]

At 1630 this afternoon, during supper, I concluded an initial read of Brian R. Solomon's Blood and Fire, The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik. This, as with all "pro" wrestling books, was a loan from my brother. It was also my kitchen table read for the past some months, meaning that I read it only during meals, usually no more than a few pages at a time. It's an OK read about the wrestling career of said individual. (He had next to no post-career life to speak of, working at his profession up into his seventies, by which point he was an utter wreck, both in and out of the ring.) I can recommend it only to diehard wrestling fans with an interest in wrestling's past.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jun 3 2023, 11:21 PM

[Decrepit]

At 0414 this morning, 09 Jun 2021, I concluded an initial read of Illborn, book one of Daniel T. Jackson's The Illborn Saga. Like many fantasy novels, it takes place in a world roughly equivalent to earth's European middle-ages. Royalty. Strong Organized Region in either opposition to or collusion with said royalty. The storyline centers on a small group of young adults who come to believe they have been given "gifts" by their god (or gods). During much of this first installment, these storylines are separate, though occasional merges occur.

I find it a good but not stellar read. The characters and storyline are interesting. I was a bit put off by the author's writing style at first, but grew accustomed to it over time. I still think it's the book's weakest aspect. Despite that reservation, I plan to read book two.

I recommend it, so long as you don't expect Guy Gavriel Kay level prosemanship.

[Decrepit]

At 1324 this afternoon, 17 Jun 2023, I concluded an initial read of Aiduel's Sin, book two of Daniel T. Jackson's The Illborn Saga. I enjoyed book one, and like this entry even better. It helps that, between books, someone must have talked with the author about a certain very short word used over and over again during conversions by pretty much every character, important or otherwise. A word I found jarringly out of place. I'm pleased to report that it appears not once in book two. Character and plot developments are well executed. It held my interest from beginning to end. I recommend it and will definitely buy book three when it appears.

[Decrepit]

At 0928 this morning, 20 Jun 2023, I concluded Nine Princes in Amber, book one of Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber series. This is its second read, though I've no physical proof of this. The series was lent me by a friend long ago, either very early after my conversion from non-fiction to fantasy, or possibly earlier, years before I began documenting what I read. As you might imagine, I have few concrete memories of that first read. That said, I recalled a surprising amount. As with that initial read, I consider it a solid read, but do not number it amongst my favorites. Considering its renown within the fantasy/sci-fi community, a recommendation by me is pointless.

I will continue on with book two, The Guns of Avalon.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jun 20 2023, 04:26 PM

[Decrepit]

At 2007 yesterday evening, Friday, 23 Jun 2023, I concluded a second read of The Guns of Avalon, book two in Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber. Its initial read occurred I know not when. At best, I can narrow it down to sometime between the mid-1970s and mild-1980s. Unlike book one, I recalled not one iota from GoA's first read. Like its predecessor, book two is a well-written, entertaining, easy read. It held my attention from start to finish.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jun 24 2023, 01:35 PM

[Decrepit]

At 1011 this morning, 4 Jul 2023, I concluded an initial read of Kings of the Wyld, book one in Nickolas Eames' series The Band. Its basic premise is that a long disbanded once-renown mercenary band is, in some cases reluctantly, reunited to attempt a seemingly impossible rescue mission. Much is made early on about individual members being old and out of shape, but little is made of this once things get going. The author makes an obvious play on Rock Band culture, as he himself admits at book's end, though the musicians within the story are all more-or-less "traditional" fantasy bards. The tale swings from humorous to serious throughout. The author states that the writings of Guy Gavriel Kay were his chief inspiration. You won't mistake this for Kay, but there are indeed some touching Kay-influenced moments sprinkled throughout the book.

I enjoyed KotW more than I expected to, and will likely acquire its successor at some point.

[Decrepit]

It totally slipped my mind, until now, to report that at 2045, 13 Jul 2023, I completed an initial read of Guy Gavriel Kay's recently published All the Seas of the World. A Booktuber whose Kay opinions I'm normally in sync with places it in his lowest Kay ranking tier. This once I disagree. While I don't consider it top-tier Kay, Kay's magic worked on me throughout, certainly more so than his previous two offerings, especially the first (in publication order).

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jul 23 2023, 08:23 PM

[Decrepit]

I am again late in reporting a book read, this time The Poppy War, book 1 in R.F. Kuang's trilogy of the same name, completed at 1340 on 23 Jul 2023. Mine is a Kindle edition that includes all three books as a single purchase/download. It was on sale at a decent discount at time of purchase.

It garners mixed responses on BookTube, some loving it, some rating it quite poorly. I find it a mixed bag, containing both good and bad elements. While a decent read, I don't know that I can give it a wholehearted recommendation, based on this first installment alone. I'll eventually read the remaining two entries, but at the moment am in the midst of an initial read of Miles (a.k.a. Christian) Cameron's novel Cold Iron, book one of his Masters & Mages fantasy series.

[Decrepit]

I'm late in reporting that, earlier this month, I completed not only Miles (Christian) Cameron's Cold Iron but also the other extant books in his Masters & Mages fantasy series: Dark Forge and Bright Steel. It gave me a sense of déjà vu early on. Like R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War, we are introduced to a relatively young main protagonist, from the sticks, selected to attend a prestigious state-controlled school. Both protagonists eventually come to play significant roles attempting to thwart forces posing dire threats to their perspective realms. Happily, M&M doesn't suffer from the unevenness of quality I found in The Poppy War. (Here I refer to the book only, not the trilogy as a whole, which I have not yet read.)

Book one is mostly confined to small-scale actions/events. It gave me a bit of a Three Musketeers vibe at times. Book two is heavy on large-scale military campaigns. Book three is highlighted by a number of smaller-scale, magic-centric engagements. All combats, large scale or small, are executed in typical Cameron style, meaning they are quite well done. There is, of course, more to it than that. It's a complex story with lots of intrigue, twists and turns.

I'm uncertain whether book three ends the story. Cameron tends to write series of indefinite duration, and the close of Bright Steel leave enough issues unresolved to warrant further installments.

I can recommend M&M as solid fantasy. It is not, however, equal to the author's superb The Long War historical fiction series.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Aug 18 2023, 08:28 PM

[Decrepit]

Not long ago another forum turned me on to a Humble Bundle deal allowing us to acquire all 17 Steven Erikson Malazan books, in EPUB format, for a minimum of $18US! I read book one long ago and didn't like it in the least, but couldn't resist. The series has such a stellar reputation that I figure a reread of that first entry is worth a shot. Maybe I'll think more kindly toward it next read. However, I'm now fairly early into the third book in Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. It'll be awhile before I finish it, and may not choose to tackle Malazan immediately thereafter.

The main reason I post this is to inform you that the HB Malazan sale is still on! Folk with ereaders, with the slightest interest in the series, might want to give it a look-see:

(link) Humble Bundle Malazan EPUB sale. (link)

(Some of the EPUB book covers are rather sparse, bearing no resemblance to those seen on the Bundle's advert page. While regrettable, it's not a lease-breaker for me.)

[Decrepit]

At 2004 yesterday evening, 09/09/23, I concluded an initial read of Assassin's Quest, bringing to an end Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. (Books 1 & 2 were read last month (Aug).) I have seen many positive reactions to this initial Realm of the Elderings foray over the years, but for whatever reason was never tempted to take the plunge. Until recently.

An old-style web forum I belong to posted a heads-up that Farseer was on sale, in Kindle format, dirt cheap. For the asking price, I figured; "Why not? If I don't like 'em I'm out only a few bucks."

Now I know what all the fuss is about. These are very, very good books, in all aspects. Upon finish yesterday, I attempted to move on to something else. A useless effort. I couldn't, still can't, get Farseer out of my mind, a sure sign that a book has thoroughly captivated me. Finding that the Kindle edition of Ship of Magic, book 1 in Hobb's next Elderings musings, Liveship Traders Trilogy, is just $2.99US, I grabbed in first thing this morning.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Sep 11 2023, 02:28 PM

[Decrepit]

At 2034 yesterday evening, 09/14/2023, I concluded an initial read of TJ Klung's The House in the Cerulean Sea, a fantasy novel somewhat dissimilar to the fantasies I normally choose to read. It starts out with a strong Orwellian vibe, which soon fades but never wholly disappears, to resurface near the end. Our main protagonist works as an investigative agent for the state-run agency, on an alternate earth, that controls facilities housing "magical" children, ostensibly for their own safety as well as the safety of the non-magical populous. Early on, the protagonist is given a special, top-level assignment to investigate one particular such facility, situated on an island, which among other residents houses what is deemed an extra-special child. Should this facility remain as it is, or be closed? Our protagonist, known for his objectivity, is given a month at the facility to observe and formulate a recommendation.

The core of the book centers on the protagonist's metamorphosis from who he is at the beginning of his assignment into who he becomes at its end. Along the way we experience the magical children themselves, those who run the facility, and their interactions with a nearby mainland village.

I enjoyed it. Quite a lot. My only real ding is that the one element of the ending is a bit too, what's the word?, syrupy?, for my taste, and potential positive consequences of actions initiated by the protagonist, and a few others, seem a bit too starry-eyes for what one could expect had this occurred on "our" earth. But these are niggles. It's a good book, well worth a look-see.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Sep 15 2023, 09:35 PM

[Decrepit]

At 1702 yesterday, 30 Sep 2023, I concluded an initial read of Ava Gardner: "Love Is Nothing" by Lee Server. This was a loan from my brother, the book I've been reading at the kitchen table during meals (but at no other time) these past some months. Expectations were low, never having followed Ms. Gardner's career and caring nothing for her celebrity. Turns out, she led a quite "interesting", if troubled, life, one that I can in almost no way relate to or want to immolate. Those core differences made the book an interesting/entertaining read. I can't see myself recommending it to those not into movie/film personality bios, but those who are might find it a welcome addition to their collection.

[Decrepit]

At 1058 this morning, 10/03/2023, I completed an initial read of The Witchwood Crown, book one of Tad Williams' Last King of Osten Ard, followup to the popular Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. The original series being a favorite of mine, I worried that this new series might not live up to its predecessor. Happily, I thoroughly enjoyed this first Last King entry. Lots happens here, not much of it pleasant (for the participants). I like it that, at book end, I still have no firm feeling who the titled "Last King" might turn out to be, there being no one character who can be singled out as the for-sure focal point of the story. Much of the book points to one of Simon's direct descendants filling that role, assuming it's not Simon himself, but things happen near the end that suggest at least one other possibility. (Then again, the "King" might prove to be someone or something totally unexpected.) Though Witchwood Crown has been available more than long enough to make my recommendation pointless, I do recommend it to anyone who enjoys the original books.

[Decrepit]

I am again somewhat negligent in reporting that I have completed initial reads of the final two currently existent books in Tad Williams' Last King of Osten Ard, those being Empire of Grass and Into the Narrowdark. I was totally sold with book one. These two entries have not lessened my praise for the series in the least. Book three ends, discounting a short epilogue chapter, in an absolutely intense climax that contains quite the plot twist. (The best character reveal to date, in my estimation, is contained near the end of book one.) As said before, I find these books a worthy followup to the author's decades-old Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

My problem these past some days has been in selecting what to tackle next. Most everything I've started pales in comparison to Osten Ard. Just this morning I began a book I've so far stuck with; The Sword of Bedwyr, first entry in R. A. Salvatore's The Crimson Shadow. Believe it or not, this is my first exposure to Salvatore. The book has been good reading thus far, but it's far too soon for me to have formed any firm opinion as to its overall worth.

I almost forgot to mention that the concluding Osten Ard installment has a tentative publication date of November 2024.

[Decrepit]

Thus far this month (Nov 2023) I have completed three reads. Two are light-weight fillers to help me survive a strong reading slump that began immediately after completing Tad William's Into the Narrowdark last month.

The first of these is Experiences of a Bandmaster by John P Sousa. This is no more than a set of reminiscences of "oddities" that occurred while Sousa was head of first the U.S. Marine Band then later his own touring commercial concert band. It's a very short read, more something you'd see as a feature article in an old-style periodical than a stand-alone publication. I don't see it as appealing to anyone other than a niche audience of those interested in the history of the American (U.S.) concert/military band movement. I am admittedly part of that tiny niche. That said, some individual reminiscences were familiar to me, some not. This being a Project Gutenberg free download, it was worth the investment.

Next up, another free Project Gutenberg D/L; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I expected to like it better than I did. It seems to me that, compared to Baum's Oz books, but not the post-Baum Oz books, AAiW is noticeably more heavily biased toward young readers. I am not a young reader, despite my often-infantile brain. I found it a thoroughly decent read, but not something I'll go out of my way to read again.

Lastly, If You Don't Buy This Book, Everybody Dies, by Tracy Smothers and John Cosper. This is another kitchen-table book on loan from my brother. It chronicles the life (to-date) of the "pro" wrestler Tracy Smothers. To my surprise, I quite enjoyed it, certainly more so than I expected to. It might be my favorite wrestler bio loaned me by my brother. (There is at least one non-bio book dealing with the wrestling industry that I like better.) Unlike other wrestler bios I've read, Smothers sticks to the straight and narrow, talking almost exclusively about his life as a wrestler (and those no-wrestling jobs he held to supplement his income). Family life, except during his pre-wrestling youth, is hardly touched on at all. I find this approach refreshing, and totally apt for someone as committed to his "art" as Smothers was for almost the entirety of his working life. This is again a niche title, but one I can comfortably recommend if you fall into that niche.

[Decrepit]

At 1024 this morning, 7 Jan 2024, I concluded my first book this year, Fool's Errand, book one in Robin Hobb's The Tawny Man Trilogy. As with the previous six Hobb Realm of the Elderings titles I've read, it was excellent. In this trilogy, we leave Live Ship behind and return to The Six Duchies and FitzChivalry Farseer, now known under another name, some 15 years since we last encountered him. Unlike Live Ship, with its many perspectives, this first book is told almost exclusively from Fizt point of view, with lots of character introspection. IMO, the earlier two trilogies ought to be read before tackling Tawny Man. Speaking of which, there's a character tie-in between Farseer, Live Ship and Fool's Errand that, once noticed, seems glaringly obvious. Yet, I only made the connection partway through Fool's Errand. As soon as it came to me, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I missed it. I'll move definitely move on to book 2, already on my Paperwhite.

[Decrepit]

A listing of all "books" read by me during 2023, chronologically by completion date/time:


1. 01/05/2023: 2102 “The Railway Detective, book 13: Signal For Vengeance” by Edward Marston
2. 01/19/2023: 1419 “The Luck of Barry Lyndon” by William Makepeace Thackeray (1852-53)
3. 01/23/2023: 0456 “Guns of the Dawn” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
4. 02/03/2023: 1402 “City of Last Chances” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
5. 02/07/2023: 1521 “A Hangman’s Daughter Tale 3: The Beggar King” by Oliver Pötzsch
6. 02/10/2023: 2030 “Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862” by O. Edward Cunningham
7. 02/12/2023: 0841 “Elder Race” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
8. 02/14/2023: 1359 “Hart’s Hope” by Orson Scott Card (seventh read)
9. 02/19/2023: 0735 “Beethoven’s Hair” by Russell Martin
10. 02/21/2023: 1331 “The Adventures of Peter Pan” (seven J.M. Barrie Peter Pan titles)
11. 03/01/2023: 0809 “Petition and memorial of David Quinn, asking for the re-establishment of Negro slavery in the United States” by David Quinn (active 1850-1869)
12. 03/02/2023: 1702 “Lost Christianities, The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew” by Bart. D. Ehrman
13. 03/12/2023: 0454 “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas
14. 03/17/2023: 1406 “Yashka: My Life as Peasant, Exile and Soldier” by Maria Botchkareva and Issac Don Levine (1919 initial printing)
15. 03/25/2023: 0333 “Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)” by George Orwell
16. 03/25/2023: 2112 “Animal Farm” by George Orwell
17. 04/09/2023: 2023 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 1: Sheepfarmer’s Daughter” by Elizabeth Moon (sixth read)
18. 04/15/2023: 1049 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 2: Divided Allegiance” by Elizabeth Moon (fifth read)
19. 04/19/2023: 2224 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 3: Oath of Gold” by Elizabeth Moon (fifth read)
20. 04/21/2023: 0837 “War is a Racket” by General Smedley Butler
21. 04/24/2023: 1600 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 1: Oath of Fealty” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
22. 04/27/2023: 1806 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 2: Kings of the North” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
23. 04/29/2023: 0834 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 3: Echoes of Betrayal” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
24. 05/03/2023: 0954 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 4: Limits of Power” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
25. 05/07/2023: 0924 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 5: Crown of Renewal” by Elizabeth Moon
26. 05/13/2023: 1327 “The Legacy of Gird, book 1: Surrender None” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
27. 05/15/2023: 1824 “Paksenarrion World Chronicle, book1: Deeds of Honor” by Elizabeth Moon
28. 05/25/2023: 1321 “Chivalry, book 3: The Green Count” by Christian Cameron
29. 06/03/2023: 1630 “Blood and Fire, The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik” by Brian R. Solomon
30. 06/09/2023: 0414 “The Illborn Saga, book 1: Illborn” by Daniel T. Jackson
31. 06/17/2023: 1324 “The Illborn Saga, book 2: Aiduel’s Sin” by Daniel T. Jackson
32. 06/20/2023: 0928 “The Chronicles of Amber, book 1: Nine Princes in Amber” by Roger Zelazny (second read)
33. 06/23/2023: 2007 “The Chronicles of Amber, book 2: The Guns of Avalon” by Roger Zelazny (second read)
34. 07/04/2023: 1011 “The Band, book 1: Kings of the Wyld” by Nickolas Eames
35. 07/13/2023: 2045 “All the Seas of the World” by Guy Gavriel Kay
36. 07/23/2023: 1340 “The Poppy War Trilogy, book 1: The Poppy War” by R.F. Kuang
37. 08/02/2023: 0430 “Masters and Mages, book 1: Cold Iron” by Miles Cameron
38. 08/08/2023: 0935 “Masters and Mages, book 2: Dark Forge” by Miles Cameron
39. 08/12/2023: 2024 “Masters and Mages, book 3: Bright Steel” by Miles Cameron
40. 08/20/2023: 2115 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 1: Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb
41. 08/27/2023: 1942 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 2: Royal Assassin” by Robin Hobb
42. 09/09/2023: 2004 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 3: Assassin’s Quest” by Robin Hobb
43. 09/14/2023: 2034 “The House in the Cerculean Sea” by TJ Klune
44. 09/30/2023: 1702 “Ava Gardner: “Love Is Nothing” by Lee Server
45. 10/03/2023: 1058 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 1: The Witchwood Crown” by Tad Williams
46. 10/14/2023: 1123 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 2: Empire of Grass” by Tad Williams
47. 10/22/2023: 0156 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 3: Into the Narrowdark” by Tad Williams
48. 11/01/2023: 1540 “Experiences of a Bandmaster” (very short set of recollections) by J.P. Sousa
49. 11/05/2023: 1600 “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll
50. 11/10/2023: 0553 “If You Don’t Buy This Book, Everybody Dies” by Tracy Smothers and John Cosper
51. 11/15/2023: 1307 “Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, book 1: The Dragonbone Chair” by Tad Williams (seventh read)
52. 12/01/2023: 0406 “The Liveship Traders, book 1: Ship of Magic” by Robin Hobb
53. 12/06/2023: 1626 “Don’t Call Me Fake, The True Story of Dr. D David Schultz” by David Schultz and John Cosper
54. 12/09/2023: 1306 “The Liveship Traders, book 2: The Mad Ship” by Robin Hobb
55. 12/22/2023: 1923 “The Liveship Traders, book 3: Ship of Destiny” by Robin Hobb

I might or might not discuss favorites, trends, etc. in a future post.