WebScription eBooks

Baen have been “into” ebooks for quite a while. I subscribed to some of their books in the early days, to read on my PDA. Over the last few years I have drifted back to buying books in hard-copy.

Now that the AUS/US $ exchange rate is going bad, it’s time to have another look, save some money, trees and bookshelf-space. I have also started getting some magazine subscriptions in the paperless Zinio format.

Baen’s WebScriptions have expanded to include other publishers:
Baen Books (of course)
Del Rey (Only 1 free book at this time)
E-Reads
Meisha Merlin
Night Shade Books
SRM Publisher
Subterranean Press 
Tor Books
Also check out Baen’s Free Library

More about the publishers
Del Rey – home
E-Reads – home
Meisha Merlin – wiki - closed in 2007
Night Shade – wiki - home
SRM Publisher – home
Subterranean – wiki - home
Tor Books – home

Footnote: PDA’s although small are convenient for reading books, BUT… Now there are these small cheap netbooks that will display the text larger and save the squinting. Will I get one?

Fiona McIntosh: Percheron Saga

 

Percheron Trilogy

1) Odalisque
2) Emissary
3) Goddess
 

 

A tale about a time of change. Focused in the city/kingdom of Percheron, we witness the next stage in a cyclical battle between gods. Every other time, the demon Maliz has prevailed on behalf of his god, and defeated the god Lyanna. This cycle will be different.

Location:
Percheron – a city state like Constantinople under the Ottoman Turks. Arabian Nights–flavored. Harems and all that stuff.

Cast of Characters:
Boaz – becomes Zar at 15 following his fathers untimely death
Odalisque Ana – harem girl, wife to be of Zar, in love with Lazar, intelligent, rebel, is loved by Zar and desert Rebel chieftain, goddess-in-waiting??
Lazar – commander of armed forces, self exile from neighboring kingdom, master swordsman, god touched
Pez – “mad” dwarf jester, god touched
Herezah – the Zar’s cruel mother, head of the harem
Salemo – chief eunuch, sadistic, deserves a cruel death
Maliz – demon taking Grand Vizier as host and making him more likable, survives until the last chapters, and then…
Arafanz – chieftain of the desert warriors (bk3), religeous zealot

The gruelling bits:
Disturbing castration scene, driving stake thru body from ass to head, Lazar’s whipping.

Almost every character listed above is dead at the end, but, hey, its the journey – thats why we read books. At the end of book1 you might think you know who the emissary is, but..

I bought the series because it was on sale for $10/book, and some of her earlier work had been good. The first series “The Quickening” was very good. The second series “Trinity”, just good so I wasn’t rushing out to buy the next series. Maybe her 4th “Valisar” trilogy will bring more reading joy – just no reader reviews to peruse just yet.

The “Percheron Saga” was a good read, but “The Quickening” is still her best work to date.

Veterans Remembered

11th November – Veterans Day
Here’s just a few interesting links about those who served

Veterans Day, 2008, and C.S. Lewis’ Re-enchanted man
Veteran’s Day Today
to all who are serving or who have served . . .