Oath of Fealty

Oath of Fealty (Hardcover)
by Elizabeth Moon
Publisher: Del Rey (March 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345508742
ISBN-13: 978-0345508744

Gathering Momentum, April 24, 2010
This is the first book of Elizabeth Moon’s “Paladin’s Legacy” trilogy. As such it is laying the background for a looming war. A war in which old magics return.

With Mages able to transfer to other bodies, who can you trust?

The book expands more on the powers of the Marshals of Gird, Tir, etc

The main characters are drawn from Paksenarrion’s old cohort. The Duke who becomes King of the half-elven kingdom of Lyonya, the Captain who becomes Duke of Verrakai after her evil mage family is caught in a treasonous coupe attempt, and another captain who inherits the former Dukes’ (now King) lands and fighting forces.

Paksenarrion plays a background/supporting role.

A good read, although a bit slow for the first third. I will re-read “The Deed of Paksenarrion” before the next book comes out. Can’t wait.

24/05/2010: This book is already out in Paperback in Australia. Today I read Borders misleading blurb about the book. “Kieri is King of a divided land. Human and Elves live in an uneasy peace, newly united under their mixed blood ruler. And they face a common enemy, so unity has never been more important – or harder to achieve. Kieri must try and bind his people together, but a legacy of war has devastated the land and torn apart communities, leaving death and resentment in its wake. The King is also facing great pressure to marry, and consolidate his rule with powerful allies. But will Kieri choose and elven bride, or a human suitor? And will his warrior background allow him to navigate the difficult politics of a fractured realm? ”

Have they even read the book. It looks a lot like the probable synopsis for the next book.

On Elizabeth Moons website the accurate blurb says:
“In Oath of Fealty, book one of Paladin’s Legacy, two neighboring realms each get a new king–and both kings face personal danger and social unrest. An estranged daughter must take over her family’s realm and send her evil adult relatives to prison–or face a charge of treason. And a former mercenary captain inherits the entire company. Assassinations, conspiracies, brigands, wars and rumors of war…will it never end?”

Anyway, I have also just finished reading “The Deed of Paksenarrion” and its prequel “The Legacy of Gird” where Paks and Kieri are mentioned at the conclusion, so I expect the “Paladin’s Legacy” series to link in at some stage – maybe book 3.

Malcolm McLaren Dead @ 64

22/Jan/1946 – 8/Apr/2010

Never mind the Sex Pistols.
My favourite Malcolm McLaren lagacy is his “Paris” jazz album (1997) – bliss.

obituaries:
Daily Mail (UK)
NY Times

Paris album on Amazon (read the reviews).

The Windup Girl

by Paolo Bacigalupi
ISBN 978-1597801577, Hardcover
Night Shade Books, 2009

http://windupstories.com

I have just finished reading this book.
All I heard was raves about this book and author – best book of the year?? Not to me. But an interesting read nonetheless.

It’s set in Thailand, post global warming and civilization collapse. An unstable warlord society in which the displaced strive to recover past glories/power.

International commerce is via clipper ship or dirigible. Genetic engineering of crops etc has lead to plagues that have decimated populations. Theres still the risk of a new variant emerging any time.

Picture the city in Blade Runner, minus the rain and technology. The cover makes the city look grander than the image portrayed in Paolo’s prose.

The Windup Girl is a genetic engineered creature who has been bread to serve as assistant, translator and slave to her Japanese master. She is discarded in the Thai city, and becomes a show piece in a Thai strip club. Following severe abuse she kills some very important personage and flees into the city. It is just one of many triggers that sets off a power stuggle in the city.

Tower and Hive: Anne McCaffrey

1) The Rowan; 2) Damia;
3) Damia’s Children; 4) Lyons Pride; 5) The Tower and the Hive
ISBN 0593023582 (Bantam) Hardcover, 1990
ISBN 0593023749 (Bantam) Hardcover, 1992
ISBN 0552139122 (Corgi) Paperback, 1994
ISBN 0552142182 (Corgi) Paperback, 1994
ISBN 0593043243 (Bantam) Hardcover, 1999

This series documents the history of a dynasty of Telepaths and Kinetics that serve humanity for inter-stellar communication and shipping.

It all starts with a baby caught in a mudslide. She has the mental scream to keep Altair’s talents on edge until she’s found. As the sole survivor of a tradgedy, she becomes a state ward and is educated by the planets’ Prime telepath/kinetic. At a relatively young age, she is shipped off to Callisto to assist Earth’s Prime in the busy home system.

It’s a lonely life, but she’s soon joined by Afra Lyon.

Their lives are tuned upside down when alien bugs (hive minded) attack outer colony world Deneb. Their Prime, Jeff Raven, shouts a warning back to Callisto station to enlist their support. All the talents unite, and the invaders are destroyed.

Jeff and the Rowan marry, having wayward child Damia. Afa rescues Damia again and again until one error gets her sent to Deneb. As she matures, she is assigned as Prime for the new tower on the mining world, Aurigae. While out in space looking out for more hivers she meets mind to mind with an inter-galactic voyager. He turns out to be predatory and it takes a mind meld, with Afra and her brother as focus, to overcome and destroy him.

Afra marries Damia, and they have many children…

Somewhere in there, another sentinent species (Mrdinis) contacts the humans to join with them to defeat the hivers.

The last 3 books detail Damia’s childrens efforts, in conjunction with the Mrdinis, to chase down the hiver worlds and eliminate their capacity to wage war again.

Well written. I loved the first 2 books best, but the whole series is well worth reading. I first read these books as they were released. It was great to re-read them now, as a complete series. The ending was not as I remembered – must have confused it with some other tale.

The Catcher in the Rye

by J.D.Salinger
ISBN 978-0140237504
c 1946

This is the tale of Holden Caufield’s journey home at term break. It’s told in the “first person” from Holden’s perspective.

He’s been expelled and hopes to get home before his parents get the official letter.

He’s having a run of bad luck, and something in the past has left him jaded. He isn’t getting along with his teachers, and the school, tagging them as phony.

He comes from a privileged New York family (father is a lawyer). Cashed up with $100-ish he rents a hotel room and goes out for a night on the town. Naive in many respects, he is lucky to survive the experiences. I don’t think the story would be realistic in today’s New York.

The story is very well written. It is quite detailed, painting a rich canvas of life in the vicinity of Central Park.

A good read.

Strange, but I don’t remember reading it at school, so it’s my first read. Doesn’t enthuse me to read other works by the author.

I picked it up because Christopher Barzak’s novel “One For Sorrow” was said to be as timeless. Maybe..!! – jury is out! Both have some elements that do age – New York has changed since the 1940′s – Small town USA, today, has all these new technologies that can’t help but influence Barzak’s tale.

Barzak’s tale has some supernatural elements, whereas Salinger’s is a clean/direct/realistic narrative.

Read them both – make your own decision.

wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye
books by christopher-barzak

Robert Buettner: Jason Wander Series

Robert Buettner: Jason Wander / Orphan Series

1) Orphanage
2) Orphan’s Destiny
3) Orphan’s Journey
4) Orphan’s Alliance
5) Orphan’s Triumph
ISBN 0446614297, 0446614300, 0316001732, 1841497525 & 1841497624 (Orbit)

Very easy, enjoyable reads

Have just taken 5 days to read the last 2 novels.

Book 1: Orphanage
In homage to Robert Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers”, Buettner recreates the story his way.

Book 2: Orphan’s Destiny
At twenty-five, General Jason Wander has fought and won man’s only alien conflict. Now, after long years in space, he’s coming home…but to what? Earth’s desperate nations, impoverished by war damage and military spending, are slashing defense budgets. There’s just one problem with this new worldwide policy-the first alien invasion was merely Plan A.

Suddenly, the real assault begins: Earth is attacked by a vast armada. To block their invasion, mankind has only one surviving craft and a single guerrilla strike force…a suicide squad led by Jason Wander.

Book 3: Orphan’s Journey
In the years since the last Slug War, Jason’s command style hasn’t made him any friends in the Army. Now, in an effort to keep him out of trouble, the Army has sent Jason to the vast, Earth-orbiting resort called New Moon. At the core of this enormous space station is a starship, a relic from the last war.

When a test run of the ship goes wrong, Jason, along with a handful of others, will be torn from orbit and thrust outof known space. Now, stranded on an alien planet, Jason realizes that not only are his friends are looking to him for rescue, but an entire planet sees him as their only hope.

Book 4: Orphan’s Alliance
As intraplanetary conflicts rage around him, and the personal stakes get ever higher, Jason finds that playing planet-hopping politician can be harder than commanding armies.

When united mankind squares off to battle the Slugs for a precious interstellar crossroad (Mousetrap), Jason will discover that the most dangerous enemy may be the one he least expects.

Book 5: Orphan’s Triumph
Jason Wander is ready to lead the final charge into battle. The Powers That Be want him to retire. Jason stows away as the armada takes the battle to the Slug home world.

The enemy is waiting at the final jump and the fleet all but annihilated. Jason sneaks thru in a small fighter, landing on the home planet. The enemy communicates with him as he monitors the doomsday weapons’ countdown.

Highlights:
- bk5 pg29: Moosetrap :) – gotta find at least one typo!

Similar books to read
- John Scalzi: Old Man’s War trilogy
- Robert Heinlein: Starship Troopers
- Orson Scott Card: Ender Series

Wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Buettner
Blog: robertbuettner.wordpress.com
www: robertbuettner.com

The Best of Lucius Shepard

ISBN 978-1596061330 (Subterranean)
Hardback, 2008

Lucius Shepard (1947- ) is an American writer. Classified as a science fiction and fantasy writer, he often leans into other genres, such as magical realism.

This collection of short stories is just one of many that I have bought recently.

Shepard is a writer new to me. He writes richly. In earlier stories of war, and the jungle, in Vietnam and South America he delivers strange/rich stories – that magical realism…

It is not a book I could dedicate continuous reading time to. For the last few months a few other books have provided a distraction (see earlier reviews). But, for the last couple of weeks I have been determined to finish it. The last 3 tales definitely worth the effort.

Jailwise: an interesting twist on Jails without jailers
Dead Money: Poker with the recently dead
Stars Seen Through Stone: An extra dimension invasion? Why has the occurance of brilliance increased in the smalltown of Black William, Pennsylvania?

On the whole, worth the time to get a taste of Shepard’s style.

Verdict: 4 stars

Wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Shepard
Blog: community.livejournal.com/theinferior4
Home: www.lucius-shepard.com/
this (home page) appears less current with Lucius making more blog entries

The Martian Chronicles

by Ray Bradbury
ISBN 978-0380973835 (William Morrow)
Hardback (2006 reprint of 1997 Avon Books edition)
story copyrights 1946,1948,1949,1950,1958,1972 with 1997 introduction by the author.

With Subterranean Press about to publish a special edition of Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles, and me not willing to part with US$300 for the privilege – especially now the the AUS$ has dropped from “near parity” to US$0.80ish – I grabbed a cheaper copy to renew the reading experience. I did have other copies in the past, but have given them away.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a copy before that delivered the works in chronological order from “Ylla” (first landing) thru to “The Million-Year Picnic”.

Timeline (stories) 2030-2057 [story list added 15/06/2009]
Rocket Summer
Ylla
The Summer Night
The Earth Men
The Taxpayer
The Third Expedition
And The Moon Be Still As Bright
The Settlers
The Green Morning
The Locusts
Night Meeting
The Shore
The Fire Balloons
Interim
The Musicians
The Wilderness (c 1972)
The Naming of Names
Usher II
The Old Ones
The Martian
The Luggage Store
The Off Season
The Watchers
The Silent Towns
The Long Years
There Will Come Soft Rains
The Million-Year Picnic

Not all the stories are as good as I remembered, but it was good to re-live the series. I have other martian stories waiting on the shelves, from Bradbury contemporaries such as Leigh Brackett and Edmond Hamilton.

If you are a Bradbury worshiper, order the forthcoming Subterranean Press edition. For more information, follow this  link..

The Martian Chronicles: The Complete Edition
By Ray Bradbury (to be published in late 2009)
Illustrated by Edward Miller
Introduction by John Scalzi
Limited: US$300
Lettered: US$900
keep an eye out for temporary price reductions.

Verdict: 4 stars – anything by Ray Bradbury is worth reading

The First Law Trilogy

by Joe Abercrombie

1) The Blade Itself – ISBN 978-0575079793 (Gollancz)
2) Before They are Hanged – ISBN 978-0575082014 (Gollancz)
3) Last Argument of Kings – ISBN 978-0575084162 (Gollancz)
Paperbacks.

The final novel was nominated as a finalist for the David Gemmell Legend Award. Abercrombie is in fine company with Marillier, Sanderson, Sapkowski and Weeks also in the running.

I have seen reviews of this series that say each novel in the series just gets better. All I can say is they get fatter. The writing in all three novels was, IMO, even. No book better than another.

The story jumped around a bit too much, and lacked emotion (to me any way) – a bit flat. Maybe I have just read too much better fantasy lately (Brent Weeks, Fiona McIntosh & Karen Miller for example).

That said, the tale was very well constructed, consistent and no loose ends at the conclusion.

Verdict: 3 stars
www.joeabercrombie.com
gemmellaward.com/profiles/blogs/the-short-list

Flinx Transcendent

by Alan Dean Foster
ISBN: 978-0345496072 (Del Rey)
Hardback, May 2009

A Novel of the (Humanx) Commonwealth
and the final Adventure of Pip & Flinx

In this novel, Foster gets to make a tidy ending of the series. Friends and enemies gather to achieve/thwart Flinx’s ambitions. Many entities from Foster’s “Humanx Commonwealth” novels, not just the “Flinx and Pip” adventures, meet to assist in the destruction of the “great approaching evil”.

Foster can’t let a novel go without disecting at least one civilization. This time it is the enemy of the Humanx Comonwealth, the bloodthirsty AAnn (a good way to round up the series). Flinx, again sidetacks from his task, sneaking onto the AAnn homeworld and making friends in the most unlikely places.

Ultimately, Flinx defeats his enemies and gets the girl!!… and boredom.

Verdict: A Great read – recommended (mostly for Pip & Flinx readers)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flinx
www.alandeanfoster.com

I would like to see more Flinx adventures. With the old thread brought to a tidy conclusion, perhaps there is scope for some standalone adventures. Even more Commonwealth stories would be welcomed.