Sword-and-Sorcery and Song and Dance: Steven Brust’s “Lyorn.”

Lyorn is the seventeenth installment in Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos series. For some reason I’d believed this would the final book, as there are seventeen houses in the Cycle of his fictional universe, and one book title now corresponds to each individual house. I was, apparently, incorrect, as this novel does not tie up loose… Continue reading Sword-and-Sorcery and Song and Dance: Steven Brust’s “Lyorn.”

Tsalmoth. Vlad Taltos Bears Up Under Adversity.

That saga of Vlad Taltos continues with Tsalmoth, the sixteenth book in the series. Tsalmoth is a tale set in Vlad’s early days. He’s still a minor boss and occasional assassin. There’s a touch of the original ‘cool’ factor and at the same time, Brust is layering in universe-building information which may, or may not, become… Continue reading Tsalmoth. Vlad Taltos Bears Up Under Adversity.

Liavek. Not Coming Up Sevens.

The Thieves World series made a splash in the eighties with its stories of anti-heroes, burglars, wizards, crime lords, warriors, bards, various underworld denizens, and the occasional common, law abiding (more or less) citizen of Sanctuary. Will Shetterly and Emma Bull, et al, decided to see if they could recreate that Thieves World magic with… Continue reading Liavek. Not Coming Up Sevens.

Recent Reading. Resurrected Post.

January 20, 2019 Recent Reading “What have you been reading?” the imaginary voices in my head — those of the imagined readers of this web log — ask. Well, I’ll tell you, phantoms and figments. As usual I have several books going at any given time, books for different locations and portions of my day.… Continue reading Recent Reading. Resurrected Post.

Styles. Resurrected Post.

January 31, 2016 Styles I’ve nearly completed re-reading “The Worm Ouroboros,” E.R. Eddison’s underappreciated masterpiece. It is a mine worth delving into again, its depths not fully plumbed, its treasures still unmeasured. If I haven’t made myself clear, I love it. The villains are Shakespearean, complex and fascinating. The heros are Homeric, grandly larger than… Continue reading Styles. Resurrected Post.

Rainy Day Reading. Resurrected Post.

October 26, 2014 Rainy-day Reading The grey days are here again. The storms roll inland from the Pacific in succession, bringing the seemingly continuous rain. The temperatures drop and coats come out of the closet. The days grow shorter. The nagging bugs commence. My daughter has already picked up a cold from somewhere and has… Continue reading Rainy Day Reading. Resurrected Post.