Highlights and Lowlights - July 2026

Books are rated using a very primitive rating system:
?+? are good, and more ?+? are better
?-? are not good, and more ?-? are worse

No brief descriptions this time - very busy times, but I?m happy to
answer questions about anything here.

Highlight: Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8 (re-read)]

Lowlight: Thieves World was lowest rated, but it?s not accurate to call
it a lowlight.

July 2026
(+++) Elder Race - Tchaikovsky [Elder Race #1 (novella)] (#2 to be
released 9/1/26) [MY THANKS to those who recommended this one.]
(+++) Queen Demon - Wells [Rising World #2]
(+ 1/2) Thieves World - ed. By Robert Asprin [Thieves World #1]
(++) Jumper - Gould [Jumper #1]
(++) Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead - KJ Parker [nym for Tom Holt;
Saevus Corax #1]
(++ 1/2) Stone & Sky - Aaronovitch [Rivers of London #10]
(+++) Diamond Fire - Andrews [Hidden Legacy #4 (novella)]
(+++ 1/2) Wildfire - Andrews [Hidden Legacy #3]
(++ 1/2) Nerves - del Rey (novel version from 1956, mildly edited for
1976 edition)
(+++ 1/2) A Liaden Universe Constellation Vol. 3 - Lee & Miller [Liaden Universe]
(+++ 1/2) Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8, Re-read Project #10]

Now Reading:
Long work - Primary Inversion - Asaro [Skolian Empire #1]
Collection - Tomorrow Sucks ed. by Cox & Weisskopf

Tony

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 15/08/2026 23:41, Tony Nance wrote:

Highlights and Lowlights - July 2026
Highlight: Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8 (re-read)]

After being recommended here by Jibini, I ranked #1 Four Stars but
although I enjoyed #2 and #3 rating them Three Stars, I never bought #4. Instead I began the Khaarven Romances which I enjoyed more but haven't
yet read #3 which I have.

July 2026
(+++) Elder Race - Tchaikovsky [Elder Race #1 (novella)] (#2 to be
released 9/1/26) [MY THANKS to those who recommended this one.]

It was recommended by James Nicoll.
It was a Four Star read for me. I am not sure if a sequel will match
this novella.

(++) Jumper - Gould [Jumper #1]

All I recall of this is that it was shallow, perhaps with YA in mind?

(+++ 1/2) Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8, Re-read Project #10]

My vague recollection is that they became repetitive or maybe I can
enjoy his unique style only in small doses. Thanks to your post, I am
going to read Khaarven #3.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 8/15/26 2:06 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

In article <115pj8r$3b8oj$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

Highlights and Lowlights - July 2026

As usuall enjoyed seeing this. I meant to comment on your last
one, but kept putting it off, so let me not do that this time!

IIRC, this happened to me with one of yours as well.

Lowlight: Thieves World was lowest rated, but it?s not accurate to call
it a lowlight.

Did this series ever have a "finish"? I remember reading a number back
in the day, and there was an ongoing metaplot where the useless prince
who had been gotten out of the way in a backwater city was becoming
a force to be reckoned with, but I don't recall a payoff.

I looked some of this up when I was drafting the post ... let's see ...
I don't know if there was ever a patoff or finish to some of the long
plot lines.

The original anthologies went from 1979-89, and then there were a few
new ones from 2002-04. And there were several novels written, many by
Janet Morris, including as recently as 2010.

(+++) Diamond Fire - Andrews [Hidden Legacy #4 (novella)]
(+++ 1/2) Wildfire - Andrews [Hidden Legacy #3]

As usual, enjoyed.

(++ 1/2) Nerves - del Rey (novel version from 1956, mildly edited for
1976 edition)

As I said, I read & liked this, but recall very little specific about
it now.

(+++ 1/2) A Liaden Universe Constellation Vol. 3 - Lee & Miller [Liaden
Universe]

Looking at the TOC, I have read several of these, but don't believe
I have read the collection itself. Anyway, I enjoyed those I recall.

Collection - Tomorrow Sucks ed. by Cox & Weisskopf

I believe you, or someone, said this is vampires. Could just
as easily be 1970s' SF though :-)

Exactly - I saw the title (spine out) and figured it was some dismal
anthology about the future being terrible. I laughed when it turned out
to be vampires with a mildly scientific angle[1], so I picked it up.

Tony
[1] ?scientific vampirism?, per the back cover



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 8/15/26 8:44 PM, Titus G wrote:

On 15/08/2026 23:41, Tony Nance wrote:

Highlights and Lowlights - July 2026
Highlight: Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8 (re-read)]

After being recommended here by Jibini, I ranked #1 Four Stars but
although I enjoyed #2 and #3 rating them Three Stars, I never bought #4. Instead I began the Khaarven Romances which I enjoyed more but haven't
yet read #3 which I have.

I have enjoyed pretty much the whole series, though there are a few in
there that are pretty depressing (speculation says those were written as
Brust was going through a divorce - I do not know if that is true or not).

I chose #8 for a re-read because my vague memories *backed up by the
internet) thought that 8-10 was a particularly strong stretch. (9 =
Issola, 10 = Dzur)

As you now, the Khaavren romances are very different -- and I also found
them to be very enjoyable.

July 2026
(+++) Elder Race - Tchaikovsky [Elder Race #1 (novella)] (#2 to be
released 9/1/26) [MY THANKS to those who recommended this one.]

It was recommended by James Nicoll.
It was a Four Star read for me. I am not sure if a sequel will match
this novella.

Agreed, but I'll certainly give it a try.

(++) Jumper - Gould [Jumper #1]

All I recall of this is that it was shallow, perhaps with YA in mind?

Yeah, it was fine but didn't quite excel for me. It was a bit shallow,
and the alcoholism & abuse angle wasn't enjoyable either (thoug
important to how the books goes).

(+++ 1/2) Dragon - Brust [Vlad Taltos #8, Re-read Project #10]

My vague recollection is that they became repetitive or maybe I can
enjoy his unique style only in small doses. Thanks to your post, I am
going to read Khaarven #3.

I hope it goes well!
Tony


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)