Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025

[Tony Nance]

Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025

Happy Groundhog Day!

Kind of a slow reading month, especially compared to past Januaries.

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

I’m happy to answer questions about anything here.

Highlights - House of Suns - Reynolds

Lowlights - nothing “low” enough to put here

January
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]

Now Reading:
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven

===========================================
January 2025

( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds? Thanks to
those of you who recommended this one. The scope, the ideas, the
incredible timespans (still featuring our main characters), the
sensawunder - wow.
Six million years ago(!), Abigail Gentian — leader of the Gentian Line —
sent 1000 clones of herself (of both genders, with different personality
tweaks/preferences) into the galaxy to observe and document human
civilizations. Every 200,000 years, the 1000 meet to exchange news,
info, and memories. An ambush at one of the gatherings reduces the Line
to less that 60, and the survivors flee, investigate, etc.

( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
This is a pretty good anthology of many pretty good time travel stories.
Malzberg’s intros add very little of interest. Here’s the table of contents:
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?35927
Note: My edition, though purchased new, did not come with a comic book
adaptation of A Sound of Thunder.

( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
Better than the previous one, not as good as the early ones. More
importantly, though, might possibly be avoiding (or ignoring) the stupid
Jump-the-Shark direction it was heading. This one is Roslyn-based, and
there are a few new characters here. The hornets’ nest that was kicked
in #14 blossomed in this one, leaving the Martian forces undermanned,
stretched thin, and far from home. I will read #16.

( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]
Yet another very good entry in this enjoyable series. There’s just a
little over-explanation in some places, but otherwise spot on. In the
previous book, we learned a lot about the border zones, one Tower lost
its captain, and the Academia gets re-established. This book picks up on
all of that, including a meeting of the other Tower captains, mostly
about Shadow and Ravellon, and replacing the lost Tower captain is also
front-and-center.

Now Reading:
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven

Tony

[James Nicoll]

Post by Tony Nance
( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
This is a pretty good anthology of many pretty good time travel stories.
Malzberg’s intros add very little of interest. Here’s the table of
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?35927
Note: My edition, though purchased new, did not come with a comic book
adaptation of A Sound of Thunder.

As I recall, I got two Best Time Travel Stories anthologies almost
back to back. One was this one, and the other was The Best Time
Travel Stories of the 20th Century ed by Martin H. Greenberg and
Harry Turtledove. Only two story overlap, and I think I preferred
the Greenberg/Turtledove to the Malzberg.

[Tony Nance]

Post by James Nicoll

Post by Tony Nance
( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
This is a pretty good anthology of many pretty good time travel stories.
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?35927
Note: My edition, though purchased new, did not come with a comic book
adaptation of A Sound of Thunder.

As I recall, I got two Best Time Travel Stories anthologies almost
back to back. One was this one, and the other was The Best Time
Travel Stories of the 20th Century ed by Martin H. Greenberg and
Harry Turtledove. Only two story overlap, and I think I preferred
the Greenberg/Turtledove to the Malzberg.

Interesting! I was happy with Malzberg's choices, as the stories were
pretty darn good. I was also impressed, because some of the usual
suspects are *not* here, so I got to read many good stories I was
previously unfamiliar with.

I should check out the Greenberg & Turtledove anthology you mention.
Tony

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by Tony Nance
Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025
Happy Groundhog Day!

Loading Image...

Post by Tony Nance
January 2025
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds? Thanks to
those of you who recommended this one. The scope, the ideas, the
incredible timespans (still featuring our main characters), the
sensawunder - wow.

For some reason I have not tried Reynolds. I think now perhaps I will.

Post by Tony Nance
( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
Better than the previous one, not as good as the early ones. More
importantly, though, might possibly be avoiding (or ignoring) the stupid
Jump-the-Shark direction it was heading. This one is Roslyn-based, and
there are a few new characters here. The hornets’ nest that was kicked
in #14 blossomed in this one, leaving the Martian forces undermanned,
stretched thin, and far from home. I will read #16.

Also for some reason I've gotten into Stewart's "Duchy Of Terra" setting,
but have not tried the series he's most known for. I think I've said before
that I will, glad to hear he may be going under the shark. (He does drop
some head-shaking stuff into DOT from time to time.)

Post by Tony Nance
( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]
Yet another very good entry in this enjoyable series. There’s just a
little over-explanation in some places, but otherwise spot on. In the
previous book, we learned a lot about the border zones, one Tower lost
its captain, and the Academia gets re-established. This book picks up on
all of that, including a meeting of the other Tower captains, mostly
about Shadow and Ravellon, and replacing the lost Tower captain is also
front-and-center.

Yet another series I need to get back to.

Post by Tony Nance
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance

My (vague) memory is that this is very early non-Vance Vance, like _The Five
Gold Bands_.

Post by Tony Nance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven

I know I have read this, but am not bringing up anything about it now.
I'm sure I enjoyed it as it was Niven, Known Space & pre-brain-eater.

Post by Tony Nance
Tony

Thanks for these as usual!

[James Nicoll]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
I know I have read this, but am not bringing up anything about it now.
I'm sure I enjoyed it as it was Niven, Known Space & pre-brain-eater.

Wasn't it a mix of old classics and new crap?

[Tony Nance]

Post by James Nicoll

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
I know I have read this, but am not bringing up anything about it now.
I'm sure I enjoyed it as it was Niven, Known Space & pre-brain-eater.

Wasn't it a mix of old classics and new crap?

The back cover of my edition does mention a "an all-new,
never-before-published Gil Hamilton adventure!"

This collection is of rather mixed quality so far, including that I
simply cannot take organlegging seriously, including all of his numerous
justifications, and its supposedly inevitable consequences - which made
me completely skip one of the stories (so far). It's dumb, and for some
reason I can no longer just overlook it to read the story at hand. Maybe
it's a bee-sting thing going on.

Tony

[Tony Nance]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance
Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025
Happy Groundhog Day!

http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/memes/pogo_groundhog.png

Post by Tony Nance
January 2025
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds? Thanks to
those of you who recommended this one. The scope, the ideas, the
incredible timespans (still featuring our main characters), the
sensawunder - wow.

For some reason I have not tried Reynolds. I think now perhaps I will.

This one is a standalone, and it one of a few that I would recommend for
someone's first Reynolds.

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance
( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
Better than the previous one, not as good as the early ones. More
importantly, though, might possibly be avoiding (or ignoring) the stupid
Jump-the-Shark direction it was heading. This one is Roslyn-based, and
there are a few new characters here. The hornets’ nest that was kicked
in #14 blossomed in this one, leaving the Martian forces undermanned,
stretched thin, and far from home. I will read #16.

Also for some reason I've gotten into Stewart's "Duchy Of Terra" setting,
but have not tried the series he's most known for. I think I've said before
that I will, glad to hear he may be going under the shark. (He does drop
some head-shaking stuff into DOT from time to time.)

And I've got a note to myself to give Duchy of Terra a try someday.

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance
( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]
Yet another very good entry in this enjoyable series. There’s just a
little over-explanation in some places, but otherwise spot on. In the
previous book, we learned a lot about the border zones, one Tower lost
its captain, and the Academia gets re-established. This book picks up on
all of that, including a meeting of the other Tower captains, mostly
about Shadow and Ravellon, and replacing the lost Tower captain is also
front-and-center.

Yet another series I need to get back to.

Post by Tony Nance
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance

My (vague) memory is that this is very early non-Vance Vance, like _The Five
Gold Bands_.

I believe you are correct. It is the next-to-last Vance novel that I
have not read yet (the last being Monsters in Orbit).

Tony

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven

I know I have read this, but am not bringing up anything about it now.
I'm sure I enjoyed it as it was Niven, Known Space & pre-brain-eater.

Post by Tony Nance
Tony

Thanks for these as usual!

[Titus G]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Tony Nance
Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025
Happy Groundhog Day!

http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/memes/pogo_groundhog.png

Post by Tony Nance
January 2025
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds? Thanks to
those of you who recommended this one. The scope, the ideas, the
incredible timespans (still featuring our main characters), the
sensawunder - wow.

For some reason I have not tried Reynolds. I think now perhaps I will.

Great.
My first exposure to Reynolds was the short story or novella, Diamond
Dogs which was clever, suspenseful and shocking. Brilliant. Next, the
Revelation Space series with the first four books being all four or five
star reads. I have since read all his adult novels. The only one not
great was terrible; Doctor Who. Harvest of Time.
"House of Suns" was just brilliant for me for the reasons Tony covered
but also because I love Reynolds' writing style, the extensive
scientific terminology, (and pseudo scientific terminology), and plotting.
His short story collection, Galactic North, was great, my favourite
being the story of betrayal, A Spy in Europa. Of other short stories, I
disliked Merlin's Gun, (too short) and The Iron Technician was just OK.
In the Science Fiction genre he is probably my favourite author for
consistently enthralling reading replacing Iain Banks and M.

[Default User]

Post by Tony Nance
Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025
Happy Groundhog Day!
Kind of a slow reading month, especially compared to past Januaries.
“+” are good, and more “+” are better
“-” are not good, and more “-” are worse
I’m happy to answer questions about anything here.
Highlights - House of Suns - Reynolds
Lowlights - nothing “low” enough to put here
January
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven
===========================================
January 2025
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds?

There was a short set in the universe in the recent anthology, New
Adventures in Space Opera (Jonathan Strahan ed). It doesn't have the
sort of scope as this novel, but the book is well worth getting if you
enjy that sort of tale.


Brian

[Tony Nance]

Post by Default User

Post by Tony Nance
Highlights and Lowlights - January 2025
Happy Groundhog Day!
Kind of a slow reading month, especially compared to past Januaries.
“+” are good, and more “+” are better
“-” are not good, and more “-” are worse
I’m happy to answer questions about anything here.
Highlights - House of Suns - Reynolds
Lowlights - nothing “low” enough to put here
January
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
( ++ 1/2 ) The Best Time Travel Stories of all Time - ed. by Malzberg
( ++ ) Ambassador of Mars - Stewart [Starship’s Mage #15]
( +++ ) Cast in Conflict - Sagara [Elantra #16]
Long work - Vandals of the Void - Vance
Collection - Flatlander - Niven
===========================================
January 2025
( ++++ ) House of Suns - Reynolds
Holy cow, this was excellent. Perhaps my favorite Reynolds?

There was a short set in the universe in the recent anthology, New
Adventures in Space Opera (Jonathan Strahan ed). It doesn't have the
sort of scope as this novel, but the book is well worth getting if you
enjy that sort of tale.
Brian

Oh cool - great to know, thanks.
- Tony