Vernor Vinge RIP

Science fiction master Vernor Vinge dead at 79

David Drake RIP

I read David Drake's Hammer's Slammers stories when they were published in paperback  in 1979. I continued to read his books but stopped reading the Hammer's Slammers stuff because it just damned depressed me. His other stuff I continued to read. It was Redliners that lured me back to his military science fiction and from that point I would read anything he wrote. Many, I reread. I was lucky enough to meet him once at the Foundations Edge bookstore in Chapel Hill NC. He was kind enough to take a few minutes for a fan. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Military Science Fiction Author David Drake, Passes Away at Age 78

Chuck Dixon's Levon Comes to the Big Screen

Statham, Ayer, Stallone Set “Levon’s Trade”

Dixon's books are top notch. Hope the movie is as well. I expect some bad publicity over Dixon being a conservative author and the Left intentional inability to understand the word "fiction" and Niven's Law.

There is a technical, literary term for those who mistake the opinions and beliefs of characters in a novel for those of the author. The term is 'idiot'.

I Went to See Wicked.

Great show. I bought the OST some time back. Now I have the visuals to match it, but damnit now I have to read the book it is based on.

'Nuff Said

Isn't That Theft?

Roald Dahl ebooks ‘force censored versions on readers’ despite backlash

Let me get this straight. Fans of Roald Dahl's books bought his books, ebooks, as written by Dahl. The publisher took those books from them and replaced them with their preferred version without the permission of the owners, the people who bought the ebooks. They didn't even give them a warning. They didn't even offer the owners a refund for the books thery bought and wanted. They just took them. Isn't that theft?

The Door into Summer (2021)

I was wandering through Netflix and discovered a Japanese adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's The Door into Summer. It was decently done. I've come to expect lots of deviation from a novel's plot in a film, but thats kept to a minimum here AND we get Pete's attack on Belle. I liked it. Recommended.

A New Book by Larry Corriea

It's non-fiction.

In Defense of the Second Amendment

Go buy it.

Eric Flint R. I. P.

I noticed on Facebook that Eric Flint has passed. He was scheduled to be at this years FantiSci but had to drop out. He was the author of 1632. He was kind enought to let other authors play in his sandbox and thus mentored many a newbie into a professional writing career. I know I'll miss him and his books. I'm at that age where more and more of the people I like are falling by the wayside. Damn. Rest in peace, Sir.

A terrible blow. Eric Flint passed away this morning. He single-handedly created an army of padawans and coauthors who went on to have remarkable careers of their own. He came across as a curmudgeon, but was one of the kindest and most knowledgeable guys I knew. I am devastated. pic.twitter.com/njWixRNyfp

— Kevin J Anderson (@TheKJA) July 17, 2022

This Applies to Me

Tsundoku: The Art of Buying Books and Never Reading Them

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Recently Read

I've gotten away from listing the books I've read. Not really sure why, but it is what it is. Sometimes there is a special book. I just finished Steven Pressfield's A Man at Arms. A former Legionary is hired to intercept a letter sent from Jerusalem and intended for Corinthe. It's no surprise who wrote the letter or for whom it is intended. You might even be able to guess the outcome, but it is the journey that is so damn good. So, read it and enjoy. Highly recommended.

Formula

Cancel Culture Targets Baen Books

The proper response to that is to go buy lots of their books. Baen isn't alt-right. Baen publishes books by writers on both ends of the spectrum and in the middle. They don't discriminate as long as the books are entertaining and will make them money. They support true free speech and that's why they have a target on them. Again, show your support by buying their books. You can read the whys and whats of the attack on Larry's blog.

Publishing House Baen Books Attacked By Cancel Culture

Recently Read

Days of Burning, Days of Wrath by Tom Kratman
I suspect we'll see more from the Colonel in this series but this is a stopping point. Carrera's war of vengeance has come to a successful end. If you liked the other books in t his series you will like this one. I did and do. I do think this volume felt like it should have been just a bit longer. I wanted to see how things turned out for some of the side characters. Also, call me slow but this volume solidified a thought I'd had about the series. This is a prequel to Heinlein's Starship Troopers. This is the origin how that world where only those who have proved they will sacrifice for their fellows are allowed a say in the government cam to be. Just a thought. I'm sure the SJW's can come up wih all sorts of accusatory -isms to call the Colonel just as they have Heinlein. In any event, this is highly recommended and I look forward to more.

Back to War by C. G. Cooper
The basic story is a veteran's fiancee is murdered and he seeks revenge. Same basic plot of dozens of novels out there. It is okay. I read it because it was free on Prime and was pleasantly surprised, but not enough to spend my book dollars on the fifteen sequels. At least, not now.

1636: The Atlantic Encounter by Eric Flint and Walter H. Hunt
Another in Flint's Ring of Fire Series. I'll given flint this. He makes sure all of the novels meet a minimum standard. I find myself getting tires of an endless series of novels set in the same universe and a few of the Ring of Fire books are tired. This one I liked. A team of up-times and down-timers go to the New World to gather intelligence on French activity and measure the colonists willingness to fight the French. Adventures ensue. If you like the Ring of Fire Books this is a bit more mainstream than some of the side novels. You'll like it. It also feels like a series within the series and I'm looking forward to more. Recommended.


Ms. Tree: One Mean Mother by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty
Ms. Tree debuted in 1981 in Eclipse Comics. She is a detective of the hard boiled variety. She jumped publishers a bit but finally ended her run with DC Comics. I bought them all. I was a big fan. I liked the writer enough to follow him into his mystery and private eye novels [not the movie tie-ends] and the artist where ever I could find his solo work. I even bought the novel that retold the initial story line. Now Hardcase Crime/Titan is reprinting the series in graphic novel format. Initially, when I saw they weren't doing them in chronological order I was put off. Ideally, I wanted them collected in hard cover. These were paperback. So, I thought, this wasn't for me. I broke down and purchased the first volume the other day. I needed to but a book to get the price up for free shipping. I'm damn happy I did. It's nice to have the comic in a collection. I don't have to drag the individual issues out of their bags to enjoy the series. The choice of issues doesn't really matter. This arc covered the story of how Ms. Tree came to be a mother. Other volumes will follow until, I assume, until they are all collected and if by chance they issue hardcovers, I'll buy those too.

Now for those of you who haven't discovered Ms. Tree and like hard boiled detective/crime novels, this is a good place to start. Ms. Tree is the real deal: violent, sexy, violent. If you can't wait for the next collection, the comics aren't hard to find on eBay and aren't expensive. My recommendation is buy the collections. They are nicely packaged and you get your money's worth. AND if you like Ms. Tree, you might look up Collins' Nathan Heller novels. You won't regret it.

Recently Read

Winds of Wrath by Taylor Anderson

This is the final volume in Anderson's Destroyermen series. I'd previously complained that it seemed to be going on too long. Now that it's over I'm gonna miss it. It is a very satisfying wrap up and it is a wrap up. I won't say more because I don't want to ruin it for readers. I do look forward to what comes next for Anderson. Highly Recommended.

Recently Read

At the End of the World by Charles E. Gannon
Gannon has been allowed to play in John Ringo's Black Tide Rising world and he makes the best of it. Several teenagers on a summer cruise [sailboat] are at sea when the zombie virus strikes. fortunately for them their Captain has a history and prepares them for what comes next, and that's the fun. This is very well done and clearly the first of more than one in a new Black Tide Rising side series. I'm looking forward to the next. Highly Recommended.

End of Summer, A Bright Shore, Come and Take It, and New Shores by S. M. Anderson
I've found a new author and boy am I happy. I read them back to back and can't wait for more. End of Summer is the first of a series that tells the tale of the aftermath of a pandemic that kills 99% of the world's population. A former Ranger carries out his wife last wish. Lots of action follows as he battles a slaver tyrant. That may not sound like much or like many another post-apocalyptic novel, but its the execution that makes the difference. It's like this. I see a John Ringo book. I buy it. I see a David Weber book. I buy it. I see a new S. M. Anderson book. I BUY it. That's my recommendation to you as well.

The remaining three books are part of his Eden Chronicles. Here we have our nation moving quickly to Marxist hell. Fortunately, a decade prior a billionaire discovered an unoccupied parallel world and kept it secret. He spent the interval preparing the world to receive new pro-liberty inhabitants from our world. The first book tells that story. The other two are what happens once they get there. I'm not going to provide any more spoilers. The are all damn good. My comments above apply here as well. I'm am waiting for the next book. I see a new S. M. Anderson book. I BUY it. No questions asked.

Recently Read

Plague Ship by Andre Norton
i bought a collection of Norton's works and this was the first in line. I read Norton's novels a lot growing up. As I grew older I read her stuff less. Probably a mistake. This stills reads well. I don't notice the anachronisms forty years of change. Good stuff and well written. Always, highly recommended.

Marmelukes by Jerry Pournelle
This is Jerry's last novel with an assist and polish by David Weber. It's a satisfying end to his Janissary series. Who knows. Maybe Weber will write another. If he does, this is a fine ending and highly recommended.

Limelight by Dan Willis
An Arcane Casebook and the fifth in the series. I've thoroughly enjoyed them all. Highly Recommended.

Caller of Lightening by Peter J. Wacks and Eytan Kollin
This is the third n the Arcane America series. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. Here we get the tale of how Ben Franklin came into his powers. The writers are new to me. I've no issue with the book it just didn't grab me as the last two did. It's good not great and recommended.

Recently Read

Her Majesty's Rebel by Steve White

This is the sequel to Her Majesty's American which takes place in an alternate timeline with no King George and a British Empire that came to an accommodation with North American rebels. The Empire developed into a Federal system and is now spread to the stars. this story continues the tale of Richard Rogers. the alien threat from the first novel still exists but now there are members of the British government that want to...Well read it yourself. I enjoyed it and recommend it.

Recently Read

Operation Flash, Episodes 1 -3 by Nitay Arbel

A nice alternative history where German Army officers succeed in assassinating Hilter. Germany falls into civil war while still battling the Soviets on the Eastern Front. Their only hope is a separate peace with Great Britain. It well done and believable. I don't have the historical knowledge to say whether the details are right. I did enjoy it through. the one problem is I think it needed to be longer. It kinda just stops. I do still recommend it though.