tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.comments2023-05-24T11:41:14.767+02:00Tsana's Reads and ReviewsTsana Dolichvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comBlogger275125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-36260572852413288842020-06-09T08:40:20.266+02:002020-06-09T08:40:20.266+02:00I got this in my Hugo pack. So much to read! But t...I got this in my Hugo pack. So much to read! But this sounds worth reading. Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-83563988052692296082018-07-21T16:46:10.076+02:002018-07-21T16:46:10.076+02:00Linked - hope that’s OK.
https://nwhyte.livejourna...Linked - hope that’s OK.<br />https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3058340.htmlNicholas Whytehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13065102837531945315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-7858548869917915472018-05-21T09:08:49.534+02:002018-05-21T09:08:49.534+02:00Vorpatril. I meant Vorpatril - a lovely book that ...Vorpatril. I meant Vorpatril - a lovely book that let you see a bit more of Ivan, who is definitely not "you idiot Ivan" and gave us insight into a Jacksonian family. Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-445964335159741362018-05-21T09:05:55.870+02:002018-05-21T09:05:55.870+02:00Yes, I only just discovered it had come out and bo...Yes, I only just discovered it had come out and bought it on iBooks. I'm not doing chronological order right now - I read CaptainVoroateol's Alliance after Cryoburn, as it was a cheerier novel, and I'm finishing Gentleman Jole before I let myself read this, as I have been way behind. Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-7942338492790660592018-05-12T14:22:36.821+02:002018-05-12T14:22:36.821+02:00Shriek! A new Vorkosiverse story? Wonderful news! ...Shriek! A new Vorkosiverse story? Wonderful news! I see from her post on Goodreads that there will be no,pre-order. I’ll get mine in iBooks too.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-30109198787882318122017-11-19T07:40:16.266+01:002017-11-19T07:40:16.266+01:00When you think about it, this novel takes Miles in...When you think about it, this novel takes Miles into the next stage of his life and gives him the chance to show his detective skills. He was never going to stay in the Dendarii forever. He would have been bored - and those members he cared about, except Elli and Taura, had already left. This gives him a new lease on life as soon as he gets over the mourning. <br /><br />And there is that great scene where Ivan pours ice over him to get him over the almost suicidal mood. Ivan is not quite "you idiot."Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-19213067767952666652017-11-19T07:38:21.201+01:002017-11-19T07:38:21.201+01:00And he meets Ma Kosti, who plays such an important...And he meets Ma Kosti, who plays such an important role in A Civil Campaign...Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-52396354865056162662017-11-19T07:37:27.754+01:002017-11-19T07:37:27.754+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-25656732512051184182017-09-19T07:17:25.950+02:002017-09-19T07:17:25.950+02:00Cool! I'd love to join in but I know I'd f...Cool! I'd love to join in but I know I'd fail... but looking forward to seeing what you read, as I haven't read much short fiction this year :)Ashley Capesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-65703408646580739782017-09-15T09:35:18.797+02:002017-09-15T09:35:18.797+02:00I already have! But there's 107 days left in t...I already have! But there's 107 days left in the year, so you could treat it as a story-a-day challenge as well, if you wanted to.Tsana Dolichvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-32262923922196449402017-09-15T08:26:05.184+02:002017-09-15T08:26:05.184+02:00Ooo... tempting. My TBR could certainly use the he...Ooo... tempting. My TBR could certainly use the help. When were you thinking of starting?Elizabeth @ Earl Grey Editinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017730730048205742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-79895733909438896832017-08-05T08:55:07.802+02:002017-08-05T08:55:07.802+02:00Actually, I found it very memorable, myself, even ...Actually, I found it very memorable, myself, even the first time. Possibly because, as a lover of folk music and medieval literature I recognise the theme of the Loathly Lady, as found in the ballad King Henry, the story of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and the Wife Of Bath's tale. King Henry especially. Have you hard that one? Can't recall if it was sung by Steeleye Span or Pentangle, but in it King Henry finds himself stuck with a huge, scary female creature who demands of him food, drink and finally that he sleep with her. He does all this and in the morning finds the spell is broken and a beautiful lady by his side. And doesn't Miles say he was sent to slay a monster and instead found a princess? :-)Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-80646470525784001562017-08-01T23:37:27.041+02:002017-08-01T23:37:27.041+02:00I didn't make that connection until you pointe...I didn't make that connection until you pointed it out. But going back to check, I don't think that means the events were happening simultaneously. Miles learns about Terrence Cee from Rian/the Cetagandans while Terrence is still at Jackson's Whole, then sets Quinn on their trail, who doesn't catch up with them until Klein Station. Then, actually, in Labyrinth, the next novella, Miles is tying up the loose ends from the genetics stuff by "rescuing" one of the surviving geneticists from House Bharaputra for Barrayaran employ. So those three stories fit quite well together. I can see why they were chosen to go into the one omnibus "Miles, Mystery & Mayhem".Tsana Dolichvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-68299356267200864312017-07-31T12:31:47.327+02:002017-07-31T12:31:47.327+02:00Did you notice that scene in Cetaganda where Rian ...Did you notice that scene in Cetaganda where Rian is interrupted in her conversation with Miles and talks about something totally irrelevant to that novel but very relevant to Ethan Of Athos? Life, she tells Miles, does, after all go on... It tells us that the events of Ethan are happening at the same time as Miles and Ivan are on Eta Ceta.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-31744517590528273292017-07-09T11:59:50.109+02:002017-07-09T11:59:50.109+02:00Really interesting! I also have no background or i...Really interesting! I also have no background or interest in Lovecraftian stuff generally so I might be able to remove some books from my to-read list based on this. Transcendancinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12560758487703686287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-27430252373416828352017-07-09T10:46:18.152+02:002017-07-09T10:46:18.152+02:00Well that's true of course. I managed to get a...Well that's true of course. I managed to get about half-way through The City and the City when it was Hugo shortlisted (the Aussiecon 4 year, I believe) and it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, so I thought, at the outset, that I should give this novella a shot. I needed more than one reason to skip it, basically.Tsana Dolichvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-52114379397129742392017-07-09T08:33:50.007+02:002017-07-09T08:33:50.007+02:00I'd say that not liking Mieville's writing...I'd say that not liking Mieville's writing is enough reason to skip it without getting into Puppy territory. As a strong left winger he is probably not typical of their preferences and would be shocked to find out what they are. He may not even know who they are. But he is probably vain enough to think everyone thinks he is wonderful. I could never get into his writing back when he was the best thing since sliced bread, and having heard him savage Tolkien at the Melbourne Writers Fest one year, I thought, mate, if people are still loving YOUR work in 50 years time, THEN you can comment! I never read him again.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-81388204227832388212017-06-29T08:27:01.463+02:002017-06-29T08:27:01.463+02:00Congratulations! Defying Doomsday is a fantastic a...Congratulations! Defying Doomsday is a fantastic anthology and I was pleased to see it win.Elizabeth @ Earl Grey Editinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017730730048205742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-29982066992108567822017-06-26T10:01:58.316+02:002017-06-26T10:01:58.316+02:00It was her first published novel, so I think a bit...It was her first published novel, so I think a bit of leeway is allowed. Apparently they start getting really good from book 3 (or so I've been told).Tsana Dolichvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-22205222769102902712017-06-26T08:24:22.224+02:002017-06-26T08:24:22.224+02:00I'm reading this on my iPad. I bought it becau...I'm reading this on my iPad. I bought it because the author was coming to Continuum this year, but didn't get it finished on time. I have to say, Seanan McGuire was very good value for money,a very funny and entertaining speaker. I will really have to finish it. I like urban fantasy, though mostly Charles De Lint. Melissa Marr is also interesting, as a PhD who really knows her folklore.<br /><br />I must admit, though, that this one was just a bit disappointing in that I'd expected more of a whodunnit with a Faerie PI. Maybe the next book?Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-12661063624989275852017-06-08T12:44:45.605+02:002017-06-08T12:44:45.605+02:00Cavilo is Servalan, the villain from Blake's 7...Cavilo is Servalan, the villain from Blake's 7. Servalan is dark, she's blonde, but otherwise the description is the same - and in one scene, where she is meeting Miles instead of the man he was supposed to meet, she is even wearing the costume Servalan wore in the episode "Gambit." Plus Miles's General comes across as Servalan's sidekick, Travis. Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-84907092696493233512017-06-01T09:50:47.989+02:002017-06-01T09:50:47.989+02:00Well they're all reasonably popular authors, s...Well they're all reasonably popular authors, so I don't think there's a conspiracy. Nothing I nominated made the list, but in this category I nominated things that had a chance of making an Australian list, but didn't have enough global/US popularity/presence to make the Hugo list.<br /><br />As for the note on the Hugo packet— whoops! I wrote the intro before I got it but of course finished reading and posted after. Fixed. Thanks for spotting.Tsana Dolichvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213478548320312760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-82737226818110921872017-06-01T09:04:44.058+02:002017-06-01T09:04:44.058+02:00Hmm, so your overall feeling here is "meh!&qu...Hmm, so your overall feeling here is "meh!"<br /><br />I have to wonder why enough people liked these to put them on the short list. After all the fuss and carry-on about the Puppies, is there a less well known slate going on? One whose members don't do stupid things like announcing it to the world? I'm remembering the year when the winner of our local "best media fan writer" was someone who hadn't actually written anything that year and, while he did like media SF, never wrote it or about it. I suspect a bunch of his friends nominated him for fun. A nice guy, but he hadn't written anything! <br />So, it can be done. Without all the public carry-on of the Puppies.<br />It seems a little <br />odd that you're still waiting for your Hugo packet this late in the piece. Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-47933578538843497992017-05-16T09:09:34.219+02:002017-05-16T09:09:34.219+02:00Cordelia gets her Barrayan side going and out Barr...Cordelia gets her Barrayan side going and out Barrayans them all at the end with her "shopping present." I really loved this book even if I never forgave Piotr and can't understand them doing so.CTPhippshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226189019351004118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513842191754079613.post-43801024773882533152017-05-16T09:07:33.464+02:002017-05-16T09:07:33.464+02:00Wonderful review. I love the Vorkosigan Saga. This...Wonderful review. I love the Vorkosigan Saga. This is the only love story, also, where the heroine chooses her country first then goes back to her lover after things are resolved!CTPhippshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226189019351004118noreply@blogger.com