The novel takes a little to get going and then is predictable to a large extent (at least if one read lots of military space operas), but nonetheless,The novel takes a little to get going and then is predictable to a large extent (at least if one read lots of military space operas), but nonetheless, it has a lot of energy, great main characters and despicable villains that one loves to hate, while the universe setting is quite interesting though not uncommon in space opera.
Soon after a "final" Solar System war that devastated Earth and the human race in general, powerful but relatively few in numbers aliens (Protectors) bring Earth into their ordered galactic empire, where humanity expands on countless worlds and both thrives and is exploited while due to its fast reproduction soon becomes the second race of the polity, organized into a commercial empire under the aliens' protectorate until the Protectors get into a fight with new powerful aliens (who essentially want to replace them and exploit humanity's productivity for their benefit) and more or less destroy each other. This leaves humanity's Imperium unchallenged for some centuries, until the present day, when chronic problems festering for most of this time- inequality, corporate greed, latent hostility between the genetically enhanced nobility and the commoners, border wars with nomadic aliens etc - seem to intensify as if they are orchestrated by some unseen enemy.
So after a few seemingly unconnected assassinations, Emperor Adrian tries to disperse the members of his family and Daniel Hankerson, his nephew, 9th in succession, and a fleet intelligence officer is posted to the newest and most powerful navy coordination ship, Hermes, sent on a showing the flag mission to the backward ends of the empire, opposite where the border wars are going, though Daniel has first to survive a casino shootout when a robbery seemingly goes wrong and the robbers target him for death...
With his pet rabbit Jazz and friendly but grumbling roommate Keto, Daniel settles on Hermes and soon makes the acquaintance of war reporter Hila Eban, a woman of many parts and with a deep hostility (for very good reasons we find out slowly) to the enhanced aristocracy of the Empire of which Daniel is such a prominent member, but as they say, opposites attract...
In related action, the villains are now bringing their plans to fruition and Daniel's death is among the most important of them for reasons we also find out in time, though of course having Hila and special robot bodyguard Kelvin at his side makes killing Daniel a harder proposition than it would usually be...
And so it goes, with pages turning by themselves until the expected tbc point.
A Brightness Long Ago is the second of a set of related novels set in an alternate Mediterranean world of 1450-1500 and following related characters aA Brightness Long Ago is the second of a set of related novels set in an alternate Mediterranean world of 1450-1500 and following related characters and stories, though each of three novels to date (Children of the Earth and Sky, A Brightness Long Ago and All the Seas in the World) has different main characters, so they can be read independently.
While the other two novels work on a larger canvas, here the story is confined to the Italian peninsula (Batiara) where two famous mercenary leaders, each a minor lord with his town, and who deeply hate each other for reasons that are slowly revealed throughout the novel, are usually hired by important nobles and states to attack or defend various other minor city-states and always are on opposite sides, while in the respite between such, they plot to extend their domains and counter the other extending his domains respectively.
The main characters of the novel - an educated young man from a tradesman family of Seressa - Venice - whom we first see as a clerk at the court of another successful condottiere with a very dubious reputation as his nickname of The Beast suggests and who by chance becomes an accomplice in his murder, the niece of one of the two generals above who happens to be also the youngest daughter of one of the most powerful dukes of the peninsula and who wants to live a life of freedom and adventure like a man, at least for a time, rather than be married to a noble or become an abbess as her usual fate would be, a woman healer who wants pursue her calling and be independent and later the younger and carefree son of the powerful Sardi (Medici) family of Florence whose cousin is the recently crowned Pope and whose father and older brother are very important power players - all become involved in the intrigues and feuds of the two nobles as well as with each other mostly by fate and coincidence, as when the young man, Danio recognizes the young noblewoman Adria disguised as a comely peasant girl and latest victim to be of the Beast (per his well deserved nickname), and not only he doesn't denounce her but helpes her escape after killing the Beast, but not before being stabbed by him in the leg as he was starting his sick games with his prey, or later when the young Sardi goes to proposition a young woman who did very well in a horse race, not realizing who she is and how dangerous such propositioning may turn out to be, while of course the healer Jelena happens to be at hand in each episode...
The book flows very well and moves between the main pov's storylines and the more general military and political storylines quite deftly while being written in the lyrical prose that is customary of the author.
Starts fairly slowly, but once we get to Antonius growing up and going east to recover from his misfortunes and debauchery, the novel gets really goinStarts fairly slowly, but once we get to Antonius growing up and going east to recover from his misfortunes and debauchery, the novel gets really going and it is excellent with narrative energy that keeps one turning pages. ...more
An excellent sequel that starts where book 1 ended; this book has no slow moments and compels one to turn pages, though it is marred by some historicaAn excellent sequel that starts where book 1 ended; this book has no slow moments and compels one to turn pages, though it is marred by some historical errors (eg the assassin Decimus Brutus was not an Optimate but one of closest of Ceasar generals who was actually named in his will as a secondary inheritor which of course angered the plebes immensely when the will was read) that are harder to dismiss than in the first volume where some of the stuff while unlikely, could have happened ...more
Similar in style to the first novel in the series (Hester and Crow) and set in the same universe a few years later, the novel follows the same main chSimilar in style to the first novel in the series (Hester and Crow) and set in the same universe a few years later, the novel follows the same main characters from England to Russia. While I thought Hester and Crow somewhat better - the alt-history setting reads quite originally there, while here it loses some of the power and same with the characters who are now more "established" so to speak, I still quite enjoyed this one too and I definitely plan to get and read the third series installment due later in 2021...more
Somewhat to my surprise, I really liked this novel even more than the first Robinswood one; this is less romance and more family saga following the maSomewhat to my surprise, I really liked this novel even more than the first Robinswood one; this is less romance and more family saga following the main characters as now they are settled, have families etc. A great, entertaining, and life-affirming read ...more
A fairly disappointing novel with an extremely intriguing universe (a sort of Napoleonic set up with some magic); the problem is that the writing is jA fairly disappointing novel with an extremely intriguing universe (a sort of Napoleonic set up with some magic); the problem is that the writing is just un-engaging which leads to the characters and storyline being so; I kept reading hoping the story will spring into life so to speak at some moment and it never did....more
The novel starts somewhat slow but grows on the reader and there is a point when one must turn the pages to see what happens; it contains a mixture ofThe novel starts somewhat slow but grows on the reader and there is a point when one must turn the pages to see what happens; it contains a mixture of sf and fantasy tropes with a Renaissance-like feel - intrigue, local wars etc; the local planet has been colonized long ago by men and women who have a special ability - manipulation of matter with their mind using internal and external sources of energy - and the Empire wanted to isolate them and create a sub-race of powerful humans to help in their wars; however at least so far there is a limit to the power which indeed has been developed to some extent - one side effect seems to be high longevity - but far from what the human technology has achieved and overall not that practical, the Empire fell and the immortal (sort of - his physical body dies but his memories are preserved in the next incarnation) Viceroy who leads the planet mostly by guile and implied threats than overtly, still has the Imperial mission overriding everything
This is the first volume in what has the potential to become a superb series, while it has a conclusion of the main conflict that starts the hero's saga and an ending at a good stopping point. The writing style may not be to everyone's taste as it has a less energetic feel than similar books from other authors, but as noted it really grows on the reader (this is not the first book I read from the author so I knew what to aspect) and the characters, inventiveness, the zigs and zags of the story are what powers the book and makes it one I have greatly enjoyed...more
A very interesting and absorbing book (definitely helps if you read M Sebastian's journal as the book is in large part about his life and based on hisA very interesting and absorbing book (definitely helps if you read M Sebastian's journal as the book is in large part about his life and based on his journal though it has much more); the only criticism I would have is that it lacks balance on occasion as Eugenia, the narrator jumps from a naive journalist to a hardcore partisan, saboteur, and assassin a bit too fast and easy, only to move back to maybe not as naive, but still much more naive than one would think journalist...
A great cameo of Curzio Malaparte, dark humor and twisted irony add a lot to the novel....more
A longer, better fleshed out novella about the rise of Marius, this time as protegee of Scipio Aemilianus in the turbulent times of Tiberius Gracchus A longer, better fleshed out novella about the rise of Marius, this time as protegee of Scipio Aemilianus in the turbulent times of Tiberius Gracchus just after the fall of Numantia where young Marius first came to the attention of the great general (events chronicled in the shorter Son of Mars, /review/show...)
Would definitely interested to read more from the perspective of Marius, but I will definitely try the Sertorius books too soon; this one was very good and I highly recommend it...more
I actually saw book two in the series by chance as a recent release and the first pages were very interesting so I decided to start the series from boI actually saw book two in the series by chance as a recent release and the first pages were very interesting so I decided to start the series from book 1; it was definitely useful that book 2 interested me since this one by itself would have likely been open and put down after a while as the writing is very "I want to tell people what happened from the beginning and even before so I am going to actually not only do it but spell it out in detail with some side analysis to boot" rather than fiction; still an interesting enough universe and setup so I went fast through it; finally the action gets going in the last few chapters and they are fairly good; personally I think the series should have started there rather than with all the "that's what happened and this is how the hero was born, grew, was a boy genius and also a gentleman and officer until he went through the portal as all of that could have easily been inserted later as flashbacks if needed; overall I would suggest to try volume 2 and refer to this as needed...more
Fun if you are in the mood for a retro mil-space opera with modern sensibilities but the classic don't stop and think too hard about what happens as yFun if you are in the mood for a retro mil-space opera with modern sensibilities but the classic don't stop and think too hard about what happens as you will lose the enjoyment; the characters and setting worked well and kept me turning pages, while the narrative has energy and doesn't let up; but again, just take it as it is and do not expect "serious" sf here - the next book is a huge asap as I really want to see what happens next...more
A book with all the elements (interesting world-building, two narrative strands - past and present - that combine quite well, secrets, twists, first pA book with all the elements (interesting world-building, two narrative strands - past and present - that combine quite well, secrets, twists, first persona narration from a very interesting heroine - who incidentally has one of her arms cut off and is cast out from the position of heir to a small noble house to be a common servant for being discovered to have terminated her pregnancy after being seduced and abandoned by a dashing young aristocrat of a powerful rival house - excellent supporting cast, both on her side and the bad guys so to speak etc) to be a big-time favorite, but somehow I partially struggled to finish it - there were times I was sure I will give it up only for something to reignite my interest and I definitely am interested in what comes next as the ending is at a good tbc point, so overall I liked it well enough to recommend it.
Hard to say why it didn't blow me away as I expected after the first few pages, maybe because it tried to do too much, maybe it needs a reread to fully appreciate as while familiar to some extent (based in a sort of Italian city-states universe dominated by brutal, but occasionally subtle powerful clans for whom anything goes as long as it furthers their power) there are a lot of specific aspects that take time to be really understood, maybe the writing's energy fluctuated too much and that combined with the length of the book made it such a start-stop reading experience ...
Hopefully, there will be more in this universe since it is fascinating ...more
A bit short and really summary in each chapter (so it's more like an extended Wikipedia summary than anything else) but witty and extremely well writtA bit short and really summary in each chapter (so it's more like an extended Wikipedia summary than anything else) but witty and extremely well written. If you want to know about an episode or more, it's useful to read other more elaborate books, but the style of this one definitely makes it entertaining...more
I read lots of books about or set during the French Revolution, so there wasn't that much new overall here, though it followed the fates of some lesseI read lots of books about or set during the French Revolution, so there wasn't that much new overall here, though it followed the fates of some lesser-known participants contrasting them with one another or with famous persons, as well as intertwined the story of slavery and civil rights in Haiti (and France which was the first western country to seat black deputies in the parliament in 1793 though it turned out to be temporary of course) for the black and mixed-race population which brought many contradictions of the Revolution to light, but overall the book was still gripping and quite balanced read that went beyond the usual customary Thermidor reaction to Napoleon's coronation when the Revolution was finally dead, so in particular, the lesser-known story of the Directory government of 1795-1799 with its twists and turns gets a full airing here
After a tetralogy about Josef Kolsko and a mixed bag of stories, the 6th Anyar book starts a new series which will bring more Amerykans in focus - we After a tetralogy about Josef Kolsko and a mixed bag of stories, the 6th Anyar book starts a new series which will bring more Amerykans in focus - we already know a little about Mark Kaldwell from a short story in Tales of Anyar which takes place more than mid-point through Passages. Passages brings some older threads back into play, but overall it lacks the spark that made the first 4 books so awesome; I get why Mark's experience has to be different than Jozef's and the irony here works ok (Jozef just wants to live a quiet life, Mark wants to change the world and get rich and famous and destiny switches their roles so to speak...), but it also makes for a less satisfying storyline overall; the last part is excellent though, both a travelogue of the world, action, and surprises, so Passages becomes there the not-to-be-put-down novel that the first 4 books were.
Overall - slow and fairly mediocre start and middle, much improved last part and hopefully with the great (though expected) ending we get back to what made the first teratology so awesome (my review of it linked below
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