Karsa Orlong

Oh it was good, for sure, but there were irritations with it. Plus I'm trying to be a bit more realistic with my scores this year. 7's about right for it, I think. It's still clinging on for dear life Hey, Sarah, did you know that Sky Arts started showing season 2 of Prisoners of War on Tuesday? Fortunately they advertised it during Game of Thrones the night before, so I was lucky, otherwise I'd've had no idea

Thanks! I think it's a much better book than Shards of Honor, so it's probably a good way of testing the water, then - if you enjoy it - you could go back and read the first two at some point. It's worth it for Barrayar, at least (still my favourite read so far this year, I think - it was a real surprise). I've read the usual things about the series getting better and better from this point, so we'll see. I might read the first novella this weekend, as I'm certainly eager to read more about these characters at the moment

Ditto! There's so much happens in that book - I think there's some major incident or other in practically every chapter in the second half of it - and the final page . . . one of my favourite jaw-on-floor endings

# 28 The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga Book 3) by Lois McMaster Bujold 1986 - Baen paperback - 373 pages Thoughts: I couldn't find a blurb for this one that wasn't very spoilery This is the third book in the Vorkosigan Saga, going by the series internal chronology, but it was actually Bujold's second published novel, and is the first to feature the series' main character, Miles Vorkosigan, in the leading role. The story begins as Miles, now 17 years old, is attempting to pass the entry examinations for the Barrayaran Military Academy. He is desperate to live up to his family's long and proud military history. The problem is, he has been disabled since birth and his stunted growth and fragile body have proved a neverending obstacle on a planet where any form of physical disability is frowned upon leading, at best, to the individual being shunned or, at worst, to the child being killed at birth. It's not surprising but still somehow shocking, therefore, when Miles promptly breaks both his legs when forced to undertake the Academy assault course without his leg brace. Thus failing his attempt to enter the military, he is left at a loose end and his mother, Cordelia (the main character from the previous novels), suggests a trip to visit his grandmother on her home planet, Beta Colony. This ties in nicely with Miles's infatuation with his bodyguard Bothari's daughter, Elena, and his attempts to unravel the secrets of her mother and Bothari's mysterious past. I found Miles to be a very winning and sympathetic character right from the off. Hindered by his disability he instead has to solve problems with his ingenuity. He's a wrecking ball of energy, and his intelligence and wit send both him and the story careering forward at such a breakneck pace that I had to pause every now and then to take in everything that was going on. In the first half of the novel this is perhaps a drawback, as the story seems somewhat chaotic as a result. Miles gets himself involved in a number of situations that result in him becoming involved in a war but, although credibility is stretched, happily Bujold handles it all with such verve, humour and, at times, pathos that I found it easy to overlook the slightly rough edges - which, this being just her second novel, are quite understandable. Having already read Barrayar, which ended up being her fifth novel (for reasons explained in my review of that book), it's easy to see how her writing developed from this point, but the groundwork is all here. It goes for humour rather than the more serious tone of the later book, but the characters are brilliant, the dialogue fizzes, and she throws in a major twist at around the halfway point that changes the game quite unexpectedly. Actually, because she had already half-written Barrayar at this stage, it is impressive how well she had planned the story. The continuity between the two is fantastic. You could read this book first, I think, and enjoy the central mystery for what it is. Or you could, as I did, read them in the now preferred order and already know the backstory, and enjoy the tension she builds up as Miles unravels the truth. It's so well done as to be seamless. Three books in and I think it's obvious that this series is neither hard SF nor a literary masterpiece. This book is, in fact, a romp. It's a hugely entertaining, character-driven adventure that left me grinning from ear to ear. Enter with an open mind and Fun awaits. That's Fun, with a capital 'F' The Warrior's Apprentice is available separately on Kindle, or as part of the Young Miles Omnibus Edition. 8/10

# 27 The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell 2009 - HarperCollins ebook - 352 pages From Amazon: In the last years of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in failing health, and his heir is an untested youth. The Danes, who have failed so many times to conquer Wessex, smell opportunity… Thoughts: This is the fifth book in Cornwell's 'Warrior Chronicles' and it is, mostly, up to the usual high standard. Told in the first person, from the viewpoint of Uhtred, son of a Saxon lord and brought up by Vikings, Cornwell once again takes great pleasure in putting him between a rock and a hard place. The year is 892 and Uhtred, sworn to King Alfred and (despite the protests of those around Alfred) his most important warlord, finds himself trapped in Lundene, ordered to protect the city whilst two hordes of Danes ransack Wessex and Alfred's son-in-law, Aethelred, sits with his army and does nothing. Finally, when Uhtred is sent to deliver a message to one of the Danish Jarls, Haesten, it opens the way for an attack on the larger force, and it is here that Uhtred first encounters Skade, woman to the Jarl called Harald, a formidable fighter in her own right, and completely merciless. Skade's name threw me a bit as, not only is it a derivation of the name of a Norse goddess, but it was also the name of one of the best characters in Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space books. Both characters are pretty evil! Learning how Uhtred works and manipulates each situation, and whether or not his plans succeed, is part of the fun of these books, I find, but I also found that this one started to feel a little repetitive. Maybe it's the law of diminishing returns finally setting in. I found Cornwell's writing as brilliantly readable as ever, and the characters and action are fantastic, and the twists are constantly suprising. However, the nature of Uhtred's upbringing, which effectively allows Cornwell to tell the story from both the Saxon and Danish perspectives, means he is constantly changing sides to the point where it started to lack a little credibility, I thought. Cornwell does his best to convince but, in the end, it just happened once too many times, in my opinion. Also, Uhtred, with all his arrogance and his imposing reputation, seems to shag every female character who makes an appearance. He's like Captain Kirk with chain mail. On this occasion I found it's becoming a bit formulaic, and I'm knocking my score down a couple of marks accordingly. Those gripes aside, it's business as usual, and it's difficult not to get swept along by Cornwell's bravura storytelling. I now need to decide whether to buy the next two books in this series and get up to date with it, or to make a start on the Sharpe novels that I've already bought. Decisions, decisions! 7/10

The second season of the original Israeli series on which Homeland is based, Prisoners of War, starts on Sky Arts tonight

Aidan Gillen seems to have forgotten the accent he was using for Littlefinger last season

It's my own fault for suggesting a book I don't remember that much about Who's reading it on the audio, out of interest?

Breaking Bad season 2 Up to episode 6 of True Detective. About ready to give up on it, tbh.

Oh dear, I feel bad now I was kind of dubious about it when I mentioned it in your suggestions thread, I must admit, but the similarities to Rendezvous With Rama seemed to fit some of your criteria at the time. Sorry it didn't work out.

I'm hoping Sanderson will just walk away full stop

^^ It looks like George Lucas getting ready to lop the heads off some Jar Jar Binks haters I voted for Emperor of Thorns for Best Novel, and She Who Waits for best cover art. Haven't read any of the debuts. Blood Song should have been on there.

Well seeing as the rec originally came from people on the Malazan forums, it's probably their opinions I'd listen to more than those on Goodreads

Sounds ace, Laura - glad it lives up to expectations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvqGxfgQH9I

I think Roger Welsch deserves a prize for having two books on the list

Yeah, you're right. I hate books with 'Moon' in the title.

Arrow 2x18 - great stuff Last week's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - not bad

That book is pure awesomesauce from start to finish I finished Cornwell's The Burning Land. Currently trying to decide what to read next.

I'm fine, thanks Apart from the man flu Sorry to hear your shoulder's no better Whatever happens, neither of them are as bad as these

Looking forward to your thoughts on that one You must have run out of room on your shelves by now, surely?? I don't mind this so much, but it does have to be done well. Thanks for all that - saves having to read the book

He's met with the producers and gone through the main plot points to the end, so the show will carry on regardless of what happens with the books (although there's also been talk of it moving to the big screen, so who knows? ).

Yeah, they're taking the pee because the paperbacks aren't published in the UK

Kind of my point!