Nollaig Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 Yeah, the cover art is very evocative. Kind of mad, cos I'm actually reading the Kindle editions (having the built-in dictionary is a Godsend with these books ) and it's enhanced my enjoyment so much, but the result is that I now love them so much I have to actually own the physical copies. Have to, no choice I know that feeling, there are several books I want to buy after reading digital copies. Quote
Signor Finzione Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 Your O'Brian collection is gorgeous. I'm very curious about the title of the one you'll be reading next. 'The Nutmeg of Consolation' sounds bizarre! Quote
poppyshake Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 Don't worry about it In other news, I completed my 'Aubrey/Maturin' collection today: That's not a collection .. it's an .. an .. obsession Quote
woolf woolf Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) They're all called Patrick O'Brian, but each one has a different author. Is there any other collection in which different authors write the same story in their own personal style? Edited February 9, 2015 by Sousa Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Author Posted February 10, 2015 Your O'Brian collection is gorgeous. Yay, and I've still got seven and a bit to read I'm very curious about the title of the one you'll be reading next. 'The Nutmeg of Consolation' sounds bizarre! Ooh! Ooh! I actually know the answer to this, because it's mentioned in The Thirteen Gun Salute - it's one of the Sultan of Pulo Prabang's titles, and the envoy has to be very precise about it because he's trying to broker a deal with the man before the French do so. I have knowledge That's not a collection .. it's an .. an .. obsession Blast, I was hoping no-one would notice that Quote
Signor Finzione Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 Ooh! Ooh! I actually know the answer to this, because it's mentioned in The Thirteen Gun Salute - it's one of the Sultan of Pulo Prabang's titles, and the envoy has to be very precise about it because he's trying to broker a deal with the man before the French do so. I have knowledge Wow, you really do have all the answers! I'm impressed. (Makes a change . . . ) Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Author Posted February 10, 2015 Wow, you really do have all the answers! I'm impressed. (Makes a change . . . ) That I have the answer, or that you're impressed? Hey, this abandoning of scores in reviews is catching: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-10-eurogamer-has-dropped-review-scores Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 15, 2015 Author Posted February 15, 2015 Birthday books Thanks for CBtD, Sari Quote
Signor Finzione Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Happy birthday! The Aubrey companion looks beautiful - I'm trusting there'll be pictures of some of the illustrations in the near future? Quote
Kylie Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Happy Birthday, Steve. Are you sure Kay didn't send you her copy of CBtD? Quote
poppyshake Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Happy Birthday Steve! .. hope there was cake and stuff. Ooh CBTD ... I wonder what you'll make of it .. I've heard it's fantastic! Quote
poppyshake Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Happy Birthday, Steve. Are you sure Kay didn't send you her copy of CBtD? Definitely not .. I was handling mine earlier Quote
Kylie Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Definitely not .. I was handling mine earlier Ooh! In what way were you handling it? Sniffing it? Licking it? Destroying it? Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 Thanks all! The Aubrey companion looks beautiful - I'm trusting there'll be pictures of some of the illustrations in the near future? Hmm, one hand to hold the book open, one hand to use the camera - I reckon that's more coordination needed than I can handle Probably easier (for me!) if you 'look inside' here Happy Birthday, Steve. Are you sure Kay didn't send you her copy of CBtD? Not unless Kay gave it to Sari to give to Book Depository to send to me Happy Birthday Steve! .. hope there was cake and stuff. Ooh CBTD ... I wonder what you'll make of it .. I've heard it's fantastic! Well, I'm only 80 pages in, but it's rather good so far No cake, though. I don't do cake Quote
Timstar Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Happy belated birthday Steve! Hope you had a nice weekend That looks like a great supplement to the series! Quote
frankie Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Not unless Kay gave it to Sari to give to Book Depository to send to me Maybe it was Alan! Edit: Oooh, you've started it already! Holy sh!t. Edited February 16, 2015 by frankie Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 I have. I read the start just for the hell of it and decided to keep going, which is a good sign, I think Mind you, I've got so used to using the Kindle that trying to hold the book open and read it whilst also trying to eat my porridge proved to be quite a stressful experience Quote
Athena Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Happy Birthday, Steve ! I hope you enjoy your new books . Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 Mirror Dance (Vorkosigan Saga Book #11) by Lois McMaster Bujold 1994 - Baen ebook - 560 pages Clone Mark masquerades as Miles Vorkosigan (his progenitor) and dupes Miles' mercenary force, the Dendarii, into a mission to free clones held "prisoner" on Jackson's Whole, an anything-goes freebooters' planet where Mark was created and raised. When Miles finds out, he attempts to rescue his troops and his brother, with disastrous consequences. Note: Mirror Dance won the Hugo and Locus Awards for Best Novel in 1995. Amazon has it down as #9 in the series, Goodreads has it down as #8. I've got it as #11 using the series internal chronology and including all the novellas, and technically even that isn't right because of the standalone Falling Free which precedes the entire series. Oh well I liked: The characters. Some science fiction places the characters a distant second to the ideas but the 'Vorkosiverse' is pretty much the polar opposite, where the characters are first and foremost and explored in depth. Two main characters here, Mark and Miles, although Miles is missing for a big chunk of the novel, allowing Mark to take centre stage. Both of them go through major character growth here. The twists. There are quite a few, most of which I didn't see coming. One of them had my mouth hanging open in disbelief The wit. It's very funny in places. Lots of returning characters who haven't been seen for a while. I disliked: It's some 200-odd pages longer than any of the other books in the series so far and, despite a great plot, there still isn't enough to justify it. It hangs around too long in the end, to the point where I'd think I'd finished it, turn the 'last' page and think 'You're joking! Another chapter??!' She puts Mark through the grinder once too often and in very unpleasant ways. The reader already knows he was tortured in the past, so does he really need to be tortured again to make us feel for him? When I first considered reading the 'Vorkosigan Saga', this was the book that really caught my interest. The idea of two versions of Miles running around creating havoc reminded me of some of my favourite sf tv episodes (notably Star Trek's 'Mirror, Mirror' and the extended sequence in Farscape's brilliant third season where two John Crichtons take the idea farther than I've seen anywhere else), and it was just too enticing to pass up. Mirror Dance delivers on nearly every level, but especially the character development, where it truly excels. If only it was a hundred pages shorter. If it wasn't for that, it'd easily be the best in the series so far. Not a bad place to give the series a go, although probably best read after Brothers in Arms. Memorable Quotes: Mark to Aral and Cordelia: "Killing you was the entire reason for my existence. Two Years ago I was all primed to do it. I endured all those years of Galen for no other purpose." "Take heart," advised the Countess. "Most people exist for no reason at all." Quote
frankie Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Wohoo! My present gives you stress! Result Quote
Signor Finzione Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Nice. I really must give Bujold a go this year. I wonder if even she knows the correct sequence of this series? Quote
Timstar Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 What on Earth is Carter Beats the Devil? Mirror Dance looks intriguing, can it be read as stand-alone? Quote
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