Juxtaposition / Piers Anthony

Juxtaposition

(Split Infinity #3)

by Piers Anthony

fantasy, science fiction

copyright 1982

re-re-read in January 2018

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

This book is a good conclusion to the series. On the other hand, it is somewhat formulaic: do this, do that, follow the steps to a conclusion. Not that the steps are routine. Perhaps they seem so because they are logical continuations of the earlier books.

I also have a feeling that the author is targeting an audience slightly younger than in previous books. But it is not -- yet -- embarrassing.

It's not a great book -- neither as fantasy nor as science fiction. But is enjoyable.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Avoid criticism: say, do and be nothing." … per Ginger Meggs

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Magic Kingdom For Sale, Sold / Terry Brooks

Magic Kingdom For Sale, Sold

(#1 of Landover)

by Terry Brooks

fantasy

copyright 1986

re-re-read in February 2018

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Lawyer buys a magic kingdom, sets himself up as king. What could go wrong?

I suspect that there was a lot more suspense the first time I read this book... This time, I knew (roughly) what was going to happen. And still enjoyed it!

I also know (this time) that this is the first of a series of books. Which makes it interesting that we -- as readers -- visit all the key locations and people of the kingdom. (At least, I think we do!) I've read a few of the subsequent books and I don't remember thinking, Yeah, yeah, I've seen all this before. It's a kingdom with a lot of potential for further adventures.

The characters are not great but they are pleasant... and varied.

I do seem to remember that at least one book in the series was a bit weak. But this first book, is well worth reading.

03aug23: I've read it again, it's still enjoyable... with some new opinions...

I've recently read two other books by this author.

Those two are in his "Shanarra" series. This book is so much better. Shanarra books seem to have one plot between them: Ignore advice re danger, sneak off on an adventure, fight monsters, come near to death, sing a magic song which solves all problems.

Magic Kingdom has an actual plot.

On the other hand... my current woke sensibilities are often offended by the hero. Sure he's a king, giving orders is what old-style kings do, Kicking cringing peasants is never acceptable.

He is very old-style macho. He faces danger alone -- to protect his supporters, apparently. Though I have the impression that really, he believes them to be incompetent.

Then his girlfriend is dying and his patriarchal ego shines through. Don't die, he cries... Don't you dare do that to me. Good grief.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Avoid criticism: say, do and be nothing." … per Ginger Meggs

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

The Night of the Swarm / Robert V.S. Redick

The Night of the Swarm

(Chathrand Voyage #5 ?)

by Robert V.S. Redick

fantasy

copyright 2012

read a bit in February 2018

rated 3/10: so bad(*) it's embarrassing

... (*) see end of review

I started reading and thought, That's interesting, a book which starts with the death of a major villain. Then I realised... the short Prologue is, in fact, a rehash of the final pages of five previous books.. *Five* previous books!

Is there a hint on the cover? on the title page? Not where I can see it.

Buy this book at your peril. It is *not* a standalone novel.

Still, I thought, this book is the sort of non-stop action & adventure that needs no logic... that needs no pre-reading... that is good fun whether or not you know who these characters are.

And there are a lot of characters to not know. There are fourteen people (people?) who arrive in the prologue and interact through chapter one. Oh, plus the dead major villain. His head shouts threats and curses as his body is burnt. Somehow, I doubt that death will keep him from a role as major villain in this book.

Then chapter two introduces a whole shipload of extra characters... and chapter three is a rather exciting chapter with a character who was mentioned, in passing, in an earlier chapter. As I understand it, his city may have been destroyed in a previous book. By a "new" villain who we have yet to meet...

And so it  goes on. Dozens of characters, all with their separate histories, all -- I guess -- dealt with in detail in earlier books.

Nevertheless... this book is, indeed, non-stop violent nonsense which can be read with no knowledge of who all these people are, nor of what it's all about. Just close your mind and enjoy the action...

Except for chapter two. Where the violence is nasty -- and performed by a person who is in absolute control. This is master-slave stuff, where no-one dares raise a hand in protest. Very unpleasant. And -- as a purely personal thing -- I don't like it.

I stop reading. I won't look for earlier books in the series. And I subtract one rating point for the cheating publisher who did not clearly state that this is book *five* of a series.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Avoid criticism: say, do and be nothing." … per Ginger Meggs

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Bosch Super Silence dishwasher

This dishwasher (Bosch Super Silence) has been quite good at cleaning dishes. But of course it's German, so it's not designed for use by an ordinary human being.

There's a "child lock", to prevent a child from changing the cycle. Guess what? A child -- two years old -- is able to *lock* the cycle. Two adults are not able to *un*lock it.

Best answer we can find is, Wait for the complete cycle to finish, then try to turn the lock off. WAIT FOR THE COMPLETE CYCLE TO FINISH?! You've got to be joking! Is there no way to stop a wash cycle?!

Bloody Ve vill giff the orders!! Germans.

And yes, I am prejudiced. We also own a German-made washing machine: You vill read ze manual before starting ze first vash! You vill not deviate from our instructions! Ve haf set ze rules und you vill follow!

Rated 9/10 for cleaning. Rated 2/10 for human interface.

How to Stop Time / Matt Haig

How to Stop Time

by Matt Haig

fantasy

copyright 2017

part read in February 2018

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

This is a sweet book, a romance, examining the dark side of being near-immortal in a world of mortals. Of staying young for centuries while all other people -- including those you love -- grow old and die. You know, like Highlander. With the added threat that you could be burnt at the stake for being an immortal witch.

There also appears to be an organisation -- or possibly an individual -- who kills any normal person who recognises that there are immortals amongst us. I can't be certain of this, I stopped reading before it was clarified.

It's an easy-to-read book that does not capture my interest. It is, however, well laid out, with chapter headings to let the reader know the date and location of the current chapter. Some of the locations and people are famous but I don't know them, or don't know them as more than a name. Instead of capturing my interest, this name-dropping is a bit of an annoying distraction.

Perhaps this is a book for literature or history buffs? But not for me. I put it down -- and found I had no interest in picking it up again.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"You're only young once but you can stay immature forever" … per Ginger Meggs

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

The Falcon Throne / Karen Miller

The Falcon Throne

(Tarnished Crown #1)

by Karen Miller

fantasy

copyright 2014

read a bit in February 2018

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

On the cover it says, "a major new fantasy epic begins". Since it's "epic" there is a lot happening: several stories and lots of characters are introduced. It's all done very well -- I have little trouble following the action and the main characters are distinct.

I am just not in the mood for an epic series. I always prefer a story with a beginning, a middle -- and an end. Perhaps this book does have a satisfactory end, I don't know. But I do know that when an epic begins -- the first book will end with a lot of loose threads.

Worse yet, I did not like the characters. There are perhaps two -- of the dozens -- who are vaguely sympathetic. I am guessing that their underdog status will not improve. Not for several books, anyway. The rest of the characters, well, I don't like them and don't want to read about their inevitable bloody rise to power.

I rate this as five out of ten... and stop reading because I do have other books to read. If you are looking to read a new fantasy epic -- the book is worth more than that. Unless you enjoy a happy ending. That, I suspect, will be a long time coming. If it comes at all.

===

PS: A quick internet search indicates that this "epic" may be just two books. Which is better than some of the interminable rubbish series which go nowhere. But still too much to read when I don't like the characters.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"You're only young once but you can stay immature forever" … per Ginger Meggs

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/