Charged my Paperwhite earlier this afternoon. It was at 66% when I started. I normally allow it to drain much lower before charging. But with a strong chance of power outages through Thursday, I decided to play it safe. Worse come to worst, reading might be the only activity I'm able to do (other than freeze).

After numerous false starts, with no end in sight, I bought Adrian Tchaikovsky's standalone City of Last Chances and am one-third done. A good read. I don't yet know if I'll like it as well as Guns of the Dawn, read last month.

At 1402 this afternoon, 3 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of Adrian Tchaikovsky's standalone fantasy/dystopian novel City of Last Chances. Like every Tchaikovsky book I've encountered, it is fine reading. This one takes place in a city long controlled by one corrupt, oppressive regime after another: documenting events leading up to a rebellion of sorts against the current regime-in-power, the rebellion (of sorts) itself, and its immediate aftermath. There's a lot more to it than that. As several characters in the last Tchaikovsky novel I read say, "It's complicated." The book follows multiple points-of-view throughout, which fits its purpose admirably. I enjoyed its depiction of the world's gods. It had me second-guessing all sorts of things. One in particular I figured out the gist of, but was still caught utterly unprepared for what is revealed.

I've no idea what I'll take up next. If it's anything like this year's previous reads, I'll make five-ten false starts before settling on something that holds my attention.

At 1521 this afternoon, 7 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of Oliver Pötzsch's historical fiction whodunit, A Hangman's Daughter Tale 3: The Beggar King. I've mixed feeling about this entry, but find it overall a good read, and essential for those invested in the series due to its development of and insight into several series regulars.

As usual as of late, I've no idea what I'll tackle next.

This began life as a post in the wrong thread. I'll now use the space to mention that I used amassed Amazon Kindle Points that earned me $3US credit to buy another Adrian Tchaikovsky title: Elder Race. I'll likely start in on it soon as I've finished my current (non-fiction) book.

At 2030 yesterday evening, 10 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of the non-fiction title Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862, Kindle Edition, by O. Edward Cunningham; J.D. Joiner & T.B. Smith editors. The two editors are a critical inclusion, as this Amazon quote explains:

"Edward Cunningham, a young Ph.D. candidate, researched and wrote Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862 in 1966. Though it remained unpublished, many Shiloh experts and park rangers consider it the best overall examination of the battle ever written. Indeed, Shiloh historiography is just now catching up with Cunningham, who was decades ahead of modern scholarship. Now, Western Civil War historians Gary Joiner and Timothy Smith have resurrected this beautifully written, deeply researched manuscript from undeserved obscurity. Fully edited and richly annotated with updated citations and observations, original maps, and a complete order of battle and table of losses, it represents battle history at its finest."

It's a good read for those with an established interest in the U.S. Civil War, but may contain too much technical data for the casual reader. As for myself, due to when and where I was born, and the Civil War Centennial, which was treated as a big deal by all and sundry for four solid years, occurring when I was young and impressionable, I was a Civil War Nerd for quite some time. I eventually moved on to other things, but retain a mild fondness for the topic. I still possess a smallish but not negligible USCW library. This is its first addition in decades, except for a couple of free Project Gutenberg downloads I've not yet read.

I should point out that a not-insignificant percentage of the book is devoted to End Notes. For whatever reason, I didn't bother clicking on these while reading the main narrative. Once that ended, my first thought was to skip the End Note section. My second thought was to skim it, which is what I did. As it turns out, I spent hours reading pretty much all of them except those that are obviously nothing more than source citations. I retain enough Civil War savviness to forgo referring to the main text to make sense of those End Notes.

Speaking of Shiloh, it was the closest major U.S. Civil War battlefield to the town I grew up in. It remains closest, despite a change of address. I visited it a number of times during my youth, and at least once in early adulthood. I also visited Forts Donaldson and Henry, which this book covers (but not in great detail). (Fort Henry can be visited in only a loose sense, unless this had recently changed.) As a lad, I witnessed the Centennial reenactment at New Madrid MO, also part of the USCW Western Campaign.

At 0841 this morning, 12 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Elder Race. I'd no idea it was a novella until seeing my Paperwhite's initial assessment of how long it would take to finish. Having paid only $1.07US for it tax included (thanks to a Kindle "credit" valued at $3), I got my money's worth and more. It has an interesting quest-centric plotline and, like all Tchaikovsky novels I am familiar with, is very strong on characters and their interactions. I worried early on, upon realizing it is sci-fi, a genre I am not normally drawn to. Those doubts were soon laid to rest. My eyes misted during its final few pages, a first this year if memory serves.

Much as I like Elder Race, I think the full-length Guns of the Dawn and City of Last Chances are better standalone introductions to Tchaikovsky.

At 1359 this afternoon, 14 Feb 2023, I finished Orson Scott Card's Hart's Hope. This book and I have a long relationship. I'm fairly certain I bought it off a circular book rack inside a gas station / convenience store our squadron's bus had stopped at to refuel and give us a chance to stretch our legs, during my long-ago military days. I believe I finished it the following day. Whether true or misremembered, its front cover reverse bears an initial completion of 0932, 20 Mar 1988. I was stationed in Southern California at the time, roughly half a year prior to reassignment overseas. This is its seventh read.

It now holds a new distinction, being the first paper book I've read, while lying on the sofa, since before acquiring a Kindle Paperwhite mid-2021.

This read occurred by sheer happenstance. I'd been thinking about Hart's Hope for some days, after having watched several Booktubers claim that books narrated in second person just don't work. As far as I'm concerned, Hart's Hope lays that opinion to rest. Then, two days ago, not far into the e-book I began soon after finishing Tchaikovsky's Elder Race, my Paperwhite announced that its battery was critically low and in need of recharge. I can, of course, read on it while charging. Klutzy as I sometimes am, I'm disinclined to do so for fear of damaging its mini-USB port.

My original intent was to grab any old paper book of a size I'm still able to comfortably hold lying down, which automatically disqualifies Trade Paperbacks and Hard Covers. I walked to the row of book storage boxes lining one living room wall. (I've never gotten around to buying/building proper bookcases/shelves for the majority of my library, despite living in my current home over three decades.) The very top book of one stack in the first box I stopped at was... Hart's Hope.

I planned to read it only long enough for the Paperwhite to fully charge, then return to my e-book. Instead, I became hopelessly hooked on Hart's Hope within a few paragraphs. As you might image, I think very highly of it. I always have. It's a dark story, and possibly not the best fit for the more prudish among us (if there are any such). Despite that, I can not but give it a solid recommendation.

At 0735 this morning, 17 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of Russell Martin's Beethoven's Hair. A non-fiction work, its focus is the lock of hair taken from Ludwig van Beethoven's head, soon after his passing, by Ferdinand Hiller, a young musician introduced to the still-alive Beethoven only a few days prior. The book covers its topic in an interesting way. We get a chapter devoted to Beethoven's early life, followed by a chapter relating what is known about the lock in the early years following its taking, followed by a chapter relating to the lock under its most recent / current ownership, a chapter on Beethoven a bit later in his life, and so on. Much time is spent on the still not totally solved mystery of who delivered the lock into the hands of a certain physician in Denmark in 1943. It is thus a bit of a detective story. We also get what I assume is the latest testing on the hair, which reveals that the most likely cause of B's various ailments, hearing loss included, was a highly excessive amount of lead in his system. Before beginning the book, I assumed my report would label it something only those with a keen interest in Beethoven will enjoy. Instead, it now seems to me that a good many general readers will enjoy it too.

At 1331 this afternoon, 21 Feb 2023, I concluded an initial read of The Adventures of Peter Pan, a compilation housing the following J.M. Barrie titles: The Little White Bird; Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens; Peter and Windy; Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up; When Wendy Grew Up; The Story of Peter Pan and The Peter Pan Alphabet. I read the bulk of these not quite a year ago, then finished the rest over the past week.

I was and remain utterly impressed with The Little White Bird, expecting something along the lines of Baum's Oz series, which I had finished just prior to acquiring TAOPP. TLWB is a far deeper, more adult title than any Oz entry. I never finalized my "2022: A Year of Reading" write-up. As I recall, TLWB came away with two "awards"; favorite single-volume novel of the year, and favorite male character of the year. Who is not, btw, Peter Pan. In fact, Peter has relatively few chapters of his own.

Peter Pan in Kensington Garden is basically an extraction of those TLWB Peter Pan chapters with just enough alterations to allow them to stand on their own as a separate book. I skipped it. (But nothing else.)

The remainder are, for the most part, good solid reads. There is some redundancy within these separate tales. The Lost Boys story is given three renderings; two standard prose narratives and one play script. I enjoy the first prose narrative and the play script but find the second prose narrative lackluster. Likewise, I prefer the first of two tellings of Wendy and her descendants' further contact with Peter. The Peter Pan Alphabet is "cute" fluff and an ultra-quick read.

I bought the collection for-a-song off Amazon. Had I been a bit savvier at the time I'd have simply DL'd individual titles free-of-charge from Project Gutenberg.

I almost failed to mention that the Peter Pan of The Little White Bird and the earliest versions of several other tales is a very different creature from, and in my opinion superior to, the one seen in Disney adaptations.

I'm officially in the midst of an initial read of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers. Between it and an aborted stab at The Count of Monte Cristo last year, I begin to suspect that Dumas is not my cup of tea. Yesterday afternoon, I felt a short break from Musketeers was needed. Something to clear my head. Something short and lighthearted.

I remembered a recent addition to Project Gutenberg. It is by its very nature short, taking me only about as long to read as it takes Steve Donaghue to complete War and Peace. As to lighthearted; well, one out of two ain't all bad. The title in question is Petition and Memorial of David Quinn, asking for the re-establishment of Negro slavery in the United States. Birth and death dates are not given for Mr. Quinn. His "active" dates are given to be 1850-1869. The petition was completed in 1866, not more than a year following the textbook end of the U.S. Civil War. To give the gentleman his due, he has a fine grasp of the English language, and a gift for gab. Otherwise, it's more or less exactly what you'd expect it to be, laid on thick and heavy. It was hard-going for me in spots. I doubt I could ensure a novel-length book so laser-focused on this topic. While glad it survives and is available for download by the public at large, I most emphatically do NOT endorse its message.

I suspect and hope that those who read Petition and Memorial do so for its historical value and as a reminder that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

At 1702 this afternoon, 02 Mar 2023, at the very tail-end of supper, I concluded an initial read of Bart D. Ehrman's Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew. This is not an attack on religion but a scholarly delving into different forms of Christianity that co-existed early on and how the group Ehrman labels "proto-orthodox" eventually won out, thus becoming Orthodox (as would any of the others had they come out on top). It relatedly discusses how religious texts used by these early sects came to be included in, or ejected from, what eventually coalesced into the New Testament.

This has been my Kitchen Table reading material for quite a long time. I read it during suppers, anywhere from a few paragraphs to a few pages at a sitting. Not ideal, but it survives such treatment better than would a long novel with complex plot advancement and character development. I was, without difficulty, able to comprehend everything Ehrman discusses, not always a given for me with books of this sort. I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter.

Oops! I'm now reasonably near the end of Dumas' The Three Musketeers. My plan was to devote much of the afternoon to further closing that distance. It was not to be. I'd not been on the sofa long when the dreaded "Low Battery, Recharge your Kindle" appeared onscreen. That's happening now. As usually happens, I took advantage of the situation to transfer Project Gutenberg downloads acquired since my last recharge. There weren't many this time.

At 0454 this morning, 12 Mar 2023, just prior to leaving the sofa to prepare breakfast, I concluded an initial read of Alexandre Dumas' historical fiction swashbuckling action drama The Three Musketeers. This book took me a while to come to grips with, seeming at first little more than non-stop action featuring four over-the-top egocentric characters I couldn't drum up much enthusiasm for. I almost DNF'd it. I'm glad I didn't. It got better as it went along. The characters took on more depth. Their situations became more serious. Or so it seems to me. I particularly like the book's closing drama, beginning when "Milady" initiates her quest for vengeance. In the end, I consider it a very solid read, but don't (yet?) place it among my all-time favorites.

I like it well enough to have discovered that The Three Musketeers is the first novel in Dumas' six-part D'Artagnan series, which ends with Man in the Iron Mask. I DL'd those entries I did not already possess from Project Gutenberg earlier this morning.

I thought the reading slump that plagued me off and on during the latter portion of 2022 was some books in the past. Upon finishing The Three Musketeers early on the 12th it returned, with no forewarning, in high gear. I've not been able to read a thing. I start book after book, only to stare at the Paperwhite screen for minutes on end without reading anything, then move on the something else that produces the same result, eventually giving up and returning to the computer room.

In other words, I've no idea what I'll tackle next.

(So much for my reported severe reading slump. All it took was finding the right book.)

At 1406 this afternoon, 17 Mar 2023, I concluded an initial read of Yashka, My Life as Peasant, Exile and Soldier, the autobiography of Maria Botchkareva, Commander of the Women's Battalion of Death, as set down by Issac Don Levine not long after her escape from what would soon be known in the west as the Soviet Union. The Project Gutenberg e-book is transcribed from its initial 1919 publication. I do not know if it has seen subsequent publishings.

Maria led quite a life. Born in Tsarist Russia, she endured poverty and outright brutality throughout childhood and early adulthood. Her life changed for the better upon miraculously persuading authorities to let her join the Tsarist army as a front-line combat soldier during WWI, unheard of up til then. We witness her slowly (sometimes not so slowly) gain the respect of her comrades and grow to be accepted by them as just another soldier. A rather remarkable soldier, earning a number of medals for heroic acts. We witness the revolution, during which the Russian army disintegrated as an effective fighting force, first by changes made by the first successful wave of revolutionaries, worsened as the second wave, the Red Soviets, comes to power. It was during the first wave that Yashka, as she was known by the army, fed up with its inability to fight the German foe, talked the high brass into allowing her to form the "Women's Battalion of Death", the idea being to shame other troops into returning to their duty upon seeing women storm the enemy trenches. Alas, despite Yashka and the Battalion's best efforts, and they were commendable, the army's desire to fight was too far diminished, not helped by the growing influence of the Red element. Things go downhill quickly for Yasha, the Battalion, and Russia itself. The remainder of the book documents Yashka's resignation from the military and her struggles to stay alive in an environment where many want her dead, ending with her escape to the U.S. and England.

The book is well written by Levin, Botchkareva herself being semi-illiterate. This, combined with her fascinating life, make it an easy recommend.

ADDENDUM:
Since typing the above, research has revealed that Yaskha returned to Russia and was executed by the Reds in 1920 for activities supporting the Whites.

At 1528 this afternoon, 19 Mar 2023, I concluded an initial read of the Project Gutenberg e-book transcription of François Mauriac's 1922 short novel The Kiss to the Leper, translated from the French by James Whitall. I reckon this one to be a slice-of-life character study focusing on a physically repulsive, disease-ridden young man and the pretty young woman chosen by the town priest to marry him. Strong religious convictions come into play. This wasn't really my cup of tea but I enjoyed it, better than some titles I ought to have been more inclined toward, truth be told.

A bit of potentially good news on the local front. I found out Monday that Barnes & Noble now plans to reopen in the city ten miles from me. Not in the city's now-largely-unoccupied sole big mall, where they were pre-2021 tornado, but at a street intersection very near where an earlier, long gone mall used to be. While this isn't as big a deal to me as it would have been had I not converted to e-books (and Amazon, thanks to owning a Paperwhite), it's still a great development for the area, and invaluable to readers, like my brother, without web access (or are simply not web savvy).

At 0333 this morning, 25 Mar 2023, I concluded a long-overdue initial read of George Orwell's 1949 dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-four (or 1984, as my e-book titles it). Well-known as it is, there's no sense in my attempting to concoct a synopsis of the work. Needless to say, I enjoyed it. Quite a lot. Also needless to say, I find much of its contents applicable to our current situation. But such matters are best left unexplored in forums such as this.

Mine is an ultra-cheap edition (well less than $1USD at Amazon) that also includes Orwell's Animal Farm, as yet unread.

At 2112 yesterday evening, 25 Mar 2023, I concluded an initial read of George Orwell's relatively short Animal Farm. This is part of an inexpensive Amazon e-book twofer also containing 1984, finished earlier the same day. Here we witness rebellion against tyranny, establishment of just and benevolent governance, the hijacking of that society by corrupting forces, and its gradual metamorphosis into an authoritarian regime as bad as, if not worse than, the system in place prior to the initial rebellion. It's compelling, thought-provoking reading. In other words, I enjoyed it.

At 1342 this afternoon, 9 Apr 2023, I concluded a sixth read of Elizabeth Moon's Sheepfarmer's Daughter, book one of her The Deed of Paksenarrion fantasy trilogy. Its initial read occurred July 1988, the most recent Dec 2014. I had not planned to read it. After finishing Owell's Animal Farm Mar 25, I attempted initial reads of a good many e-books housed on my Paperwhite. The only one that lasted much beyond a chapter before throwing in the towel was Don Quixote. Were it a shorter work I might have stuck with it, but in the end decided I didn't want to dedicate myself to so huge a book that I liked but wasn't in love with.

At that point it became obvious that I needed to reread a favorite, which Sheepfarmer's Daughter is. As expected, I was immediately hooked and stayed hooked until the end. Well-known as it is, I'll not bother to supply a synopsis.

I will almost certainly finish the trilogy. I don't know that I'll continue on with Moon's later Paksenarrion books. Her several Gird-centric entries didn't do much for me. Nor was I completely sold on her Paladin's Legacy series. In fact I'm not sure I ever got around to buying its final entry.

As to Sheepfarmer's Daughter, it of course gets a strong recommendation.

I read The Deed of Paksenarrion quite some time ago. Indeed, it notably influenced the paladin lore found in Buffy fiction. Good book.

Since last posting, I have completed Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion; book 2, Divided Allegiance on 15 April; book 3, Oath of Gold, yesterday evening 19 April 2023. Both received their fifth readings. I've always held this trilogy in high esteem. This new reading does not alter my opinion of it. If anything, I might now think more highly of it.

Upon finishing Oath of Gold, I was so hyped up that I decided to continue on with Oath of Fealty, book one in Moon's Paladin's Legacy series, despite not being overly impressed during its initial read. Alas. Mine is a fairly hefty hardback edition. Hardbacks of its size are difficult for me to hold while lying down nowadays. Since I do almost the whole of my "serious" reading lying down, I've pretty much had to abandon them. I gave it a try last night, only to admit defeat only a few pages in. Thankfully, Amazon's Kindle edition is only 2.99USD (plus tax). Following a bit of soul-searching, I bit the bullet and bought it this morning. Which reminds me that I need to recharge the Paperwhite.

At 1600 this afternoon, 24 Apr 2023, I concluded a second read of Oath of Fealty, book one of Elizabeth Moon's Paladin's Legacy series. Its initial read occurred Apr 2010. I considered it mediocre at the time. This reading I really enjoyed it. A page-turner. It helped, I think, that I began it immediately after finishing The Deed of Paksenarrion, without reading any of the Gird books in between. I will most definitely continue on with Kings of the North, which I own in a mass-market paperback edition (and am thus able to read while lying on the sofa).

I also read the non-fiction title War is a Racket, by General Smedley Butler (1881-1940). I got wind of it thanks to a YouTube video reference. Butler, a 33-year military veteran, as he puts it, was for most of that time "a high-class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers." What drew me to the book is the time period it covers, approximately the tail end of the 19th century to the beginnings of World War II, prior to the U.S. official involvement. It's a short work. What's in it makes for interesting reading. That said, I don't know that it's worth investing more in than the S0.99+tax my Kindle edition cost. Considering its 1935 copyright date, it might be best to hold off a few years and see if it becomes available at Project Gutenberg.

Smedley! You might also want to check out the book Gangsters of Capitalism by Jonathon Katz. He dug deep into Smedley Butler's life, and early 20th century US Imperialism in general. The Behind the Bastards podcast has talked about him as well. He comes up in their Behind the Police series. He is also heavily featured in the Business Plot episode in their Behind the Insurrections series.

Thanks. I've written these down for easy reference and will investigate.

Catching up on April reads, I finished two more books, as reported below (copied from my reading log):

04/27/2023: 1806 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 2: Kings of the North” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
04/29/2023: 0834 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 3: Echoes of Betrayal” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)

I continue to enjoy Paladin's Legacy far more than during its initial read, and am now over 100 pages into book 4: Limits of Power.

Just prior to lunch today, 03 May 2923, I concluded a second read of Limits of Power, penultimate entry in Elizabeth Moon's Paladin's Legacy series. As with all previous entries, I like it far better this reading than I did during its first read. A surprise is how much I'd forgotten between readings. Basically, I recalled nothing whatsoever, except for one isolated chapter very near the end, which brings one long-time cast member's story to an almost certain close.

As mentioned, I never got around to acquiring the fifth, final entry, and had no burning desire to do so. Just before starting this message I bought it in Kindle e-book format from Amazon. (Amazon refers to the series as Legend of Paksenarrion, though individual books still say Paladin's Legacy on their covers.)

At 0924 this morning, 07 Apr 2023, I concluded an initial read of Crown of Renewal, bringing to a close Elizabeth Moon's Paladin's Legacy series. Unless memory fails me, always a possibility, these books saw a greater shift in my opinion of them than any other. For the better. During their initial reads (of books 1-4), I was not impressed. Books one and two were a bit of a struggle. Books two and three were bought only because I found them used for a good price. I never bothered to acquire book five (until this read). This reading, they grabbed my attention from the get go and held it until the fat lady sang. I don't know that Paladin's Legacy will enter my long-in-need-of-reevaluation pantheon of top-tier fantasy series, but I now hold it in very high esteem.

At 1327 this afternoon, 13 May 2023, I concluded a second read of Surrender None, book one of Elizabeth Moon's two-volume The Legacy of Gird. As with at least one Paladin's Legacy title, I recalled absolutely nothing about it beforehand. Nor did reading it again stir any memory of that prior read. In my defense, that initial read occurred mid-1990, appreciable longer ago than my first reading of the Paladin's Legacy books.

I do know that I found the book fairly mediocre back then. This time round, my opinion of it has increased, though I don't rate it as highly as either Deed of Paksenarrion or Paladin's Legacy.

I debate continuing on with the final Paksenarrion related title in my possession, Liar's Oath, a work Moon, in her prelude to Crown of Renewal, says that "no one likes". As with Surrender None, I recall nothing of its 1992 initial read, other than that it didn't overly impress.

If not Liar's Oath, I have no earthly idea what I'll tackle next.

I'm near the end of Elizabeth Moon's novella Deeds of Honor, a grouping of short stories set in the Paksenarrion universe. The plan was to finish it ere supper, which should have been easy to do. It isn't. Much to my surprise, I was warned that its battery was very low. Sure enough, only 5% charge remained. That happens every so often, though I usually get the warning at a safer 12ish percent. The perplexing thing is that I charged the Paperwhite to 100% yesterday afternoon, during my brother's visit. Why in the world did it drain so fast? A freak occurrence? Going bad? In any case, it's now plugged into my secondary computer. It'll take a few hours to fully charge, meaning I won't be able to use it until after supper.

At 1824 this evening, 15 May 2023, I concluded an initial read of Deeds of Honor, first book in Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion World Chronicles series. It's a novella of short stories that shed light on differing aspects of the world depicted in Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion and Paladin's Legacy novels. Several are material originally intended for inclusion in the novels themselves, but jettisoned before publication. Several, such as Torre's Ride and Falk's Oath, are legends/myths from olden times. Several add to what we know of the series' cast, whether important, secondary or bit player. I enjoyed them all, and recommend the book to all who enjoy all things Paksenarrion. That said, there seems little in reading it without having already read the two primary series. (And Surrender None, though I don't know that it's an absolute necessity).

Book two, Deeds of Youth, is due out mid-July 2023.

At 1321 this afternoon, 25 May 2023, I concluded an initial read of The Green Count, book three in Christian Cameron's late-medieval historic fiction series Chivalry. This title started out at a disadvantage, following hard on the heels of rereading Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion and Paladin's Legacy books, the first a long-time favorite, the second a new favorite. Be that as it may, once acclimated I became invested with The Green Count, and remained so throughout. A worthwhile entry to a (so far) solid series that sees us follow the adventures of the series' main protagonist and a group of characters with whom he associates (or opposes). As is usual with Cameron, combat, both small-scale and large, is plentiful and well described. As is also usual, the various after-the-ending chapters are well worth reading.

The very last thing (other than technical stuff) in my Kindle e-book is the opening chapter of Killer of Men, book one in Cameron's The Long War. My original thought was to skip this, having read the series to its then-completion only a couple of years ago. My mistake was in reading its first two sentences, which utterly hooked me. I remained thoroughly engrossed 'til chapter's end. A wonderful book (and series)! This, for me, is likely to remain Cameron's masterpiece. But again, Chivalry is well worth a read by those with an interest in the genre.

At 1630 this afternoon, during supper, I concluded an initial read of Brian R. Solomon's Blood and Fire, The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik. This, as with all "pro" wrestling books, was a loan from my brother. It was also my kitchen table read for the past some months, meaning that I read it only during meals, usually no more than a few pages at a time. It's an OK read about the wrestling career of said individual. (He had next to no post-career life to speak of, working at his profession up into his seventies, by which point he was an utter wreck, both in and out of the ring.) I can recommend it only to diehard wrestling fans with an interest in wrestling's past.

At 0414 this morning, 09 Jun 2021, I concluded an initial read of Illborn, book one of Daniel T. Jackson's The Illborn Saga. Like many fantasy novels, it takes place in a world roughly equivalent to earth's European middle-ages. Royalty. Strong Organized Region in either opposition to or collusion with said royalty. The storyline centers on a small group of young adults who come to believe they have been given "gifts" by their god (or gods). During much of this first installment, these storylines are separate, though occasional merges occur.

I find it a good but not stellar read. The characters and storyline are interesting. I was a bit put off by the author's writing style at first, but grew accustomed to it over time. I still think it's the book's weakest aspect. Despite that reservation, I plan to read book two.

I recommend it, so long as you don't expect Guy Gavriel Kay level prosemanship.

At 1324 this afternoon, 17 Jun 2023, I concluded an initial read of Aiduel's Sin, book two of Daniel T. Jackson's The Illborn Saga. I enjoyed book one, and like this entry even better. It helps that, between books, someone must have talked with the author about a certain very short word used over and over again during conversions by pretty much every character, important or otherwise. A word I found jarringly out of place. I'm pleased to report that it appears not once in book two. Character and plot developments are well executed. It held my interest from beginning to end. I recommend it and will definitely buy book three when it appears.

At 0928 this morning, 20 Jun 2023, I concluded Nine Princes in Amber, book one of Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber series. This is its second read, though I've no physical proof of this. The series was lent me by a friend long ago, either very early after my conversion from non-fiction to fantasy, or possibly earlier, years before I began documenting what I read. As you might imagine, I have few concrete memories of that first read. That said, I recalled a surprising amount. As with that initial read, I consider it a solid read, but do not number it amongst my favorites. Considering its renown within the fantasy/sci-fi community, a recommendation by me is pointless.

I will continue on with book two, The Guns of Avalon.

At 2007 yesterday evening, Friday, 23 Jun 2023, I concluded a second read of The Guns of Avalon, book two in Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber. Its initial read occurred I know not when. At best, I can narrow it down to sometime between the mid-1970s and mild-1980s. Unlike book one, I recalled not one iota from GoA's first read. Like its predecessor, book two is a well-written, entertaining, easy read. It held my attention from start to finish.

At 1011 this morning, 4 Jul 2023, I concluded an initial read of Kings of the Wyld, book one in Nickolas Eames' series The Band. Its basic premise is that a long disbanded once-renown mercenary band is, in some cases reluctantly, reunited to attempt a seemingly impossible rescue mission. Much is made early on about individual members being old and out of shape, but little is made of this once things get going. The author makes an obvious play on Rock Band culture, as he himself admits at book's end, though the musicians within the story are all more-or-less "traditional" fantasy bards. The tale swings from humorous to serious throughout. The author states that the writings of Guy Gavriel Kay were his chief inspiration. You won't mistake this for Kay, but there are indeed some touching Kay-influenced moments sprinkled throughout the book.

I enjoyed KotW more than I expected to, and will likely acquire its successor at some point.

It totally slipped my mind, until now, to report that at 2045, 13 Jul 2023, I completed an initial read of Guy Gavriel Kay's recently published All the Seas of the World. A Booktuber whose Kay opinions I'm normally in sync with places it in his lowest Kay ranking tier. This once I disagree. While I don't consider it top-tier Kay, Kay's magic worked on me throughout, certainly more so than his previous two offerings, especially the first (in publication order).

I am again late in reporting a book read, this time The Poppy War, book 1 in R.F. Kuang's trilogy of the same name, completed at 1340 on 23 Jul 2023. Mine is a Kindle edition that includes all three books as a single purchase/download. It was on sale at a decent discount at time of purchase.

It garners mixed responses on BookTube, some loving it, some rating it quite poorly. I find it a mixed bag, containing both good and bad elements. While a decent read, I don't know that I can give it a wholehearted recommendation, based on this first installment alone. I'll eventually read the remaining two entries, but at the moment am in the midst of an initial read of Miles (a.k.a. Christian) Cameron's novel Cold Iron, book one of his Masters & Mages fantasy series.

I'm late in reporting that, earlier this month, I completed not only Miles (Christian) Cameron's Cold Iron but also the other extant books in his Masters & Mages fantasy series: Dark Forge and Bright Steel. It gave me a sense of déjà vu early on. Like R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War, we are introduced to a relatively young main protagonist, from the sticks, selected to attend a prestigious state-controlled school. Both protagonists eventually come to play significant roles attempting to thwart forces posing dire threats to their perspective realms. Happily, M&M doesn't suffer from the unevenness of quality I found in The Poppy War. (Here I refer to the book only, not the trilogy as a whole, which I have not yet read.)

Book one is mostly confined to small-scale actions/events. It gave me a bit of a Three Musketeers vibe at times. Book two is heavy on large-scale military campaigns. Book three is highlighted by a number of smaller-scale, magic-centric engagements. All combats, large scale or small, are executed in typical Cameron style, meaning they are quite well done. There is, of course, more to it than that. It's a complex story with lots of intrigue, twists and turns.

I'm uncertain whether book three ends the story. Cameron tends to write series of indefinite duration, and the close of Bright Steel leave enough issues unresolved to warrant further installments.

I can recommend M&M as solid fantasy. It is not, however, equal to the author's superb The Long War historical fiction series.

Not long ago another forum turned me on to a Humble Bundle deal allowing us to acquire all 17 Steven Erikson Malazan books, in EPUB format, for a minimum of $18US! I read book one long ago and didn't like it in the least, but couldn't resist. The series has such a stellar reputation that I figure a reread of that first entry is worth a shot. Maybe I'll think more kindly toward it next read. However, I'm now fairly early into the third book in Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. It'll be awhile before I finish it, and may not choose to tackle Malazan immediately thereafter.

The main reason I post this is to inform you that the HB Malazan sale is still on! Folk with ereaders, with the slightest interest in the series, might want to give it a look-see:

(link) Humble Bundle Malazan EPUB sale. (link)

(Some of the EPUB book covers are rather sparse, bearing no resemblance to those seen on the Bundle's advert page. While regrettable, it's not a lease-breaker for me.)

At 2004 yesterday evening, 09/09/23, I concluded an initial read of Assassin's Quest, bringing to an end Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. (Books 1 & 2 were read last month (Aug).) I have seen many positive reactions to this initial Realm of the Elderings foray over the years, but for whatever reason was never tempted to take the plunge. Until recently.

An old-style web forum I belong to posted a heads-up that Farseer was on sale, in Kindle format, dirt cheap. For the asking price, I figured; "Why not? If I don't like 'em I'm out only a few bucks."

Now I know what all the fuss is about. These are very, very good books, in all aspects. Upon finish yesterday, I attempted to move on to something else. A useless effort. I couldn't, still can't, get Farseer out of my mind, a sure sign that a book has thoroughly captivated me. Finding that the Kindle edition of Ship of Magic, book 1 in Hobb's next Elderings musings, Liveship Traders Trilogy, is just $2.99US, I grabbed in first thing this morning.

At 2034 yesterday evening, 09/14/2023, I concluded an initial read of TJ Klung's The House in the Cerulean Sea, a fantasy novel somewhat dissimilar to the fantasies I normally choose to read. It starts out with a strong Orwellian vibe, which soon fades but never wholly disappears, to resurface near the end. Our main protagonist works as an investigative agent for the state-run agency, on an alternate earth, that controls facilities housing "magical" children, ostensibly for their own safety as well as the safety of the non-magical populous. Early on, the protagonist is given a special, top-level assignment to investigate one particular such facility, situated on an island, which among other residents houses what is deemed an extra-special child. Should this facility remain as it is, or be closed? Our protagonist, known for his objectivity, is given a month at the facility to observe and formulate a recommendation.

The core of the book centers on the protagonist's metamorphosis from who he is at the beginning of his assignment into who he becomes at its end. Along the way we experience the magical children themselves, those who run the facility, and their interactions with a nearby mainland village.

I enjoyed it. Quite a lot. My only real ding is that the one element of the ending is a bit too, what's the word?, syrupy?, for my taste, and potential positive consequences of actions initiated by the protagonist, and a few others, seem a bit too starry-eyes for what one could expect had this occurred on "our" earth. But these are niggles. It's a good book, well worth a look-see.

At 1702 yesterday, 30 Sep 2023, I concluded an initial read of Ava Gardner: "Love Is Nothing" by Lee Server. This was a loan from my brother, the book I've been reading at the kitchen table during meals (but at no other time) these past some months. Expectations were low, never having followed Ms. Gardner's career and caring nothing for her celebrity. Turns out, she led a quite "interesting", if troubled, life, one that I can in almost no way relate to or want to immolate. Those core differences made the book an interesting/entertaining read. I can't see myself recommending it to those not into movie/film personality bios, but those who are might find it a welcome addition to their collection.

At 1058 this morning, 10/03/2023, I completed an initial read of The Witchwood Crown, book one of Tad Williams' Last King of Osten Ard, followup to the popular Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. The original series being a favorite of mine, I worried that this new series might not live up to its predecessor. Happily, I thoroughly enjoyed this first Last King entry. Lots happens here, not much of it pleasant (for the participants). I like it that, at book end, I still have no firm feeling who the titled "Last King" might turn out to be, there being no one character who can be singled out as the for-sure focal point of the story. Much of the book points to one of Simon's direct descendants filling that role, assuming it's not Simon himself, but things happen near the end that suggest at least one other possibility. (Then again, the "King" might prove to be someone or something totally unexpected.) Though Witchwood Crown has been available more than long enough to make my recommendation pointless, I do recommend it to anyone who enjoys the original books.

I am again somewhat negligent in reporting that I have completed initial reads of the final two currently existent books in Tad Williams' Last King of Osten Ard, those being Empire of Grass and Into the Narrowdark. I was totally sold with book one. These two entries have not lessened my praise for the series in the least. Book three ends, discounting a short epilogue chapter, in an absolutely intense climax that contains quite the plot twist. (The best character reveal to date, in my estimation, is contained near the end of book one.) As said before, I find these books a worthy followup to the author's decades-old Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

My problem these past some days has been in selecting what to tackle next. Most everything I've started pales in comparison to Osten Ard. Just this morning I began a book I've so far stuck with; The Sword of Bedwyr, first entry in R. A. Salvatore's The Crimson Shadow. Believe it or not, this is my first exposure to Salvatore. The book has been good reading thus far, but it's far too soon for me to have formed any firm opinion as to its overall worth.

I almost forgot to mention that the concluding Osten Ard installment has a tentative publication date of November 2024.

Thus far this month (Nov 2023) I have completed three reads. Two are light-weight fillers to help me survive a strong reading slump that began immediately after completing Tad William's Into the Narrowdark last month.

The first of these is Experiences of a Bandmaster by John P Sousa. This is no more than a set of reminiscences of "oddities" that occurred while Sousa was head of first the U.S. Marine Band then later his own touring commercial concert band. It's a very short read, more something you'd see as a feature article in an old-style periodical than a stand-alone publication. I don't see it as appealing to anyone other than a niche audience of those interested in the history of the American (U.S.) concert/military band movement. I am admittedly part of that tiny niche. That said, some individual reminiscences were familiar to me, some not. This being a Project Gutenberg free download, it was worth the investment.

Next up, another free Project Gutenberg D/L; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I expected to like it better than I did. It seems to me that, compared to Baum's Oz books, but not the post-Baum Oz books, AAiW is noticeably more heavily biased toward young readers. I am not a young reader, despite my often-infantile brain. I found it a thoroughly decent read, but not something I'll go out of my way to read again.

Lastly, If You Don't Buy This Book, Everybody Dies, by Tracy Smothers and John Cosper. This is another kitchen-table book on loan from my brother. It chronicles the life (to-date) of the "pro" wrestler Tracy Smothers. To my surprise, I quite enjoyed it, certainly more so than I expected to. It might be my favorite wrestler bio loaned me by my brother. (There is at least one non-bio book dealing with the wrestling industry that I like better.) Unlike other wrestler bios I've read, Smothers sticks to the straight and narrow, talking almost exclusively about his life as a wrestler (and those no-wrestling jobs he held to supplement his income). Family life, except during his pre-wrestling youth, is hardly touched on at all. I find this approach refreshing, and totally apt for someone as committed to his "art" as Smothers was for almost the entirety of his working life. This is again a niche title, but one I can comfortably recommend if you fall into that niche.

At 1024 this morning, 7 Jan 2024, I concluded my first book this year, Fool's Errand, book one in Robin Hobb's The Tawny Man Trilogy. As with the previous six Hobb Realm of the Elderings titles I've read, it was excellent. In this trilogy, we leave Live Ship behind and return to The Six Duchies and FitzChivalry Farseer, now known under another name, some 15 years since we last encountered him. Unlike Live Ship, with its many perspectives, this first book is told almost exclusively from Fizt point of view, with lots of character introspection. IMO, the earlier two trilogies ought to be read before tackling Tawny Man. Speaking of which, there's a character tie-in between Farseer, Live Ship and Fool's Errand that, once noticed, seems glaringly obvious. Yet, I only made the connection partway through Fool's Errand. As soon as it came to me, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I missed it. I'll move definitely move on to book 2, already on my Paperwhite.

A listing of all "books" read by me during 2023, chronologically by completion date/time:


1. 01/05/2023: 2102 “The Railway Detective, book 13: Signal For Vengeance” by Edward Marston
2. 01/19/2023: 1419 “The Luck of Barry Lyndon” by William Makepeace Thackeray (1852-53)
3. 01/23/2023: 0456 “Guns of the Dawn” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
4. 02/03/2023: 1402 “City of Last Chances” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
5. 02/07/2023: 1521 “A Hangman’s Daughter Tale 3: The Beggar King” by Oliver Pötzsch
6. 02/10/2023: 2030 “Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862” by O. Edward Cunningham
7. 02/12/2023: 0841 “Elder Race” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
8. 02/14/2023: 1359 “Hart’s Hope” by Orson Scott Card (seventh read)
9. 02/19/2023: 0735 “Beethoven’s Hair” by Russell Martin
10. 02/21/2023: 1331 “The Adventures of Peter Pan” (seven J.M. Barrie Peter Pan titles)
11. 03/01/2023: 0809 “Petition and memorial of David Quinn, asking for the re-establishment of Negro slavery in the United States” by David Quinn (active 1850-1869)
12. 03/02/2023: 1702 “Lost Christianities, The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew” by Bart. D. Ehrman
13. 03/12/2023: 0454 “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas
14. 03/17/2023: 1406 “Yashka: My Life as Peasant, Exile and Soldier” by Maria Botchkareva and Issac Don Levine (1919 initial printing)
15. 03/25/2023: 0333 “Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)” by George Orwell
16. 03/25/2023: 2112 “Animal Farm” by George Orwell
17. 04/09/2023: 2023 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 1: Sheepfarmer’s Daughter” by Elizabeth Moon (sixth read)
18. 04/15/2023: 1049 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 2: Divided Allegiance” by Elizabeth Moon (fifth read)
19. 04/19/2023: 2224 “The Deed of Paksenarrion, book 3: Oath of Gold” by Elizabeth Moon (fifth read)
20. 04/21/2023: 0837 “War is a Racket” by General Smedley Butler
21. 04/24/2023: 1600 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 1: Oath of Fealty” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
22. 04/27/2023: 1806 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 2: Kings of the North” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
23. 04/29/2023: 0834 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 3: Echoes of Betrayal” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
24. 05/03/2023: 0954 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 4: Limits of Power” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
25. 05/07/2023: 0924 “Paladin’s Legacy, book 5: Crown of Renewal” by Elizabeth Moon
26. 05/13/2023: 1327 “The Legacy of Gird, book 1: Surrender None” by Elizabeth Moon (second read)
27. 05/15/2023: 1824 “Paksenarrion World Chronicle, book1: Deeds of Honor” by Elizabeth Moon
28. 05/25/2023: 1321 “Chivalry, book 3: The Green Count” by Christian Cameron
29. 06/03/2023: 1630 “Blood and Fire, The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik” by Brian R. Solomon
30. 06/09/2023: 0414 “The Illborn Saga, book 1: Illborn” by Daniel T. Jackson
31. 06/17/2023: 1324 “The Illborn Saga, book 2: Aiduel’s Sin” by Daniel T. Jackson
32. 06/20/2023: 0928 “The Chronicles of Amber, book 1: Nine Princes in Amber” by Roger Zelazny (second read)
33. 06/23/2023: 2007 “The Chronicles of Amber, book 2: The Guns of Avalon” by Roger Zelazny (second read)
34. 07/04/2023: 1011 “The Band, book 1: Kings of the Wyld” by Nickolas Eames
35. 07/13/2023: 2045 “All the Seas of the World” by Guy Gavriel Kay
36. 07/23/2023: 1340 “The Poppy War Trilogy, book 1: The Poppy War” by R.F. Kuang
37. 08/02/2023: 0430 “Masters and Mages, book 1: Cold Iron” by Miles Cameron
38. 08/08/2023: 0935 “Masters and Mages, book 2: Dark Forge” by Miles Cameron
39. 08/12/2023: 2024 “Masters and Mages, book 3: Bright Steel” by Miles Cameron
40. 08/20/2023: 2115 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 1: Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb
41. 08/27/2023: 1942 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 2: Royal Assassin” by Robin Hobb
42. 09/09/2023: 2004 “The Farseer Trilogy, book 3: Assassin’s Quest” by Robin Hobb
43. 09/14/2023: 2034 “The House in the Cerculean Sea” by TJ Klune
44. 09/30/2023: 1702 “Ava Gardner: “Love Is Nothing” by Lee Server
45. 10/03/2023: 1058 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 1: The Witchwood Crown” by Tad Williams
46. 10/14/2023: 1123 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 2: Empire of Grass” by Tad Williams
47. 10/22/2023: 0156 “Last King of Osten Ard, book 3: Into the Narrowdark” by Tad Williams
48. 11/01/2023: 1540 “Experiences of a Bandmaster” (very short set of recollections) by J.P. Sousa
49. 11/05/2023: 1600 “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll
50. 11/10/2023: 0553 “If You Don’t Buy This Book, Everybody Dies” by Tracy Smothers and John Cosper
51. 11/15/2023: 1307 “Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, book 1: The Dragonbone Chair” by Tad Williams (seventh read)
52. 12/01/2023: 0406 “The Liveship Traders, book 1: Ship of Magic” by Robin Hobb
53. 12/06/2023: 1626 “Don’t Call Me Fake, The True Story of Dr. D David Schultz” by David Schultz and John Cosper
54. 12/09/2023: 1306 “The Liveship Traders, book 2: The Mad Ship” by Robin Hobb
55. 12/22/2023: 1923 “The Liveship Traders, book 3: Ship of Destiny” by Robin Hobb

I might or might not discuss favorites, trends, etc. in a future post.