kgbooklog

6-4-05
Joel Rosenberg, _Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda_
Tor (2003) ISBN: 0-765-34012-7
Score: 1

Tenth and most recent Guardians of the Flame novel. I've decided that I like the idea of this series (especically the premise) rather more than the books themselves. Alternates between repetitive angst and needlessly complicated scheming. Neither Jason nor Walter play much of a role in the story, and it doesn't end on a cliffhanger.

6-5-05
J.D. Robb, _Glory in Death_
Putnam (1995) ISBN: 0-399-15158-3
Score: 2

Second Eve Dallas book, with another sexist serial killer. Same strengths and weaknesses as the first book. I figured out who did it 1/3 of the way through.

6-11-05
Arthur Conan Doyle, _A Study in Scarlet_
Wordsworth, (1887) ISBN: 1-85326-896-8
Score: 1

First Sherlock Holmes story, tells a little about Watson's military experiences and how he met Holmes. The first half was good, a typical Holmes case, but the second half (except for the very end) was a very tedious backstory of the murderer and victims, mainly focusing on horrible Mormons are.

6-14-05
Robert Weinberg, _A Calculated Magic_
Ace (1995) ISBN: 0-441-00144-0
Score: 2

Sequel to _A Logical Magician_, and not much different.

6-16-05
Edward Eager, _Half Magic_
Odyssey Classic (1954) ISBN: 0-15-233081-X
Score: 2

Juvenile urban fantasy (possibly the start of a series) about four young kids who find a magic charm that grants half of what you wish for. Most of the book deals with trying to undo previous wishes (I particularly feel sorry for the cat, who they wished could speak). More enjoyable than expected, even if it does "point a moral" (to borrow a phrase from chapter 5).

6-19-05
Lawrence Watt-Evans, _The Misenchanted Sword_
Wildside (1985) ISBN: 1-58715-282-7
Score: 2.5

First Ethshar novel (medievaloid fantasy with multiple magic systems), showing the end of the 100 year Great War between Ethshar and the Northern Empire, and some of the consequences, as viewed through the eyes of Valder, a scout (later an innkeeper), and how he dealt with Wirikidor, the titular sword. This edition also includes the short story "The Bloodstone". I usually don't care for short fiction, and this one didn't add anything to my understanding of the setting or characters.

6-22-05
Lois McMaster Bujold, _The Hallowed Hunt_
Eos (2005) ISBN: 0-06-057462-3
Score: 2

Third Chalion book, though it takes place in a different country and likely a couple hundred years earlier. The hallow king (why is this never capitalized?) is dying, his son (who dabbled in the ancient arts of transferring animal souls to humans) has just been killed by a young woman he tried to force his attentions on, and Ingrey (who had a wolf soul forced on him in his youth) has been ordered resolve things "discretely". Then things get complicated. Can be read first, though the pantheon isn't expained very well. The plot has some similarities to _Curse of Chalion_, which I liked a little better.

6-28-05
Rosemary Edghill, _Speak Daggers to Her_
Forge (1994) ISBN: 0-312-86768-9
Score: 3

First Bast book, amateur detective mysteries set in the Wiccan community in New York City in the 1990's. Ambiguous as to whether it's fantasy or not (Bast believes in magic, but that's because it's part of her religion). Quote from the last page:
Did Miriam Seabrook die of black magic of just liver failure? Does the intent of the person who sincerely wanted her dead not matter just because his tools weren't good enough -- if they weren't?
And was I right -- never mind effective -- to do what I did?
You have your version of the truth and I have mine. I know what killed Miriam. And I know why ______ died.

6-30-05
Camille Minichino, _The Hydrogen Murder_
Avalon (1997) ISBN: 0-8034-9268-5
Score: 1

First of a series in a series about amateur detective who's a retired physicist who just returned to her hometown after 30 years. Fast and light, but the mystery wasn't all that good (compared to, say, Asimov's _Whiff of Death_).