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Could You Please Direct Me; I'm sure we have such a thread, abouts
Topic Started: Nov 13 2007, 02:21 AM (1,216 Views)
Aelith
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Thank you Star-ji for your comment. Paladin of Souls is one of her fantasy series and not as good as the Vor books. I highly recommend reading that series in the order in which they were published. As Miles gets older the writer gets better.

For those of you who have not started either of the Dunnett series be warned, each can be read individually but they are itrically connected and the buildup to the finnally is mind blowing. Enjoy.

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starexplorer
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Thank you Aelith-ji. That is interesting. I have previously received the recommendation on this board that the The Vorkosigan Saga books need not necessarily start at the very beginning, and the The Vor Game was a good entry point to evaluate whether one would like the series and Bujold. That is why I purchased it, but I would not want to go wrong on this -- I want to give Bujold a fair reading at ther best. I think this would be a good time to survey all the Bujold lovers for a considered opinion. I will post an inquiry in the Tashrid.


http://z11.invisionfree.com/Shejidan/index.php?showtopic=761
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Chomiji
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Aelith -

With all due respect, and much as it pains me to dispute the findings of a fellow fan of the Lymond Chronicles, I must decline to agree about the relative merits of Bujold's fantasy and science fiction.

I very much enjoyed the fantasy novels (Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, The Hallowed Hunt), but her science fiction leaves me utterly cold.

So I believe any new Bujold readers' mileage may vary ... .

- Cho
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Aelith
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Oh dear, oh dear. I love her fantasys too. I guess we all want to recommend what we know which is the way we ourselves discovered the author. To be more precise Bujolds early books were exciting short space opera/mysteries. The latter fat books build on each other. I was recommending the discovery of the author as much as the biography of Miles.


by the way, my first :cherryh: was the Gates of Ivrel a long time ago. (?Dow paperback edition?) Almost didn't get the next one. :baji
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Kokipy

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Like Chomiji-ji, I also prefer Bujold's fantasy to most of the Vor booksl, but Star-ji did not like her fantasy. He might well fare better with the Vor ones. Eh?
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rosebladeaureliuskcir
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Funny--I prefer her Vorlords to her fantasy. I suppose I find her main character appealing for his faults as well as his strengths. One of my personal favourites is the story (duology, rather) now published in a single edition called Cordelia's Honor--the story of his parents, their meeting, and how he came to be born. The minor characters are as interesting as Miles. His cousin, Ivan(-you-dunce), seems oddly wise after a while... Bujold is definitely worth the read, though. One of the few whose work I glom onto when it's published, though it doesn't look like Miles is going to have any new adventures anytime soon.
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suzdal
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I agree that I both love and not love her books. (I thought of another one I love, "Ethan of Athos" - it's a bit of a contrived farce but I really like a farce - it made me think of a Shakespearean comedy, which I adore).

In general I think all of her stuff is readable. Just some more than others.

Peace,
Suzdal

P.S. I do have a hardcover Lois McMaster Bujold shelf as well.
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Surtac
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Quote:
 
it's a bit of a contrived farce but I really like a farce - it made me think of a Shakespearean comedy, which I adore

Suzdal, if you like farces, you may like to investigate the following three titles by Walter Jon Williams - The Crown Jewels, Rock Of Ages, and House Of Shards - which feature the adventures of Drake Majistral, an Allowed Burglar, and his interactions with a multi-species travelling circus of celebrities and high society.

I found them to be quite amusing - they're a lot of fun and certainly not intended to be taken seriously.

:invert

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starexplorer
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After much searching, the developments in the Dunnett/Cherryh Endeavor:

So I encountered my friend at a party, and immediately it was evident she knew there was a matter to clear up between us. She had gotten very involved in some vampire novels, and then picked up Cyteen. She had forgotten everything I had said about it (eg., :cherryh: is not the female Dunnett, this is a book that takes time to get going, but repays the effort, very character-driven).

She was newly encouraged, and I attempted to infect her with my own love of the SF genre. In particular, I emphasized that as an adolescent boy I was satisfied with a Gee Whiz! Big Idea, but that now I demand good writing, plausible motives, well-drawn characters etc. She was as good as committed.

Then we had her family over for an evening, and starwoman, who is currently reading Cyteen (her first :cherryh: ) gave it her provisional imprimatur, not having yet completed it.

I made sure to ply her and her husband with a hearty lamb stew, provocative reading questions some of which were from the Never Let Me Go thread, and the clincher: a lovely bottle of fine sauternes to finish off the night.

I received her email the next day that she had gone out and purchased her own copy of Cyteen.

Will forward succeeding chapters of this riveting tale as they become available.
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Aelith
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Brovo.
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Felicitous Sk8er
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Quote:
 
Will forward succeeding chapters of this riveting tale as they become available.



One is awaiting the promised upcoming reports with bated breath!
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suzdal
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Star-ji:

Somehow I missed this post of yours back in November. You said:

Quote:
 
Suzdal, if you like farces, you may like to investigate the following three titles by Walter Jon Williams - The Crown Jewels, Rock Of Ages, and House Of Shards - which feature the adventures of Drake Majistral, an Allowed Burglar, and his interactions with a multi-species travelling circus of celebrities and high society.


I LOVE those books! Adore them! And in a similar vein the Alexei Panshin Anthony Villiers' books "Star Well", "The Thurb Revolution" and "Masque World". The only sadness in my heart is that he never wrote "The Galactic Pantograph" (or whatever the name was going to be) because the series has an unfinished feel (and I love those books!).

So, yes, that is exactly the style of farce I like very much. Not so much Harrison & Bischoff's "Bill the Galactic Hero". Maybe I like farces that are also comedies of manners?

Peace,
Suzdal
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starexplorer
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Suzdal-ji,

One is delighted that you enjoyed those books so. But one must point out as well that the recommendation was that of Nand'Surtac, he of excellent recommendations!
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suzdal
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Eeeek! You're right! (Bows head and blushes in shame). My humblest apologies, Surtac-ji! I was sorely tempted to edit my post. Instead I will eat my crow with relish and humble pie.

Peace,
Suzdal
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starexplorer
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Apologies all around, in that case. Perhaps one should have delicately PM'd to allow a discrete editing. :blush:
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