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Fantasy, Fiction, Humour
Yes, I’m on a bit of a Discworld tear at the moment. And there’s more to come, as I’m halfway through Soul Music as I write this. But my most recent completion was The Last Continent, referring to a location on the Disc - which, purely on the surface, is not the least little bit unlike Australia - which was the last to be created. And is still in process, as it were, when invaded by an unlikely and unprepared school of wizards. In “modern” times, it falls to the resistant Rincewind to repair the ripples Read the rest…

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Fantasy, Fiction, Humour
Lords and Ladies is the second Discworld novel I’ve reviewed (unless you count saying that Reaper Man is my favorite so far as a review). Much more of a page-turner than Men at Arms, I finished this book, no lightweight at 382 pages, in about 3 days. And apparently chapters are things that happen in other books.
As I explained previously, Discworld novels feature recurring characters, and the series can be viewed as a very thick continuum, or several strands grouped by characters. Read the rest…

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Fantasy, Fiction
Deviations: Covenant is the first of six in a series being published by Aisling Press. Rich character development and fascinating central conflict quickly addict the reader to this story. The author’s tone subtly coaxed me to judge the ethics of the situation comprehensively by virtue of the characters’ widely varied viewpoints. The moral dilemma of the story would easily lend itself to pontification from a less skilled writer.
Read the rest…

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Fantasy, Fiction
I’ve recently reviewed a vacation read, a sick-day read, and now, a deserted island book. You know, for when someone asks you what 20 things would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island. As if you could plan for that.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is ideal because, although it is worth the effort, it will take you a very long time to read. I started it on vacation last September. It’s now nearly the end of July. I am the first to admit, I’m not a fast reader, Read the rest…

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Fantasy, Fiction, Humour
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips is in many ways a refreshing indicator of the extent to which fantasy has been embraced by the mainstream. Far more so than science fiction, of course, because if you set out to depict spaceships in space, aliens in an alien landscape/society, or attempt include any kind of science or substantive, complex plot, you are moving towards ‘cult’, ‘niche’ and other more marginal frontiers where fewer members of the general public are inclined to boldly go. Read the rest…

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Fantasy, Fiction, Humour
I say it unashamedly, I’m a fan of The Pratch. I’ve read a dozen or so Discworld books, and none has let me down. That doesn’t mean I don’t have favorites, which I’ll discuss in a moment, but this is the one I’m reading now, so this is where I’ll start.
Men at Arms joins recurring characters Sam Vimes, Corporal Carrot, Corporal “Nobby” Nobbs, and Sergeant Colon during a time of upheaval: Read the rest…