In article <1128j76$3coid$3@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
Highlights and Lowlights - May 2026
Books are rated using a very primitive rating system:
?+? are good, and more ?+? are better
?-? are not good, and more ?-? are worse
Like the last one, there are no brief descriptions this time (except for
Bluebeard) - and probably not for the next one either.
I?m happy to answer questions about anything here.
Highlight: Four choices here, but probably Eversion by Reynolds
Lowlight: Heat Stroke - Caine [Weather Warden #2]
May 2026
( + - ) Heat Stroke - Caine [Weather Warden #2]
( ++ ) Ill Wind - Caine [Weather Warden #1]
( +++ 1/2 ) The Assassins of Thasalon - Bujold [Penric & Desdemona]
( ++ 1/2 ) Cast in Blood - Sagara [Elantra #19]
( ++ 1/2 ) White Hot - Andrews [Hidden Legacy #2]
( +++ 1/2 ) Platform Decay - Wells [Murderbot #8]
( +++ 1/2 ) Eversion - Reynolds
( ++ - ) Long Past Dues - James J Butcher [The Unorthodox Chronicles #2]
( +++ 1/2 ) Bluebeard - Vonnegut
RE: Bluebeard
I know in general there are mixed feelings about this one compared to
his others, but I thought it was excellent. Typical Vonnegut
observations and phrasing and style, etc. I love how he writes, though
not always what he writes about.
This is one of the few (only?) where his protagonist has a rather happy
ending. It is subtitled/extended titled ?The Autobiography of Rabo
Karabekian? where we first encountered Rabo as a minor character in
Breakfast of Champions. Rabo is a (former) Abstract Expressionist
painter who has an interesting and valued collection of abstract
paintings, primarily from real-life name-checked colleagues of his (e.g.
Jackson Pollock). He no longer paints, and his cook and her daughter are
the only other inhabitants of his home on the water in East Hampton,
Long Island.
One day a woman on his stretch of beach catches his attention, and she
kind of bulldozes her way into moving in to his house. He has a barn out
back that is locked up tight (two doors - one completely nailed shut,
the other with 6 padlocks on it), which is home of his studio and holds
his secret - which of course catches the attention and imagination of
everyone who becomes aware of it. The ultimate revelation of his secret
near the end is extremely well done, and rather moving as well. This
book stayed in my thoughts for weeks afterward - not typical for me.
Now Reading:
Long work - This turned out to be Bujold?s Penric novella ?Knot of
Shadows?.
Collection - The Compleat Traveler in Black - Brunner [Re-Read Project #9] >>
Tony
The Weather Warden books are popcorn. Generally fun popcorn, but pretty light.
It's too bad Caine passed away early so we'll never know if
that was her niche or if she would have moved on.
I believe those are the only ones of yours I've read. Once again you
remind me to get back to Elantra, something I somehow have not yet done despite multiple, public, vows to do same.
Highlights and Lowlights - May 2026Thank you for that follow up. I have a copy and will reread it.
( +++ 1/2 ) Bluebeard - Vonnegut
I know in general there are mixed feelings about this one compared to
his others, but I thought it was excellent. Typical Vonnegut
observations and phrasing and style, etc.ÿ I love how he writes, though
not always what he writes about.
This is one of the few (only?) where his protagonist has a rather happy ending. It is subtitled/extended titled ?The Autobiography of Rabo Karabekian? where we first encountered Rabo as a minor character in
Breakfast of Champions. Rabo is a (former) Abstract Expressionist
painter who has an interesting and valued collection of abstract
paintings, primarily from real-life name-checked colleagues of his (e.g. Jackson Pollock). He no longer paints, and his cook and her daughter are
the only other inhabitants of his home on the water in East Hampton,
Long Island.
One day a woman on his stretch of beach catches his attention, and she
kind of bulldozes her way into moving in to his house. He has a barn out
back that is locked up tight (two doors - one completely nailed shut,
the other with 6 padlocks on it), which is home of his studio and holds
his secret - which of course catches the attention and imagination of everyone who becomes aware of it. The ultimate revelation of his secret
near the end is extremely well done, and rather moving as well. This
book stayed in my thoughts for weeks afterward - not typical for me.
Highlight: Four choices here, but probably Eversion by ReynoldsYou gave Bluebird a similar rating. I gave Eversions four stars back in
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