Rating: Did not finish

Yet another “school of magic” story. I’m tired of them.

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Rating: Did not finish

Military SF, wasn’t bad until they started killing innocents left and right to achieve their goals.

No.

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Rating: Did not finish

Too slow and boring. Also, most of the people in the story were complete assholes.

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Rating: 4/5 Worth a re-read
Pages: 316

A fantasy that takes place entirely on a train! What could be better?

I definitely enjoyed this. The main character was interesting, there was a mysterious mystery to uncover, and there was danger that the characters had to address together.

There were a few contradictions in the story that I just let slide. For example, the train is passing through the wastelands, where there is nobody on the ground, and it’s likely death to exit the train, yet somehow the train was able to change routes. Who threw the switch to allow that? I think there were ways this could have been handled, but the author would have to had to explain how this train was different from the typical train in being able to do this.

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Rating: 3/5 Worth reading
Pages: 254

I’ve enjoyed Max Gladstone’s books, but the title and cover of this one put me off for a long time.

Now I’ve read it, and I suppose it was worth reading, but only barely. For me, anyway.

I’ll give it that the writing of the letters between the two protagonists is nearly poetry, but this is a time travel story with a plot that makes little to no sense. I don’t think the authors actually intended to write a perfectly logical time travel story, but it still annoys me too much to really enjoy the story.

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Rating: Did not finish

1st person urban mage story. The narrator is pathetic. Bye bye.

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Rating: 3/5

I really enjoyed this fantasy. It’s not complicated, just a witch and apprentice fighting an old evil dead witch, but it’s a pleasant read with mostly nice characters.

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Rating: 3/5 Worth reading
Pages: 317

Damian and Jullanar meet and get acquainted, then Fitzroy (literally) drops in.

Probably okay as a standalone, but of more interest to those who have read other books that mention The Red Company.

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Rating: 3/5
Pages: 41

This is another short story from Goddard’s world, probably only of interest to those who have read other books by her about the Red Company.

This gives the detailed account of the time Damian defeated 150 soldiers, one after another, in sword duels in one afternoon.

Pali Avramapul is featured in the wrapper story, though as Domina Black.

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Rating: 3/5 Worth reading
Pages: 37

I rate this short story as 3/5, worth reading, but would qualify that by saying that unless you’ve read and enjoyed The Hands of the Emperor and At the Feet of the Sun, which are largely about the same character, you probably won’t find this too interesting.

It’s the very first look at Fitzroy Angursell, before he’s taken that name.

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