|
Erikson gives you no time to get your bearings in this book -- it starts with a short prologue of background and then the main story starts up in the middle of a decades-long conflict played out both in the mortal realm and among the various deities (Ascendants). This series logs the lives of Erikson's characters, and those affected by them, during the various wars of the Malazan empire -- thus the "Book of the Fallen" concept that is essentially a Black Company-like annals of the people who die, are killed, are raised to divinity or lowered to squalor in the wars of Malaz. Nonetheless, there is a looming evil that threatens all of Erikson's world -- only hinted at in this… Read more
|
|
|
This is the first Sharpe series book that I read, and it won't be the last -- I plan to follow the series in chronological order (although that's not the order in which Cornwell wrote them). Richard Sharpe is an infantry grunt who joined the British army to avoid jail for his crimes. Beaten down by his sergeant, trudging through southern India in England's ubiquitous (woolen) redcoat, he first considers fleeing the army but is soon framed for a whipping after encountering his first firefight. Events and a sympathetic officer contrive to launch Sharpe into a spy mission to rescue a British officer who is in the custody of the Tippoo of Mysore -- the man whose kingdom the British are… Read more
|
|
|
The Ladies have done a pretty good job titling this effort: there are the goofy/happy tunes BNL is known for like Another Postcard (goofy fluff) and Shopping; the introspective emotional pieces, such as War On Drugs; the brooding catchy pop like Celebrity and the straight-out pop-rockers like Second Best, Maybe Katie and Testing 1, 2, 3. As an overall CD, there are some high and low points, but this effort definitely showcases the BNL strengths: Ed Robertson and Steve Page's harmonization; Steve's incredible vocal talents (War On Drugs again), that dwarf the ability of just about any band's lead singer; and the sense of straight-out power pop fun that the Ladies are known for. It's more… Read more
|
