Uncompromising Honor by David Weber

I’ve read more Weber than I can accurately recall.  This last couple I read, I felt, were not up to his standards.  This book returned to what I would expect from Weber.  Honor Harrington is back and as in the most recent books she is somewhat secondary in nature.   That changes toward the end of the book and she comes back as full blown Honor!   Simplistically, a formerly small star system, Manticore, has ended their war with The People’s Republic only to discover that they have been manipulated by someone.   The Solararian League is now the obvious adversary but long time readers know that they too are being manipulated.  Interstellar war and mayhem result.

Treecats got a little more verbiage in this story.  Someday I would like to see them featured in one of Weber’s books.   They were alluded to and they picked up some enhancements to their basic lethalness but disappointingly that upgrade was never utilized.  As usual Weber tends to wax eloquently and often wallows in verbiage but overall I thought this was far better than the last couple of his books I have read. 

Weber does portray loyalty and camaraderie quite well.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Quick Fix by J. Gregory Smith

I guess I didn’t realize I was a fan until I looked at all of his books I  have reviewed.  I have never found one any less than four stars and most have been five stars.   This new book is a step above even five stars.  I really enjoyed the book.   Action or adrenaline junkies this book will satisfy your lust! 

One of the aspects that added to the enjoyment was the recognition of many of the places as the book is set in the Philadelphia area.   The gist of the story is two buddies, “contractors” for the military are recovering from their last visit to the “sandbox”.   Kyle is the main protagonist and he is recovering from an IED.   Kyle is also going through a divorce.   His buddy Ryan, has a quick fix for Kyle’s money problems and there is the beginning of the problems.

Smith crafts characters that you actually know.  We all have friends like Ryan and Kyle.  A loveable rogue whose pranks got you into trouble in high school can lead you down the primrose path to incarceration as an adult.  A gullible good guy with a temper and a more robust physic can fall prey to or merely want to believe in a financial panacea having no down side. 

These two are not kids but they do have a less than thoughtful approach to the world.   Rollie, a bonafide adult, brings some maturity to the story.

This is a “can’t put it down” kind of book.  In spite of having a dinner party for 16 and all of the accompanying chores, I finished the book in 48 hours or so.

I highly recommend,  Smith is honing his craft to a new and exciting level!

Links to my reviews of more of J. Gregory Smith’s work:

Darwin’s Pause

The Flame Keepers

Heroic Measures

Send in the Clowns

Legacy of the Dragon

A Noble Cause

Final Price

The Crystal Mountain

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Temper by Nicky Drayden

I read Prey of the Gods by Drayden and really enjoyed it.  I did not enjoy Temper. 

The plot was confusing, I wasn’t sure exactly what twins were except not what I expected twins are.   A ghetto is a ghetto regardless of the name and escape from the ghetto was also a confusing proposition.

Icy Blue sounds like muscle relief rather than a soul stealing demigod. 

I’m confused, same author with a radically different reaction on my part.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Going for Infinity by Poul Anderson

These are the books I have read by Poul Anderson.   I enjoyed all of them.   Frankly I was shocked that I wasn’t fonder of his short story collection.   Not one grabbed me, some were good but none of them made me lean back and say to my self, “that was a great read.” 

Keeping it short, don’t judge Anderson by this short story collection, he is much, much better than this.

A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows

Alight in the Void

Boat of A Million Years

Devil's Game

Earth book of Stormgate

Ensign Flandry(in 3/1 The Imperial Stars)

Fire Time

Game of Empire

Going for Infinity

Hoka

Maurai & kith

Mirkheim

Oeration Chaos

Operation Otherworld

Orion shall Rise

People of the Wind

Shield of Time

The Armies of Elfland

The Broken Sword

The ByWorlder

The Fleet Of Stars

The Sound & the Furry w. G.Dickson

The Time Patrol

There Will Be Time

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Silver Borne By Patricia Briggs.

I appear to be on a Patricia Briggs roll!

Werewolves, fairy queens, mayhem and more!   That is what you can expect with Brigg’s work.   This time a friend disappears and Mercy is bound and determined to discover why.

That determination involves pulling her friends and her love into danger. Briggs does a nice job showing relationships and the different forms they can take.   Sure there is action and adventure but the books are held together but the relationships that Briggs adroitly manufacturers.

Again, I enjoyed her writing.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Iron Kissed By Patricia Briggs.

This is the third of the books I got several years ago along with a half dozen other Briggs books as I had read a very positive review on her writing.  Alas life got in the way of reading and I finally, just got around to reading three of them so far.   I am happy to report that whoever influenced me with their review was spot on!  Patricia Briggs rocks! 

A more detailed look at the fae and their despotic rulers the Grey Lords occupies a major chunk of this plot.   Mercedes, of course, against all advice jumps into to save a friend who is falsely imprisoned.   Consequently she is faced with some foes that are even more daunting than the vampires and sorcerers she faced recently.

Personal relations get some clarity in this book.  Briggs nicely showcases the interplay between characters and demonstrates the dangers of prejudice by using her fantastic characters.

I really enjoyed this book as well as the first one and immediately jumped into the next one.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.