expendablemudge's review
3.0
Rating: 3* of five
My 4-star review of the title novel is separate from the related stories.
The Panshins' essay isn't anything too terribly much in the way of revelations or extensions of the critical knowledge of de Camp's game-changing book.
Rating: 3-ish stars for The Deadly Mission of Phineas Snodgrass
Frederik Pohl wrote a few paragraphs about the awfulness of unintended consequences. It's barely a story, in fact I'd call it more of a short responsive essay about Lest Darkness Fall. On emotional response, I'd give it 1 star because it's so mean-spirited, a pin wielded with a twisted smirk to prick the balloon of fantasy the novel inflates so delightfully. I grudgingly add stars because it's true, it's accurate, and cautionary words aren't amiss in this positivist-romantic context.
Rating: 3.5* of five for The Apotheosis of Martin Padway
S.M. Stirling wrote a nice Wellsian-time-travel extension of de Camp's story. It's a pleasant romp, and says some interesting things about the world Paduei has created. I particularly love the introduction of polo as a peaceful alternative to chariot races.
The surprise ending isn't as much of a surprise as it could have been, had the story been titles differently. But it made me grin.
Rating: 4* of five for To Bring the Light
David Drake's use of the deus ex machina of a lightning bolt was completely charming, and the tale itself was as much fun to me as was Howard Waldrop's "The Mother of Us All."
It's an interesting side-light on history's great city being founded, as so many of humanity's works are, on hatred, murder, and rivalry. A goddess steps in to change something with as many consequences and reverberations as it is imaginable to have. Drake doesn't have a high opinion of Rome, it would seem....
My 4-star review of the title novel is separate from the related stories.
The Panshins' essay isn't anything too terribly much in the way of revelations or extensions of the critical knowledge of de Camp's game-changing book.
Rating: 3-ish stars for The Deadly Mission of Phineas Snodgrass
Frederik Pohl wrote a few paragraphs about the awfulness of unintended consequences. It's barely a story, in fact I'd call it more of a short responsive essay about Lest Darkness Fall. On emotional response, I'd give it 1 star because it's so mean-spirited, a pin wielded with a twisted smirk to prick the balloon of fantasy the novel inflates so delightfully. I grudgingly add stars because it's true, it's accurate, and cautionary words aren't amiss in this positivist-romantic context.
Rating: 3.5* of five for The Apotheosis of Martin Padway
S.M. Stirling wrote a nice Wellsian-time-travel extension of de Camp's story. It's a pleasant romp, and says some interesting things about the world Paduei has created. I particularly love the introduction of polo as a peaceful alternative to chariot races.
The surprise ending isn't as much of a surprise as it could have been, had the story been titles differently. But it made me grin.
Rating: 4* of five for To Bring the Light
David Drake's use of the deus ex machina of a lightning bolt was completely charming, and the tale itself was as much fun to me as was Howard Waldrop's "The Mother of Us All."
It's an interesting side-light on history's great city being founded, as so many of humanity's works are, on hatred, murder, and rivalry. A goddess steps in to change something with as many consequences and reverberations as it is imaginable to have. Drake doesn't have a high opinion of Rome, it would seem....
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