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A review by yevolem
Warriors by George R.R. Martin
3.0
Every story is original to this anthology.
The King of Norway - Cecelia Holland [The Soul Thief]
A story about the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986, as told from the perspective of the invading Jomsvikings.
Enjoyable
Forever Bound - Joe Haldeman [Forever War]
This was an odd mix of being set in 2054 but feeling like 1954 aside from the tech. The focus is on relationships, including sex, but mostly in emotional terms. There were ten person mindmeld squads where they remote control mechs, but that was more of a sideshow.
Ok
The Triumph - Robin Hobb
Everything about this story of Marcus Atilius Regulus being tortured to death in 250 BC was unenjoyable. I found it distasteful at best that his voluntary return to be tortured to death as a way to preserve his honor because he made an agreement to do so was celebrated as the height of Roman civic virtue.
Blah
Clean Slate - Lawrence Block
This was a dialogue heavy story of a modern day femme fatale serial killer, father-daughter incest, and her psychotic delusions about sex.
Meh
And Ministers of Grace - Tad Williams
A highly genetically engineered Christian fundamentalist assassin has been tasked with assassinating the planetary leader of their enemies. However, a seed of doubt has been planted.
Highly Enjoyable
Soldierin’ - Joe R. Lansdale [Deadwood Dick]
In 1870, a black man afraid of being lynched joins the colored army in West Texas to hunt the natives. Tragedy and comedy ensue.
Enjoyable
Dirae - Peter S. Beagle
A vanishing vigilante targets abusers. The story is prefaced by warning the reader that it will be confusing. I didn't care for its style and that's mostly all it is.
Blah
The Custom of the Army - Diana Gabaldon [Outlander/Lord John Grey]
I don't know of any other story that has an electrical eel party. After the narratives proceeds to the days leading up to and the day of The Siege of Quebec. I liked how it was written, but the more I read the less interested I was in it, unfortunately.
Meh
Seven Years from Home - Naomi Novik
A female cultural ambassador unaware of her privilege completely freaks out when the industrialized people of the planet she's assigned to don't give her the deference that is accorded to the women of her homeworld. She instead goes full native with the other civilization of the world, a matriarchal society who wish to live attuned with nature through extensive bioengineering of both themselves and their environment. Genocide ensues.
Ok
The Eagle and the Rabbit - Steven Saylor
In 146 BC Carthage has fallen and many of its people have been enslaved. The protagonist is one of those slaves, though he has options available to him. The question is which one he'll chose, even though all paths may lead to death.
Ok
The Pit - James Rollins
A dog is the protagonist and is cast in the role of a Roman gladiator, which is to say it's about dog fighting. There are also the trainers and dognappers, which fill the role of slavers. There's animal cruelty, though it's not particularly graphic. It's written well enough, but it was somewhat uncomfortable to read.
Ok
Out of the Dark - David Weber [Out of the Dark]
Aliens invade Earth seeking to make all of humanity their slaves. They've badly miscalculated though, because it's not the humans they should be worried about. Regardless of how insane human are, what they truly ought to fear is what comes...out of the dark.
Blah
The Girls from Avenger - Carrie Vaughn
In 1943, a female pilot of WASP investigates the mysterious death of a fellow pilot despite the obstacles presented by military secrecy and male contempt.
Meh
Ancient Ways - S. M. Stirling [Emberverse]
It's 2055, which is 57 years after an apocalyptic event called The Change. Modern technology exists only as scattered artifacts. A Cossack saves a stranger from his tribal enemies. The stranger then requests help to rescue a princess, and so the adventure begins. The more I read this the more I enjoyed it.
Highly Enjoyable
Ninieslando - Howard Waldrop
In the midst of World War I, 1917, a British soldier in the trenches suffers. Soon his life will change due to the secret power of Esperanto and its global plans.
Meh
Recidivist - Gardner Dozois
This was a bleak and hopeless AI apocalypse future where the rules of reality no longer applied and nostalgia rather than hope sustained those few who remained.
Blah
My Name Is Legion - David Morrell
During World War II, 1941, the French Foreign Legion was in Syria on both sides of the conflict. The legionnaire protagonist recalls his life and a historical battle critical to the lore of their organization. How difficult will it be for him to kill his comrades and for them to kill him?
Ok
Defenders of the Frontier - Robert Silverberg
A group of eleven soldiers who are known only by their military position wonder if their outpost needs to be defended any longer from enemies or indeed if their allies even still exist because there doesn't seem to be anyone else out there. No one at all. Is this all there is to life now?
Meh
The Scroll - David Ball
Sultan Ismail of 17th century Morocco tortures a French engineer and executes many others on a regular basis, for both whimsy and compliance. The engineer suffers and suffers, as do many others, in this relentlessly grim story.
Blah
The Mystery Knight - George R. R. Martin [A Song of Ice and Fire/Dunk and Egg]
The third and final novella in this series. Dunk and Egg enter a tournament where the prize is a dragon egg, but nothing is what it seems. I didn't read it again, because I'd prefer starting from the first if I were to do so. I don't remember why I relatively didn't like it that much.
Ok
The King of Norway - Cecelia Holland [The Soul Thief]
A story about the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986, as told from the perspective of the invading Jomsvikings.
Enjoyable
Forever Bound - Joe Haldeman [Forever War]
This was an odd mix of being set in 2054 but feeling like 1954 aside from the tech. The focus is on relationships, including sex, but mostly in emotional terms. There were ten person mindmeld squads where they remote control mechs, but that was more of a sideshow.
Ok
The Triumph - Robin Hobb
Everything about this story of Marcus Atilius Regulus being tortured to death in 250 BC was unenjoyable. I found it distasteful at best that his voluntary return to be tortured to death as a way to preserve his honor because he made an agreement to do so was celebrated as the height of Roman civic virtue.
Blah
Clean Slate - Lawrence Block
This was a dialogue heavy story of a modern day femme fatale serial killer, father-daughter incest, and her psychotic delusions about sex.
Meh
And Ministers of Grace - Tad Williams
A highly genetically engineered Christian fundamentalist assassin has been tasked with assassinating the planetary leader of their enemies. However, a seed of doubt has been planted.
Highly Enjoyable
Soldierin’ - Joe R. Lansdale [Deadwood Dick]
In 1870, a black man afraid of being lynched joins the colored army in West Texas to hunt the natives. Tragedy and comedy ensue.
Enjoyable
Dirae - Peter S. Beagle
A vanishing vigilante targets abusers. The story is prefaced by warning the reader that it will be confusing. I didn't care for its style and that's mostly all it is.
Blah
The Custom of the Army - Diana Gabaldon [Outlander/Lord John Grey]
I don't know of any other story that has an electrical eel party. After the narratives proceeds to the days leading up to and the day of The Siege of Quebec. I liked how it was written, but the more I read the less interested I was in it, unfortunately.
Meh
Seven Years from Home - Naomi Novik
A female cultural ambassador unaware of her privilege completely freaks out when the industrialized people of the planet she's assigned to don't give her the deference that is accorded to the women of her homeworld. She instead goes full native with the other civilization of the world, a matriarchal society who wish to live attuned with nature through extensive bioengineering of both themselves and their environment. Genocide ensues.
Ok
The Eagle and the Rabbit - Steven Saylor
In 146 BC Carthage has fallen and many of its people have been enslaved. The protagonist is one of those slaves, though he has options available to him. The question is which one he'll chose, even though all paths may lead to death.
Ok
The Pit - James Rollins
A dog is the protagonist and is cast in the role of a Roman gladiator, which is to say it's about dog fighting. There are also the trainers and dognappers, which fill the role of slavers. There's animal cruelty, though it's not particularly graphic. It's written well enough, but it was somewhat uncomfortable to read.
Ok
Out of the Dark - David Weber [Out of the Dark]
Aliens invade Earth seeking to make all of humanity their slaves. They've badly miscalculated though, because it's not the humans they should be worried about. Regardless of how insane human are, what they truly ought to fear is what comes...out of the dark.
Blah
The Girls from Avenger - Carrie Vaughn
In 1943, a female pilot of WASP investigates the mysterious death of a fellow pilot despite the obstacles presented by military secrecy and male contempt.
Meh
Ancient Ways - S. M. Stirling [Emberverse]
It's 2055, which is 57 years after an apocalyptic event called The Change. Modern technology exists only as scattered artifacts. A Cossack saves a stranger from his tribal enemies. The stranger then requests help to rescue a princess, and so the adventure begins. The more I read this the more I enjoyed it.
Highly Enjoyable
Ninieslando - Howard Waldrop
In the midst of World War I, 1917, a British soldier in the trenches suffers. Soon his life will change due to the secret power of Esperanto and its global plans.
Meh
Recidivist - Gardner Dozois
This was a bleak and hopeless AI apocalypse future where the rules of reality no longer applied and nostalgia rather than hope sustained those few who remained.
Blah
My Name Is Legion - David Morrell
During World War II, 1941, the French Foreign Legion was in Syria on both sides of the conflict. The legionnaire protagonist recalls his life and a historical battle critical to the lore of their organization. How difficult will it be for him to kill his comrades and for them to kill him?
Ok
Defenders of the Frontier - Robert Silverberg
A group of eleven soldiers who are known only by their military position wonder if their outpost needs to be defended any longer from enemies or indeed if their allies even still exist because there doesn't seem to be anyone else out there. No one at all. Is this all there is to life now?
Meh
The Scroll - David Ball
Sultan Ismail of 17th century Morocco tortures a French engineer and executes many others on a regular basis, for both whimsy and compliance. The engineer suffers and suffers, as do many others, in this relentlessly grim story.
Blah
The Mystery Knight - George R. R. Martin [A Song of Ice and Fire/Dunk and Egg]
The third and final novella in this series. Dunk and Egg enter a tournament where the prize is a dragon egg, but nothing is what it seems. I didn't read it again, because I'd prefer starting from the first if I were to do so. I don't remember why I relatively didn't like it that much.
Ok