Anyone else read it?
I thought it was definitely readable, but one of HT’s weaker efforts.
Mainly, I felt like we’ve read this all before. Yes, those two pilots have a good sense of humor, and yes, one of them doesn’t get along with the captain, and yes, Sam Yeager has an incredible ability to think like the lizards, and so forth. Been there, done that. Seeing lizard society was nice, but really, not all that alien.
I saw the
coming a mile away
I’m pretty sure that “The Doctor” is
although I see no need for him to be so coy about it
He’s finally finished his Colonization trilogy? About time.
I don’t know if I’ll pick it up or not though. While I still appreciate Turtledove, I’m no longer enamored with him and after trying to reread the World War trilogy, I discovered just how repetitious he really is. When you’re reading it for the first time and over periods of weeks and months, it isn’t so bad but when you have nothing else to read and are reading them all within the span of a month, it gets really old, really fast.
I am love the three trilogies following How Few Remain though.
It’s pretty clear to me that Turtledove never had an ending that he felt was plausible after the first four Worldwar books.
But it looks like demand brought out more books…that still didn’t have an ending…and then MORE with no real satisfactory ending. I hope this one puts it to bed.
And you’re right about him being repetitious. But I think that’s more a function of ‘make hay while the sun shines’ that anything else. Back when he wasn’t so popular and was working at a slower pace his material was better. But now that he’s releasing several new books a year it’s clear to me that the quality is starting to suffer.
Oh, and the next ‘Return Engagements’ (the How Few Remain series) is called ‘Drive to the East’ and it’s due out in August.
I did like the
Lizard version of Colombo
but, yeah, not one of his better works.
In addition to “Drive to the East” coming out in August, “The Time of Troubles” series is being rereleased, this time as a two book collection. Nothing new, but if you haven’t read it and like Videssos, here’s your chance
I’m reading In The presence of Mine Enemies, and I gotta tell you, this one has me terrified like none of his books before. Just imagining that world, right now (more or less), enough to submerge myself in the book…shiver. Ghastly. (No spoilers please, I’m only on page 100 or so)
I read In The Presence of Mine Enemies in August or so. Really good book and it definitely benefited from being a standalone.
Yeah, I considered starting a thread called ‘Turtledove tries to break out of the ghetto’ or somesuch.
He’s taken to doing standalones that aren’t really in the ‘SF’ mold.
‘In the Presence of Mine Enemies’
‘Ruled Britannia’
‘Days of Infamy’
All have been readily accessible to those without the standard SF thing and are being promoted that way. I’d say his publishers want to see if alt-history can sell to a wider audience.
Although, at this point let’s admit, Turtledove is primary a MILITARY fiction author now. That’s what he does best.
I just wish he’d include a little more character development.
Captain Lemur listened to what Sargeant Chance had said, then reluctantly nodded. But if General Turtledove wasn’t going to give them more character development, there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
You forgot Household Gods. But… the thing is, even that stems from an idea by, was it DeCamp? Turtledove’s writing older SF, but it’s still SF. Science Fiction and Fantasy doesn’t have to be about ray guns and +1 swords, after all. Nor does it have to be about alternate states of mind… I don’t know. I view him as a throwback to before the New School of the '70s. Reminds me a lot of the Compleat Enchanter series.