Random musings on books, code, and tabletop games.
The Peshawar Lancers, by S.M. Stirling, copyright 2002; ROC/New American Library/Penguin Group (USA) Inc, January 2003. Seventh printing. Another interesting alternate history from Stirling, this one set after an asteroid or comment impact disaster.
A Meeting at Corvallis, by S.M. Stirling, copyright 2006; ROC/New American Library/Penguin Group (USA), September 2007. An excellent end to an interesting alternate history series. I'm looking forward to reading his followup series, which apparently begins with The Sunrise Lands, though I'll wait for paperback. I've found my copies of his Nantucket novels, though, and will be rereading them sometime soon.
Usagi Yojimbo Book 3: The Wanderer's Road, by Stan Sakai; stories, characters, and artwork copyright 1987, 1989, 2007, by Stan Sakai; Introduction copyright 1989 by Robert Asprin; Fantagraphics Books, Inc. copyright 1987, 1989, 2007; Fourth Fantagraphics Books edition, August 2007. (The stories in this volume originally appeared in Usagi Yojimbo #7-12 and Turtle Soup. I can see a lot of Usagi Yojimbo in my future.
Usagi Yojimbo Book 2: Samurai, by Stan Sakai; stories, characters, and artwork copyright 1987, 2005 by Stan Sakai; Fantagraphics Books, Inc, copyright 1987, 2005; Sixth Fantagraphics Books edition, August 2005. Comprised of the stories from Usagi Yojimbo issues nos. 1–6, this volume details Usagi's early life.
The Curse of Sagamore, by Kara Dalkey, copyright 1986; Ace Fantasy/The Berkley Publishing Group; March 1986.
A curious, semi-humorous fantasy.
Dzur, by Steven Brust, copyright 2006; Tor/Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, November 2007. A chance to visit with an entertaining, if dangerous, old friend.
Maxie's Demon, by Michael Scott Rohan, copyright 1997; Orbit/Little, Brown and Company (UK), 1997. This is part of Rohan's Core and Spiral series, but this book features a new protagonist; Stephen Fisher does appear a couple of times in the book. When I bought these books second hand over the Internet in late 2007 or early 2008, this was by far the most expensive to acquire, and it appears to be a U.K. edition; was a version ever published by a U.S. version?
New Barbarians, by Kirk Mitchell, copyright 1986; Ace/The Berkley Publishing Group, December 1986.
Cry Republic, by Kirk Mitchell, copyright 1989; Ace Books/The Berkley Publishing Group, August 1989. The last of Mitchell's Germanicus trilogy of alternate history novels.
Procurator, by Kirk Mitchell, copyright 1984; Ace Books/The Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Putnam, Inc, April 1984. My copy of this is, if I understand the copyright page correctly, the 2 nd edition of this; judging by the (non-)yellowing of its pages, it is much younger than my copy of its sequel, The New Barbarians. This is an alternate history, in which Germania became a part of the Roman Empire, and Joshua Bar Joseph was freed by the procurator of Judea, and thereby Rome never fell.
A Choice of Destinies, by Melissa Scott, copyright 1986; Baen Books/Baen Publishing Enterprises, June 1986. An alternate history in which Alexander turned west instead of east.
Martians Go Home, by Fredric Brown, copyright 1955; Baen Books/Baen Publishing Enterprises, May 1992. A light and entertaining tale of annoying Martians.
The Protector's War, by S.M. Stirling, copyright 2006; ROC/New American Library/Penguin Group (USA) Inc., September 2006. Second in Stirling's readable post-Apocalyptic series.
The Trintonian Ring, by L. Sprague de Camp; copyright 1951 by Wings Publishing Company Inc. (abridged), copyright 1952 by L. Sprague de Camp (complete version); Ballantine Books/Random House, March 1977. A rather light, but deft Sword & Sorcery novel.