Book review: Sun of Suns

Today's book review is Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder.

This is a remarkable bit of world-building, a concept that's hard to swallow at first but is presented carefully and consistently and ends up making sense both as something that could work and something that would be worth building (since it's an artificial world).  We get some interesting societies populating the bit of the world we see, and some interesting characters and development, and plenty of high adventure with things blowing up, people dying gallantly, and beautiful women.  It's a great book up to the end, where just when we think we see a nice, satisfying ending, things go to hell, and if things are really the way we're being told they are, it's hard to see where there's room for the story to continue, despite the fact that it says "Book one of Virga" on the cover.

Fabulous setting, great action, decent characters, loved it until the ending that, while maybe not ruining it, certainly damaged it.  8 out of 10.


( plot summary )

Kennekuk walk

I walked around Lake Mingo again, taking one shortcut that cut maybe half a mile off the loop.  Felt pretty good until I stopped along the dam, where I saw an osprey again, herons, and turkey vultures, and felt stiff and drained when I got up and walked the last mile to my car.  Fall colors are starting to come in, a bit early because it's so dry -- I expect the leaves will fall off before the colors ever get really good.