Ian Brown started reading Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie
Stoked to start on new (to me!) stories from @AnnLeckie@stranger.social!
XML apologist. Erlang enthusiast. Currently JVMs & Performance stuff at Netflix. Previously JVMs & performative stuff at Twitter. He/him.
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Stoked to start on new (to me!) stories from @AnnLeckie@stranger.social!
Magnus Pym and Edward Avon and Rick blend together with a funeral at the end of all of it. Sprinkle a little Nietzsche on top and you have a wonderful wrap up of the John le Carré extended universe. It all ends, of course, with a bureaucratic whimper. Anyway, it is Cornwall at his best.
A fascinating open, but the writing and subsequent plot felt a bit phoned in. The dialog (and in particular Lamb's banter) was a bit forced and predictable. Anyway, a bit of a disappointment given the strong showing of the first four books. I'm cautiously optimistic that Herron picks up again, but going to say this one should be put out to pasture.
An enjoyable, fast-paced (it is an Elmore Leonard book after all) tour through turn-of-the-century Cuba. A heck of a western, even if it takes place in the Carribean. ACAB, even back then.
Content warning There are no good guys.
This book is a short story collection under deep cover as novel. A speech by George Smiley causes the protagonist, known only as "Ned" (though he adopts numerous surnames throughout the book) to reminisce or recount another episode, each a self-contained reflection on the morality, futility, and, perhaps, necessity of spying.
As always, le Carré's witty, terse prose and deep skepticism creates a first-class book that often verges on literature.