Hello all!  It’s Pamela again, after Dean gave me the month off last month.  Well done, Dean!  This was a low-key meeting tonight – mainly because we did not know the book was out of print and the title was remarkably similar to other Lackey books in her arsenal.  We roundly decided that as a piece of fluff it was certainly enjoyable.  Dean said that he was quite ready to hate this book and eviscerate it but by the end “you just can’t stay mad at this thing.”  He even had a complex “Kevin is a paranoid narcissist” theory going (for which he took copious notes) but was unable to follow through.  Everybody is just so darn pleasant!

We all, Dave included, cocked our heads at the last paragraph:

“‘That’s that,’ Tich’ki said in satisfaction.  ‘All the loose ends are nicely tied up.  All right, everyone, enough talk.  We’ve some heavy celebrating to do!'”

THE END.

(OR IS IT?)

YES.

(BUT ARE YOU SURE??)

YES.

Kat, who suggested this book, said that Lackey is extremely prolific and that most series of hers are this cotton candy-esque.  There was one, the Master’s series, which is apparently more speculative and has some neat ideas, but generally you don’t work too hard with Ms. Lackey.  She gives what you ask for, and appears to command a solid, if not superlative, skill in this niche market.  Overall, I do tend to enjoy books that take me the afternoon to read.  It melts on your tongue, this nice fluffy storytelling she does.

On an interesting side note, the cover art for our paperback version (and the image I used above) was painted by Larry Elmore, the same guy who did the cover for Shades of Heroes.  The composition is unsettlingly similar.  Hm.

Since straightforward escapism doesn’t necessarily warrent extensive discussion, we spent most of our time planning for the months ahead and came up with a promising list.  Me and Dean are planning on presenting them to the larger group next month for an official vote, and are asking everybody involved to bring one suggestion for a book club book for April’s meeting.  Here’s the books on our maybe pile right now:

THE FLEDGLING by Octavia Butler (suggested by me)
THE DISPOSSESSED by LeGuin (suggested by Mick)
THE BONESHAKER by Cheri Priest (suggested by Kat)
FOOTFALL, INFERNO, or OATH OF FEALTY by Larry Niven & Co. (suggested by Dean and Mick)
BOOK OF JOB by Heinlein (suggested by Kat)
GUN, WITH OCCASIONAL MUSIC by Letham (suggested by Dean)
THE POSTMAN by Brin (suggested by Dean)
THE FOREVER WAR by Huldeman (suggested by Mick)
THE GODMAKERS by Frank Herbert (suggested by me)
RUNNING MAN or GUNSLINGER by Stephen King (suggested by Dean and Mick)
FATHRD AND THE GRAY MOUSER by Fritz Leiber (suggested by Dave)
LORD OF LIGHT by Zelazny (suggested by Dean and Mick)
OLD MAN’S WAR by Scalzi (suggested by Mick)

Come to the next meeting with opinions and ideas, and we will provide the cheese.   Deal?  DEAL.