Ronincats Tries Again

Happy New Year, fellow LTers! I'm Roni, a member of this group since 2008, and yes, that was back when it was small enough to know and interact with everyone. My presence on the threads has been greatly reduced since the death of my husband 5 years ago and my subsequent move back to central Kansas to be near my mother and sister, in part because of time spent with my mother who is 94. 2024 and 2025 have been the first years in all that time when I did not manage to keep updated and accurate records of what I have read, and my one new year's resolution is to manage that this year. I generally read between 100 and 150 books a year, mostly in genre SFF plus some nonfiction and a touch of mystery and regency romance.

Currently I am struggling with a very painful right knee joint which is significantly affecting my mobility and stamina. Probably just osteoarthritis
but it is currently interfering with my sleep patterns and concentration over the last two months. That means rereads of favorite series have been a major source of comfort, including the Penric's Demon series, the Midlife in Gretna Green series and the Heris Serrano series most recently. I'm about to start a reread of the Liaden Universe series in publication order in a group read led by the author Sharon Lee on her Splinter Universe website.

I still may not make it around to your threads very often, but if you visit me here, I will return your visit, and I do hereby resolve to post about what I am reading as I am doing so.

1. Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher 267 pp.
2. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. 325 pp.
3. The Harwood Spellbook by Stephanie Burgis 509 pp.
4. The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul by Victoria Goddard. 403 pp.
5. Tales of the Norse Gods: Loki Saves the World by A. F. Stewart. 158 pp.
6. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. 151 pp.
7. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. 152 pp.
8. Contracts & Cats by Toni Binns. 538 pp.
9. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 249 pp.
10. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 327 pp.
11. Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 293 pp.
12. Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 331 pp.
13. I Dare by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 471 pp.
14. Dragon in Exile by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 404 pp.
15. Fledgling by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 375 pp.
16. Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 325 pp.
17. Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 328 pp.
18. Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 373 pp.
19. The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 352 pp.
20. Neogenesis by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 435 pp.
21. Necessity's Child by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 328 pp.
22. Pilot's Choice by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 605 pp.
23. Mouse & Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 354 pp.
24. Alliance of Equals by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 344 pp.

And wine. I'm adding wine.

Welcome back, Roni!

>2 ronincats: Emily is my soul sibling, it's clear.

New Year orisons, dear Roni. My first liter of coffee in 2026 was drunk from my beautiful persimmon-colored mug. *smooch*

Happy new thread and new year, Roni.

Pamper yourself and yourself's knee. Feel better soon.

New Year greetings from Kuala Lumpur. My project is at least physically completed and an addition to the city scape.

Look forward to keeping up with you in 2026, Roni

>1 ronincats: Hi - my left knee joint was recently x-rayed as osteoarthritis and ER referred Physical Therapy.

That worked so well that I soon graduated and now use only a knee brace and a lovely hickory wood cane
while continuing with a 15 minute twice-a-day set of PT exercises all done on a bed.

Happy new year, Roni!

>2 ronincats: LOL! Love it. : )

Good luck keeping better track of your reads this year. And here's to a better 2026!

Good luck with your knee. Growing older is definitely not for the faint of heart. (Today I'm having a flare up of a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't back problem.)

Happy New Year! Both the solar observed today, and the lunar fast approaching! Glad we're both still here, even if neither is as active as the glory days of 2009.

Happy New Year Roni! Dropping a star.

Happy New Year, Roni!

>2 ronincats: Utterly seen!

I wish you a healthy and happy New Year filled with many exciting books. May all your wishes come true.

Happy new Year, Roni - may your year be full of happines health and joy - and of course - books.

>2 ronincats: LOL!!

Happy New Year and happy new books! The person under the wrapping paper in your second post is me.

My goodness, it is getting awfully crowded here under the wrapping paper!

Thanks for dropping by, Jim, Richard (made my day to picture you drinking your coffee), Shelley, Paul, is that Marianne?, Mary, Kim, Arlie, Chris, Steve, Susan, Barbara, Thomas, Reba and Misty!

I read my first book of the year yesterday.



Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher 267 pp.

This seemed shorter than it was, which meant it read quickly. With just a touch of Kingfisher's trademark horror, it is more fantasy but with a lovely neurodivergent protagonist (or maybe just scarred by her mother) looking to start anew in a tiny southwest community with a diverse cast of supporting characters and a hefty dose of the fantastical. A good start to 2026.

Happy New Year!

My Mom is also having bad pain in her right knee. For her it's traumatic arthritis from the car wreck. She's going to have a knee replacement in late February or early March.

>1 ronincats: I am going to try and keep up with you better this year than I did last, Roni!

I can empathize with the right knee problem. Here lately, mine has determinedly reminded me that I am alive.

>18 ronincats: Adding that one to the BlackHole. I just recently finished Kingfisher's Thornhedge and am on the hunt for more of her stuff. Thanks for the recommendation, Roni!

Happy New Year!

>18 ronincats: Sounds interesting. I've enjoyed all of the T. Kingfisher I've read so far, but none of it has been set in our world: A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, A Sorceress Comes to Call, Illuminations, Minor Mage.

>2 ronincats: I very much like this image. I'll be sure to visit here this year. I've been remiss in visiting threads as much as possible. How can it be that your mother is 94! This is thanks to you and our sisters assistance! I am concerned that your knee is so very painful. Have you seen anyone? I don't mean to sound like a nag. I care.

Happy New Year, Roni! I'm so sorry your knee is hurting so much.

>2 ronincats: LOL, and yes - always wine!

Happy New Year, Roni! Many good reads ahead.

I love your cat topper!

Happy new year, Roni!

>18 ronincats: Oooh, interesting. I've been staying away from her horror but very much like what I've read (Thornhedge, Nettle and Bone, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking) and may just have to give that one a chance.

>18 ronincats: I've really enjoyed the Kingfisher books I've read, so one more I can't read before I die added to the TBR can't hurt....

*smooch*

Hi, Silver, Stasia, Chris, Linda, Anne, Deb, Lori, Natalie, Mary and Richard. Thank you for stopping by.

Re: Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon). Most of her books have a touch of horror or grisly, but only a touch. I have not read any more in the The Twisted Ones series because I had nightmares for a week after the first, but that one, at least, is not graphic at all but eerie and chills down your back. Nettles & Bone should qualify as horror but I had no trouble with it at all, regardless of the skeleton dog. Her first books, the Clockwork ones, were the ones I felt the least connection with. Bryony and Roses and her Paladin books are some of my favorites. Nine Goblins has the most horrific post war scenes interposed into the middle of a children's tale I've ever encountered.

And now, Book #2 for 2026.



When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi 325 pp.

I have a hit or miss relationship with Scalzi. I find him personally (on his blog) funny and intelligent. I love some of his books (The Android's Dream) but am lukewarm on some of the others (Starter Villain). I thought Redshirts was a neat concept but for me it was only saved by the three codas. This is another "concept" book. It shouldn't have worked for me, but it did. And it slid in a whole lot of underlying stuff about how humans are and how memory works in a disjointed and often very funny series of unrelated scenarios. I have to recommend this one.

Hiya, Roni - and a belated happy new year!

Thanks for the review of Snake-Eater. I'm a fan of T. Kingfisher, but not of horror, so I'm wary of her books that seem to lean that way. A 'touch' of horror, however, I can handle.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is one I have planned for this month. Scalzi can be hit or miss for me, too, so I'm glad to learn that you enjoyed this one.

I can't wait to see what else you're reading!

>29 ronincats: Yeah, T. Kingfisher is usually horror, while Ursula Vernon is more tame. My issue with Snake-Eater is less the horror - at least so far - as the amiable woman extracting herself from a relationship with a gaslighting bully. Of course she landed herself in a different sort of abusive relationship. I've been OK with the level of horror up to now, but in SE, it close and I haven't been as charmed as by Nettle & Bone, which I remember loving.

I also find Scalzi hit or miss. Starter Villain's cats did not appeal to me, though The Kaiju Preservation Society did.

>29 ronincats: Nine Goblins is not a children's book. It's listed on her website as "books for adults".

>29 ronincats: I have a hit or miss relationship with Scalzi. I could say the same thing. When the Moon hits your Eye didn't work for me at all but I've recently enjoyed his The Collapsing Empire trilogy.

So glad you liked this latest Scalzi! My husband loves him, so I will o ahead and find a copy.

Book #3 The Harwood Spellbook by Stephanie Burgis 508 pp.



This is a collection of works of different lengths set in the same alternate England where in a Regency-type setting, women are the politicians and men are the magicians. I enjoy Burgis' world and her characters.

Book #4 The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul by Victoria Goddard 403 pp.



I've had this one for a while and have been hoarding it, but finally got around to finding out Pali's viewpoint of the end of the Empire and the post Astalandun period. As always, Goddard's world is intricate and fascinating, although Pali is a bit too angsty for me.

Hi Roni. I've been thinking of you and wanted to drop by to see what you are reading, and how you are doing.

>35 ronincats: I've been slowly working my way through Victoria Goddard's books since I stumbled across The Hands of the Emperor in mid 2024. While nothing has topped The Hands of the Emperor (which I've read twice, so far), I've really enjoyed her writing.

Happy New Year! Always look forward to seeing what you're reading, I've found lots of recommendations already. : ) Hope you're well!

>35 ronincats: Angst really palls by our age, doesn't it? I'm back from the Bronx, and feeling hopeful about my possibilities there.

>35 ronincats: While I agree that Pali is going through a difficult set of adjustments and is one of the more difficult of Goddard's characters to feel comfortable with, the angst is not quite along the usual lines - at least in as much as it is over the difficulties in a relationship that is important to her. Not only is she having to deal with almost an entirely different person, shared history aside, she can't quite come to what she wants from either the old version or the new, or if anything she'd want is even on the table.

>37 Dejah_Thoris: Rachel Neumeier is an author lovingly followed by lots of fans of The Goblin Emperor and The Hands of the Emperor. Tuyo, the book & the series, is full of interesting characters who combine competence with integrity. A large majority of those characters are men, though later books do feature women more centrally. I would warn that they are generally, especially the first, more violent than Goddard and even Katherine Addison (though not Monette), but don't revel in it.

>18 ronincats: I just finished that one - thanks for your recommendation - and I loved it.

>29 ronincats: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again!

>35 ronincats: I really am going to have to try Stephanie Burgis at some point. I already have 4 of her books in the BlackHole.

As far as the Goddard book goes, I am dodging that BB as I have already read it.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>35 ronincats: Victoria Goddard is an author recommended to me a number of times, Roni. Which book is the best place to start with her, do you think?

>42 PaulCranswick: The Hands of the Emperor for sure!

>41 alcottacre: Glad you enjoyed Snake-Eater, Stasia. Burgis' first series, a trilogy set in Austria, is a complex and layered historical fantasy that I enjoyed (Masks and Shadows) but I suspect it was not as popular as her later, lighter works and she was still working out some pacing and plot issues as a new writer. Her latest trilogy, still in the works, is out and out fun flipping the tropes, and the first volume is Wooing the Witch Queen, the series is Queens of Villainy.

>40 quondame: I agree with everything you say about Pali. She simply is not the most comfortable character in the world (and how boring would it be if they all were) and yet I am surprised at how easily she fit in at the university. Back in the Red Company is infinitely more emotionally challenging. Also love the continuing picking up and reconnecting of characters post-disaster. I haven't read any Neumeier and I see she has a fairly large body of work. I assume you would say start with Tuyo? Which I have heretofore avoided because of said violence.

>39 richardderus: Oh yes, definitely done with angst for angst sake, although I grant Susan that Pali has cause. I am, with so many others, keeping my fingers crossed and hoping your patch doesn't get in the way. *smooch*

>38 yolklor: Hi, Lor. Glad to have you here.

>37 Dejah_Thoris: And I definitely agree with you there, Princess!

>36 Whisper1: Hugs to you, Linda! I'm doing as well as can be expected with an arthritic knee acting up, but I have my first appointment with the ortho people on the 21st. Surgery schedule is a couple months out, though. I've decided not to try the April craft show with my schedule still being up in the air due to this, and I expect my vegetable gardening will be limited in the spring, although I hope to get to midsummer at least.

Hi Roni! Have you tried physical therapy or an injection for your knee. Severe immobility is awful. (Not giving advice. Just wondering.)

>43 ronincats: Roni, as to the violence level, I looked at some of your most highly rated books, and I feel Tuyo is well within levels and types found among them, and that the quality of writing, characterization, and invention amply reward the reader for the discomfort.

Hi Roni. I'm sorry to hear about the knee pain. I hope something happens to make it better soon!

I thought of you as I am starting to read The Fifth Season and, so far, I'm enjoying it. As you know, fantasy is not my usual genre but I think I'm going to like this one. I assume you have read it?

Wishing you all the best as we head into the new year, my friend.

>29 ronincats:
OK you got me with a BB on this one. I dodged all the other recommendations for it on other threads, but since it was you, I gave in.

>44 The_Hibernator: Hey, Rachel, one of the things I asked of my doctor last week was a referral to PT. They called on Monday but I can't get in until the end of the month. This is all after the cortisone injections in the knee stopped working. Thanks for thinking of me.

>45 quondame: Okay, Susan, I will put that on my wishlist.

>46 EBT1002: HI, Ellen! Glad to see you've got your new thread up and I will try to get over. Yes, The Fifth Season is absolutely excellent, but it's only the first of three books to get the whole story, so be prepared.

>47 benitastrnad: Aargh, pressure! I hope you like it. I just went with the flow, low key, and let it seep into me.

And time to catch up on my reading, already.



Book #5 Tales of the Norse Gods: Loki Saves the World by A.F. Stewart 158 pp.

This is a novella I won through ER, more like five interconnected short stories. You really ought to know your Norse mythology going into this so that you can appreciate where she is flipping the traditional perspective. It is an interesting reframing of the trickster god with background on family and feuds that feels plausible even if I'm not sure I buy into it completely. Light reading.



Book #6 A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers 303 pp.

I read the first of these novellas right at the end of December, and just finished the second. Probably most readers in the field have heard of these--won all kinds of awards and have been out there for a couple of years. I would say, well-deserved. Amazing world-building and a main character that would reflect a lot of our issues in interacting with their world and the people in it. Original, well-written, thought-provoking. I did think the ending to the second was weak and would welcome a third in the series.

>35 ronincats: I might have to look for The Harwood Spellbook. I can't remember how far I got through the stories. Maybe 3 or 4? I mostly enjoyed them.

>43 ronincats: Heh. The Hands of the Emperor seems to get the most love, yet I've been avoiding it, Maybe for that exact reason due to my contrarian ways.

>49 ronincats: I'll get around to the Becky Chambers books at some point.

>18 ronincats: Happy New Year Roni. I started the year with Kingfisher's Thornhedge and really enjoyed it.

>50 justchris: Yeah, I know, I've been known to do the same thing myself. And I've been burnt a few times because of it.
>51 avatiakh: Hi, Kerry. Hope you had a good birthday! Yes, Kingfisher can definitely write evocatively.



Book #7. Ursula LeGuin's Book of Cats 100 pp.

I saw this little hardback on a table at our local independent bookstore, Red Fern Books, and had to pick it up. It is a collection of poems, letters, and drawings of the cats in LeGuin's life. At the end is a timetable of her cats over the years. Really enchanting and delightful for us cat people (Richard, you may skip it). And the proceeds go to the Library of America.

>29 ronincats: I am very much like you with Scalzi. I skipped Starter Villain and was going to skip this newest, but after your comments I may give it a try from the library.
>52 ronincats: I will have to find this one.

Ronnie, a friend of mine, and I had a great meetup at her house yesterday. It wasn't until I was long up the road headed north that I remembered that we had forgotten to take a picture to document the event. It doesn't matter because the three of us had a great time.

I always enjoy hearing about meetups, Benita. I'm sure you all enjoyed that one!

I read Old Man's War and whatever the second one of those was and then sort of dropped Scalzi. I"m not sure why.

Pali is my very least favorite of anybody in the Red Company. I was not crazy about *Redoubtable* although I enjoyed some of it. I think Susan is more fair to her than I can be.
Also enjoyed *Prayer* very much and am saving *Psalm* for when I need short and comforting. I could always use a tea monk!

I read Tuyo and liked it a lot. I'll hope to get back to that world and those characters this year. I confess that I did get tired of their rituals and taboos, but that may be some of the point. I didn't find the violent mayhem over the top - not nearly as bad as Fourth Wing, for example.

And HOORAY for Jemisin! Again, I'm saving the 3rd *Broken Earth* for the time when it's exactly what I need!

>43 ronincats: Roni, I'm saddened by the fact that you might have surgery on your knee. Arthritis is so darn painful. All good wishes to you for a fast remedy.

>55 LizzieD: Tuyo has, as far as I recall, the most close-in nasty sorts of violence in the entire series. Tarashana and Tasmakat may have body counts as high or higher, but it's at a bit, or a lot, more of a distance. Those are the ones from Ryo's point of view. The other pov books are as much about applying wiles as weapons.

I hope you get some relief from your knee soon, Roni. Good luck with the PT and eventually the surgery.

Happy new thread and happy New Year Roni!

>2 ronincats: Sadly I cannot see the picture.

>1 ronincats: I hope the knee is sorted out soon. I'll try and follow you on the Liaden read (I can't sign up to another site - I'm too far behind on LT for the year as it is) and try to read along too.

Hi Roni. I just finished The Fifth Season this morning and my first comment aloud to P was "well, that was a 'let me lure you into reading the second in the trilogy' ending!" I quite enjoyed the novel and I'm curious about where the story will go in the subsequent installments.

>53 RBeffa: Starter Villain stayed meh for me, despite having all the ingredients that appeal to me. Give the Foo a scritch for me.

>54 benitastrnad: Late to comment here. After Benita and friend left, I spent the evening packing up for a trip to the little Apple an hour away for a weekend on Kansas Native Plant Society business, and slept in this morning. Had a truly lovely visit and am so glad they stopped by.

>55 LizzieD: Hey, Peggy, good to see you here.
>56 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda.
>57 quondame: I am nerving myself, Susan.
>58 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb.
>59 humouress: I can't see the picture either now, Nina. I don't remember what it was, an image off of Facebook, so I'll just have to remove the attempt.
>60 EBT1002: It's a tour de force of story-telling, Ellen.

Packing up again to head for Kansas City for a few days, have an appointment on Wednesday to evaluate the knee.

>43 ronincats: Thanks for the info on Burgis, Roni. I will wait on the latest trilogy since it is incomplete as of now, but will see if I can track down some of her earlier books.

>49 ronincats: I am a big fan of Becky Chambers. I have read the first book in the Monk & Robot series but have yet to read the second. Thanks for the reminder that I need to get to it!

>52 ronincats: Oh, I have to get my hands on a copy of that one!

>61 ronincats: Safe travels, Roni. I hope you appointment goes well!

>62 alcottacre:
I have read all four of the Wayfarers books and really liked the first two books in the series, but the last two were Meh books for me. I still have to read the Robot books.

Happy new year, Roni! Finally making it to your thread. You have done a bunch of good reading already!

Greetings Roni, I finally found your thread. I'm sorry to hear about the knee pain and hope your visit to KC gets you headed in the right direction.

I have started volunteering to walk dogs at a local shelter this year, so there will someday be some puppy photos in my thread.

>52 ronincats: RD and I disagree on poetry and Charles Dickens but we are aligned on cats, Roni.

My daughters bullied me mercilessly when they were younger and at home and I was forced to accept three cats into our home despite being allergic to their fur. All three lived good lives and passed away from old age but I must admit that I feel more healthy nowadays without their constant presence in the apartment although one of them strangely loved me above all others and I miss her (Cinders) whilst not admitting to the feeling.

>49 ronincats: A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy are comfort reads for me. Lovely.

I hope the KC trip and doctor's visit are going well!

How do, Roni! It's cold here the way you are used to it being cold there, which makes me a wee tidge grumpy. Here in Queens, it's warmer than in Long Beach. About 45, and it feels almost tropical?

How do, Roni! It's cold here the way you are used to it being cold there, which makes me a wee tidge grumpy. Here in Queens, it's warmer than in Long Beach. About 45, and it feels almost tropical?

How do, Roni! It's cold here the way you are used to it being cold there, which makes me a wee tidge grumpy. Here in Queens, it's warmer than in Long Beach. About 45, and it feels almost tropical?

>49 ronincats: "Book #6 A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers" Great books eh ..... Becky Chambers is always worth a read.

I'm back on land and have WiFi access again -- trying madly to catch up.

>18 ronincats: Thank you again for a wonderful BB, Roni.
All the best wishes to you!

Okay, I am finally back here again. Actually, I've been back but haven't posted. Thanks to all of you who have been keeping my thread warm.

Knee surgery is schedule for June 18. Reason it's so long is he's a well-known and much-desired surgeon, so there's a line. Knee acted up big time after the trip--I think mostly because of the hours in the car, even with cruise control allowing for some stretching during the trip. It flares up if I do too much on it or too little, so I'm trying for a happy medium.

We had snow, maybe 8-10 inches, back on the weekend of the 24th-25th and it only started warming up this week to melt it off more than the pavement, into the mid-forties for a high. However, we are predicted to be in the 60s for the next 5 days--go figure. So it will all disappear before the next big storm predicted in a few weeks.

I have been rereading the Liaden Universe books in publication order as part of a follow-along of the author, Sharon Lee, doing the same and adding commentary about the circumstances of writing each on her Splinter Universe website (Liaden Read-Along). Of course, she is only on the second book and I am now on the 10th book, as I cannot slow down. I follow her on Facebook and she just announced that her cancer has recurred in several places, so I greatly fear that the book she has just finished, the first since her husband and co-writer Steve Miller died, is probably the final book that will be published in this series.

That's sad news about Sharon Lee, Roni. I hope that time proves you wrong, but it's a touchy thing to be ill after losing a spouse.
I have so many Liadens to read that I'm not likely to finish even the ones I own.
I've just put your surgery date on my calendar. I'm sure that's a big help.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!!!

January Stats:

Books read: 14. New to me: 9. Rereads:5
Pages read: 4207. Average per day: 136. Average per book: 300
Sources: Library: 4. Ebook purchase: 2 Physical book purchase: 1
Kindle Unlimited:1. Early Reviewer: 1. Books off my shelves: 5
Genre: Science Fiction: 8. Fantasy: 5. Nonfiction: 1
Author gender: Female:13, Male: 6
Author country of origin: USA:12, Canada: 2
Publication date: 2025:5 2020-24: 4 Others: 2013, 1998, 1989, 1988

1. Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher 267 pp.
2. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. 325 pp.
3. The Harwood Spellbook by Stephanie Burgis 509 pp.
4. The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul by Victoria Goddard. 403 pp.
5. Tales of the Norse Gods: Loki Saves the World by A. F. Stewart. 158 pp.
6. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. 151 pp.
7. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. 152 pp.
8. Contracts & Cats by Toni Binns. 538 pp.
9. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 249 pp.
10. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 327 pp.
11. Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 293 pp.
12. Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 331 pp.
13. I Dare by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 471 pp.
14. Dragon in Exile by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. 404 pp.

>74 ronincats: Oh! I follow Sharon Lee on Patreon and if she posted a cancer update I must have missed it. Drat and double damn! FB is so flaky about updates.

>74 ronincats: What was the date she announced that? I also follow her and I missed it.

>74 ronincats: Argh. Here's hoping she can beat it - for her own sake and for all of us Liaden addicts.

>77 quondame:, >78 SilverWolf28:,>79 jjmcgaffey: I have gone back through her posts and cannot find this info. It was after one of her appointments within the last week and she said that her medications had been severely cut back, which was good although the reason was not. She also said her latest X-rays had shown tumors popping up in several areas, presumed cancerous, and that she had been sitting on that news for several weeks; perhaps this was in a different post. I was so traumatized by that news that I also sat on it for several days before mentioning it here. She may have removed it; I imagine it brought a deluge of messages of care and concern to her. I will PM her to verify, although I know it is not something I could have imagined on my own. I know it was on her Sharon Lee Facebook page.

>49 ronincats: Loki and the Norse gods do seem to be very popular. I suspect certain superhero movies may be to blame. But that's an interesting take on them.

I have started on the Batiara series by Guy Gaveriel Kay. I figure that it is most likely a trilogy and the third book in the series is already published. This historical fantasy is set in Renaissance Italy with all that Machiavellian political behavior. I am listening to A Brightness Long Ago and enjoying it. Simon Vance is the narrator and he is very good. I like Kay's books. His early novel Ysabel has been one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time. I also loved his duology on Tang Dynasty China. I also like looking for the easter eggs he has in his books. I am 100 pages into this one and already found one. I am sure that there are more that I missed, but that is what making looking for them so much fun.

>74 ronincats: I'm glad to hear that you've got your surgery scheduled and with the surgeon of your choice. It's amazing what they can do with knees these days!

I was sorry to read your update on Sharon Lee. I hope she gets better news soon. Book addicts need their authors!

>74 ronincats: Dear One! While I'm not happy you are having surgery, I am glad that it is something that has a chance of making your mobility, and pain issues, lessen -- perhaps, go away.

Much Love to you. You are on my mind a lot!

So far in February I have read:

Fledgling Lee & MIller 2/1/26 HB 375
Saltation Lee & MIller 2/2/26 HB 325
Ghost Ship Lee & MIller 2/3/26 HB 328
Dragon Ship Lee & MIller 2/4/26 HB 373
The Gathering Edge Lee & MIller 2/5/26 HB 352
Neogenesis Lee & MIller 2/6 HB 435
Necessity’s Child Lee & MIller 2/9 HB 328
Pilot’s Choice Lee & MIller 2/13 Tpb 605
Mouse & Dragon Lee & MIller 2/15/26 HB 354
Alliance of Equals Lee & MIller 2/17/26 HB 344

The next book in the series is missing. I know I had it. I have bought all of their books in hardback as soon as published since 2009, and my LT catalog says I own it. However, I can find neither hide nor hair of it anywhere, so have ordered a new copy, NOT from Amazon, and thus am waiting for it to arrive.

Otherwise, I have been taking it easy and so the knee is only being a nuisance rather than a pain at the moment, but that is an uneasy balance. And the weather! It has been in the 70sF the last two days and normally I would have been out doing garden prep and getting seeds started, but I question how much of a garden I can even have this year until after surgery, so am not going to do my usual starting of seeds indoors.

>85 ronincats: That's a lot read in the last 2-3 weeks! I hope the replacement copy arrives soon. And then the other book will be found because that's how the universe works.

I hope the surgery is only a few weeks away now and goes smoothly. And while you may not be able to grow your own starts this year, I hope you'll be able to enjoy most of the gardening season.

>85 ronincats: Wow you are getting a lot read. I didn't even do that well when I was on a ship with everything being taken care of for me.

>85 ronincats: Gracious goodness me! What a great way to use off-your-feet time.

Surgery will do wonders, so I'm counting it down with you. *smooch*

I listened to A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay on the way to Alabama and I loved it. It is more historical fiction in the Dorothy Dunett view than it is fantasy. But, there are fantasy elements in it. I have read enough of Kay's work to know to look for them and I found them early on in the novel. This new series is based in the Italian Renaissance. Now I have to either get the second and third books from ILL at the library in Belleville or find them in used bookstores. The hunt is on.

>89 benitastrnad: Dorothy Dunnett blended mostly period style fantasy elements of dousing and fortune telling in her historical novels, but they are significant for her plots.

I looked for Guy Gavriel Kay's books in every bookstore I went to during my weeklong journey. Didn't find a single used copy. I will place an ILL request for the second one in the series soon. I really enjoyed the first one. I stopped at the Book Guy in Joplin, MO and he didn't have book 2 or 3. My LT record shows that I got book 1 in the Batiara series at his store last October. Does Salina have a used bookstore? Maybe when Fred and I come down there next time I could look for them there. God forbid that I would purchase a brand-new book!

Hi, Roni!

I'm just adding my love for both Dunnett and GGKay to the mix! Susan's comment about "fantasy" elements in Dunnett helps me think that she is using what real people believed at the time. Kay creates his own.

>63 benitastrnad: I agree that the first two books were the best in the series, but I liked book 4, which I just finished yesterday, better than book 3 for sure.

>74 ronincats: Glad to hear that the surgery is scheduled and hope all is well when it finally is done. Hang in there!

I still have not read any of Sharon Miller's books. I need to get to them!

Have a marvelous Monday, Roni!

I'm just popping in to say hello, Roni - I hope you're doing well!

You got a lot read in February, Roni! I hope March is good month for you as well.

Feb Reading Log 2026

Books read: 15. Pages read: 6092 Ave. pp/day:218. Ave. pp/book:406

All Rereads, off my own shelves. 14 dead tree books, 1 ebook

13 science fiction, 2 fantasy. 14 male authors, 14 female authors




Sharon Lee and Steve Miller began their Liaden books in 1988 and currently have 20 novels in their main storyline, as well as numerous shorter works. I did not read the two origin story books, nor the Jethri timeline books, as I had already reread the latter at the time of Steve’s death a year ago. I also did not reread the two newest as I had read them in the previous year when the last one came out. This series is one of my comfort reads in the richness of its characters and its world-building.

I'm sorry about your knee, Roni, and that your gardening is curtailed because of it - but glad to hear you have surgery scheduled to get it better.

>96 ronincats: I really enjoy these books as well Roni. I haven’t read as many as you, but I’ve still read quite a few of them.

I'm glad you're finding some enjoyable reading to occupy your time while you wait for surgery Roni.

I have Uprooted somewhere in a box and I DO want to get to it soon.

>100 benitastrnad: Yes, you really do. Novik is so amazing...

All the best to you and your health, Roni.
Have a wonderful weekend.

>74 ronincats: That's not good news about Sharon Lee, Roni. I'm still hoping they'll issue more omnibus editions in the Liaden series so I can catch up.

>96 ronincats: very impressive reading. I've been a laggard this year so I will give my belated wishes for a successful knee surgery for you.

>96 ronincats: Wow, Roni, that's a lot of reading in February.

Well, there hasn't been much reading in March so I haven't posted although I've been checking in and appreciating those of you who have been keeping the thread warm. Thank you, Nina, Rhian, Ardene, Benita, Jen, Thomas, Ron and Deb! I did reread Spinning Silver today--so good!

>106 ronincats: It's nice to see you posting, Roni! I loved Uprooted and recently read Buried Deep and Other Stories (also great), but I recall not being a huge fan of Spinning Silver. How do you rank it with her other books? I'm thinking I need to give it another try.

Hi Roni looks like we both made a comeback, good to see your name ☺️

Those of you who have been around this group for a while may remember Susan Glover Rizzo, a member of the 75ers from 2008, when I joined, active in the group through 2013 as Suslyn. After 2016, when she and her husband moved back to the US, other activities took her attention, but we always stayed in intermittent touch. She has been fighting a virulent cancer and her husband posted on Facebook at the end of March that she had lost her fight. In remembrance, Suslyn!

>109 ronincats: Oh, that's a shame.

I remember Susan. I am sad to learn she lost her fight. Thanks for posting this Roni.

>109 ronincats: Oh I remember Suslyn. Sad news.

>109 ronincats: Very sad news indeed. I'm getting it as, ironically, I'm experiencing spring overload of happiness as my apartment floods with morning sun, my teensy little window-opening in all that expanse of window breathes in chilly delightful air, and noise is not inane babble foisted on me without my desire or my consent.

>109 ronincats: I'm sorry to hear that.

Oh, my. So sorry this has happened.

I did not know of Suslyn, but I am sorry to hear the news, Roni.

Hi Roni! I did not know her, but condolences.

Hi Roni! I have not seen you on the threads for a while, just checking in.

Hi just popping by (being random) to check how you are doing ...... hope you are keeping well despite the pain.

Roni and I had a meetup!!! Yeah!

Our mutual friend arranged a meetup with some of his fellow choir members in Abilene, Kansas. We drove down this morning and they drove over from the western suburbs of Kansas City. Roni came from Salina and we had a wonderful time at lunch.

Roni has had some adventures with the weather, but I will let her tell about those. Salina, Kansas had some fearsome winds. On Monday night, June 8. The winds were clocked at top speeds of 100 - 113 MPH. Trees down. Roofs gone. Electricty down for most of the city for the rest of the night of June 8. The last remaining parts of the city got electricity back today.

It was good to see Roni. She is now preparing for her next adventure. Good luck Roni!

>120 benitastrnad: Thanks for letting us know Benita. It sounds like you had a great meet-up!

Thanks, Benita! It was good to see you as well, and a really nice lunch.

I'm getting ready to head to KC for my surgery next week, leaving on Monday and surgery is on Thursday.

>122 ronincats: Best of luck with the surgery Roni. It’s good to hear from you.

>122 ronincats: Best wishes for your surgery, Roni, and full and rapid recovery.

Thanks, Nina and Deb, for checking up on me. First thing tomorrow morning!