[Macros]

Nearing the end of Magician and knowing how it ends this bit of stupidity from Macros is 100% the weakest part of the plot.

Spoiler

His justification for tricking Tomas and the elves into attacking the peace meeting. Just wide open to no

[polishgenius]

Read The Bookshop Below, by Georgia Summers, her follow up (but not sequel to) City of Stardust. That was probably my favourite book of last year and this lives up to it. It pulls off the same exact trick- all the charm and whimsy of the fairytale types, your Catherynne Valente and Erin Morgenstein types, but seamlessly crossed with a fast-paced espionage thriller. Guess that's her niche, and she's nailed it.


Before that I read Slow Gods by Claire North, her first go at space opera. Also very good, Somewhat unusual lead protagonist.

[Abyss]

And Just Finished The 13th Paladin bk 12, CALL OF THE ICE FIELDS. While this book takes the series prize for use of the words 'smithereens', 'dastrardly', and 'whooshed', plus a character who "sent his spear spearing through the air" it was a great fun read. The author has refined his art, knows his cast well and bounces them off each other beautifully. The action is clear and intense. And amazingly despite a core plot device that should clothe most of the cast in plot armor, he manages to put them in real jeopardy with a genuine sense of risk and consequences. Also does a lovely job with the titular Ice Fields setting and avoids the usual traps of pages and pages of people slogging thru snow complaining about how cold it is. Great fun, on the the final book, and fairly psyched to see whether he can stick the landing.