Green Man Review

[ellenkushner]

Thanks to Cat (another spy? or just a canny editor) over at The Green Man Review, you can get a sneak peek at the The Privilege of the Sword review that goes up officially on August 13th!

It's more than a good (i.e. positive) review - it's a Good review: manages a solid plot rundown without spoilers, picking up on a lot of the threads I thought were important.

I will say no more, because reviewing reviewers is not really my job, nor is it entirely courteous, I think, in authors to do so. But I am so glad Mr. Tilendis liked the book so much! Who could resist the allure of his final line?:

If Swordspoint is a perfect gem, The Privilege of the Sword is the gem in its full setting: elegant, wicked, funny, intelligent, and fluent.

Comments

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

That is, indeed, both positive and well-written. I've come to realize that review-writing is an art form in its own right, and one we need more skilled practitioners of; it bugs me, the number of reviews that either say nothing of useful substance, or say too much.

[peregrinejohn.livejournal.com]

What a well-written piece on a well-written piece! I agree with Bryn's assessment of the art of reviews, and she describes it in ways I'd not considered before (which prompts me to hopefully better efforts in my own reviews, which more often resemble spoiler-avoiding brain dumps). Sorry - pre-coffee digression. It is indeed a lovely review that manages to introduce and intrigue without (one hopes) giving away things that should not be mentioned to those yet to read.

Are you wicked, Ellen? Hmm? If so, the final line of the review could apply to our author herself.

[abostick59.livejournal.com]

"'We all have our flaws,' he said, ..."

[beth-bernobich.livejournal.com]

What a delicious review for a delicious book!

GMR

[medievalist.livejournal.com]

That's going to be a super issue; it's all book reviews, no music, film or concerts.

Just to whet your appetite, there are also reviews of Bear's Blood and Iron, Delia Sherman's lovely Changeling, and others.

The issue goes live on Sunday, or really, around midnight PST Saturday. You can find the new issue, when it's posted, here:

http://www.greenmanreview.com/whats_new.html

And I bought the Small Beer Press hardcover of Privilege of the Sword within fifteen minutes of reading it; and I'll probably by the e-book edition (http://www.ereader.com now, and probably www.fictionwise soon) as well since I'm on the road a lot again.

Re: GMR

[(Anonymous)]

Actually it does have lots of music reviews and even a film review or two . But it also has a lot of book reviews -- so many in fact that nearly a dozen were held over til the next issue! (Lisa, you must have missed that note on the fridge in the editors lounge. Or you drank of the Young's Double Chocolate Stout we had that night!)

Like Lisa, I pre-ordered he Small Beer Press hardcover of Privilege of the Sword. Check the TPOTS review tomorrow as Gavin's promising me that he'll have the cover art for us to post!

cheers, Cat who's listening to Turkish trad music

Reviews of Reviews

[(Anonymous)]

When you say "Mr. Tilendis," I look over my shoulder to see when my father walked into the room.

Thanks, Ellen (if I may), for your comment on the review. I will admit to taking reviewing seriously -- it's as great a pleasure for me as reading (although generally a little more anxiety-ridden), and a skill that I've worked hard to develop. Nor do I mind feedback from artists -- I welcome it. I've had several contact me, and it was invariably a good experience, even when my reviews hadn't been entirely positive. (It also proves that someone's actually reading the stuff.)

And thank you, for writing such a lovely book.

Robert
Who's been listening to Turkish classical music.