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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Interesting read, I think they'd make a great full book couple. It reminded me of the terrific back and forth prose between Heinlein characters.
This a pretty good story complete with the Andrew's team normal humor, sarcasm, and wit. There isn't much action as most of the story takes place around a negotiation table but it still has its moments of suspense. It was pretty confusing at the beginning with the introduction of 3 alien species, but you can quickly figure it out and move onto the meat of the story.
I was sorry it had to end!
I was sorry it had to end!
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Father told me to make sure I read [b:A Mere Formality|4445748|A Mere Formality|Ilona Andrews|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1314840190l/4445748._SY75_.jpg|4493959]
Father is wise! Father KNEW I would snort while laughing. Butt jokes are the best.
Father is wise! Father KNEW I would snort while laughing. Butt jokes are the best.
I was warned, this is a joke, but it's a good one. Too bad it wasn't turned into a full novella! I would read it, and I can see how good it would be!
Sigh. I really like the Andrews' sci-fi short stories.
Update, April 2022. That ending :D. Loved it.
Sigh. I really like the Andrews' sci-fi short stories.
Update, April 2022. That ending :D. Loved it.
They did it again!! Aarrrgggh
I want a full sized novel for Deirdre and Lord Nagrad. Dammit.
I want a full sized novel for Deirdre and Lord Nagrad. Dammit.
A free short story, second in the Koslov Universe science fiction series (and third in Andrews' Kinsmen series), revolving around a treaty signing.
My Take
Andrews warns us that this short story is the result of a dare with lots of talk about sex. But it's not the kind of sex, um, that you might be expecting.
Oh, there are positions, and positions that people take on those positions, but it's more of a laugh than anything else.
While Andrews uses a third person protagonist point-of-view from Dierdre's perspective, it is quite subtle, as befits a definitely political tale with all its twists and turns. It's certainly an unexpected take with that demand for a bride (plus) which gets around the Reigh's prohibitions.
The unexpected part of the Reigh's requirements goes completely counter to their beliefs and customs, and I'm totally unsure as to why Andrews used this, except to fulfill that dare.
Why was the Reigh even at the banquet? What's with the booster Dierdre took? Why does Dierdre care if she never sees Lord Narad again? Why does Narad feel as he does? The Empire caved pretty easily on the money. Andrews does nothing to make this believable.
The Reigh do sound interesting, but how lame can they be? They have no thought for their future…until now.
I feel like I need to read Andrews' Kinsmen series to make sense of this. (The Amazon link does open to the Kinsmen universe which includes "A Mere Formality".)
The Story
It's only the 30 million who inhabit the Cluster. Their economy and lives at stake, hence the need for that treaty between the Vunta Caliphate and the Monrovian Republic.
A treaty that is unlikely to be adhered to. What the Cluster needs is protection, but the Reigh doctrine forbids trading payment for military service.
The Empire must find an underhanded way to exchange money for protection with a people who are forbidden to become mercenaries.
The Characters
Deirdre Lebed is a cultural attachée who compiles and analyzes information for Sir Robert.
The Diplomatic Corps
Sir Robert Sergei Sarvini, Ambassador of the Second Intergalactic Empire to the Branches of Reigh, hates banquets. Fatima is his aide-de-camp; Michel Rashvili is his adjutant. Nina Carrest is an escort with perfect recall. Her object? Keep the object of her attention enraptured. Jason, the Duke of Rodkill, Robert’s mentor, is a recipient of the Diamond Sword and a living legend. Johanna Bray.
The Orbital Embassy is a space station. Timur Gonzales is the chief of security.
The Reigh have...
...an interesting history with some weird prohibitions. As a people, they are separated into Branches — think tribes, clans, whatever. Lord Nagrad of the Branch Nagrad is at war with the Empire. His son, his heir, will require reparation.
The Vunta Caliphate are...
...furry with lots of sharp teeth and a love for raiding. The Vunta ambassador is at the banquet.
The Monrovian Republic includes...
...the Colchida Cluster consisting of three stars, eleven habitable worlds, four warp points, and thirty million colonists. The Monrovian ambassador is at the banquet.
Survey Captain Sean Kozlov had been a friend to Lord Nagrad, the elder.
The Cover and Title
The cover is dark, the dark of outer space with swirls of purple and pale blue. In the upper left is a planet that shades from black to a bright and light blue with the Orbital floating at its bottom. In the center is a pair of joined rings. At the top is the author's name in a gradated yellow to grayed yellow in a sci-fi-styled font. A disclaimer informs us it's a science fiction short story, in that pale blue to the immediate right of one of the station's arms. The title repeats the colors of the author's name and is set to the right at the bottom.
I suspect the title is "A Mere Formality" to Lord Narad in his desire for a bride. It makes as much sense as anything...
My Take
Andrews warns us that this short story is the result of a dare with lots of talk about sex. But it's not the kind of sex, um, that you might be expecting.
Oh, there are positions, and positions that people take on those positions, but it's more of a laugh than anything else.
While Andrews uses a third person protagonist point-of-view from Dierdre's perspective, it is quite subtle, as befits a definitely political tale with all its twists and turns. It's certainly an unexpected take with that demand for a bride (plus) which gets around the Reigh's prohibitions.
The unexpected part of the Reigh's requirements goes completely counter to their beliefs and customs, and I'm totally unsure as to why Andrews used this, except to fulfill that dare.
Why was the Reigh even at the banquet? What's with the booster Dierdre took? Why does Dierdre care if she never sees Lord Narad again? Why does Narad feel as he does? The Empire caved pretty easily on the money. Andrews does nothing to make this believable.
The Reigh do sound interesting, but how lame can they be? They have no thought for their future…until now.
I feel like I need to read Andrews' Kinsmen series to make sense of this. (The Amazon link does open to the Kinsmen universe which includes "A Mere Formality".)
The Story
It's only the 30 million who inhabit the Cluster. Their economy and lives at stake, hence the need for that treaty between the Vunta Caliphate and the Monrovian Republic.
A treaty that is unlikely to be adhered to. What the Cluster needs is protection, but the Reigh doctrine forbids trading payment for military service.
The Empire must find an underhanded way to exchange money for protection with a people who are forbidden to become mercenaries.
The Characters
Deirdre Lebed is a cultural attachée who compiles and analyzes information for Sir Robert.
The Diplomatic Corps
Sir Robert Sergei Sarvini, Ambassador of the Second Intergalactic Empire to the Branches of Reigh, hates banquets. Fatima is his aide-de-camp; Michel Rashvili is his adjutant. Nina Carrest is an escort with perfect recall. Her object? Keep the object of her attention enraptured. Jason, the Duke of Rodkill, Robert’s mentor, is a recipient of the Diamond Sword and a living legend. Johanna Bray.
The Orbital Embassy is a space station. Timur Gonzales is the chief of security.
The Reigh have...
...an interesting history with some weird prohibitions. As a people, they are separated into Branches — think tribes, clans, whatever. Lord Nagrad of the Branch Nagrad is at war with the Empire. His son, his heir, will require reparation.
The Vunta Caliphate are...
...furry with lots of sharp teeth and a love for raiding. The Vunta ambassador is at the banquet.
The Monrovian Republic includes...
...the Colchida Cluster consisting of three stars, eleven habitable worlds, four warp points, and thirty million colonists. The Monrovian ambassador is at the banquet.
Survey Captain Sean Kozlov had been a friend to Lord Nagrad, the elder.
The Cover and Title
The cover is dark, the dark of outer space with swirls of purple and pale blue. In the upper left is a planet that shades from black to a bright and light blue with the Orbital floating at its bottom. In the center is a pair of joined rings. At the top is the author's name in a gradated yellow to grayed yellow in a sci-fi-styled font. A disclaimer informs us it's a science fiction short story, in that pale blue to the immediate right of one of the station's arms. The title repeats the colors of the author's name and is set to the right at the bottom.
I suspect the title is "A Mere Formality" to Lord Narad in his desire for a bride. It makes as much sense as anything...
Hilarious, I found myself compulsively explaining it to my husband even though he had no desire to hear it and he actually really liked the premise :) Good work!
Deirdre is a member of the special crew mediating the treaty of two worlds. Deirdre is one who does all the research, with her fingers in the computer interface and mind flying through it. Now, Deirdre is on her way to the banquet for the treaty, when the Reigh enter and the tension of this dangerous group, even under sign of peace, is felt. One of the Reigh is bumped by Michel, but the Reigh could have avoided the happening and didn't, dropping his sign... on purpose? The four races in presence have a link to each other, a delicate link that could break causing a deadly war. And that happens here, but a deal can be made to save lives, a deal with Deirdre.
I Like! this "space" world creation here. This is something Ilona and Gordon are strong at. REAL strong! They have taken 4 different worldly races, and created them in a short story. Actions speak louder than words, and they use words to create it all! It was so easy to see the creatures and the personalities the reflected. Ilona and Gordon are wonderful at describing cultures with anticipation mixed in wanting to know what will happen.
Not only is there a whole world, or two, created here but a mystery is now underway. Who poisoned the man, and why? Wonderful blend! As can be expected by Ilona and Gordon.
There is definitely Adult content in this short story. Not actual sex, but definite talk about it.
I think Ilona and Gordon need to write a science fiction series! I would definitely pick it up! And this world could be a great start. :)
I Like! this "space" world creation here. This is something Ilona and Gordon are strong at. REAL strong! They have taken 4 different worldly races, and created them in a short story. Actions speak louder than words, and they use words to create it all! It was so easy to see the creatures and the personalities the reflected. Ilona and Gordon are wonderful at describing cultures with anticipation mixed in wanting to know what will happen.
Not only is there a whole world, or two, created here but a mystery is now underway. Who poisoned the man, and why? Wonderful blend! As can be expected by Ilona and Gordon.
There is definitely Adult content in this short story. Not actual sex, but definite talk about it.
I think Ilona and Gordon need to write a science fiction series! I would definitely pick it up! And this world could be a great start. :)
challenging
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A 2.75 ⭐ not rounded up😥
Bit disappointed. - I came here for a continuation of the Sean Koslov story with Jennifer under the Koslov Universe but sadly nope.
I think this should have been a standalone novella but I can see why it was placed in Kinsmen, but Koslov? Sure sure, the Orbital Embassy links them but Koslov is literally the last name of the main character in book 1 which would stand to reason that he has to show up or at least set it in Numeria.
My Cover over Blurb russian roulette did not pay off this time. Next time.
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
I mean that's a whole lot of work to get a bride. The Reigh were doing way too much. It's a good plot device but I think I just could rise to the occasion to appreciate it.
Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
There's Diedre , Fatima, Robert, Timur, Lord Nagrad etcetera and honestly I forgot their character essence as soon as I shut of my Paperwhite. I'm not wired to forget so easily, so I'm kinda bummed they didn't make a lasting impression on me. Not even a "hate them" impression. More like "eh...who????".
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene: :
Lord Nagrad is something else 😯:
"The man is the trunk of a family, but the woman is its root. In our society, men own the children and the means of war. Everything else is owned by the woman. And too often a woman s first loyalty is to her mother instead of her husband. It tends to make matters complicated. A woman of the foreign blood has no one to turn to. She would exist solely at the mercy of her husband."
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “We have been tested, and I'm not sure we've passed. Why do I have a feeling this isn't going to end well?” (Skulduggery and plotting is afoot)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Orbital Embassy
■ The Reigh & Vered
■ Vunta Aliens
■WTF is a "Proportion Scale" huh?
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Short Stories by 2025
Bit disappointed. - I came here for a continuation of the Sean Koslov story with Jennifer under the Koslov Universe but sadly nope.
I think this should have been a standalone novella but I can see why it was placed in Kinsmen, but Koslov? Sure sure, the Orbital Embassy links them but Koslov is literally the last name of the main character in book 1 which would stand to reason that he has to show up or at least set it in Numeria.
My Cover over Blurb russian roulette did not pay off this time. Next time.
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
I mean that's a whole lot of work to get a bride. The Reigh were doing way too much. It's a good plot device but I think I just could rise to the occasion to appreciate it.
Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
There's Diedre , Fatima, Robert, Timur, Lord Nagrad etcetera and honestly I forgot their character essence as soon as I shut of my Paperwhite. I'm not wired to forget so easily, so I'm kinda bummed they didn't make a lasting impression on me. Not even a "hate them" impression. More like "eh...who????".
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene: :
Lord Nagrad is something else 😯:
"The man is the trunk of a family, but the woman is its root. In our society, men own the children and the means of war. Everything else is owned by the woman. And too often a woman s first loyalty is to her mother instead of her husband. It tends to make matters complicated. A woman of the foreign blood has no one to turn to. She would exist solely at the mercy of her husband."
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “We have been tested, and I'm not sure we've passed. Why do I have a feeling this isn't going to end well?” (Skulduggery and plotting is afoot)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Orbital Embassy
■ The Reigh & Vered
■ Vunta Aliens
■WTF is a "Proportion Scale" huh?
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Short Stories by 2025