This novel starts immediately after _Hawk_. While Vlad has managed to
get the Right Hand of the Jhereg off his back, now the Left Hand (the
sorceresses) is after him with lethal intent. He hides out in a theater
(since they have significant shielding against sorcery because of
paranoia over their material being stolen). He still has to plan a way
to get the Left Hand off his back. Because he is staying at the theater,
he ends being involved with their problems as well. The theatrical
company is putting on a musical (�Song of the Presses� which is about
the suppression of a play about the 14th Cycle Lyorn Emperor (who had
made a few mistakes, was in a hole because of those mistakes, and kept
on digging). The House of Lyorn doesn�t like the musical either and is
maneuvering to shut it down.

Each of the 17 chapters start with a page or more of the libretto of
�Song of the Presses�. Vlad witnesses some of the rehearsals which
contain more of that (including all 44 lines of �I am the very model of
a 14th Cycle dramaturge�, which is why I know that �Song of the Presses�
is a Gilbert and Sullivan pastiche). Also, Vlad is reading a book about
the whole affair (the original incident, the play about the incident,
and the suppression of the play) and extracts of that appear in the
novel as well.

Vlad finds ways to resolve all problems. BTW, the Demon buys the
theater, but not control of the theatrical company, to preempt one Lyorn
maneuver; I wonder what he is going to do with it.

There is also some extraneous material (e.g., Sethra Lavode has a
meeting at Dzur Mountain; Verra answers some questions) that might be
hints of the 19th Vlad novel (_The Final Contract_). Of course, the 18th
Vlad novel, _Chreotha_ has to be written first. Also, two different side
comments allude to events in _The Baron of Magister Valley_.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

On 4/14/24 12:48 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
> This novel starts immediately after _Hawk_. While Vlad has managed to
> get the Right Hand of the Jhereg off his back, now the Left Hand (the
> sorceresses) is after him with lethal intent. He hides out in a theater
> (since they have significant shielding against sorcery because of
> paranoia over their material being stolen). He still has to plan a way
> to get the Left Hand off his back. Because he is staying at the theater,
> he ends being involved with their problems as well. The theatrical
> company is putting on a musical (³Song of the Presses² which is about
> the suppression of a play about the 14th Cycle Lyorn Emperor (who had
> made a few mistakes, was in a hole because of those mistakes, and kept
> on digging). The House of Lyorn doesn¹t like the musical either and is
> maneuvering to shut it down.
>
> Each of the 17 chapters start with a page or more of the libretto of
> ³Song of the Presses². Vlad witnesses some of the rehearsals which
> contain more of that (including all 44 lines of ³I am the very model of
> a 14th Cycle dramaturge², which is why I know that ³Song of the Presses²
> is a Gilbert and Sullivan pastiche). Also, Vlad is reading a book about
> the whole affair (the original incident, the play about the incident,
> and the suppression of the play) and extracts of that appear in the
> novel as well.
>
> Vlad finds ways to resolve all problems. BTW, the Demon buys the
> theater, but not control of the theatrical company, to preempt one Lyorn
> maneuver; I wonder what he is going to do with it.
>
> There is also some extraneous material (e.g., Sethra Lavode has a
> meeting at Dzur Mountain; Verra answers some questions) that might be
> hints of the 19th Vlad novel (_The Final Contract_). Of course, the 18th
> Vlad novel, _Chreotha_ has to be written first. Also, two different side
> comments allude to events in _The Baron of Magister Valley_.
>

Thanks for posting this. I had forgotten it was out, and I ordered it as
soon as I saw your post[1]. I just finished it - very enjoyable. As
always, Vlad has some interesting times ahead.

Tony
[1] This is one of the "two books in a box" that I mentioned in another
thread.

On 2024-04-14, Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:
> Each of the 17 chapters start with a page or more of the libretto of
> ³Song of the Presses². Vlad witnesses some of the rehearsals which
> contain more of that (including all 44 lines of ³I am the very model of
> a 14th Cycle dramaturge², which is why I know that ³Song of the Presses²
> is a Gilbert and Sullivan pastiche).

Ah, but it is not. That song is.

All of the librettos are pastiches of our-universe musicals or operettas,
including classics and quite modern works (i.e. the musical episode of
Buffy The Vampire Slayer).

This slowed down my reading significantly, since I had to sing all of them.

And most are not in my range.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this.

-dsr-

On 2024-04-23, -dsr- <dsr-usenet@randomstring.org> wrote:
> On 2024-04-14, Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:
>> Each of the 17 chapters start with a page or more of the libretto of
>> ³Song of the Presses². Vlad witnesses some of the rehearsals which
>> contain more of that (including all 44 lines of ³I am the very model of
>> a 14th Cycle dramaturge², which is why I know that ³Song of the Presses²
>> is a Gilbert and Sullivan pastiche).
>
> Ah, but it is not. That song is.
>
> All of the librettos are pastiches of our-universe musicals or operettas,
> including classics and quite modern works (i.e. the musical episode of
> Buffy The Vampire Slayer).
>
> This slowed down my reading significantly, since I had to sing all of them.
>
> And most are not in my range.
>
> Overall, I quite enjoyed this.
> -dsr-

Yes, a very impressively wide range of sources for the songs. If you
want to hear the originals, Brust posted YouTube links for each chapter.
https://dreamcafe.com/2024/03/29/lyorn-discussion-major-spoilers/

A fine book, but we're reaching the end of the Cycle and tying everything
together is only partway done. The main _Lyorn_ plot was mostly resolved
but there were lots of series threads left dangling. It will be interesting
to see if he can pull it together (2 books left).

_Lyorn_ is a direct sequel to _Hawk_. I should have re-read _Hawk_ first; I
had forgotten too much.

Chris

In article <slrnv2fr3l.5kk.dsr-usenet@randomstring.org>,
-dsr- <dsr-usenet@randomstring.org> wrote:

> On 2024-04-14, Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:
> > Each of the 17 chapters start with a page or more of the libretto of
> > ³Song of the Presses². Vlad witnesses some of the rehearsals which
> > contain more of that (including all 44 lines of ³I am the very model of
> > a 14th Cycle dramaturge², which is why I know that ³Song of the Presses²
> > is a Gilbert and Sullivan pastiche).
>
> Ah, but it is not. That song is.
>

Oh ... checks link in other reply ... I really should have recognized "76 catapults.."

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com