Sequel to the Windrose series. A Las Vegas hotel is haunted by a trans-dimensional being which has started randomly killing the hotel’s guests. Exiled wizard Antryg Windrose and his partner, computer programmer Joanna Sheraton are hired to investigate, and discover there are not one trans-dimensional being, but two: one of them criminal, the other insane. They must figure out what these are, and how to get rid of them, without being killed themselves.
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts." -Barbara Hambly
It does seem as though Antryg and Joanna’s Further Adventures always involve something coming through the Void, but this one puts a little twist on that. Vegas shenanigans abound as well as a large dose of just desserts. Lots of fun!
Thank you Barbara for this fresh, humorous look at Antryg and Joanna in Los Vegas. Your witty turns of phrase delighted me, and the glimpse into the martial art was spot on. The insights into the characters of the two protagonists, and even the minor characters in the story reveal a great deal of empathy and a good understanding of human nature, all delivered with a light touch. I would still recommend that anyone wanting to meet this delightful and daft wizard and his partner first read the Silicon Mage trilogy before starting on the novelettes that comprise the Windrose chronicle. I do have a question however: my personal picture of Antryg borrows a lot from Tom Baker. Does yours as well? For the readers out there, this is one of my top three fantasy writers of all time.
I thought I'd read this some time ago, but reading the blurb, I realized I hadn't actually, what a delight! One of the reasons Hambly remains one of my favorite writers is that not only do I love her writing style, I deeply appreciate how she keeps writing continuing adventures for her most beloved characters.
Antryg Windrose & Joanna Sheraton's adventures have gone from being contemporary (in the 80s, when they were published) to historical (ouch!) but they never fail to draw me in, and I've deeply enjoyed seeing the two of them carve out a life together in 80s California (even though this one took place in Las Vegas).
An interesting novelette that makes you question what you'd do in the position of the Plus-One. It's not an easy answer. The best "further adventure" I've read so far in this universe.
This is an excellent short story. I love the way Barbara Hambly makes here characters seem so alive and entertaining. It's part of a series that I've recently discovered, and I had to look for all of the books, plus the stories she has on her website. The characters struggle against the evils and problems within their own lives. They suffer losses, but managed to prevail in the end.