Status Updates From The Unschooled Wizard (Sun ...

Through the first book in the omnibus. There are a few points where Hambly leans a little too hard on the "tell" side of "show and tell", particularly when establishing characters (explaining their background and personalities rather than letting them be revealed through actions), and there are times where magic seems a little too convenient. But it's still an entertaining story despite these issues.

Hambly is fantastic at dropping these little nuggets of human nature into fantastical adventures: "He had looked up at her for a moment from his half-devoured meal, puzzled, as if he had not quit expected her to form a friendship or a liking where he had none. Not that it was against his will or even his expectations--merely, that he had not thought about the possibility since they had become lovers."

"He could hear himself screaming, and his knees were buckling with agony. With a curiously clear sliver of the remains of rational thought, he knew exactly how many seconds of consciousness he had left, and the single thing that he must do."

AHHHH! That is a hell of a chapter break, and to make it even worse, that's the end of my lunch break as well! I have to wait a whole nother day to find out what happens!

I admit I was disappointed when the relationship between Hawk and Wolf turned into a romance, but their reunion was so utterly badass on both sides, and their banter upon seeing each other so funny and joyful, that I've become a convert.

This book was published in 1987, yet we've got canonical lesbians. YES.

Blast, Starhawk just blushed when talking about Sun Wolf. I was really, really hoping that they would stay comrades and warriors-in-arms (fictional friendships that stay friendships between people of different genders are so rare), but if I know anything about narrative conventions of this genre, if one of them is in love with the other, they'll be together by the end of the book.

Starhawk laughed. "Ari and Penpusher are there waiting to go over it with you."
"Penpusher," the commander said thoughtfully. "Is he that yak in chain mail who threw the defending captain off the tower at the storming of Melplith's gates?"
"Oh yes," Starhawk agreed. "He's only like that in battle. As a treasurer, he's untouchable."