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  • (Realized) Conventions of War by Walter Jon Williams

    From James Nicoll@3:633/10 to All on Tue Jul 28 09:19:11 2026
    Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams

    How can genius and adaptability possibly overcome stubborn, dull-witted inflexibility and out-moded military techniques?

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/deep-and-wide-enough
    --
    My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
    My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
    My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
    My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@3:633/10 to All on Tue Jul 28 07:30:23 2026
    On 7/28/2026 6:19 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
    Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams

    How can genius and adaptability possibly overcome stubborn, dull-witted inflexibility and out-moded military techniques?

    Go to war and lose.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Robert Woodward@3:633/10 to All on Tue Jul 28 10:08:55 2026
    In article <114aa8f$so1$1@panix2.panix.com>,
    jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:

    Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams

    How can genius and adaptability possibly overcome stubborn, dull-witted inflexibility and out-moded military techniques?

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/deep-and-wide-enough

    They could have called their tactical scheme "Open Order Formations"
    (order and formations being magic words).

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

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Titus G@3:633/10 to All on Fri Jul 31 14:22:49 2026
    On 29/07/2026 01:19, James Nicoll wrote:
    Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams

    How can genius and adaptability possibly overcome stubborn, dull-witted inflexibility and out-moded military techniques?

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/deep-and-wide-enough

    This was discussed here very favourably many years ago and this third of
    the series was a four star read for me.
    I did not make the connection with Divertimenti because I had bounced
    off the first Drake Magesterial. (As well as Quilifier.)

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From William Hyde@3:633/10 to All on Fri Jul 31 15:20:40 2026
    Titus G wrote:
    On 29/07/2026 01:19, James Nicoll wrote:
    Conventions of War (Dread Empire's Fall) by Walter Jon Williams

    How can genius and adaptability possibly overcome stubborn, dull-witted inflexibility and out-moded military techniques?

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/deep-and-wide-enough

    This was discussed here very favourably many years ago and this third of
    the series was a four star read for me.
    I did not make the connection with Divertimenti because I had bounced
    off the first Drake Magesterial. (As well as Quilifier.)

    I can understand bouncing off Quilifer, I almost did myself.

    But I carried on and I'm glad I did as I enjoyed the second half of the
    book much more than the first. I will look for volume two.

    Still, this is not a recommendation that you give it another try.
    There is something in Quillifer that does not work for me, and what does
    work seems related to the Drake books, which you did not like.

    William Hyde

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)