So much happens in these few pages that I found myself wanting more. The characters were just starting to feel like friends when suddenly my time with them was over. What greater recommendation can I give than that?

Lecky gives readers a glimpse of life in Dublin during WWI, the excitement, the romance, the tragedy, the loss. There's a lot of emotion packed into this short story with the main character's sister suffering long-term illness, her brother enthusiastically volunteering to take his part in the glorious war, and the man she secretly loves hoping to find his fortune in America.

Did I say that I wish it was longer?

I really enjoy reading Tanya Huff's Quarters books.  They're great fantasy fun, filled with engaging and diverse characters who go on adventures and end up saving countries and kingdoms.  :)  There are bards and assassins and nobles and the common man, someone for everyone.  And there is romance woven into the adventures and scheming. 

No Quarter is filled with all of those things.  It's really very much of a continuation of book 2, Fifth Quarter, as opposed to just taking place in the same universe with the focus on different characters.  We find out what happened to the twin assassins, Vree and Bannon, Karlene the bard, and Gyhard, the man who is looking for a body of his own.  It's also the story of Magda and Garrett, children of the main characters of book 1, Sing the Four Quarters.  We even spend some time with Prince Otavas (I may have that spelling wrong), another of the characters from #2.  Their paths intertwine to give us a wonderful solution to the simple problem of a man without a body. 

As I said to an author buddy of mine as I was reading, even though I enjoyed my read, I found myself wishing that maybe I had read these books when I was a teenager.  I'm pretty sure all the sexual identity diversity and openness would have left a positive mark on an impressionable me.  As it is now, at 60 years old, well, I sit and nod and think that these kids have the right idea.  *LOL* 

I'm looking forward to reading the 4th book, The Quartered Sea, at some point and seeing which of my friends from the first three books come along for the ride.  :)

I really enjoyed Fifth Quarter and I'm not sure why it seemed to take so long to finish it.  :)  Be that as it may...

This second book in the Quarters series takes on the tale of a pair of assassins, a body-jumper, a family of zombies and a very sad old man.  In the story, there are a couple of peripheral characters from the first book (I think that's right - my memory is for shit.  *LOL*).

There are adventures to be had, emotions to be uncovered, dangers to be faced as well as a few home truths and I really liked the way it all played out.  The main character of Vree was really quite fascinating, I thought, and it was an interesting journey to take with her as her world opens up beyond the army and her assassin role.  I'm glad we're going to continue her story in the next book.  

I really enjoy Tanya Huff's writing, no matter what genre she's writing in.  She has a comfortable, easy way of telling a story that never gets bogged down with extraneous details or literary navel-gazing.  I'm glad I have No Quarter in my TBR pile!   

Man, what a thriller.  I haven't seen a match, and a penalty shoot-out like this, in a looong time.  I'm just glad it's over and the German team finally managed to beat Italy for once in a championship match!! Yey!!!  Thank you Manuel Neuer and Jonas Hector!!!