Ten Points for Style [Hardcover]

Walter Jon Williams (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 648 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156865166X
• ISBN-13: 978-1568651668
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Comedy of Manners in an SF Setting, July 16, 2007

By 

W. Tyler (Santa Cruz, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ten Points for Style (Hardcover)

Williams has created a group of three brilliant comedies of manners. Drake Maijstral is an allowed burglar, an occupation sanctioned by the Khosali Empire, which has taken over the known universe. Maijstral's spectacular thefts take place in a highly mannered society where Elvis is a demigod, and the only real crime seems to be a lack of style. Thoroughly enjoyable.

5.0 out of 5 stars Classics of humorous science fiction, most highly recommended, April 28, 2011

By 

Peter D. Tillman (Taos, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ten Points for Style (Hardcover)

Drake Maijstral is an impoverished aristocrat turned
Allowed Burglar in the Khosali Empire, a mannered society ruled - or
at least with standards set - by faintly canine aliens.

This omnibus edition of three of the Drake Majistral books is a real find.
All three of these books are classics. Here's my review of ROCK OF
AGES, the third and best:

Drake has bested Duke Joseph Bob of Tejas in a duel, scared off a
challenge from Capt. Milo Hay, and put off yet another challenge by
Prince Hunac of Yucatan. He's planning the media spin for all this
with Duchess Roberta Altunin, his second and inamorata:

"Excellent. Then you must tell the media of your plans for a religious
retreat."

"I will. I'm a hereditary prince-bishop after all - I'll spend the whole
night praying for peace."

"I keep forgetting you're a bishop. You're not very ecclesiastical."

Maijstral composed his face into an expression of piety. "I prefer to
keep my devotions private, thank you."

"Well, I'm a hereditary abbess, so I suppose I should not criticize."

"Really? Which order?"

"The Reformed Traditional Hospice Order of the Blessed Spatula."

"Oh. The Spatulates. . . I wondered why they worshipped a bit of
kitchen equipment."

"They take it out of the vault once a year and make a holy omelette
with it . . . The ceremony is quite moving."

"I'm sure."

"My piece was a bit leathery when I tasted it, though."

-- and on and on, skipping lightly from one silly episode to another,
never losing momentum or control. I lost count of the number of
times I laughed out loud. Other reviewers compare the Maijstral books
to Wodehouse or Panshin's Anthony Villiers books. I liked this one
more than the Panshins; I found it comparable to Wodehouse at his
best - high praise indeed.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman