Outdated in terms of modern scholarship though it might be, I'll have to read this book at some point, I think. My first thought, reading your description, is that her Etruscans sound almost like an evil verson of standard-issue late-20th/early 21st century Anglophone* fantasy novel "Celts," what with the musical everything and lust for life and dancing into battle.
ETA: ...exquisitely decadent as Melnibonéans...
Great line, this.
...Mary Gentle's alt-historical Ilario: The Lion's Eye (2006), where they basically replace Jews...
Good grief, that's unpleasant.
It's always good to be reminded of "The Mirror of Venus." Excellent story, and if you ever find yourself writing more in that 'verse I'd love to see it.
*It occurs to me that I should look into what, if anything, Francophone popular literature has produced in that vein. Irish-language literature seems sadly lacking in the straight-ahead fantastic, although there is some horror, a lot of thrillers and detective novels, and a fair number of historicals set in the 18th century and onward. If I were able I'd write us a corrective to the Lord Madog the Space Celt type of thing--it'd need translated to English to have any impact on the audience most needing it, but it would be more satisfying in Irish.
ETA:
...exquisitely decadent as Melnibonéans...
Great line, this.
...Mary Gentle's alt-historical Ilario: The Lion's Eye (2006), where they basically replace Jews...
Good grief, that's unpleasant.
It's always good to be reminded of "The Mirror of Venus." Excellent story, and if you ever find yourself writing more in that 'verse I'd love to see it.
*It occurs to me that I should look into what, if anything, Francophone popular literature has produced in that vein. Irish-language literature seems sadly lacking in the straight-ahead fantastic, although there is some horror, a lot of thrillers and detective novels, and a fair number of historicals set in the 18th century and onward. If I were able I'd write us a corrective to the Lord Madog the Space Celt type of thing--it'd need translated to English to have any impact on the audience most needing it, but it would be more satisfying in Irish.