Book Description
Lara of Xy and her Warlord, Keir of the Cat, have been through much together. Lara abandoned her lands and people for love of him. She adopted his ways and learned of his tribe. Together they have faced plague and insurgency -- and despite these struggles, they have known happiness and joy.
Now they face their most arduous task: Keir must take Lara into the Heart of the Plains, and introduce her as the Warprize to the warrior-priests. She must be tested--questioned, examined, watched--and must find favor with the warrior-priests and the tribe’s elders before they will confirm her as a true Warprize.
But in Lara's heart there are doubts--for what if she is found wanting? Will Keir give up everything he knows to be with his Warprize?
Customer Reviews:
Captivating & Spellbinding.......2007-10-11
I read all 3 books and loved them all. Ms. Vaughan has created such an excellent trilogy. In this 3rd installment, I thought I would get through the book with no tears but I was wrong. I have to say it is captivating and spellbinding. Keir's and Lara's bond is so amazing. And the secondary characters are humors, exciting and loveable. The fantasy she has created is so detailed and fascinating.
The only thing I'm now left with is wishing Ms. Vaughan would write more books with Keir and Lara or even the secondary characters. I want to read about their journey back to Xy, about the birth of their child, I want more of Heath and Atira, more of Joden, I want more of Marcus's & Liam's story and I want to know if Keir fights to reclaim his status as Warlord. There's so much potential for Ms. Vanughan to carry on the saga of the Xyians and the Firelanders. Please Ms. Vaughan write more....
Four and a Half Stars.......2007-09-28
Warlord concludes the trilogy that began with Warprize. Lara and Keir finally reach the Heart of the Plains and Lara goes before the Elders to see if they will confirm her as a Warprize. I am already a big fan of the first two books so admit to some bias here. For those readers who were unhappy with some of the occurrences in Warsworn, I feel that this story is very much a return to the form of Warprize, so they should be very pleased with the concluding book.
Warlord has been marketed as a paranormal romance and I don't think this is the correct genre for this book. There are no werewolves or vampires, and readers expecting them because of the paranormal labelling may be disappointed.
After everything seemed to fall apart for Lara and Keir in Warsworn (the second book of the trilogy) things finally come together here. Lara realises in Warlord what a task it will be to try and unite the Xyian and Plains (Firelander) way of life; and that there will be no easy answers or solutions. Keir remains intractable as far as the Warrior Priests are concerned, though it becomes clear that they are not all bad - it's nice to have this stubborn (and loyal) side of his character highlighted. There are references back to things that happened in Warprize and Warsworn, so if you haven't read those books for a while you may want to refresh your memory before starting the third book. Although the Warprize story is concluded here, there are many questions left unanswered and my fingers are crossed that Elizabeth Vaughn will return to these in a future book. I'd rate the trilogy as a whole at 5 stars.
Lost in Fantasy.......2007-09-10
I enjoyed all 3 of these tales. The author kept me fascinated and drawn to the characters. I look forward to her next book with great anticipation.
This trilogy proves to be a true Bookshelf Keeper for me!.......2007-09-05
I wasn't surprised that the last installment in this trilogy picked me up immediately and the joy of the reunion simmered with passion and built up to a eruption which only Elizabeth Vaughan can lead me to! There are also bittersweet moments that filled my heart with the passion of love and the strength of hope. Elizabeth Vaughan reinforces with each novel what a tremendous author she is and how much she makes the reader feel by the sheer imagination she possesses.
With Warlord the author captivated me with the everlasting fire of love between Lara and Keir as they are separated for the claiming of Warprize status. I was taken to the Heart of the Plains by new characters of the firelander tribe and I was thrilled to learn more of their ways. Both good and bad and again as this novel is written from Lara's perspective it gives you the feeling of being there, feeling all what Lara is going through.
This is not a novel of endearing characters but speaks of bold, fierce characters with their own sense of honor, customs and wisdom. The road to change is a hard one and this novel takes the reader to a fast paced final and for both Lara and Keir it comes to an end with passion for ones believes, the "truths" that must be spoken and each character that adds his or her voice to a song of a tale that reverberates long after the book is finished.
This trilogy proves to be a true Bookshelf Keeper for me!
courtesy of realmsonourbookshelves
EXCEPTIONAL!!!!!.......2007-08-10
I read extensively usually three to four books a week. I have been moved to tears by only one author in all the year the Late Celeste De Blasis's Proud Breed. Warprise was give to me by my son as a joke knowing that Warsworn had not been released. I devoured the first book and was patient for the second not so much for the third. As soon as I saw that Warlord was available I had it in my hot little hands. What a treasure. Ms Vaughan brought it all together in a wonderful and colorful Epic that was less than 400 pages. In less than a day I had complete the saga and was wrenched from my home to the Plains where I thundered across the grasslands as Lara raced away for her heart. To me this was brilliantly worded to grab the reader and hold them until the last good bye. Thank you for those treasured hours.
Book Description
A sexy paranormal debut--from a fresh new voice in erotic romance. The next target of a time traveling killer, crime reporter Jane Colby finds herself in the hands of a warlord from the future sent to protect her--and in his hands is just where she wants to be.
Customer Reviews:
Time-travelling terminator meets newspaper reporter.......2007-09-27
This story is about a newspaper reporter, Jane Colby, who finds her life suddenly becoming a great deal more complicated than normal when she discovers a large man with a tame wolf in her house. Baran explains that he is a time traveller from the future sent to deal with a psychopathic criminal from his own time who is preying on women in Jane's town - and Jane will be one of his victims. Baran and his talking wolf, Freika, have to convince Jane that she needs their help and also prepare for the unexpected appearance of the murderer, Druas. Jane wants to continue her life, though, although it's rather difficult with a huge warrior and a giant wolf constantly with her.
The plot of this story was very good with the time-travelling aspects adding interest and the historical references to Jack the Ripper giving a fascinating angle on other past crimes. Jane is a feisty heroine and Baran has more to him than just a thick-skulled warrior; both Jane and Baran have to overcome events in their past that could cause them to fail in their missions. As with other Angela Knight books there is a lot of sex in this book, sometimes distracting the reader from the plot a little, but the overall story was a good read.
Can't wait to return to Angela Knight's Mageverse.......2007-07-04
Traveling 300 years in the past to protect a woman you doesn't even know seems like a fool's errand and one that you wouldn't risk your life for. But the Warlords in this book think just the opposite; the hero in Jane's Warlord, Baran Arvid, is as alpha as they come, and willing to do anything to protect his quarry even if it means his own death. Along with his trusty sidekick, a timber wolf named Freika, Baran puts his life on the line to protect a 20th century civilian from an assassin who jumps through space and time to kill innocent women. The heroine, Jane Colby, is a no-nonsense gal who runs the town newspaper in a small South Carolina city. Jane is willing to suspend disbelief when this man from the future comes and tells her he's been sent to protect her from a killer (Terminator, anyone?). When Baran shows her the proof she needs to see the truth, using futuristic technology she can't help but believe, the two join forces to bring down this time traveling assassin, and fall in love somewhere along the way.
Jane's Warlord was my first Angela Knight book, and it definitely will not be my last. I'm not usually that into sci-fi/fantasy romance books, though I'm all for vampires and werewolves. That being said, this book was a departure for me, and one I wasn't sure if I'd like. I needn't have worried. Angela Knight's Mageverse requires the ability to suspend disbelief, but once you do it's intriguing, exciting, and suspenseful. This isn't your everyday romantic suspense, with its paranormal elements, sci fi basis, and time traveling heroes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish and can't wait to get back to Angela Knight's Mageverse.
Wanted more of Jack the Ripper (the villian of this book).......2007-04-08
I was very disappointed with this book, after reading the great reviews and because the opening was very good - good writing that introduced a lot of suspense.
My main critisicm is that the book is too self-aware of being a romance novel. It's too cute. There are references to romance novels everywhere, including the fact that the first thing Warlord does, when scoping out Jane's house, is pick up her half-finished book, dog-eared at an erotic love scene. The plot is over balanced toward their sex (not romance) scenes, at the expense of the build up of tension over the appearance of Jack the Ripper, and/or over more satisfying character development. Everytime there was a reference to standard romance novel fare - like Jane thinking about a Viking warrior tying up his warprize and ravaging her, I was taken right out of the story. It was as if the protagonist was aware of the audience.
My second criticism is the missed opportunity for this to be a great story instead of a light read. The Warlord is a cyborg, futuristic special agent, not a futuristic political leader, so the story has the flavor of a playful Terminator while not being as edgy/good. It is superficial. The conflict isn't deep enough. And with a villian like Jack the Ripper, that is a real let down. Jack the Ripper was the Hannibal Lecter of his time. We needed to get inside his head, and feel his menace, a little bit more.
The sex scenes were ... hmmm. There were many teases with the Warlord's golden wrist bindings, but he'd put them on Jane, and then take them off a few minutes later. There was one sex scene where they came out again, and I was expecting Jack the Ripper to make an untimely appearance, during their love play, but nothing. There was no risk involved in their sexual interludes. Not enough at stake emotionally or physically.
The best part was Frieka, the wolf-companion to the Warlord. I enjoyed their comraderie. Very entertaining, and if I pick this book up at all in the future, it will be because of him.
Interesting read, 3 1/2 stars.......2007-04-03
I can't put my finger on it, but I would have liked something a little more creative or different about the plot and storyline. I didn't like that the warlord was not given enough tools by his superiors to properly fight Druas. They had an explanation for this in the end, but I didn't like it. Other parts of the ending were interesting and good. Although it is not a favorite, I did enjoy the book and plan to try another from this author. Sexual content: strong.
Fantastic! Great new world-building! .......2007-02-01
I LOVE this book. ohyeah! Baran was so sexy in it. And I liked Jane because she wasn't too tough, but not a wuss, either. Frieka was a great secondary! I don't own the book, but if I did, it'd be on my keeper list. Yum yum! I hear she might do another WARLORD book. oh yeah!
Amazon.com
The third novel in the Warlords Chronicle, Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur immerses the reader in the Britain of the Dark Ages. Merlin, the greatest of the Druids, believes that the ancient gods are deserting Britain, and that the invading Saxons can't be defeated without the gods' help. Mordred reigns with a brutal hand, and Arthur sees his dreams of peace evaporate. The author provides exciting descriptions of swordplay and battles, interspersed with somewhat gruesome depictions of ordinary life in those days--greasy, waist-length beards serving as napkins, lambs bloodily sacrificed before festivals, and rampant lice.
But at the heart of Excalibur--what makes the Arthurian legends eternally fascinating--is the larger-than-life company of heroes, from Sagramor the warrior to Taliesin the bard, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arturus Rex himself. Cornwell treats them all with warmth and dignity, revealing their human qualities without unnecessarily reinventing them. This three-part saga of magic and bloodshed will grip readers from the first page of The Winter King, through Enemy of God, to the last page of Excalibur. --Blaise Selby
Book Description
In The Winter King and Enemy of God, Bernard Cornwell took the beloved legend of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and made it fresh and new for our time. Now, in this riveting final installment of his extraordinary trilogy, Mr. Cornwell relates how King Arthur and his warriors battle their Saxon enemies, allied with Lancelot, for the throne of all Britain.Excalibur is a monumental story of love and war. Betrayed by his true love, Guinevere, Arthur must face his enemies -- who were once his friends -- in final, mortal combat. He must also face his most daunting challenge of all. Merlin has made a terrible pact with Mordred, Arthur's sworn enemy, to summon the gods and the power the gods possess. Arthur's success at stopping them, even his survival, is anything but certain. But winning when all seems lost is what makes Arthur a hero.Stunningly written and peopled with the familiar characters of legend -- and brilliantly narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith -- Excalibur is a fitting and immensely powerful conclusion to one of the greatest-ever retellings of the Arthurian saga.
Customer Reviews:
Save the Best for the Last.......2007-08-22
I first became interested in Bernard Cornwell reading the Saxon Chronicles of the Last Kingdom, but I realize that the Arthurian Chronicles are a whole lot more fun. Excalibur sure beats them all. I think the part when he helped his son from Merlin was quite good. Also, the war with Mordred. In earlier books, we always thought Mordred was a wimp and couldn't quite see him become a formidable rival to Arthur. In a way, Arthur may have perpetruated his own end. Who would allow such a powerful man to live in peace?
A fitting end to the Warlord Chronicles.......2007-04-05
In the third and final episode of his Warlord Chronicles Cornwell wraps up all the loose ends, like what happened to Derfel's hand. He also returns to the more traditional telling to find his ending for the Arthur story. I found the ending of the Arthur portion of the tale very satisfying but was a little disappointed in the ending the Cornwell wrote for Derfel. In the end Derfel is a warrior again which is the way I am sure my friend would have wanted it but I really wanted Derfel to have one last glorious triumph to end his tale. I guess that would have been impossible as Derfel is the author of the story, life is inexorable. All in all a great ending to a wonderful and much more believable and satisfying retelling of the Arthurian legend. P.S. If you are looking for the Holy Grail, check out the "Archer's Tale" another great series by Cornwell.
Arthur on the dark side III.......2007-01-09
Just like the 2 previous books of this trilogy it was hard to put down. It's one of those books you wish would never end, or that there was at least one more.
Excalibur.......2006-08-14
Excalibur was a great ending to a fantastic series. I thouroughly enjoyed all three books in The Warlord Chronicles, and I would recommend Excalibur to anyone who enjoyed Winter King and Enemy of God.
best book.......2006-04-20
The book Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell is an amazing story. Excalibur is a book that describes the epic that is the war of a noble kingdom. Unlike most of the other books that talk about Excalibur and the adventures of King Arthur this book revolves around one of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, Derfel. Derfel was a lord of war and law. He controlled one of the armies that were under the rule of Arthur. The setting of this story is in the island of Great Briton. King Arthur and his allies control of half of the island. The other half of the island is controlled by the barbaric Saxons that invaded over 100 years ago. I wouldn't recommend this book to people that don't like war and gore. Though to every one else I strongly recommend this book. This book talks about gods and war. The war is described in amazingly thrilling detail that will absolutely exhilarate your very senses. I would give this book a rating of 110 out of 100.
Customer Reviews:
Good Biographies........2006-04-21
Good details, and some fine history made this scarcely studied topic a worthy read. The book focuses on the Mongols finest commanders and their campaigns. Ghenghis, Kublai, Hulegu, and Tamerlane. I liked the latter chapter the best. For a book of less than 200 pages, you get a wealth of information. There are also fine full page illustrations, photographs, drawings and maps.
A Very Versatile History of Mongol Conquest.......2003-06-27
The Mongol Warlords, by David Nicolle, is a very broad and complete coverage of the Mongolian culture and its military campaigns. The book focuses on the four great Mongol leaders: Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, Hulego and Tamerlane. However, this book goes far beyond simple biographies of these four men.
This is a wonderfully illustrated book. Not only does it have many full-page illustrations, but it's chock full other great material: photographs, drawings, portraits, diagrams and loads of amazing maps. Even the margins are put to good use, diagramming pottery, artifacts, weapons, etc.
The histories and biographies themselves are honest, well-researched and complete. And there is so much supplementary material that the book guarantees something for everyone. And while it's true that you won't find anything in it that can't be found elsewhere, the book does a great job of putting together a wide variety of material in a useful and entertaining format. The content in this book will appeal to the casual reader as much as to someone who's topically oriented.
Great for reading or for reference, The Mongol Warlords provides a lot of bang for the buck. While it's not currently in print, I found my copy in a used bookstore at an attractive price. Look around; this book is worth the search.
Tons of great pictures and drawings.......2002-02-24
There is a lot of information about Mongolian culture, politics, and conquests as well as other aspects of their history, in particularly the Mongolian rulers (obviously). This book has a great deal of information about the way that they waged war and what they used to do it. There are details of what happened in particular campaigns as well as the battle tactics that were used.
Of course, that is what you would expect from the books title. However the biggest strength of this book are the tons of pictures and drawings of Mongolian clothing, weapons, and armour; as well as maps and other illustrations. It also includes breakdowns and explanation of their weapons and armour (I particularly like the part on why the Mongol bow is better than the English Longbow).
This is one of about 20 Mongolian related books that I have and it is one of the best.
Great reference with outstanding illustrations.......2001-01-10
Although its chapters focus on the four most prominent Mongol leaders of the 12th through 15th centuries, this book is much more than a collection of short biographies. Centered around the life and times of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, Hulegu, and Timur are excellent descriptions of Mongol culture, archaeology, military tactics, and campaign strategies. David Nicolle's writing style is a pleasure to read, and while not as detailed and comprehensive as a textbook would be, still hits all the major campaigns and accomplishments of these men. The book (191 pages) is also interspersed with photographs of ancient artifacts and modern day ruins, as well many beautiful works of art. The illustrations by Richard Hook are very, very well done and breathe a life into the personalities and combat actions described in the text. It is a fine addition to any library of Central Asian steppe history and culture.
Great Book.......1998-07-17
This book is very good and informative. It contains interesting details on many of the key figures of the mongol conquest. My only complaint is its not long enough and doesn't have alot on the European exploits or the Golden Horde. However it does have details about the world at the time and many surprising details as well. All in all a great history book. To bad its out of print,but check your local library
Book Description
Together for the first time-the novel and novella that turned Knight into "a rising star in the paranormal pantheon." (In the Library Reviews)
Here in one volume are the complete novel Jane's Warlord and the novella "Warfem," which transport readers into an erotically charged time-warped world that will set their "blood on fire and have them begging for more." (In the Library Reviews)
In Jane's Warlord, reporter Jane Colby makes a startling discovery about a murder. The killer has struck before-hundreds of years in the past. He's jumped through time to find more victims and only Jane and Baran, a genetically engineered warrior, can stop him.
In "Warfem," a strange destiny reunites the seductive Warfem Alina with Baird, a sexually dynamic Warlord who already shared his lover's fantasies many years before.
Plus, as an added treat, Warlord includes two extra short stories never before seen in print.
Customer Reviews:
Novel and 3 short stories about warriors.......2007-09-27
The bulk of this book is made up of the story "Jane's Warlord" about a newspaper reporter, Jane Colby, who finds her life suddenly becoming a great deal more complicated than normal when she discovers a large man with a tame wolf in her house. Baran explains that he is a time traveller from the future sent to deal with a psychopathic criminal from his own time who is preying on women in Jane's town - and Jane will be one of his victims. Baran and his talking wolf, Freika, have to convince Jane that she needs their help and also prepare for the unexpected appearance of the murderer, Druas. Jane wants to continue her life, though, although it's rather difficult with a huge warrior and a giant wolf constantly with her.
The plot of this story was very good with the time-travelling aspects adding interest and the historical references to Jack the Ripper giving a fascinating angle on other past crimes. Jane is a feisty heroine and Baran has more to him than just a thick-skulled warrior; both Jane and Baran have to overcome events in their past that could cause them to fail in their missions. As with other Angela Knight books there is a lot of sex in this book, sometimes distracting the reader from the plot a little, but the overall story was a good read.
The three short stories also bundled in this collection are less satisfying, mainly because the bulk of the stories seem to be based on the sexual exploits of the heroines, not actual plot, at least in the last two stories. "Warfem", the longest of the short stories, is rather better than the other two as it contains a decent plot. Alina is a female warrior, a Warfem, who has been bound as a slave to a woman for twenty years, having had to give up her lover Baird. When she bumps into Baird again the old resentments and sadnesses are stirred up but Alina is as firmly bound to her master as before - the reason soon becomes apparent. Baird is gathering evidence of treason and it seems like his former love is knee-deep in it. Can Alina and Baird sort out their joint history and rescue a young boy at the same time? This story was well written and the underlying concept was very good.
Unfortunately the same can't be said for "The Warlord and the Fem" which, although including an interesting premise (a Warlord has to work to prove to a Warfem that she will enjoy his mastery of her), is rather short on action apart from sexual action with the notable exception of the fight scene at the beginning. The entire story seems to be constructed around their sexual needs - that Baird (the hero has the same name as in the previous story) and Kyna have to come to terms with a dominant relationship. Baird wears Kyna down with chess games (unusual seduction method, that) and with a mock-fight. The story isn't bad, it just seems to peter out rather and the sex in this story is more graphic than in the earlier elements to this book.
The fourth story, "Baby You've Changed", has almost nothing to it apart from a sex scene which many people would probably find offensive. Tamir had a love affair with a human years ago but as she's a Warfem the human wasn't powerful enough for her and she humiliated him and let him go. Now he has reappeared in her life but Gage Deauxville is now a vampire, extremely powerful and is after Tamir, needing to show his dominance and mastery of her in the traditional Warlord way. The scene is set in the first two pages and the rest of this story is all about the sex that they have and the description of this event is one that many people may find distasteful, and it's described in great detail too.
The last two stories were apparently written for an internet newsgroup by Angela Knight and are rather more explicit than her novels and for me I think the book would have been more acceptable overall if it just contained the first two stories. The last two, being more about sex and less about plot, reduced the impact of the earlier stories and may also cause many readers to be uncomfortable with what they are reading. The world of the Warlord and Warfems that Angela Knight has created is an interesting one and she is good at writing action and plot; however when the stories become just about sex they are less successful and a little disappointing.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, [...]. © Helen Hancox 2007
entertaining outer space fantasy saga.......2007-09-04
"Jane's Warlord". Three hundred years from now the Temporal Enforcement sends warlord Baran Arvid and his genetically engineered wolf Freika back to the twenty-first century to protect reporter Jane Colby from a murderous time traveler Kalag Druss. Baran is to kill Kalag before the jump killer murders Jane. Jane covers a particular brutal murder nearby her home. When she returns to her house, she finds Baran and the talkative Freika waiting for her. Escape is impossible and soon she figures out that her warden and his sidekick come from the future. The worst that could happen to Baran is that he falls in love which distracts him from his mission and places his beloved in peril from the deadly time traveler.
"Warfem". Her enemy captured WarFem Alina, who would prefer to die, but fears that her foes will use her as a hostage to betray her people and her beloved Baird.
"The Warlord and the Fem". Kyne hides on the ship Drunna's Victory from the Warlord Baird Airell who she met while on R&R on the planet Verton. She is a Fem, a genetically engineered soldier which make her subject to any demands in the bedroom from a Warlord; that scares her when it comes to Baird. She has to confront her fears because Baird gains the crew's respect as he tries to bond with her.
"Baby, You've Changed". When the ship Intrepid defeated the ship that Fem Tamin was on, she was reunited with her first lover Gage Deauxville. She rejected him because he was human, but now he is a vampire who claims he is her master.
JANE'S WARLORD is a reprint of the same title novel while "Warfem" was first published as part of the Kick Ass novellas anthology; the two short stories are new. WARLORD provides fans of Angela Knight, an omnibus collection of this entertaining outer space fantasy saga.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
Marla Wolfblade is reeling from the loss of her closest confidant, Elizaar the Fool, who taught her the Rules of Gaining and Wielding Power, and helped shape her into a force in Hythria. But Marla's plans for revenge are disrupted when she discovers she has a dangerous adversary....
On the border, Fardohnya has massed its troops for an invasion, and Marla's eldest son, Damin Wolfblade, heir to the throne of Hythria, finds his ability to fight back is thwarted by tradition, politics, and the foolishness of the High Prince...
Back in Krakandar, Mahkas Damaran awaits news of the battle and has sealed the city against Damin's return. With the city on the brink of starvation, it seems only theft on an unprecedented scale can free Krakandar from Mahkas's madness and tyranny... and destroy Hythria's web of secrets and lies.
Book Description
The three volumes that comprise this compelling saga begin with In the Hall of the Dragon King, and follow the fortunes of Quentin, who as a young temple acolyte, seeks to overthrow the evil loosed by Necromancer Nimrood and to save Mensandor, the realm of the Dragon King. In the second volume, The Warlords of Nin, Quentin once again holds the king’s destiny in his hands as the Wolf Star grows greater and the power of the Nin increases, spreading its black terror. In The Sword and the Flame, the final volume, Quentin reigns as Dragon King and faces an insidious attack of evil—from within himself—when Nimrood holds his son hostage.
Customer Reviews:
The Dragon King Saga:.......2007-03-08
Typical Steven Lawhead epic adventure story, action, narrow escapes, love, and good always triumphs. Great story and very easy reading. I flew through all 1000 pages in just caouple of weeks.
My 12-year-old son's favorite book series!.......2007-01-31
My son will tell you, "This is the best book I've ever read." In this fantasy the characters grow and change for the better. Move over Harry Potter, the Dragon King Saga has got you beat!
King-Priest of the Dragon King.......2006-06-28
here is an exerpt from the Warlords of Zin
Never in Malice, Never in Hate , Never in evil shall this blade be raised. But in righteousness and Justice forever shall it shine
This is seeped in Holy writings of Nippon, the Middle Kingdom, and Europe
All have a traditon of the few Holy-Warriors,
Recomended if thou likest the Lord of the Rings
A good, solid series of Lawhead's early writing........2004-11-16
I don't think I can add much beyond the in-depth review below, except to say that when I read the series some time ago, it captured my imagination enough for me to rate it a solid "I like it" #4 on the scale. I thought some of the spiritual concepts were a bit understated for a Christian Fantasy, but many prefer that. An event that I particularly remember was the search for the precious metal to fashion the sword, and also the sword's creation. The sword and its use in one certain battle still comes to memory. I wouldn't overlook this series if you are a Fantasy fan. It's worth the read.
Save your time, save your money, save your dignity.......2004-01-16
It could be said in this trilogy's defense that this work was intended as mere pulp fantasy, intended to be read by readers looking for the familiar fix of a plot written by the numbers. However, to do so would be an insult to pulp authors everywhere. Lawhead entirely fails to create believeable characters or to develop the characters that he does create. The plot is so predictable that I am convinced the author looked for the most obvious possible developments. However, these faults could be forgiven - or at least ignored - if the exposition was even slightly worthwhile.
Unfortunately, its deficiencies in plot, character, world-building, and originality are complemented by quite possibly the worst writing I have ever seen. His descriptions substitute the reader's fantasy stereotypes for any actual use of adjectives. Perhaps he assumes that his entire audience is third graders. His language is consistently cliched and hackneyed. If you enjoy being hit in the face repeatedly with large bricks, this trilogy may be for you. If you actively hate literature, this trilogy is definitely for you. If you're looking for a simple but entertaining story without too many preconceptions, read the Belgariad.
Average customer rating:
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The New Warlords from the Gulf War
Eddie Abrahams
Manufacturer: Larkin Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0905400178 |
Product Description
This is a two-in-one volume with both of Jacqueline Carey's top sellers Banewreaker and Godslayer. (Inside jacket: with her successful Kushiel series, Jacqueline Carey proved herself a force to be reckoned with in the fantasy field. Now she returns with another extraordinary epic, a shattering tale of gods at ware and the mortals they use in their deadly game.) Once the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord. First-born among them was Haomane, Lord-of-Thought, and with his six sibling gods, they Shaped the world and its children to their will. But Haomane was displeased with Satoris' Shaping, for he thought his younger brother too generous in his gifts to Men, who made war upon Hoamane's Children, the Ellylon. Though the First-Born asked his brother to withdraw his Gift, Satoris refused. So began the Shapers' War, which sundered the world and cast Satoris and his kindred to opposite ends of a vast ocean.
Customer Reviews:
An extraordinarily complex, moving achievement.......2007-07-13
Yes, I have read and loved all the Kushiel series; they are astonishing, wonderful books. Yet those who pick up the two volumes of the Sundering because they loved Phedre, and come away disappointed and complain the books fail to measure up, are missing the point entirely. These books are a different genre, and a different kind of accomplishment; they are a fantasy epic which is also a philosophical and ethical critique of the epic genre.
Of course, the similarily in narrative structure to the Tolkien epics is conscious and purposeful. Almost every character from the Lord of the Rings is found here: Gandalf-Malthus, Frodo-Dani, Aragorn-Aracus. Previous reviewers may have missed that the arguable "heroes" of this story, Tanaros Cavaros and the "Misbegotten" Ushahin Dreamspinner, are analogous to the leader of the Ringwraiths and Gollum. And Satoris Banewreaker, of course, is the Sauron who the Elves/Ellylon so lyrically claim to be bent on the destruction of all that is good and beautiful, working tirelessly "to cover all the world in a SECOND darkness!!!"
I wonder, how many of us who read and loved the Lord of the Rings ever wondered why Sauron would wish such a thing? Did the explanations of his motivations ever seem thin? Sauron was supposed to have created the Orcs "in savage mockery" of the Elves; a force of pure evil, needing no purpose other than destruction, with no desires, even in creation, except to mock and ruin. What Carey's epic is meant to show, and it succeeds beautifully, is that there are no such villains. There can be no races, such as the Orcs in Tolkien, without redeeming characteristics. To exist at all, especially to exist as a living community of any kind, living creatures must manifest certain virtues. The "Orcs" on the Sundering epic are ugly, certainly, and the "Elves" fear and despise them; yet Carey shows the Ellylon hatred and fear of the trollish Fjel as a product of their own limited aesthetics and the enmity between their races. The Fjel lack the beauties and brains of Elves and Men, yet they are real creatures, and therefore, in order for them to continue as a race at all, they must reproduce and rear their children, they must have some forms of love and loyalty. As this epic unfolds, the awareness grows in the reader that the "orcs" of Tolkien could never have been anything but a savagely distorted picture, a lie wrought by those who hated them from a distance. The power of the Ellylon to tell their stories with beauty, and thus inscribe their point of view as history, is explicitly thematized by Carey's hero Tanaros, who reminds the lovely Ellyl lady that every story has two sides, and that no Elf or Man has ever listened to the stories of the Fjel.
Tanaros himself stands as one of only two counter-examples; he himself is a Man, one who once served the ruling house of the oldest of Men's kingdoms. Once a hero in the best epic style, a loyal general who loved his king and his wife, now he is the most famous villain of his own race of origin. Long ago, he discovered his wife's new child to be, not his own son, but the son of his own best friend and beloved liege. The power of his loves fueled the violent madness of his hatred when those loves were betrayed, and he killed both his wife and her lover. Only in the service of Satoris can he re-discover loyalty and purpose, as only Satoris was willing to allow him the "dignity of his hatred" and allow him the chance to make a new life. The kingdoms of Men call Tanaros "Wifeslayer" the worst of comicbook villains, and see his service to Satoris as simply confirming how evil he is; a man who killed both wife and king could only flee to bad black Satoris in his evil dark fortress. Yet Carey shows us Darkhaven through the eyes of Tanaros as a haven, a place of beauty and dignity, and Satoris as the being who has given Tanaros sanctuary-- as well as a love that has never failed nor been untrue.
The Darkhaven of this epic, this Mordor, was built by Satoris after his first war with his older brother, who, wrathful at his younger brother's refusal to obey, burned the world with the fires of the sun and left Satoris wounded and scorched. Darkhaven is dark not to symbolize evil, but because light hurts as well as illuminates, and because fire is the weapon of the elder Shaper who believes, on thin grounds, that his own will is the entirety of truth and goodness, and that Satoris' refusal to obey him is the essence of wrong and evil. Darkhaven is guarded by Fjeltroll and staffed by madlings, and here is the poignant heart of Carey's vision. For Tanaros is only one of the ambiguous and complex heroes of this story. The other is his counterpart Ushahin, like Tanaros a byword for evil among the Elves and Men of this world, and like him a product of the very world and races who fear and hate him.
Ushahin Dreamspinner, unique in this fantasyworld, is half Ellyl and half mortal Man. The Ellyl, children of Haomane FirstBorn, are a race gifted with mind and heart, rationality and love, but immortal, and without the gift Satoris was asked to give to every other race: Desire. It was Haomane's command that Satoris withdraw Desire from Men which Satoris refused, the refusal for which he is called the Sunderer. Desire is an ambiguous gift, and one both Men and Elves find easy to blame for the crime one Man committed upon a daughter of the Ellylon; the crime of rape. Ushahin Dreamspinner was conceived in that rape, abandoned by the kindred of both parents, and almost killed in childhood by a crowd of other children with rocks. His appearance is all the more monstrous for the remains of remarkable beauty ruined, elegant bones shattered and ill set, wide-set eyes permanently dilated and crazed; he embodies all the horror of human cruelty and callousness, and walks in their dreams to show them the image of a child's fist with a rock breaking another child's face to bits. Called "The Misbegotten" by both the races from which he sprang, Ushahin serves Lord Satoris for the sanctuary Satoris gives to all the mad and broken of the world, those Ushahin calls to Darkhaven where they are safe and loved.
It is Satoris' relationship with Ushahin and his madlings that thematizes the true heart of this amazing critique of epic storytelling, this reply to Tolkien's brutal aesthetic of bright beautiful Elves versus nasty ugly orcs. When the lovely Ellylon lady arrives in Darkhaven and learns that it is a sanctuary for madlings, for all those beings broken and maimed by the cruelty of the world, she is of course appalled. The lovely, the perfect lady, of course she cannot fail to feel pity and mourn for the victims of cruelty and neglect who find safety and love in Darkhaven. Yet she protests they could be fixed, that Satoris ought to heal them and make them pretty again, a response that Tanaros shows in its selfishness with his reply: "To my lord Satoris, she is already beautiful." He loves them as they are, and finds the beauty they have in themselves, not needing to transform them into pretty elf maidens to find them lovely. Similarly, the Ellylon cannot realize the limitations of their own attitudes towards the half-elven Ushahin; they blame Satoris for not "fixing" him, never imagining that it is tghe Dreamspinner himself who refuses to be "healed" to erase the signs of what has made him what he is.
The Elves can only imagine beauty as being like themselves: perfect, tall, glowing with light, and above all, lucky. The scars of the unlucky, of all those who have been hurt, the stories of all those whose lives have been shaped by pain-- they can only see those things as flaws to be erased. What the limited aesthetic of the Ellylon cannot understand as valuable is the same thing that disappears in the caricatures of "orcs"-- the values and features of *life*. Life that struggles through pain and trauma, life that nurtures young, life that makes the best of ambiguity, life that goes on imperfectly.
It is finally an aesthetic of life with which Carey counters the simplistic aesthetic of epic in the Tolkien vein. In place of a god whose mysterious will must be obeyed as the definition of Goodness, we have a god who wishes only to live as he sees best, and survive the despite of his older brother's wrath. Haomane First-Born believes his own vision to be the definition of truth and reality, and his own will as the determiner of goodness. In such a belief-system there can only be one kind of choice: obedience is good, and defiance, evil. Counterpoised to that simplistic lie, Carey gives us a meditation on the nature of choice as life-determining, or choice and responsibility, of truth itself as ambiguity and complexity.
Good first half of a story. What next?.......2007-04-15
I love Jacqueline Carey's series about Phedre, beginning with Kushiel's Dart. It is one of my favorite stories. I also enjoyed The Sundering, though not as much.
The Sundering is a takeoff on Lord of the Rings, upside down. Sauron is the good guy here, and Gandalf is the bad guy. Frodo is a bit of a dupe, sent to destroy Sauron's power, even though Sauron was much kinder to him than the good guys ever were.
In this story, Gandalf's name is Malthus. "Mal" means something bad, as in malady. Frodo's name is Dani. He is accompanied by his uncle Bilbo, whose name here is Fat Uncle Thulu.
The dwarves are intact, but the elves are here called Ellylon, and are not as short as the elves of LOTR. Instead, they are the size of the elves in the LOTR movie, man-size.
Aragorn is in this story as well. His name is Aracus Altorus rather than Aragorn son of Arathorn. Same guy. Leader of the Borderguard, and the hereditary king. And as in LOTR he is scheduled to marry an elf, the Ellylon beauty Cerelinde.
Sauron, here called Satoris, isn't half bad. He inspires love and loyalty. It is his big brother Haomane who is the real pain in the butt. All of Satoris's brothers and sisters have ditched our world, gone across the sea, I suppose across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in America while the action of the story is in Europe, more or less, though Haomane's home is described as an island, not a continent.
Haomane wages unjust war against Satoris. On Satoris's side are Jackie's version of orcs or trolls, which she calls fjeltrol. They are big and strong and ugly. They are bigger than humans. But they have hearts of gold and are the good guys. The beautiful Ellylon are a bit of a load, conceited as all hell. So while Tolkein made it obvious who to root for because his good guys were cute and his bad guys were ugly, Carey turns that upside down for us. Ugly good guys, cute bad guys.
I was confused with some of her terminology. Souma. Soumanie. Marasoumie. Rhios. Half the time I barely knew what she was talking about when she mentioned these things. Apparently there is a lot of magic in her world, and the souma is a great source of magic.
Her characters are so interesting that I always wish the books were illustrated.
The main additions she has to LOTR are some new characters. Satoris (Sauron) has his three main helpers. I suppose they could be compared to the ring wraiths, and once in a while one of them is a Black Rider, but these three really aren't ring wraiths, and have interesting characters of their own. One of them, Tanaros, is the star of the book.
I enjoyed this book but it cries out for a sequel. Everything about the ending screams out SEQUEL.
A tragedy.......2006-05-27
This is an interesting book. The world is believable. the different races recognizable. It is told from the perspective of Satoris, the third born shaper of the world. He is supposed to be the bad guy that caused the world to be sundered.
And war is coming. It is led by the children of the first born shaper, Satoris' brother Haomane. They are allegedly the good guys. So now we have a classic battle between good and evil, only good isn't that good, and evil might actually be innocent of the charges against him.
I found myself cheering for Satoris as everything about him fell apart. I really didn't like Haomane at all. There are magical weapons, prophecies, but no one becomes all powerful that none can stand before him.
This is a story filled with rich characters, and they experience the spectrum of love, betrayal, honor and pride. This is good story and fine fantasy.
Recommended.
Book Description
This is a pioneer book on the yoruba military generals of the 19th century covering their individual careers, military alliances and the consequences of their actions on the society. This book is divided into two parts. The first examines the life histories of the most distinguised among the Yoruba warriors. In the second sections, the authors examine some of the Yoruba warlords' diplomatic strategies and the enduring consequences of their action.
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