Average customer rating:
- Compared to the first two, a MAJOR disappointment.
- I bit disappointing
- Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3)
- Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3)
- Wonderful book!
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Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3) (Luna Books)
Robin D. Owens
Manufacturer: Luna
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0373802641 |
Book Description
If horses could fly…then Calli Torcher might ride again. But a devastating accident left her in such pain she thought the chimes and chanting in her ears were a hallucination…until she found herself transported to another world, and met the Lladranans who had Summoned her.
Lladrana was a parallel, magical earth filled with exotic creatures, noble humans and enchantments--all threatened by an encroaching evil.
And when the mighty volarans stopped obeying the Chevaliers, the flying horses' unexpected rebellion had thrown Lladrana into an uproar. In desperation, the sorcerers had sought help from afar--and gotten Calli.
If she could fulfill this mission, perhaps she would also finally find all she had longed for--a mate, a home, a family. But against this great darkness, she had no battle experience, no strategy plans. She had only a bond with horses.…
Customer Reviews:
Compared to the first two, a MAJOR disappointment........2007-08-25
No spoilers.
I enjoyed the first two in this series, light, non-thought provoking reading for lazy summer days. For this third installment though, I only managed to really read the first 175 pages before I said screw it and skimmed most of the rest. Calli was such a weak, whiny, needy little girl, and even the parts I skimmed were filled with her incessant crying about NEEDING someone to love her. Calli and Marrec were both very one-dimensional, unlike the main characters of the other two books. There wasn't much world-building going on in this book; I felt like a lot of things could have been much better explained than the cursory "this is what happened, and it just works" deal we get. Unless you're the type of person who has to collect all the books in a series, Protector of the Flight really is the type of book you'd rather borrow than buy.
I bit disappointing.......2007-08-24
I enjoyed reading the first two books in this series, but I found this one to be lacking. The characters just didn't have the depth the characters in the previous books had. Owens didn't even bother to dig deeper in the relationship between Merric and Calli. Merric was so stand-offish and Calli was so needy. There was nothing to show why they even loved each other. Not to mention, they didn't even bother to tell each other. Things kept coming up, problems were solved with little to no resistance, and the characters didn't seem to even bat an eyelash. It was almost too much all bunched together and condensed to fit. I still gave it three stars, because I like the world Owens created, but I sure hope the plot line flows better and the characters are more rounded in the next one.
Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3).......2007-06-13
This continues the series with interesting twists to the magic and the characters continue to be strong. I like the concept.
Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3).......2007-05-21
A really good read. Robin Owens at her best.
Wonderful book!.......2007-03-28
One tablespoon of childhood fantasy, added a steaming cup of action, spiced with the slice of romance, and you have the perfect cup of tea! What a great story! I loved it.
Book Description
This pocket book is a quick reference to common diseases encountered during clerkship rotations in all specialties. For each condition, the book outlines the pertinent positives and negatives in the history and physical examination, so the student will know what to ask, what to look for on the patient, and what to order. The student will be prepared to present the case effectively and field the resident's or attending's most likely questions.
Evidence-based literature citations are included to prepare students for evidence-based practice questions. "Pearls" sections note the most frequently asked "pimp" questions. Numerous tables, photographs, and x-rays are included.
Customer Reviews:
Concise, with good Pneumonics, but quite expensive.......2007-04-25
Just got it, it looks ok. It should be like $10.95 or something not this expensive.
It will fit in your lab coat, I can say that.
I will update review PRN but it looks like a competent little book, my concern so far is the price.
Why so expensive?
Update: it is a nice little book after all, I upgrade it to 4 stars.
Average customer rating:
- The Protector's War
- It was... OK. The next book is better, thank God(s)
- Meeting at Corvallis
- A frustrating read
- Top-Notch Apocalypse Fiction
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The Protector's War
S.M. Stirling
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451460774 |
Book Description
The national bestselling alternate history epic continues...
Ten years after The Change rendered technology inoperable throughout the world, two brave leaders built two thriving communities in Oregon's Willamette Valley. But now the armies of the totalitarian Protectorate are preparing to wage war over the priceless farmland.
Customer Reviews:
The Protector's War.......2007-10-05
I enjoyed the book; it remained a true sequel although I found the title to be misleading as the so-called "Protector's War" had not begun as of the last page - this does guarantee interest in the next novel.
It was... OK. The next book is better, thank God(s).......2007-09-24
OK.... there's some good stuff, like Prince/King Charles' descent into madness and the unexpected Icelandic element. But instead of rounding out the characters, Stirling has flattened 'em out.
I guess the whole Mackenzie BS would be easier to take if there actually was some tension between factions within their community. I mean, c'MON, there have GOT to be more vocal Christians hanging out and doing good in Sutterdown. I wish that the fundie preacher from the last book had survived, to provide some interplay between two different belief systems sharing worldly resources from necessity.
But nooooo....... this book is not interested in thoughtful exploration of any of these concepts. It's just battle scenes, Wicca apologetics, nostalgia for Merrie Olde Englande.... like many other reviewers noted, wouldn't it be nice to see Juniper have PMS? Or the Methodists do something good, too? In fact, a hybrid Christian/Pagan religion rising from the ashes seems to me a more likely outcome.
And the Protector and his lovely wife... um......... they might be more believable if they weren't so one-dimensionally eeeeevil.
The whole business with the wild horse & Rudi about did me in. PUH-leez.
The good news? I'm reading the next book (Meeting At Corvallis) and it's already much, much better.
I was afraid that someone had replaced SM Stirling with the worst of Mercedes Lackey..... he might yet redeem himself.
P.S. Are there really THAT many SCA people in Oregon????????
Meeting at Corvallis.......2007-09-12
The autor has alien space bats in his belfry. He casual eliminates Boyles Law of Pv+nRT which controls everything from volcanos, soda, even his bike tires. HE needs to do sientific study before he dives into this. Also how did he get ice cream with no ice Duh! His Wiccan are neo pagans and he should know a maiden is a women who is not married.
A frustrating read.......2007-09-04
I write this review as an S. M. Stirling fan, having enjoyed his Draka and Nantucket series, not to mention "Dies the Fire".
Unfortunately, as indicated by many reviewers of this book, Stirling does rather seem to have lost the plot here. While there are some genuinely exciting and moving moments, there is an awful lot of fluff in between. Although I appreciate Stirling's eye for detail in attempting to get across the trials and tribulations of experiencing a brutal transition from technology and democracy to feudalism and primitive technology, there are times when he abandons the art of storytelling and descends into the mundane. I like to be entertained, and don't really care for lectures on agricultural methods and pagan calendars, for example.
The biggest problem I have is with the Celtic / Pagan mumbo jumbo and some of the lead characters. There is something grotesquely offensive about a middle aged female American folk singer putting on a fake Irish accent and speech mannerisms, singing cheesy fah-da-dee fah-da-da a-roving-I-go-with-my-fair-maiden folk songs while turning her back on values that made America great (democracy, Christianity, elected officials, a constitution) and converting large numbers of Christians to her weird paganist cult. Now there's a character I'd have liked to see Arminger dispatch with a quick thrust of his sword!
Mike Havel is another character I dislike intensely. Humorless, pompous and completely full of himself. The only time I came remotely close to raising my opinion of him was when he made the observation that Juniper McKenzie was crazy... On the other hand, I liked Nigel Loring and John Hordle a lot.
In conclusion... there are enough good bits that I do intend to read the final book in the trilogy. Hopefully, Juniper McKenzie and her bear killing, Tolkein worshipping Renaissance Fayre associates will come to a sticky end and an Abraham Lincoln / Theodore Roosevelt like character will wade in and commence the task of rebuilding America.
(As an aside, I left this book on the train and had to buy it a second time to finish it! Not the greatest value for money ever!)
Top-Notch Apocalypse Fiction.......2007-08-27
In S. M. Stirling's Dies the Fire, the world was struck by a crippling and inexplicable "Change," which rendered all explosives and electronics across the globe useless, stripping humanity of nearly three centuries worth of technological progress. The cause of the catastrophe is unknown, but the effects of the Change are devastating: global supply chains break down, resulting in widespread starvation; disease ravages major cities, where sanitation becomes impossible; and looters and brigands steal what they can, or kill to take what they can't. Survivors gather together into communities and learn to live without the benefit of the technology they relied upon all their lives. Swords and bows return as the weapons of choice, and horses are once again the primary mode of transportation. But while most people are content just to survive and adapt to their new circumstances, some people see this Change as a way to seize power for themselves. One man, a history professor-cum-warlord who calls himself The Protector, rules his domain with an iron fist. Meanwhile, ex-soldier Mike Havel, a/k/a Lord Bear of the Bearkillers Clan, and Wiccan folk singer Lady Juniper Mackenzie of Clan Mackenzie work together to rebuild some semblance of civilization in Oregon's Willamette Valley. But prosperity cannot be achieved without cost, and The Protector has it in mind to charge a toll.
Now, in The Protector's War, more than eight years later, the effects of the Change are still ongoing. A new generation has grown up for the most part without modern conveniences, and archery and swordsmanship have become second nature to them. But though the battle years ago between The Protector and the combined forces of The Bearkillers and Clan Mackenzie resulted in a tentative peace agreement, Havel and Lady Juniper know that The Protector cannot be trusted. Skirmishes on the borderlands threaten renewed hostilities, and a sinister plan of The Protector's could unleash new horrors upon an already devastated populace. Added to this mix is the arrival of several British ex-patriots, exiled by a mad King Charles, and the capture of something The Protector very much holds dear all brings tensions to the boiling point, until the inevitable war of the title erupts in the Valley.
Like most good post-apocalyptic narratives, Stirling fuels the reader's passion for this bleak but engaging scenario by playing up the thrill of rebuilding a world from scratch, the idea of returning to a simpler time, and by taking something familiar and looking at it from a new angle. But while the speculative question here--what if humanity suddenly could not use gunpowder or electricity--is a compelling one, the book's true strength is in its vividly described action sequences; brutal and verisimilar, the action never revels in its grotesquerie, though it strikes so fast, hard, and often that it will have readers checking their faces for bloodspatter. The prose is tight as a 130 lb. bowstring and hits home with as much force as an bodkin-tipped arrow. Havel and Lady Juniper come across as real people, with very real problems who are thrust into a leadership role they never asked for, but must fulfill nonetheless. Stirling handles their characterizations, and those of the supporting cast, with the deft skill of a craftsman, building intricate family relationships and societal rules that make no character's choice without cost. There's not much of a plot per se--basically, survival is paramount on the characters' agendas--but the societal changes and the constant conflict keep the novel moving, and the pace never flags.
Where Dies the Fire was very much a post-apocalyptic novel in the truest sense, The Protector's War is much more of a war novel; it's more Braveheart than No Blade of Grass. But though readers who read Dies the Fire first will likely get more out of The Protector's War, it's an extremely enjoyable novel in its own right, and stands alone well. But do yourself a favor and read both books... and be sure to pick up a shield and helmet.
Book Description
Devlin Bane: Born a Paladin, he is a member of an ancient band of warriors locked in a centuries-old war against evil.
His destiny: To die over and over again to protect mankind from the Others, only to be revived each time by his mortal Handler.
But his fierce strength and courage cannot save him from gradually becoming one of the monsters he was born to destroy.
Dr. Laurel Young, who has spent years training to become a Handler, must remain detached from her patients. But each time she revives the darkly compelling Devlin Bane, he claims a little more of her soul and incites in her desires that grow wilder and wilder -- even as he inches closer to losing his humanity. As the war against the Others grows more desperate, Laurel and Devlin can't help but give in to the fierce hunger that's sizzled between them for so long. Now they'll face the ultimate battle together -- to save a dark, passionate love that goes against every rule as they join forces to fight an enemy who is closer than they ever imagined....
Customer Reviews:
Interesting book.......2007-09-27
I like this book because part of the story that it explains is not common... having men coming back from death to fight again... but some of the story is common, exactly the part in which the two characters fall in love with each other, and then the bad/s guy/s take the girl prisioner and the god guy has to save her and save the day too when and if he does.
Besides this common ground with other books I liked how the book was written, even when I got a little bored with the kidnapping thing, because all the book was like centered around it, but you know, it's what it needed to put the heroe in a dangerous position, so, if it had to be it, then... be it.
The books is good, entertaining and fast paced. The girl is strong and beautiful, and the heroe is charming and strong, too. Sorry to describe them like that, but they hold little appeal to me, I was far more interested in one of the secondary characters, Trahern. And his book is one that I want to read!
Yes, maybe I dind't like the characters that much, and maybe I got a little bored with the kidnapping thing, but I liked the book, so I have the two following ones to read, and the fourth one on my wishlist ;-)
Wasn't quite sure about the series but I enjoyed it very much........2007-08-19
The series appears pretty clearcut at first, sort of a fantasy/science fiction/romance. But unlike a lot of authors who develop only the hero and heroine, this author has made the villains and their motives quite interesting. I like the characters, especially the strong female characters who can hold their own against very macho male warriors and I find the premise interesting. The first book definitely moved me into the second book and I've now progressed from the second book into the third. Worth the read.
Interesting concept. But I have to say it, boreing............2007-07-24
Even though the concept is different and exciting the storyline had me bored. I put the book down a few times and I didn't really care to find out what happened cause I could already guess how it would end. There was no good stuff in this book. No action packed fight scenes, No high intensity sex scenes. No real mystery. What I did like was the characters. These Paladins are sexy, funny and dangerous.
I know reading romances you already know the ending....(and they live happily ever after) so it's the meat that's supposed to keep you reading on.
This book was okay. It wasn't good or even great. It does have potential to be a good series as long as the author keeps to these paranormal romance novel guidlines; lots of volience, sex and humor.......
Now this is how you start a series!!!!.......2007-04-21
I really, really liked this book. I am on break from the BDBrotherhood/J.R. Ward series and I needed something to read. This filled the bill. Devlin is awesome and fulfulls every promise of a sexy, strong Alpha that is expected. But Laurel, or should I say Dr. Laurel Young was awesome. I really like this strong, stubborn, kind, loving Heroinne. She is great. She is a great strong, sexy, feminine character without all the silly sarcasm (as in Natasha from the Feehan series). You will actually see their love grow, and know why they are in love and great lust with each other. The Others/Villians are interesting and are not the True Villians of the series. Check it out, you will not be sorry.
Another urban fantasy - but a so-so one.......2007-04-02
In the rash of urban fantasy books at the moment there's a lot of sameness. I had hopes that "Dark Protector" might be the beginning of a series that was a little different, like (for example) J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, which is a fresh look at the vampire genre.
"Dark Protector" is the first in a series about the Paladins, semi-humans who exist to protect the barrier between our world and the dark world of 'The Others' who try to cross into our world periodically and who do it harm. The Paladins fight with swords and knives against 'The Others' whenever they break through the barrier (which is related to seismic and volcanic activity in our world) and if they are killed in the fighting they come alive again after a couple of days. Unfortunately the more times a Paladin dies, the less human they become until eventually one day they will wake up as one of 'The Others' and have to be euthanased.
Devlin Bane is one of the oldest Paladins - he's treading perilously close to the edge of losing his humanity and becoming one of the Others. The story starts when he is revived by his Handler, Dr Laurel Young, after a rather unusual fight with a couple of the Others. And from that point on things don't go according to plan as he tries to work out what's going on, discovers someone is plotting against him from the human side, and gets involved with Laurel Young, his Doctor and the woman who will have to end his life when he loses his humanity.
We are introduced, in this story, to several of the other Paladins, most of whom will no doubt feature in subsequent books. The world of this story is an interesting one with a traditional battle between good and evil, with the evil sometimes coming from your own side. At the end of the book there was an interesting loose end about the intrinsic evil of the Others which may serve to muddy the water but had possibilities but is evidently only going to be explored in subsequent books.
Unfortunately for this book, and despite the interesting and different premise on which it's based, there wasn't enough meat to it. The romance seems more about lust than love and it's hard to see quite where it's going long term, the mystery aspect of the renegade human never really grabbed my attention and there were some slow parts of the book. The fighting between Paladins and Others isn't really described very well (which could have added interest to the story) and although the characters are good, they also felt a little one-dimensional. Dr Young is that common-in-fiction completely wonderful doctor who will do anything to help a patient, and yet she also breaks one of the basic rules about the doctor-patient relationship.
I didn't feel that this book lived up to its possibilities and I didn't find myself caring enough about any of the characters to feel that this had been a worthwhile read. It's not badly written, it's just too run-of-the-mill in an overcrowded genre.
Average customer rating:
- Book #2 of the Foster Sisters
- If you like lots of beefcake!
- Entertaining and Amusing
- the dangerous protector
- A good one
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The Dangerous Protector
Janet Chapman
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Book Description
Janet Chapman returns to the breathtaking Maine coast in the second novel featuring two passionate sisters...and the men who have what it takes to love them.
Willow Foster is committed to protecting Maine's precious coastline. She's equally committed to avoiding her one-time fling, Duncan Ross, the rugged Scotsman who's got her hometown believing she's the love of his life. But when Willow goes home to uncover the mystery behind a worrisome lobster catch, she learns that pub owner Duncan holds some mysteries of his own...and that taking a chance with her heart might open her life up to passion beyond her wildest dreams.
Download Description
"Janet Chapman returns to the breathtaking Maine coast in the second novel featuring two passionate sisters...and the men who have what it takes to love them. Willow Foster is committed to protecting Maine's precious coastline. She's equally committed to avoiding her one-time fling, Duncan Ross, the rugged Scotsman who's got her hometown believing she's the love of his life. But when Willow goes home to uncover the mystery behind a worrisome lobster catch, she learns that pub owner Duncan holds some mysteries of his own...and that taking a chance with her heart might open her life up to passion beyond her wildest dreams. "
Customer Reviews:
Book #2 of the Foster Sisters.......2007-08-13
I liked the Foster sisters books.
The sisters have a "sub job" of running around their small town and replacing mailboxes with decorated ones they create in their basement. LOL
I laughed thru both of these books!
This is Willow's story. What a delightful book. Willow is an attorney who gets mixed up in a coverup of contaminated water.
Duncan, who has liked Willow since the first Foster book, just ADORES her and follows her around. She thinks he's a...troglodyte...Hey, I had to look that up! It's only in the unabridged dictionaries! LOL LOL LOL LOL
Low and behold, the troglodyte was not what she thought. Don't want to spoil the book, so that's all I'll say.
Wonderful story and I think I'll read it again--very soon.
If you like lots of beefcake!.......2007-08-08
If you liked the beefcake line-up in The Seductive Imposter, get ready to meet all the guys again, yum. Duncan Ross, the gorgeous Scotsman who runs the local pub, has made his interest in Assistant Attorney General Willow Foster crystal clear. Ever since they went to bed together for one blazing night eighteen months previously, he's `making himself available', oh my. It's a long time to stay celibate and he's oh-SO-ready to break the drought. Willow herself gets caught up in some fishy business when local fishermen ask her to look into why lobsters are sickening around an island off the coast of Maine. Naturally certain villains get twitchy, and all sorts of things suddenly go shockingly wrong for Willow - her files get raided, she has a near fatal car accident which sets her up for a DUI charge, an astonishing amount of money lands in `her' overseas account from mysterious sources. Everything criminal points to her! Duncan (naturally) puts on his hero gear, and he and his drool-worthy buddies muscle in to help Willow. A great romantic suspense, with a climax that will blow you out of the water!
Entertaining and Amusing .......2007-01-25
Book One
I'm not sure what to say about this book, except I really enjoyed it. There's so many emotions from start to finish. I laughed out loud when Rachel first met Mickey Mouse because she was afraid he was going to eat her. And the night she and her sister went to display Puffy in the park. (You have to read the book to find out who Mickey Mouse and Puffy are). And the love scenes with her and Kee can make your heart race! (Are they called scenes in a book?) Oh, did I forget to say it has some suspense you might enjoy.
Just wait until you meet Duncan in book two !!
Where are all these hunky sexually attractive men
the dangerous protector.......2007-01-10
the story will have you rooting for the guy to win the girl.what he goes to get the girl.you just have to root for the guy.at the the end when she asks him to marry her.
A good one.......2006-12-22
If you read this book expecting the greatest thriller or perhaps the hottest love story around you'll get disappointed. If you read it just to have a good time and to enjoy the pages written you'll have a merry time. This is the first book of the series that I read so I can't compare this book with the others, but nonetheless I like it very much.
Average customer rating:
- Kel is now a squire....for Lord Raoul!
- amazing
- Solid, but not quite satisfying.
- This is the best of the Protector of the Small quartet so far...
- Best of 'Protector Of The Small'!
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Squire (Protector of the Small)
Tamora Pierce
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0375829067
Release Date: 2004-08-24 |
Amazon.com
In Book 3 of Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small sequence, 14-year-old Keladry of Mindelan is ready to begin training as a squire after undergoing four grueling years as the first girl to be officially educated as a page. Disappointed at first that Lady Alanna (whom we first met in the Song of the Lioness Quartet series) does not choose her, Kel is delighted when gruff, good-natured, down-to-earth Lord Raoul takes her on. The next four years prove to be tough but happy, for the most part, as Raoul and most of the others in the King's Own (a corps of 300 men--299 now, plus Kel--that enforces the law and helps local nobles deal with problems such as centaur attacks and forest robberies) treat Kel as an equal. Throughout, Kel is physically and mentally preparing herself for the final test in the Chamber of the Ordeal, in which fourth-year squires must successfully face their greatest fears before becoming knights.
In this sequel to First Test: Protector of the Small and Page: Protector of the Small, Kel continues to be an admirable role model: stoutly loyal, strong, independent, honest, yet very real in her fears and weaknesses. Romance lurks for the budding adolescent as she develops a crush on one fellow and begins a sweet kissing-only relationship with another, after a very frank discussion about sex with her mother. Although the buildup to the Ordeal is watered down a bit by Kel's periodic visits to the Chamber door for a taste of what's to come, overall, this latest in Pierce's series is a rousing tale of chivalry and heroism that any reader will be sorely challenged to put down. (Ages 12 and older) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
When Kel is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job. Kel earns respect and admiration among the men, as well as the affection of a fellow squire.
“This feminist fantasy is a delightful read.”—KLIATT
Customer Reviews:
Kel is now a squire....for Lord Raoul!.......2007-04-01
Kel is now a squire and is worried that nobody will pick her because she's female. But...dispite the fact that Keladry desperatly wanted Lady Alanna to ask she is still overjoyed when Lord Raoul of Goldenlake whom can sometimes be known as the Giant Killer asks Kel. Raoul is very high ranked and one of Lady Knight Alanna's best friends so...why is he picking Kel? Because he thinks she's good.
Since Lord Raoul is the leader of the Kings Own Keladry gets to go with him all the time on missions and goes into various battles. Though she is living her dreams she is still nervous...the Chamber of the Ordeal is coming up quick and Kel still has to push aside her secret romance.
Read 'Squire'. It's a wonderful book but it would be best to read 'First Test' and 'Page' first.
amazing.......2007-02-16
I love this series, the books are amazing. Read Terrier or the Lioness series by the same author if you like.
Solid, but not quite satisfying........2007-02-08
If you're reading these reviews, you've either read the previous two books, or are still trying to see if you should. Either way, this book is a very good read on its own, and a decent further look at our heroine Kel.
Sadly, I found it not to the standards of the first two. Firstly, the posting Kel recieves is 'tailor-made' to groom her for further adventures. Nothing as serious as the climax of Page ever happens, which makes it difficult for her character to grow in this installment. Her difficulties now are in reconciling her crushes (in regards to, I'll remind readers of how many boys you were 'in love with' at age 14 through 18, and how many of those crushes lasted past summer vacation, let alone an entire year). She also learns the quiet skill of picking her battles, and there is a sadly anti-climactic result for her long-standing enemy. Fitting, but still anti-climactic.
The world is strangely light-hearted, despite onrushing wartime, Kel is strangely capable in a world she's never directly experienced, and ALL of the men she works with accept her without reservations after only a few months of her arrival. This all contrasts with the mood that Pierce cultivated in the first two installments, and I was strangely sad to see it shattered so easily. This almost felt like an intrusion, or a "rest period" for the character.
The mood changes again towards the end, where the build-up to Lady Knight begins, re-establishing the familiar tension faced by our soon-to-be Lady Knight.
**As I have for previous books, here is my 'cautious parent' warning. This book deals frankly with crushes, and the possible results of acting on them. The character deals with it in a 'family-appropriate' way, by asking her mother, but the simple inclusion of this "big talk" and the other references to kissing and passionate emotions may upset some parents. Please Please Please, if you think this will be a concern for you, or if your child is delicate or easily frightened, please be aware that this book is directed more towards OLDER pre-teens. The character is 18 at the end of the book, and considered an adult from the age of 14 when the book begins.
Finally, the climax scene, while not as challenging for the character, deals with magic and necromancy, and this may disturb some readers (or their parents). Be warned - read it first!
This is the best of the Protector of the Small quartet so far..........2007-01-10
Several SPOILERS here:
Welcome back to the medieval and enchanted realm of Tortall. SQUIRE is the third and penultimate book in the Protector of the Small series and is the richest, most textured effort yet by Tamora Pierce in her chronicles of the feisty and determined Keladry of Mindelan, or Kel, as her friends fondly call her. A lot of the added gravitas in this book has to do with the fact that Kel is older (she's fourteen now and stands at a muscular five foot ten in height as the book begins). Thus, she finds her world opening up even wider - and her training becomes even more rigorous as it expands to include a more sweeping education as to the true definition of a knight. Too, Kel becomes more involved in the doings of the royal court, becoming responsible, in fact, for possibly effecting a positive change to a long-standing Tortallan policy. SQUIRE covers the four year span of Kel's squirehood, and her experiences here, under the capable tutelage of Sir Raoul, ably sets her up for her grim adventures in the series's finale, LADY KNIGHT.
The plot: As a squire, Kel must now enter into a four-year servitude with a seasoned knight. But the book starts with some time having passed after Kel had attained the rank of squire and with nary a knight having yet chosen her as his squire. Kel had harbored a hope that her heroine Alanna the Lioness would select her, but that ultimately became a forlorn hope. Languishing in despair while stoically striving to not show it, Kel is shocked but delighted when Sir Raoul, the unorthodox Knight Commander of the King's Own guard, asks her to be his squire.
The next four years prove to be a fruitful and educational time for Kel. Raoul turns out to be the perfect master and instructor. With him and his command, the King's Own, Kel travels the breadth of Tortall on various missions to keep the kingdom safe and sound, whether it's rescue operations, capturing bandits, succoring devastated villages, besting terrifying mechanical monsters, or fighting against the encroaching soldiers of Scanra. Her animal friends, time and again, give Raoul and company the decided edge as Kel's sparrows prove to be uncanny scouts, while her ugly dog Jump and her ill-tempered horse Peachblossom make ferocious warriors. Now, add to that menagerie a nasty baby griffin, with a liking for fingers, whom Kel rescues in a deadly battle with a renegade centaur.
On her journeys, she makes new friends (including Dom, the handsome cousin of her best friend, Neal) and impresses even more people with her dedication as she continues to perfect her warrior skills. As part of her training, she takes up jousting (or "flying lessons," as she calls it, because Raoul keeps bouncing her out of the saddle). And, as is her nature, she maintains her championship of those who are unable to protect themselves. She even goes as far as to challenge the king when she deems the penalty for a criminal too lenient. To protect a put upon standard bearer, she challenges the offender to a jousting match, never mind that the offender is a full blown knight. Continually, she puts a lie to her naysayers, most of whom consist of kingdom conservatives. Kel even finds time to indulge in an enthusiastic, if chaste, romance.
Past characters return, especially Kel's closest friends: Neal, Merric, Cleon, and Owen. Even past heroines in their own quartet series, Alanna the Lioness and Daine the Wildmage, appear, if briefly. And, with two years of Kel's squirehood dedicated to the Great Progress - a grand parade throughout Tortall, meant to show the heir's future Yamani wife to the people of the realm - Kel manages to renew acquaintances with old Yamani friends, as well as with Prince Roald, who had been in her training school. Unfortunately, she also meets up again with the bullying Squire Joren, who had been her nemesis in the prior books...
But even Squire Joren pales in comparison to Kel's final challenge. Her final test to achieve knighthood is the Ordeal, which involves a passage of time spent in the dreaded Chamber. The Chamber, which is mystically sentient, calls forth one's worst failings, weaknesses, or past misdeeds and forces one to face them. Squires before, in their time in the Chamber, had gone mad and had even died. It doesn't bode well for Kel's confidence that, even years before her alloted time in the Chamber, she'd summoned the courage on several occasions to touch the Chamber's door and each time had received disastrous images laying out a bleak future for her and her loved ones. But, with war looming in the horizon against the kingdom of Scanra and with Kel having been granted a vision of a diabolical future foe, a lady knight just might be what a beleaguered kingdom needs most...
This is the best book in this quartet so far, with FIRST TEST and PAGE already being very good reads As a bonus, we finally learn the respective identities of the villain who had hired the two scoundrels to kidnap Kel's maid, Lalasa (as chronicled in PAGE), and, on a more pleasant note, of Kel's unknown benefactor. Kel is such a strong and rootable character that the pages flew under my fingers, I really couldn't wait to find out what would happen to her. Part of what I like about Keladry is that even though she is now starting to change the men's pervasive prejudice against women becoming knights and even though she's well on her way to garnering a certain rep as Raoul's promising protege, on the inside, we still get to see Kel's fears and uncertainties. The readers are privy to Kel's vulnerabilities, which act as a humanizing counterbalance to her "perfect" qualities. Tamora Pierce's strength is in her deceptively simple narrative style, which serves to make her books accessible to anyone, young or old. SQUIRE is very highly recommended, although it's suggested that the prior two books should be read first. Hope this helped.
Best of 'Protector Of The Small'!.......2006-11-25
This is absulutley the best of the 'Protector of the Small' quartet! Probably because Roaul is in this book and he is a fave character of mine.
Kelandry of Mindelin is now a squire and is very worried about who's going to pick her to be their squire. She is hoping that the legendary Lioness will pick her but it isn't working as she had hoped. Finally Sir Raoul of Goldenlake picks her and she gladly excepts. She then travels with the kings guard (for that is what Sir Raoul does).
This is a wonderful adventure full of action, romance, and is a blast to read! Tamora Pierce created a wonderful story and I hope that everyone reading this review will give it a go because I know for a fact that you'll enjoy all the hard work Pierce has put into this! Read SQUIRE!
-Hannah M.
Average customer rating:
- Juvenile, but good
- Not Free SF Reader
- Good things DO come in small packages...
- enjoyable read
- Raggedy old classic!
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Protector
Larry Niven
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0345353129
Release Date: 1987-09-12 |
Book Description
Phssthpok the Pak had been traveling for most of his thirty-two thousand years. His mission: save, develop, and protect the group of Pak breeders sent out into space some two and a half million years before...
Brennan was a Belter, the product of a fiercely independent, somewhat anarchic society living in, on, and around an outer asteroid belt. The Belters were rebels, one and all, and Brennan was a smuggler. The Belt worlds had been tracking the Pak ship for days -- Brennan figured to meet that ship first...
He was never seen again -- at least not by those alive at the time.
Customer Reviews:
Juvenile, but good.......2007-09-23
If you like epic SciFi with positive endings and colorful characters, which I do, this is a good book. It does suffer from "simple" logic though, but sometimes things do work out like that. I do reserve more stars for better writing though.
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
The Pak protectors have both a strange physiology and psychology. They mature from the breeder stage to the very intelligent protector stage, and develop a serious protective parental impulse to go with it.
When a protector has nothing to look after, he goes on a quest for purpose, as without one, he will literally die. Enter humans and their little solar system.
Good things DO come in small packages..........2007-06-05
"Protector" by Larry Niven is a very short book of around 215 pages, but it is jam packed full of intriguing futuristic technologies, plenty of space-operatic drama and a very thought provoking idea of the origin of the human species...all wonderfully self-contained and fabricated in a few pages! The story starts to take off immediately within the first few pages, of which we learn of Phssthpok, the protector, and his long journey across the galaxy in his spaceship using a Bussard ramjet fusion drive. Phssthpok has survived a thousand year long interstellar journey solely off of the "nourishment" of a tree-of-life root and his resolve of finding those of his Pak species that he must protect. Those of the Pak species left their homeworld thousands upon thousands of years ago, and Phssthpok, with his enhanced intelligence, believes to have triangulated them to a blue orb somewhere in the spiral arms of the Milky Way...
The main features of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed were the adherence to basic scientific principles, which I believe is entirely lost on most Sci-fi authors. Niven's handling of time dilation and relativistic corrections due to interstellar space travel are extremely well done; there are no instantaneous hyper-accelerations to the other side of universe, because the farthest the reader travels is Alpha Centauri (quite the believable destination for Niven's technology). His grasp of plasma physics and similar concepts are well envisioned in discussions of ramjet fusion drives spaceships, as well as the "singleships" used in cruising through the asteroid belt and outer Trojan points, i.e. space travel in Niven's universe seems completely plausible and not a contrived fantasy. Plus, the idea of a populated asteroid belt at places like Ceres, Vesta, etc. was great to imagine with an entirely new "Belter" society complete with their trademark haircuts and low gravity quirks. But the coup de grace, was Niven's playful approach he took towards gravity, and especially his concept of the "gravity polarizer". A lot of awesome ideas, from a gravity lens telescope, to stasis field contained Neutronium spheres and Moebius toroid ecosystems abound, plus lots of other interesting off the wall ideas. For being such a short book this is definitely worth your time, as there is enough science fiction in this one volume to fill up Brin's entire catalogue of Uplift rubbish. A word to all the Robert Jordan's out there...you don't need a millions pages for an awesome story!!!! Quality not quantity!!!
enjoyable read.......2007-05-27
This is a fast-paced action-adventure SF story, written by one of SF's luminaries in his hey-day. Premise: that humanity is an evolved offshoot of an alien species, that has decided to come knocking after 3 million years. This alien species has a third stage in its life cycle, and the consequences of this third stage provide the motivation for the actions of the main characters in the storyline. Definitely an enjoyable quick read.
Raggedy old classic!.......2007-04-26
Cunning. Let's just start with that word - cunning. This can describe the penmanship of Larry Niven and it can also describe the Brennan-monster, or the species of the Pak (which in Thai can mean vegetable). Cunning can also describe the plot, though I think the word "original" would be more fitting.
I just loved scope of this book and it's originality. The concept could have dragged out into a longer epic, however. I wasn't satisfied enough in the end.
Product Description
Four books in one, "The Protector of the Small" series. "First Test" "Page" "Squire" "Lady Knight" Ten long years have past since the Kingdom of Tortall proclaimed that girls could take on a page's training.
Customer Reviews:
Great Fantasy Series.......2006-02-26
This is a wonderful fantasy series, with this particular group of books focusing on Keladry of Mindelen, who aspires to be a knight of Tortall. This shouldn't be a problem since it has been ten years since the kingdom proclaimed that girls could enter knight training, however, Kel is the first girl to actually do so.
Each book takes us through a year of Kel's training, from probationary page up through knighthood. During the first book, Kel has to contend with the hostility of the other trainees and the instructors who object to her simply because she is a girl. Kel has to be as good as, or better than her classmates to prove that she is entitled to the training.
However, Kel gradually wins respect from the other students, and from the trainers. She also has a mysterious benefactor who sends her expensive gifts that assist her in her training, and she discovers in herself a gift for communicating with small creatures.
Kel also gains admiration and respect for her courage and for her protection of those who cannot protect themselves. Her strength of character and her willingness to not give up on those under her protection make her an admirable character, and a good role model for young adults.
This series of books is admirable in producing a series of strong female role models for girls to read about and emulate. Keladry of Mindelen is another good, strong character, and this group of books in the series is a "can't put it down" type of read.
I loved these!!!.......2005-12-13
I am reading this series for the third time right now. They are great! I love them. Tamora Pierce books are so great!! She is my favorite author!!
In this book: It has been 10 years since it was allowed for girls to become knights, and the first KNOWN girl page in over a century is Keladry of Mindelan, the Protector of the Small. Kel used to live in the Yamani Isles, and learned some forms of fighting there. Her mother and father helped secure an alliance between the Yamani Isles and Tortall. Kel is the 4th child in her family to become a Tortallan knight (her three older brothers have already been knighted.). Kel finds out that it takes a lot to prove that she is as good, or better than the boys when they refuse to except her. 4 thrilling tales of the hard life of a probationary page, a page, a squire, and a young knight.
For more thrilling tales of Tortall women heroes read the other Tortall boooks by Tamora Pierce (They are in this order):
1. The Song of the Lioness Quartet (Alanna: the First Adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman who Rides like a Man, & Lioness Rampant.)-About Alanna of Trebond, the first woman knight in a century.
2. The Immortals series (Wild Magic, Wolf Speaker, Emporer Mage, & In the realms of the Gods)-About Veralidaine Sarrasri (Daine), the wild mage
3. Protector of the Small (First Test, Page, Squire, & Lady Knight)-about Keladry of Mindelan (Kel), the first KNOWN woman knight in over a century
4. Daughter of the Lioness (Trickster's Choice & Trickster's Queen)-about Alianne of Pirate's Swoop (Ali), a spy who is the daughter of Alanna
Book Description
The start of a thrilling new trilogy featuring Jazz, a Navy SEAL who must trust a mysterious agent sent to rescue him.
Navy SEAL Jazz Zeringue was taken into custody after a covert mission went awry. He had no doubts he'd be rescued, but he was certainly surprised when his saviour turns out to be the mysterious and beautiful agent Vivi Verreau. It's obvious Vivi doesn't like him, doesn't trust him, but they'll have to work together if they're to escape from enemy territory alive.
Customer Reviews:
A rant, not a rave........2007-05-08
It's perhaps unfortunate that this book's turn came up at the same time my tolerance for sloppy publishing came to an end. Yes, I've read worse books, but have only now become fed-up enough to rant.
I read a short synopsis of this book and too quickly clicked the buy button- eager to lose myself in a good romantic-suspense series. I remembered my enthusiasm when I finished my first books by Cindy Gerard and Suzanne Brockmann. I ran-didn't walk (or maybe I skipped)- to get to the rest of their books. I hoped to have another 'find' with Gennita Low.
The premise of 'The Protector' was promising enough- hell, just say Navy SEAL and anything seems promising enough. But when I found myself again and again tripping through inconsistencies, typos and poor grammar, the promise became a simple, frustrated determination to just finish the damn thing so I could justify buying it. There were some other problems, too. Though they had a hot first love scene (believe me, you wait long enough for it) I otherwise didn't care about the lead characters. She is ridiculously reticent and nearly humorless and he is inexplicably whipped from the beginning. Also, there's a pretty depressing subject matter that darkens the story a wee too much for me.
At any rate, these last two complaints are subjective and wouldn't have warranted this entry. Here's my real beef. It's not with Ms. Low (whose work is still above some others in the genre) but with the publisher. Was there even an editor assigned to this manuscript? Or a proofreader? For example, the author repeatedly uses incorrect verb tense which, more annoyingly than a simpler grammar error, can change the explanation/direction, etc. of the story line if you're not reading carefully enough. One reason I like to read romance and/or suspense is I'm not usually compelled to read paragraphs over to make sure I 'got it'. Here, I was often re-reading sentences just to verify that what I thought didn't make sense, in fact, did not. I admire that the author speaks several languages, so maybe she's confused about verb usage because English is not her first language? If so, where were the copy editors to pick up the slack?
Look, this is my main point- and, granted, one that several romance writers and publishers do seem to get. Don't insult the reader's intelligence. We know we're not reading Pulitzer material, but we still thrill to a well-written plot and character. AND we think our combined $7plus per book should ensure at least one trip through a capable editor's hands. See, we, the romance reader, know you, the romance publisher, are making kajillions simply because we are a voraciously reading and loyal lot. Just know that the next time I feel moved to throw a book against the wall after one too many frustrated groans, I'll not only cross the author off my list, but the publisher as well.
Good but Not as Good as The Ohers!.......2005-09-22
Of all four books this was the only one I wasn't as crazy over. Jazz fell for ViVi so fast I couldn't beleive it as at first I thought she was considered just ordinary. Have to admit though those SEALS were all nice guys. Couldn't help but love em all. I would recommend all the books in the series and hope she continues to add to them.
Not as good as her first two!.......2005-09-18
I had never heard of Gennita Low before, and I read her first books with some trepidation, but she proved she was a really great writer. But, in this book she really disappointed me. I read all the other reviews and I thought the book was going to be great. Nope, didn't happen. It started good and went downhill from there. The last hundred pages picked up but not to warrant such rave reviews from so many people. The book was bad, too much action between secondary characters, and not enough between Jazz and Vivi. Skip this book in her series, go on to The Hunter instead, much more interesting.
Kick-Ass, romance comedy = Awesome.......2005-09-05
I'm really enjoyed this book because it's great romance, action & comedy. The people in the story are enjoyable. I don't think I ever disliked, or got annoyed by any of the characters. Jazz & Hawk make a great team (comic) -- added with their SEAL `brothers'! And Vivi just has that "Charlie's Angel (kick-ass/kung fu)" spice in her.
When I got toward the middle, there was already so much action going on, I started to wonder, how can this book get any better... but it did....there was just so much `more' action towards the end!
All-in-all, the book was great. The romance & the action was great... but I love the comedy the most.. Made me laugh out loud, that the people around me thought I was nuts for a minute!
The Protector - Great Read.......2005-04-18
This was a great book to read. The characters are realistic and enjoyable.
Average customer rating:
- Tamora Pierce has created another masterpiece!
- great
- Tamora Pierce
- A little too concise.
- Keladry of Mindelan for President!
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Page (Protector of the Small)
Tamora Pierce
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0375829075
Release Date: 2004-08-24 |
Amazon.com
As the only female page in history to last beyond the first year of formal training to become a knight, 11-year-old Keladry of Mindelan has an uphill battle to fight. In addition to proving herself worthy of being a page, Kel spends her time defending first-year pages from bullies, staying on top of homework, conquering her paralyzing fear of heights, and keeping up with Lord Wyldon's grueling physical training schedule. Kel's detractors do everything in their power to thwart her progress, from tormenting her friends to sabotaging the Midwinter Festivities to kidnapping her maid and dog on the day of final examinations. The tide of resistance begins to turn slightly during the summer between Kel's second and third years, when she leads a team of pages in defensive maneuvers against renegade bandits--coincidentally on the same day that she gets her first period!
Tamora Pierce revisits the imaginary Kingdom of Tortall in this sequel to First Test: Protector of the Small. Fans of Pierce's exotic fantasy sequences will be hard-pressed to put either book down. Kel is a valuable role model: she's proud of being a girl, and she never wavers in her conviction that she can do anything a boy can--and usually do it better. Some rather bloody battles as well as discussions about Kel's developing body make this book appropriate for more mature readers. (Ages 10 to 14) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Kel fights to maintain the rigorous regimen of a page while confronting the prejudices that come with being a female in a man’s world and coping with a crush on her closest friend, Neal.
“Pierce makes Kel sweat for her success through perseverance, hard work,
and skill. Readers will appreciate this true example of grrrl power.”
—School Library Journal
Customer Reviews:
Tamora Pierce has created another masterpiece!.......2007-04-01
Keladry of Mindalen has passed her test and is now a full page, dreaming of becoming a knight. Kel is keeping up with life but it's getting hard. She still has to handle to fact that many, many people are still mad about her becoming a page. While she deals with this she is trying to maintain her training. And ALSO trying to deal with her feelings for her best friend, Nealan of Queenscove. In other words life is hectic for Keladry of Mindalen.
In this book there is a part where Keladry shows her skills and leads her friends out of a sticky situation where they're trapped by a group of bandits while the pages are on a little 'field trip'.
"Ladies have no place bearing arms..." I've said it once and I'll say it again...that's WRONG!
I hope you'll read this book, 'Page'. I'm sure you'll love it.
great.......2007-02-16
I loved this book, the entire series is amazing. I cannot wait until I read the next one.
Tamora Pierce.......2007-02-12
Tamora Pierce is an excellent writer. All of her books really put you into the stories and make you feel as though you know the characters personally. This book is no different.
A little too concise........2007-02-08
I gave the first of this series 5 stars, and reluctantly subtract one for the execution of her second. The premise is sound - she planned to deal with Kel as a child, a Page, a Squire, and finally as Lady Knight, but the pace and high drama of this book left many things feeling a bit rushed.
Firstly, expect the content to be notably more mature than in First Test. Kel deals with hitting puberty, hitting boys, being hit by boys, and a brutal regimen of forcing down her phobias. This, in addition to intense training, having (and dealing) with crushes on her fellow Pages, and proving over and over and over that she can and will "run with the big boys."
Despite cramming several years worth of experience (literally) into this book, Pierce does an admirable job of containing and streamlining it. The years are well defined, and the individual 'quests' are tightly written and clear. This book also handles the development of Kel's unique abilities in command. Her growing sympathy for commoners and the weak is showcased in a series of growing climaxes. The ending sequence is especially well-done, and younger readers will be very impressed with Kel's maturity and self-sacrifice.
Again, I find that Pierce writes extremely appropraitely for the age-level (estimating by Kel's own age, the pre-teen market) and I find that her focus on morality and strength of conviction in difficult circumstances is fitting for younger readers. I wholeheartedly suggest these books for parents wishing to instil those ideals in their children, in addition to reading them because they are simply VERY nicely crafted books.
**Lastly, as I warned for First Test = Parents who are very careful of the sexual, homosexual, or magical encounters their children have - PLEASE read these books before handing them over to your kids. I personally see nothing wrong with her handling of delicate issues, but you might. And to set your child on a series of entertaining books, and then later ban them for dealing with unfortunate subjects - this makes rebellious and NEEDLESSLY unhappy children. Please, if you are sensitive to sexual references (including a brief mention of homosexuality and extremely frank dealings with rape) and/or the use and presence of magic, please make sure YOU read this first.
Keladry of Mindelan for President!.......2007-01-09
PAGE is the second installment in Tamora Pierce's PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL quartet and it improves on the already fantastic opening novel FIRST TEST. This particular series is again set in the enchanted kingdom of Tortall and features Keladry of Mindelan, now eleven years old and still as determined as ever to become a knight. In FIRST TEST, Kel successfully undergoes a probationary year which had been unfairly imposed upon her by the conservative training master Lord Wyldon, who doesn't believe that women are cut out to be knights. However, Kel truimphs over every test put in her path and Lord Wyldon has no choice but to add her officially to the ranks of pagehood.
PAGE chronicles Kel's three eventful years as a page. Here, she faces a diverse and ever escalating gamut of challenges, from battle lessons to physical tests of endurance and strength, from suffering growing pains (she develops a crush on a friend) to enduring the persisting scorn of several of the male fraternity, and, on one peril-fraught occasion, fighting for her very life as she and her fellow pages must face off against desperate bandits. And then, finally, there's the all-important and extremely difficult fourth-year exam, which will determine whether she'll advance to squirehood, the next rung up to knighthood. But an unexpected, catastrophic event will transpire which will endanger her chances of even attending the test and will pit her against her greatest weakness. Once again, Kel is well served by her fruitful time spent on the Yamani Islands as she habitually makes good use of the adopted martial training and the poise she had learned from her Yamani instructors. Also, now in her second year, Kel has garnered enough friendships amongst her peers that she doesn't feel quite so isolated. Her horse Peachblossom and her helpful flock of sparrows again prove to be invaluable. Meanwhile, her mysterious, unidentified benefactor pleasantly continues to present her with inestimably practical gifts.
As ever, Kel continues to champion the underdog and the helpless. Here, she takes into her care the homeless and homely but ingratiating mutt Jump (never mind that she's not allowed to have pets) and hires into her service the timid maid Lalasa, who had suffered ill-treatment in her past. Kel aims to foster a confidence in Lalasa by instilling in her a belief in her own worth and by teaching her various martial arts moves for self-protection. Kel also continues her informal evening hall patrol as she keeps a watchful eye out for her nemesis, Joren, and his disagreeable clique of hangers-on, who revel in the abuse of the hazing ritual, too often unlawfully beating up on smaller, newer, and younger pages.
Kel persists in being one of the better young heroines out there. I really liked her in FIRST TEST and, here, she's even more appealing. Unlike Alanna, Tamora Pierce's first heroine, Kel isn't imbued with a magical power and doesn't attempt to hide her gender. Kel is a GIRL and very proud to be one, and she doesn't take short cuts. Pierce nicely depicts sequences of Kel stubbornly working hard to better herself as she stoically suffers every bead of sweat, bruise, and ache brought on by her training. Thus, the reader actually ends up cheering all the more for the approbations she does receive.
By the way, I don't mean to knock Alanna. I also enjoyed the quartet of books about her. Her achievements are what made Kel's endeavor here possible. But, yeah, when you get right down to it, Alanna has a supernatural ability while Kel remains a regular human girl. To get even more nerdy, it's kind of like comparing Superman to Batman. Anyway, if you've already read FIRST TEST, I won't have to talk hard and fast to convince you to read PAGE, or the subsequent novels. I'm in the middle of reading SQUIRE right now, myself. And that one, so far, is even marginally better than FIRST TEST and PAGE.
Books:
- Ramona and Her Father (Avon Camelot Books)
- Rogue Threat
- Route 66 Lost & Found: Ruins and Relics Revisited
- Secondhand Bride (McKettrick Cowboys Trilogy #3)
- Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)
- The China Dream: The Quest for the Last Great Untapped Market on Earth
- The Couple's Guide to In Vitro Fertilization: Everything You Need to Know to Maximize Your Chances of Success
- The Duke's Indiscretion (Avon Romantic Treasure)
- The Friday Night Knitting Club
- The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos: Humanity and the New Story
Books Index
Books Home
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