Girl Genius Volume 2: Agatha Heterodyne & The Airship City (Girl Genius)

Book Description

In a time when the Industrial Revolution has become an all-out war, Mad Science rules the World...with mixed success. At Transylvania Polygnostic University, Agatha Clay was a student with trouble concentrating and rotten luck. Dedicated to her studies but unable to build anything that actually worked, she seemed destined for a lackluster career as a minor lab assistant. But then the University was overthrown and Agatha was taken aboard the giant airship Castle Wulfenbach - where it begins to look like she might carry a spark of Mad Science after all.

Customer Reviews:

The fun continues in volume 2.......2007-08-30

Great fun, as are all of the Heterodyne books - I especially appreciate the "overdrawn poking-fun-at-Gothic" artwork throughout, and the "biographies" of the contributors. On a side note, thanks to these, one of my friends is actually trying to build a dirigible... oh well!

One slight problem with several of the Girl Genius volumes - the binding is very weak, and I've actually had to get Amazon to replace this one, as it fell apart when I opened it. Luckily, Amazon is simple and easy, and this one isn't their fault - the publisher is being scrooge-ish with their glue. Examine carefully when they arrive, and don't hesitate to send them back for replacements. This series is too good, and too compulsively readable to miss! (or to suffer with bad copies... )

Mad Science was never so fun..........2007-08-13

Return to the world of adventure, romance, airships, mad scientists and power hungry Nobles. Agatha Clay, now on the giant airship Castle Wulfenbach, wishes she could leave. Pretending to be the lover of a soldier while surrounded by monsters, angry constructs and talking cats is not her idea of fun.
But getting away isn't as easy as it might look when traveling thousands of feet about the ground while hostage to one of the most powerful men in Europe!

Great stuff.......2007-05-16

Phil and Kaja Foglio are marvelous. Girl Genius has an engaging, complex plot line; intriguing premise; characters full of personality; and great art - detailed, beautiful, very expressive, and always keep an eye out for what's going on in the background. There is lots of humor in the Foglios' work, with the text and art working together perfectly. The only downside is waiting for the next volume to be published!

Another excellent book that deepens the field.......2006-10-26

This second collection is just as good as the first one (while there are certain aspects that are better, the "raw fun" of the first one is a little more controlled here). There is little I can say to praise it enough that has not been covered in the other reviews or in the description, but I do want to point out something that makes me love this series.

While Girl Genius starts out as sort of a silly story with an odd cast, it quickly exposes one of its themes: the nature of legend versus truth. In this second volume, we begin to see more and more of the legends that build up the world. In contrast, we get more and more hints that legends do not always tell the story as it truly happens. This juxtaposition between belief and reality plays an important part in the storytelling method. False thing become increasingly chipped away at, enabling a story that seemingly is given away at the start a chance to actually grow and mature. Though we are told in Volume 1 what will end up happening, we quicly learn that there is a big divide in the legends and the reality which brings them about.

You end up becoming entranced, nervous, even though you know "the outcome".

Great fun, this series.

Steampunk Silliness.......2006-09-06

I really enjoyed this comic, which is an unpretentious, clever, and fun story; something too uncommon in comics these days! However I can't rate it as a major work, and the art is only "good enough."

Agatha "Clay" unsuspectedly has mad scientist ("spark") abilities; desireable in a 19th-century-ish Europe where the princelings of the 100 Years War are all mad scientists with steampunk war engines. This adventure, part II of the series, finds Agatha a prisoner in the zeppelin/fortress of Baron von Wulfenbach and his son Gil, where she is mistaken as the girlfriend of a soldier mistaken as the inventor of her inventions! Adventure, danger, and romance intertwine as she makes sense of her new surroundings and finds clues to her true identity (which, by the by, isn't QUITE discovered in this volume, nor are her "spark" talents more than suspected - by the other characters!)

The Foglios do a first-class plotting and storytelling job here, and especial kudos for a part II that stands on its own! The art is humor-manga style, and acceptable if unremarkable. IMHO, however, the artist (McNabb?) drops the ball on opportunities to have fun with some of Phil's silly inventiveness. I was also not impressed by Agatha regularly awakening (after sleep-inventing) in nightwear of the babydoll/merry widow variety.

A 6-page stand-alone story, "Spark of the Realm", is also included. Trelawney Thorpe, a 19th-C Lara Croft, must outwit a mad scientist seeking the powerful crown of King Arthur. The story is ok and the art a bit better than the main feature.

I'd strongly recommend this volume to anyone who enjoys comic manga, fantasy, or steampunk.

Average customer rating:

this book will change your life...
Invaluable! Unbelievable!

Card College
Roberto Giobbi
Manufacturer: Hermetic Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0945296339

Customer Reviews:

this book will change your life..........2006-09-21

thats what the gentleman at the magic store told me when i bought this book. i looked at him like, "yeah, sure it will." Well, IT DID. this series of books, especially volumes 1 and 2, are the best magic books out there. Starting from square one, Mr. Giobbi gradually walks you through the fundementals of magic. Every so often giving the reader effects to learn using these new techniques.

Simply stated, if you want to learn magic...buy this book! You wont be disappointed! But remember, magic isn't easy. Be sure to practice, practice, practice!

Invaluable! Unbelievable! .......2005-02-18

This series of books (there are now 5 volumes) provide a comprehensive and detailed overview of everything a card conjurer should know.

What I wonder is why hardcore magic books are so difficult to find? Amazon does not even offer this book, which IS in print. Booksellers are offering USED copies of the book -- at HIGHER than retail price! I don't get it! This book, as well as the others in the series, is available at many magic book websites. I recommend PenguinMagic.com, where you can purchase the book at slightly less than the $32 retail price.

If considering the book, buy it. Topics include:
The Tools of Card Magic
Fundamental Techniques
The Overhand Shuffle
Card Controls
The Glide
The Spread Cull
The Double Lift
Flourishes
and many, many more. It also includes many tricks based on the techniques. The tricks are carefully selected and surprisingly good. In fact, most of the tricks I've only been able to find in this book.

Well written, well researched, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

An Audience for Einstein (2006 EPPIE Award Winner)

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A finely written story that explores the biggest science question
Really enjoyed this book
Cool
A serious book

An Audience for Einstein (2006 EPPIE Award Winner)
Mark Wakely
Manufacturer: Mundania Press LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1594260966

Book Description

Professor Percival Marlowe is a brilliant, elderly astrophysicist who's dying, his greatest achievement still unfinished and now beyond his diminished means.

Doctor Carl Dorning, a neurosurgeon, finally discovers a secret method of transplanting memories from one person to another, thanks to Marlowe's millions.

Miguel Sanchez, a homeless boy, agrees to become the recipient of Marlowe's knowledge and personality in this unorthodox experiment, enticed by Dorning's promises of intelligence, wealth and respect, but dangerously unaware that his own identity will be lost forever.

What results is a seesaw battle for control of Miguel's body, as Marlowe learns to his dismay what his lifetime of arrogance and conceit has earned him.

And when Marlowe stumbles upon the shocking procedure Dorning used in desperation to succeed, the professor does what he must to defeat Dorning and redeem himself at last.

Download Description

Professor Percival Marlowe is a brilliant, elderly astrophysicist who's dying, his greatest achievement still unfinished and now beyond his diminished means. Doctor Carl Dorning, a neurosurgeon, finally discovers a secret method of transplanting memories from one person to another, thanks to Marlowe's millions. Miguel Sanchez, a homeless boy, agrees to become the recipient of Marlowe's knowledge and personality in this unorthodox experiment, enticed by Dorning's promises of intelligence, wealth and respect, but dangerously unaware that his own identity will be lost forever. What results is a seesaw battle for control of Miguel's body, as Marlowe learns to his dismay what his lifetime of arrogance and conceit has earned him. And when Marlowe stumbles upon the shocking procedure Dorning used in desperation to succeed, the professor does what he must to defeat Dorning and redeem himself at last.

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-11-27

Young Percival Marlowe was a typical science geek; elderly Professor Marlowe is a Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist who needs more time to complete all of the brilliant projects he has yet to share with the world. Unable to find a way to retrieve his own youth, Marlowe backs the project of neurosurgeon Carl Dorning, hoping but never truly believing that Dorning's revolutionary technique of transplanting memories will prove successful by the time Marlowe's rapidly-approaching death arrives.

Dorning knows that he only has one shot at transplanting Marlowe's essence, and realizes that the Professor doesn't have much time. When he meets a young homeless boy, Miguel Sanchez, all of the pieces begin to fall into place. But, when Marlowe finally realizes that this procedure may actually happen, he begins to question the moral implications of Dorning's potential success: "You've wrestled with the procedures and won, but not with the long term consequences, Dorning. Don't you see? If you're successful, you might have found a unique way to create a new class of slaves" (p. 42).

Mark Wakely's first novel tackles some big issues, forcing the reader to weigh the value of the life of a genius of science against that of an illiterate street urchin. Is the potential value of continuing a life already proven invaluable to mankind worth the sacrifice of one homeless boy who doesn't even know his own age? Or is the unique spirit Miguel brings to humanity more important than all of the equations and theories a second life for Professor Marlowe could offer?

2006 EPPIE Award

2003 Authorlink New Author Award for Science Fiction

2002/03 Fountainhead Productions National Writing Contest Winner

2003 Writemovies.com International Writing Competition, Finalist

Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard

A finely written story that explores the biggest science question.......2006-09-27

Reviewed by Kelley Anderson for Reader Views (9/06)

Dr. Carl Dorning has come up with a brilliant surgical procedure. He has discovered a way to transplant the memories of one person into another. Completing his years of research, he has perfected his technique and discovered a way to completely transfer the personality without any chance of relapse. However, he does not reveal his startling revelation that perfected his technique until it is almost too late for Miguel. Miguel is the 10- year old boy that is the recipient of the memories of Professor Marlow, one of the most brilliant astrophysicists ever. Dr. Dorning takes a poor street-boy and turns him into Professor Marlow -- his memories, at least. But, at the price that Miguel's self is lost forever, this seems to be too much for both the Professor and Miguel.

Mark Wakely does an amazing job of putting enough medical detail into the procedure to make it believable without becoming overwhelming. The thoughts, memories and actions of the characters are realistic and likeable and I was drawn into the story quickly. The only low point, in my opinion, was the "dark revelation" of how Dr. Dorning perfected his technique. I was expecting to be blown away by some horrible secret and instead, my reaction was, "Oh, that's all?" You'll have to read for yourself and decide, but I was hoping for a more dramatic secret.

Even so, I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys science fiction with a little suspense and a big dose of ethics. The writing style and storyline strike me as appropriate for teenagers and young adults, as well as anyone who enjoys a good story.

An "Audience for Einstein" was a pleasant surprise. From characters I could connect with, to a fast moving storyline, it was an enjoyable read from beginning to end.

Really enjoyed this book.......2006-06-02

Too many reviewers have given away the plot so all I want to say is that I really enjoyed An Audience for Einstein and that I look forward to the author's next book.

No spoilers from me.

Cool.......2006-05-15

I haven't read a whole lot of science fiction, but this book was the best one I've read yet. It made me think about how doctors might soon be able to change people in ways we might not really want to be changed. And I really liked the characters in the story, especially Professor Marlowe and Miguel. And Doctor Dorning was a great bad guy, smart but evil for not caring about what his experiment would do to Miguel. I was sorry about what happens to Marlowe in the end, but I was glad that Miguel was going to be okay, although I wasn't sure that his family would ever get back together again like he wanted. You've got to read this book.

A serious book.......2006-04-28

This is the type of book that holds important lessons but is still fun to read. Both Professor Marlowe and Miguel grow as persons by the end as they finally make the right decisions. I was sad that the professor couldn't go on living, but he had actually died on his birthday when the operation took place. The few weeks he was alive after that were on borrowed time, stolen from Miguel. I didn't at the end think that Miguel would ever be as smart as the professor, but I thought Miguel would be successful. This book really held my interest because the story is truly a matter of life or death. This is one of the more intelligent young adult novels out there.

The Goose Girl (Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award (Awards))

Average customer rating:

best book in a lng time
The Goose Girl
Enjoyable read
A Lovely Princess Tale
Not Princess Fluff

The Goose Girl (Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award (Awards))
Shannon Hale
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Austenland: A Novel

ASIN: 158234843X

Book Description

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign land, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her. Becoming a goose girl for the king, Ani eventually uses her own special, nearly magical powers to find her way to her true destiny. Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can become queen of the people she has made her own.

Customer Reviews:

best book in a lng time.......2007-10-09

This is an outstanding book and I do reomened this book to all ages. It is a magical fairy tale and even a person who dosn't like fairy tales much would love this book. I read this book over two months ago. I've read many other books in that time. But I still can't get this story out of my head. I loved this book and will read it many more times still. This is the best story in a long time, I hope that you read it and if you do, KNOW that you will love it as much as I did.

The Goose Girl.......2007-10-05

The Goose Girl is an inspiring book. It is a journey for both the character and the reader, who experience change in their own lives. Never before have words so easy and enjoyable to read, strike me. That have uplifted me, and left me wanting more.

In the beginning, Ani is not confident about herself, and the position that she is asked to fulfill, like almost anyone. As she faces her future with the prince of a neighboring country, is betrayed by those she thought she could trust, and having to make an entirely new life out of something that did not seem possible, the reader is enticed into the companionship between Ani and her new friends, the suspense and loveliness of the blending of experiences. The life changes of the "Prima Dona" to a servant is not an easy task, for anyone. Whether you are going from junior high/middle school to high school, or raising your own children and trying to cope with the new challenges of being a parent. Everyone wishes that they could have the opportunity to hear the whisperings on the wind, listen to animals and have a bond tighter then humans do with each other.

This book for me was revealing, relaxing, enjoyable, and invigorating. It is not everyday that you are able to be pulled into a book that grabs you by the shoulders, and makes a mystery, suspense, love and comedy into an enjoyable book for any and all ages.
I've met Shannon Hale, and she is an amazing author. She is so "intone" with herself; as a woman, wife, friend, daughter, mother, etc. She is aware of the need for good, wholesome literature that makes you want to run through the fields and experience and view life as you've never seen before.

Enjoyable read.......2007-08-31

I read this book because I have three daughters and someone told me they would like it. Actually I really enjoyed it, so much so that I bought and read Enna Burning as well.

A Lovely Princess Tale.......2007-08-22

"The Goose Girl" may be looked at as two things. It is a tale about a princess, a retelling of an old Grimm tale (one that I have not yet encountered). It is also a sort of fantasy book including speech with animals and magic control.

And yet, "The Goose Girl" does not fall into the common, stereotypical traps set by these genres/types. It is a book that is remarkably enough not stale, with twists, excitements, and constant changes. It may be the simple story of a princess going through hardships to achieve her goal, but it has so much more than that. It has side characters that spice up the story, plot turns that make things different, and a comfortable pace. The magic and fantasy of the story do not control it, which means that lovers of reality will still be pleased by this story.

It's a well-written book with an interesting plotline and some very fun characters. But it has its flaws as well. "The Goose Girl" is an almost 400-paged book, and it certainly feels it at times. While there is an unobstructed flow, there are many points in the book where it grows tedious and begins to drag. This book could do with a good edit.

If you don't mind that it drags on a bit, it's really a great book. You don't have to love princesses or fantasy to enjoy this book. It's not that kind of a book. It's eloquent, enjoyable, and for any reader who can handle a bit of bulk. Enjoy.

Not Princess Fluff.......2007-07-15

Hale has a lovely writing style and the ability to create characters you can really rally behind. Ani's tranformation from shy and insignificant to regal was not done in a cliche way, and she remained true to her character (her slightly anxious character) all the way through. I enjoy introspective characters and Hale is excellent at creating them. Do not pass off Hale's work as "Princess Fluff" as all of her YA novels have a rich writing style, moral conflicts, and even a dose of uglyness (murders, battles, abandonment) that keeps her books feeling real, despite the magical elements.

Average customer rating:

Possibly my favorite book of all time
Worth reading at any age!
An Excellent Role Reversal
What we have to read...
Marcia Brasil

Very Far Away from Anywhere Else
Ursula K. Le Guin
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Owen is seventeen and smart. He knows what he wants to do with his life. But then he meets Natalie and he realizes he doesn't know anything much at all.

A slender, realistic story of a young man's coming of age, Very Far Away from Anywhere Else is one of the most inspiring novels Ursula K. Le Guin has ever published.

Customer Reviews:

Possibly my favorite book of all time.......2006-02-03

I first read this novella when I was in high school. I've read it several times since. It's just one I always come back to. The story speaks to everyone who has ever felt excluded or misunderstood and it speaks to the yearning in each of us to find SOMEONE who understands just a little bit. In some ways, this is a romance, but really it's a story of finding a connection in the wide world. And it always makes me cry... but in a good way.

I've read hundreds, perhaps thousands of books in my life and I'm sure I'll read thousands more, but this one has a special place in my heart.

Worth reading at any age!.......2005-11-15

This short novel speaks volumes to anyone who has ever felt different, not quite fitting in, but afraid to truly break away from the herd. Owen's doubts, fears and deep longing to be his own person are all too familiar and honest; his struggle toward real manhood, as opposed to the shallow, self-absorbed macho model of his peers, is even more relevant today.

Natalie's determination to create and follow her own path is inspiring, never denying the hard work and sacrifice required, but never denying its joys, either.

Together, theirs is a genuine relationship, rich, rewarding, transforming. Well worth reading at any age.

An Excellent Role Reversal.......2005-11-07

This may be the first realistic book I've ever read a novel with a boy as the main character. I found the idea of a kid who was basically wrapped up in his own fantasy world and refused to come out as very real and convincing. The characters are very real and very conflicted, even with such a small number of pages. The main character's fantasy world, Thorn, was very inspiring, since he went through all this trouble as a young child to create it. The romance in it is also very well done, since it is basically a story about a boy and girl and their complex relationship. LeGuin's other work, especially the Earthsea cycle, is very good, but if you're aching for something a little different then the norm, read "Very Far Away From Anywhere Else". It's also very inspiring to know that even short novels can have this kind of depth and complexity. It is nothing like other novellas, like The Pearl or Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which are purely allegorical and rather boring. "Very Far Away From Anywhere Else" is a book I would recommend to anyone.

What we have to read... .......2005-10-25

I'm a 21 year-old foreign student who is taking ESL class with teacher Robin Lavin every Monday and Wednesday morning 9:10 at the college of marin. I've read this book like a month ago. It was just a homework that I did not really want, but my attitude has been changed after I read this book. There are so much memories of the scent of what I have experienced. It is just the one we have to take a look. This book is the rememberancer of our teen-age nostalgia. Do not hesitate to recall the memorandum of our youth. Very Far Away From Anywhere Else... Ursula K. Le Guin has done great job. See the great job. Two thumbs up!!

Marcia Brasil.......2005-10-16

Very Far Away From Anywhere by LeGuim was an interesting and easy book to read. The author describes some conflicts teenagers in America experience when they are growing up. When you read it, it feels like the author went through similar situations. She describes the girl as strong woman, and the boy as a thinker. They are polite and intelligent. In this book, the author describes the two teenagers as outsiders. I think many teenagers have the same problems, but they don't think about it as much. Every teenager should read this book; it will help them to see they are not alone. Adults should read this book too, then they can understand what teenagers are going through. It is good to know there are more people experiencing the same situation. I think the author could describe a little more places and feelings, it could make the book a little more interesting.

Average customer rating:

Spirits That Walk in Shadow
Snake charming
Jaime Goes To College
Chapel Hollow Returns
One of the best fantasy writers, yesterday or today, does it again.

Spirits That Walk in Shadow
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670060712

Book Description

Kim and Jaimie are freshman roommates, but their college experience is anything but typical. This is Jaimie's first time in the "real world," away from her large, complicated family and their magics and traditions. It's Kim's chance to escape her high school reputation. But Jaimie quickly realizes what Kim can't see—it's more than just a "reputation." Kim is being pursued by something that feeds on her emotions. And, just like that, reality reshapes itself, as the two girls—along with Jaimie's three cousins—try to capture and rout the viri, or soul demon, who is tracking Kim. This utterly original novel combines humor, darkness, and hope, and will spellbind readers.

Customer Reviews:

Spirits That Walk in Shadow.......2007-03-08

This book was pretty good but it was not nearly as good as "The Threads That Bind the Bones". "Threads" was a book that propelled a new author onto my list of collected authors. I thought it was a fantastic book. "Spirits" is about Jamie, a minor character in "Threads", as she goes off to college. The story really feels as if it could have been fleshed out a whole lot more. I was disappointed in this book, especially since it takes us back into the world of Chapel Hollow. I have enjoyed this 'world' better than the other series that Nina has written about and I have been wanting her to take me back there ever since "Silent Strength of Stones". It is a good read, I was just expecting more.

Snake charming.......2007-01-16

Nina Kiriki Hoffman is back to what she does best in 'spirits that walk in shadow".She beguiles us with her simplicity and enchantes us with her world that is only a step away from where we are now. The magic is the glue but the characters draw us in.Kim who starts out without the magical spark and Jaimie, whom we have met in a past Hoffman book ,who is trying to control the magic she has.Starting University and sharing a room together the girls havr to face lossing all magic and being helped by a family snake.Well presented and easy to read this book fits in well with Hofman's other work.

Jaime Goes To College.......2007-01-01

Jaime Locke was a minor character in The Thread That Binds The Bones, but Spirits is more like a direct sequel to the short story 'Exact Change,' which appeared in the 2 Hoffman anthologies Common Threads and Courting Disasters and also in Weird Tales #299. In that story Jaime starts to question the morality she's being taught by her magic teacher and starts to try to figure out her own destiny and how she wants to use her magical powers. In 'Exact Change,' Jaime is an elementary school kid; now she is an adult, shortly after The Thread That Binds The Bones, and decides to go to college in the Outside, away from her magical family, and see how she does.

Once in college, she meets her roommate Kim, who has a recent history of depression no meds will help. They find out Kim is a victim of a being called a viri, a sort of vampire that feeds on emotions instead of blood. The pair then encounter a viri who claims Kim's viri is a rogue viri, whom he is chasing, and two cousins of Jaime's who have had a very different magical education and have different attitudes about interacting with normals. These five people from different backgrounds interact, sometimes conflicting with each other, and search for Kim's viri to make it stop feeding on her. I love Nina Kiriki Hoffman's work and wonderful writing style, and found this book very satisfying. Hoffman writes about magic very well, sliding it between the threads of the fabric of everyday life, and often writing about the souls of everyday objects, like trees and (in Past the Size of Dreaming) garbage cans.

A few characters from Hoffman's other novel The Silent Strength of Stones also appear in this book, but it isn't necessary to read that, or The Thread That Binds The Bones, to enjoy Spirits.

It's also an interesting coincidence that both Nina Kiriki Hoffman and PC Hodgell released (very different) books about a character Jaime/Jame going to college in the same year.

Chapel Hollow Returns.......2006-11-02

A sequel to THE THREAD THAT BINDS THE BONES, this book is long overdue but well worth the wait.

Jaimie Locke is a marvelous character that brings the magic into this magical tale, while the other point of view character is her room-mate Kim, who brings the drama. Like the first reviewer commented, the book's only flaw is that it ended all too soon.

If you like contemporary tales of magic, this book is for you.
If you like well-developed characters and plots, this book is for you.
Heck, if you can read, this book is for you.

I, for one, cannot wait for Nina's next Chapel Hollow story. They're always a treat.

One of the best fantasy writers, yesterday or today, does it again........2006-10-12

Jaimie Locke is a character from The Spirit That Binds the Bones. Anyone who enjoyed that will definitely want this book. Hoffman at her best, and one of the best writers in the fantasy field, yesterday or today. The only way to make this book better would be to make it longer.

When The King Comes Home (A College of Magics)

Average customer rating:

Well written but still a disappointment
When the dead come home
Slow, but brilliant
Lovely writing style but not enough to please me
Stopped reading 58/236 pages through

When The King Comes Home (A College of Magics)
Caroline Stevermer
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Amazon.com

When the King comes home... miracles will occur, the rivers will run with wine, all wishes will be granted. The kingdom of Aravis believes its beloved King Julian, dead 200 years, will return in the hour of its greatest need--and surely that hour is now. The current king is ancient, witless, and dying without an heir, the sinister Prince Bishop controls both church and state, and rebellion is brewing in the provinces.

Hail Rosmer has no interest in politics or legends. The daughter of a rural wool merchant, Hail wishes only to be a great artist. And her wish is granted, it seems, when she is sent to the city of Aravis to apprentice with Madame Carriera and study the works of King Julian's artist, the infamous Maspero. But Hail's fate is forever changed--as changed as the fate of Aravis itself--when she sees a man who looks exactly like King Julian. Marvels and wonders there will be--and events far darker and more dangerous than were ever imagined in legend.

When the King Comes Home is a smart, sly, unpredictable, and fascinating fantasy that lives up to the high standards of Caroline Stevermer's critically acclaimed previous novels, A College of Magics and River Rats. --Cynthia Ward

Book Description

When the King IV comes home . . .Good King Julian of Aravis has been dead for two hundred years, but his kingdom still misses him. The current occupant of the throne is old and witless and has no heir. The true ruler of Aravis is the powerful Prince Bishop, who controls both church and state. When the King comes home, all wishes will be granted.Hail Rosmer wants to be an artist-not an ordinary artist, but a great artist, as great as the fabled Maspero, who painted the famous Archangel altarpiece in the Palace of Aravis and made Good King Julian's crown. When the King comes home, all dreams will be made real.One day, Hail sees a man catching fish from the river and eating it raw. The man's clothes are antique in fashion. He looks exactly like King Julian of Aravis. And there begins an adventure that takes Hail and her enigmatic companion from palace to wilderness to battlefield and teaches her, and the rest of Aravis, what happens when the King comes home in sober reality.

Customer Reviews:

Well written but still a disappointment.......2005-06-16

I generally love Caroline Stevermer. Her books are so well written and so subtle. They are not fast paced. If that is what you are looking for in a book, you'll be disappointed. But they are well crafted and the language is almost poetic. This book was no exception to that.

That being said, I was very disappointed with the story. I felt as though I never really connected to the characters. One aspect of Stevermer's books that I enjoy is the subtlety of the romances. This book had no romance. I kept waiting for it, and nothing ever happened. Ditto for the humor. Normally there is plenty of quiet humor, little one liners that help to ease the tension of the plot. I think there was maybe one line that made me laugh out loud and think "Yeah, this is what I like about Stevermer." But that was it. And there were a couple of questions that were raised in the book that never seemed to be answered, a couple of characters that she started to develop and then just dropped.

I read the book all in one sitting. But I was left feeling very empty at the end.

When the dead come home.......2005-04-26

This sprightly, original fantasy concerns necromancy and an apprentice artist who drives everyone into an advanced state of irritability with her determination to experience true art.

The setting is a finely detailed post-Renaissance somewhere-in-Europe city. Readers of Stevermer's "A College of Magics" will recognize some of the place names, but this book takes off on its own with the very likeable Hail Rosmer and her fellow apprentices.

Hail becomes obsessed with the deceased artist, Maspero who was interested in magic as well as art. She discovers a gold medallion in the palace archives that Maspero supposedly cast, with a portrait of Good King Julian on one side, the obverse being a view of the city of Aravis. She pesters the archivist into letting her sketch both sides of the medallion, then makes a wax copy, and casts it over and over again in bronze until she is satisfied with the result.

The young apprentice is very pleased with her medallion until one of her jealous colleagues accuses her of counterfeiting. What could any self-respecting heroine do but clobber her accuser over the head with her heavy market basket. She then flees from the city, not knowing whether she killed her fellow apprentice.

Four days into her flight along the river, it begins to rain and Hail takes shelter under a bridge. There she sees a ragged tramp catch a mudskip with his bare hands and eat it raw. This doesn't bother her half as much as the fact that the man is a dead ringer for good King Julian--who departed from life over 200 years ago. She recognizes him from her medallion.

Now we're into the sorcerous part of the book, with a magician as equally nasty as any that came out of "A College of Magics." Hail plays an important role in the battles and necromantic manipulations that follow, including the recasting of King Julian's crown (again, the original was fashioned by her favorite artist, Maspero).

"When the King Comes Home" has a relatively happy ending if the reader is into artistic fulfillment rather than romance. The wicked are punished, the good deceased sail away into a starlit diminuendo of love and death. Hail's masterpiece, "When the King Comes Home" is ---well, I don't want to give away the ending. Read this subtle, graceful fantasy. There's nothing else like it.

Slow, but brilliant.......2005-03-16

Many of the other reviewers have complained that this book moves too slowly. If you go into it expecting a rollicking adventure, then you'll be disappointed. This is not a novel of swords and sorcery. It's not something that you could pull from transcripts of your last D&D campaign. And that is very much in its favor.

Stevermer has painted a picture of the life of her main character. She is not your typical fantasy heroine, nor is she a wilting flower waiting to be saved by the big strong men. She's an individual, and the joy of the book is learning about Hail.

The book expects more of you, too. Unless you're familiar with Renaissance Europe, and have a more than passing acquaintance with the Arthurian legends, you'll find many of the references obtuse. But for the rest of us, Caroline Stevermer has given us a rich world full of memorable characters, and my only disappointment is that the book was too short.

Lovely writing style but not enough to please me.......2005-02-23

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very good critic. I enjoy plays and books that people will think are horrible. It's not very often that I give something 2 stars but I am willing to with this book.

Her writing style is gorgeous but not very fast paced. I expected a different sort of storyline because I misunderstood the dust cover. I didn't feel a strong connection with any of the characters and couldn't relate with any of them very well. Few of the characters seemed to care greatly for Hail. She often seemed foisted off onto people who tolerated her. Throughout the book people complained of her being too chatty but I did not find her so until I neared the end. Some readers complain that the book has a slow start and that's true. However it does get more exciting as it goes on. Despite this improvement the characters seemed too bland to me.

Stopped reading 58/236 pages through.......2004-04-16

I started reading this book expecting an adventure but getting to about page 60 and having to put a 236-page book down is pretty sad. The plot just doesn't move. If this was a biography it would actually be quite interesting, but taken as a fantasy novel? At first I thought maybe she was just trying to get more into Hail's character, but I found that I really did not know that much about Hail. I knew her fellow apprentices better. I put this book down on page 58. I have only ever not finished two books in my entire life; they were Homecoming by Cynthia Voit (sp?), and The One Armed Queen by Jane Yolen. I don't recommend either. It pains me greatly to not finish a book. The whole idea of the book would have been wonderful were the plot interesting in the first 20 pages, and it was in a way, but maybe only because I like to draw and she was becoming and apprentice to an artist. If you prefer biographies and are looking into going into fantasy books I could recommend this book, but that is considering that I really don't like biographies.

Book Description

Glasscastle University-on the surface, one of the most peaceful places in England. But underneath, its magic is ancient and dangerous... American Samuel Lambert, sharpshooter, adventurer, late of the Wyoming plains and Kiowa Bob's Wild West Show, has been invited to Glasscastle University in England to contribute his phenomenally accurate shooting eye to the top secret Agincourt Project. The only dangers he expects to face are British snobbery, heavy dinners, and tea with the Provost's pretty wife. But when the Provost's stylish sister, Jane Brailsford, comes to town, things get much more exciting....This sparkling sequel to A College of Magics is a whirlwind of secret weapons, motor cars, mysterious assaults and abductions, thugs in bowler hats, and a mild-mannered don who is heir to a magical power greater than all of Glasscastle's.

Customer Reviews:

Miss Manners and the Warden of the West.......2007-01-12

"A Scholar of Magics" is for Jane Austin fans who are also fond of fantasy. Unfortunately, it's not quite as magical and entertaining as its predecessor, "A College of Magics."

The setting is an Edwardian alternate world, where the sun never sets on the British Empire, and people chuff about in steam engines, motor cars, and aeroplanes with their little red Baedeckers at the ready. Jane Brailsford, a scholar of Greenlaw (`the' College of Magics) returns for this sequel, and meets up with the American, Samuel Lambert, a sharpshooter from Kiowa Bob's Wild West Show.

Lambert yearns to become a scholar at Glasscastle University (modeled I believe, on Cambridge University) where he has been temporarily employed to test a magical weapon. He offers to take Jane on a tour of the unrestricted areas of the University, and she accepts with a little too much alacrity (Lambert doesn't know her yet). As they are strolling about, they see a bowler-hatted man cutting across the forbidden Midsummer Green. When they attempt to stop him, he bolts. Jane and Lambert then discover a Senior Scholar's study that has been ransacked. It belongs to Lambert's friend, the mysteriously absent Nicholas Fell.

Slowly (very slowly, indeed) Jane and Lambert are involved in a plot to steal the secret, magical weapon called the Agincourt Device. When, after many pages the villain finally has them at his mercy, he brandishes the weapon and brags that he has already used it on Jane's brother. The Agincourt Device transforms people into beasts, and her brother got turned into a border collie. The villain remarks:

"Still, it suits him (Jane's brother). Relatively high intelligence, a keen sense of duty, and a glossy black coat with touches of white. My first successful transformation."

"What have you done with him?" Jane demanded..."

"He's around here somewhere. Cook gives him kitchen scraps."

The whole book is reflected in the above dialogue: dry, witty, with touches of unexpected magic. It never quite caught fire like its predecessor, "A College of Magics," but the love story is rather sweet, Jane's brother is recovered from his doggy state, the Magical Universe is brought back into balance, and Lambert gets his dearest wish (much to the indignation of some of the more traditional fuddy-duddies at Glasscastle University). I am hoping for a sequel with yet more revelations about the powerful Wardens of the North, South, East, and West.

Very engaging sequel to A College of Magics, and my favorite Stevermer novel to date.......2006-08-06

Caroline Stevermer's A Scholar of Magics is a fairly direct sequel to A College of Magics, but still can be read independently. (Both books are apparently set in the same world as her intervening novel When the King Comes Home, but that novel is set much earlier and I for one cannot readily detect the links.) A College of Magics was set at Greenlaw, a Women's College in what seemed to be a version of France in the early 20th Century, and it involved Faris Nallaneen and her assumption of the important post of Warden of the North. A Scholar of Magics is set at Glasscastle, a Men's College in a version of early 20th Century England (probably around 1915 or so), and it involves a man assuming the important post of Warden of the West. A major character is Jane Brailsford, a teacher at Greenlaw and a close friend of Faris.

The central character, however, is Samuel Lambert, an American sharpshooter who has been engaged by a group at Glasscastle which is researching a new weapon. Lambert's shooting ability will help them refine the aiming mechanism of the weapon, apparently. Lambert is friendly with Robert Brailsford, a Fellow at Glasscastle and Jane's brother. Jane comes visiting her brother, but she has an ulterior motive. Faris has sent her to track down Nicholas Fell, another Fellow of Glasscastle, who is supposed to become the new Warden of the West. But Fell is resisting.

As it happens, Fell is Samuel Lambert's roommate. So Jane and Samuel spend time together looking for Fell. They encounter mysterious mostly invisible thieves, have exciting motorcar trips, and listen to the music of Glasscastle. Eventually Robert Brailsford and Fell disappear, and Jane and Samuel try to chase them down, helped by a surprising personal property they both share. The nature of the mysterious weapon under development becomes important ...

It's a very engaging, very fun, novel. The characters are likeable, believable, and unexpected in some ways. The love story is very understated, to good effect. The magic is interesting and nicely handled. The pace is a bit leisurely, but the book remains involving, even through an oddly extended denouement. My favorite Stevermer novel so far.

Pleasant.......2005-09-22

Caroline Stevermer's follow-up to her minor classic A College of Magics is more a showcase for its settings than for its story: it lacks its predecessor's driving narrative force. And it has the disadvantage that Terry Pratchett has already done a well-received series in which magic is taught at a gentle parody of the British boarding school. But Stevermer's clever writing and unsurpassed sense of place still makes this a worthwhile read. Glasscastle, the magical college, is fully realized and is the kind of place the reader will very much want to visit. Furthermore, the creepy insane asylum of St. Hubert's, where part of the book takes place, is imaginative, well written, and quite disturbing -- Stevermer is much better at obscure psychological horror than I would have expected given her past work. I liked this book and recommend it.

But I was moved to write this review to correct a previous one that said this "hilarious" book has to do with a dopey married magician, a chocolate pot, and adventures on the Continent. This must have been written about another book and posted here in error. There are no dopey magicians here who had adventures with chocolate pots in any prior books, this book is witty and charming but not intended as broad comedy, and no action whatsoever takes place on the Continent: it's all set in England. If you were looking for the chocolate pot book, whatever it is, this is not that book. If you know Stevermer's work and that review confused you, just disregard it.

An alternate-Edwardian romp.......2004-10-17

Jane Brailsford, a student at Greenlaw College in A College of Magics, has now been an instructor there for several years. She visits her brother Robert, a Senior Fellow at Glasscastle University, England's premier school of magic, and his wife Amy while on holiday for the first time in years, and won't quite admit that this is odd enough to need an explanation. On arriving, she meets another visitor at Glasscastle, Samuel Lambert, an American sharpshooter who has been retained by the University in connection with a highly secret defense research project. Mr. Lambert is interesting enough in his own right, but he's also staying with Nicholas Fell, another Senior Fellow, who, it turns out, is the real reason for Jane's visit. The old Warden of the West has died, and Nicholas Fell should be, must be, the new one, but he has determinedly resisted taking up the post, and rejected all efforts at communication from the other three Wardens. Why won't Dr. Fell do what he ought to do? What does the research project Samuel's involved in have to do with it-and what's the goal of the research project anyway? Who are the mysterious figures that keep walking across Glasscastle's lawn and breaking into Fell's study? And why are Samuel and Jane the only ones who can see them?
A very entertaining romp through an alternate Edwardian England.

Fun magical mystery.......2004-07-29

Like Stevermer's earlier book 'A College of Magics' this is set in the early 20th century in a parallel universe where magic is part of everyday life. Samuel Lambert is a sharpshooter from Wyoming, who is invited to Glasscastle university (Glastonbury?), a very exclusive establishment for teaching magic to young men of the right background. His talents a marksman are required for the mysterious Agincourt Prjoect, which is top-secret. He makes friends with a student called Nicholas Fell, and meets the provost's attractive siter Jane (from 'A College of Magics'), a teacher of mathematics at Greenlaw,a women's magical college in Normandy.Jane has a message for Nicholas Fell, he is to be the new Warden of the West (a sort of magical guardian) but he doesn't want to be. Strange things begin to happen, the Agincourt Prjoect is cancelled, and Nicholas Fell and Jane's brother Robert both disappear. jane and Lambert set out to find them, then Jane disappears herself, and Lambert has to track her down as well, and try and figure out who the villains are. This is a very enjoyable story, with a clever plot, interesting characters and plenty of magic and humour. One of my favourite bits is where Lambert fells the villain with a well-aimed cricket ball. lambert is an amiable hero, and Jane is an attractive and interesting heroine, despite her passion for reckless driving.And unlike the earlier book, this one has an upbeat ending. Great fun.

Average customer rating:

Engaging and Erudite Fantasy
An interesting and wide-ranging fantasy - and NOT another Harry Potter
Delightful
Not Impressive
Suave and Enjoyable

A College of Magics
Caroline Stevermer
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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A Scholar of Magics (A College of Magics)
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ASIN: 0765342456

Book Description

Teenager Faris Nallaneen is the heir to the small northern dukedom of Galazon. Too young still to claim her title, her despotic Uncle Brinker has ruled in her place. Now he demands she be sent to Greenlaw College. For her benefit he insists. To keep me out of the way, more like it!But Greenlaw is not just any school-as Faris and her new best friend Jane discover. At Greenlaw students major in . . . magic.But it's not all fun and games. When Faris makes an enemy of classmate Menary of Aravill, life could get downright . . . deadly.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging and Erudite Fantasy.......2007-09-18

E. A. Lovitt wrote:
"The setting is an early 20th-century alternate world, where young ladies are sent to Greenlaw College (in 'real' life, the Benedictine Abbey of Mont St. Michael!) to learn Greek, Latin, Deportment, and Magic."

I actually first picked up this book because I had heard that it was written by an alumna of my alma mater, Bryn Mawr College. In fact, upon reading the book, it was very clear to me that the descriptions of daily life at the school are taken directly from many of the locations and traditions of Bryn Mawr (many of which date back to Edwardian times themselves. I loved it!

(Geographically, though Greenlaw College is fictionally situated on the island of Mont St. Michel in France, Stevermer basically plopped our Pennsylvania college onto the island. Bryn Mawr's Gothic architecture and hilly terrain can often make you feel like you're in Europe.)

Add to this her witty prose, smart and sassy characters, and sharp dialogue, and you'll have a jolly good time.

I do agree with some of the critiques here that some of the magic system is vague, and the book is long on atmosphere and short on some of the more finely-grained plot details. However, I personally did not have much of a problem with it. But I recommend this book more to someone looking for a comedy of manners and a sassy heroine than someone interested in nuts-and-bolts detailed world-building or magic rules.

An interesting and wide-ranging fantasy - and NOT another Harry Potter.......2006-12-27

The front cover of this book has the quote "A large step up... from Harry Potter" and initially I thought that this book was indeed a Harry Potter with female heroine book. That thought was wrong on many counts; firstly, the book is copyrighted 1994, a year before the first Harry Potter and therefore not deriving from that series, and secondly the magical college section accounts for less than half of the book. Greenlaw college is nothing like Hogwarts and Faris Nallaneen is certainly no Harry Potter. This book is entirely different and probably appeals to a very different readership.

Faris is a Duchess who isn't yet old enough to rule her province (Galazon) which is currently being looked after, on her behalf, by her evil Uncle Brinker. He sends Faris off to Greenlaw school in France to keep her out of the way - she will stay there for three years and then presumably graduate as a Greenlaw Witch, able to use magic, before taking over her Duchy.

The first third of the book describes Faris's time at Greenlaw. She is massively homesick most of the time but also makes good friends including Odile and Jane and also a significant enemy, Menary Paganell. There isn't that much discussion about the lessons at Greenlaw and her three school years pass pretty quickly in the book - most of the attention is on her interactions with her friends and the mysterious blond man who appears to be a bodyguard sent by her Uncle. He steps in and rescues her on a couple of occasions and she finds out that his name is Tyrian.

However, before Faris is able to take the final exams at the school to qualify properly her Uncle sends for her to return to Galazon; at the same time the Dean of the College tells her that she has a more significant future role as a Warden of the earth (there are four of them that keep the world in balance, although something went wrong many years before). She has to visit a man named Hilarion in Paris in order to find out more than this and she goes, in company with her friend Jane, with Tyrian and with a family retainer named Reed to meet Hilarion. Events happen on the way and she finds out a lot of strange things and that her place in the world might be more than just being Duchess of Galazon.

The third section of the book takes place back at home in Galazon and then visiting the King's palace in Aravill, where the rift in the Warden's powers is situated. Another reviewer has commented that the ending was sad - I didn't find this particularly, although I did make the mistake of reading the last few pages before I'd finished the book and so it rather spoiled a surprise that was in the latter part of the book (don't make that mistake yourself!)

This isn't your usual fantasy book - at least not for me. The action shifts to different places - the sedentary, quiet world of the College to the busy world of Paris and then the kingdom of Aravill with all the strangeness of magic there. Magic actually doesn't play much of a part in this story - no-one lets fly any Abracadabras, it's all about feelings and impressions that the magic produces (and the ability to change the weather or turn people into animals). It's the story of an 18 year old girl growing up into a 21 year old woman who has more of an understanding of her responsibilities as well as the beginnings of love, the understanding of duty and the importance of friendships.

Although I enjoyed the book and I was keen to keep reading it, it didn't really entirely grab me. It was well written and probably just as enjoyable for an adult as a teen but somehow it didn't quite scratch where I itched in this story. Mind you, I haven't enjoyed the last 3 Harry Potter books so I thought it was better than those!

Delightful.......2005-11-21

In her book Caroline Stevermer takes a well known plot line (girl is normal ordinary, not very special, girl finds out she's magical and has to save the world, girl falls in love) and puts her own distinct twist on it. Stevermer's writing style is subtle. She doesn't shove details under our noses, she lets the reader figure out what's going on, and paints the world with hints dropped throughout the book. While some people may find this book difficult to understand at times, I thought that Stevermer's writing style was a kudos to intelligent readers out there.

Not Impressive.......2005-10-18

"Be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." - Yogi Berra

"A College of Magics" is a fantasy with some intelligence, occasional cleverness and sporadic literary brilliance. It's downfall is inevtiable, however; the author never seems to have decided what it's all about. For sure we have a main character, Faris, heir to the magical dukedom of Galazon in central Europe. The plot is quite standard for a fantasy. A sinister relative his scheming to steal her throne, a ragtag team of friends and allies aids her in a cross-continental journey, and a grand destiny unfolds for her right at the expected moment. The awkwardness comes, rahter, in the plot details. A lot of stuff happens without apparent purpose.

Consider. Faris spends the first hundred pages at the titular institution, where the social life is brushed over and the course of study is murky. Stevermer can't even decide whether students at the place actually study magic or not. We get a quick dash of magical theory, something to do with four wards controlling all magic power on Earth and immortal wardens who guard them. For the rest of it, though, we have barely a clue as to what Faris and the other students are doing there. One slice of conversation tells us that all paths of study eventually lead to magic, but after that the subject is dropped. The remainder of the book never clarifies what the purpose of the school is or what went on there.

Regardless, things don't improve much after Faris and her entourage take to the road, or rather the track, heading across France and the Alps. For one thing, the author is apparently unaware that characters should react to what happens around them. Faris learns that she has a huge and rather unpleasant task to accomplish. She also narrowly survives about four assassination attempts. Neither event fazes her, or brings out any reaction at all. Once home in Galazon, Faris must cope with more unpleasant surprises and manage with her uncle's intrigues. However, this part of the novel just never comes across as real. Stevermer's dialogue doesn't sound like real people; it's stiff and slow-paced and often more formal than it needs to be.

To her credit, Stevermer's ending is what we would have called 'bang-up' back in my high school days. Not that it makes much more sense than the rest of the book, but it's fast-paced, big on action, features some keen insight into European politics, and brings Faris some distance towards developing as an intelligent and determined yong woman. For all that, though, it's too little, too late as far as rescuing the book. To much unexplained stuff happens during the first two thirds. What are we to make, for instance, of the sock-drying scene, or the singing in the garden? What about the never-explained attack on Gunhild, and what exactly was Menary's relationship to the sailor? And what's the deal with the magic rug, anyway?

(And let me not forget to wrap up with a standard complaint about the editing. It's not the worst case I've ever seen, but "A College of Magics" has its share of poor grammar and misplaced commas. Perhaps this isn't a big deal, but I've always thought that publishing companies should take pride in their products. Get a real editor, one who rereads until all the mistakes are gone.)

Suave and Enjoyable.......2005-03-22

It's rare that a novel so consistently confounds my expectations of it, without disappointment. I have found such a book in A College of Magics. Set on an alternate Earth in the early 1900s, the characters seem to jump off the page. Never before have I see a writer with the ability to create dialogue so thoroughly clever and enjoyable in a fantasy setting.

One of the greatest strengths of this book is its ability to create a larger world in which magic exists, yet does not outweigh non-magical human invention. This is a world with real politics and real people, with magic an accepted fact.

My only caveat is that it might seem a little boring and slow moving to children, especiall those without a background in Edwardian literature. In the same way that Steven Brust's The Phoenix Guards is best appreciated by readers of The Three Musketeers, I would recommend a thorough grounding in P. G. Wodehouse.

Eros, Magic and the Murder of Professor Culianu

Average customer rating:

A great read!
Interesting Premise, Boring Execution
Eros and Magic.
A True Murder Mystery, by fermed
Crime, politics, religion and the occult

Eros, Magic and the Murder of Professor Culianu
Ted Anton
Manufacturer: Northwestern University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810113961

Amazon.com

Police have been stumped ever since popular University of Chicago Divinity Professor Ioan Culianu was killed in the middle of a workday in a campus bathroom. The 1991 murder has offered few profitable leads. Author Ted Anton suggests strongly that radicals from Culianu's native Romania did the deed. If he's right, then the death of Culianu probably marks the first political assassination of a professor on American soil. The bulk of this book focuses on the life, times, and scholarship of a man heralded by many to be his generation's Mircea Eliade--as well as why Romanian thugs would have any interest in such a person. The case's apparent unsolvability is maddening, but Anton does a fine job of recounting its essentials.

Customer Reviews:

A great read!.......2007-03-16

This is an insightful look at the life and work of a brilliant Romanian scholar and exile, and at the frightening overseas activities of the Romanian secret police in the post-communist years. Written in a clear, elegant style, with plenty of references to Culianu's writings and glimpses at his complicated personal interactions, this book is a great read. As the author concludes, Culianu "left a legacy of the dangers of a life of the mind." Without this biography, his undeserved fate may well be forgotten.

Interesting Premise, Boring Execution.......2006-02-02

I first heard of the murder of Professor Culianu when I was an undergrad at the University of Chicago. I was immediately drawn to find more about the man who allegedly believed in the magic he studied. After reading "Eros and Magic" and "Out of this World", I thought that this biography might shed some additional light on the man, his scholarship, and his occult dabblings.

I must admit I was somewhat disappointed. The book is very dry and factually oriented. The facts themselves appear to be well-researched, but are simply presented without much else. Mr. Anton tells us where Prof. Culianu was born, where he studied, what books he wrote, but seldom goes deeper than that.
Ironically, given the themes in Culianu's work and life, Mr. Anton fails to realize the importance of evoking the imagination in telling the story, to bring the facts to life in a meaningful, interesting way.

There are only the slightest hints of the exciting ideas that motivated Prof. Culianu's scholarship and personal life.
It is said that Prof. Culianu took a personal interest interest in the ideas he was studying, actually practicing divination and teaching a course on it. But rather than exploring in any depth either Prof. Culianu's professional ideas or personal interests, these facts are simply used as "hooks" to carry the reader along.

If you are interested in the ideas of Prof. Culianu and/or his interest in occult scholarship, this book will probably disappoint you. If you are looking for a lot of biographical facts about Prof. Culianu, then this book may be for you.

Eros and Magic........2002-06-01

If you enjoyed Umberto Eco's _Foucault's Pendulum_, you will undoubtedly enjoy this true life tale of magic, European politics, and murder. The book gives an accounting of the life of Ioan Culianu, a professor of comparative religion at the University of Chicago, from his birth in Romania to his untimely murder. Professor Culianu provided astounding insights into the world of magic and attempted to explain its occurrences through complexity. He published many books on magic, comparative religion, shamanism, and gnosticism. Like Mircea Eliade, a fellow Romanian and his mentor before him, Culianu contributed a great deal to our understanding of religion and magic. He also wrote several novels along with his fiancee Hillary Wiesner. This book provides a look into not only the worlds of Eliade and Culianu, but also a disturbing examination of far-right politics in Romania. Culianu's murder remains unsolved despite its obvious link to his outspoken views on the Romanian revolution which occurred just prior to his murder. However, many disturbing coincidences abound regarding this event.

A True Murder Mystery, by fermed.......2002-05-01

The shot that killed professor Ioan Culianu while he was sitting in a stall in the men's room came from a small Beretta: a .25 caliber gun, fired at leat 18 inches away from his head, for there were no gunpowder traces around the entry wound. It was the work of an expert, a person who stood on the toilet seat of the adjoining stall, and fired downward and into the back of his head; probably the shot of a left hander. Why only one shot? Why such a small caliber gun? Professionals are more heavy handed, more redundant, more brutal. This was exquisitely done, with minimal fuss and no traceable clues.

It was May, 1991, a little after one in the afternoon, at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Prof Culianu, a handsome man in his 40's had three books in press, was about to get married, was loved and respected by students and faculty, and was at the peak of his profession as a historian of religion. His work was recognized internationally, and he could look forward to the honors and comforts of a successful academic career.

Ted Anton presents the true tale of Prof. Culianu with deftness and care. It is a story that to this day continues to reverberate in academia and law enforcement because it has never been solved. Far more exciting than fiction, the story of this professor takes turns and dips that keep the reader on edge and breathless.Culianu was an expert not only on the traditional aspects of religions, but had an interest in the occult arts that formed part of the ancient rituals and practices. He was an expert in divination through geomancy, and was about to teach a course in this practice. He gravitated towards the occult. He knew about near death experiences and about the transmigration of souls; and at the same time he maintained his status as a legitimate scholar and teacher in one of America's prestigious universities.

Fictional stories about crimes and police work are very enjoyable, but reading a book like this renders the others insignificant by comparison. Of course truth is stranger than fiction, but it is also more exciting, more interesting, and finally...more scary.

Crime, politics, religion and the occult.......2001-10-13

Culiano taught religious studies at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago--the hand-picked successor to the great Mircea Eliade. Culiano specialized in magic, dualistic heresies and mystical experiences. He practiced what he studied as well, entertaining students and aggravating colleagues. But he also wrote political articles and fiction for a Romanian journal. These got him in trouble with the Romanian secret police; his murder has never been solved.

Blending religious studies, occult phenomena, political analysis, and true crime journalism, this book is also an entertaining and intriguing look at Culiano, academics in America, Romanian intellectual traditions. I hope many people read and enjoy it.

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