Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1)

Book Description

The masterpiece that started The New York Times bestselling epic Sword of TruthIn the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them--for reasons Richard can't imagine and Kahlan dare not say.In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword--to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed . . . or that their time has run out.This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

Customer Reviews:

Execellent and skillful.......2007-10-11

For anyone that likes an action packed, fast paced, and tightly written fantasy this is the book for you. Terry is a very talented writer.

So bad, its good........2007-10-09

I read this book when it was first published and thought that it was worth the read (then again, there's not much of any genre I won't read, and I was only a teenager at the time). My problem now is that since the death of Robert Jordan, I took it upon myself to actually try and slog through the Wheel of Time Series for the first time, and the similarities between this book and his series are just too "coincidental". I've read arrogant interviews with Terry Goodkind where he proclaims he has changed the genre and his books are unlike any other, but now I wonder how he had the audacity to actually voice that opinion. (Though many of the similarities are also included in his later books of the series.) Goodkind's "banelings" are remarkably similar to Jordan's "Darkfriends", the Keeper is Jordan's "Dark One", and Richard (the innocent woodsman), like Jordan's Rand (the innocent sheepherder), is usually marked by his sword. SPOILER: The paternal parentage of both boys also come into question in the books. There are many more throughout the whole series, too many for comfort. I'm not sure if anyone else has commented on this, I didn't read all 1300 reviews. Just throwing it out there. Other than that, the first 5 books in the series aren't so bad that I wouldn't read them. True, they are very cheesy and reminiscent of a bad romance novel, but like a really bad horror movie: its so bad, its good.

Poor, poor, poor.......2007-10-03

This book and the others in the series are absolutely awful. Cliches abound, narrative has no cohesion and characterizition is horrendously flat. I read this and thought it was terrible. After the series continued to be popular I read the second, thinking that the author had improved with experience. He hadn't. I actually started the third book before I realized that this series was a losing proposition. Steer clear, and spend your time on more worthwhile pursuits.

First...........2007-09-26

Well this might take a bit getting hooked into but you'll throughly enjoy it...I'm not gonna give you the gist of the book because if you're looking at it you can read what they tell you...I'll tell you how I feel about it...I felt it was a book that once you got past the filler...you got hooked to the series...get the book stick it out and be prepared to enjoy the series

A Refreshingly Good Book.......2007-09-19

There simply are not enough good current fantasy novels. This book breaks that trend. It is not a hard read, nor is it overly complex, but it is a very good read, with very personable characters, and a simultaneously heart-warming and heart-breaking story. Warning: If you are looking for a one-book read, do not read this book. At the conclusion of this book, your mouth will water for more, which is easily quenched by the increasingly long tomes that Goodkind has a gift of writing. The first six books especially in the series are defiantly among the best fantasy novels of our time. Set aside a big chunk of time and enter the world that is Terry Goodkind.

Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Great Fantasy!
Ahhhh, the magic continues
The Sword of Truth is Still Sharp
KKK of the Magic World is Introduced
Blood of the Fold

Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth, Book 3)
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Stone of Tears (Sword of Truth, Book 2)
Temple of the Winds (Sword of Truth, Book 4)
Soul of the Fire (Sword of Truth, Book 5)
Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1)
Faith of the Fallen (Sword of Truth, Book 6)

ASIN: 0312890524

Book Description

In a world as rich an real as our own, Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell stand against the ancient forces which besiege the New World--forces so terrible that when they last threatened, they could only be withstood by sealing of the Old world from whence they came. Now the barrier has been breached, and the New World is again beset by their evil power.

War and treachery plague the world, and only Richard and Ahlan can save it from an Armageddon of unimaginable savagery and destruction.

Customer Reviews:

Great Fantasy!.......2007-09-17

I love this series by Terry Goodkind! So does my 17 yr. old son!

Ahhhh, the magic continues.......2007-09-04

I listened to this book on audio CD, as I did the first two. I didn't feel it was as strong as the first two but really good regardless. After listening to the first book (Wizard's First Rule), I was hooked and can't wait to hear the rest. It is great to be able to enjoy these books on my long work commutes! The characters are so brilliant and alive!

The Sword of Truth is Still Sharp.......2007-06-20

The world Terry Goodkind created in his Sword of Truth series, which began with Wizard's First Rule, expands again in Blood of the Fold. Though the third novel is not as gripping as the first novel in the series, it still begins strong.

A new antagonist is introduced, and Richard's opening scene is a rousing sword fight with an unexpected enemy. Moreover, all the characters introduced in the previous novels continue to play a part in this new chapter. In particular the subplot with Prelate Annalina and Nathan Rahl is an enjoyable look into the old wizard's character. If you enjoyed the world of Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell I recommend you continue the journey with Blood of the Fold.

If you would like to comment on my review please vist my blog oncesoldtales.blogspot.com

KKK of the Magic World is Introduced.......2007-06-09

Blood of the Fold is not bad, but I just didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous 2 for some reason. Maybe it is because some of the characters in this one just aren't very convincing. There was definitely more political debate, which seems to slow the story down some.

I was really turned off by the Blood of the Fold group. These guys are the KKK of the magic world, and are just too stupid to be believable. Richard should have been able to brush them aside easily, but I guess you can credit their success to the allegiance to the Keeper.

At least the story progresses. It is worth a read if you have made it this far.

Blood of the Fold.......2007-05-28

Blood of the Fold is an excellent book as a stand alone or as the continuation of the Sword Of Truth series. Terry Goodkind does an excellent job of making the characters people you can enjoy and care about.

My husband and I have been listening to the series on audio book. My only complaint is that as the reader changes with each book, the pronunciation of the names of people and places changes as well. This is a very minor complaint as the story is excellent.

I highly recommend this series of books.

Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11)

Soul of the Fire (Sword of Truth, Book 5)

Average customer rating:

Book 5
An okay read.
The Series Takes a Side Road to Hell
Goodness.
Goodkind writes side characters better than the main ones

Soul of the Fire (Sword of Truth, Book 5)
Terry Goodkind
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Faith of the Fallen (Sword of Truth, Book 6)
Temple of the Winds (Sword of Truth, Book 4)
Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth, Book 3)
Naked Empire (Sword of Truth, Book 8)
Stone of Tears (Sword of Truth, Book 2)

ASIN: B0000A09DV

Amazon.com

Soul of the Fire is the fifth book in Terry Goodkind's wildly popular Sword of Truth saga. The previous books are: Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, Blood of the Fold, and Temple of the Winds.

When last we saw our heroes--Richard Cypher (Lord Rahl) and Kahlan Amnell--they each had made enormous sacrifices to save one another from certain doom. To save her beloved, Khalan, Mother Confessor of the Midlands, had spoken the three chimes, summoning these chaotic beings from the world beyond and unwittingly releasing incredibly destructive power. Now the chimes are stealing souls, and malevolent forces are reshaping the world itself. To save everything from almost certain doom, Richard, Kahlan, and the wizard Zedd must hunt the elusive chimes and reharness them before it's too late.

Although comparisons to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series are inevitable, there's obviously enough room in the world for more than one blockbuster swords and sorcery series. With Soul of the Fire, fans of epic sagas will get their fill of adventure, magic, strange beings, and struggles for power as Goodkind delivers another thrilling episode of the Sword of Truth, with all the complexity and taut characterization we've come to expect from this master of fantasy. --Adam Fisher

Book Description

In the previous volume of this bestselling series of fantasy novels, our hero Richard Rahl, wielder of the Sword of Truth, and his lover Kahlan unwittingly released upon the New World a terror from the malign and wild magic of the Old World. The Chimes now run free in the Midlands and Richard and Kahlan, powerful in their own right, begin to see their own magic undermined, leaving the people of the New World vulnerable to the encroaching evil that Darken Rahl first unleashed in WIZARD'S FIRST RULE.

Customer Reviews:

Book 5.......2007-09-20

Soul of the fire was a slow starting book, but then it became much more interesting. It was a very compelling and emotional book in the series. I highly recommend this series.

An okay read........2007-08-22

This book was... needed. In the structure of story there are certain things that must always happen. For me, this book was a path I needed to go down to get from the 4th to the 6th (books). This book has good parts in it, but for me it was not a very enjoyable read. However, if you have read the previous four books and dislike this one... do not give up. Faith of the Fallen is really good and worth getting to. If you do read this book and greatly enjoy it - even better!

The Series Takes a Side Road to Hell.......2007-06-09

The Wizard's first and only rule should be that fantasy fiction series cannot be longer than 5 books. The leaders of the "Fantasy Fiction Writers Guild" should pass a resolution to this effect. If you have read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time mess, or just about any other writer including Goodkind that has tried to take his/her series beyond 5 books you know that it is like a train going off the end of a broken bridge into a deep gorge.

Goodkind has obviously run out of story, so he takes this book down a side road to the psychotic world of Anderith. A whole bunch of self-serving useless characters are introduced, examined in depth, and then killed off to add absolutely nothing to the story line.

At least Goodkind keeps to his theme of rape and torture of innocent women. I was beginning to think he might be loosing his touch, but the good leaders of Anderith have redeemed him.

A hard read at best.

Goodness........2007-04-28

I am well versed in all things fantasy. You name it - rare or popular - I have probably read and/or watched it. I will let nothing get in the way of my search for the most entertaining, enlightening, life-complimenting reads... not even biased readers whose only goal in life seems to be nitpicking instead of enjoying the things they read. (You can find a few of their reviews here. Look for the reviews with 1-3 stars.)

An overwhelming number of readers criticize Goodkind's writing in the Sword of Truth series, using the phrases "cliche" and "cookie-cutter" all too often. How funny. "Cookie-cutter" is itself a painfully cliche phrase. This hypocrisy, to me, is grounds enough to mistrust the opinions of those naysayers...

As I said, I know a thing or two about fantasy. Few books have affected me as deeply as the Sword of Truth series. Heck, I haven't written an Amazon review in years; I'm only here now because I'm offended at the negative reviews. I took it personally. That's how much I love this series.

The Sword of Truth books are a celebration of life. Beauty. Progress. Emotions. Pessimistic readers seeking a cookie-cutter pattern will surely find one, because Goodkind DOES have a trademark approach to building tension that he uses often. But I know better than to call that "cliche." In each book, Goodkind explores different facets of the concepts of life, beauty, progress, and emotions. He NEVER explores the same facet; he always throws in a twist.

Reading each of these books is like cheese tasting. A cheese-lover with a refined sense of taste will delight in the worlds of difference between blue cheese and brie and baby swiss. They will compare; they will savor every bite.

But someone who is not accustomed to cheese... will, upon trying blue cheese, think "this smells like feet." Then they will try swiss cheese, hoping it doesn't smell like feet. Then feta. Alas, cheese usually smells like feet. The pessimists will then proceed to the donut and snack food aisles, looking for just the right junk food to ease their craving; nothing more, nothing fulfulling in the long run.

Fantasy connoisseurs adore Goodkind. Yet average readers find numerous things to complain about. Contemplate this for a bit.

I'm sorry for not going into detail about this book, but in one sentence I will help you decide if this series is right for you:

If you *adore* any of the concepts of life, beauty, progress, and emotions... you will love the Sword of Truth books. I promise you.

Goodkind writes side characters better than the main ones.......2007-04-25

I went into this book after the last two books in the series left me a little dry and tired of hearing about Richard and Kahlan, who were interesting enough in the first two books but have had little to no character development since then. The development that has been there, in Blood of the fold and Temple of the Winds, has basically been "will they or won't they ever get maried." Now that they finally have, this book is free to go in a slightly different and much more welcome direction. Not only that, but the author takes us away from the locations and people's that we have gotten used to by now, and we leave the majesty of Aydyndril for the new location of Anderith. I really enjoyed the description of the Anderith society, and all of the new characters introduced are especially well written, and quite three dimensional, unlike most of the series' main characters. Dalton is especially interesting to follow as he schemes and plots throughout the book, and what he does in the end was a somewhat sickening but clever surprise ending that fit.

My only gripe is that the book feels somewhat disconnected from the rest of the series, but in my opinion it's probably the best book in the series since the begining. From what I've read past, the books go somewhat downhill after this one, so if you want to read a good book to end the series before it gets bad, this wouldn't be a bad stopping place. Of course the best option for this series is to read the first book and stop there, I have enjoyed the series and Goodkind's unique writing style, but the first book in the series is undoubtedly his best work.

Average customer rating:

Discworld
Disappointed
Abridged Edition
Old pratchett vs new pratchett
Smashing Sorcery

The Last Continent
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061059072
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Amazon.com

Terry Pratchett's 22nd Discworld novel, The Last Continent, is a lighthearted tour of the fantasy land of Fourecks, a very Australian sort of place, with brief courses in theoretical physics and evolution thrown in for good measure. Pratchett returns to his first Discworld protagonist, the inept and cowardly wizard Rincewind, who habitually runs into trouble as fast as he flees. Rincewind's arrival in Fourecks has distorted the space-time continuum, and he has to sort it out before the whole place dries up and blows away. The situation is complicated because the actual problem is located 30,000 years in the past--just where the Faculty of the Unseen University currently are. Pretty frightening, given "the true wizard's instinct to amble aimlessly into dangerous places," and then "stop and argue ... about exactly what kind of danger it [is]."

If you're baffled by all this, no worries, mate. You needn't have read Pratchett before--not even the five previous Discworld novels starring Rincewind (The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, Eric, and Interesting Times)--to enjoy this latest romp. Nor to have visited Australia. When you finish, however, you'll likely want to rush out and do both. --Nona Vero

Book Description

Something is amiss at Unseen Unversity, Ankh-Morpork's most prestigious (i.e., only) institution of higher learning. A professor is missing—but a search party is on the way! A bevy of senior wizards will follow the trail wherever it leads—even to the other side of Discworld, where the Last Continent, Fourecks, is under construction. Imagine a magical land where rain is but a myth and the ordinary is strange and the past and present run side by side. experience the terror as you encounter a Mad Dwarf, the Peach Butt, and the dreaded Meat Pie Floater.

Feel the passion as the denizens of the Last Continent learn what happens when rain falls and the rivers fill with water (it spoils regattas, for one thing). Thrill to the promise of next year's regatta, in remote, rustic Didjabringabeeralong. It'll be asolutely gujeroo (no worries).

Customer Reviews:

Discworld.......2006-08-27

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

Disappointed.......2006-08-27

I fail to see the point of reviewing Discoworld book, especially one that comes this late in the series. By now, you are a hardcore fan, or you just didn't like Pratchett's style.

For my part, I can say that I adored Discworld from the moment that I have read Color of Magic, though it is not my favorite book in the series. Then again, I never grew fond of Rincewind, much more to my liking were numerous side characters that were so jovial and so life-like that you just had to love them.
So that being said I'll just fly shortly over this book.

Last Continent is divided in two parts. The very poor one, staring Rincewind and Luggage finding themselves on a strange continent that resembles Australia, is variation on a theme already exploited in Witches Abroad in a way that surpasses this one immensely. Second part (as often is the case in Discworld, these two parts do not follow one another, rather they make "intercourse") stars Unseen University staff including Archchancellor, Dean, Librarian, Ponder Stibbon, some other that I cannot remember right now, and most importantly Mrs Whitlow, cleaning lady.

This second part keeps entire novel entertaining enough and on a very high satiric level combined with sharp intelligence, something that Pratchett's very good at. And all began when wizards tried to restore Librarian back to it's normal shape...You can possibly visualise what kind of trouble this caused.

But as I have said, if you don't know already who are the characters that I mentiond here, you should probably avoid this book and if you are interested in Discworld you should consider starting from the beginning of the series. For the rest of you out there, this is, though for moments hillarious, rather dull, long, and less than average Discworld book.

Abridged Edition.......2006-08-08

All Corgi Audio books are abridged editions, with Terry Pratchett being read by Tony Robinson.

Old pratchett vs new pratchett.......2006-07-26

Pratchett books are divided into two categories: the pratchetts of old, with a side-splitting joke every page, or the new pratchetts, which are humorous but more drily so, laying more emphasis on plot.

The fans too are split according to their preference in each category. I like to think I am somewhere in the middle: I enjoy good plots, but I did love laughing along in a book where the story didn't matter and being often jerked along as haphhazardly as real life. Somehow, normal plots take away that delightful, unreal yet all too real treatment of heroes, plot, narrative devices and endings. Am I confusing you? I mean that there is a tradeoff between writing a good satisfying plot and making it a wild, hilariously unpredictable ride. For eg., Captain Carrot and Sam Vimes belong firmly in the 'conventional good hero who does things most people cannot do category'. It is the dry humor in those books that makes them a Pratchett.

Now to the review. The Last continent is written in the same style as the 'old pratchetts'. It has a commendable lack of heroes or villains, a wonderful lack of predictability - you never know when a god or storm will smite the wizards and hurl them into mysterious places in different times. Nor do you really admire their constant bickering but can't help rooting for them anyway.

This books reveals the inner secrets of the Unseen University elite politics. For those who like wizards and Rincewind, this book is worth the familiar, joke/atrocious pun/ subtle insight packed value of Old Pratchett. I thoroughly recommend it for that. For discworld newbies, this is as good a start as any. If you prefer humor tempered with a conventional story, you'd be better off with the Watch books (Guards, Men at arms, feet of clay, jingo, fifth elephant, thud).

Smashing Sorcery.......2006-05-02

Some wizards could be so wild and eccentric that they result in sidesplitting phenomena especially when their creative architect is Terry Pratchett. Together with zany dialogues, the supposedly sages travel through time and bizarre worlds in search of their comrade. While they deal with their adventures, such as meeting an evolution god and whatnot, their missing colleague is having a rather intrepid exploit of his own, like running for his life most of the time. Talking animals and unconventional logic adorn the story from start to finish. The way Mr. Pratchett brings everything together in the end is amusing. As with Mr. Pratchett's other novels, this tale also follows the similar lengthy track of events. There are no numbered chapters per se but each part is gaily separated by a burning question. Although extensive, it is still an amazing ride of madcap fiction and the many mentions of food are invigorating.

Average customer rating:

A good ancient, mythical story
Inner demons
Mythic fantasy about Iceland
Icelandic alchemy
original and exciting

The Woman and The Raven
Marlene vor der Hake
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1419660608
Release Date: 2007-02-02

Book Description

A woman at the icy end of the sea yearns to reach the stars but her broomstick refuses to fly. When a mysterious raven lures her into daunting adventures, with wide-ranging implications for the well-being of all living things, she learns that neither ghosts nor monsters are her deadliest adversaries, but the whisperings of her own fears. Fighting her way through her darkest nightmares the woman prevails, but realizes in the end that each man alone must create his heaven or his hell on earth. THE WOMAN AND THE RAVEN is a poetic myth about the importance of the words we say to ourselves, and others.

Customer Reviews:

A good ancient, mythical story.......2007-07-20

Based on Icelandic myths, this story takes place in the distant past, when trolls and elves still walked the earth. A woman lives alone in a cottage, far from anyone else. It is full to overflowing with books, parchments and scrolls, many written in languages that were dead even back then. She yearns to return to the stars, but her broomstick refuses to function, for she has lost the magic.

A raven-wizard gives her three tasks, in order to help heal a broken world. The woman must return a runic sword to its proper owner, a knight who has been dead for many years. She must, single-handedly, defeat a hideous wyvern living in a huge lake (think of the Loch Ness Monster, but with a nastier disposition). Then, the woman must find and return a large blue gem, the Stone of Antariel, to its rightful owners, a race of elves. It's not as easy as it sounds; the forces of evil are keeping a close eye on the woman and her progress.

This story has a different, almost mystical, feel to it, and it's really good. It's a short novel, about 100 pages, and anyone who enjoys ancient, mythical stories will enjoy this one.

Inner demons.......2007-06-01

Reviewed by Susan Pettrone for Reader Views (5/07)

In this somewhat slim volume, a world of mystical, magical life begins. Set in an icy world filled with wintry beauty, we meet a woman on the first page of "The Woman and The Raven," who though strong in her independence, is caught within a nightmare of her own making. Though she seems satisfied carving a life for herself out of what the wintry land around her offers, still she dreams of more. Her dreams, incantations and legends interwoven within this book, are simple yet so complex, that at times the reader isn't sure what is happening is within the present, the past or possibly the future. Her nightmares become reality as she is faced not with the demons and monsters most are afraid of, but terrors which are hers alone.

There is no doubt in the mind of the reader that this woman is fantastical in many ways, but as the story grows, the legends and magical life of this woman create a tapestry of such contrast between beauty and horror that the ending of the book leaves the reader realizing that the monsters she battled were not of the real world around her but were monsters created of her own fears. These fears are those which live within her heart....fears which she alone must face and overcome.

The mood set within the pages of "The Woman and The Raven" is also touched by this woman, for her experiences had the ability to take this reader from a small room in a home amidst a big city and transport her to a fortress of elves within a far away land. This was a book where I found myself enraptured with the story within while feeling an odd sense of internal connection while visiting this land so different from my own. Perhaps it was because this woman was battling demons not unlike many we battle each day or perhaps it was because she seemed to be someone we all have known at one time in our lives. Whatever the reason, "The Woman and The Raven" was a book this reader will not long forget and which will I expect, be one drawn from the shelves and experienced over and over again, each time anew as the woman within makes discoveries, not unlike those many of us make every day.

Mythic fantasy about Iceland.......2007-04-18

This brief book reads like a mythic tale out of Icelandic folklore--and perhaps it is. The author spent time as writer in residence at the cultural center in Gunnarssfnun, Iceland, and thanks the people for their songs and stories.

The story takes place at a time "when trolls and elves roamed the earth." The unknown woman heroine, the chief character, is a magic-user, but she can no longer fly to the stars, our ancient home. She is set on a difficult path by a Raven-Wizard: she must use a runic sword, slay a vicious wyvern and recover a lost Elven gem, which gives our world its light. These seem impossible tasks, since she must oppose the Shadow Sorcerer, the evil one loosed upon our world.

The writing has a lyric mystical quality about it, even though it uses simple words; and in a few sentences it reminds us that men can make of Earth either a heaven or a hell.

Armchair Interviews says if mythic fantasy is your forte, then you will want to read this one.

Icelandic alchemy.......2007-04-13

This tale from the Icelandic Eastfjords takes the readers by the hand and leads them through a magic realm of sparkeling snow and colorful skies into legendary lands. As you wonder through winter's wonderland the wind searches your bones, the heart yearns for life light as the stars and you drift into tales within tales, some of them as ancient as archaic fears. Despite the songs and stories contained within a story the tale is not just that. The adventures of the reluctant heroine beset with doubts only serve as a fable - much like Paolo Coelho's Alchemist - for the reader to look inside and change the little voice that we all carry in our head so that it may speak of freedom and success and no longer of defeat and failure.

original and exciting .......2007-03-27

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this original and exciting adventure among trolls and elves. People of legends and sagas come to life and you get to know them as well as your next-door neighbor.

Wizard at Large (Magic Kingdom of Landover, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Would've been better without Cameron Beierle narrating.
What was I thinking?
Once again, Terry Brooks delivers and Dick Hill captures the mood.
This series continues to roll on with energy
Terry Brooks Greatest Work

Wizard at Large (Magic Kingdom of Landover, Book 3)
Terry Brooks
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

The Black Unicorn (Magic Kingdom of Landover Novel)
The Tangle Box (Magic Kingdom of Landover, Book 4) (Magic Kingdom of Landover Novel)
Witches' Brew (Landover)
Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold! (Magic Kingdom of Landover)
Running With the Demon (The Word and the Void Trilogy, Book 1)

ASIN: 0345347730
Release Date: 1988-08-12

Book Description

Questor Thews is only a semi-competent wizard, but when High Lord Ben Holiday and his love Willow need use of his powers, he tries to comply. He tries, all right, but he doesn't have all that much faith in himself--not since he turned a terrier into an imp. Still, he'll do what he can....

Customer Reviews:

Would've been better without Cameron Beierle narrating........2007-04-26

While Brooks is not a great comedic fantasy author (see Terry Pratchett for someone who is) he is generally a good fantasy author. I keep listening to the Landover CDs hoping to get past Cameron Beierle's horrible readings and I can't.

Apparently the original audiobooks were done by "Dick Hill" and released on cassette only. These new CDs suffer greatly from issues like:

*Frequent mispronunciations of words (Foliage becomes "foilage" for instance);
*a completely phony sounding "hard boiled detective" voice for Ben Holliday (I am convinced Beierle is NOT a native english speaker as he often rolls his Rs or makes a soft "D" instead of an "R".);
*Randomly changing pronunciations of character names (the fairly simple word "paladin" is usually mispronounced "puhLADin" although in book 2 he freely changes back and forth between the two pronunciations.
*His female voices are atrocious. Willow sounds like Carol Channing imitating Marilyn Monroe's "happy birthday, mister president" performance. Willow pronounces "Ben" something like "Byeeeeehn".

Wizard at Large particularly suffers from having inappropriate pauses in the middle of passages where one would expect an editor to remove the dead space. In fact the whole series seems like nobody did any kind of production oversight or direction of the audiobooks at all.

On the plus side, Cameron does a fine job with second and third tier characters like Questor Thews, Abernathy and the G'home Gnomes.

What was I thinking?.......2006-09-23

I read all of Terry Brooks books as a kid and thought I'd re-read a bunch of them for fun. Picked up most of the books at a used book store on a whim.

While I liked "Magical Kingdom For Sale", this one was just based on the dumbest premise of all. Seriously, the entire premise of this book is stupid. The King has one magical amulet that is the most important thing in the world and he gives it away by page 30. The rest of the book is just listening to the stupid antics of him trying to get it back. Blah, blah and blah. I just couldn't get past the main plot thread.

Once again, Terry Brooks delivers and Dick Hill captures the mood........2006-09-04

Terry Brooks returns to Landover with yet another stunning tale of adventure and danger. Less than a year after nearly losing the kingdom of Landover to the duplicitous wizard Meeks, Ben Holiday once again finds himself fighting for his life. The mess begins when Questor Thews, the court wizard and half-brother to the vanquished Meeks, rushes into the garden room to announce triumphantly that he has finally found a way to change Abernathy, the court scribe, back to his human form after more than twenty years. The spell requires just one thing, a catalist that will separate the man from the dog in Abernathy, thereby allowing the transformation to take place. Unfortunately, the only item within easy reach that could possibly serve this purpose is Ben's enchanted medallion. Despite the danger posed by such an act, Ben reluctantly hands over the medallion, giving Questor the Ok to work his magic. But as we all know, Questor's magic doesn't always work the way he intends, and sometimes the results can be devastating. A sneeze on the part of Questor sends the magic spinning wildly out of control with catastrophic consequences. Not only does Abernathy fail to change back, but he's also sucked down into a strange well of light that carries him off to an unknown land...along with Ben's medallion. The mystery only deepens when, almost immediately after Abernathy vanishes, a mysterious bottle appears where the scribe once stood. Though at first nobody knows neither the origin nor the nature of the bottle, Questor remembers an event in his past that sheds a disturbing light on Abernathy's situation.
The bottle, Questor confesses, is an old relic of Meeks, the former court wizard, which the old man often gave to the son of the last king of Landover to play with. The bottle, Questor reveals, is the prison of a powerful genie-like demon who appears when summoned and obeys the command of its master. This creature, called a Darkling, draws the power for its magics from the darker side of a person's nature, anger, hatred, envy, greed, etc. The more powerful and cruel its master, the stronger the demon. Since the bottle was last in the possession of Michel Ard Rhi, the son of the last king, Questor can only deduce that Abernathy was sent to the place where the bottle was kept. Abernathy, it turns out, was sent back to Earth, to wherever Michel Ard Rhi lived. The situation only gets worse when Philip and Sot, friends of Ben's from the north, steal the bottle, believing it to be a pretty trinket. Now, Ben must not only recover his missing medallion and Abernathy, but also track down and regain possession of the bottle before it's opened.
Despite the seriousness of Abernathy's situation, he is not completely without help. After waking up to find himself scrunched into a display case, he encounters a little girl named Elizabeth, who reveals that he's in Woodenville, Washington. More specifically, he's inside the castle of Graum Wythe, which is ruled by a man named Michel Ard Rhi. Abernathy decides to tell Elizabeth the truth about him and urges her to help him escape from the castle before Michel learns of his presence. Elizabeth readily agrees, and the two of them set about forming a plan to beat the clock and get Abernathy safely away before his old enemy learns of his presence. Will Ben recover the bottle and find a way to exchange it for Abernathy? Will Elizabeth and Abernathy find a way to elude Michel before it's too late? The climactic battle at the end will answer that question quite nicely.
All in all I liked the presentation of this book. I'd read the unabridged Library of Congress version and liked it, but the Brilliance Audio abridgment was even better. Very little indeed was left out, and once again Dick Hill delivers a quality performance. My only complaint was his portrayal of the Darkling, but even that really wasn't that bad. He does manage to convey the fawning yet sinister nature of the creature quite nicely. If you haven't read this book yet and you enjoyed the first two novels in the series, pick up this book. Once again, Brooks delivers a masterpiece.

This series continues to roll on with energy.......2006-03-23

The landover works are very well done, with stand out characters. Action, missteps, all done with great skill. Keep up the good work!!

If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it.

Terry Brooks Greatest Work.......2005-09-16

If you Love Fantisy Novals The Landover books are a must read.
(in fact thay should make a movie from them)

Fantastic Locations: The Frostfell Rift (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement)

Average customer rating:

Great for D&D miniatures

Fantastic Locations: The Frostfell Rift (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement)
Wizards Team
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dragondown Grotto (Dungeons & Dragons Fantastic Locations Accessory)
City of Peril (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory)
Fantastic Locations: Fields of Ruin (D&D Accessory)
Barrow of the Forgotten King (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Adventure)

ASIN: 0786941693
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Book Description

The latest Fantastic Locations release, with stunning new maps.

Fantastic Locations: The Frostfell Rift provides 2 double-sided poster maps designed for use with D&D miniatures, plus a 16-page black-and-white encounter booklet for use with RPG campaigns. The maps in this product showcase exciting environments, including the icy Frostfell Rift, while the encounter booklet illustrates how DMs can use the maps again and again in their D&D roleplaying game campaigns.

Customer Reviews:

Great for D&D miniatures.......2007-04-01

I have all the "fantastic locations" maps, this one surprised me with a two storied building. The module is not that great but it works just fine with inexperienced players and a little modifications in the plot would make it great for those game groups looking for a visual description of the setting, but If you're looking for a good module, I don't think this is good for you, only if your interest is to bring more maps to your miniature battles.

The Temptation of Elminster (Forgotten Realms: Elminster)

Average customer rating:

Excellent, Read all of them
Boring...
2 and 1/2 stars
have not recieved this book yet
BOOOO

The Temptation of Elminster (Forgotten Realms: Elminster)
Ed Greenwood
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Elminster in Myth Drannor (Forgotten Realms: Elminster)
Elminster in Hell (Forgotten Realms: The Elminster Series, Book 4)
Elminster's Daughter (Forgotten Realms: Elminster)
Elminster: The Making of a Mage (Forgotten Realms: Elminster)
Cormyr (Forgotten Realms: The Cormyr Saga, Book 1)

ASIN: 0786914270
Release Date: 1999-11-01

Book Description

How do you tempt an archmage who has everything?

From a dark and dusty tomb, Elminster emerges, seeking the guidance of Mystra, and finds only silence. He is drawn into the clutches of the mysterious and sinister Lady of Shadows. The path he takes will lead to a Realms-shaking confrontation where Elminster has to make the most important choice of his long life.

Whatever he decides, the Realms will be forever changed . . .

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, Read all of them.......2007-01-10

I love Greenwoods Elminster line. It is the best. YOu will never get bored with this one as the plot keeps building and twisting. Great read.

Boring..........2006-04-18

So far I've hated this book. This book has a terrible plot. The Author will introduce a character and only use him or her for three pages. The Book was very confusing. It's more of a chore to do than a book to read. The only reason I'm reading it is because i want to get to the next book. I'd skip it if I were you... don't even start the book.

2 and 1/2 stars.......2005-12-14

This an acceptable entry level book to fantasy, it doesn't have any real depth or much in the way of originality. If your looking for a moderately enjoyable book that you can blow through in an evening then its right up your alley.

There are however much better books to be found at the same reading level.

have not recieved this book yet.......2005-09-19

i am still awating the delivery of this book

BOOOO.......2005-03-31

it did not make any sense. It was very redundant. Every book Greenwood keeps on getting worse and worse. I do not recomend any one getting the Eliminister series.

The Book of Wizard Craft: In Which the Apprentice Finds Spells, Potions, Fantastic Tales & 50 Enchanting Things to Make

Average customer rating:

Brilliant NOT
Imaginative!
It's Magical!
My Children Wanted to Start Right Away!!
Best Book EVER!

The Book of Wizard Craft: In Which the Apprentice Finds Spells, Potions, Fantastic Tales & 50 Enchanting Things to Make
Janice Eaton Kilby , Deborah Morgenthal , and Terry Taylor
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Wizard's Handbook
The Witch And Wizard Training Guide
Wizard Crafts: 23 Spellbinding Toys, Gifts, Costumes and Party Decorations
Book Of Wizardry: The Apprentice's Guide to the Secrets of the Wizards' Guild
Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin (Ologies)

ASIN: 1579902065

Amazon.com

As every parent knows, licensed Harry Potter merchandise has exploded on the marketplace, but now young wizard hopefuls can learn how to make their very own magic gear with The Book of Wizard Craft. Although this inventive and engaging volume bears no actual connection to the mighty Master Potter, many of the projects were clearly inspired by his adventures and attributes. Seems just about everyone is jumping on the wizard-craze bandwagon these days, but this spirited incarnation is done with skill.

Wishing to pass along his 600 year's worth of arcane lore, the ancient wizard behind this creative collection shares his secrets for wizard regalia (bejeweled turban, hourglass pendant, magic cloak, wands, staffs, and the obligatory robe), the decorative arts (magic carpet, crystal ball, celestial sheets), horticulture (fairy circle, carnivorous-plant terrarium), animal husbandry (dragon scales, eye of newt, apothecary carry-all), book arts (secret journal, invisible inks, quill pen), astronomy (constellation caster), alchemy (magic potions galore), and amusement (party ideas, decorations, spooky edibles), and much more. Bewitching painted illustrations add sprightly fun and help to further clarify relatively good directions. Even kids who want nothing to do with sorcery in the craft room will enjoy reading the magical myths, international legends, and witchy stories. --Amy Handy

Book Description

“Fans of all that is wizardly will love this one.”—School Library Journal. “Lavishly illustrated throughout...the first of its kind, a fabulous fantasy and a how-to crafts book in one.”—Hobby Merchandiser.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant NOT.......2006-01-03

A mold garden? What a brilliant idea. As if mold isn't spreading fast enough already and ruining homes and wrecking lives and clogging the courts. Just Brilliant. The Book of MORON Craft: In Which the Apprentice Finds Kids, and makes them into MORONS.
http://www.mold-help.org/

Imaginative!.......2005-12-16

Very cool book - my 10 year old loves it and wants to make everything in it. Neat padded cover - great for the Harry Potter generation. Wish this was around when I was 10!

It's Magical!.......2005-03-29

I loved this book and it's has very interesting stories also! I love making all the things in this book and it's fun stuff to do on a rainy day. I am just adoring this book! I work on my projects from The Book of Wizard Craft all the time! I would definitly get this book for serious fun! And it's a great hobby!

My Children Wanted to Start Right Away!!.......2004-02-03

This book is fantastic. We received the book today in the mail. My two children and I looked at the book from cover to cover. They told me they want to start tomorrow on making the crafts that are in the book.

This book is perfect for Harry Potter fans. From robes, to wands, potions, hiding boxes, crystal balls..you name it.

The way the author has written this book is funny. You can just feel the author enjoyed writing this book.

My children loved it as soon as I turned the first page.

Best Book EVER!.......2003-06-15

I personally would recommend this book to anybody, Harry Potter fan or not. This is a great book, and it tells how to make two different kinds of wands, robes, cloaks, crystal balls, potions, a wizard's hat, turban, and more! It also tells how to make a wizard party, etc.

I got this book for my birthday about two years ago, and I've read it through at least ten times since then. If I have nothing to do, I just sit down and read it. It's got lots of stories, so if you just feel like reading, it's the right book.

I hope this was helpful!

Witch Doctor (Wizard in Rhyme, Book 3)
Average customer rating:

Nothing Original Here

Not as good as the rest

This author has a wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor!

An extremely hilarious book!!

It makes you think about good vs. evil.
Witch Doctor (Wizard in Rhyme, Book 3)
Christopher Stasheff
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Stasheff, Christopher | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

The Secular Wizard (Wizard in Rhyme)

My Son, the Wizard: Book V of A Wizard in Rhyme

The Oathbound Wizard

The Feline Wizard (Wizard in Rhyme, A)

The Crusading Wizard (Wizard in Rhyme, A)

ASIN: 0345388518
Release Date: 1994-11-30

Book Description

Saul didn't have so many friends that he would give one up without a fight. So when Matt disappeared, Saul started a search that led through Matt's kitchen window -- straight into a world of magic and desperate danger!

Saul discovered that in this world, his love of verse made him a wizard. But his newfound magic earned him a dreadful foe: Queen Suettay, a false monarch without peer for wickedness and corruption. A fearsome sorceress herself, with armies steeped in evil ready to obey her every sinful command, she determined to break Saul's growing power -- or win his soul for Satan.

Fortunately, Saul earned some stalwart friends, as well: Gruesome the troll and young Squire Gilbert; Saul's own guardian angel, and the beautiful -- if unsubstantial -- Angelique. But he'd need the help of the mysterious Spider King to spin a web strong enough to trap this tyrant!

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Original Here.......2005-10-25

This book is just a rehashing of The Oathbound Wizard. Nearly all of the major scenes are identical. The only difference is that they are told from Saul's POV. It's not really interesting, and I'm having a hard time reading it because it feels like like reading The Oathbound Wizard all over again. I understand that Stasheff was probably getting bored with the series, but he still could have done a better job with this one.

Not as good as the rest.......2002-09-07

My main problem with this book is that it takes Saul's POV the entire time, and to be honest, his need to contradict himself all the time just annoys the heck out of me and takes up too much space. I'm surprised Saul has a guardian angel at all actually. Narlh is the best reason to keep reading. And how stupid is Saul to never realize that Matt is the Lord Wizard of Merovence despite being told that at least 5 times in 3 days??? That one fact alone nearly made me stop altogether, till I realized Matt had to show up sooner or later so I kept on.

This author has a wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor!.......1999-08-30

This book is just full of wonderfully ironic happenings. The main charachter has a delightfully sarcastic sense of humor and the author relly did a good job of letting you know what he is thinking. This whole series is full of awsomly wierd creatures and the human element is definatly there. The book has a livley plot full of humor.

An extremely hilarious book!!.......1999-02-13

The Witch Doctor is a marvelous book. Complete with humour, a great plot and likeable characters, this book is a great read. I would reccomend this book to all readers who like humerous fantasy.

It makes you think about good vs. evil........1997-07-25

This is the second book I've read in this series and I found it just as interesting as the first one. The poetry is fun, but it makes you think at the same time. I found myself looking at our own world and the endless conflicts between good and evil, both between people and within myself

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