A Single Shard

Book Description

Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean potters’ village. When he accidentally breaks a pot, he must work for the master to pay for the damage by setting off on a difficult and dangerous journey that will change his life forever.

Customer Reviews:

An Enchanting Tale.......2007-09-28

This is a fantastic look at Koryo era (AD 918-1392) village life. This story revolves around an orphan living in a small seaside pottery village named Ch'ulp'o. During the course of events, the four main characters learn life lessons such as: friendship, forgiveness, hope and loss. The author beautifully painted the plot with her words. Personally, I am a fan of history and found this, although fictional, account memorizing. I really became invested in the characters and the events that unfolded. I was actually very disappointed that it ended so abruptly. I could have read and read, if the author had continued.

This book is part of my schools curriculum and I had received a few negative reviews from some students. I though I would read it myself to see if their criticisms were valid. I was completely entranced by this book. I couldn't wait to read, page after page. After I was finished, I discussed this book with the students and found that most of them had an appreciation for this book once we discussed it. I highly recommend this book to grade 6 students through to adults.

Excellent book! .......2007-09-09

I teach 6th-8th grade in a very small private school and needed a book that would challenge the 6th graders without boring the 8th graders. I have found it with this book! Even though the story takes place long ago and in a foreign land, the theme of family and belonging is just as relevent today. The details the author adds to the story help the reader picture an unfamiliar place and time easily. I am looking forward to using it as a group reading project in the upcoming 9 week grading period.

The best book I read this summer........2007-07-04

Linda Sue Park took me to a world with which I was totally unfamiliar, 12th century Korea. The story of Tree-ear, an orphan boy, being raised under a bridge by Crane-man is wonderful. Crane-man has a crippled leg and when his family died and he lost his home, he was forced to take up residence under a bridge. Crane-man teaches Tree-ear to survive in the world in which he lives by learning to read the world around him.

Tree-ear is enthralled by the work of Master Potter Min. One day as he is admiring Min's work, he breaks a piece of pottery. Master Min requires nine days work to repay the loss. The nine days turn into a permanent position doing the heavy labor which has become difficult for Master Min. Tree-ear is ever hopeful that Min will teach him to become a potter. On his journey to the capitol city it is Crane-man's lessons that he remembers.

Read the book and see what service Tree-ear performs that changes his life and the lives of those he has come to love.

Excellent Book.......2007-05-31

The book I read was A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. This book was about a potter and a young boy named Tree-Ear. The potter was making pottery and trying to get a commission. Min, the potter, hired Tree-Ear to help him with certain jobs for him around the village. Tree-Ear lived with Crane-Man under a bridge. Crane-Man only had one leg that he could walk on. Min had a wife and one kid, but his kid died. Tree-Ear had been watching Min through a tiny hole in a shed. Once he saw him he knew he wanted to work for him. The setting of this story was in a small village on the west coast of Korea in the mid to late 12th century.
A Single Shard was a tremendous book. I recommend this book to anyone of age 11 or above. This book was full of excitement and was impossible to stop reading. The author, Linda Sue Park, is an excellent writer and I would read all of her books. I think everybody should read A Single Shard.

A Single Shard.......2007-05-22

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park displays the fictional story of Tree-ear, an orphaned boy living in a twelfth-century Korean potter's village. He is happy living under a bridge with Crane-man, but when Tree-ear accidentally breaks a pot, he must work nine days for potter Min to pay for it. Once he is accepted into an apprenticeship, Tree-ear learns that making a pot is more complicated than he expected. Tree-ear learns many things from master Min, but most of all, he learns about himself. As he is sent on a dangerous journey to the King's Court to show his master's pottery, Tree-ear realizes that his life is about to change forever. He has to learn to adjust to a new home, a new name, and a new life. One thing that I loved about the book is that it is very natural and is something that you could relate to. Also, the book is set back in time, so you can really feel the culture of ancient Korea. I would recommend this book to children age 9 through 12. A Single Shard is a wonderful story of self-discovery, adventure, and hope.

Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Great Book!!
No Drizzt? Well it may be even better without our beloved hero.
Entreri and Jarlaxle take center stage.
One of R.A. Salvatore's best
A great debut for this interesting duo

Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0786939508
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Book Description

A new series from New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore!

This book brings two familiar characters into the limelight for the first time! Jarlaxle, a dark elf assassin, and Artemis Entreri, a human assassin, work together and against each other in Calimport. Their conflict is intensified by the influence of the Crystal Shard, a malevolent artifact that has been raousing trouble in the Forgotten Realms world since its introduction in The Crystal Shard.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!!.......2007-09-01

These are two of my favorite characters so I was glad to see that they did a book following them up and once again Salvatore doesn't disappoint!!

No Drizzt? Well it may be even better without our beloved hero........2007-07-07

To some Drizzt fans, it may be a little dissapointing that our beloved drow hero doesnt appear in this novel, besides a few , written, words by hum, and at first I thought it might the novels less interesting as well, but R.A Salvatore fixes this problem by centering this novel around two very , very interesting characters: Jarlaxle and Atremis Entreri.

A great thing about this book is that it tells a darker,and extremely interesting, tale, which is a nice break from all of Drizzt's heroism.

Also, we start to get much deeper into the characters of Jarlaxle and Entreri, and as I've said before they are very very interesting characters. I absolutely love them, although I wouldnt say the say if I actually met them.

A fast paced novel that is sure to please. If your a fan of the series then buy this now! If your new however, you would still enjoy this book, but in order to understand better whats going on, some of the characters mentioned and parts of the plot, its best to start with The Crystal Shard, from the Icewind Dale Trilogy.

Entreri and Jarlaxle take center stage........2007-06-03

Servant of the Shard was first published as book three of the Paths of Darkness series and is included in Paths of Darkness, Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms). It is the only book of the original 14 Drizzt novels to not be included in the "Legend of Drizzt" series now being reissued.

It is also one of the most enjoyable Salvatore books to date. The Sellswords series follows the adventures of Artemis Enreri and Jarlaxle. This perfect couple is extremely well-developed and are fun to read about. In book 1, the Crystal Shard occupies center stage as the story began in The Silent Blade: The Legend of Drizzt, Book XI (Forgotten Realms Novel: Legend of Drizzt) is continued. The annoyingly pious Cadderly plays a part in the latter parts of the book, but doesn't do too much harm to the story. Excellent fighting scenes and plenty of action make for a fun and exciting read.

Highly recommended.

One of R.A. Salvatore's best.......2007-03-14

Don't be scared away by the lack of Drizzt Do'Urden in this finely crafted novel. Although Drizzt is easily Salvatore's best know and "loved" creation, I don't think his more recent novels (mainly the Hunter's Blades Trilogy) really do the renegade drow justice. They fall off and get pretty campy. The interaction between Cattie-Bri and Drizzt, while it was interesting at first, has taken on a sort of mid-day soap opera turn and it tires quickly in my mind.
Artemis Entrerei and Jarlaxle have always been my favorite characters. The depth Salvatore has put into the development of both characters is far more then any of Drizzt's compaions (most notably a certain one-dimentional barbarian...) and even more than Drizzt himself. Artemis's journey to Menzzoberanzan (both in the physical and emotional sense) was very well done I thought. This novel, however, takes place after his return and domination of Calimport with the aid of the Dark Elf band left by the most paradoxical Jarlaxle.
The brilliance in this novel can be summarized by the revalation that by the end, Salvatore has you rooting and cheering on two of the most cold hearted and ruthless killers in Faerun. Their development, both as individual characters and as partners, in this book far surpasses even the silent blade, and the reader is even given a few glimpses into the underlying psyche of both characters.
A very fun and refreshing read for any fan of Salvatore who has gotten a bit bored with the "drama" that had become Drizzt Do'Urden and misses the action from his adventures in the Underdark.
Bottom line: Awsome fantasy novel.

A great debut for this interesting duo.......2007-01-31

Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle are just great characters and blend so well together. They are so different and yet similar.

The story itself is great and makes Entreri really shine in my opinion. This book could stand on it's own without any other books following.

If you are a fan of Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle or both, than this book is an absolute must read!

Forgotten Realms - The Legend Of Drizzt Volume 4: The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms)

Average customer rating:

Forgotten Realms
great graphic novel
MASTERFUL COMIC ADAPTATIONS CONTINUE!
Wonderful!!!
Forgotten Realms - The Legend Of Drizzt Volume 4: The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms)

Forgotten Realms - The Legend Of Drizzt Volume 4: The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms)
R. A. Salvatore , Andrew Dabb , and Val Semeiks
Manufacturer: Devil's Due Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932796762

Book Description

Adapting the fourth novel in R.A. Salvatore's acclaimed Legend of Drizzt series! At long last, Drizzt Do'urden has found a home in the secluded Icewind Dale. But his hard-fought peace is threatened by the awakening of the fabled Crystal Shard - an occult device of unimaginable destructive power...

Customer Reviews:

Forgotten Realms.......2007-09-26

I enjoyed ethe book it came to me in a timely fashion and without any damage.

great graphic novel.......2007-09-24

I have been a fan of the The Legend Of Drizzt for a long time. The fact that they are now in a graphic novel version makes it all better. It was these novels that made me a fan of the Forgotten Realms as a whole.

MASTERFUL COMIC ADAPTATIONS CONTINUE!.......2007-07-01

The Crystal Shard (the first book in the Icewind Dale Trilogy adaptation from Devil's Due) is a monumental work in modern fantasy for two reasons: It was author R.A. Salvatore's first novel when published in 1988, and also introduced the world to the dark elf hero Drizzt Do'Urden who has gone on to be come one of the most popular ongoing fantasy characters to be developed perhaps since Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser and Conan, decades earlier. This is book IV of The Legend of Drizzt as it chronologically comes after the evens in the Dark Elf Trilogy, even though that series was published after the Icewind Dale Trilogy.

It has been five years since Drizzt left the Underdark and came up to live on the surface world. Drizzt is still shunned by most people due to the reputation of the dark elves, i.e. Drow. He makes a home near Icewind Dale, a rural community of ten loosely allied towns. While feared by most residents, Drizzt has nevertheless served as Icewind Dale's protector against the many monsters that lurk nearby and has made a friend in the dwarf, Bruenor Battlehammer. An apprentice wizard named Akar Kessell finds a long hidden artifact of great power called the Crystal Shard, which gives him near God-like powers. He raises a massive army of goblins, orcs, ogres, and giants that he plans to use to destroy Ten Towns.

It is Drizzt that uncovers the plot and who tries to warn the various leaders. Some ally together but others are blinded by their prejudice against the Drow and think its all a trick. While several towns are destroyed, the others that joined together fiercely oppose the wizard's army. But, it will be all for naught unless Drizzt can overcome the power of the Crystal Shard and kill Akar Kessell.

Crystal Shard also introduces readers to the companions that Drizzt will join with for the remainder of the trilogy and onto other books. The barbarian, Wulfgar, Regis the halfling thief, and Cattie-Brie, the adopted human daughter of Bruenor. It also introduces Drizzt's arch-enemy, the assassin Artemis Entreri. Icewind Dale managed to stand on its own not only as a great Dungeons & Dragons fantasy trilogy, but a great fantasy trilogy PERIOD! It's filled with larger-than-life heroes and villains, thrilling battle scenes, and dark magics.

The Devil's Due adaptation is masterfully handled by scripter Andrew Dabb, penciller Val Semeiks, and a team of inkers. Semeiks was a great choice as penciller. Semeiks worked on dozens of issues of Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan and brings a lot of experience working in fantasy/swords and sorcery. There's a LOT of fighting that takes place in the story and his action scenes are beautifully choreographed. The original Dark Elf Trilogy was a dark, moody story, taking place completely underground and the art reflected that. Similarly, this story takes place mostly outdoors and the colors by Blond are lush and bold. The adaptation truly does justice to Salvatore's story. Devil's Due continues to do an outstanding job with the Salvatore novel adaptations.

REVIWED BY TIM JANSON

Wonderful!!!.......2007-05-14

I have read all of R.A. Salvatore's books about Drizzt. These comics are great as they follow the story very closely and give you bright, beautiful pictures to go along with the story! They are perfectly true to the storys and the graphics are done very well. I have given the first in the series, "Homeland" Legend of Drizzt volume 1, to some friends that may not have been so easy to entice into reading the books. When they read these graphic comic versions they got to see how cool Drizzt and his friends really are and began to read the original books!

Great Job Devil's Due!

Forgotten Realms - The Legend Of Drizzt Volume 4: The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms) .......2007-05-12

Unfortunatly, i never got this book.. there was a mix up with the postal office for i had recently moved, and despite contacting the Amazon Customer Service, i was unable to get my book. i was refunded the amount that i was charged, and as of right now, i have not had the opportunity to purchase this book. I only gave the book a Rating of 1 because i HAD to rate it, if i actually Had the book i am Sure i would have given a Higher Rating, because i have the first 3 books, and i LOVE them All.

Average customer rating:

don't buy this book......
Weakest of the Series
many stones do form an arch, singly none
Useful Addition to the 'Ring of Fire' Series by Eric Flint, et al
Notably better than average but not really outstanding

1634: The Ram Rebellion (Assiti Shards)
Eric Flint
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416520600

Book Description

The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the Confederated Principalities of Europe, an alliance between Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. Inspired by the example of American freedom and justice, a movement in Franconia among the peasants, who have revolted several times even before the arrival from the future of the town of Grantville, an independent revolutionary movement has arisen, flying the banner of the head of a ram. The West Virginians fully approve of liberating the peasants from the nobility, but they are also aware of how revolutionary movements can lead to bloodbaths. And avoiding that deadly possibility will require all of their future knowledge and all their plain old American horse-trading diplomacy. . . .

Customer Reviews:

don't buy this book.............2007-09-11

....unless you have nothing else to spend your money on. I am a great fan of the other books, especially 1633, but this one is a poorly, maybe even unethically, conceived project. Many of the "stories" contained in the book were written by non-professional writers, and it really shows. Apparently many of them are available on the web, which makes the decision to publish them in book form, without warning the purchaser, rather iffy, in my opinion. The theme that is supposed to hold everything together, "Brillo" and his use as a symbol for a new form of government, is just, well, lame. The songs are unbelievably tedious, and the idea is not ever presented coherently.

Pass on this one, save your money for 1634: The Baltic War.

Weakest of the Series.......2007-09-10

The Ram Rebellion is easily the very least of the otherwise great 1632 series. Flint, in the introduction, says that the book is not quite an anthology and not quite a co-written effort. That middle of the road approach hurts the book. For a series that is normally a political action series with a great deal of research behind it, this book feels like a massive collection of events and characters that might be important some day (say, in 1636 or so), but weren't interesting or important enough to warrant their own treatment.
(Spoilers)
Also, the idea of Brillo the Ram gets irritating and repetitive so fast that I found myself wishing that they'd just kill it already; if the damn sheep is tainting the gene pool, EAT THE SHEEP. Don't complain about it so much that you start a cultural icon! If the Brillo stories were actually interesting, it wouldn't have been so bad; but they were called funny by so many characters and were so uninteresting that it rubbed me the wrong way.
(End Spoilers)
Speaking of so many characters, there were a LOT of characters that were utterly unimportant. I'm sorry Mr. Flint, but you yourself acknowledged that writers typically write about Great Men. There is a good reason for this: the commoners are frequently boring. Important, yes. Interesting, no. After feeling cheated buying the hardcover edition, I decided not to look into the other anthologies of the series and stick to the main storyline.

many stones do form an arch, singly none.......2007-06-07

As many reviewers have noted, this book has a lot of characters, and none of them are the "main" characters of the 1632 world. It takes place off the beaten path. If you haven't been reading this series, then by all means go and read 1632 and 1633 first.

The book's lack of a single central plot and a small set of characters is very much the authors' point, though. This book is deliberately set against the "great man of history" approach. The idea isn't the usual plot in which a small number of characters seize control of events. Instead, events steamroll along in the interactions of many seemingly unrelated characters, each trying to figure out their own small part of the world.

In many ways this book comes closest to the spirit of the 1632 enterprise, which at its heart is about "ordinary" people shaping history with "ordinary" resources.

If you read it with that theme in mind, instead of by trying to see the one central plot that ties everything together, you'll probably enjoy the book.

If you don't enjoy somewhat chaotic stories with lots of completely unintended consequences, then by all means go far, far, far away from this series. There are plenty of excellent alternate histories in which a few incedible people drive events (S M Stirling probably writes the best of these, though John Birmingham is worth checking out). The 1632 series, on the other hand, is an experiment in chaotic history.

This philosophy does lead to a lot of books in the series that seem like "sidelines" compared to the main military histories that have big armies blowing each other to pieces at the command of kings and presidents and cardinals. But to the "ordinary" peasants of Franconia, all of that stuff is the sideline, and in many ways that's the point!

Useful Addition to the 'Ring of Fire' Series by Eric Flint, et al.......2007-04-07

The Book is a collection of stories in Four parts.

Part 1. Recipes for Revolution is set in 1631 and 1632. It's chiefly two stories about "Birdy" Newhouse, a farmer on the border of 'The Ring of Fire' who lost acreage in the transfer across time and wants to rent or buy extra land from the local German owners. This presents problems and opportunities which form the basis of the stories. There are also three short glimpses of Mike Stearns with Melissa Mailey.

Part 2. Enter the Ram introduces Flo Richards, a farmer's wife with four grown children who had bought a small flock of type C Delaine Merino sheep and some angora rabbits before the RoF in the hope that she'd see more of her youngest daughter once she'd finished her studies out of town. The RoF had left Jan, the daughter behind, and Flo was dealing with this loss by concentrating on her livestock. She, and JD, her husband have local Germans living with them as partners now that farming has become more labour intensive. Flo's laments about the poor quality wool of the locally obtained ram (who comes to be known as Brillo for that reason) stike a chord with some-one and before long a number of 'Brillo fables' appear in the local broadsheet.

Flo Richards has mixed feelings about Brillo. He has escaped from his pen and interfered with her merino breeding program, yet his fame due to the stories spread through Grantville out into the rest of Germany. The Women's League of Voters uses a Ram's Head as its emblem, schoolchildren sing songs about Brillo and Elizabeth "Bitty" Matowski, introduces Ballet to the down-timers with a Brillo ballet.

Part 3. The Trouble in Franconia begins in December 1632 with the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus having assigned the administration of those parts of Franconia that were Catholic to the New United States (NUS). They don't have the manpower to occupy the province and there are actually pockets of resistance in at least two fortresses that the Swedish King simply bypassed in his conquest. These, and other things have to be dealt with by a mixture of up-timers and down-timers. All this sets the scene for the longest story in the book.

Part 4. The Ram Rebellion. In Franconia, a schoolteacher has been reading "Common Sense" by Tom Paine. He also finds the Brillo stories interesting. The farmers in Franconia (and Thuringia for that matter) have a history of dissent concerning serfdom and Mike Stearns has hopes of getting some fundamental changes made in the way that Franconia is run as a result of a farmer's rebellion of sorts. He neglects to include this in the briefing given to the civil servants sent down to administer Franconia although Johnny F. and Noelle Murphy, among others have an effect on the schoolteacher's "Ram rebellion".

I think that this book gives useful background about developments outside of the main geo-political story where the greater history of Europe is taking place. Franconia is a local area where things are happenning to local people. I've only given it three stars because although it is entertaining and fleshes out the story-line I think it is an optional addition to the main story of Grantville in the Thirty Years War.

Anyone who gets into the series to the extent of The Grantville Gazette and Baen's Bar in the internet will probably find this book a useful addition to their entertainment.

Notably better than average but not really outstanding.......2007-03-07

As the author says this is an oddball. It isn't an anthology of commonly themed stories in fact there are 4 very different sets of stories. It isn't the type of book where the main author writes a skeleton and guests fill in appropriate stories as is seen in Science Fiction and in The Academy: Tales of the Marketplace by Laura Antoniou (BTW read my review before considering purchase). Instead it is a crazy quilt of stories which illustrate the Americans interactions with the native Germans. The first third of the book has three main themes: German land law and how to deal with it (Birdie's struggles to buy more land for his farm), Brillo and how he (a Ram) becomes a symbol and celebrity and lastly in A Night at The Ballet how the American ballet teacher overcomes snobbish attitudes of the German upper crust and Nobles. The last two thirds of the book is set in Franconia which is classically set up for a disaster. The Americans (called the NUS for now) administer it; but only the Catholic parts (Gustavus Adolphus' Protestant allies are exempt). Unfortunately Catholics and at least some of the Protestants are intermixed and the NUS has no real forces to enforce authority. When the rebellion starts the cheif leader calls himself "Helmut speaking for the Ram" having recently read a copy of Doc Smiths Galactic Patrol. The attempts of the Americans to figure out his motives are amusing. Also is the fact that the rebels choose Brillo as their symbol. While this is a pretty good read it isn't as coherent as it could be with a lot of threads and different characters as well as writers leading so some inconsistencies.

Shards of a Broken Crown (Serpentwar Saga, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended!
Conclusion of the Serpent War Saga
Liked it
Doesn't have the good grace to lie down and die
This the saga has ended just in time

Shards of a Broken Crown (Serpentwar Saga, Book 4)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380789833

Amazon.com

Shards of a Broken Crown is the final installment in Feist's hugely popular Serpentwar Saga--the first three books are Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, and Rage of a Demon King. Winter is breaking, and the Emerald Queen's defeated army, led by a treacherous villain, plan a horrific final battle against the realm. Favorite characters like Pug, Roo, Duko, and Miranda return in this tale of the devastation of war in a land of magic.

Book Description

The demon is no more. The enemy has been routed. But all is not well . . .

Winter's icy grasp is loosening on the world. The Emerald Queen's vanquished army has its broken back to the Bitter Sea. And treachery is its only recourse.

A lackey has declared himself Lord of the defeated, amassing the still fearsome remnants of a ruthless fighting force together for one final assault on a weakened, vulnerable realm.

For the warriors who remained steadfast against terrible numbers, for the courageous souls who barely survived a devastating onslaught upon their homeland, the time to rebuild and renew has not yet come. The war is not over in Midkemia. And Jimmy and Dash—two young noble brothers who stand at the center of a gathering storm—are impelled to action that could secure a tenuous peace . . . or turn triumph into catastrophe.

The demon is no more.

The enemy has been routed. But all is not well . . .

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended!.......2006-04-13

In this sequel to Rage of a Demon King, author Raymond Feist takes us back to his magical world of Midkemia. With the defeat of the Demon King, it appeared to all that all that was left was to roll up the remnants of the foreign army. But, the world is now a changed place, and old threats are ready to reassert themselves. And worse, something dark is left over after the fall of the Demon King, and swords and daggers won't be enough to resist it.

Overall, I thought that this was a great book. Yes, it does not have the scale of the earlier books of the Serpentwar Saga, but it still has a lot of action and adventure, not to mention a really great part that pits the great magical powers of Midkemia against their greatest foe.

So, let me just say that if you are a fan of Raymond Feist, you will find this book to be another great addition to your Feist library. And, if you are a fan of great fantasy literature, then you will also love this book - just make sure you read the other books of the Saga first. I give this book my highest recommendations!

Conclusion of the Serpent War Saga.......2006-03-30

Shards of a Broken Crown is book 4, and the conclusion of The Serpent War Saga, by Raymond Feist. This book picks up right where Rage of a Demon King left off and finishes up the tale of the Kingdom putting itself back together after the war. Now, if you have not read any other book in this series do not read this one. In order for this book to make sense you need to read the first three book, actually, in order for everything in this book to make sense you really need to start with the Rift War Saga the first book of that is Magician: Apprentice. Then the entire story arc will make more sense and be much more satisfying to the reader.

Overall I have mixed reviews about this book. There are many aspects I like, while there are still a few things that didn't sit well with me. For fans of Feist this is a typical work of his. The plot moves along at a good pace and keeps the reader interested, and there is a fair amount of character development as well. I have read several reviews of people who were disappointed in this book and some that think this was a waste of a book. If you consider how much happens in this book it's not a waste at all. But, I think I understand why people are not `happy' with it too.

This book is first and foremost about plot. There are many plot elements that Feist needed to include in this book to be able to make the just to his next set of books, The Conclave of Shadows trilogy. There are quite a few plot lines within this book and I won't rehash all of them, plus one or two would be spoilers and I won't do that. Suffice it to say that this plot is engaging and well thought out and certainly accomplishes what Feist was planning. To say anymore than that would ruin parts of the story though.

The character development in this book is again where Feist shines. Although this book is about moving the plot, the characters shine through at times. The biggest areas of development are Jimmy and Dash, two fantastic characters that really come into their own in this book. Also, the character of Prince Patrick fleshes out nicely. Erik Von Darkmoor has a strong presence as well. Actually, I could probably keep listing character after character, as Feist did a good job of moving each of them along, which is quite the feat considering how many characters are in this book.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book. I thought it was a fun read and stayed true to the characters. However, the ending disappointed me a little. It almost seemed like Feist was running out of room and quickly tied up all the loose ends as quickly and succinctly as possible. It doesn't really take anything away from the book, but it just doesn't `feel' like a Feist ending to me.

Fans of Feist's earlier work will want to read this just to complete that part of this grand story. People who are looking for some new fantasy to read should really start with Magician: Apprentice and go from there. Feist writes wonderful fantasy that is sure to please a broad spectrum of readers. I can't recommend his work enough.

Liked it.......2006-02-26

The first time I read this, I didn't like it. It had it's moments but it didn't star my favorite characters much from the first three. Mainly just the borothers Dash and James. But after reading it seveal times, I grew to like them and there are definitely superb moments in this work to get the blood stirring. Great book!

**A book I would also recommend is The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. This, the first installment of The Morcyth Saga is a great beginning for a new author. Battles, magic, gods, secret passages and intrigue, all the elements of a classic epic fantasy! Any fantasy reader will enjoy it

Doesn't have the good grace to lie down and die .......2004-09-24

This is one of those books where you sit and think to yourself "Gee if the author had just stopped at the previous book thing would have been cool."

No that would have been too easy instead this book stumbles along kinda half-baked while there are a few fun moments such as with Jimmy and Dash and their chocies in life this book is totally forgetable. Its a shame really..the chausm between the first and fourth book as a mile wide when you take into account like things like plot and charecter development.

Overall-if you thought this book was bad don'tgo any further Feist only compounds his errors in the next two books.

This the saga has ended just in time.......2004-07-27

The last book of the Serpent war is maybe not the best, but it is a satisfactory ending to the story, albeit a bit off balance if you compare it to the to-the-pointness of the earlier three. Feist should not have steered the plot into deeper and deeper evil to be vanquished, and the part of the battle with the final evil is downright poorly written. The unimpressed way the heroes deal with that cannot bring up any suspense at all.

Not that I think he will read it, but still a word of advice to Mr Feist: beware of the automatic pilot! Either end the story, or open up new threads that are worth developing, but don't introduce subplots that only last for 30 or so pages just to throw in yet another demon. not in a 2000 page saga anyway.

The Crystal Shard: The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Part 1 (Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt, Book IV)

Average customer rating:

Salvatore's original foray into The Forgotten Realms
Drizzt
A book that will surely keeps you attention
This book is pretty good, but its the ones that come later that shine
Good Start of a Great Series!

The Crystal Shard: The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Part 1 (Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt, Book IV)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786936134
Release Date: 2005-03-10

Book Description

The fourth in a series of premiere hardcover editions of Salvatore's classic dark elf tales.

This new release of the classic R.A. Salvatore novel continues the classic tale of Salvatore's signature dark elf character Drizzt Do'Urden™. Although this was the first title actually published about Drizzt, it has now been placed in its proper chronological order as fourth in the series. Each title in the Legend of Drizzt series showcases the classic dark elf novels in new, deluxe hardcover editions. Each title will feature all new cover art and new introductions written by those who have become familiar with Salvatore and Drizzt over the years.

Customer Reviews:

Salvatore's original foray into The Forgotten Realms.......2007-08-20

Series review: The Icewind Dale Trilogy

Yet another excellent series by R. A. Salvatore, set in the Forgotten Realms genre. Some have criticized it for being rather derivative (i.e., Wulfgar the Barbarian = Fritz Leiber's Fafhred, Bruenor the Dwarf = JRRT's Gimli, Regis the Halfling = JRRT's Merry Brandybuck, etc.), but I was able to enjoy the series despite those parallels.

It's not Lord of the Rings, but it's still enjoyable none the less ... and it ranks high among the growing plethora of novels set in the Forgotten Realms sub-genre. Fans of the D20/AD&D (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons) gaming system (by Wizards of the Coast) who like simple, straight-forward fantasy action, with plenty of familiar spells, familiar monsters, and familiar magic items, will enjoy this series.

Salvatore's popular character, Drizzt, makes his first appearance in this series.

Drizzt.......2007-08-13

At first this story seemed to imaginative but later on after everythings been introduced the story realy begins. I would recomend this for the heavy science fiction fantasy reader.

A book that will surely keeps you attention.......2007-08-09

It is incredible to see such good work to be continued and keep up the same level of criativity and originallity.

R.A. Salvatore starts this huge story about Drizzt Do'Urden and the Forgotten Realms with the Dark Elf Trilogy and carry on with the Icewind Dale Trilogy, which starts with this book. Not only is the story so full of events and very well written but also is incredible how this trilogy continues the story and is one great story at the same time!

What I want to say is that even though you haven't read the Dark Elf Trilogy, you can read this book and you will understand the whole story this trilogy tells you. But, if you read the Dark Elf Trilogy, you will that this trilogy does continues the story and adds much more to it. A deep plot, excelent dialogs and very well develop characters make this book very interesting and will surely keep you attention until the end.

By the time you finish reading this book, and the other two books in the Icewind Dale Trilogy (Stream of Silver and the Halfling's Gem), you will want to buy the Legacy of the Drow, which is the trilogy that carries this story further on (Legacy of the Drow consist of three books - The Legacy, Starless Nights, Siege of Darkness). And, when you finish the Legacy of the Drow, you definitely will want to read the Quadrilogy (i wonder if this word exists hehehe) Path of Darkness, which will lead this huge story (with a very deep plot) to an end.

Well, not a real end... because you also have the Hunter's Blade Trilogy, which also features Drizzt Do'Urden and his friends.

Enough said, this book is a must if you are already a fan, and if you are beggining to read this kind of literature, R.A. Salvatore is one of the best writers and this is part of his most famous work (The Legend of Drizzt, which consists of 13 books).

This book is pretty good, but its the ones that come later that shine.......2007-07-12

Ignoring chronological order, my first R.A Salvatore experience was with the Legacy of the Drow collection, so when I went back to read all the books in order, I was a little disapointed with this.
While a very interesting read, this first book is litle more than your standard fantasy book, full of battles, goblins, orcs and the like. However it does set the groundwork for some greater novels ahead.
So do buy this book, but dont let its simplicity cheat you out of the later books to come. There is much more depth in the later books and they are why R.A Salvatore is a such a well known author.

Good Start of a Great Series!.......2007-07-09

I love this book! I've reread it so many times over the last 17 years, and still enjoy it. It is the book that introduced me to the worlds of fantasy, and left me thoroughly addicted. Drizzt will forever be one of my most favorite characters of fiction.

This is the first book that Salvatore wrote in this wonderful series. It may not be the strongest link in the chain, and to fully appreciate the storyline and character development you need to continue reading the rest. There are three things I enjoy about his books: The detailed portraits he draws of the different communities of his setups, the way small events twist and turn to meet at the end for a good ending, and his description of battle scenes, especially big ones!

I read some reviews that accuse the book of being a Tolkien rip-off, and that's too harsh. They should give the book a break and not drive away potential readers with such comments. The similarities that they may be referring to are minor. Also, there is something that must be taken into consideration here in defense of the book: It was Salvatore's first book, as an aspiring new author, and who may I ask, in the field of fantasy has not been affected by Tolkien's classic masterpiece?? In later books, the story and characters evolve and Salvatore's true style shines through his work.

The new cover art by Lockwood, is amazing! I actually bought second copies of all the books just for that! Finally an artist who does Drizzt and the other characters justice! Some of the covers of the previous editions were hideous to say the least!! How could publishers stick just any picture onto some author's hard work?

Oh, and the jagged edges of the pages look and feel really cool!

I recommend that you give it a try: everyone has a different taste and nobody can really tell you whether you'll like it or not. If you hate it, just put it aside... but if you like it, it will open the doors to Salvatore's world, with many books to keep you entertained for the next several months!

Average customer rating:

A varied collection for fans of the Crimson City series
3 stars
Crimson City is Back!!!Yeeeesssss!!!
Glad the crimson series has continued
Was wrth the wait,but...

Shards of Crimson (Crimson City)
Liz Maverick , Patti O'Shea , Carolyn Jewel , and Jade Lee
Manufacturer: Love Spell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0505527103

Customer Reviews:

A varied collection for fans of the Crimson City series.......2007-03-04

The Crimson City series, created by Liz Maverick, is set in Los Angeles in the future when humans share the city with Vampires, Werewolves, Mechs and Demons. "Shards Of Crimson" has four short stories by Liz Maverick, Patti O'Shea, Carolyn Jewel and Jade Lee set within the Crimson City world and focusing on secondary characters from the earlier books. It's not necessary to have read any of the full-length novels to enjoy these stories but it can help to understand the background setting and some of the characters if you have.

"A Time To Howl" by Liz Maverick is the first story and it covers the Rogues, a breakaway group from the main power structures of the city, comprising a werewolf Tajo, vampire Hayden and two humans Jill and Bridget. They work as mercenaries but find that they have been set up, when watching the main vampire headquarters, as someone tries to kill a princess of the Werewolves, Gia, who is about to be given as bride to one of the vampires. Tajo the Werewolf ends up taking her hostage to keep her safe until they find who is trying to kill her. Of course Stockholm Syndrome does its work and although Tajo is a rough and ready man and not fit for a princess nature takes its course and the pair of them have to face up to the vampires.

Readers of this story would probably benefit from having read "Crimson Rogue" by Maverick as there are a lot of characters whose backstory we never quite fully understand. Although a good read with some moments of action there are also some unlikely plot devices and the relationship between the protagonists seems rather one-dimensional.

"DX" by Carolyn Jewel was a very different story, focusing on Hell Marshall, recently sacked from her job at Internal Operations in Crimson City following her relationship with a vampire, Tuan Ng. Hell is brought back to the team on a one-off basis to investigate a demon killing - the demon (the most dangerous kind, a Bak-Faru) almost killed Tuan and as Hell knows Tuan it is thought she will have most success with the investigation. She's partnered with Agent Jaden Lightfeather and very quickly their hormones start flying. However it soon becomes apparent that enemy and friend are somewhat confused and Hell has to decide who to trust - whether an evil demon can in fact be safer and more trustworthy than a friend.

This story had some interesting events and the underlying themes of the nature of trust and evil gave this story more depth. Hell knows that the hero has evil in him, she senses it, and yet she can also tell that he will protect her - it's unclear whether she's actually sold out for a handsome face and whether she will be happy with her future life but the tensions within the story make it a fun ride. This story worked well as a stand-alone and could be read without knowing any of the other Crimson City series as all necessary backstory is woven into the narration. It's an enjoyable read and very different from the preceding book in the collection.

The third book, "School Bites" by Jade Lee, was a particularly good contribution. Toni Freedman is a schoolteacher at a Middle School in Crimson City but her whole life is turned upside down when trying to break up a student fight. She is accidentally bitten by a young boy who has turned werewolf for the first time. Although applying the antidote it soon becomes clear that it hasn't worked and the school principal, John Wong, takes her home - getting rather more than he had bargained for in the process. Wong tries to train Toni in how to deal with being a werewolf - he is a Druid and has some skills in helping werewolves to keep control of their natures - but there is a definite deadline; if she doesn't show up at school on Monday everyone will know that she's a werewolf and she will lose her job. But things aren't as easy as they seem and when Toni returns to the school the secret is out - but it's not just her secret. Toni learns a great deal more about her fellow-teachers and students and what the school is actually about, as well as learning what it means to be a feared minority.

The themes of this story, although about otherworldly creatures, relate just as well to our world and that is part of the strength of this tale. ExcIusion, lack of acceptance and fear of otherness are all things that Toni faces, along with her doubts about her own strength and control. We meet the two main characters in the full-length novel "A Taste Of Crimson", Keeli and Michael, but this story works very well without any background knowledge of the series. It's a good read with some interesting points but may have benefited from being longer so that Toni's relationships with her school children, with Wong and with the werewolf community of which she is now a part could have been more deeply explored.

The final story is "Dark Awakening" by Patti O'Shea and is significantly shorter than the rest. It follows Kimi Noguchi, a young lady who has a crush on Nic, a demon and the half-brother of her cousin Mika. Nic seems to be avoiding her but she discovers eventually that he has been warned off her. Kimi is aware that she is a kijo, a special type of human and that she will gain some extra powers through training, but she doesn't realise that being a kijo is dangerous for her. At this stage of her life a demon could strip her of her powers - and Augustin, a Bak-Faru demon, is planning to do just that. Kimi enlists Nic's help to protect her from the demon but how can he do so when Augustin has already killed Nic's father and bested the son?

This was an enjoyable little story about the differences between humans and demons and the evil nature of some demons. Nic is aware that he could be dangerous to his soulmate as well and has been avoiding her to keep her safe from himself - although he breaks his own rules in due course. In such a short story it wasn't really possible to fully explore the characters of the protagonists but we do see Kimi growing up and beginning to understand what her status as a kijo means. This story worked on its own although the names and types of demons could be confusing initially. It's an interest read but the denouement between Kimi, Nic and Augustin seemed over rather quickly at the end.

These stories are all worth reading but all also suffer from the disadvantages of the short story format - it's hard to really find depth in, understand and sympathise with characters whom we barely get to know before the story ends, particularly as the sex between the main characters always seems to take up an inordinate amount of the word count, leaving much less for actual plot and characterisation. This book is probably one for the fans of the Crimson City series although it is also a great way to sample the writing of these four authors.

Copyright © 2007 Helen Hancox for Curled Up With A Good Book

3 stars.......2007-02-03

*** Los Angeles is the City of Fallen Angels in the Crimson City series. Now, in a follow up collection of stories to the successful shared world saga of 2006, four authors spin new tales of cross-cultural love in this dangerous land. If Romeo and Juliet had fangs or were prone to sprouting fur, they would fit right in here. Jade Lee provides the highlight of the anthology in her story of a human teacher who accidentally becomes a werewolf. The light humor of the story stands in marked contrast to the characteristic edginess of Crimson City overall. Fans of the series will not want to miss this final entry. ***

Amanda Killgore

Crimson City is Back!!!Yeeeesssss!!!.......2007-01-31

This return to Crimson City was absolutely wonderful. I would be very hard pressed to pick a favorite short story here because each one delivered a punch in the arm that keeps the reader turning pages. I'm keeping this review short. BUY IT!!!! BUY IT!!!!! BUY IT!!!!

Glad the crimson series has continued.......2007-01-22

I am so glad there are more books in this series. After reading the original ones, I disliked leaving that universe, particularly when I have gotten all the species and players sort of down.

This book was a delight. I was feeling a bit sad when I started it, and was cheered right up. Four great romances were just what I needed to feel good again. All were really good and I have difficulty choosing my favorite. The first by Liz Maverick probably is my pick, but the last by Patti O'Shay is close. All were good though. This book is well worth buying. I encourage all readers to buy it new to encourage the publishers to keep printing the series.

Was wrth the wait,but..........2007-01-10

...I would have rather some of the stories been longer. I hope this is not the end of the series. The authors could go a long way with this series. The don't need t end it. PLEASE don't end it!!! I have all the other books on my keeper shelf and will add this one. But, I was not able to give this one five stars because I just didn't enjoy all the stories as much as I hoed I would. they were good, but not great. Still a keeper, so I have the set.

Average customer rating:

Essential reading for fans of the Ring of Fire series.
Brilliant idea
Ring of Fire on fire
Essential background for 1633
A great addition to the franchise

Ring of Fire (Assiti Shards)
Eric Flint
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416509089

Book Description

The battle between democracy and tyranny is joined, and the American Revolution has begun over a century ahead of schedule. A cosmic accident has shifted a modern West Virginia town back through time and space to land it and its twentieth century technology in Germany in the middle of the Thirty Years War. History must take a new course as American freedom and democracy battle against the squabbling despots of seventeenth-century Europe. Continuing the story begun in the hit novels 1632 and 1633, the New York Times best-selling creator of Honor Harrington, David Weber, the best-selling fantasy star Mercedes Lackey, best-selling SF and fantasy author Jane Lindskold, space adventure author K. D. Wentworth, Dave Freer, co-author of the hit novels Rats, Bats & Vats and Pyramid Scheme (both Baen), and Eric Flint himself combine their considerable talents in a shared-universe volume that will be a "must-have" for every reader of 1632 and 1633.

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for fans of the Ring of Fire series........2007-03-30

I'm tempted to give this anthology 5-stars (which no anthology I've ever read has received). The majority of the stories here are fantastic and add significantly to the overall story behind 1632/1633. Only two or three of the stories (out of ~13) failed to impress me much and bring down the overall appeal of the book, but they are pretty short and shouldn't hamper anyone from enjoying the whole. Eric Flint's reasoning for promoting this book is sound. These stories help flesh out the characters in and around Grantville, introducing headline characters from future books and giving the reader a better grasp of the overall situations in the 30 Year War. Most of the stories take place around the same time as 1633.

Besides being enjoyable and fun to read, these stories accomplish the important task of progressing the overall story behind the series. Especially the last (and longest) story, written by Flint himself, which tells of the initiation of hostilities with Emperor Ferdinand and the alliance with Wallenstein to free Bohemia from Spain. Other stories fill in what happened in scenes that you were not privileged to in 1633, such as In The Navy, by David Weber, where you witness the recruitment of Simpson and the founding of the Navy.

Fans of 1632 and the following books should definitely take the time to read this book. It'll enhance your overall understanding of the situation and bring the characters into fuller life.

Brilliant idea.......2006-10-18

A brilliant idea: both this book and the new series of which it is a part. All red-blooded Americans will like these stories, and probably many Germans, too.

This is a better reading book than Flint's "1632" or "1633." Those are the novels that introduced the idea, of a bunch of small-town West Virginians mysteriously transported back to 1632 in south German lands in the middle of the misery of the Thirty Years War, into a series. This volume is the first to consist of a number of short stories and a novela, each one focused on a single topic or set of characters that are much simpler to understand than the novels. The argumentation or plots are short and tight here. Each story is an entire capsule, rather than open-ended threads (as in the novels), within a saga that is gradually spreading to encompass (and rewrite the "history" of) all of Europe, and equally difficult to integrate. The "main line" of novels sprawls a good bit, each juggling numerous parallel threads--like real history-- which will all, hopefully, link up some day. In this collection we get entire stories of how some line of innovation got started after the Americans arrived down-time, such as naval ships, the dye industry, religious rapprochements, telegraphy, infiltration, and the propagation of the American way, seen as the only route to survival. The idea is a bit like Twain's The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, but now for an entire town of 3500 facing and adapting to the brutal challenges of a strife-torn Europe.

The brilliant innovation of the series is its structure. Besides the novels, written by the creator Eric Flint and picked collaborators, Ring of Fire begins a line of anthologies that fill out the big picture developed in those huge novels. This anthology is not the usual passel of authors riffing on someone's created world, each in their own inimitable but clashing styles. It includes stories set in the world of "1632" submitted by unknown authors over email, taking advantage of an intense online community that has grown for the further development of this world. They produce a coherent collection of disparate stories, but linked by style and consistent background events, thanks to Flint's strong editorial hand and the cooperation of the writers. Significantly, some stories provide the backstory of major characters seen in the novels, while others show the contributions of minor characters to the fight for survival. Most remarkably, new characters are also introduced who will be allowed to become leading actors in the future main line novels. This series is a truly collaborative enterprise; the many authors of this anthology are not merely guest writers. Their stories spin in to, not spin out from, Flint's world of "1632." This structure is very generous, excitingly productive, and is unique in my reading experience.

While the novels contain major military actions, as one might expect from Flint's other books, this volume concentrates mostly on a great variety of civilian matters vital to the survival and then expansion of the community. The prose is so-so, quite literal, and just drives staight ahead. There also must be lots of pedantic history necessary to make sense of the specific problems and situations addressed here. Although this book should be read after "1632," the stories are not confined to a time line, and so can be read alongside any of the "1634: xx" novels. The Assiti Shards moniker has nothing to do with the series at present, but may eventually explain the mysterious initial time travel element.

Ring of Fire on fire.......2006-09-01

I actually enjoyed this more than the main stream books. The more focused vinettes showed how the events effected not just the main characters, the the subcharacters and showed that each person would have their own point of view.

While it is mostly positive, here and there the darker side of human nature comes through.

Essential background for 1633.......2006-08-06

"...about the correspondence, we seem to have exhausted the real fruitcakes, but Al Green got a doozy this morning. Did he tell you? ...well, word got around that he's the Reverend Doctor Al Green, and so he's gotten a letter from the Earl of Carlisle's secretary. Apparently the earl's in Paris, helping Ussher with his researches, and does the reverend doctor have anything that might help?"
"*That* Ussher?...Reassure me Al's not going to send him anything."
"Well, I offered him my copy of Hawking..."
- Rev. Jones and Father Mazarre, "Between the Armies"

These aren't free-standing stories; several are part of the essential plot development of the 1632 universe, and some cover key incidents forming the background of 1633 and 1634: THE GALILEO AFFAIR.

Allen, Deann and Turner, Mike: "American Past Time" How baseball began catching on in the reborn United States, starting with Billy, a high-school senior who considers himself the only hard-core fan and player in town (who'd probably have tried to pitch for the major leagues uptime). Split between pickup games with Grantville's immigrants and Billy's regular life, split between school, working for his dad, and freelancing on a farm.

Boyes, Walt: "A Witch to Live" A Jesuit, having written a controversial book opposing witchcraft trials, is assigned by his bishop to see justice done in the trial of the daughter of a once-respectable family, and when she flees to U.S. soil, he follows to bear witness to her retrial.

Cresswell, Jonathan and Washburn, Scott: "When the Chips Are Down" The Four Musketeers seeking a way around a central European prejudice against eating potatoes (seeing them as food for livestock rather than people).

DeMarce, Virginia: "Biting Time" Gretchen's formidable grandmother Veronica, and how her appointment for being fitted with false teeth led (through her handling of brats at the dentist's office) to her own bit of private enterprise.

Dennis, Andrew: "Between the Armies" How Jules Mazarin and lapsed Jesuit Father Heinzerling became involved with Grantville, and how Father Mazzare decided how to cope with the differences between the 21st century Church and that of 1632.

Donahue, Greg: Gerd, a former member of Tilly's army living in Grantville, has "Skeletons" in his past - ex-associates who have infiltrated the refugee camp looking for pickings.

Dorsett, Jody: A group of religious refugees sends an emissary to Grantville, who strikes up an alliance with someone with a different definition of "The Three Rs".

Flint, Eric: "The Wallenstein Gambit" occupies about a fifth of the book and introduces a major storyline as the badly wounded Wallenstein offers a deal in exchange for alliance and medical treatment: his help in preventing a massacre of Jews in Prague. Some exploration of the social complexities of a Jewish community in the Europe of that time.

Freer, Dave: "A Lineman for the Country" The mine's only switchboard operator and the town's telephone repairman can see that their old state-of-the-art equipment needs to be "downgraded" to something that can be maintained, but they lack the political skills to make it a priority with anyone else. Enter one of Mackay's couriers, prepared to appreciate anything that'll spare him days on horseback, and who has the people skills Ellie and Len lack.

Jones, Loren K.: "Power to the People" How the crew at Grantville's power station coped with the Ring of Fire, particularly the three staff members stranded without their families.

Lackey, Mercedes: "To Dye For" introduces leftover hippie and practical chemist Tom "I made LSD in the sixties" Stone and family with the story of how Stoner managed to persuade his prospective father-in-law of his suitability.

Pedersen, Anette M.: "Family Faith" suffers in the short form, as the family relationships of the protagonist - an excommunicate Jesuit in a largely Protestant noble family, seeking knowledge of young relatives lost among the refugees of the war - constitute most of the story, and are presented via exposition to an old family friend who should already know the facts.

Viehl, S.L.: "A Matter of Consultation" Introducing Charles Stuart's personal physician, William Harvey (key background to _1633_), local healers of various types (including "witches") and how they get on with uptime healers.

Weber, David: "In the Navy" (foundation of Grantville's naval shipyards and navy) Eddie Cantrell of "the Four Musketeers" - the young wargamer enthusiasts who have the best library of military history in Grantville - is the quartet's naval specialist in game design, but that doesn't trump the real experience of the most experienced ex-navy man in town: John Chandler Simpson. Decent character development of Simpson: competent administrator as an ex-CEO, experienced combat officer who knows how to explain things to another military man.

Wentworth, K.D.: "Here Comes Santa Claus" (December 1632) Doesn't seem to dovetail with "The Wallenstein Gambit", despite Flint's remarks to the contrary, but it's cute. Julie McKay is organizing Grantville's first annual post-Ring of Fire Christmas party, and can't get any uptimers to play Santa Claus (or much hard data on local Christmas customs). Spies (including Pappenheim, seeking the sniper who shot Wallenstein) sneak into town left and right and get very confused.

A great addition to the franchise.......2006-05-12

Fans of 1632 and 1633 will definitely enjoy Ring of Fire! Eric Flint follows the path of many previous writers, allowing various authors to "explore the alternate history" he created in his previous books. The result is a welcome expansion of characters and events that helps to flesh out the story of Grantville, the West Virginia town transplanted to 30 Years War Germany. The effects of American ideals of liberty on the repressive and absolutist rulers of early seventeenth century Europe are especially enjoyable to watch!

Average customer rating:

A feel-good novel
I still remember...
Silly but serious
Flint blends premises that have been better done elsewhere
Don't miss this series if you breath

1632 (Assiti Shards)
Eric Flint
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671319728

Book Description

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE -- AMERICAN STYLE

1632 And in northern Germany things couldn't get much worse. Famine. Disease. Religous war laying waste the cities. Only the aristocrats remained relatively unscathed; for the peasants, death was a mercy.

2000 Things are going OK in Grantville, West Virginia, and everybody attending the wedding of Mike Stearn's sister (including the entire local chapter of the United Mine Workers of America, which Mike leads) is having a good time.

THEN, EVERYTHING CHANGED....

When the dust settles, Mike leads a group of armed miners to find out what happened and finds the road into town is cut, as with a sword. On the other side, a scene out of Hell: a man nailed to a farmhouse door, his wife and daughter attacked by men in steel vests. Faced with this, Mike and his friends don't have to ask who to shoot. At that moment Freedom and Justice, American style, are introduced to the middle of the Thirty Years' War.

Customer Reviews:

A feel-good novel.......2007-09-10

Occasionally it is nice to stumble upon a feel-good novel like this one. Everything always turns out well due to the cleverness of the clearly superior heroes and heroines, (our side ... the good guys) constantly out-generaling the evil baddies and always overcoming the old prejudices to win the hearts of suitors.

I couldn't take a steady diet of them. I think too much of a good thing rots the mind and soul, but if I happen to hit one occasionally, it's nice to know that, for the next 400 pages goodness will constantly prevail and I will not be troubled in my sleep by something I've read.

This type of book must be organized into a series of vignettes. In a sense, nothing really happens, but lots of incidents must take place to fill out the pages. There really is no true dramatic tension ... more like a series of challenges and puzzles.

On a technical note, there is a disorienting movement between a modern feel and a mideaval feel. For a few pages we are in an american head, then in a mideaval world feel. The author is much more interesting when he's in mideaval mode but, the process of the book seems to be one of turning everone in mideaval Europe into a grade C American novel mode of thought, so I expect that by the end we'll all be just one big enlightened American family. (I'm about half way through now.)

I still remember..........2007-08-25

I read this book in 2001 and I still remember the amazing characterizations of the principal players in the book. In fact, I have never read ANY novel, before or since, which had better or more fully developed characters. The plot is in its proper place because of that fact. And it has one hell of a plot. I've often wondered why it was never made into a movie - THAT is a real mystery to me. My favorite movies? Ordinary People, Pulp Fiction, American Beauty to name a few.

Silly but serious.......2007-08-20

The premise of this book is silly; if it isn't then, why is it so hard to explain to people without them looking at me like I am nuts?

That being said, I really liked it. It tells the story of a small town in West Virginia being transported back to the 17th century, smack in the middle of the 30 Years War. Wackiness ensues.

The characters don't spend a lot of time figuring out the why, but are confronted with the realities of living in the middle of a nasty and confused war in central Europe.They have books, TV, and guns - but they are surrounded by enemies from all sides.

Sure, I will say it is silly. But it was compelling and has good characters and very very good research. You should really check it out if you are a fan of Alternate History or Military Sci Fi.

Flint blends premises that have been better done elsewhere.......2007-07-26

Reading Eric Flint's "1632" reminded me of two science fiction works. The first is L. Sprague de Camp's classic Lest Darkness Fall, which is predicated on a similar premise: a man from the present finds himself suddenly transported to the collapsing Roman Empire, where he uses his knowledge of modern ways to change history. In this novel, however, it is not a solitary historian who is dropped into the past, but an entire West Virginia town. This gives them a significant advantage over de Camp's character, as they have tools, weapons, even a functioning power plant to provide electricity in a pre-steam engine age. The circumstances may not be quite as challenging, but the similar goals lead to a lot of fun, as the residents of Grantville find themselves bringing American values and know-how to the tumultuous struggle of the Thirty Years War.

This transformation of 17th century Germany brought to mind another science fiction tale, the Janissaries series by Jerry Pournelle. In it, a group of American mercenaries are plucked off of a hill in Africa and taken to a planet to supervise the harvesting of a narcotic plant. Like Eric Flint's West Virginians, they encounter humans from earlier ages who had been deposited there previously. Yet whereas Pournelle used this scenario to depict very human fragmentation and conflict between the mercenaries, Flint's Grantvillians present a virtuous front adhering to idealized values - a front that is perhaps a little TOO virtuous. Such an approach constricts the novel, as well as creating lopsided clashes between the united Americans and their outmatched opponents. It would have been far more interesting to depict a divided community with opportunists allying themselves with Grantville's enemies.

It all adds up to a series that is entertaining but largely predictable. Hopefully Flint and his subsequent collaborators overcame these limitations in later volumes of this popular series, which makes for enjoyable reading but left me with the sense that it could have been so much better.

Don't miss this series if you breath.......2007-07-22

--Some plot spoiling (disparate elements) follow--

Eric Flint matures as a writer to of note to be reckoned with in this rich and enjoyable (Experimental) Alternate History tale set in the crucible of the Thirty Years' War with a twist-- the collective protagonists are the towns-people of a fictional West Virginia town from the year 2000, transposed in space-time by a cosmic art accident.

By conceiving this mechanism, which the author calls an Assiti Shard (The series is inconsitently labeled as the Assiti Shards Series and Ring of Fire series on this website), historian Flint establishes a basis for expanding upon and improving the old time travel themes into a situation where he can realistically pit the varied skills and experience of a town and explore it's impact upon the larger society or societies with which it must now interact--without reverting to the unrealistic hackneyed super-hero of many tales.

The setting is significant, the Thirty Years' War ushered in the modern age in Europe (and might be considered the first World War in most respects within the Western cultural point of view) still steeped in medieval holdovers and traditions, and Flint's experiment is to shatter these (Class attitudes, authoritarian governmental traditions and involvement of the religious estate in secular matters) by opposing them with higher tech, can-do American sharpshooting hillbillies, and nearly four centuries of accumulated knowledge, not least of which is political theory of how to build a republic and make it work. Flint sets the stage realistically as the towns people respond to their new circumstance, set up an emergency government, set up a security force and begin preparing for feeding and sheltering 3,000 souls but the situation soon deteriorates--refugees from the war begins swelling the population rapidly taxing the towns resources and complicating their interaction with the environment. Soon they volunteer to defend a neighboring German town in Thuringia (part of that odd entity of a thousand years--the Holy Roman Empire) and form a strategic plan to recruit other regions into a New United States.

Along the way, the author interjects a lot of humor and good feelings, draws out tears and generates American pride. Not least among the wonders, the historical forces of the time (and thus of our current world) are exposed and laid bare, made comprehensible or characterized believably at the least. Amongst the plot elements, we meet historical figures as characters on their home turf as they react to this strange town of dangerous ideas (Work of the devil or devine miracle?) such as Cardinal Richelieu, prime minister of Louis XIII's France, and the man some credit with inventing the modern army, the Golden Lion of the North, Gustavus Adolphus II (Vasa), King of Sweden and founder of the burgeoning Swedish Empire as it ascended it's new prominence, as well as a host of more minor historical figures in the land of petty nobles taken to insane extents.

How the author mixes in these and many other elements (Jews, the Inquisition, relations between Catholics and protestants, etc.) makes for an informative and thought provoking work with much humor scattered in the mix. In fact, it spawned a movement of sorts, a widespread demand for a sequel, and the series has burgeoned since 2004 swelling to over a dozen book length works including many anthologies (example product links: Ring of Fire and Grantville Gazette III).

The success is warranted and makes for a fun re-read as well as a wonderful first experience. Successor novels have hit the NY Times best seller lists for good reason, and several websites service a large and growing base of fans and would-be writers. For much more detail on the series and it's background history, see my review of Grantville Gazette II using the See all my reviews link above (Good news--I don't do many! ).

Elfquest Reader's Collection #10: Shards

Average customer rating:

An ok representation
Do they write their good reviews themselves
No longer among my favorites
"Why is Elfquest's quality going down?"
A parting - and hope for reunion

Elfquest Reader's Collection #10: Shards
Richard Pini , Wendy Pini , Brandon McKinney , and Charles Barnett
Manufacturer: Wolfrider Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0936861428

Customer Reviews:

An ok representation.......2001-08-10

I know that for die-hard Elfquest fans, the turn to other artists is difficult. Shards is a prime example of the shift to more comic book-like writing and art. It will never compare to the original Series 1-8. However, I had prepared myself for this when, after 5 years of not picking up an Elfquest, I decided to start back up with the series. Expecting the unfamiliar style of art, as from Worldpool, I was pleasantly surprised at the art in Shards. The characters were recognizable and often strikingly like Pini's work. Her art was mixed in and it made for an adaquate and enjoyable read. Although we would all love for Wendy to be doing it all, I think this will do. But I really hope the movie is worth all this!!

Do they write their good reviews themselves.......2001-06-18

I can only assume the Pini's are writing the glowing reviews of the EQ graphic novels themselves. These books are so bad, so badly drawn, so awful, with such lousy reproduction and quality control that I can't imagine any EQ fan actually likes them.

The art looks like it came from a fanzine. It is not professional. The reproduction of the art looks like mud.

Buy at your own risk.

No longer among my favorites.......2001-06-18

EQ used to be one of my favorite works, but the series no longer has the quality it once enjoyed. My advice is to avoid later volumes and stick to the earlier books which are among the best comics ever published. The later work is embarassing.

"Why is Elfquest's quality going down?".......2000-07-13

I just want to explain to you all why this doesn't have it's former luster. You see, so many people out there think that Elfquest is dying, because other-people are doing art and stories. But you know what? You haven't seen anything yet-- EQ isn't dying, just pregnant. She's about to give birth to the next level; the Elfquest FILM! It'll most likely come out in 2002; And our beloved Wendy is behind it all the way. THAT'S why everything else is so distracted. But ya know...I give them all 5 stars anyways, because for adaptations, they rock hardcore, and besides, they're keeping us alive till '02! AYOOAH packmates! ;)

A parting - and hope for reunion.......2000-04-10

Beginning in 1990, the Pinis radically expanded the scope of the story of Cutter and his Wolfrider tribe. First, "Kings of the Broken Wheel" (reprinted in Books 7 and 8) advanced the characters 10,000 years in time - causing Cutter to have to cope, first, with the sudden loss of his family and second - after the reunion with his loved ones - with the changed, more dangerous world in which he and his tribe now found themselves: a world with more, and more powerful, humans in it. Book 10, featuring issues 8 to 15 of the "Hidden Years" series, begins the new tale of the elves' adventures in the midst of human civilization - above all, the seeds of their struggle to retake their ancestral home, the Palace of the High Ones, from the human dictator Grohmul Djun.

The first two episodes in Book 10 repeat two sections of the now-withdrawn Book 9 "Rogue's Challenge", so I will not touch on those in this review. The new story begins with the third and fourth chapters, when the elves' longtime enemy Winnowill, trying to hijack the Palace for her own ends, destroys it instead; the seizure of its shards (hence the title of the book) by the Djun and his army not only robs the elves of their safe haven, but gives the five-fingers access to its magic - a power they may turn against the elves. Cutter comes to realize that his people must war with the Djun to regain their rightful home... and that the only way to avoid the extinction of the tribe is to send away some of its members. Indeed, the distinctive element of this story is the deft union of the "smaller" personal stories - the maturation of a chief-to-be, the prospect of a new birth, an elf extending her hand to humans in friendship; a leader contemplating the second separation of his family - with the larger tale of the elves' impending battle for their lives. Though Wendy and Richard Pini did not create the artwork, they did write the script for this tale, which rings as true as any of their earlier works.

The bulk of the artwork, from the fifth chapter onwards, was drawn by Brandon McKinney. While obviously not from Wendy's pen (McKinney uses a more angular pencilling style, and draws most faces somewhat wider than Wendy does), McKinney yet shows a natural feel for the distinctive qualities of each character, and the attention to detail is admirable - not only basic figure-work but also inking and coloring are well executed. Having read the original color issues, I must say that this black-and-white reproduction gives only a partial view of the quality of the artwork. That is inevitable, since most of the scenes take place at night, and darker inks and colors are difficult to reproduce well - this being the only relative flaw of this edition.

Very little in the earlier EQ stories could have prepared readers for the new directions this series has taken; but it is just such vision - worthy of Cutter himself - that has kept up, and even enhanced, the Pinis' reputation not only as artists, but as storytellers. The theme of this book, then, is neatly summarized from a quotation from it: "Change is growth; love is never lost."

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