King of Foxes (Conclave of Shadows, Book 2)

Book Description

In the mountains of Midkemia,
a boy came brutally of age in blood and
in terror. And now he lives for one
purpose alone ... revenge!

An exceptionally skilled swordsman, young Tal Hawkins was the only survivor of the massacre of his village -- rescued, recruited, and trained by the mysterious order of magicians and spies, the Conclave of Shadows. Now one of the secret society's most valuable agents, he gains entrance into the court of Duke Olasko, the bloodthirsty and powerful despot whose armies put Tal's village to the sword, by posing as a nobleman from the distant Kingdom of the Isles. But the enemy is cunning and well protected -- in league with the foul necromancer Leso Varen, dark master of death-magic -- and to gain the Duke's trust and confidence, Tal Hawkins must first sell his soul.

Download Description

Young Tal Hawkins was the only survivor of the massacre of his village -- rescued, recruited, and trained by the mysterious order of magicians and spies, the Conclave of Shadows. Already exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship, he has since developed into one of the secret society's most valuable agents, keeping ever alert for the opportunity to arise when he can avenge the craven slaughter of his family and friends.

That time is now.

Posing as a nobleman from the distant Kingdom of the Isles, he gains entrance into the court of the Duke of Olasko, the bloodthirsty and powerful despot whose armies put Tal's village to the sword. But the enemy is cunning and well protected -- in league with the foul necromancer Leso Varen, dark master of death-magic -- and to gain the Duke's trust and confidence, Tal Hawkins must first sell his soul.

Only by swearing an oath of allegiance to his hated nemesis can Tal hope to get close enough to kill the Duke and bring his empire crashing down. But the tyrant demands that his new acolyte prove his loyalty with blood. Sent off to do his ""master's"" malevolent bidding -- each depraved mission more odious than the last -- the Talon of the Silver Hawk faces a spirit-crushing dilemma. Only through evil can his vengeance succeed, yet his alternatives are more terrible still: madness, torture, damnation, and a slow, lingering death in the Fortress of Despair.

Customer Reviews:

He did it again.......2006-10-05

Wow is all I can say. Feist did it again. He keeps the book so intresting that you can't stop turning the pages until you are done. This book had one of the best and most touching endings of all the books so far (Talons ending).

The new characters where once again outstanding. Everytime I find out the books are about new characters I'm kind of bummed because I like the other characters so much and want to hear more about them. As I read on in the new books I find I come to like the new characters just as much and want to hear more about them. Its really a vicious cycle. I have come to enjoy all of Feists main characters, Pug, Thomas, Borric, Arutha, Nicholas, Erland, Nakor, James, Eric, Roo, Dashle, Jimmy, Talon, and the list goes on and just keeps being added to.

Bravo Feist. I look forward to more.

A Solid Novel.......2006-09-29

The second novel in this series has the arch type hero Tal serving Kasper, the man he has vowed to destroy. But with betrayal around every corner and issues beyond a man hungry for power, there are plenty of things to keep this novel interesting. Feist as always writes and interesting story. While I don't think it is his best, I did enjoy it and read the entire thing in little more than a week, which is fast for me. This book wraps up Tals story and the third book shifts focus to Kasper. So if you are waiting for all 3 books before reading, you can safely read the first two and get a story from start to finish.

Fighting Galore.......2006-09-09

King of the Foxes is a most compelling sequel to Talon of the Silver Hawk.

I would even go so far as to say that King of the Foxes is one of Feist's best work yet. Though I still like The Serpentwar Saga best. Talwin is a character at least as complex and well developed as Jimmy the Hand or Arutha were in the Riftwar saga.

It seems to me that the Conclave of Shadows is indeed an example of classic Feist, the Feist we all know and love. With his classic talents for keeping his readers unaware of the next twist or turn his novel will take, and his uncanny ability to create and develope characters we all connect with on many levels, Feist once again reclaims his title as the best.

Decent bridge novel.......2006-06-13

King of Foxes by Raymond Feist is the second book in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy with the first being, Talon of the Silver Hawk and the third being Exile's Return. This book continues to focus on Talon or Talwin as he is later known. However, towards the end of the books Pug again forces his way into the story. I wish there would be a story where those `super power' characters would have very little to no involvement. It just seems that every time they show up you know things will work out for the good guy's side. As I said in my review of Talon of the Silver Hawk, if you are contemplating reading this series I highly recommend going back and reading Magician: Apprentice and those books first. The story is much more enjoyable with all that background knowledge.

The plot of this book is fairly straight forward and continues right off of where the first book left us. Tal inserts himself into the entourage of Kaspar. Of course Tal has many reasons for being there, which I will not say here because I don't want to post spoilers like others have done. There are really very few side quests in this book. It mostly centers on Tal and his quest to avenge his destroyed people that we learned about in the first book. There is not much deviation in what the reader can expect to happen. Even though I had never read this book, I anticipated about 80% of what eventually happened. The pace of the book was fine, but I didn't feel the urgency to know what happened next as I did in previous books by Feist. I don't mean this wasn't a good book just that suspense was not as present as I have come to expect from Feist.

The characters in this book are mostly the same as the first book, and they have not changed all that much either. They are still rather bland and uneventful. There was really nothing about the characters that made me want to see them succeed or fail. In past Feist books the characters were so captivating that I either rooted for them or despised them along with the characters. The characters often drove the plot, not the plot pulling the characters. To me reading this book I just felt the characters were there and along for the ride. I can easily see how these characters could have been great, but I think Feist faltered a little in this category.

Overall, I got out of this book what I expected. A solid story with some fighting and some political intrigue. Like I said above, it's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe Feist is a victim of his own success here. After writing several gems the well had to run a little dry for a period of time. Feist includes a decent cliff-hanger at the end to almost make sure the reader will finish off the trilogy (which I will certainly do). Most fans of fantasy will find this book enjoyable. There are no huge magical battles, or monsters, so if that is what you are looking for you may want to look somewhere else. However, if you are looking for a solid tale that will keep you turning pages this will certainly suffice. I would certainly not hesitate to recommend any of the Feist books to fantasy fans.

Doesn't dissapoint.......2006-06-10

Keeps a good pace and doesn't dissapoint. It is exactly what you would expect from Feist. You may want to buy the third one at the same time because you will want to continue on to finish the series by the end of the book.

Grey Griffins #1: The Revenge Of The Shadow King (Grey Griffins #1)

Average customer rating:

an entrancing read from start to finish
This Book is Not Good For Young Children
this book is awesome
The Revenge of the Shadow King
enchanting fantasy

Grey Griffins #1: The Revenge Of The Shadow King (Grey Griffins #1)
Derek Benz , and J. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0439795745

Book Description

Max Sumner and his three best friends, Harley, Ernie, and Natalia--who form the secret club The Grey Griffins--seem to be the only people in their very normal Minnesota town to notice that strange things have started to happen. When creatures like goblins and fairies and unicorns, all characters from a card game the Grey Griffins play, begin to make appearances in Max's backyard, Max and his friends know something is terribly wrong. And it's up to them to stop the wicked creatures of the cards from destroying their town-indeed, their world.

Customer Reviews:

an entrancing read from start to finish.......2007-08-19

From the first page I was hooked. I finished this book the day I received it from my younger siblings book fair. It is a great fantasy for all ages!

It starts off with the four friends who call themselves the grey griffins, and they include the billionaire Grayson Maximilian sumner III or max, Natalia romanav, Harley Eisenstein, and ernie tweeny. They all get together and play this game called round table, supposedly invented by King Arthur himself to train his knights (and soon to be a real card game come christmas!), at a shop owned by their grandfatherly-like-figure Iver. When max finds an odd book inside of his grandmother's attic room and says some magic words whispered in his head, the creatures from the round table game are unleashed to wreak havoc. so you have goblins and dragons and fairies and pixies and vampires running around, added to this you have the black witch morgan le fay, a mysterious teacher, a school mate turned blue monster, and an evil shadow king trying to destroy the world, and that is the exact recipe for a fantastic story, over flowing with action, by far one of my favorite books (yes even better than harry potter)!

This Book is Not Good For Young Children.......2007-05-17

My son is having nightmares because of this book. He found this
book in the 1-5 public grade school library and also at the school
book fairs which promotes this book.
It is not appropriate for ages 9-12, in spite of what the author says.
The front cover even give us the willies, and we're adults!
Parents beware what society is presenting to your kids!
"Secret portholes, evil goblins, magical battles, brave knights,
lost jewels, enchanted forests, and the likable heroes running for their lives.
Round Table includes character cards of strange and amazing creatures
like goblins and fairies, ten-sided dice called knucklebones

............"Come on!"........... they are trying keep the horror movie
industry alive by starting with your young kids.

this book is awesome.......2007-05-10

this book is awesome. it has so much suspence i had to eat salad wile reading. by jacob age 10.

The Revenge of the Shadow King.......2007-04-25

In this book, Revenge of the Shadow King, has a card game called Round Table. Max, the main character, has a friend named Heraly. He has a card that shows a monster on it. It said that it could betray you at any moment. The monster could injure you or even kill you. It won't just hurt you it will also hurt the people that are playing with you. Max found a book in his grandma's attic. It was called the Codex. When Max opened the book it unleashed all kinds of monsters. Max realized that the monsters that were coming out, slowly, were the monsters from the Round Table cards. Will Max and his friends be able to stop the monsters or will it be too late? Will the monsters take over the world?
I like this book because it was very interesting on what was going to happen next. At one moment you thought that this or that was going to happen. At the next it was like wow I never thought of that. I would recommend this to people that like monsters and unaccepted twists.

enchanting fantasy.......2007-03-23

this is VERY good book. I finshed it in two days (which is fast for me.)
and no this book does not use over use similes, my opinion is that the more they explain the better you picture the character. but anyway this good fantsy book that for all ages to read over and over again (I know did)

Queen of Shadows: A Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II

Average customer rating:

Waste of time and money!
Good Story but Full of Inaccuracies
Terrific historical novel
Edith the Historian
Hopelessly inaccurate, terrible ending

Queen of Shadows: A Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II
Edith Felber
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 045121952X

Book Description

In fourteenth-century England, beautiful Queen Isabella-humiliated by her weak, unfaithful husband-is emerging from the shadows to take her revenge. But her newly arrived, twenty-oneyear-old Welsh handmaiden, Gwenith de Percy, also seeks vengeance-against the English invaders who crushed her beloved Wales. Isabella's once-golden marriage is now her penance. Due to his rumored relations with men, Parliament forced Edward to share his throne-a demeaning arrangement that torments Isabella.

With the help of her secret, noble lover, Roger Mortimer-an enemy of her husband, imprisoned in the Tower of London-the queen plots to take control. Thrilled by this turn of events, Gwenith realizes that a king cannot afford to be weak-especially when his formidable, discontented queen seeks his power as her due.

Customer Reviews:

Waste of time and money!.......2007-09-14

I realize a historical fiction is fiction but usually the author does research and builds the fiction around the facts. I am not an expert and even I picked up on the inaccuracies (not just the dates, places and events but the customs, speech, dress, etc.)
I gave this book one star because of the historical figures she started with and the only good parts in this book are Isabella's interactions with Despenser. I can't say this would even be a good book if you like romance because the love scenes were not fantastic.
Over all this book is poorly written and I am not sure it's the writers fault or the editor. There's so many mistakes it's hard to read through it. The characters are weak, the plot is weak, details of the period are not that discriptive or all wrong. It's so unbelievable, it's comical. As I was reading this book, I thought if it became a movie it would be a cartoon.
If your looking for a good historical fiction, look for Sharon Kay Penman or Anya Seton or even Philippa Gregory.

Good Story but Full of Inaccuracies.......2007-06-06

First of all, the term "Majesty" was not used until Henry VIII styled himself as such a couple of centuries later. There are many other details which are inaccurate and for the avid reader of Historical Novels, (NOT historical romances) it was sometimes difficult to get past them to enjoy the story. This author was not as thorough on her research as she should have been. Two authors who ARE who I love and I have read nearly everything they've written are Margaret George and Sharon Kay Penman.
As a descendant of Edward I, Edward II and Edward III, I am particularly interested in historical fiction from this time period. The author should be aware that unlike historical romances, the readers of historical novels DO know their history.

Terrific historical novel.......2007-01-06

Queen of Shadows is a marvelous book. I liked it so much I wrote a blurb for it. I have written myself about dark ages and medieval Britain, and Edith Felber captures so well the color, the sights, the sounds, the smells of a medieval English court. Isabella (whom I had always thought to be a villainess) comes across as a strong woman who has the guts to take her destiny (and that of her country) into her own capable hands. This is the first review I have ever written for Amazon, but I didn't want potential readers to miss out on this wonderful book because of a highly dyspectic previous review. Joan Wolf

Edith the Historian.......2007-01-03

As a previous reviewer apparently does not understand, this is a work of historical FICTION. The author has chosen the parts of her research that worked best for her story. And as all historians know, historical research can find a different answer for any side of an historical argument. History books are often slanted according to the politics of the era or the author, so unless an author has a means of time travel, there is very seldom a definitive answer to historical questions.

The parts of Isabella's life portrayed in QUEEN OF SHADOWS were chosen to illuminate her strengths and weaknesses, and to pull back the curtain and show the reader a slice of her life and loves. The book was written brilliantly to reflect Isabella's effect on history, from a woman's point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed this peek behind the curtains and the theory that Ms. Felber chose to put forward, and I'm looking forward to the next book!

Hopelessly inaccurate, terrible ending.......2006-11-26

Queen of Shadows tells the story of King Edward II's wife Isabella and her Welsh handmaiden Gwenith de Percy, from 1321-27. The novel's sub-heading `A Novel of Isabella, Queen of Edward II' is rather misleading, as it's equally Gwenith's story. (But then I suppose `A Novel of Queen Isabella and Some Random Invented Welshwoman' isn't quite as compelling.)

There are many events from Isabella's life during the period 1321-30 that would have made great fiction. However, Felber chooses not to dramatise most of them, instead focusing more on the fictional and rather tedious Gwenith. Much of the novel is seen through her eyes. As a child, she made a vow to her grandmother to avenge her grandfather and other family members, killed by Edward II's father Edward I. To me, this just seems like a silly and implausible plot device which forces Gwenith to spend a large part of the novel mooning about court wondering how to kill Edward II. Who did nothing against her family, anyway, and didn't commit any `atrocities' in Wales as Felber seems to think. Gwenith isn't a horrible character, she's just very blah. So is Isabella, unfortunately; she doesn't do all that much except irritatingly proclaim `I am queen!' what seems like every five pages, whine about how badly treated she and other women are, and argue with Edward and Hugh Despenser.

In fact, Isabella's spats with Despenser, her husband's lover, are by far the best part of `Shadows'. There's genuine tension there, the dialogue sparkles, and you can feel the rivalry and hatred between them. The novel improves immeasurably every time Despenser gets a scene; he's a lecher, a villain, inordinately ambitious, and the most vivid character in the novel. Shame you can't say the same for Isabella's lover Roger Mortimer, who's dull and comes across as a bit thick, because of Felber's decision to do most of her exposition through dialogue. Therefore, Isabella has to keep explaining things to him that he'd really know, like this bit: "There are no kings in Holland. William, count of Hainault and Holland, is as powerful and rich as any king." Much of the novel's dialogue is of this `As you know, Bob' type. Another example: "Why not ask your sister Eleanor, who is wed to Hugh Despenser? She sits right next to you."

Isabella and other characters constantly - and I do mean constantly - refer to "Edward, the king", just in case the reader has forgotten who Isabella's husband is in the last couple of paragraphs. Isabella, as well as reminding everyone that she's queen every few pages, also keeps repeating "My father was king, and my brother is king!" Yes, dearie, you're royal; I get it.

Isabella herself too often comes across as a modern, politically correct woman dropped into the fourteenth century, constantly bemoaning the fact that she, as a woman, is subject to her lord and doesn't have the freedom that he does to pursue extra-marital affairs. Speaking of which, it's constantly hinted throughout `Queen of Shadows' that Edward II is not the father of Isabella's eldest child, the future Edward III. But this is never resolved. There are frequent mentions of the fact that Isabella spent time in Scotland when Edward `abandoned' her, that she had a passionate affair, that she lost the great love of her life, that Edward III resulted from "an act of sorrow and rage and sympathy".

Historically, this is complete nonsense, and it makes no sense as fiction either. As much of the novel is told from Isabella's point of view, there seems to be no good reason for constantly hinting at Isabella's affair but never revealing the truth. I see it as cheating. Maybe Felber is planning a prequel? If so, I won't be buying it. I sincerely hope that William Wallace, of `Braveheart' fame, has nothing to do with it!
And Isabella keeps sneaking off to the Tower of London to have sex with Mortimer, a prisoner there and her husband's great enemy. Puh-leeze!! As though a medieval queen of England, who had less privacy than almost anyone else in history, could possibly have done such a thing, without being found out and grotesquely punished. Nice storyline, but there's no way the queen of England could have left court without dozens or hundreds of people noticing, and certainly not by the simple expedient of wearing a hood!

I had fun picking out all the countless historical errors in the novel. I don't have space to include them all here, or even a fraction of them, but here's a handful.
- Henry of Lancaster dying of plague in 1345 - 3 years before it reached England
- the religious order the Poor Clares founded by Edward II's niece Elizabeth de Clare. They were actually founded by Saint Chiara of Assisi in 1212, as a quick online search would have informed Felber or the publisher. I snorted coffee out of my nose when I read that particular mistake!
- Edward II marrying his niece Eleanor de Clare to Hugh Despenser (his father arranged it in 1306)
- Felber gets the order of the French kings wrong - Louis X came before Philip V
- many of the dates are wrong, such as Mortimer's escape from the Tower
- Isabella commutes the traitor's death sentence on the earl of Lancaster to simple beheading, and watches him die - historically she wasn't present
- Edward III moves against his mother and Mortimer `almost immediately' after marrying Philippa of Hainault. In fact, it was 2 years and 9 months later (January 1328 to October 1330).

And on, and on, and on...many of these errors are to be found in the Afterword at the end. Did no editor check this novel? There are also lots of anachronisms, such as royalty being addressed as `Majesty' and `Highness' centuries before they really were, the king's children called `prince' and `princess' centuries before they actually were, and `Plantagenet' used as a surname well over a century too early.
Felber's plot device, that Parliament ordered Edward II to `share his throne' with the Despensers, makes absolutely no sense. Parliament had no authority to do any such thing. That's like having Congress elect a person to share Bush's presidency!
Annoyingly, the kings are always called `King Edward Second', `King Edward Third', `King Philip Sixth'. Any good reason why we're missing the `the' there?

Felber is pretty unfair to Edward II sometimes; she states that he had Jewish people murdered if they dared to set foot in England (his father had expelled them from England in 1290). There's not a shred of historical evidence that he ever did any such thing. Isabella, by contrast, is so enlightened that she secretly consults a Jewish physician. (Again, a medieval woman with 21st-century values.) Amusingly, Felber has Edward playing `lawn games' during his imprisonment at Berkeley. It's fair to say that he was treated a tad more harshly than that.

Right at the end, we get the lines "Her beloved grandson Edward was the image of his father. God willing, he'd never know that. God would forgive her for that, she knew." In a novel that frequently makes little sense, that really makes NO sense at all. Isabella's grandson Edward, the Black Prince, lived to his mid-forties. I think it's safe to say that he knew whether he was the image of his father Edward III or not. I can only make sense of it by assuming that `grandson' is a misprint for `son', and Felber meant to say that Edward III looks just like his real father, whoever he was, and not Edward II. Again, where was the editor?? Is the attitude to God's forgiveness really medieval, or modern? And why, at the end of the novel, do we still not learn who Edward III's real father was?

Of course, it's perfectly well known who Edward III's father was: Edward II. There's no doubt about that (no more doubt than about anyone else's paternity). Edward II and Isabella were together in York for a few weeks in February/March 1312, in order to conceive their son, born 13 November 1312. Isabella was definitely not jaunting around Scotland, having an affair with some mysterious Scotsman.

This novel is appallingly inaccurate, historically, and doesn't work very well as fiction either. It doesn't end. It just - stops. Things are starting to get really dark and dangerous for Isabella; her husband has been murdered, her son has been imprisoned by her lover Mortimer, and she's beginning to become afraid of Mortimer herself. This is where Isabella's story REALLY starts to get exciting and dramatic. Then, you turn the page - and suddenly it's 28 years later and Mortimer has been dead for a quarter of a century! Huh?? Isabella's story is wrapped up, except that it isn't at all, in a little over two pages. Mortimer's fate is dealt with in one line. I can only assume that Felber reached her word count, or had a pressing deadline from her publisher.

Edith Felber is better known as Edith Layton, successful writer of romance novels. This is her first foray into straight historical fiction. I only hope her next novels are a lot better than this one. And please, Ms Felber, if you choose to write about real historical figures, can you stick to the known facts next time?

Shadow Over Kiriath (Legends of the Guardian-King)

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Shadow over Kiriath
My New Favorite Author
A wonderful addtion to an amazing series
Frustration!!

Shadow Over Kiriath (Legends of the Guardian-King)
Karen Hancock
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764227963
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Legends of the Guardian King Book 3- Karen Hancock has created a beautiful and powerful fantasy series that continues to win new readers and remind them of who holds their hopes and victories in His hands. In Abramm's world, God is close to his followers, evil takes many forms, and one must believe in the light to see the darkness. While Abramm's coronation is still underway, rival leaders are already plotting their return to power.Worse yet, as the hour approaches for Abramm's marriage to the Chesedhan crown princess-required to seal the desperately needed alliance between their two countries-he finds himself deeply attracted to her younger sister. Will Eidon give Abramm ultimate victory, or will his enemies succeed in destroying him and his beloved realm?

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2007-05-14

This is one of the books by Karen Hancock in a four part series. I didn't think it could get any better after the other one but I was wrong. I couldn't seem to put this book down.

Shadow over Kiriath.......2007-03-14

This was excellent! LOVED the allegory and have applied insights to my own life (for instance, that Satan will work at discouraging us and destroying us, if we don't focus on the Lord). Wish there were more writers like Karen Hancock. Kathy Tyers is another good author. MORE, MORE PLEASE!

My New Favorite Author.......2007-03-01

Just adding my 5 stars to the average. Enjoyed this series more than Lord of the Rings, and at least as much as Dune and Ender's Game. Karen Hancock is now at the very top of my list.

A wonderful addtion to an amazing series.......2006-12-20

These books keep getting better and better. Both the characters and the plot continue to improve. It is getting a lot harder to put these books down. compared to the others this one is better with a whole lot more romance for the ladies and some great action sequences for us boys. While I usually do not fall for romance, I found myself enjoying some of it just because the way Karen Hancock writes her romance in a way that glorifies god, the type of romance that is hard to find in a world where romance is displayed in such a gross nature. I especially love it when Mrs. Hancock describes how you know when you have found the perfect one when both if put together form a perfect bond creating one being, this is definitely something not displayed in most of American culture. The only problem is I will now have to wait 4 months till the new one. What a hard wait for the ending leaves you wanting more of this fantastic series. Good job Karen Hancock! Keep it up!

Frustration!!.......2006-11-17

This series of books is ranked among the best allegorical fantasy in Christian fiction today. Karen Hancock has employed excellent plot and character development throughout the series.

The only frustration is that I have to wait till April '07 for the next book! Arrgg!! :)

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Historical or Romantic Novel for Adults
Shadow of the Pomegranate
Incredible!

The Shadow of the Pomegranate
Jean Plaidy aka Eleanor Hibbert
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0399139672

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Historical or Romantic Novel for Adults.......2005-01-18

I have read many of the novels by Jean Plaidy. Of all the ones that I have read, this is by far my favorite. Probably part of the reason it is so good is that there is so much basic plot and material there to work with. She does do a great job of capturing the personality of Katherine of Aragon and the basic history of the period. You learn a lot about the history of the time in a very entertaining way. I think this is a fantastic historical or romantic novel for most adults.

Shadow of the Pomegranate.......2001-04-02

Plaidy creates an incredible tale of deceit and trust. Katharine of Aragon meets and weds Henry the VIII of England and the two have what seems to be a marriage made in heaven. However, all is not as it seems. Will Katharine only be a pawn in the relations between her husband and her father who is the King of Spain? All of England and especially the King desperately await the birth of a healthy son from Katharine. As luck would have it Katharine suffers a series of miscarriages. Will she ever give birth to a son for her husband? Plaidy does an excellent job of keeping her readers in suspense. The character development is well done. Plaidy expertly displays both good and bad characteristics in all of her characters which allows the reader to relate. Well worth the read.

Incredible!.......1999-05-24

After reading this book, I find it almost impossible to wait while I search for the out of print ones that came before it and after it. She really weaved this plot ingeniously and brought out the personality of Katharine of Aragon.

The Shadow Within (Legends of the Guardian-King)

Average customer rating:

A definite Improvement
The best Christian fantasy adventure story in many years
Loved It!!
The Shadow Within
My New Favorite Author

The Shadow Within (Legends of the Guardian-King)
Karen Hancock
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0764227955
Release Date: 2004-08-01

Book Description

Legends of the Guardian King, book 2, from the award-winning author of Arena. Karen Hancock brings to imaginative life the supernatural battle between good and evil, the preconceptions that keep us from embracing truth, and the distortions that trick and trap us. Four years have passed since the conclusion of The Light of Eidon. Abramm has been living peacefully abroad, but when he hears of trouble in his homeland, he returns to claim the crown he thought he'd never wear. But he has many enemies, including his murderous brother. The only thing that will save him is the Light that lives within him, but to appease his critics, he hides this. Before he can fulll his kingship, he must reveal the truth and be reminded, painfully and powerfully, that his destiny can only be realized through humbly acknowledging his own weakness and the utter sufciency of the One who created his destiny in the rst place.

Customer Reviews:

A definite Improvement.......2007-09-17

Overall, this book is MUCH better then the first in the series. The Author still has a tendancy to make me speed read through long winded descriptions but most of the time the story held my interest. I actually started to like the chara's more in this story.

A new female chara is both good and bad. Madeleine is not a perfect Goddess but described as plain a number of times. PLAIN. I think God is proud of that. I have yet to read a novel (faith based or otherwise) where the main female chara is NOT descibed as beautiful. Although we do stray into stereotypical waters...I half expected a new girl to show up in this book or the next that might win Abramms heart. It seemed very Brother/sister to me. No actual chemistry was described until the last second, being rather predictable. I think I am just high maintence though, when it comes to love in stories. *sweatdrop*

The only other drawback is the ending. It feels as though it should have lasted longer.

Other qualities make up for the faults greatly. I was anxious through most of the the book to find out how Gillard would react to his return, along with every one else. After that, its the ball that makes you anxious, and then the monster, ect. We dont really get any relaxing time which is nice. It kept me reading!

The best Christian fantasy adventure story in many years.......2007-05-14

I have enjoyed the whole Guardian King series by Karen Hancock more than any of the other contemporary Christian fantasy stories I have read over the last several years. Of the four books in the series, this is the one I keep coming back to read again and again. With the background and character development of the first book to build upon this one starts with a bang right in the first chapter. I like the way the author portrays the lead character in his role as king - not a king to be served by his people but one to serve and protect them no matter what the cost to himself. Our world has long been missing that kind of role model in a king figure.

Loved It!!.......2007-05-14

Karen Hancock has a way of weaving a story with intrigue, a hint of romance, and life lessons that is amazing. I'm hoping to read a lot more from this author in the future.

The Shadow Within.......2007-03-14

How can I count the ways I love this book? I can hardly wait until the next in the series is released. Karen Hancock creates a wonderful world that I can get lost in. I read her books slowly so I can savor them. I know they will end all too soon. I love the allegory and hope that her book will make a difference in other people's lives, as it has in mine. I pray that more Christian fantasy authors like Karen will be raised up soon. I believe there is a great demand for them.

My New Favorite Author.......2007-03-01

Just adding my 5 stars to the average. Enjoyed this series more than Lord of the Rings, and at least as much as Dune and Ender's Game. Karen Hancock is now at the very top of my list.

Average customer rating:

Superb! Every bit as good as LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, and possibly better ...
Just as Good as the Rest
SHADOWS AND STRONGHOLDS IS SUPERB!
Great
Wonderful!

Shadows and Strongholds: A Novel
Elizabeth Chadwick
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312349246
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Book Description

A medieval tale of pride and strife, of coming-of-age in a world where chivalry is a luxury seldom afforded, especially by men of power.

England, 1148---ten-year-old Brunin FitzWarin is an awkward misfit in his own family. A quiet child, he is tormented by his brothers and loathed by his powerful and autocratic grandmother. In an attempt to encourage Brunin’s development, his father sends him to be fostered in the household of Joscelin de Dinan, Lord of Ludlow. Here Brunin will learn knightly arts, but before he can succeed, he must overcome the deep-seated doubts that hold him back.

Hawise, the youngest daughter of Lord Joscelin, soon forms a strong friendship with Brunin. Family loyalties mean that her father, with the young Brunin as his squire, must aid Prince Henry of Anjou in his battle with King Stephen for the English crown. Meanwhile, Ludlow itself comes under threat from Joscelin’s rival, Gilbert de Lacy. As the war for the crown rages, and de Lacy becomes more assertive in his claims for Ludlow, Brunin and Hawise are drawn into each other’s arms.

Now Brunin must defeat the shadows of his childhood and put to use all that he has learned. As the pressure on Ludlow intensifies and a new Welsh threat emerges against his own family’s lands, Brunin must confront the future head on, or fail on all counts....

Customer Reviews:

Superb! Every bit as good as LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE, and possibly better ..........2007-08-12

This prequel to LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE begins in 1148 when Fulke FitzWarin's father, known as Brunin, is 10 years old. It relates the political struggles of the times - King Stephen's final years, Henry of Anjou's (the future Henry II) challenges for the throne and the Welsh border raids.

As the author explains in the endnotes, much of the story about Brunin FitzWarin is based on a 14th Century romantic tale, sometimes called the FitzWarin romance. It should, therefore, be taken with a grain of salt. "[T]he chronicler played fast and loose with many facts," writes Chadwick, "especially with regard to the timing and placing of some of the major players."

The story is of a boy who comes of age during difficult times. It is about love, betrayal and loss, and survival.

If you like Diana Gabaldon or Sharon Kay Penman, you will probably like this book. Chadwick matches Gabaldon's skill for storytelling and romance. The history in her books is not as solid as Penman's, but you'll recognize a number of the people from having read Penman's books.

Just as Good as the Rest.......2007-01-19

Much of Elizabeth Chadwick's research is carried out as a member of Regia Anglorum, this is an early medieval re-enactment society. Her writing in recent books has become much more accomplished. She now writes about the period with the convictions of her obvious knowledge of the subject and has also made a subtle change from writing what were in effect historical love stories (nothing wrong with that) to historical novels with a love interest. Her books are now much earthier and in my humble opinion are much better for it. She has now written quite a number of books and has received many accolades for her writing.

Shadows and Strongholds is another medieval tale from the pen of Elizabeth Chadwick, an author who writes this type of book better than anyone else I can think of. The author always tries to get some sort of love interest into her novels but this should not in any way deter male readers from the book. The authors knowledge of the period about which she writes is second to none and there is plenty in her books for both male and female readers to get their teeth into.

The author's style is slowly changing, to my way of thinking for the better, but what does remain constant is her knowledge of the period about which she writes and her ability to draw the reader into the story, until they could almost be there. This is a rare talent indeed.

SHADOWS AND STRONGHOLDS IS SUPERB!.......2007-01-05

18 Aug 2004: Refers to UK Hardcover Edition

This is a medieval tale of Brunin FitzWarin and Hawise de Dinan. It begins in England, 1148 and ten year old Brunin is a misfit in his own family. He is a quiet child and is tormented by his brothers and is detested by his own paternal grandmother, Mellette. His beautiful mother, Eve, is a shy, quiet woman who doesn't have the mettle to stand up to her mother-in-law or her domineering husband, Fulke FitzWarin and therefore is incapable of protecting herself, let alone her oldest son.
Brunin's father decides that the boy needs encouragement to fully develop and sends him to be fostered in the household of his friend, Joscelin de Dinan, Lord of Ludlow. Brunin will learn the knightly arts but he must also learn to overcome his own self-doubts.

There he meets Hawise, the youngest daughter of Lord Joscelin and they form a friendship while growing up together at Ludlow. He learns to fight with Lord Joscelin, and his father for Henry of Anjou for Henry's crown against King Stephen. However, in the background, rival threats against Ludlow and Whittington become more prevalent and additional battles must be fought.

This is an extremely well-written book and delves deep into the personalities of the main characters, especially Brunin and Hawise. I felt their emotions so strongly it was almost akin to being in their shoes. A veritable page turner! I couldn't stop and was sad to see it end! Another winner for author Elizabeth Chadwick and anyone who reads her novels!

Great.......2006-08-16

The "family chronicles" was a rather popular genre between the 12th to the 14th centuries. These chronicles were written by clerics, under the supervision of the family.
One of these chronicles is the story of the Fitzwarin family, and this ancient piece was the basis for the wonderful novel "Shadows and Strongholds".

This is a story of two childhood friends and eventually husband and wife, Brunin Fitzwarin and Hawise de Dinan, and their adventures and tests of courage and love in times where nothing is for sure and everything is under threat, including the beloved castle where they both spent most of their years and where their future awaits- Ludlow castle.

This is a fascinating story, based on true facts and real characters- highly recommended!

Wonderful!.......2006-06-11

Elizabeth Chadwick's ability to create both believable characters and believable medieval settings is nothing short of amazing. Shadows and Strongholds is a romance, but it's far superior to most category romances, and really, it's superior to most historical novels in general. I can hardly wait for Chadwick's next book.

Average customer rating:

The final conclusion of the "Crimson Shadow"
Poor Oliver
The Dragon King is compelling and full of action.
Maybe a wee bit too easy...
Typical one sided drubbing!

The Dragon King (Crimson Shadow)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Aspect
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446604852

Book Description

In The Sword of Bedwyr, young Luthien Bedwyr rebelled against the crushing rule of King Greensparrow and his cruel wizard-lords. To save his once proud land of Eriador, Luthien was given a magical cape that renders its wearer invisible--but leaves behind an indelible scarlet silhouette. In Luthien's Gamble, Luthien--the Crimson Shadow--was successful in bringing Greensparrow and his forces to heel. But now the vile king is back with a vengeance. Using dark and hideous magic, Greensparrow has taken the form of a mammoth dragon--and he will not be stopped!

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Customer Reviews:

The final conclusion of the "Crimson Shadow".......2002-11-03

With this book Bob Salvatore concludes his "Crimson Shadow" trilogy - and he does it very good, however not perfect.
The battle descriptions are excellent, but frustrating, because in the whole book you want only one - with the evil Dragon King. But you must wait - it's great finish.

Poor Oliver.......2001-09-18

The Dragon King was an awesome display of drive and struggle against the oppresive dragon king greensparrow. This book was filled to the brim of a wonderfully descriptive novel with humor, victory, and a real tone of sadness. Ah my beautiful buttercup how i will forever miss you.

The Dragon King is compelling and full of action........2000-12-13

The Dragon King is the final book in the exciting Crimson Shadow saga. Luthien and the mystic wizard Brind Amour take on the mighty wizard Greensparrow in a final fight for land and freedom. 2 on 1 seems a bit unfair but Greensparrow has gathered up his council of evil wizards and sorceresses to help him carry out his evil deeds. Of course with Brind Amour awaken from his slumber Greensparrow is taking no chances and has conjured up evil demons from hell. How will this saga end? You'll just have to read it for yourself. If you like deception and mayhem in a mystical world I highly encourage you to pick up this book and read it for yourself. R.A. Salvatore does a great job in scripting the battle scenes in this book. You will literally find yourself sweating and wanting to read more as the story goes on. I gave this book and enthusiastic 4 stars.

Maybe a wee bit too easy..........2000-05-04

After waiting for a year for this book to come out, I readthrough it in just a couple of days. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoyit. But... I felt that things were too easy. It started off withour heroes preparing for what should be a suicidal battle against overwealming forces. But they're going to march on anyway, because what other choice have they? And so they do, only to discover that their overwealming opposition wants to join them in bringing down their tyrannical king. Well, that's great. Except that it happened just about every time. Things are bad, things are terrible! We're all going to die! No, wait. They're joining us! Well, we're still outnumbered twenty to one. Onto the next! If this were all that there were to this book it would easily rank as Salvatore's worst. However, it is saved by its various characters, Oliver De Bouroughs in particular. (Enrico Montoyo and Monty Python's Frenchmen indeed, Bob!) I think that if this story didn't feel rushed, I might have enjoyed it more. But I still recommend it.

Typical one sided drubbing!.......2000-04-29

Without giving away any information, It would seem that if you have read other books by this same author and subbed in the new character names, they all would be the same book. As I read thru this book, I couldn't believe that the "evil" empire is so weak and ineffective yet when the author mentions them, he uses powerful descriptive phrases.."the mighty greensparrow", the "the Great armies of Avon" etc.., yet time after time, they are decimated time after time. The "Good" side has its share of hereos, but they are all very typical...unbeatable in combat, yet each has their own unique personalities..blah blah blah. ....

Average customer rating:

Time Travel!
YA Lit for Middle School Drama Class
Gimmicky
For lovers of Shakespeare and theater
Avid use of blending the mystery of time travel

King of Shadows
Susan Cooper
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1416905324

Book Description

WHAT'S NAT DOING IN SHAKESPEARE'S TIME?

Only in the world of the theater can Nat Field find an escape from the tragedies that have shadowed his young life. So he is thrilled when he is chosen to join an American drama troupe traveling to London to perform A Midsummer Night's Dream in a new replica of the famous Globe theater.

Shortly after arriving in England, Nat goes to bed ill and awakens transported back in time four hundred years -- to another London, and another production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Amid the bustle and excitement of an Elizabethan theatrical production, Nat finds the warm, nurturing father figure missing from his life -- in none other than William Shakespeare himself. Does Nat have to remain trapped in the past forever, or give up the friendship he's so longed for in his own time?

Customer Reviews:

Time Travel!.......2007-09-18

I love time travel stories! This YA novel is great for teens who love time travel, but mostly for teens who love Shakespeare! A really well-written tale of a boy who travels back in time to the Globe Theater and stars in some of the bards best loved plays...and becomes an apprentice to Will S. himself! A really lovely story, with great characters and a tense plotline.

YA Lit for Middle School Drama Class.......2007-07-18

This is a super novel I'm using in my Drama class to prepare for reading Shakespeare. Cooper provides some good background information--daily life, the Globe Theater, Shakespeare himself--as well as theater life (actors, costumes, makeup, rehearsals, scripts). My students will relate well to the sympathetic protagonist as King of Shadows is written at a level that my ELL students will benefit from.
Mrs. Wooster, Desert Springs Middle School, DHS, CA

Gimmicky.......2007-02-03

Nat is eleven years old and has been chosen to be a member of a very exclusive boys' theater company. The company, made up of Americans, is going to travel to London to perform two Shakespeare plays at the newly rebuilt Globe Theater, modeled after the theater William Shakespeare first wrote his plays for four hundred years ago. The idea is thrilling to Nat. Ever since the death of his parents, theater has been his escape. His aunt has encouraged him to perform as a way of finding calm and comfort, and Nat has found that he has real talent in acting and tumbling.

Soon after his arrival in London, though, Nat becomes very ill. One night he loses consciousness and when he wakes up his surroundings are both strange and eerily familiar. Before long he realizes that he is still in London--but four hundred years earlier! He is a member of the theater company that Shakespeare himself writes for and performs with, and he is preparing for the same part in the same play he was to perform in modern-day England.

Nat adores William Shakespeare and loves his old English theater company, but he can't figure out what is going on and why he is here. Furthermore, he worries that after this performance is finished, he will be sent back to the boarding school where someone is sure to notice something funny about him.

The details of life in the theater were great, and I loved the characterization of Shakespeare and the way Nat interacted with him. However, the time-travel aspect seemed really gimmicky and forced, with far too many coincidences to overlook.

For lovers of Shakespeare and theater.......2007-01-17

Nat Field has been chosen along with a group of select boys to perform Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the newly-built Globe in London. The cast consists of all boys - the director wants this play to be as true to the time as possible. A different adventure begins for Nat when he awakes to find himself 400 years back in time, when the original Globe was first built!

A couple of summers ago I took part in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is the play this book mainly focuses on. I had a wonderful time reading about their preparations, costumes, and ultimately the performance. It brought back a lot of memories!

I also enjoyed reading about Nat's friendship with Shakespeare. When they acted together (Nat as Puck and Shakespeare as Oberon) the author wrote that they had a natural chemistry. And as a reader you could feel that chemistry working between them, whether they were on or off stage.

My main complaint with this book was that in the few chapters that didn't take place back in time, there was some foul language scattered throughout. I'm not sure why the author thought it necessary to make the modern-day kids and adults have bad mouths, it certainly didn't add anything to the story. Also, *POSSIBLE SPOILER* parents of young children should be warned that Nat's father commits suicide, and that scene gets just a little graphic. *SPOILER OVER*

That aside, I think King of Shadows is a well-written, intriguing peek into life as an actor during the Elizabethan time period. Anyone who is interested in history or acting is sure to enjoy it.

Avid use of blending the mystery of time travel.......2006-12-12

In the book King of shadows, I was entrapped by the main character; Nat Field. His troubled past added to my growing curiosity throughout the book and I was impressed with the author's use of such elaborate detail within the story and felt myself getting lost in the pages as the plot began to unfolded.

The authors avid use of blending the mystery of time travel along with the factual and modern day knowledge of William Shakespeare and his work; allows for children's conception of reality to be altered in an excellent book that entertains its readers enormously.

Overall I think this is an excellent book. I really enjoyed watching (or should I say reading) the growth of Nat Field from feeling helpless because of his distraught past to feeling a hero. I believe that this story enabled the reader to identify with Nat during this struggles.

The Shadow Roads: Book Three of the Swans' War (Swans War)

Average customer rating:

Yeah. Too bad.
End of a terrific fantasy trilogy.
Not the Best Effort
Out of Control
He lost me

The Shadow Roads: Book Three of the Swans' War (Swans War)
Sean Russell
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 038079229X
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

The savage war between two mighty families has ravaged the kingdom both wish to rule—spawning treachery within the ranks of the Renné and Wills, drawing the brave, the innocent, and the malevolent alike into the bloody conflict. But a far more terrible consequence has arisen from the carnage—for Death himself has been roused from his dread domain . . . and is preparing to walk the world again.

Customer Reviews:

Yeah. Too bad........2007-03-25

I loved The One Kingdom, the first book in this series. The Isle of Battle, however, gave me serious pause. I had hoped that The Shadow Roads would return to the freshness and attraction of the first, but no such luck. Sadly, I have to agree with the reviewer that The Shadow Roads only compounds the mistakes of the second book.

It seems to me that the biggest mistake Russell made was that he could not figure out on which characters he should focus. Part of what made The One Kingdom so nice was that it seemed like the beginning of a nice coming of age story with the focus on Tam and his friends. I was happy with that. The best epic fantasy is all coming of age stories of one sort or another. Unfortunately, in book 2, Russell shifts the focus to the more powerful and eternal figures.

In the third book, he compounds the mistake even further and dilutes the time and attention he gives to the Whist-- easily the most engaging and real of the eternal characters.

Finally, by book three, so many characters are introduced that it is difficult to keep them all straight, let alone care about them. Even though Tam still is given a small role at the end, it is little more than a nod to the fact that he had to be included in order to round out the series.

Like I said, too bad. I'm honestly giving this three stars instead of two because of what it could have been. I would have a difficult time recommending the series.

End of a terrific fantasy trilogy........2006-09-13

A satisfying finale!

This series by Sean Russell is one of the best fantasy reads I've had in ages. It has everything I enjoy in this genre; love, hate, betrayal, friends/enemies in unusual places, unexpected twists and turns and a liberal dose of magic throughout this work. The conclusion to this epic good versus evil struggle ends with a much anticipated and long awaited battle that will, I think, leave most fantasy reader satisfied.(and maybe wishing for more)

What separates this trilogy from so many others is the quality of the prose. Russell writes with an impressive descriptive style and is able to give us a range of characters that go from easily likable to just plain despicable(and lots in between). I found this novel hard to put down and often read late into the night.

The SINGLE negative (and loss of ½ star) for this book (and the entire series) is the fact that there is no map; a map that would have made following the travels of our heroes so much easier and enjoyable.

All in all, a great final installment for this epic fantasy trilogy. Easily recommended for all fantasy lovers. 4 ½ Stars.

Not the Best Effort.......2006-08-09

It was hard for me to believe that the Swan's War books were written by the author of Initiate Brother. The first two books were pleasant and interesting enough that I bought the third, The Shadow Roads." Unfortunately, I found that instead of reading a story about endless war fueled by the weaknesses of human character, as detailed in the first two long novels, I was reading about a supernatural love triangle, which caused endless war as a side effect. The climactic resolution was effected by characters who had less than 10 pages of development out of a thousand, and all of the subplots and story lines were revealed as irrelevant.

If I had not previously read outstanding work by Sean Russell, I would give up on this author.

Out of Control.......2006-07-09

Oh, how good you could have been, dear "Shadow Roads." You could have been awesome. Even after "the Isle of Battle" was a letdown you could have been amazing. Instead, we got everything that made the second novel bad, but twice over. Characters in the group completely disappear in the group yet again, sometimes for pages, and when they do pop up, there is almost no character to them, just a name and dialogue. Even Alaan suffers. The "whist" is so serious and plain in his delivery here that the trickster archetype that so many people love is completely removed. And the other characters didn't have a chance.

Poor Fynnol and Cynddl again. The original group of four worked so well for Russell in the first novel, he never should have expanded it beyond a couple more. Eber, Llya, Rabal, Slighthands, all those characters just never stuck like the first ones.

The other major problem of the second novel also popped up. The "are we close to him or are the others closer?" Which is just boring. It drags the pace down. The same feel can even be found in the Prince Michael part of the story. So often his is just "are we going to get caught? But no we found a hideaway. And another. And another." Argh! Its suppose to be suspenseful but its not because in Russell's world, no one dies really. Or if they do, its very anti-climatic, or they come back to life. Its worse than Jordan with the Forsaken.

The one bright point of this novel is Carrel Wills and Llyn Renne, both of which are very sweet characters. Though at times it gets too sappy with Russell's love of the melodrama. Every scene of these two is good, has been since the beginning, which is why its so bizarre that after the first few chapters they just disappear until the very end of the novel to wrap things up. Yes, they were kind of out of the action, but they could have been more involved. Especially if Torren, Dease, and some of the others would have stayed instead of going off and getting lost in the group of more interesting characters.

Novels are like chess in some ways, you have to put your pieces in the right places and you have to sacrifice some to win. Russell wouldn't sacrifice any and he wouldn't put them where they could have been useful, that was this novel's biggest weakness, and thus, the biggest weakness of what I believe could have been a great High Fantasy series.

Final Thought: Unless you are really into metaphor and melodrama, you probably should stay away from the trilogy.

He lost me.......2006-03-09

To have taken the time to read the first two books, and then to stop reading 1/3 of the way through this one is a huge disappointment to me. The book sat on my nightstand for days and days, untouched, and I finally realized I had given up.

In a lengthier review of The One Kingdom (to which I gave three stars), I said that the reader needs to know what's at stake in order to be drawn in to the story. We didn't learn what was at stake in The One Kingdom until we were well into the story, and I'm absolutely certain that Russell lost readers because of it.

My "at stake" comment applies to this book even more. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, the stakes change. Death and Time are introduced, and there is an immense fear that Death - a realized character in the second book - will escape and roam the world. Something that nobody wants to happen.

That's when he lost me. It's when he angered me. It's when I stopped reading the book, because I just didn't care anymore. When a writer doesn't let his readers know what's at stake until the last book of a trilogy, he/she has committed an "epic" mistake.

If there was some good stuff in the last two thirds of the book, well, I guess I missed it. But I don't regret it. There are only nine (now ten) reviews for this book. It seems that he lost more than this reader along the way.

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