Phaze Doubt (Apprentice Adept Series, Book 7)

Phaze Doubt (Apprentice Adept Series, Book 7)
Average customer rating:

The Worst

Should have been FAZED OUT! after book 3

Once again, an end that leaves readers waiting for more!

The fourth unneccisary book in an interesting trilogy of 7.

This is a GREAT book!
Phaze Doubt (Apprentice Adept Series, Book 7)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441662633
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Book Description

The merged worlds of Phaze and Proton face a new threat from an invading force--leaving the fate of the two planets in the hands of Nepe and Flach, two children possessing magical powers.

Customer Reviews:

The Worst.......2004-08-24

This book was a pointless 7th book to an otherwise excellent 6 book series. There are some times when giving an audience what they want is a bad idea, and giving his readers more of his Phaze and Proton characters was a bad idea for Piers Anthony. In general, the rest of the books make a good read with somewhat original storylines and some interesting twists and turns. This book is so awful, I'm ashamed to even admit I read it. Take my advice and leave off with book six, it makes a good end to a decent Anthony series.

Should have been FAZED OUT! after book 3.......2003-01-07

This and the three that precede it are some of the worst books I have ever read. I am absolutely disgusted with myself for having read them. My only consolation is that I checked them out at the library and I did not buy them. I wouldn't give 2 cents for these unless I was desperate for kindling. I kept hoping they would improve, as the first three were entertaining.

... I won't even go into the completely implausible climax. I couldn't even believe it by suspending reality.

Once again, an end that leaves readers waiting for more!.......1999-09-21

As this series winds up, veteran Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer Piers Anthony leaves his readers on the edge of a new dilemma, with so many possibilities. However, we are only left to wonder about the next few milennia on Phaze, and what is to happen on the magic side of the universe. What new challenges, and new threats, must these characters endure? For me, this book leaves more questions, and less answers, but allows the reader his own story line to follow in his own mind. Thank you, Mr. Anthony, for one last wild ride on the dual world of Proton/Phaze!

The fourth unneccisary book in an interesting trilogy of 7........1999-04-11

I'm sorry Piers for saying this but I advise any who consider reading the Adept series to ignore the last four books and keep it as a trilogy. The first three (Split Infinity, The Blue Adept, and Juxtaposition) are a wild ride through a very interesting world(or should I say two worlds?) which I recomend reading but the story, I feel was finnished with those. The last four(Out of Phaze, The Robot Adept, Unicorn Point, and Phaze Doubt), though with some interesting aspects, for the most part add needless complication to the story and are a testament to Mr. Anthony's greatest flaw, the ability to quit while he's ahead. These books only drag a good idea into the ground.

This is a GREAT book!.......1999-03-09

This is a wonderful book!!!! I think it is one of Anthony's best. Although, I do think he should write another book for this series. You should definately read this book, AND try Anthony's other books. He is a great author and ALL of his books are great too.

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

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

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ASIN: 1579902065

Amazon.com

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

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

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Especially with an all-new package.

The combined magic and technology between the parallel worlds of Phaze and Proton is not enough to save the planets from a conquering invasion. Only Mach and Bane--robot and wizard, linked between worlds--have any chance of stopping this threat.

Customer Reviews:

Confused and does not end well.......2002-10-25

Okay, time to give this book a review people can use. First, if you have not read at least the 4th and 5th books of this series, read them first. If you do not, this book is extremely confusing and hard to follow. It refers to several things that happen in the first five books, and they are integrel to the story. Also, I do not agree with the ending, it is confusing and hard to believe. Otherwise, it is an average and well-written book. A somewhat dissappointing conclusion to a series that should have ended after three books.

Yet ANOTHER Superb Book by Anthony.......2000-04-20

Thank you so much Piers Anthony for this wonderful addition to my favorite series you have written so far in my oppinion. You added so much to the characters and made me fall in love with the protagonists all over again.

A good book in a good series........2000-01-08

A good book in a good series

a good book because.............1999-04-09

I liked Unicorn Point. It continued the story in a believable way, as well as adding to the storylines and suggesting other ways for the story to go.

Great book!.......1999-02-18

A well written and fitting conclusion to "Out of Phaze" and "Robot Adept".

Average customer rating:

This Rehash Didn't Phaze Me
Try it and get hooked...
A pretty good beginning to the story of Mach and Bane.
Read this book.
One of the best books I've ever read

Out of Phaze (Apprentice Adept)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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Blue Adept (Book Two: The Apprentice Adept)

ASIN: 0441644651

Book Description

Out of print no longer: Book Four of the Apprentice Adept series--from the New York Times bestselling author.

Two worlds--the scientific Proton, and the magical Phaze--exist side-by-side. Now, Mach has crossed from Proton to Phaze, switching places with his counterpart Bane. And both must learn to survive in environments alien to their own nature.

Customer Reviews:

This Rehash Didn't Phaze Me.......2004-11-30

A tired reworking of the previous 3 books - which I thought were entertaining and inventive.

I have no evidence, but it seems as if this episode was ghost written (possibly by a 15 year old male chauvinist). Or else Piers Anthony was completely devoid of any new ideas. (one wouldn't think that an author in his mid 50's - at the time of the book's publication - would be so obsessed with pre-pubescent sex, it dominates every other page).

Of the approximately 300 pages, the first 150 are a tedious rehash of the first 3 books. Gone are the ingenious settings and situations and characters - replaced with boring characters (even more boring since they are duplicated both in Phaze and Proton) and the prurient leerings of a aging, frustrated voyeur.

It's sad when a talented author loses the spark.

If you are desperate for more Phaze, I advise checking it out from the library. My copy is going to Goodwill.

Try it and get hooked..........2000-03-15

This was my very first Science Fiction/Fantasy book. I picked this book up when I was 14 because the cover caught my attention, and I haven't stopped reading Science Fiction/Fantasy since. This is a really good book for someone new to the genre, or for younger people looking for a lighter Science Fiction/Fantasy read.

A pretty good beginning to the story of Mach and Bane........1999-10-31

This one was pretty good. After twenty years of no communication or anything between the frames of Phaze and Proton, Stile's son, Bane, makes contact with Blue's son, Mach, and they switch bodies so that they're both in each others frames in the other's body.

Then Bane falls in love with Agape from Proton and Mach falls in love with Fleta from Phaze and a bunch of problems arise.

I enjoyed this book.

Read this book........1999-07-16

"Out of Phaze" is a great novel in the tradition of Piers Anthony, mixing technology with fantasy in two interesting parallel worlds. His constant references to sex is a welcome addition, challenging the terminally sheltered and adding more tolerance to the world of fiction. A great read!

One of the best books I've ever read.......1999-06-17

I was very moved by this book. The extremes that these characters would go through for love moved me so much. Anthoney's descriptions of all details qualifies him as one of the best authors in the world. I love the way Science and Fantasy colide to make loads of adventure. This book has everything from androids to cyborgs and unicorns to werewolves and Citizens to Adepts. Your wildest dreams come to life in this wonderful book.

Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Got under my skin
Pleasant Surprise
Outstanding...Great....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More a childrens tale
Great read! Pick this one up...

Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)
Robin Hobb
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553374451
Release Date: 1995-04-01

Book Description

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

From the Paperback edition.

Download Description

As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

Customer Reviews:

Got under my skin.......2007-09-30

As others have said, it's hard to go wrong with a story about the tossed-away bastard son of royalty who is taken under the wing of an assassin. It's inherently compelling. And this book is really well written, or at least, to me it is -- the style is very clear and fast-moving. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down, and couldn't wait to hear what happened next to our hero.

Pleasant Surprise.......2007-09-14

I'm actually still reading this book, though I am very nearly finished. I, like many others, am growing frustrated waiting for the next installment of Song of Ice and Fire, and thus am sampling a vast assortment of other fantasy fiction while I wait. I won't review other novels with in this review but I will say only that I have found many lacking, even very popular ones. That said this book surprised me. I guess that I was just expecting less from it, probably because of the title. I think of 'Assasins' as being cliche with in this genre of literature. Also the paperback copy that I have is from Europe, Bulgaria specifically, though it is in English. The cover is not the simple and ambiguous one of this paperback copy but rather one that is almost embarrassing to hold while I'm on the train, or at work. It looks like a comic book. This cover is much better. I don't know how the whole series will be, but this first installment is really good and I recommend it for those of you waiting around for GRRM to give us the next installment in his five star series. At least I know that I won't have to wait for the next installment of this series. I give this four and a half stars, no forget it I'll give it Five. I'm being too stingy these days.

Outstanding...Great....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-08-26

These books are the best. The characters are so defined that it's almost like you've known them your entire life. They are so complex and so interesting that I found it very hard to put the book down for long periods of time.

As fantasy books go... this series has everything:

magic (two types actually)

talking animals (sorta)

a noble king

a usurping prince (I'm not sure if usurping is a real word)

and to top it all off... DRAGONS! (sorry...I love dragons)

You cannot pass up The Farseer Trilogy.

More a childrens tale.......2007-08-04

I was looking for something more suited for an adult. Something along the lines of the RA Salvatore or Jordan's Wheel of time. I only made it half through the book before I looked for somethng else.

Great read! Pick this one up..........2007-07-23

This is the first book I've read by Robin Hobb and having finished it, I anxiously look forward to reading more!

Mrs. Hobb manages what few authors can, in that she has created a story in which all the important elements are firing on all cylinders. You don't have to compromise character to get plot or world building in favor of a skilled and cohesive writing style. Assassin's Apprentice covers all the bases.

I won't cover the contents of the story here as you can read them for yourself in the blurb, but I will say that it is beautifully executed and draws you into the world in a way that few other fantasy books do. Each of the main characters is engaging and interesting and each engenders concern for their respective well-being.

More than that, I was extremely pleased with the intrigue and political power-play that theme this story, and I was impressed by the author's ability to take me down what I though was one road, only to reveal it to be another later in the story (this is particularly prevalent in the closing chapters of the book).

If I were pressed for the one thing I would change about this story it would be that I'd like to see the main character, Fitz, in fewer black and white type situations and faced with more shades of grey. Granted there were times when this was the case, but for the most part the dilemma's surrounding Fitz's occupation as an assassin were easily decided and left little room for doubt.

All in all, if you are looking for a great story, great characters, and an overall feeling of maturity and intelligence, this is a great book for you. I highly recommend Assassin's Apprentice

Average customer rating:

Good Read
It was good, but I thought parts of it seemed redundant.
A good book with an interesting plot.

Robot Adept (Apprentice Adept Series)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Unicorn Point (Apprentice Adept)
Out of Phaze (Apprentice Adept)
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Juxtaposition (Apprentice Adept)
Blue Adept (Book Two: The Apprentice Adept)

ASIN: 0399133593

Book Description

The robotic Mach and the human Bane are the only contact between the technological world of Photon and the fantastical world of Phaze. So the Adverse Adepts devise a scheme to control the duo by kidnapping their lovers.

Customer Reviews:

Good Read.......2005-08-06

Piers Anthony has a great imagination. His books seem to be written for a younger crowd but I still enjoy his work at 27. Read the series it is worth while.

It was good, but I thought parts of it seemed redundant........1999-10-31

I enjoyed this book. But a lot of times I noticed that there would be a chapter focusing on one character for awhile while he/she interacts with another character. Then there would be a chapter focusing on that other character going over some of the same things that were covered in the previous chapter. It wasn't something that really detracted from the quality of the book, but, like I mentioned, it got redundant.

I liked how Mach started to show some ability at magic, and then later in the book he becomes the Robot Adept. It was also pretty interesting how Mach and Bane had their competition at the end and they competed against each other while one was in Proton and the other was in Phaze. Especially when they had physical matches and the technology wouldn't work in Phaze and magic wouldn't work in Proton.

I would recommend the book.

A good book with an interesting plot........1998-06-08

This is an overall solid book, not great, but also not terrible. I thought the idea of having two worlds, one Science based and one Fantasy based with elements not working outside of their native world to be brilliant. (ie, technology doesn't work in the fantasy world, and magic doesn't work in the science world.) It's the middle in a series of books, and seems like I might enjoy it more if I read the other books as well. Still, overall, it's a very good book.

Average customer rating:

Mostly unmemorable
13 tales - only some involve magicians' apprentices

Apprentice Fantastic

Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0756400937

Book Description

The apprentice is one of fantasy's most often identified with characters, someone who is all too human, sometimes a source of humor, sometimes that one special person who will become the catalyst for pivotal events, sometimes a villain, sometimes a hero, perhaps most often a loyal sidekick. From the poignant tale of a young girl learning to "paint" the future to a young man who "apprentices" himself to the devil, here are unforgettable portraits of apprentices attempting to master their highly unusual talents.

Customer Reviews:

Mostly unmemorable.......2006-06-18

The conceit of Apprentice Fantastic is that each of the 13 stories are told about apprentices. As the stories are all fantasies, and as the most traditional fantastic trade to emphasize teaching is sorcery, most of the stories feature sorcerer's apprentices of one variety or another, though as Russell Davis takes care to hint in his introduction, none of them is a retelling of the famous story. In principal, this seems a sound theme around which to build a collection: coming of age stories should be plentiful, young heroes and heroines also plentiful, and we should have a ready-made excuse to learn the foundations of whatever magic systems are on display. I suppose all that remains true, but I have to say that the stories collected here are rather disappointing.

Among the more interesting pieces is the opening story, Michelle West's "The Augustine Painters." The central conceit here is quite interesting: certain people are artists with the ability to paint probable futures. This can be used for such purposes as avoiding accidents, or for more weighty business such as planning war strategies. I thought that idea nice, and I liked the heroine, a talented apprentice named Camille who must face a danger that may have consumed her friend and senior apprentice. But the story didn't quite cohere for me: it's a long story but I think it would have benefited from even greater length. It's followed by probably the best story in the book, Charles de Lint's "Sign Here", a story all in dialogue that takes a different look at the bargains possible when dealing with the devil for a soul. Esther Friesner's "Homework" is silly and feather-light but rather fun, about a dark lord and his bratty nephew, and the noble Prince Gallantine who must oppose them. David D. Levine has published only a few stories, but a couple have been good enough to put his name on my list of young writers to watch. His "Zauberschrift" is interesting but a bit over-long, and not quite convincing, as a former apprentice returns to the town of his youth to try to clean up a mess left by his old master.

Most of the remaining stories were unmemorable, at best. The occasional nice idea or engaging character was overwhelmed by clumsy writing, or faltering plot logic, or an excess of sentimentality. This does not rank as one of the stronger original anthologies around.

13 tales - only some involve magicians' apprentices.......2003-01-28

Mostly well done; the others are noted as I come to them.

Bischoff, David: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice's Apprentice" Coarse, elderly Vincemole Whiteviper, apprentice to the dishonest adventurer Sir Harry Springraff, is narrating his memoirs to his own much-abused apprentice: how he lost what little fourteen-year-old innocence he had on a quest for a suspect wizard's treasury. The plan was for Vincey to seduce Relfalyn, the wizard's beautiful 18-year-old apprentice. Funny how things work out...The physical setting reminds me of an AD&D-based computer game.

de Lint, Charles: "Sign Here" Unusual style: entirely dialogue, without even "he/she said", 4 characters (2 appear only once), only 2 characters per scene. A stranger in a bar offered Peter enlightenment regarding the structure of the world - magic - if he'll sign over his soul. Peter's friend Robert employs unusual tactics to try to free him. The dialogue suffers from *too* much realism.

Friesner, Esther: "Homework" Parody by someone who's read the Evil Overlord checklist. Prince Gallantine is having trouble with his captor Morbidius, who's finally wised up. Then Morby's nine-year-old nephew Andy, seeking to avoid his villain apprenticeship homework, turns up. :)

Helfers, John: "Blood and Scale" A wizard's apprentice, offered only death as an alternative, agrees to become the apprentice of the dragon who wiped out the rest of his party.

Hoyt, Sarah A.: "The Muses' Darling" Shakespeare, as a young struggling playwright, is an apprentice to the meteoric brilliance of Kit Marlowe. This story takes Marlowe's treatment of Faust as having a personal application. I also recommend Neil Gaiman's quite different treatment of Marlowe and Shakespeare in SANDMAN, a subplot starting with "Men of Good Fortune" in THE DOLL'S HOUSE.

Huff, Tanya: "When the Student Is Ready" Oddly enough, *this*, rather than de Lint's contribution, is an urban fantasy set in Canada (Toronto, not Ottawa, though). Sixteen-year-old Isabel has been encountering a mysterious street person a lot lately - but is it just poverty and homelessness that seems to cloak him in invisibility? (Even complete with smart-aleck talking crow.)

Levine, David D.: "Zauberschrift" is the complex, legalistic Latin in which spells are written, instructions for the immensely powerful but mindless daemons (spirits) forming the basis of a wizard's magic. (The author's note says he based this story on his first summer job; he must have been a programmer. The analogy between the magic system and programming is interesting without being heavy-handed.) The protagonist quit his wizard apprenticeship when he inherited the family dye business on the deaths of his father and older brothers, but his native village has asked for his help after his old master's death. The weather spells that have protected the village for years have been corrupted, and no affordable wizard can be brought in to fix the problem.

Lindskold, Jane: "Final Exam" Narrated by Danny Bancroft, whose Talent killed his mother to save his life at birth. When his family spoiled him as a child, he felt undeserving, because he could remember what happened. Since this manifested partly as bullying, he landed in counseling - with a Talented counselor who may ape Nero Wolfe's body language, but not the rest of his style. (After all, imagine Wolfe as a counselor.) But Danny's been coasting as an endless undergraduate, and with his dangerous abilities, if he fails the senior magicians' test, his magic will be sealed.

Patton, Fiona: "What Has to Be Done" After the events of "The Svedali Foundlings" (ASSASSIN FANTASTIC), Coll has begun his personal crusade to rid Cerchicava of the Trade (necromancy) in earnest, "apprenticing" himself to old Mona Masaccio, despite the fact that as a retired Death Mage, she considers him a traitorous fool, while she represents everything he hates. The latest series of mutilated corpses, however, interest them both, as they carry signs of non-standard organ collection - as though someone's trying something new.

Reichert, Mickey Zucker: "Flanking Maneuver" Amazingly unrealistic story of a young conscript - a blacksmith's apprentice - in a tribal war, and what happens after he meets the captured daughter of an enemy chieftain.

Smith, Dean Wesley: "The Last Garden in Time's Window" The narrator doesn't believe that his grandparents died from a gas stove leak in their trailer. Having just returned from their funeral, he doesn't care about the danger of using his half-learned magic. *Very* rushed.

Waggoner, Tim: "Till Voices Drown Us" Braided non-linear style, following Michael back to his childhood home to learn one last lesson from the great-aunt who taught him to bear his mediumistic powers, when one spirit shows him something disturbing he's never seen before.

West, Michelle: Camille, like all apprentices to "The Augustine Painters", is a foundling - one thread of the story follows her present, in which she faces her do-or-die test of mastery, her best friend apparently having come to grief only days before; the other follows the discovery of her talent. They aren't wizards, as such; in their art, they depict possible futures that, with hard work, may never happen. Not only is this cool - for instance, while they can work more quickly in pencil, they need color to identify strange people, places, and battle standards - but deeper mysteries are revealed even as the story unfolds.

Average customer rating:

good concept, poor execution
Enchanting
Cinderella story.
Great Story
One of those lost books that no one can seem to find...

The Apprentice
Deborah Talmadge-Bickmore
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0345361393
Release Date: 1989-12-13

Customer Reviews:

good concept, poor execution.......2006-07-02

I'm so tired of evil, insane wizards as the antagonist. And the protagonist is a passive girl who needs saving every step of the way. I can't help but think that the story would have been more interesting from the apprentices point of view, at least then the protagonist would have proactive, but I'm not sure it would really have helped. The balance of power was so obviously in favor of the apprentice, the reader has to wonder why he was playing such a silly game with the insane antagonist.

The author kept covering the same ground over and over until I wanted to scream. If you're wondering why I kept reading, well, for the most part I did start skimming about 2/3s of the way through, I was so tired of hearing the girl wondering about who she should trust, "remembering" things the reader already knew, whining to herself about how she "just couldn't" do, resisting the things that would save her, and vicilitating all over the place.

Enchanting.......2003-11-14

a truly wounderful book. with many twists within it. Probalby one of my favorites. The heroin is well portrayed as a confused girl in need of help and being saved without being weak. She is strong in her own right yet unsure about who she can trust. The greatest possiable traitor her own heart. Romantic, inspiring, and intreging. In the end you will sympathise with all the characters even the antaganist.

Cinderella story........2003-02-01

When I thought about trying to explain why I liked this book, I realized that it reminded me of "Cinderella" or "Snow White." Jamiah is rescued from a life of drudgery with the evil sorceress by the handsome prince/good sorcerer in an old-fashioned good versus evil battle. Of course, it's a bit more complicated than that. Recommend. Probably would have given it 4-1/2 stars.

Great Story.......1998-05-03

This book was a great find in a used bookstore. I read it in a day. It was a great page turner and the relationship between the three characters was fantastic. I wish I could find more books like this one. When I do find a book like this I have to think what a great jewel!!

One of those lost books that no one can seem to find..........1997-07-21

I borrowed "The Apprentice" from the library but not expecting to like it. It turned out to be the opposite. I couldn't put it down. I read it over and over again. "The Apprentice" is about a servant girl named "Jamiah" who serves an evil sorcerous "Shayna" in a castle on the forever winterous mountains. One day a man appears at the door of their castle saying his name is Corwyn and he has traveled many days to become Shayna's apprentice. Corwyn has powerful magic that he only reveals to Jamiah and not to Shayna. Jamiah soon finds herself torn between her loyalty to Shayna and her loyalty to Corwyn,the only friend she ever had. I found this book wonderfully written and recommend it to anybody who needs a book on a long, lazy, sunny summer afternoon.

The Dragonslayers Apprentice (Point Fantasy)

Average customer rating:

Witty, Interesting, fun!
Witty, Interesting, fun!
not so bad
Obnoxious, self-satisfied
Cute, funny, though no work of art

The Dragonslayers Apprentice (Point Fantasy)
David Calder
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0590630938

Customer Reviews:

Witty, Interesting, fun!.......2003-03-01

This is a 160-page book. When I picked it up I was not expecting a novel, unlike some of the people who have reviewed apparently did. I found this book entertaining and enjoyed filling in the blanks my self and using my imagination; something that some previous people do not apparently enjoy doing. Though this book is not quite as good as Patricia C Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, it is 160 pages not 255 like the longest in the series, and is definitely at a lower level and is wonderful for that level. I must admit when I ordered this book I did not know it was so small, but found it enjoyable for its purpose and was a delightful easy read. The time period does not need to be stated or identified, and the Characters do develop themselves a little. There is some bloodshed that I remember and someone does get seriously injured and is unable to continue, unlike a previous person said. I found I was disgusted when I read that review and felt like they hadn't even read the book. I also just recently looked at the pages of the book and they have a lot of dialogue so I have no idea what that one person was talking about. The main Character has an attitude but I would not call her conceded! This book was a pleasure to read and I would gladly recommend it and reread it myself. Mostly for ages 8-11

Witty, Interesting, fun!.......2003-03-01

not so bad.......2002-11-05

I agree with the criticisms that the world of DSA is generic and that the characters are also generic. However, I think Calder intended it to be more of a parody than anything else; the names are so generic (the "United Kingdoms") that it makes me think that Calder just wanted to poke a little fun at fantasy. However, if he HAD wanted to do this, he didn't develop it very far...

The plot was pretty straightforward, but it was satisfying (at the very least).

Obnoxious, self-satisfied.......2002-10-24

You can get an idea about the kind of book this is by reading the back cover, especially the passage about "kicking tail." That gives some idea of the quality of this book. With mediocre settings, stereotyped characters, and a ridiculous heroine, this is barely worth the paper it's written on. Only good supporting character manages to save this novella from the trash heap.

The unnamed Dragonslayer has a new apprentice: a cocky girl called merely Jackie, the first female dragonslayer apprentice ever. Together the two of them travel through the land, dealing with dragons and vicious birds, self-proclaimed witches and idiot villagers. But the Dragonslayer has some suspicions about the background of his capable new apprentice.

There's not much plot in "Apprentice," as the characters just amble from one undistinguished town to the next on their little jobs, all of which are done with no blood, injury, death or real effort. A more complex or well-defined plot might have saved the book from the mediocre characterizations or generic medieval world. But the world is a generic one: There's no way to tell where this is,k or whether it's 1000, 1900, or any time period in between. There's a spattering of little kingdoms with little kings, and a lot of idiot villagers straight out of a Monty Python sketch. The dragons seem about as dangerous as garbage trucks.

The book's most glaring flaw is Jackie. She's essentially a rich kid with a big mouth, who ran away to be a dragonslayer because she didn't like the cliched superficial people in the king's court. A comparable situation would be a socialite running away to be a sewage worker, and so Jackie's reasons are ludicrous at best. Jackie's lack of basic manners, civility, and her know-it-all attitude won't endear her to readers in a hurry. The Dragonslayer is the saving grace of the book, smart in a quiet way, with some moments of genuine wit. If only Calder had given the poor guy a name.

The writing style is the worst example of "telling not showing" that I have ever read. Calder frequently informs readers of what the various characters are saying or discussing, but he never bothers to include those little chit-chats in the form of dialogue. The landscapes, villages and people are rarely, if ever, described with any real detail.

"Dragonslayer's Apprentice" is a good read for someone recovering from major surgery, and perhaps taking large doses of painkillers. Anyone else will be too disgusted to finish.

Cute, funny, though no work of art.......2002-07-01

For someone twelve or under, this book would be a dream. No complicated plot to digest, no complex characters to think about, everything completelly laid out for you from the beginning, and no mystery whatsoever. For a well read teenager, however, it was quite tedious. Rather than just developing his main character, and giving me some reason to like and admire her, the author simply assumes I will no matter what, without any backround whatsoever. Rather than creating a vibrant fantasy world and atmosphere for the story to take place in, the author neglects this aspect so completelly that I felt like I was walking around with a blind fold on. Despite all this however, the story was fairly worth it, and little kids will love it.

The Dabel Brothers' Magician Apprentice #4 (Marvel Comics)

Average customer rating:

The Dabel Brothers' Magician Apprentice #4 (Marvel Comics)
Raymond E. Feist , Michael Avon Oeming , and Bryan J. Glass
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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Product Description

The Riftwar is coming! Pug and Tomas have discovered the shipwreck of a strange group of foreign invaders, and the court of Crydee is alarmed as the mens strange armor and weapons are examined. But an even more peculiar twist reveals that these men are not from Midkemia at all - they have traveled through a magical rift to conquer worlds outside their own. Midkemia will soon be overwhelmed by the armies of the Tsurani - unless the rest of the kingdom can be warned in time

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