Book Description
Anne Bishop's critically-acclaimed Black Jewels Trilogy is the saga of a young but still-innocent Queen more powerful than even the High Lord of Hell-and the three sworn enemies determined to win her and gain a prize that could be terrible beyond imagining...
Customer Reviews:
A Snarly Review.......2007-09-25
If I had to sum up this book in one word it would be "disappointing". Ms. Bishop creates a beautiful hierarchy of power with the Blood and drawing their power from Jewels, the delicate psychic roadways of the Winds, and an interesting take on death with the Demon Dead and Guardians. The geography of the different lands, the different races of creatures that occupied them, and the involvement of the Kindred were all wonderfully detailed and fresh. These aspects of the story are fascinating, well developed, and highly imaginative, and I truly wish the actual storyline could live up to this promise.
In contrast of the terrific world she created, Ms. Bishop's characters could not be any more two-dimensional and tiresome. For all of her attempts to write "Dark Fantasy" and to challenge traditional images of hell/darkness (with names like Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar) she creates some pretty standard, dull heroes and villains. No one hero is capable of doing anything wrong--Jaenelle most of all. I don't think I've read a heroine this mind-numbing in a long time. For a story like this to work, there needs to be actual, palpable danger for the heroine and the heroine's world. There was no question or danger here--Jaenelle was all powerful, pure hearted, and of course could overcome the simple-minded evil Queens. Hardly scintillating material.
So far as writing skills go, I am entirely done with the word "snarl". There are other adjectives to describe guttural noises.
Even on a romance front, I was disappointed. Daemon, the only true attempt at a multidimensional character, felt like a washed-out letdown by Book 3. There was some nice tension from the first book--I enjoyed Daemon's struggle--but it led to absolutely no payoff. When Witch and he finally get it on, it's almost laughable.
In short, the whole story felt contrived. Ms. Bishop creates dark scenes (like rape or murder) with no real consequence (everyone is *really* ok), an entirely dull love story, and "danger" without there really being any threat.
Ms. Bishop is the true Sadi here--these books give the ghost of promise and tease the reader seductively...only to find the results flaccid and leaving the reader completely unfulfilled.
A (generous) two and a half-stars.
A read so fascinating that I had to go there twice... in a row--.......2007-09-23
I recently stumbled onto this particular genre. And I can't believe how lucky I am. Where have I been all my life? It's fun. It's fantastic. It's absolutely amazing to me that someone can create an entire reality like this.
Anyway. I read this particular book from cover to cover and then, for the first time in my life, I turned right back to page 1 and started over. It is that good.
Black Jewels-good read.......2007-09-13
A rich world with interesting characters and a really fresh use of magic--beyond wands and wizards.
Amazing!!!.......2007-08-31
This book is Amazing. The very first paragraph caught me and the book never let go. I am an avid reader, of all books, and anymore it has become increasingly difficult to find a book with the power to grab your attention in the first 100 pages let alone the first paragraph. I will not sum up the book for you; my only advice would be to buy the book. The best way to describe this book is "All Encompasing."
Wonderful........2007-08-27
While I cannot hope to write as graceful a review as every other person before me has, I will try to tell you what I can about this book, and why is should be part of your collection.
The book (though there are actually three combined into one lovely volume) is about a very original world. I won't delve too deep into it, because part of the fun is figuring it out as you go, getting all the tidbits and making your own dreams of it. But, this world, this is what grabbed me the most. It's not like all the other fantasy books I've read; where there's always the set 'bad guy' and the 'good guys' and oh woe is me, someone must save us all.
While that concept is present in this book, it is not drawn out and used as the only tagline. There are so many other pieces to this great piece of writing!
Beyond the world, there are the characters. The deliciously real characters who I myself end up crying for, and getting angry about. Anne Bishop really draws you in and you start to know them so well... there are so many things about them, you feel like you could walk past them on the street. They do things that you think they would do, that you know is what that character would want to do. It is all very well done, gracefully, and well-fleshed so that they are believable, likable, and in some cases, absolutely despicable.
The plot is wonderfully twisted. There are so many strands of it that are to be pieced together, it's like a treasure hunt. And each chapter that gives you another lead, another piece... it's so lovely. And then a few things click, and you mentally go 'ooooh, that's why he did that!' And the way all the conflicts meet up in the end, how everything comes together so well; it's a piece of art.
And the romance, of course. My boyfriend stuck out his tongue and refused when he'd heard me mention that, though I know he was reading it when I slept... but it is a focal point. Enough that women will swoon, but not enough, I think, to turn men away from reading and enjoying this book.
With all the different characters, situations, and happenings in this book, there will surely be a thing for you to love and connect with, something to draw you in. If you give it a chance, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. So... read some more reviews, think it over, and then do it, and enjoy reading about the life of the SaDiablo line, and all those who are drawn into their plight... :)
Book Description
The car accident that killed Abby Patterson's husband and daughter has left her with a limp and chronic pain. Still, Abby strikes out, determined to build a new life for herself away from her overbearing parents. Her perfect cottage home on the beach has one tiny irritant: Marsh Winslow, her landlord. But when Abby witnesses a hit-and-run accident and events make it clear that Abby is now a target, she and Marsh join forces to uncover a dangerous secret. Together they discover that God is in the business of putting broken lives back together so that they are more beautiful than ever.
Customer Reviews:
Grump Guys Aren't So Bad After All.......2007-05-01
Summer Shadows, book two in the Seaside Seasons series sort of sneaks up on the reader. It seems a little slow to take off, but then the reader really starts caring about its characters. Abby Patterson survived a car accident that claimed the lives of her husband and her two year old daughter, and since the accident her well-wishing parents have been suffocating her. Now she's renting an apartment from Marsh Winslow, who seems to be very grouchy and touchy, but at least his cottage is on the ocean in Seaside, New Jersey. Then on her first day in town, she witnesses the hit-and-run of a young girl. The only problem is, due to the similarity of the accident that claimed herown child, she has amnesia and can't identify the driver. Unexpectedly, Marsh, of the bad temperment, and his huge beast of a dog, come to her assistance. when Abbey obviously becomes a target of the hit and run driver. The scene is riveting where the hit and run driver has chased Abbey into the ocean shooting at her and Marsh is shot trying to save her. Roper's use of flash backs to delve into the mind of a sociopath is chilling.
Another excellent book from Gayle Roper.......2007-05-01
This book was so enjoyable and definitely gave the reader things to think about long after it was finished. Gayle has a real gift for letting us see the hearts of her characters and walk with them on their journey. This is a good read and one that will leave the reader with issues to ponder.
Hooked from beginning to end........2007-01-22
Roper has the unique ability to meld romance, comedy, suspense, and a powerful Christian message into one book. In the summer beach side setting, Abby Patterson is able to overcome the shadows of her past and present disability to discover and fulfill God's wish for her life. As Abby's story unfolds so does the novel's theme- God is our strength when we are weak.
Can it get any hotter?.......2006-12-15
Being from New Jersey originally and having spent many a summer day in Seaside there was a special draw for me in this book. Yet Gayle Roper was able to use that just as a setting. She creates characters that are so believable you feel as if you know them. The interactions between these characters rage from humorous to rage to fear and plenty of other emotions thrown in. I was particularly intrigued at how she used the over protectiveness Abby's parents drowned her in and became the catalyst for her move to Seaside becomes a thing of beauty in another's eyes. I loved watching arguments turn into lover's spats as two people who were determined to see as little of each other as possible end up wanting to see as much of each other as possible. Yet the road to romance is not without its bumps, and Abby seems to be surrounded by nothing but bumpy roads. If you like a little mystery in your romance and love a good plot, well-developed characters and a gripping story I highly recommend Roper's book to you.
SuMmEr'S sHaDoW's.......2003-04-19
Overall, this was a decent book. Summer Shadows deals with family issues, overcoming health problems, religion, and even has a nice romantic twist (or two) intertwined in it. Characters are well developed so that, when reading about different problems that certain characters are faced with, the reader can almost see the whole situation in their mind thus, giving a better appreciation for scenes whether they are meant to be heart-wrenching or entertaining. There are also many different types of characters in this story. The selection ranges from a stubborn, independent woman to grouchy neighbors to overprotective parents (etc, etc, etc!!!) and each part is played very well.
The main character of the story is Abby. She is in the process of breaking free of the chains (her parents) that have held her in bondage quite long enough, in her opinion. Her overly protective parents feel that Abby cannot survive at all without them there, guiding her every step of the way. These two opinions, being as opposite as they are, clash to a very strong degree when Abby moves to Seaside and in the end, does get her freedom, which she fights so hard for. While living in Seaside, Abby is the witness to a hit and run accident but afterwards suffers from some sort of amnesia and cannot remember the driver of the involved vehicle. The little girl that was hit brings back painful memories from Abby's past, which causes her even more grief over not remembering what has happened. As time goes on, Abby grows an interest in her landlord, Marsh, which cannot be ignored. Why ignore it though, when Marsh has the same feelings for her? These two very different people fall in love and help each other in many ways.
The plot of this story is great, and the ending is almost as great, aside from that the revealing of a villain who should have been discovered at the end was given away too early in the story, thus leaving no big surprise at the end because the reader already knows who is to blame. Aside from that, the book has a strong, interesting ending that will keep readers intrigued up to the very last word.
The epilogue is also enjoyable because it lets the reader know about everything that happens after the end. Leaving on a good note, readers are excited for the next book to be released.
Book Description
Separated from her mother at an early age, Tara Elgin Holley became her mother's legal guardian at age 16 and set about trying to rescue the blonde fairy princess she remembered from the shambling street person her mother had become. An inspiring story of one woman's struggle to struggle through the pain to reach a better understanding of her mother, herself and a devastating mental illness.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book that provided much comfort.......2003-11-13
As a young woman with a mother who has paranoid schizophrenia, this book was invaluable to me. My mom was missing for 12 years, and I received this as a gift not long after finding her (about a year and a half ago). It was personally very comforting for me to read this wonderful book, and I would recommend it to anyone. Ms. Holley's close bond with her mom reminded me of the bond I had/have with mine, and the inherently conflicted feelings that result from that bond.
A Must Read.......2002-10-23
My Mother's Keeper is an excellent autobiography/biography in one of a mother and daughter and their separate and entwined lives. I am a mental health RN and have been studying about schizophrenia. This book has helped me see in places I have never been able to see into before. I now have a broader perspective of schizophrenia and how families must feel also. Ms. Holley's writing is easy to read and follow. So much so, that it is very hard to put the book down. This is definitely a must read for anyone who wants to find out more about schizophrenia.
Moving telling of a difficult story.......1999-06-02
This was an exceptionally well written memoir, one that must have been very difficult to write. Ms. Elgin moves gracefully along the line between her mother's story and her own, and (it appears) honestly grapples with the ups and downs of both. Thank you.
Accurate, yet sensitive and personal.......1998-07-17
This book provides an accurate description of the development and chronic course of schizophrenia, one of the most debilitating illnesses of our time. The Holleys' sensitive portrayal of Mrs. Elgin's life touched me deeply. I thank them for giving us and honest depiction of this illness.
A must read for anyone curious about schizophrenia.......1998-02-01
I fell in love with this book from the first page and couldn't put it down. The author takes you through the beginning of a beautiful singing career of her mother to the painful discovery of a life long mental illness. It truely gave me a new understanding of schizophrenia and the affect it has on family and friends.
Average customer rating:
- Fabulous Story by the Great Willa Cather
- Charming and Moving
- Wonderfully evocative
- Wonderfully evocative
- Epic story of life in cold Canada
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Shadows on the Rock (Vintage Classics)
Willa Cather
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0679764046
Release Date: 1995-09-26 |
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous Story by the Great Willa Cather.......2004-06-16
This book is like a wonderful trip back in time with endearing characters and the backdrop of old Quebec as it's setting. A central character named "Cecile" introduces us to many interesting people like poor Blinker who is sort of a Hunchback of Notre Dame type but who is really gentle and kind. And then there is Jacques whose mother is sort of the village harlot but he is full of love and wonder and is a great companion for Cecile.This book will inspire you to travel to Quebec City which is one of my favorite places to visit. The architecture, the culture of the French-Canadians is a real delight.
Charming and Moving.......2002-03-13
I can but echo the other favorable reviews already here: this book is one of the most magical and delightful I know of. The society and civilization of Quebec in 1697 are so remote from our own that this story might as well be classified as fantasy, and it makes us entirely absorbed in the life and times of the people in the city. The story is told in the 3rd person and the central character is Cecile Auclair, a girl of 12, who lives with her widowed father, the town pharmacist.
I can well understand why some younger readers do not like it. It does indeed use some "French words," and there is not a lot of "action." Older readers will not mind this.
I was given this book in 1967. It was the senior Religion prize at my Jesuit high school. Readers should be aware that some appreciation for the viewpoints and beliefs of the Catholic Church, as it was in 1700, will help in savoring this book.
Wonderfully evocative.......2000-12-21
I have never been to Quebec city, but I feel like have because of this book. Reading the book I felt like I lived there. I knew what was around each corner and what was down the hill. It was years ago and I don't recall the story very well any more. But I still know the feel of the streets. A wonderful sense of place. This is one of the few books that has most stayed with me. I'll have to re-read it.
Probably, the people who found it boring had to read it for a class. That is a real problem. Even with a fine enthusiastic teacher, if you're forced to read a book, which you did not choose at that time, you are apt to find it boring. This is in fact a wonderful book.
Wonderfully evocative.......2000-12-21
I have never been to Quebec city, but I feel like have because of this book. Reading the book I felt like I lived there. I knew what was around each corner and what was down the hill. It was years ago and I don't recall the story very well any more. But I still know the feel of the streets. A wonderful sense of place. This is one of the few books that has most stayed with me. I'll have to re-read it.
Probably, the people who found it boring had to read it for a class. That is a real problem. Even with a fine enthusiastic teacher, if you're forced to read a book, which you did not choose at that time, you are apt to find it boring. This is in fact a wonderful book.
Epic story of life in cold Canada.......2000-11-28
If you like to read about the past... before microwaves, blow dryers, cable TV, etc. and want to feel "REAL" life... this book is for you. If you like to read about how our ancestors trudged thru hardships and challenges to give us our comfy lives today... this is for you. If you want action packed adventure with a twisting plot and a climactic ending... don't buy this book.
Book Description
Beloved series by The New York Times best-selling author Elaine Cunningham is now in a gift set!
This collection of Daughter of the Drow, Tangled Webs, and Windwalker brings together for the first time three magical books about a member of one of the most popular
Forgotten Realms races.
Customer Reviews:
I've never fell so in love with a series.......2007-01-09
I read this entire set and was completly blow away. The characters really came to life for me , I would love to see this series made into a movie.Everything you could ask for in a book, adventure,romance, suspense, heartache and humor.I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Fantastic journey from our unpleasant modern reality.......2006-05-09
Trial Tribulations, plots in Plots, surprise this has them all and the writing style of Elain Cunningham once again tied me to this trilogy until I had finished it, which then prompted me to hunt for more of the same from this author, especially having read all of her earlier works. I hope there is more to come
Average customer rating:
- Undiscovered Gem!
- If you love Drizzt you'll go ape for Liriel!
- Great book
- Simply Amazing.
- Great story
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Daughter of the Drow (Forgotten Realms: Starlight and Shadows, Book 1)
Elaine Cunningham
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Evermeet: Island of Elves (Forgotten Realms)
ASIN: 0786929294
Release Date: 2003-02-01 |
Book Description
Beautiful as she is deadly, Liriel Baenre flits throught the shadows of Menzoberranzan, city of the dark elves. Amid treachery and murder that are the drow's daily fare, she feels something calling to her ... something beyond this dusky world far removed from the sun. Yet as she ventures toward the surface and the lands of light, enemies pursue her unceasingly.
And one enemy amy offer her the only hope of salvation.
Customer Reviews:
Undiscovered Gem!.......2007-03-07
After several dull Realms adventures, this one proved interesting and fun! When this book was published in 1995, I passed over it thinking how bad the artwork on the cover was! I also thought this was about Dritzz child he left in the underdark. What a mistake! Times changed, as well as the cover art. I began this tale, savoring every page.
Liriel creeps out of the Underdark, and into my heart. She is humorous, curious and dangerous. This is not a rewrite of the original tale of Dritzz, who was aready good, yet trapped in an evil society. Liriel demonstrates many of the evil traits expected of a Drow. Curiosity gets the best of her and catapults her to the surface world. There she meets up with Fyodor, a Rashemi. Trust me, its not an easy partnership.
This story was published when old TSR was at its peak. Hardcovers were being cranked out as well as up to 3 Forgotten Realms titles a month! Quantity, not quality was the problem. Other than a few editing problems, this is written very well. Elaine is in the top 3 of Realms authors, with a distinct feel for the setting, and a potential for liturature! Ironic, despite the fact that the entire series get critically dismissed as being pulpy rubbish.
I have been buying these titles since they went to press in 1987. There have been some really good reads and some stinkers. I have passed up on Harry Potter and its best seller status. These titles are not aimed at a specific audience(young readers). For the most part, these fantasies can be read by anyone 12 or older. The Realms is still a really cool place for me, and always will be as long as really fun reads like this are published!!!
If you love Drizzt you'll go ape for Liriel!.......2006-07-20
This is a great twist/turn on the Drizzt series, but this time it's a GIRL! Wonderful book all the way through to book 3. Must get, must buy!!
Great book.......2005-05-07
I personally loved this book. The only reason I rated it as a four star book was because the first few pages were hard to follow. The beginning, and I mean in the VERY beginning, there is a lot of characters to be introduced. I had to do a bit of back skimming to remember them, but it worked out fine. Its easily followed as soon as you get out of the first few pages of the book. i love the idea of a rebel drow, one who dreams and aspires to have adventure. Liriel is a dynamic character who loves to party, but still has ruthless drow qualities. Fyodor is a simple human feeling simple feelings for this Drow girl, even though he knows the drow are ruthless beings. I highly recommend this book for someone who is patient and can follow a plot. you will get into the very heart of the book and hardly want to put it down.
Simply Amazing........2005-04-10
After years of reading books that simply scream, "Happy, Happy!! Joy, Joy!!" I picked up this book simply because I saw there was a lot of other books that said, "Forgotten Realms," and it seemed to be the first in a series. After reading the first few pages I was in awe. The first pages, describing the Underdark is the best description I have ever read. It slaughters anything written by any other author, including Rowling and Tolkien. The complexity of the characters is astounding. The plot is exciting, and original. This is simply the best book ever written.
Great story.......2004-07-21
This book was my introduction to the Forgotten Realms and I am glad it was! This story, as well as Tangled Webs and Windwalker, were a great start for me for this setting as well as this genre of writing. Liriel is a neat character, and it is a pleasure to watch her develop throughout this series.
Amazon.com
For a so-called "Catholic novelist," the revelation that her father was born a Jew qualifies as something of a literary bomblet; that his past was a tissue of fabrications, that he became an anti-Semite and reactionary, is a revelation that haunts this unusual book. Gordon's search for her father, who died when she was seven, leads her to libraries and archives, to interviews with his associates, to family birth records and finally to the extraordinary project of disinterring and reburying her father's remains. The search becomes a literary quest in which Gordon transforms herself by transforming her images of her father.
Book Description
In The Shadow Man, the bestselling author of Final Payments and The Company of Women elevates the memoir into an uncompromising and unforgettable art form as she seeks to learn the truth about her lost father. 20 photos.
Customer Reviews:
Commonweal Magazine.......2007-08-29
For a lengthy review of this book written by Marjorie Steinfels O'Brien in the prestigious magazine Commonweal, go to the magazine's archives. The review is truly sui generis !
An Electra Complex Unrestrained.......2006-01-12
Much as this reader enjoyed Mary Gordon's other writing, especially Final Payments, he must fault the writer for this maundering, meandering piece of work. Bloviated with rhetorical questions, she plows the same ground over and over again, bemoaning her fate, and crying out, "Why? Why?" One is tempted to respond, "Because. Because." Without the self-conscious and self-serving rhetorical questions, this book would be 1/3 shorter, and it would be improved. If you've ever fantasized about being a psychiatrist, wondering what it would be like to listen at length to someone who refuses to accept life, this book should satisfy you. For the rest of us, let's hope that Gordon finally accepts herself. Frankly, Kathryne Harrison's The Kiss was more fully honest and better written.
Too much self-pity.......2000-03-09
Author Mary Gordon's intimate biography of her father is told as an account of the author's own adventure in researching and recalling the embarrassing facts of her father's real life. Most of the drama comes in the author's feelings of betrayal, guilt, and disillusionment, so the book functions more as an autobiography, as is emphasized by a lengthy addition describing the author's mother's life.
Gordon has an engaging, lucid style, and the first half of the book has some suspense as she pores over records and searches out witnesses for the truth about her father's unusual life. But ultimately the self-pity becomes wearying, and one wishes the author could gain some perspective and be grateful for her blessings.
Fascinating memoir of ambivalence.......2000-01-28
This book is very much in the same vein as Geoffrey Wolff's Duke of Deception... a man who was a failure as a person yet a loving father. A chilling portrait of the ambivalence of knowing one's imperfect parent.
see above.......1999-02-10
A reader , July 10, 1997 5 stars A Daughter's Search for Her Father :
This person has got to be an insider!
Average customer rating:
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Shadows on the Shore
Jessica Stirling
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312105460 |
Average customer rating:
- A Page-Turning Southern Mystery Novel
- I just didn't love it
- delightful!
- Mystery, suspense, and romance.......it's all there
- Shadow of Dreams, A Must Read
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Shadow of Dreams: A Novel
Eva Marie Everson , and
G.W. Francis Chadwick
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1586601431 |
Book Description
After an explosive confrontation with her mother, Katherine "Katie" Morgan left her childhood home on the eve of her high school graduation twenty-five years ago. Now, more than two decades later, the prodigal daughter returns to her hometown, Brooksboro, Georgia, bringing a shadowy danger with her. As Katie attempts to reconcile with her broken-hearted and embittered mother, the past continues to haunt her, threatening to destroy the new life and happiness she has built with her husband, Ben Webster. As Katie confronts the looming shadows of her past, Ben fights the demons of the present when he discovers an illegal escort operation within his five-star hotel. Both Ben and Katie are in danger unless they can expose the darkness that has gripped their lives, all the while moving out of the shadows and into the light.
Customer Reviews:
A Page-Turning Southern Mystery Novel.......2007-08-26
A Page-Turning Southern Novel
The novel is full of realistic Southern characters. If you love Southern novels, don't miss out on this one! Shadow of Dreams by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is a well-written, well-developed novel full of foreshadowing. The main character serves as an excellent example of what happens to many young teens glamorized by the big city and running from problems at home. Instead of the prodigal son, the main character, Katie, is the prodigal daughter. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Katie and her husband, and the bad guys. I loved the way the authors used literature for clues. I also loved the way the small-town Georgia guys protected their own and took care of the big-city guys. These authors do not preach, but they certainly know how to spin a tale that could serve to help others. These authors offer much insight, and a reflective reader will benefit from the experience of having read this novel. A good, reflective reader will find that this book is about many things that connect to life in such a way, it can't help but be realistic. The characters are realistic, not mere shells of characters. The way they talk and the things they say, the dialogue, provide that realistic touch to make them come to life. Katie's mom is really a Southern character. It is ironic that she seems to treat Katie as her own mother treated her, but she does not realize this.
I just didn't love it.......2005-09-16
I'm hesitant to give low review to any author but felt compelled to do so because I was so disillusioned by the other reviews.
I kept waiting for something to happen in this novel and when it did, I was disappointed. It seemed that the entire book was written for the "surprise" ending which was overly dramatic and too unrealistic to be believable.
Then again, I had just read Francine Rivers' "Redeeming Love" and not much compares to that, now does it?
delightful!.......2003-10-31
Eva Marie's series is fabulous. I couldn't wait to find the time to read the next page. I fell in love with Katie and hope there are plans to read more of her. Eva Marie's 3 books in this series is filled with exciting plot twists, suspense, and drew me closer to the Lord, plus making me even more appreciative of my wonderful husband. These books are delightful!
Mystery, suspense, and romance.......it's all there.......2003-06-02
Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The characters and storylines are so realistic. I feel I know Katie personally (we are both from Georgia, after all). The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and the love between Ben and Katie warmed by heart. This is definitely a must read and will keep you coming back for more!
Shadow of Dreams, A Must Read.......2003-01-11
The prodigal daughter returns to her southern home after twenty-five years of absence. Katie runs from her problems, and she discovers she needs to make things right with God before she can solve her problems. This book was intriguing and suspenseful, and there were times when I was sitting on the edge of my seat! The characters were well-developed, and I'm anxious to start the sequal!
Average customer rating:
- Good fantasy novel.
- Great book
- Easily one of the best novels I've ever read.
- Twain type future based fantasy of swords and magiks
- Not worth my time to read
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Shadow's Daughter
Shirley Meier
Manufacturer: baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Meier, Shirley | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The Cage (Baen Fantasy)
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Saber and Shadow
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Lion's Soul
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Lion's Heart
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The Sharpest Edge
ASIN: 0671720961 |
Customer Reviews:
Good fantasy novel. .......2007-03-06
I really liked this book, the coming of age story of a young girl in a harsh non-technological future earth. The depiction of the lives of children growing up too fast in a poverty stricken slum like environment is gritty and realistic. There is some magic involved in the story, but not much, more sword than sorcery. The culture of this future world is fascinating with the politics of guild control and class division exceptionally well delineated.
Unfortunately this is the first book in a series and it ends on something of a cliffhanger, or beginning of a quest rather, and the following books are gravely disappointing. They are so different from this one, that the only relation the rest of the books have to Shadow's Daughter is the name of the characters. The difference is so jarring that I couldn't enjoy the other novels at all. Or rather the next two novels in the series. I stopped after the third. I had hoped that the following books would find their way back to the promise of the first, but it never happens. Too bad, I think this could have been an exceptional series had Mieir written the books without collaborating with other writers.
Great book.......2001-11-07
I picked up this book in the bookstore based on the words "she becomes a hero". I love reading books about female heros. In the book, I don't believe Megan turned into a hero, but I enjoyed the book very much anyway. Megan is 3 or so when we first start the book. I thought the author did a very good job of capturing the thoughts of a 3 year old. Megan turns into a very mature person faster than most people because she has a very hard life. The only complaint I had about the book was the fact that it was sometimes hard to follow. I'd read one paragraph and then in the next paragraph I wasn't sure if there was supposed to have been a period of time in between it. Aside from that, the book was very good.
Easily one of the best novels I've ever read........1999-08-21
...and that's out of thousands.
I cannot recomend this novel highly enough. Possibly the best I've ever read. Back in '92, I almost decided to not buy "Shadow's Daughter" when I stumbled across it on a bookstore shelf - I was soon very glad I didn't.
This would be fantasy, if you're one of those people who care. Set in the 4900's (Fifth Millenium) AD, after global collapse of civilization in the 2000's.
I am extremely impressed by Meier's skill at making her characters seem REAL, especially in the way she's able to convey a character's inarticulate thoughts in text. A great story, and with moral/ethical messages (for example, on justification) if you care to look for them. This is not a "nice" book - no Xanth here - expect nastiness at least on the level of Drake - but all done so POWERFULLY that it can only draw you further into the story. It's not PERFECT (as Haldeman said, no book is) but, imo, it is a masterpiece.
Meier is, as far as I know, an unknown. Someone this good shouldn't be.
Twain type future based fantasy of swords and magiks.......1998-09-18
"The great writings are as wine, mine are water, available and enjoyable by the many." -S.L.Clemens Which is a good way to categorize these books. The previous reviewer seems to have missed what made the same book exciting and enjoyable to me. Megan's evolution perhaps captures my interest being realistic, paralelling my own so closely. The logical conlclusion is, that without a common frame of reference, some people can't imagine themselves into a story. There's little joy here. Ocassional humour, but this story is of unpleasant happenings in an imperfect world. That Megan can grow up without being overwhelmed by her experiences and ddestroyed or twisted is the victory. "I've found that just surviving is a noble fight." -B. Joel To my mind, the most fascinating part of the book is the glimpses of history so old it's myth: the 20th century and the apocolyptic war which drove the world back to the bronze age. Throw in a little evolution of psychokinesis and you have the general setting. More swords and political intruige than wizards and spells. Actually, there isn't a wizard or a spell in the whole thing. This story, like Stirling's 'SnowBrother' set the stage for the main characters eventual alliance. Taken as a whole, the 'prequels' are better for adding dimension to the novels 'Sabre & Shadow' (originally released as 'The sharpest edge'... but S&S is enhanced and superior), 'The Cage' and 'Shadow's Son'. Good standalone books, but best read sequentially.
Not worth my time to read.......1998-08-22
The cover blurb says that the title character, Megan, endures hardships and becomes a hero. Well, the hardships were obvious, but I saw no sign of this hero.
Megan comes across as a strong character, but in my opinion, there's nothing particularly likable about her. I wasn't caught up in her life and found myself mostly just looking forward to being done with the book. Even at the worst points in her life, I found that while I was sympathic to her plight, her own matter-of-fact acceptance of it, gave me little empathy for her.
Another problem, although perhaps it is related to the first, is the language. I enjoy books with new vocabulary that draw me into the culture of the author's world. It's wonderful to be able to derive a new world's meaning from its context. However, Shadow's Daughter had far too much specialized language crowded in, usually in awkward ways, to the point of annoyance. There are actually several pages of definitions in the appendix.
I picked up the book because I liked the cover art and the synopsis. I should know by now not to judge a book by its cover.
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