Editorial Review

Praise for The Fire Lord's Lover:
"As darkly imaginative as Tolkien, as richly romantic as Heyer,
Kennedy carves a new genre in romantic fiction."
-Erin Quinn, author of Haunting Warrior

If his powers are discovered, his father will destroy him...

In a magical land ruled by ruthless Elven lords, the Fire Lord's son Dominic Raikes plays a deadly game to conceal his growing might from his malevolent father-until his arranged bride awakens in him passions he thought he had buried forever...

Unless his fiancée kills him first...

Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married...

Then Dominic and Cassandra together uncover an unspeakable evil, one that threatens the destruction of the magical realm they would give their souls to save...

Praise for Enchanting the Lady:
"Simply delightful...imaginative, historically vigorous, and ripe for further adventures."
-Publishers Weekly
"Will cast its own spell over readers with its fabulously imaginative setting and charmingly original characters."
-Chicago Tribune
"This captivating tale combines the excitement and edgy danger of a thriller with the treat of a romantic romp. Kennedy is going places."
-Romantic Times

Reviews

Mixed feelings
I love Fae stories. When I read about this book a month before it was released I happily added it to my wishlist and counted down the days until I could buy it.

What really got my interest was the unusual set up; an arranged marriage between a convent educated woman and the son of a Fae Lord. Oh, also, the added spark that the Fae Lords ere EVIL. Evil, maniacal dictators who have divided England into their own personal playlands where they arbitrarily kill and maim people for sport. Their main sport is fighting for the King. Yep, the King of England is their trophy and they advance huge armies in a continual game to capture the King (who is rather aptly described as a silly, dull, chubby man who is a fashion obsessed).

Into this exciting world enters our heroine, Cassandra. Fair Cassandra has been trained as an assassin. Her entire life's work is training to kill the Fire Lord. Her route of access to him is through his complicit son, Dominic, who is half human, half fae and all sexy.

Just a little tidbit about the Fae Lords and their powers. They have the typical super magics and the Fire Lord, of course, works magical fire and can raze a building to the ground in an instant. Anyway, Cassandra isn't without a touch of powers herself. She dances. Not just dances, but she does magical sexy dances and when needed, death dances. Here's where the story hits its first snag for me, 'DANCING?!!! What the hell?'

Anyway, I was totally grooving with the dancing, I mean sure, it's not as super duper as invisibility or magical potions but oh well, Cassandra has killer moves, sure, why not.

Moving along to the arranged marriage now, because by this point in the book you already know enough about the world Cassandra lives in. Just a little clarification, I'm a fan of arranged marriage romances. I like it when the author puts the hero and heroine in this super intimate position without having an emotional connection and then lets them fall in love gradually after spending time with each other. The key word here is 'gradually.' There is no gradual emotional response in this book. Cassandra loves Dominic pretty much from the get go and Dominic takes just a couple of hours to fall in with her womanly ways.

Anyway, on to the main gist of the story. Cassandra's super plan is to marry Dominic, the Fire Lord's, cold, unfeeling, bastard son and use him to get to his father. Cassandra, who is described as sorta plain and unnoticeable is going to use her position and her feminine wiles to learn any weakpoints that the totally awesome Fae duo have. As a trained assassin she will use her keen intellect, her fighting skills, dancing and most of all, patience, to annihilate her enemies. Here's where the story hits its second snag, for a trained assassin she behaves a lot like an impatient schoolgirl.

Okay, on with the wedding. After a bout of dirty dancing,Miss Cassandra and her new hubby adjourn to their bed chamber for a bout of heated lovemaking. What?! I know, she hardly knows Dominic and as I've already stated, he's cold and unfeeling, but Cassandra turns all eager and lovelorn once she gets a look at his manly chest. I thought to myself, okay, sure, he is a hottie and he is her hubby, maybe it is best to try to enjoy the sex part, but from here on out, she's not just in love with him, she's crazy, writing-his-name-on-her-binder in love with him.

Same, same with Dominic, except he fights his feelings for her by hanging out with some trash whore his father approves of.

Now, just to clarify, I picked this book up because it's a romance. But I can't totally feel the romance if the characters fall in love and in bed with each other way before the halfway point. Talk about disappointing.

So, with the romance gone, all that's left is the secondary plot of the resistance trying to overthrow the Fae Lords. This plot was okay, except when Cassandra would muck things up by being impatient and lame.

So, I guess my feelings about this book are a little less than positive. There's a lot of cool stuff going on but I didn't love the heroine and after Dominic fell in love with her he seemed less like the strong, decisive, smart Alpha male and more like a thoughtless, emotional teenager with his first girlfriend.

Borrow this from a friend.

If you love fantasy and romance, this is a book that is guaranteed to get you hooked!
Fire Lord's Lover by Kathryne Kennedy
Paranormal Romance- July 6th, 2010
4 � stars

Kathryne Kennedy has written an epic romance that at first feels like a straight fantasy novel. The romance is very moving but comes in much later in the story than most romance books. I think this is because the author has really taken the time to described her characters. The world she has created is: detailed, imaginative, and original.

In this world, Elf Lords and Ladies rule the world in sectors and most are mad and/or cruel. They perceive humans as animals or playthings for their amusement. In this dangerous world, being human means being expendable. The elves are cold, emotionless and single-minded in their pursuit for power and domination. They look upon emotions that humans and the part elf humans have as frail weakness. Being human or partially human in a climate of fear involves intrigue just for survival. In this book brave humans and their part human counterparts risk their lives for their independence and freedom from the all powerful Elf Lords and Ladies.

Dominic is the champion of the Elven Fire lord. He is also the Elven Lord's bastard half human son. Although Dominic has some of the magical powers (and beauty) of the elves his human half keeps his mortality to the lifespan of regular humans. It also prevents him from protecting himself from his powerful father who tries to teach him the cold and dispassionate ways of the elves by killing anything Dominic cares about. To survive Dominic has learned not to care or at least to pretend not to care. Dominic's reputation has become cold and inhuman. He must vigilantly guard against his father's awareness of any weakness. Alone and apart Dominic lives at the whims of his father's amusement and ambition. Secretly, Dominic wishes his powers were greater so you could protect himself and the rest of humanity from his father and the rest of the Elven Lords.

Although his father has been cruel and power hungry Dominic is appalled to discover the true depths of his depravity and the other Evlen lords but despairs because he does not feel he has the power to free himself from his father's power. When his father orders him to marry to produce a child Dominic prepares for his duty intending to ignore his new bride and keep her away from danger. But Lady Cassandra won't let him ignore him. Her willfulness, sensuous and tenacious attract him. And although he knows it will only bring them both danger he begins to care for Lady Cassandra. But can he protect her from his father and his spies?

Lady Cassandra is part of the Resistance, a small select group of humans and elf- humans determined to gain independence and freedom from the Elven lords and Ladies. Although she is an innocent she has been secretly trained as an assassin to murder the unfeeling son of the Fire Lord, Dominic. However, she doesn't not count on her unwanted attraction and longing for the general. For she sees a part of his humanity that he tries to hide. Lady Cassandra begins to wonder if Dominic is really a part of his father cruelty of someone trying to break free, too. As she pushes him to reveal himself she is caught up in a dangerous game.

This was a fascinating story and the world the author has created is vivid, alluring and ambitious. The elves reminded me of sparkling diamonds beautiful to look at but utterly cold and deadly inside. The beauty and cruelty of the Elf Lords and Ladies was both fascinating and scary. In this treacherous world life is lived on the edge and all that you think is real is not. I enjoyed reading the different magical powers the elves and their partial human counterparts inherited. This story kept me on my toes as I wondered how the fragile love between the main characters could survive in such a hostile and cold environment where the discovery of their relationship would be certain death. If anything this story only wet my appetitive to know more about this world and particularly the Resistance. I feel Kathryne Kennedy has left a lot unrevealed for future books. She has included many intriguing characters like Lady Cassandra's handsome mentor and the mystery of the other Elven Lords and Ladies who rule different sections of this perilous world.

If you love fantasy and romance, this is a book that is guaranteed to get you hooked!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Awesome Read
I had previously read some of the author's novels and was totally blown away with this one. I sinerely hope there will be more novels in this setting and world. She caught me from the begining and never let go. I loved it.

Cass is the chosen bride of the Fire Lord's son. The Fire Lord wants to breed a new champion. Although the Fire Lord is immortal his son and champion is not. Cass has been trained as an assassin to kill the Fire Lord.

Mor'ded, the Fire Lord, is one of seven fae who chose to leave fairy and come rule England. All of the fae are mad and spend their time trying to capture the king of England. It is a game played between the fae. They care nothing for the death or suffering of their people.

Dominic is the Fire Lord's mortal son, he looks almost exactly like his father, but he is mortal and leads the armies of the Fire Lord against the other fae. He has recently captured the king, and returns home to face his wedding to CAss.

Although Dominic has feelings and suffers for others, he can not allow his father to see that he cares. His father will kill anything that he loves. The only thing Dominic can allow himself to care about is Ador, his father's dragon. So he pours out his thoughts and feelings to the Dragon, who continues to ignore him.

Now he finds himself drawn to Cass and must use everything he has learned and can find to protect both of them. There are many secrets in the castle, many he knows and many hidden from even him. Cass is a spy and an assassin and Dominic is falling in love with her.

Wonderful story and setting. I really enjoyed it. It is well worth the money.

Dark, sexy and magical!
History books don't reveal the dark secrets of magical Victorian England, an England ruled by elven lords. Together these lords enslave humans to create their armies. Dominic Raikes, the elven Fire Lord Mor'ded's half son, marries the Lady Cassandra to fulfill his father's desire for a new champion. Lady Cassandra has been raised in a convent. Her innocence and purity are evident to human and elven eyes alike --- but no one would guess her secrets. Cassandra plans to assassinate the evil Mor'ded. As part of the resistance, she plans to free humanity from his power. Her marriage will help her get close to the king. What she doesn't expect is that she will fall in love with the son of the man she must kill. As this planned marriage brings them together, somehow love has a way of defying their original intentions. Can the two of them defy the fire lord and escape with their lives? Can they save England and its inhabitants from the diabolical plans at work under the elven lords?

In the fantasy romance THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER, the first book in The Elven Lords series, Kathryne Kennedy creates compelling characters, joining together two memorable characters in a dynamic, challenging quest. Cassandra may be pure and innocent but she is certainly no push-over. Cassandra is an active, strong heroine who can stand up for herself and take the initiative. She is trained to fight and she does not need to be rescued. For Cassandra, love is a matter of the heart. Dominic needs to open his heart but he fears the risk that might come to those he loves. After suffering abuse and humiliation from his father, his only friend is the enigmatic dragon steed Ador. Will Cassandra be able to find the key to unlock the heart of the wounded soul of her husband? In the pairing together of hero and heroine, Kathryne Kennedy creates the perfect characters to start off her new series with a stunning combination. Both Cassandra and Dominic will live on in this reader's imagination long afterwards.

In THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER, Kathryne Kennedy creates a dark world in which imagery plays a poetic, powerful role. Certain revelations are likely to make a reader gasp at the pure evil behind the Fire Lord's schemes. Be forewarned, if you are looking for a light, fluffy romance, look elsewhere. If on the other hand, you are looking for a fantasy romance that takes you on a voyage to another world where the stakes are high and the romance sexy, Kathryne Kennedy's new series is one of those special rare finds. Kathryne Kennedy fans will find the ingredients they have grown to love in this author's work --- lovable characters, an enchanting world, a heart-warming romance and above all the magic of beautiful storytelling --- all brought together in a world that is darker but just as magical as her previous works. Romance readers who have not read Kathryne Kennedy are truly missing out. Few authors grab the imagination and the heart so deeply. Outstanding!

Courtesy of Book Iluminations

A Hero To Die For
The FIRE LORD'S LOVER by Kathryne Kennedy is a dark tale of intrigue, treachery, and unexpected love in a fantasy Georgian England where malicious elves rule their despised human slaves with a brutal hand.

This first book of the series takes place in Firehame, the domain of the Fire Lord, Mor'ded. Dominic, Mor'ded's half-human son and general of his army, has just won the latest of the war games the elves wage to amuse themselves. He returns home to wed Lady Cassandra in an arranged marriage. He also returns to his father's continued scorn of his human side.

Cass, assassin for the humans of the Rebellion, weds Dominic to get close enough to his hated father to kill him. In spite of her intentions, she falls in love with Dominic, but he disdains her. A confused Cass wonders how she can convince him to return her love.

His father's cruelty has forced Dominic to bury his human emotions deep. He does his best not to fall in love with Cass. But when he does, his contempt is a mask to protect her from Mor'ded, who has tortured to death everyone for whom Dominic has ever cared.

Those of you who read my reviews know that I like nice guy heroes, decent men who've been kicked around and it's made them even better men. In Dominic, Ms. Kennedy has created a spectacular version of my favorite hero. Literally tortured by his father in an effort to eradicate his humanity, Dominic emerges more human than ever and the kind of hero I never tire of finding.

ARC provided by Sourcebooks

A Stay up late to finish read
I have always enjoyed Kathrne Kennedy's books but this is by far my favorite to date. The concept is a new mix of historical romance and fantasy where elves, magic, and regency England all collide. The storyline is fascinating and the book will keep you up to see how it ends. Well done! ... Read more

Editorial Review

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Reviews

Completely engrossing and completely sensory story!
Although I am a voracious reader, I rarely read fantasy...I suppose because I am tired of being dragged into "created worlds" that rarely seem to be believeable or worthy of the time involved in figuring them out. This series of books (and I will tell you right now, like previous reviewers, GET THEM ALL, you will want to start Book II the MINUTE you finish the first!) is completely engrossing. I knew nothing of Celtic history or legends, but this author wove the threads of "real" legends and lore into his "otherworld" so completely and so perfectly you never question the reality of it all!! And to be perfectly honest, right up to the LAST sentence of the LAST book, he had me hooked. I am ashamed to say I put off more than one chore/responsiblity to get in ONE MORE CHAPTER before falling asleep at night!! (haha) It is rare that literature of this caliber comes along anymore and I for one cannot wait to read everything else Stephen Lawhead has written or will write in the future!! He has a true gift! Do yourself a favor and curl up with a set of books and a story that is completely sensory and real!!! ENJOY!!!!

A Pleasant Surprise!
As an avid fantasy reader, I was reluctant to try this trilogy because Lawhead is not one of the best known fantasy writers. My husband bought me the book because Lawhead is a Christian and he thought I should try it.

I was very pleasantly surprised! The writing is excellent. The story is interesting, meaningful, and epic in scope while still progressing rapidly enough to finish in three books.

It contains all of the elements I look for in a fantasy: vivid description, many interesting and well-developed characters, problems to solve, quests, romance, war, tension, intrigue, and a happy ending.

I couldn't be happier.

Wow!
You know, I've just read the new Harry Potter. And a couple of other books that I'm not proud of. And I really had nothing to say about any of them, one way or the other. But I wanted to write something about this book. Gosh, ITS SO GOOD! Thats that!
I was so impressed and pleased to have stumbled upon this book.
I just happened to pick it up; I read one of Lawhead's others before and remembered that other reviewers had said that other book wasn't one of his best. So I decided to try it and apparently found his best. Geez.
The ideas that it has, they're so savory. Could it be that the fairy world is just a go around the cairn away?
His logic, argument, writing style, magic, whatever it was, had me convinced that there truly is another world out there. And it is beautiful. Imagine that world----that world with out our modern conveniences---the most profound perhaps, imagine that world with out our modern sound. We are always bombarded with it.
That first part of the book is there to convince us that there is another mysterious realm. Its a fast pace to get there, too.
Simon, the main characters friend, is an intriguing enigmatic fellow. We think we know him so well until the last of the story.
The next part of the book is gaining acceptance and appreciation of that other realm.
And the last part is fighting to keep it whole and sound. It seems an uphill battle---can't wait to find out in Book 2.
You can not die and not have read this! I couldn't believe this book hadn't won any awards---if I had one to give, I would. Perhaps this review will suffice.
On to Book 2! The Silver Hand! Oh, and if you go to Stephen Lawheads official website, you can get a pronounciation guide to all our favorite characters! Yay!

Takes You All the Way There (and Back Again)
I seem to be reading Lawhead rather in reverse, since I'd never heard of him before reading his latest novel, Hood. Then I started in on this Song of Albion trilogy,(having found the whole trilogy in the earlier Zondervan Press edition) and realized it doesn't matter where you start with him, his stories are timeless. This is a "can't miss it" for the Celtophile, as it details an adventure to the Celtic Otherworld, which is also called Faerie. He has done impeccable research into the Celtic myths and the totality of his vision in weaving all this into a fascinating novel is nothing short of astonishing. Even if you don't have any background in the Celtic past and myths this would be a gripping tale. The pacing just never flagged. In summation, it was totally wonder-full.

A fantastic Celtic fantasy
In a trilogy that lies along the spectrum of two other British-born trilogies--Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and C.S.Lewis' "Space Trilogy"--this is a fantasy that will be hard to put down. I took a few weeks to read the first volume, a week to read the next, and a few days for the third. The inner logic pulls you forward while the events continually surprise. There is here the beauty of Ireland (though in a more primal form), the heroism of the Celtic warriors, the subtlety of kingship derived from the people, the tenderness of friendship and romance. Though one need not be familiar with Celtic lore to appreciate these books, those who have done some study in it will it come to life.

Give 'em ten stars!!!
The Song of Albion trilogy are some of the best books I have ever read!! They deserve 10 stars! I read fiction critically, paying attention not only to the quality of plot, but also quality of writing and, most importantly, development of characters. Stephen Lawhead's books in general, and this trilogy in particular, satisfy me in every detail. The plots are original and very well researched, and the writing is excellent, with inspiring but not over-used metaphors and subtle alliteration. The characterization is excellent! I could not believe when reading some of these reviews that the reviewer had read the same books that I did. I can truly say that I have never read books in which the characters are better developed than in these. These books deserve to be compared with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which are my all-time favorite books!

Read these books if you like, as I do: Celtic mythology; high fantasy; believable fictional characters; writing that is at once both poetic and gritty; anything written by Tolkien; well-written fantasy with Christian values...I could go on, actually--let's just say READ THESE BOOKS.

For those people who thought that the Celtic mythology setting of these books was not accurate and rather forced, I beg to disagree. Having studied Celtic mythology informally quite a lot for the past couple of years, I happen to know that these books are VERY well researched. The more that I learn about Celtic mythology, the more I am impressed by the accuracy of the Song of Albion setting. You will have learned more than you know, as you will find if these books inspire you to look further into this fascinating genre of mythology! And the Otherworld setting is, to me, very believable. I could almost believe it is real. It was a mysterious experience to visit a full-sized model of Stonehenge at sunset, during the time-between-times.

Another great thing about these books is that musicians Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning have written music to go with them. I originally heard of these books through this music. I have all the "Songs from Albion" CDs and highly recommend them, especially if you like contemporary Celtic-style music that is original composition, with a touch of New Age, rock, and medieval styles.

That is my review of the series. About this book in particular--I do not need to go over the plot since that has already been done here, and I would not want to ruin it for you anyway. This is my second favorite of the three books. It is a great start to the series. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't seem very "fantasy-ish" at the beginning. And don't get it without getting the second one. You will not want to wait. The best thing about this book as far as author's style is the wonderfully character development using the first person. I enjoy writing myself for pleasure (and am preparing to publish my first short story), and I know how difficult it is to develop a character's personality gradually over a book written in the first person from that person's point of view! Stephen Lawhead has done it with a master's touch.

Well, I'm done raving now. READ THESE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!

I Screamed
Getting lost in Albion is a rare treat. This is the first (and only) book I have read as an adult that made me feel as if I had managed to step into a realm far more beautiful then anything that could be known in this.
This is a book that engages on many levels with a story that can be read as simple mind candy or with a careful disection of symbols, either way the story only disappoints in that it must end.

In fact, I was so engrossed in the story I did not realize the pages were running out! The shock of such an abrupt ending literally made me scream at Mr. Lawhead for leaving me hanging until I could get the next two books (which I read within two days of recieving them).

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Editorial Review

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Reviews

DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION!!!!!!
This "enriched classics" is a bowdlerized version of Mary Shelley's original text. It eliminates passages, changes the diction, abridges the chapters, and changes the entire structure of the novel. Our school bought this edition thinking that the additional notes would be helpful to students studying the text, but there was no indication at all on Amazon's website that this version had been substantially altered by the editors. The book is so bowdlerized that our school bought an entire new set of texts for the students at a considerable finanacial loss for the school. WHATEVER YOU DO, BUY SOME OTHER VERSION OF FRANKENSTEIN. THIS ONE IS A MONSTER CREATED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS NO RESPECT FOR THE AUTHOR. BANTAM, PUFFIN, OXFORD -- THEY ARE ALL FINE. Irene Nicastro, English teacher, The American School of The Hague.

A moving, disturbing, depressing, but also touching tale
Much like Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a story we all think we know, but really don't. Very few films have consciously attempted to follow the novel too closely (which shouldn't detract from the excellent James Whale/Boris Karloff film, or its masterpiece-sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein). Thus, everything popular culture "knows" about "Frankenstein" does not originate from literature, but from films. This is a shame, in a way, because the novel itself is, if not the progenitor, an early vessel of so many archetypes found science fiction and horror.

The basic plot remained intact when transferred to other media. Swiss medical student Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of life (which he never reveals, lest someone repeat the mistake). He then puts together a body, essentially a man, from various corpses. He then becomes horrified by the creature he has built, and abandons. The creature, suffering a great deal of neglect and abuse, still manages to get a thorough education, and learns of his lineage. After murdering Victor's younger brother, and framing the family maid, the creature tells his (admittedly) sad tale to his "father", and then demands a mate. Victor, in a panic, agrees, then thinks better of it at the last moment, destroying the new bride. In retaliation, the creature murders all of Victor's loved ones (including his wife), and leads Victor on a merry chase across the world.

Most probably know that Mary Shelley wrote this book in response to a challenge issued by Lord Byron, during a vacation at Lake Geneva. (Along with this story came John Polidori's "The Vampyre", the first English vampire novel.) Most probably also know that Shelley went on to write other works of imaginative gothic fiction. Still, her modern reputation rests with this book, understandably.

As stated, numerous archetypes (themes, plot lines, characters) are present here. The basic fear of what evil technology may bring along with the good is a central theme, as is the warning against playing God. So is the implicit admonition to be responsible in all things, be it during innovation or being a parent. The creature is, for all intents and purposes, an android-everyone from Gort to C-3PO owe their existence to the Frankenstein monster. And the monster that slays all but one protagonist is a staple of horror, be it traditional monster movies, like "Alien", or more realistic slasher movies like "Halloween".

But, as I noted at the beginning of this review, certain of these elements have been lost in most interpretations. The creature is actually intelligent, and well-spoken, quite different from the inarticulate grunts or slow, half-sentences of the movies (again, no disrespect to Karloff). Further, while the films have made lightening a staple of the creatures creation, Shelley never really explains the process (probably knowing that she might interfere with the plausibility of her work). Finally, one of the staples of the films is the explanation for the creatures "evil" nature. Often, the problem lies with the brain used, which almost invariably is a criminal brain, or is damaged before implantation. In the book, the creature is really a child that's horribly neglected, but with the strength and intelligence to strike back: id without superego, and without restraints.

Thus, "Frankenstein" will be a new experience for readers who have never experienced it. Unlike "Dracula", there aren't any moments where a reader might look up and suddenly realize how quiet it is in the house, or how dark it's gotten outside. In that regard, "Frankenstein" has not aged particularly well. Throughout, however, it is a moving, disturbing, depressing, but also a touching and beautiful tale. Those qualities have withstood the test of time. While it is not always a rollicking adventure, it is a rewarding read.

More Relevant Today Than When First Written
Modern readers must jump through a number of hoops to enjoy this legendary novel. Written between 1816 and 1818, this is very much a novel of its era, and both language and ideas about plot are quite different from those of today. That aside, and unlike such contemporaries as Jane Austen, author Mary Shelly has never been greatly admired for her literary style, which is often awkward. But perhaps the biggest hurdle is that of our own expectations: while it certainly sent icy chills down the spines of 19th Century readers, FRANKENSTEIN is not a horror novel per se.

While Mary Shelly might have been stylistically weak, her story was not. Nothing like it had been written before, and the concept of a student endowing life upon a humanoid creature cobbled together from charnel house parts was unexpectedly shocking to the reading public. But even more shocking were the ideas that Shelly brought to the story. Having created this thing in his own image, what--if anything--does the creator owe it? And in posing this question, Shelly very deliberately raises her novel to an even more complex level: this is not merely the conflict of man and his creation, but also a questioning of God and his responsibility toward his creation.

In some respects, the book is written like the famous philosophical "dialogues" of the ancient world: a counterpoint of questions and arguments that do battle for the reader's acceptance. More than anything else, FRANKENSTEIN is a novel of ethics and of ideas about ideas, with Mary Shelly's themes arrayed in multiple layers throughout: God, self, society, science; responsibility to self, to society, to the things we bring to society, to the truth; life, integrity, and death--these are the ideas and issues that predominate the book, and any one expecting a horror novel pure and simple is out of luck.

Mary Shelly is a rare example of a writer whose ideas clearly outstrip her literary skill--but whose ideas are so powerful that they transcend her literary limitations and continue to resonate today. And indeed, as science continues to advance, it could not be otherwise so. Mary Shelly could not see into the future of DNA research, laboratory-grown tissues, test-tube babies and the like--but between 1816 and 1818 she wrote a book about the ethical dilemmas that swirl around them. And for all its flaws, FRANKENSTEIN is perhaps even more relevant today than it was over a hundred and fifty years ago.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

underestimated classic
The 19th Century bequeathed us four immediately recognizable, vibrant & enduring fictional icons: Shelley's Frankenstein; Stoker's Dracula; Melville's Moby Dick (& Ahab); and Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Each of them has, I fear, suffered a horrible fate: they are so familiar to us, in their many modern incarnations & imitations, that too few people return to the original texts. This may be particularly true of Frankenstein, whose portrayals have been so frivolous and distorted. In fact, in addition to being written in luxuriant gothic prose, the original novel is one of the most profound meditations on Man and his purpose and relation to God that has exists in our literature.

Victor Frankenstein is a young man of Geneva who is fascinated by the sciences and the secrets of life and death:

My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages, nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states possessed attractions for me. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world.

While at University in Ingolstadt, his life course is set when he hears a professor lecture on modern chemistry:

'The ancient teachers of this science,'said he, 'promised impossibilities and performed nothing. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted and that the elixir of life is a chimera. But these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles. They penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places. They ascend into the heavens; they have discovered how the blood circulates, and the nature of the air we breathe. They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heavens, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world with its own shadows.'

Such were the professor's words--rather let me say such were the words of the fate--enounced to destroy me.

Victor goes on to discover, through the study of chemistry, the secret of bringing dead flesh to life. Inevitably he tests his discovery and of viewing his creation cries:

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.

And so, repelled by the mere appearance, the inevitable imperfection, of his work, Frankenstein rejects the creature utterly. However, unlike the mute stupid monster of the movies, Shelley's monster is articulate and sensitive and longs for companionship, but all of humankind reacts to him with horror. And so he demands that Frankenstein build him a mate. When Frankenstein refuses to provide him with a companion, the creature resolves to destroy those who Frankenstein loves.

Finally, Frankenstein determines that he must destroy the creature and pursues him into the frozen wastes of the North.

It all makes for a rousing adventure, but there is much more here. Frankenstein, through his work, has attempted to become a god, but his creation is a horrible disappointment & so, is banished from him. Meanwhile, his flawed creation, filled with ineffable longing and confusion, wanders in exile seeking the meaning of his existence. And what is the impulse that he settles upon, but another act of creation; a mate must be created for him. The Biblical parallels are obvious, but they work on us subtly as we read the novel. In the end, the uncontrollable urge to create, to imitate God, stands revealed as Man's driving force. And the inevitable disappointment of the creator in his creation, is revealed as the serpent in the garden.

If you've never read this book, read it now. If you've read it before, read it again.

GRADE: A+

Gothic at its best
Mary Shelley was the daughter of the famous feminist and author, Mary Wollstonecraft, who is best known for her work The Vindication of the Rights of Women. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a young university student, Victor Frankenstein, obsesses with wanting to know the secret to life. He studies chemistry and natural philosophy with the goal of being able to create a human out of spare body parts. After months of constant work in his laboratory, Frankenstein attains his goal and brings his creation to life. Frankenstein is immediately overwrought by fear and remorse at the sight of his creation, a "monster." The next morning, he decides to destroy his creation but finds that the monster has escaped. The monster, unlike other humans, has no social preparation or education; thus, it is unequipped to take care of itself either physically or emotionally. The monster lives in the forest like an animal without knowledge of "self" or understanding of its surroundings. The monster happens upon a hut inhabited by a poor family and is able to find shelter in a shed adjacent to the hut. For several months, the monster starts to gain knowledge of human life by observing the daily life of the hut's inhabitants through a crack in the wall. The monster's education of language and letters begins when he listens to one of them learning the French language. During this period, the monster also learns of human society and comes to the realization that he is grotesque and alone in the world. Armed with his newfound ability to read, he reads three books that he found in a leather satchel in the woods. Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther, Milton's Paradise Lost, and a volume of Plutarch's Lives. The monster, not knowing any better, read these books thinking them to be facts about human history. From Plutarch's works, he learns of humankind's virtues. However, it is Paradise Lost that has a most interesting effect on the monster's understanding of self. The monster at first identifies with Adam, "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." The monster, armed only with his limited education, thought that he would introduce himself to the cottagers and depend on their virtue and benevolence; traits he believed from his readings that all humans possessed. However, soon after his first encounter with the cottagers, he is beaten and chased off because his ugliness frightens people. The monster is overwrought by a feeling of perplexity by this reaction, since he thought he would gain their trust and love, which he observed them generously give to each other on so many occasions. He receives further confirmation of how his ugliness repels people when, sometime later, he saves a young girl from drowning and the girl's father shoots at him because he is frightful to look at. The monster quickly realizes that the books really lied to him. He found no benevolence or virtue among humans, even from his creator. At every turn in his life, humans are judging him solely based on his looks. The monster soon realizes that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he is most alike. Instead, he comes to realize that he most represents Satan. The monster is jealous of the happiness he sees humans enjoy that he has never attained for himself. The monster tells Frankenstein that he found his lab journal in his coat pocket and read it with increasing hate and despair as he came to understand what Frankenstein's intent was in creating him. The monster curses Frankenstein for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust.

Shelley's intent here is plain to see. "The fate of the monster suggests that proficiency in `the art of language' as he calls it, may not ensure one's position as a member of the `human kingdom." In a sense, she is showing that both her parents were mistaken when they advocated greater education reform for people. They thought education would make people better, which in turn would improve society for all. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contradicts this belief.

Starting with the full title of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus one can instantly see that mythology was integral to her book. Lord Byron, poet and friend of the Shelley's was writing a poem entitled Prometheus, and Mary was reading the Prometheus legend in Aeschylus' works when she had a dream, which was the impetus for her book. The Greek god Prometheus, is known for two important tasks that he performed, he created man from clay, and he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The stealing of fire really angered Zeus because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for humankind. Zeus punished Prometheus by having him carried to a mountain, where an eagle would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again.

The presence of fire and light in this gothic story helps to point to the similarities to Prometheus and Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster, in Shelley's book. The book uses light as a symbol of discovery, knowledge, and enlightenment. The natural world is full of hidden passages, and dark unknown scientific secrets; Victor's goal as a scientist is to grasp towards the light. Light is a by-product of fire that the monster learned quickly when he is living on his own. The monster experienced fires' duality when he first encountered it in an unattended fire in the woods. He is mesmerized by the fact that fire produces light in the darkness in the woods, but is shocked at the sensation of pain it gives him when he touches it. Victor is defiant of god in the same way that Prometheus was defiant of Zeus. Victor steals the secret of life from god and creates a human out of spare body parts. He does this out of an altruistic wish to spare humankind from the pain and suffering of death. Thus, Victor Frankenstein embodies both aspects of the Promethean myth creation and fire. Victor in a sense has the same experience with the fire of enlightenment similar to his monster; he is "burned" by the fire of enlightenment. Victor also suffers from the classic Greek tragic condition of hubris for his transgression against god and nature.

The book also adopts two other great mythic legends. One is Adam from the Bible. Victor Frankenstein bears striking resemblance to Adam and his fall from grace for eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The other is Satan, a mythic figure that Shelley admired from her readings in Milton's book Paradise Lost. In an interesting juxtaposition of booth myths, she expands on the motif of the fall from grace in her book when she portrays the monster comparing himself to Adam; after he read, Milton's book Paradise Lost. The monster tells Victor, that he at first identifies with Adam God's first creation. "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." However, after several incidents of mistreatment that he suffered from the humans he encountered in his travels; the monster soon realized that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he was most alike. Instead, he came to realize that he most represented Satan. The monster's feelings of hatred and despair stem from the fact that humans found him grotesque to look at and would not accept him as a member of human society. The monster cursed Victor for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust. Thus, it is obvious for all to see that Shelley's Frankenstein is replete with mythological references and they are central to the plot.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy, and literature.

A complex, poignant examination of human nature
Those who know Frankenstein only from movies and television may well be surprised to read the original book by Mary Shelley. Indeed, one may well look back to the cover to see if the book is in fact Frankenstein because the first pages consist of messages from an R. Walton to his sister concerning his expedition to the northern polar regions. Victor Frankenstein appears as a wretched creature stranded on an ice floe beside the ship. After he is rescued and recovers somewhat, he tells his incredible story to Walton, who in turn preserves the story in writing. Frankenstein reminisces about his happy childhood, particularly the close relationship between himself and his "cousin" Elizabeth, and then explains how his interest in discredited natural philosophy led him to create a living man of his own design. The creature is a hideous, misshapen, giant of a man who so disgusted Frankenstein upon his awakening that he fled his laboratory and residence. The creation process, it should be noted, in no way involved an elaborate machine powered by lightning such as is portrayed in the movies; in fact, beyond the fact that chemicals are involved, we are told nothing of the process. For two years, Frankenstein goes about life with a clinging sense of guilt and nervousness, hoping the creature has perished. When his little brother is murdered, though, he returns home and soon discovers that it was the monster who committed the deed. In an isolated mountainous area, the monster appears before him and explains his actions. Although the creature does nothing more than grunt in the movies, the original Frankenstein was possessed of great eloquence and intelligence, and he tells a moving story about his attempts to make a connection with a society that is revolted at the sight of him. He describes living in a small hovel at the back of a small house for many months, watching the interaction of the family inside, learning how to speak their language and eventually even learning how to read. When he eventually tries to interact with the family, he is assaulted and runs away, and it is at this point that his virtuous and peaceful nature begins to become inflamed into a torrent of hatred for mankind. When he rescues a girl from drowning, he is rewarded with a bullet in his shoulder. Each time he performs a good deed, mankind runs from him in disgust or attempts to harm him. Living in total isolation and loneliness, his one purpose in life eventually becomes tormenting his creator, and many terrible misfortunes ensue for Frankenstein, who himself eventually becomes dedicated to the sole purpose of destroying his tormentor.

Both Frankenstein and his monster are tragic figures. The complete alienation of the creature makes him a very sympathetic character in many respects, and he does perform many kind deeds for humans early on. Frankenstein is an utterly pitiable character utterly destroyed by his mad decision to create the monster; he burdens his soul with responsibility for every crime the monster commits, and his inability to tell anyone his secret for so long destroys him in body, mind, and soul; everyone and everything he cares for is taken from him by his horrible creation. His tendency to bemoan his fate at every turn of the narrative can get rather tiresome, but one cannot question the depth of his turmoil. Both creator and created seem to be mirror images of each other in important ways, their fates clearly tied to one another, each soul deserving both blame and pity. There is much about human nature, both good and bad, revealed in the monster's life as well as Frankenstein's; the novel is a far cry from horror for the sake of horror. This is actually a very complex, compelling story full of human pathos; it is unfortunate that modern media have turned Frankenstein's creature into a simple, heartless, mentally deficient monster for the sake of scares and laughs.

Gothic at its best
Mary Shelley was the daughter of the famous feminist and author, Mary Wollstonecraft, who is best known for her work The Vindication of the Rights of Women. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a young university student, Victor Frankenstein, obsesses with wanting to know the secret to life. He studies chemistry and natural philosophy with the goal of being able to create a human out of spare body parts. After months of constant work in his laboratory, Frankenstein attains his goal and brings his creation to life. Frankenstein is immediately overwrought by fear and remorse at the sight of his creation, a "monster." The next morning, he decides to destroy his creation but finds that the monster has escaped. The monster, unlike other humans, has no social preparation or education; thus, it is unequipped to take care of itself either physically or emotionally. The monster lives in the forest like an animal without knowledge of "self" or understanding of its surroundings. The monster happens upon a hut inhabited by a poor family and is able to find shelter in a shed adjacent to the hut. For several months, the monster starts to gain knowledge of human life by observing the daily life of the hut's inhabitants through a crack in the wall. The monster's education of language and letters begins when he listens to one of them learning the French language. During this period, the monster also learns of human society and comes to the realization that he is grotesque and alone in the world. Armed with his newfound ability to read, he reads three books that he found in a leather satchel in the woods. Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther, Milton's Paradise Lost, and a volume of Plutarch's Lives. The monster, not knowing any better, read these books thinking them to be facts about human history. From Plutarch's works, he learns of humankind's virtues. However, it is Paradise Lost that has a most interesting effect on the monster's understanding of self. The monster at first identifies with Adam, "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." The monster, armed only with his limited education, thought that he would introduce himself to the cottagers and depend on their virtue and benevolence; traits he believed from his readings that all humans possessed. However, soon after his first encounter with the cottagers, he is beaten and chased off because his ugliness frightens people. The monster is overwrought by a feeling of perplexity by this reaction, since he thought he would gain their trust and love, which he observed them generously give to each other on so many occasions. He receives further confirmation of how his ugliness repels people when, sometime later, he saves a young girl from drowning and the girl's father shoots at him because he is frightful to look at. The monster quickly realizes that the books really lied to him. He found no benevolence or virtue among humans, even from his creator. At every turn in his life, humans are judging him solely based on his looks. The monster soon realizes that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he is most alike. Instead, he comes to realize that he most represents Satan. The monster is jealous of the happiness he sees humans enjoy that he has never attained for himself. The monster tells Frankenstein that he found his lab journal in his coat pocket and read it with increasing hate and despair as he came to understand what Frankenstein's intent was in creating him. The monster curses Frankenstein for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust.

Shelley's intent here is plain to see. "The fate of the monster suggests that proficiency in `the art of language' as he calls it, may not ensure one's position as a member of the `human kingdom." In a sense, she is showing that both her parents were mistaken when they advocated greater education reform for people. They thought education would make people better, which in turn would improve society for all. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contradicts this belief.

Starting with the full title of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus one can instantly see that mythology was integral to her book. Lord Byron, poet and friend of the Shelley's was writing a poem entitled Prometheus, and Mary was reading the Prometheus legend in Aeschylus' works when she had a dream, which was the impetus for her book. The Greek god Prometheus, is known for two important tasks that he performed, he created man from clay, and he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The stealing of fire really angered Zeus because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for humankind. Zeus punished Prometheus by having him carried to a mountain, where an eagle would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again.

The presence of fire and light in this gothic story helps to point to the similarities to Prometheus and Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster, in Shelley's book. The book uses light as a symbol of discovery, knowledge, and enlightenment. The natural world is full of hidden passages, and dark unknown scientific secrets; Victor's goal as a scientist is to grasp towards the light. Light is a by-product of fire that the monster learned quickly when he is living on his own. The monster experienced fires' duality when he first encountered it in an unattended fire in the woods. He is mesmerized by the fact that fire produces light in the darkness in the woods, but is shocked at the sensation of pain it gives him when he touches it. Victor is defiant of god in the same way that Prometheus was defiant of Zeus. Victor steals the secret of life from god and creates a human out of spare body parts. He does this out of an altruistic wish to spare humankind from the pain and suffering of death. Thus, Victor Frankenstein embodies both aspects of the Promethean myth creation and fire. Victor in a sense has the same experience with the fire of enlightenment similar to his monster; he is "burned" by the fire of enlightenment. Victor also suffers from the classic Greek tragic condition of hubris for his transgression against god and nature.

The book also adopts two other great mythic legends. One is Adam from the Bible. Victor Frankenstein bears striking resemblance to Adam and his fall from grace for eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The other is Satan, a mythic figure that Shelley admired from her readings in Milton's book Paradise Lost. In an interesting juxtaposition of booth myths, she expands on the motif of the fall from grace in her book when she portrays the monster comparing himself to Adam; after he read, Milton's book Paradise Lost. The monster tells Victor, that he at first identifies with Adam God's first creation. "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." However, after several incidents of mistreatment that he suffered from the humans he encountered in his travels; the monster soon realized that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he was most alike. Instead, he came to realize that he most represented Satan. The monster's feelings of hatred and despair stem from the fact that humans found him grotesque to look at and would not accept him as a member of human society. The monster cursed Victor for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust. Thus, it is obvious for all to see that Shelley's Frankenstein is replete with mythological references and they are central to the plot.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy, and literature.

Very thorough look at Mary Shelley's original work.
This Norton Critical Edition makes an excellent value in literature. If you are a student of literature, this volume will help you gain a thorough knowledge of Mary Shelley's original text (lots of context and critical essays included), as well as editions that followed. It contains her original preface (supposedly much influenced by Percy) as well as her 1830 preface. If you do not know, Mary's monster is not the monster one finds in the movies, nor is Dr. Frankenstein. Further, if you have not read an edition other than the first, you don't know about the incest issue that is in the first edition, but not later editions. As you will find in reviews below, this is not a flawless novel, but it is a must read for any well-read person. What is rarely discussed is the influence of John Locke, whose Essay Concerning Human Understanding Mary Shelley read closely just prior to writing the novel. The influence of his work on hers is substantial. Read in the light of Romanticism's reaction to the Enlightenment and Locke et al gives one a completely different perspective for understanding the work. I think you'll find Mary's philosophy appropriately and interestingly feminine, without being feminist; another surprise, considering her lineage. Definitely a good read!

Frankenstein plus writings contemporaneous of the novel
Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" is a major novel in Western Civilization. I always think of it as representing the paradigm shift from religion to science, embodied in the contrast with the myth of Faust with the story of Victor Frankenstein. The crucial question in this novel is simply which is Frankenstein's createst sin, bringing the creature to life or abandoning it once he had done so. However, this review is not really about Shelley's novel, because if you are a teacher you have already decided whether or not you want to use the novel in your class. The question here is what value this Longman Cultural Edition would have over a regular edition of "Frankenstein."

This Longman Critical Edition includes Shelley's introduction to the 1831 edition and a revision of the section of the novel dealing with the adoption of Elizabeth. There are three main sections to the Contexts part of this volume. First, Monsters, Visionaries, and Mary Shelley puts the novel in the context of what her contemporaries were writing and talking about. Consequently there are other writings of Shelley along with Edmund Burke, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, among others. There are also some descriptions from Richard Brinsley Peake's dramatic adaptation of the novel and even Dr. Spock's chapter "Enjoy Your Baby" from his famous book (interesting choice, you must admit). Second, Milton's Satan and Romantic Imaginations looks at both Milton and the Bible, as well as additional writings from Byron, Shelley, and Keats. Third, What the Reviews Said all dealing with commentaries written between 1818 and 1832.

What this should make quite clear to you is that this Longman Cultural Edition relies mainly on what I would consider primary documents the vast majority of which are contemporarneous with the writing of Shelley's novel. This is a synchronic rather than a diachronic perspective, which is of more value to a class that is considering "Frankenstein" in the context of the time and place in which it was written (i.e., 19th century gothic novels rather than horror literature through the ages). Susan J. Wolfson has edited a volume that will help readers understand the world in which Shelley wrote her classic novel. If doing so is important to your class, or is a perspective you enjoy exploring, this edition of "Frankenstein" will certainly fit your needs. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene's special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love...

"The story glows...a mythical tapestry that is at once completely recognizable yet utterly fresh..."
-Publishers Weekly

"Like The Mists of Avalon, the Arthurian legend from a woman's point of view."
-USA Today

"Readers will be enchanted...the characters and strands of the famous legend are skillfully woven together here."
-School Library Journal

"Take heed: the feminist possibilities of the Arthurian legendary cycle were not exhausted by Marion Zimmer Bradley's bestselling The Mists of Avalon... A riveting good read."
-Booklist

What readers are saying:

"A rather unique look at the legend of King Arthur."

"An exquisite addition to Arthurian literature."

"The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!"

Reviews

Hypnotic
Reading Merlin's Harp, I realized something about novels that portray the interaction between the human world and Faerie. They usually don't tell the stories of fae folk in their own homeland. There are exceptions, of course, but authors tend to focus on faeries stuck in the human world, or humans encountering Faerie. I think I may know why that is. When writing about faeries living in Faerie, it's all too easy to have nothing happen.

Anne Eliot Crompton uses beautiful, if occasionally stilted, language to draw us into her take on Arthurian legend:

"When I was yet a young woman I threw my heart away.

I fashioned a wee coracle of leaf and willow twig and reed, a coracle that sat in the hollow of my two palms. In this I placed my wounded, wretched heart, and I set it adrift on the rain-misted wavelets of the Fey river, and I watched it bob and whirl, sail and sink. Ever since I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, cold as spring rain, the way Humans think all Fey live. Humans I have known would be astounded to learn that I ever had a heart that leapt, brightened, fainted, quickened, warmed, embraced, froze or rejected, like their own."

The narrator is Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. In the ensuing chapters, Niviene endeavors to tell us how she came to the point of throwing her heart away. This ornate, image-rich prose continues, and Niviene meanders and digresses in her tale. She'll mention an old family friend, then backtrack and tell us all about how she came to meet him before going back to the main thread of her narrative.

By combining the flowery style with a narrative that is ever looping back on itself, Crompton conveys a sense of what Faerie is said to be like. It's beautiful and hypnotic, and time doesn't flow in Faerie the way it does in the human realm. The trouble is, it's *too* hypnotic. Lulling. Dreamlike. Reading Merlin's Harp made me sleepy. While falling into an enchanted slumber and waking on the cold hillside is very much in keeping with Faerie tradition, it doesn't help propel one through a novel.

It also doesn't help that not much happens in the first hundred pages or so, which is as far as I got before giving up. Roughly the first ninety pages are taken up with an interpretation of the Lady of Shalott tale, and a rather uninteresting one. The main problem is Gwenevere, who spends this entire sequence drugged and being toddled around like a doll. Sure, she's gorgeous, but can physical beauty alone account for the trouble she unwittingly causes here? I've seen sympathetic Gweneveres and unsympathetic ones, but all the best portrayals afford her some charisma that helps explain why she is so loved.

This is followed by a four-page sequence (I counted) in which Niviene gets pregnant and gives birth to a son, the son grows to the age of five, and then the son goes missing. All in four pages. That was when I decided to give up. If it takes ninety pages for a young boy to break a young girl's heart in favor of a pretty woman in a stupor, and four pages for a fetus to become a five-year-old, the pacing is just a little too strange for me, Faerie or no.

Merlin's Harp contains some lovely language and an interesting perspective on the Matter of Britain, but finally the pacing and the hypnotic effect were too much for me. I recommend it to fans of lush prose who have plenty of coffee on hand.

The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!
Merlin's Harp is an exquisite addition to Arthurian literature. Anne Crompton's writing is lyrical and beautiful. It leads you into the story and keeps you there. Her very original presentation of well known characters, well known story lines, and even objects such as the Grail is so very intriguing that you do not want to put the book down until you have finished it. Her central character Niviene is delightfully "odd" and fantastical. This is a Niviene no one has seen before. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of the few books that really does take you into another world. When you put it down, when you have read every page, you are left with a feeling of amazement and sheer delight in the experience.

Fresh perspective with new insights !
Merlin's Harp is a great short read (one day ), that will transport the reader back to Arthurian times through the eyes of an important, but not much talked about player. The book reminds me of 'Forest House' by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It is light reading, yet keeps your interest. Merlin's Harp will give the reader new insight on Lancelot and Melwas, with a new revelation on Merlin and the Holy Grail

Creative - Original - Excellent
If you liked Mists of Avalon, here is another book you will enjoy. The book is based on the perspective of a Fey woman. The first few chapters focus entirely on the life of the Fey and I found it a very interesting perspective. Merlin is introduced as is Guenevere and Arthur and Lancelot - though you don't know this at first. The introduction of characters is subtle and almost elusive. Not until later in the book does the plot twist and turn and bring you to the familiar aspects of the Arthurian legend we all recognize. It is a fast and intriguing read. I also liked her inclusion of Merlin's songs throughout the novel. They brought the poetic oral tradition of the legend into the book to show how the story evolved over time to the tale we know today. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

“You will be turning pages well into the night.� —Sandy Blair, author of A Highlander For Christmas“A fast-paced, sexy read with lots of twists and turns! A fascinating paranormal world with a hot hero, a smart heroine and dark villains.� —Nicole North, author of Devil in a Kilt Their forbidden love may get them both killed.Bella is a red werewolf, sole survivor of the fire that killed her entire pack. Devlyn is a beta male werewolf in a pack of grays. Forced to flee her adopted gray pack when the alpha male becomes a vicious threat, she struggles to live as a lone wolf, until Devlyn, the gray male who rescued her as a pup, comes to bring her home.When a local red werewolf goes on a killing spree, Bella and Devlyn must flee the murderer, the police and their vengeful pack leader. With the full moon rising, and her heat upon her, Bella can’t resist the pull to her destined mate, even if means Devlyn will have to face the wicked alpha male in a fight to the death...A sizzling paranormal romance based on extensive research on how wolves live and behave in the wild, creating a fascinating world of nature and fantasy.“Warm and sexy; Terry Spear is a great new voice in the paranormal romance genre.� —Cathy Clamp, USA Today bestselling author ... Read more

Reviews

Good story, but...
I loved the storyline of Heart of the Wolf. I loved the characters.

I didn't love how it was written. The same phrases are repeated constantly, and the fight scenes are short and have a severe lack of description.

I only read all the way through because I wanted to see how things between Bella and Devlyn turned out, but I can honestly say this book has literally put me to sleep more than once.

Scorching Paranormal Romance
Heart of the Wolf does not disappoint. The interaction between Bella and Devlyn singes the page and you will find yourself pulling for these two! The story is addictive so if you're looking for an engaging, sexy read with a hot alpha male - this is the book for you!

Hot shapeshifter romance!!
Heart of the Wolf is a sexy werewolf romance with lots of action to keep you on the edge of your seat and riveted throughout the night. I fell in love with the multi-dimensional characters, especially the yummy-hot alpha hero. The complex plot kept me guessing about what would happen next. I've never been to Oregon where the story is set, and I enjoyed seeing Portland and the surrounding area through the author's beautiful descriptions. I highly recommend this book!!!
... Read more

Editorial Review

When a modern woman goes back to Jane Austen's time, she needs to know…

Everything! Eleanor agrees to travel back in time to prevent a deadly duel, but she doesn't know how to behave, what to say, and most importantly…

How to tell a villain from a rake

The captivating, infuriating, and mysterious Lord Shermont is a renowned rake and womanizer—but is he also a dangerous cutthroat and spy? Eleanor has to get up close and personal to find out…

Otherwise, she could fall into a most shocking scandal…

Thankfully, Miss Jane Austen herself arrives on the scene, with sage guidance and a twinkle in her eye, to help Eleanor navigate countryhouse society and the dangerous terrain of her own heart…

From the author of Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, a newtime travel romance featuring a modern day career woman swept back in time toRegency England, where she thwarts a Napoleonic spy, chats with Jane Austen,and falls in love with a notorious rake.

PRAISE FOR LAURIE BROWN:

"Highly original. If you're in the market for a differentkind of historical romance, or you enjoy stories filled with period detail,Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is a solid bet."
wordcandybooks.blogspot.com

"Brown's ending was clever and I never suspected Josie wouldchoose the path she takes. I would recommend Hundreds of Years to Reform a Raketo anyone who enjoys paranormals, and even Regency fans who don't usually readthem. Brown did an excellent job of combining the two genres."
aladysdiversions.blogspot.com

"A very enjoyable read with Josie a feisty and independentcharacter, and Deverell the ghost and Deverell the man both also veryappealing."
curledup.com

"Humor, mystery, ghosts, history, and… pure fun."
blogcritics.org

"A fresh tale that is as charming as it is hot!"
zeekspage.blogspot.com

"You'll be transported to another time and won't want to return until the very last page is digested."
fantasybookspot.com

Reviews

Excellent !
This is a historical romance with a twist , since the reader and the main character are from modern times. Eleanor Pottinger is in England to do a seminar on Regency fashion when 2 ghosts (Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury) ask her to go back in past and stop a duel. Eleanor goes to bed thinking that she is just jet-legged but in reality she is back in the past. Once she is in the past she imbraces the era and who find yourself in a house party trying to keep Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury from being seduced by Lord Shermont. It was funny and smart and over all a great read!!!

If you enjoy this genre I would also suggest; Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, Spirited Away, The Wedding Ghost (Zebra Regency Romance) and a classic The Mirror

whimsical time travel romance
Recently dumped by her cheating fiance, Eleanor Pottinger is an expert on Regency aristocratic fashion. She is currently working as a designer for a Jane Austen festival during Regency Week. However, she is bit taken aback to find her room at the old inn is preoccupied.

Nonplussed Eleanor meets the ghosts of sisters Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury. The trio negotiates a deal in which Eleanor will go back to 1814 to prevent a deadly duel between their brother Teddy and Lord Shermont in exchange to them introducing her to Jane Austen. As she and Shermont flirt outrageously with one another, Eleanor must decide between sense and sensibility; she needs to choose either the active sex of a lifetime or a passive meeting with a writer even as she considers WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?.

Though Jane is a minor player, Eleanor and Shermont are wonderful leads and the ghostly sisters great support as Laurie Brown provides a whimsical time travel romance. The story line is fast-paced and filled with twists. This is Eleanor's tale as she tries to make the right choices considers her mantra: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? In this situation.

Harriet Klausner

Enchanting Review: What Would Jane Austen Do?
WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?
LAURIE BROWN
Historical Romance
Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

When Eleanor Pottinger goes to England for a regency convention, hopeful on getting a start on her costume making business she could never imagine that the hotel losing her reservation would start her on an unforgettable journey back through time. But when she wakes up to find the ghosts of two dead sisters who want to send her back to Jane Austen's time to save themselves Eleanor thinks it's all a joke, or better yet a dream, until she finds herself surrounded by either the best regency actors or she's really traveled through time.

WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is an entertaining and light historical read. I loved the two sisters, Deirdre and Mina, both in ghost form and physical form in the 1800s. With Eleanor banishing the ghost forms almost the moment she awakes, it's solely up to her to figure out just what it will take to send her back to her own time. There was so much I liked about this book. Eleanor is a great character, and watching her struggle with fitting in without the guidance or assistance of the ghosts is truly enjoyable. The banter between the characters was especially well done and I loved the mystery of not only who Shermont truly was, a man who was found by the side of the road with a bump on his head, but just how Eleanor was going to get back to her own time, if that was even possible.

One of my absolute favorite scenes in the book takes place about a third of the way through, when Eleanor awakes in the middle of the night. Unused to the absolute silence of the estate, she goes in search of a servant and possibly some warm milk to help her fall back asleep, but instead finds herself alone in the library with the mysterious Shermont. I loved the chemistry between the two in the scene and how they ended up sharing a sandwich. My only real issue with WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO was the ending did seem a little rushed to me, but it didn't detract from a great story.

Laurie Brown teaches writing classes at the college level, has presented seminars at conferences all over the country, and has three published romance novels. She has been a Golden Heart finalist twice and has received the Service Award from the Chicago-North Chapter of RWA. She resides in Illinois.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
January 2009

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Editorial Review

Reviews

The 'Two Towers" of the Wheel of Time series
If you've been waiting on this series to *finish* for as long as I have, this book is for you.

It's the next-to final volume in Robert Jordan's twenty-years-in-the-making Wheel of Time series, not the ending itself, but -- well, I'll explain below. If you're familiar with the series at all, you know that Jordan passed away before he could finish writing the final volumes, and you know that Brandon Sanderson, an expert writer in his own right, has been brought on to finish the final three books -- The Gathering Storm, released last year, this volume, Towers of Midnight, and a final volume, _A Memory of Light_, which seems likely to be released around March 2012.

Of those three volumes, this is the "Two Towers" equivalent: there's a heck of a lot of action and movement, but ultimately, this book is about things *finally* falling into position for the final confrontations -- if The Gathering Storm put the key in the ignition, this one turns it, and now all that's left is to watch the last volume put the pedal to the metal. There's a real sense throughout the book that the many, many characters and plots are all locking into place, falling towards their final intersections.

Sanderson's writing is excellent, and in some ways significantly improved since the last volume. Due to the nature of the coauthorship (Jordan wrote some sections of the last three books before he died, and Sanderson is completing the rest from Jordan's extensive outlines and notes), it's hard to know precisely how much we're seeing here of Brandon Sanderson's work and how much of Jordan's, but Sanderson does appear to have a few minor "tells" (chiefly, a tendency towards more modern diction and phrasing), and from those I'll venture a guess that this volume has significantly more of Sanderson's writing in it than Jordan's. That's no criticism, though, as Sanderson's an excellent writer in his own right; the most important thing is the story and the characters, and those Sanderson carries through clear as day. Whatever problems Sanderson might have had adapting to Jordan's voice, he's clearly been working on them, and his work has clearly paid off. He's still not pitch-perfect, and there are definitely still moments where you're reminded of the transfer, but overall there's a vast improvement, even in characters he seemed to "hiccup" on in Gathering Storm (such as Matrim Cauthon). The result is that every point-of-view character, at least, speaks clearly with a voice that's recognizably *their own*, the voices we've known for all the twenty-odd years some of us have been following this series.

I'll avoid detailed plot summaries for fear of spoilers, apart from noting that the book focuses primarily on Perrin and Mat's storylines, overlapping much of the timeline in Gathering Storm and extending past it slightly, with significant further development for Rand, Galad, Gawyn, Egwene, and Elayne as well (in approximately that order, proportionally). Perrin especially gets a lot of development, and if you've ever thought anything like "Perrin used to be my favorite character, but. . . " you'll probably be very happy about the turn he takes in this volume.

The pacing is torrential, to the point that I read most of the book quite literally pacing around the room, too hooked to sit either myself or the book down. It does pay a price for that -- the action moves *so* quickly that at times some of the fine detail work is lost, some side-plots feel a little rushed through and some characters feel a little peripheral -- but it's probably a price worth paying at this point in the series.

The main defining trait of this volume, though, is that as I read it, I had the same sense of cascading finality that I get when I've almost solved a particularly nasty crossword puzzle or rubik's cube: the sense that after all that struggle and effort, *everything* is *finally* falling into place. At the end, it's pretty clear that all the dominoes are in line, the horses are at their starting gates, the match is poised above the fuse; all that's left is the flick, the home stretch, the final explosion. I'm looking forward to it. It's a feeling I've been waiting twenty-odd years for, and, well, to give in to understatement, it's pretty cool. If you've followed this series like I have, if you've been waiting for it too, you'll like this volume.

Among the Best of the Series
Team Sanderson/Jordan knock another one out of the park with the penultimate volume of the Wheel of Time series. While The Gathering Storm was a wonderful book, I can see Sanderson's growth as a writer in Towers of Midnight. He's taken a lot of hard material and turned it into something that I can just almost pretend that Jordan wrote himself.

The biggest difference from Jordan's own books is that in ToM the pacing is break-neck.

If you're a fan of the series, you'll find moments to laugh and moments to cry and moments of extreme and wonderful emotion. I hate to sound cliched, but for those of us who have grown up with these characters, we start seeing some of the scenes that we've been waiting for for many years.

In my opinion, few other writers living could've pulled off so elegantly what Sanderson has accomplished in Towers of Midnight. Bravo! Onto Tarmon Gai'don!

Towers of Midnight - Fantasy Book Critic's Review
(From my review at [...])

After more than 20 years, the Wheel of Time is drawing to a close. The Last Battle looms on the horizon, but as of the last page of 2009's The Gathering Storm, there was still much to do. As impressed as I was with The Gathering Storm, I admit I closed the book and wondered how in the Light the late Robert Jordan's successor, Brandon Sanderson, could suitably conclude all the dangling storylines in only two more books. Fortunately, Towers of Midnight, the penultimate book in the series, is further evidence that Robert Jordan's opus was left in capable hands.

The Gathering Storm was occasionally riddled with exposition, a means of reminding readers where characters stood in their respective adventures since the release of the previous Wheel of Time book, Knife of Dreams, in 2005. Such reminders were necessary, seeing as four years separated Knife of Dreams and The Gathering Storm. Towers of Midnight, released only 13 months after The Gathering Storm, has no such recaps to wade through. Consequently, the pace Sanderson sets in Towers of Midnight is, by and large, appropriately quick and infused with adrenaline.

Aside from some slight slowdown approximately three-quarters through, there is always something happening. Battles are fought, relationships--romantic and otherwise--are explored, and perhaps most importantly, plot threads that began way back in the first four books come to a close, and beautifully. Towers of Midnight very much has a "full circle" kind of feel. As characters move toward resolving their personal plights, dozens of allusions to The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, and The Shadow Rising are made, not only reminding readers of the origins of threads in Robert Jordan's Pattern, but why the characters featured in Towers of Midnight have become so beloved by readers over the last two decades. As character thought back on events, I recalled those circumstances right along with them, which served up a warm dose of nostalgia that instilled the desire to reread the series yet again.

What characters am I referring to? The vast majority. Rand, Mat, Perrin, Thom, Egwene, Nynaeve, Lan, Gawyn, Galad, Faile, Birgitte, Min, Aviendha, Tuon, Cadsuane, Morgase, a few Forsaken, various Aes Sedai and Asha'man... Burn me, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a Wheel of Time book with a more generous spread of characters--and that list only includes characters whose points-of-view are directly explored. Each character receives as much attention as is needed to move things forward, so don't worry that the large volume of plots weaved throughout Towers of Midnight results in any one story or character getting shafted.

The advancements each character makes in Towers of Midnight is by far the most exciting element of the story. Rand, having conquered the darkness inside him, makes moves to right the many wrongs born of his self-imposed emotional numbness. Egwene may be the Amyrlin Seat, but the White Tower is still suffering a schism due to her predecessor's mad machinations that pitted Ajah against Ajah, as well as fear over the encroaching Seanchan. Mat and Perrin, only occasionally mentioned in The Gathering Storm in order to move them into position like stones on a stones board, are given much larger roles in Towers of Midnight. Perrin makes strides to come to grips with leadership and his inner wolf, while Mat, who many fans felt was not quite himself in Brandon Sanderson's hands, steals the show at several intervals with his trademark blend of wit, action, and the Dark One's own bloody luck.

Although I enjoyed spending time with all of my favorite characters, there were two segments of Towers of Midnight that especially stood out. The first is an emotional reunion between two characters that has been a long time coming. The second comes when one character finally voices a question I've asked myself countless times since reading the first book: do Aes Sedai really serve the world, or do they only purport to serve others while serving themselves? As much as I like many Aes Sedai characters in the series, they have all too often come across as bullies, using magic to bend others to their will in order to see their own schemes bear fruit, the rest of the world be damned. The fact that these questions are (finally) voiced, and voiced by a significant character, will hopefully bring about a change in the way the women of the White Tower view themselves and others. Such a change likely won't be seen by readers, given that only one book remains in the series. But I would be satisfied with Aes Sedai (especially their Amyrlin) resolving to analyze and adjust their attitudes as the characters continue to exist in their world long after readers have read the final page of the final book.

If Towers of Midnight has any failing, it is that some storylines are wrapped up quick as a blink, which may leave some readers with whiplash. This very problem also occurred infrequently in The Gathering Storm, such as when the wife of one character murdered one of the series' main antagonists--one who had risen to power over the course of approximately nine books, only to die in little more than three pages. However, the sheer magnitude of plot that had to be resolved over the final three books in the series dictated that some stories would simply have to end more abruptly than others. In this writer's opinion, Sanderson was prudent in determining which loose ends to tie up posthaste, and which to draw out to appropriate and satisfying lengths.

With its emphasis on character development, exciting pace, and large cast of characters, Towers of Midnight is the Wheel of Time book fans have been waiting for since The Shadow Rising. The amount of ground covered in a single novel is staggering, and if Towers of Midnight is any indication as to what awaits us in the forthcoming A Memory of Light, the end, while bittersweet, is sure to be incredible.

Despite my hesitance, Brandon Sanderson has not disappointed.
Despite my hesitance, Brandon Sanderson has not disappointed on this new installment to the Wheel of Time series. Some may fear that the characters personalities are being twisted, while others worry about Mr. Sanderson not being competent enough. If the 12th book didn't convince you that he was able to take on the load, this one sure will.

While Matt didn't quite strike me as the same, the changes in his personality are small, it comes with the change in writing style. Mr. Sanderson has started tying the loose plots up rather well and I am almost regretting reading it so soon after it came out.

Now I, and many other, have to wait a whole year for the final installment! How is that fair?

I can only grip the edge of my seat tighter and wait with baited breath for the final book. Onto the Final Battle!

Loved it but somehow expected more.
*May contain some vague spoilers*

I really liked this book though somehow it left me a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, a lot happens and there is some amazing moments that had me boggling and/or laughing like Perrin stopping balefire with his hand. Perrin's arc in this book is really well done and he completely grows into the shoes he put on in the last book.

I think the majority of my disappointment stems from how quickly Mat's quest to save Moiraine was finally resolved. I was expecting a lot more time spent with the snakes and foxes kinda like how much time Rand spent in the alternate world while hunting for the Horn. In reality, it was all done in a day which left me wanting more.

And to all the retards giving this a 1 star because of no Kindle version, grow up. I was also disappointed about this but only a few minutes of research will tell you that this is due to a request from RJ's wife. It's not TOR's or Amazon's fault. If you want to complain write an e-mail to RJ's wife, don't come here and drag down the rating of an awesome book that you haven't even read.

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Editorial Review

Growing up during the chaos of the Nabosian War, Faela Durante and her entire generation never knew what it meant to live in a time of peace.Though the war ended years ago, the devastation has not.Every decision, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has a consequence and some consequences can never be predicted.But some are foretold.

Less than a year ago, Faela, the first Tereskan mind healer in generations, disappeared from her family home in Finalaran scared and pregnant. Hunted and living as an outcast, Faela searches for a legend that might be her only hope of gaining atonement and returning to her son. When her journey collides with two strangers and a prophecy, she must choose between trusting those around her or endangering her mission.With her past refusing to stay behind her, the consequences of Faela's choices will risk more than her own fate. ... Read more

Reviews

Well worth the read!
I really enjoyed this book!
It has a lot of different threads, which draw together to form a tightly woven narrative with a rich mythology--leaving the author room to expand on in some prequels...
There is a complex magic system which is handled very well. This is one of the points I look for when reading fantasy (obviously...), because if it's done poorly the suspension of disbelief can fall through.
Moreover, it helps to take a look at the maps which come with the book, as the world is a key element, as this also has the elements of a travel narrative--akin to LOTR, as places are key to the story. The places here have distinct, well-constructed atmospheres. Plus, I LOVE pub names...
One of the things I particularly enjoyed is the dialogue. Each of her characters has a distinct voice which lends more credibility to the dialogue--I can hear their voices clearly, aided through the syntax and the diction.
All the technicalities aside, I was drawn in by the characters and really connected with them, particularly due to their interactions and relationships.
The book ends with desperation, with heartbreak, but it really fits with one of the major themes of the novel, which is brokenness. Each of the main characters, in some way, is broken, and I figure *crosses fingers* that the trilogy is about redemption.
Anyway, pick this up and enjoy!

A good book on its own, also a very promising launch for a trilogy
On its own, Shatter is a novel that introduces us to the personalities and struggles of some memorable characters. Faela is a character on a journey propelled by deep motivations that aren't immediately apparent. As you unravel the mystery surrounding her and discover what drives her you are treated to her practical yet charming personality. The other characters in this book are just as interesting, their struggles are just as compelling, you'll find yourself cheering for some and sneering at others.

The world, magic system and history behind this book are specific and well made. Unlike many fantasy and science fiction novels these days, you don't get the feeling that the whole universe is built to the direct benefit of the characters. Instead, Elizabeth Mock has built a setting that is anything but convenient or simple, adding depth and realism to their struggles.

This book does stand on its own, but I promise you'll be looking forward to the second part of the trilogy by the time you finish it.

Shatter, Book One of the Children of Man series.
This review may or may not contain spoilers.

This book was amazing. I fell in love with the new variety of magic almost as soon as I realized what it was.

The characters are amusing and compelling, and if it weren't for obligations, I would have finished this book the first evening I got it, just so I could see and learn more of the characters. Even now, having finished the book, I'm thirsting for its sequel so I can learn more.

The plot is every bit as compelling as the characters. It keeps you guessing, and it left me wanting to re-read various passages of the story, simply because of how subtly intertwined they all are.

The writing of "Shatter" is done in a manner that's accessible to all. You don't need a dictionary by your side to read this book, but Miss Mock doesn't "dumb down" for her audience either.

Even before I finished reading this book, I was recommending it to my friends.

As well written as it is, I am now in a lull until Miss Mock's second book of "The Children Man" series comes out.

Engaging story left me wanting more
I just finished reading Shatter and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out. I found myself very engaged with the lives of the characters and immersed in the world that Elizabeth Mock created. The events that unfold throughout the story feel very real and unforced, and the writing felt so visually clear that I could easily see the scenery, smell the food, and hear the squeals coming from Mireya. I laughed out loud several times, and even found myself crying toward the end. I also thought the magic was fairly understandable... almost logical, which is abnormal in my findings in the fantasy genre.

Ms. Mock's characters feel very real and mutli-dimensional. All of her characters stay true to themselves, while still being able to grow and evolve as the storyline progresses. I was surprised by her ability to have such a large main character pool, and yet still make each person feel clearly defined with their own mannerisms and voices. Even the more secondary characters (anyone who is outside the main travelling party) feel well fleshed out and not two-dimensional.

Unfortunately, Shatter ends at a definite cliff hanger so this isn't a book that can be easily read as a stand alone. Hopefully, the sequel will be out soon. Until then, I have Shatter in between my David Eddings Belgariad collection The Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit and my Mercedes Lackey / James Mallory books The Outstretched Shadow (The Obsidian Trilogy, Book 1), since I find Ms. Mock's writing and world to most fit into that feel. Considering I grew up with my father reading Eddings to me, and how I in turn introduced him to the Obsidian trilogy, the fact that Ms. Mock's Shatter sits next to those series shows my high expectations and love for this debut novel. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The mighty Sith dynasty founded on the planet Kesh by the survivors of the shipwrecked Omen has endured for a thousand years—and so has the merciless Sith code, which prizes power above all else. Lady Orielle Kitai enjoys power as the scion of a noble family and member of the elite Sith Sabers. But Lillia Venn, as reigning Grand Lord of the Sith, possesses absolute power . . . and is determined to keep it.When a failed regicide sparks a political—and literal—bloodbath and suspicion falls on Orielle, she is swiftly condemned to slavery by the ruthless Grand Lord Venn. But seeing the cunning power play for what it is, Orielle vows to strike back. And at the ramshackle home of a poor dirt farmer with an astounding secret, she discovers the means to make her vengeance a devastating reality. ... Read more

Reviews

Impossibly Good, December 10, 2010
After reading the first four, and speaking with the writer himself via Amazon comments. I must say that I was a little taken back by the time-warp between the fourth installment and Purgatory. I did not believe I would enjoy reading further until the story began to unfold. No spoilers here! But I take it as a priveledge to be the first to review such a work, and I continue to hold my breath waiting on the final three pieces to this emaculate puzzle. Well done sir. I stick to what I said in a different post, if all of the works are ever combined into a single novel, consider the first e-copy sold.

An enjoyable slice of Star Wars fiction., December 21, 2010
With Purgatory, the fifth installment of Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, John Jackson Miller finally gives us a slice of Star Wars heaven. I make no pretense of being a fan of this series. I'm a die hard Star Wars fan who has grown sour at the deluge of mediocre dross heaped upon unwary readers by far too many Expanded Universe authors. This series got off to a bad start and has been trying to catch up ever since. However, I am happy to say that Purgatory does a wonderful job at making amends for the lackluster books that precede this one.

One area in which this book improves on the others is the careful attention to the characters that dominate this tale. By shrinking the number of players in this offering, Miller is able to give us more insight into his characters. It isn't nearly as confusing for the reader to identify the players or their role in the story when there are only a few characters to focus upon. I found Orielle Kitai and Jelph to be intriguing characters. I enjoyed the chemistry between them and thought their budding romance to be quite convincing. Though there isn't a whole lot of time devoted to the other characters, thankfully, there is enough information presented to understand their motivations.

This book isn't without flaws, however. One thing that troubled me from the start of this series is the depiction of Sith Lords. I am not particularly fond of the humanized Sith Lords that Miller creates for his story. Despite his attempts to show them at their deadliest, his version of Sith Lords aren't nearly vindictive or menacing enough to wear the title. The Sith Lords in this series are contradictory in nature to the ones featured in the films. Lucas gives us stereotypically evil (and admittedly one-dimensional Sith Lords) in his stories. But this only makes them seem even more evil.

I also find it very difficult to say where this story is headed other than to serve as the back story for the full-length novels introduced at the end of the books. Traditional stories have a through line (story arc) where a reader can loosely predict future events. Five books into this series and I haven't a clue what is supposed to happen.

To its credit, Purgatory is an entertaining read and it's great to see the series start to capture more of the spirit of Star Wars. I can honestly say for the first time, I am looking forward to reading the next chapter.

3 3/4 Stars

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Editorial Review

Don’t miss STAR WARS: LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: PRECIPICE a FREE original e-book short story, the first in a series that tell the untold story of the FATE OF THE JEDI's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy!PRECIPICE includes an exclusive excerpt from STAR WARS: FATE OF THE JEDI: OMEN (Del Rey Hardcover, available June 23rd) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that will begin to unfold in OMEN. SURVIVAL—NOT SURRENDER For the ruthless Sith Order, failure is not an option. It is an offense punishable by death—and a fate to which Commander Yaru Korsin will not succumb. But on a crucial run to deliver troops and precious crystals to a combat hotspot in the Sith’s war against the Republic, Korsin and the crew of the mining ship Omen are ambushed by a Jedi starfighter. And when the Sith craft crash-lands, torn and crippled, on a desolate alien planet, the hard-bitten captain finds himself at odds with desperate survivors on the brink of mutiny—and his own vengeful half brother, who’s bent on seizing command. No matter the cost, Korsin vows that it will not be his blood and bones left behind on this unknown world. For the way of the Sith leaves little room for compromise—and none for mercy. ... Read more

Reviews

Exciting preview of the next Star Wars storyline, June 2, 2009
It's been a long time since I've read a Star Wars novel, although I am a big fan of the franchise in general. I haven't read any of the books that tell the stories following the time period of the movies, although I've certainly read about those books and thought they sounded interesting. After reading "Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1: Precipice", which takes inside the people of the Sith and gives fascinating insight into things from their perspective, I'm now eager to read more.

The author does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the Sith mind, and with a very short tale he manages to weave an extremely compelling tale about the beginnings of the Lost Tribe of the Sith. It's clear that the sole purpose of this freebie is to stir up interest and demand for the upcoming book, "Omen (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, Book 2)". For me at least, it worked. Although short, this is a story definitely worth checking out.

Rooting for the "Good" Badguys, June 1, 2009
As a pr move to get people excited about omen, this wins. As a stand alone short story in the star wars universe, this wins.

It's also a rare opportunity to engage the sith as actual characters with depth and dynamic development. John Jackson Miller has matured as an author and left us with something deserving 5 stars.

At times the storytelling is briefly muddled but at it's core this is a great story, definitely worth checking out and I already find myself looking forward to lost tribe #2

A waste, May 22, 2010
This is the worst Star Wars book I have read (out of around 20 or so). It is short, pointless, and forgettable. As other reviewers have stated, it is just a generic story with some elements of the force/light sabers thrown in. I will not read the next installment since I don't care about any of the characters.

The only reason I gave it 2 stars (instead of 1) is because its free.

Books assumes knowledge and descriptions of actions leave something to be desired, June 12, 2009
I was somewhat let down by this brief story. I enjoy all 6 Star Wars movies, though this would be my first entrance to the Star Wars universe outside of those movies. Perhaps because of that, I was a bit lost at times.

I understand that the book is a short story, but I felt that it assumed a greater than average knowledge of the SW universe. It needed more of a description of the characters than was present. Telling me that a character is a Houk, but not telling me more than that is not helpful. Had I known what a Houk was, perhaps it would make sense. Same thing with the Massassi (sp?).

I am in the process of reading several series of books which involve reuse of the the same characters, fictional races, and fictional planets. A core feature of these which I felt was lacking here is some backstory of the plot element being discussed. There is an art to bringing a new reader up-to-speed without boring those familiar with the subject matter. Perhaps the author here dispensed with the back-story in the interests of space, but to the detriment of the story.

In addition, the author is not as descriptive as necessary at times. At one point in the story, two characters appear to be talking alone (Yaru and Devore), until a third character is addressed (Seelah), however there was no mention of the character entering the room. In another area, Yaru utilizes the Force to affect a mechanism on the outside of the ship after Devore comments that going out there would be dangerous. I would guess that Devore would realize that using the Force was a possibility. Also, I felt that the author was not descriptive enough the the Force was actually being applied. Lastly, the scene between Yaru and Devore felt disjointed.

With a setting as rich as the Star Wars universe, I felt that more attention should have been paid to the back-story of the Sith, races, etc... with less of a play-by-play feel to the story.

Add on, June 11, 2009
Was a good book for free. Would have liked to see what happened in between the 2 years that were skipped though.

not bad for a free book, June 10, 2010
These e-books are good for free books, but something about the way they are written I find them hard to follow at times. Overall though, if you're reading the current Fate of the Jedi story line it's a good tie in that fills in some of the back story of the Sith.

Not quite what I had expected., November 2, 2009
This is the first Star Wars novel I've read since the wonderfully adapted novelization of Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover. Sadly, Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice does not inspire me to continue reading expanded universe novels. While many readers find fault with the brief length of this novel, I found it to be the book's only saving grace (other than its price). Surprisingly, the characters in this novel are quite lackluster and are a far cry from the variety of Sith Lords we're accustomed to. Whereas the Sith Lords of the Star Wars films and previous EU books tend to be frightening figures, the 'humanized' Sith Lords in "Precipice" are poor ambassadors of the Dark Side of the Force.

Perhaps this series will improve with successive books. But Precipice fails to deliver the kind of intriguing space opera that I love about Star Wars. Fortunately, Fate of the Jedi: Omen of which Precipice is only a prequel, appears to be a far more interesting read. As much as it pains me to say it, I would have a very difficult time recommending this book to anyone except the most die-hard Star Wars fan. Maybe John Jackson Miller will deliver the goods on the next go.

Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice, April 18, 2010
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice, by John Jackson Miller

As I've said before, normally I don't care for short stories. But I make exceptions sometimes, and how could I pass up a Star Wars short story?

"Precipice" is an accompaniment to the new Star Wars series Fate of the Jedi, and tells how the missing Sith tribe landed on Kesh. The short story series also provides a few clues for Paul S. Kemp's "Star Wars: Crosscurrent."

Omen, a Sith ship full of Lignan crystals crashes onto the planet Kesh. The survivors of the crash are stranded on the planet, with no way to contact their Sith masters or fly off Kesh.

"Precipice" has a Star Wars feel, and I liked the main character, Yaru Korsin. He's a captain in the vein of Han Solo: cocky, sarcastic, self-assured. But he also has the ability to use the Force. And while a Sith, he is disgusted when some of the survivors start fighting amongst themselves, as the dark Force users are wont to do.

And that's about where "Precipice" finishes. It's a pretty good story, and I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series.

3/5.

Serious Lacking, December 21, 2009
This short story took me about 15 minutes to finish and left me wishing i had those 15 minutes back. The Sith are the dark side of the force but there was nothing dark about this story, it is hinted that the characters do have the force but do not indicate why they may be considered the bad guys. It also has a cliff hanger and than starts up again 2 years later without filling in any of the blanks. I am sure this was meant to be a teaser and the complete book will go into greater detail but even for a free kindle book i felt like i was ripped off.

Great Inside Look at Star Wars Bad Guys, November 20, 2010
I read this book (and the whole series) with my nine-year-old son after finishing my own sci-fi eBook and we had a hard time putting it down. When good writing appeals to a wide range of ages, then it's often viewed as great writing. This book delivers just that.

Lost Tribe of the Sith as a four-part series for Kindle is an excellent character study on the lifestyles of the Sith and their immersion into a foreign world. Moreover, it's filled with adventure and intrigue as you might expect from a Star Wars novel. What I really like about the novel is that, while there is a focus on the bad guys (the Sith), the plot doesn't get overly dark. The treatment of the series from book 1 to 4 is clever and balanced. By the end of the story, there are even Sith characters that I frequently mistake for guys guys because they are so likable.

Note that there is also a fifth part out to this series, and it is equally good with gripping new plot elements. However, I see part five as starting a new story arc 1000 years later. So I digest parts 1-4 as a complete story, and part 5 as a related, yet compelling new story being introduced, with a cliffhanger ending.
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1: Precipice
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #2: Skyborn
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #3: Paragon
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #4: Savior
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #5: Purgatory

As a sci-fi fan, sci-fi dad, and sci-fi author, I was thoroughly impressed and entertained.
Star Chosen: A Science Fiction Space Opera for the Whole Family ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Perhaps Wells' Finest Novel, February 5, 2004
Although it is less often read than such Wells novels as THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, the basic story of THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU is very well known through several extremely loose film adaptations. Pendrick, a British scientist, is shipwrecked--and by chance finds himself on an isolated island where Dr. Moreau and his assistant Montgomery are engaged in a series of experiments. They are attempting to transform animals into manlike beings.

Wells, a social reformer, was a very didactic writer, and his novels reflect his thoughts and theories about humanity. Much of Wells writing concerns (either directly or covertly) social class, but while this exists in MOREAU it is less the basic theme than an undercurrent. At core, the novel concerns the then-newly advanced theory of natural selection--and then works to relate how that theory impacts man's concept of God. Wells often touched upon this, and in several novels he broaches the thought that if mankind evolved "up" it might just as easily evolve "down," but nowhere in his work is this line of thought more clearly and specifically seen than here.

At times Wells' determination to teach his reader can overwhelm; at times it can become so subtle that it is nothing short of absolutely obscure. But in THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU, Wells achieves a perfect balance of the two extremes, even going so far as to balance the characters in such a way that not even the narrator emerges as entirely sympathetic. It is a remarkable achievement, and in this sense I consider MOREAU possibly the best of Wells work: the novel is as interesting for the story it tells as it is for still very relevant themes it considers.

It is also something of an oddity among Wells work, for while Wells often included elements of horror and savagery in his novels, MOREAU is not so much horrific as it is disturbingly gruesome and occasionally deliberately distasteful. This is not really a book than you can read and then put away: it lingers in your mind in a most unsettling way. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Once again, do NOT WATCH THE MOVIE FIRST!!, April 30, 2001
This book is less known than Wells' other works like The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, but in many ways it exceeds these other, more popular works. This novel is a story essentially about the nature of humanity. What is it that makes us people? What, exactly, separates man from the beasts? Wells' insidious Dr. Moreau is the perfect character to explore these questions as he has no conscience. As you read this book you find yourself identifying more with the "beasts" than with the Dr. or his assistant; and you find yourself wondering whether or not the noble beasts are in fact more human than the human characters. This work is decades before its' time; as today genetic research and animal rights are garnering more attention and headlines. I believe Wells was somehow able to see these issues decades ago when he wrote this story; and it remains one of the most salient writings on the topic to date. I heartily endorse this book for any fan of science fiction. Enjoy!

Cheap reprint from public domain, August 27, 2007
Filiquarian Publishing, LLC published this book under the idea that it is in "public domain status." Meaning, it is not any better than you would find online. The book is readable, but emphasis (bold or italics) are done by an underscore before and after the word(s). Example: "_His_ is the lightning flash, we sang. _His_ is the deep, salt sea." (page 82) To me, it is annoying to read it this way. You occasionally find extra quotation marks and a double dash (--) in the place of an ellipsis (...). On page 41, you get all of the above.

The binding is right up there with self-published titles. The cover is as basic as it gets, and has no text on the spine (see picture.) The back cover has merely a UPC barcode. On my copy, the glue they used for the spine was pressed out and made a rather strange bind. By strange, I mean cheap-looking.

Anyway, if you are looking for an inexpensive copy of this book and don't care about the bindery or text issues, then this book is for you.

A Catastrophe, February 11, 2008
I have recently become a fan of Wells' writing for the unique voice with which he tells a story in addition to his unique tales. References to "The Island of Dr. Moreau" seem to surface frequently in pop culture, so I felt compelled to read this book. Some might go so far as to argue that this is Wells' best book. I may not disagree.

While the book was written before the advent of genetic engineering as we know in the 21st Century, it could be applied. Wells seems to have intended the book as a commentary on the theories of Darwin and evolution. When Edward Prendick finds himself on a remote island, he recalls rumors of Dr. Moreau. But only when he sees his handy work does the horror begin. Using manipulative techniques that include primitive grafting, Moreau made the animals more human. Yet the ultimate question of the book is whether Moreau could make the animals into human, removing any trace of animal from them.

This is certainly a case of the book being better than the movie as the book makes Wells true intent evident. Like many of Wells' works, it is also a powerful social commentary that makes great reading.

Far-reaching work quite relevant today, September 1, 2001
This is certainly an interesting work, though not nearly as exciting or gripping as The Time Machine or War of the Worlds. For some reason, I had the notion in mind that this short novel was a "most dangerous game" type of story where the protagonist is hunted, but this is of course not true. Dr. Moreau is a scientist--a quite mad one, actually--whose life's work involves vivisection; in essence, he takes a plethora of animals and, through surgery and mental indoctrination of some sort, attempts--with varying success---to endow them with humanity. The result is a twisted menagerie of beasts who share both human and animal traits of myriad sorts. They can understand human speech, in fact, which has allowed the doctor to indoctrinate them into a worldview wherein he is the god whose laws must be obeyed. While the story of the protagonist, Prendrick, is interesting, from his initial shipwreck to his "rescue" and eventual escape, his main purpose in the story is to describe the inhabitants of this macabre island. As one may imagine, this isolated, fragile society eventually breaks down and the beasts regress more and more into their animal instincts, to the great detriment of the "god" Moreau and his rather pitiful assistant Montgomery.

Metaphors and broad, deep-reaching themes abound in this tale. While one can certainly make out an obvious theme concerning man's desire to play God and the negative consequences of such efforts by science, there are deeper and more mysterious conclusions one can draw about Wells' view of humanity itself. While this is certainly not a racist novel, one can conceivably see it as a warning against racial mixing, particularly in terms of the notion that the lower and more "bestial" traits will eventually win out over any "higher" traits imbued into a mixed creation, a common idea at that time. However, I tend to see the strange human-animal creations of Dr. Moreau as a microcosm of mankind itself. There is evil (or bestiality) present in all men which has the danger of erupting to the surface at any time; no set of external factors can make a truly good man. Society will always have a minority who are bestial in nature and who cannot be redeemed despite the best efforts of that society's members to form a perfect world. The tale is a rather unusual one for Wells, it would seem, particularly in terms of this seemingly negative interpretation of society itself. There are no good guys in this tale; every character is a victim; the experimentation (social as well as physiological) of Dr. Moreau is an unadulterated failure. Perhaps the conclusions I have drawn from reading this story are my own alone. The Island of Dr. Moreau, however, clearly shows the depths of Wells' thinking and his deep interest in society and its ills, and it challenges the reader to think about the negative consequences of genetic and social engineering. As always, H.G. Wells shows himself to be a far-reaching thinker and a man truly before his own time.

A true classic of the genre., February 8, 2002
This book is one of a relatively small number of stories that could all be considered prototypes of the "mad scientist" subgenre of the science fiction genre. (Some of the others are "Frankenstein", by Mary Shelley, "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", by Jules Verne, and "Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde", by Robert Louis Stevenson.) As such, there are many elements of the story that to a modern reader may seem trite and overused; what is necessary for the reader to understand is that these concepts were NOT trite and overused at the time; this is one of the writers who CREATED these concepts, which are so powerful that they've been copied by later writers until they seem downright hackneyed. If a modern writer had written this story, I'd rate it two or three stars for a fairly competent style, by no higher because it adds nothing new to the genre. But as it is, it's one of the originals, and is worth reading if for no other purpose than to be able to see the references back to it in later novels, such as "Jurassic Park", by Michael Crichton.

If you're bored with the "mad scientist" subgenre, you probably needn't read this book. But if you're at all curious to see one of the books that originated the concept, this is an excellent early example of the idea. And if you are a fan of the genre, this book is definitely a must-read.

An H.G. Wells classic, October 28, 2006
H.G. Wells may be best known for The Time Machine and the War of the Worlds, but don't overlook The Island of Dr. Moreau. This short novel, 160 pages, isn't so much a fast read as it is a good one. The titular Dr. Moreau is the quintessential "mad" scientist whose life's work involves vivisection. He takes animals and through surgery and brain manipulation attempts to give them humanity. The result is a twisted menagerie of beasts who share both human and animal traits. His experimentation has allowed them to understand human speech, and his brainwashing makes them believe he is a god whose laws must be obeyed.

The protagonist of the story is Prendrick who gets shipwrecked on the island and then "rescued" by you know who. Prendrick's main purpose in the story is to be the outsiders who sees the island and the macabre goings on through discriminating eyes. He is also the trigger that helps the fragile society break down with the beasts regressing more and more into their animal instinct, which causes the grim downfall of Moreau.

This is a story full of metaphors and deep-reaching themes. The obvious theme concerns man's desire to play God and the negative consequences of such efforts, but also the deeper conclusions one can draw about Wells' view of humanity itself.

Overall The Island of Dr. Moreau, clearly shows the depths of Wells' thinking and his deep interest in society and its ills. The story challenges one to think about the negative consequences of genetic and social engineering. It also shows that H.G. Wells was a far-reaching thinker and a man truly before his own time.

Quick and Interesting, June 28, 2001
This novella is interesting as a piece of science fiction, the genre of which H.G. Wells is sometimes called the father. It was written a few decades after Darwin presented his theory of evolution. The concept of evolution produced a lot of anxiety among intellectuals of the time, including Wells, who looks at the implications of the theory here. He puts the narrator, Prendick, on a secret island populated by Moreau's man-beast creations. The events which follow continually blur the line between man and animal, just as evolution forces man to see itself in the context of other species. Oh yeah, the novella, like any good sci-fi book, is suspenseful, and a little scary. And it's not very long, so you'll have plenty of time to read all your other books too.

Classic H.G. Wells, December 21, 2010
The two movies that I have seen on The Island of Doctor Moreau over the years served as an introduction to the storyline. When I eventually got around to reading it, I was really glad I made the decision to do it rather than rest on the movie interpretations. It is a short novel. You will like it. Read it. It is Classic H.G. Wells. You will be glad afterwards that you did.

Yesterday's horror meets today's science lab, March 22, 2010
I got this on Kindle simply because it looked interesting and was $0.00. Once I began to preview the book to determine whether or not I was going to keep in on my Kindle or delete it...I couldn't put it down! The language is somewhat dated however, it adds to the story line and keeps the events back in the time they should be rather than allowing them to creep into today's timeframe. It is so interesting to read something that was written that long ago and let your imagination decide how it may pertain to today's life in the form of genetic, hybrid and biological engineering. The fictional events on The Island of Dr. Moreau seem as though they could be going on in the local university biology research lab and hidden from the public eye. Typically I'm not into science fiction reads but this may be a turning point for me. I enjoyed this book a great deal and have recommended it to several friends to read. Enjoy! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Angie McCaffrey has endured her share of liquid lunches and boardroom shmoozefests to win new advertising clients. But her latest account--a cosmetics line for wannabe vampires--involves some unusual customer research at San Francisco's hippest private nightclub. The "undead" patrons are about as genuine as Macabre Factor's press-on fangs, but one thing is very real--the skin-tingling connection Angie feels with her clients' mysterious friend, Eric Taylor.

Still, there are a few problems with this hot new romance. 1) Eric is rumored to have dated Angie's scheming boss, Lucy. 2) Lucy, missing for days, just turned up dead and bloodless. And, oh yeah, 3) Angie has suddenly developed a teeny aversion to sunlight. Is Eric a real vampire, a killer, or both? Angie's got a lot riding on the answer--her heart, her life, and maybe even her soul...

"Clare Willis offers a clever twist on the world of vampires."--Alexandra Ivy, author of Darkness Unleashed ... Read more

Reviews

Fantastic Refreshing New Vampire Romance Mystery!!!
Once Bitten by Clare Willis
Paranormal Romance- Dec. 1st, 2009
5 stars

Fantastic Refreshing New Vampire Romance Mystery!!!

This book was fabulous from start to end. I truly was hooked from the first couple of pages.

I often tend to skim a few of the vampire books just because they often become to clich� as the story progresses. However, Once Bitten takes on an entirely different approach to the world of vampires. The story introduces the reader to an assortment of characters who are classified as wannabe vampires or the actual real thing. But the fun part is guessing who is what and how does any of this relate to the matter at hand. The writer does an excellent job in creating a mystery full of twists and excitement. The romance element added the extra topping to a wonderful fun read!!!

The characters were a pure delight. I loved Steve's character, he really added a great sense of humor to the storyline. Nicolai's character was also fascinating, he gave the really interesting historical and knowledge element to the novel.

I actually work in San Francisco near the Bay Bridge. I really thought the writer did a fantastic job with the scenery layout and description, it was very accurate. I can only hope this is only the beginning of a new series. I would love to read more about Angie and Eric in future upcoming books. There is a lot that could be discussed and elaborated into further details for a potential series. Do not miss this book!

Reviewed by Monica from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Once Bitten
When Angie McCaffrey's boss goes missing, she's concerned, naturally, but she's also happy to take the lead on the advertising accounts she's worked so hard on. Angie's most unusual client is Macabre Factor, a business that carters to people living the "vampire lifestyle." If the account wasn't odd enough, her clients' friend, Eric Taylor, would tip the scales. Eric is the stuff straight out of fantasies: handsome and alluring. He also happens to have some strangely sharp teeth...

Then Angie's boss turns up dead and exsanguinated and Angie has to figure out if the man she's swiftly falling for is as perfect as he seems or if he's a murderer whose next victim may be Angie.

Clare Willis takes a bite out of vampire lore with Once Bitten. It's a fast-paced, entertaining tale with a very likeable heroine. Angie is a well-developed character whose kindness and integrity make her easy to become attached to. While I enjoyed reading her story, I was sad to find the romance a bit lacking. Eric seemed like a fascinating hero, but Ms. Willis doesn't give readers a chance to really know him. I saw no reason for he and Angie to fall in love with one another and their declarations of love seemed to come out of nowhere. Still, I found Ms. Willis's writing style to be charming and her obvious affection for the city of San Francisco matches my own. Once Bitten is Ms. Willis's debut book and I look forward to seeing what her imagination conjures up next.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Once Bitten
For those looking for something truly original in vampire stories one should try this story. Didn't have my usual ending that I like in vampire books but that might change if the writer continues the series like she would like to do. The story deals with a woman name Angie who doing unusual customer research for the mysterious client Eric Taylor and his press on fangs clients of a goth vampire club When her boss Lucy goes from merely missing to dead the book switches from your vampire love story to that of a true mystery novel. The read is bombarted with a series of suspects that leave one trying to race against time with the writer on who solves the murder first.

Fast Paced Romantic Thriller
As a novice to vampire theme books, I opened the cover of "Once Bitten"
with trepidation. I rapidly discovered, however, that yes there is a possible
vampire, but that yes there is more. This is a fast paced romantic mystery as
well, featuring Angie McCaffrey, an inquisitive, down to earth heroine,
Eric, her hot love interest, and Steve, her appealing shoulder to lean on
friend. Then there are the mysteries surrounding the various dead and bloodless
bodies of people Angie knows, the questionable actions of big business and ad
agencies, the shocking acts in underground private nightclubs, and the
equally shocking underground trafficking of women into the sex trade. What the
heck is happening? I found myself racing to finish the story, to discover who
the perpetrator was and the reasons for these odd deaths. Is it all Eric's
fault?

As a San Francisco fan, I also enjoyed the fact that Clare Willis lets her
home town, her "Beloved San Francisco," shine. The reader views the city
through the plot's "tour" of the place, and at Clare's website in the "City
Scenes" section, one can learn more by following Angie's route from Downtown
to Fisherman's Wharf and beyond.
... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Mysterious Island Is Fantastic, May 18, 2009
I have not had a chance to talk about any of the books that I have read recently, but I decided that today I would. Recently upon getting my Kindle 2 I downloaded for free a copy of Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island. One of the great things about owning a Kindle is that the second you own it you can download many classics for free and you already have a well stocked library full of classic novels that triumph over some of today's commercial attempts.

I really recommend reading this book. It starts off slowly, and there were times in the middle of the book that I began to get overwhelmed by the complex descriptions that Verne offers about how this band of Civil War escapees manage their life on a strange island. Verne goes into such depth that the reader can actually tell that Verne probably spent many hours in his own contemplation about what he would do if he were stranded on an island. And let me be the first to say that if I were stranded on an island I would want Jules Verne right beside me. His knowledge of the subject went further than you would expect it to and considering that the book was written in the 1870's. The type of information that was possessed by the characters given by Verne surpasses what most people would know today. It wasn't too far after being stranded that the band of men were making pottery, iron and planning to make guns. At one point they even knew to take small whale bones and hunt with them. These are things that are lost in today's world of luxury.

I think the beauty of the story lies in its ability to transport you to this other place and time. As I read the book I felt as if I was back in the 1800's trying to survive and thinking as I read, "what would I do?" It is an excellent book that could be read by young and old alike.

This is a review with very little extra to add to the first review, June 11, 2009
I am trying to be the cheapest person who owns a Kindle. So I am searching out classics to read on the Kindle that cost $0. Came across Mysterious Island and I have been captivated by it. Very good read. Intelligent with adventure. After reading the book, I wondered about any movies made about this book. I saw one listed on Netflix that had giant sea monsters fighting the island inhabitants. The movie also had women on the island with the men. I guess whomever tried to sell the idea of the book to Hollywood was afraid of just presenting the book as is. No sea monsters and no women. I think the movie version would be "a little" like Castaway.
To sum up. The book is free and easy to read, and enjoyable. Thanks for your time.

The best book I ever read, July 3, 2009
I first read this book in the early 1960s. It was then the best book I ever read. 45 years later it is still the best book I ever read. Jules Verne was
absolutely one of the greatest writers ever. The group of men who landed on
this island didn't only survive they survived well. The engineering that went on and the knowledge of Jules Verne is unbelievable. Verne did his homework. If you like survivor stories read this book. Verne puts Robinson Crusoe to shame.

Very enjoyable read, October 7, 2010
The best part about classic books is that they are written so well. I have a pretty good vocabulary but referred to the dictionary on many occasions, which by the way is a feature of the Kindle I really like. If nothing else it will grow your knowledge of English and Science.

The creation of a small settlement by castaways out of just the resources they find around them is quite intriguing. I found it rewarding to try and figure out where they had been castaway to, and did at least get close. Some elements of the story are a little far fetched. The dog Top is outrageously talented to the point of being silly.

I found elements of both 'Journey to the center of the earth' and '20,000 leagues under the sea' weaved into this tale. If you have read and liked either of those titles you should enjoy this also.

The mystery of the island is explained at the end, somehow I wonder if it would have been better left unresolved, for the reader to ponder.

The Best of Jules Verne!, December 11, 2009
Jules Verne is one of my favorite authors, and the Mysterious Island is the best of the great Jules Verne. This book is a must have for all Kindle owners. It has everything. The classic theme of survival, connections to the well known Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of Castaways, flavored with humor, sprinkled with science, mystery, a castaway gone crazy, and a volcanic eruption thrown in for spice. Do you like the sound of it? Good, now go order it and start reading.

Fascinating, August 30, 2010
Jules Verne's Guide to Survival. I enjoyed the adventure. This is one classic you don't want to miss. Not only is it fun to read, but you might learn something as well. The next time I read it, and I fully intend to read this book again, I'm going to keep my laptop at my elbow so I can find pictures of some of the animals and plants mentioned. I'd especially like to know if their "horses" are real or make-believe.

Survival Manual, June 22, 2010
A good and interesting story well told. Actually, the book is a tour-de-force of survival techniques. It is a proverbial field manual for survival on a semi-tropical island encapsulated within the framework of a novel, providing that one had the ability to recognize and identify all the plants and minerals found within its pages and had the ability to transform these into those uses identified by the author.

Verne's version of Robinson Crusoe, June 11, 2010
This is Jules Verne's attempt at writing a Robinson Crusoe / Swiss Family Robinson castaway story, with the twist that the five castaways crash-land a balloon and thus come to the island with almost nothing -- unlike Crusoe or the Swiss Family, the castaways here don't have a boat-full of resources, tools, etc., to fall back on, and have to make *everything* themselves, from the ground up, armed only with their knowledge of science and engineering. Since it always seemed to me that Crusoe and the Swiss Family cheated a bit by bringing so many tools and so forth along with themselves, I really enjoyed the more scientific focus, and this has now replaced Swiss Family as my answer to the "what one book would you want with you on a desert island?" question.

Parts of the novel drag a bit, but it's a Jules Verne novel so there's a good story here -- the Island has a mysterious unseen inhabitant, also, there are pirates, which is always awesome.

The main flaw is that this is based on the 1875 Kingston translation, which makes a fair number of edits on Verne's original -- for example, it changes some of the protagonists's names and removes some of Captain Nemo's anti-imperialist, anti-british rhetoric. There's a more accurate translation available for free in the Kindle store, so I'd recommend grabbing the accurate version instead (look for the edition where the engineer is named Cyrus Smith, rather than Cyrus Harding; Kingston reportedly felt "Smith" was a "gypsy name" and hence unsuitable for a heroic character. You can find that version in the kindle store here:The Mysterious Island)

Oh, yeah, Captain Nemo. This book is in some ways a sequel to Verne's _Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas_, as well as to his _In Search of the Castaways_. The sequence isn't direct -- really more a case of cameo characters than a direct plot sequel to either book -- but you might want to read those two books first before picking this one up.

A great tale of friendship and surviving, March 7, 2010
This was my first tread into Jules Verne. I was rewarded with a good read. The only complaint was that there was a lot of detail put into all the different mechanisms they had to make. However, it was still interesting to learn such things from the way to build many things from raw resources to how to create makeshift items to help with survival.
The story begins with 5 prisoners; an engineer, a sailor, a reporter, a servant, and a young man along with a very bright dog; traveling in a hot air balloon to escape imprisonment during the Civil War. They are thrown onto an island that isn't listed on any maps and well out of the way for any ships in the Pacific to go by. They even go on a short trip to a close but un-useful island to help a castaway. For four long years these escapees have to start from nothing to make themselves a civilized dwelling. They create everything from a house in granite rock and a garden and an animal farm to any mechanism they might need to create something to survive with. They spend their days working and building and creating all the necessities as well as some wants. They build two ships and at the last second when they fear death, they are saved. There are references to 20,000 leagues under the seas and captain Nemo as well as historical things.
The story is long but with all the details you learn not only to feel like you know the islanders but also enough to see their surroundings and feel their anxieties. There is adventure, camaraderie, pirates, survival, and many other things all wrapped up in this amazing classic. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The story you are about to read features James Enge’s wondrous character, Morlock Ambrosius. Morlock is a swordsman, an exile, a hunchback, a drunk, and a wizard, though he himself would use the term “Maker� and say he is a master of the two arts, Seeing and Making. James Enge’s tales of Morlock the Maker have appeared in Black Gate magazine, in the anthology Swords & Dark Magic, and elsewhere, and Morlock features in the novels Blood of Ambrose, This Crooked Way, and The Wolf Age. In honor of this burgeoning Morlock fan base, and to commemorate The Wolf Age’s status as Pyr’s one-hundredth title, Pyr is issuing a free, exclusive, ePub novelette called “Travellers' Rest.� Featuring a cover by artist Chuck Lukacs, “Travellers' Rest� is an 8,500 word original novelette, written for Pyr, which takes place before the events of Blood of Ambrose. Enge describes “Traveller's Rest� as “a story that's been trying to chew its way out of my head for a while now, and this seemed like a good time to release it as an introduction to Morlock. Also, Morlock’s apprentice Wyrth has a small but discerning fan base, and ‘Traveller's Rest’ gives them a chance to encounter him again.�If you are new to Morlock, it should make a fine introduction to Enge’s creation, and if you are not, you will be pleased to see the return of at least one old friend. Either way, we hope that you enjoy it.The story you are about to read features James Enge’s wondrous character, Morlock Ambrosius. Morlock is a swordsman, an exile, a hunchback, a drunk, and a wizard, though he himself would use the term “Maker� and say he is a master of the two arts, Seeing and Making. James Enge’s tales of Morlock the Maker have appeared in Black Gate magazine, in the anthology Swords & Dark Magic, and elsewhere, and Morlock features in the novels Blood of Ambrose, This Crooked Way, and The Wolf Age. In honor of this burgeoning Morlock fan base, and to commemorate The Wolf Age’s status as Pyr’s one-hundredth title, Pyr is issuing a free, exclusive, ePub novelette called “Travellers' Rest.� Featuring a cover by artist Chuck Lukacs, “Travellers' Rest� is an 8,500 word original novelette, written for Pyr, which takes place before the events of Blood of Ambrose. Enge describes “Traveller's Rest� as “a story that's been trying to chew its way out of my head for a while now, and this seemed like a good time to release it as an introduction to Morlock. Also, Morlock’s apprentice Wyrth has a small but discerning fan base, and ‘Traveller's Rest’ gives them a chance to encounter him again.�If you are new to Morlock, it should make a fine introduction to Enge’s creation, and if you are not, you will be pleased to see the return of at least one old friend. Either way, we hope that you enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews

Travellers' Rest, December 22, 2010
Morlock Ambrosius is travelling with his dwarf apprentice and stops to rest in an inn.
Before he can enjoy his supper, someone comes to the innkeeper's door and demands that the daughter of the house follow him. Both parents rebel, saying that they already have given their first daughter and that they were promised they could keep the second.
Morlock gets involved and all hell breaks loose.

This is a nice short story but I am missing the background. I felt I came in at the middle point of a novel without having read the first, and more interesting, chapters. This is probably great free reading if you are familar with the characters, otherwise you might be, as I was, left unsatisfied.

Predictable ending, but interesting story, December 14, 2010
In this short story we meet Morlock Ambrosius, who appears to be an interesting character; although there wasn't much time spent on developing who he is, and why he is so feared.

The story is set in a fantasy land where swords and magic are in play, and the villain is a twisted character doing all sorts of strange experiments on the local villagers.

I thought the ending was very predictable, but I guess I can't complain since it was a free story I downloaded recently from Amazon.

Interesting story, December 16, 2010
I enjoyed the author's writing style, the witty conversation, and the characters. Might be tempted to read more in the series just to figure out who the main character really is, because he didn't have much to say in this short story. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Skyborn a FREE original e-book short story, the second in a series that tell the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Skyborn includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss (Del Rey Hardcover, available August 18th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. DECEIVE AND CONQUERA Jedi ambush leaves the Sith ship Omen marooned on a remote alien world, its survivors at the mercy of their desolate surroundings and facing almost certain death. But Sith will no more bow before the whims of fate than they will yield to the weapons of their enemies. And Omen’s cunning commander Yaru Korsin, will let nothing keep him and his crew from returning to the stars and rejoining the Sith order’s conquest of the galaxy. Murdering his own brother has proven Korsin’s ruthless resolve—but now an entire race stands in his way.The primitive, superstitious Keshiri worship unseen gods called the Skyborn, shun science, and punish unbelievers with death. Branded a heretic the widowed young geologist Adari Vaal is running for her life. Among the mysterious Sith castaways she finds powerful sanctuary—and her saviors find the means of survival. With Adari as their willing pawn, the Skyborn as their Trojan horse, and the awesome power of the dark side of the Force at their command, the lost tribe of the Omen set out to subjugate a planet and its people—and lay the foundation for a merciless new Sith nation. ... Read more

Reviews

Another Incomplete Plotline, August 5, 2009
Similar to the first novel in this series this felt incomplete. It did progress the story further but the author would be better off including this and the previous book in one novel with still more storyline. Based off the exerpt in the last book (almost as long as the novel in the last book), it seems like this series is trying to build a background story for an upcoming novel rather than standing alone as a series.

Again approximately half the download was a preview for another novel, which appeared to be more interesting than the initial story. Unlike last time this upcoming story appeared to be unrelated to the Lost Tribe Of Sith plotline.

Better. But not there yet., February 19, 2010
I found myself enjoying 'Skyborn' just a hairline more than the first offering 'Precipice'. Sadly, there isn't enough going on in the story to grab me and I found myself just going through the motions waiting to reach the end. With that said, I am hopeful that this series will improve with each new addition and that John Jackson Miller will give readers the kind of quality storytelling that will make Star Wars fans lose their minds. Having previously heard Miller say that he has something special up his sleeve, I'll continue to follow the series with some optimism. But I will be doing so with my fingers crossed.

A whole different Sith world!, September 26, 2009
After reading the entire Star Wars:Legacy of the Force series I decided that I would commit to the next one, the Fate of the Jedi. In the second book in the series (Omen)we are introduced to a new Sith culture, one that has been accidentally seperated from the rest of the galaxy for the last 5000 years. This is very different from the "There can only be Two" Sith culture, which makes sense since they missed the whole rise of Darth Bane, the Sith Lord that founded the rule of two.

This short story, The Lost Tribe of the Sith: Skyborn, continues in telling the back story on how the Sith not only ended up on the planet Kesh but managed to rule it and it's inhabitants. Set 5000 years before time of The Fate of the Jedi we are introduced to a galaxy full of Sith. If you plan of reading TFOTJ series this will give you insight into some of the most interesting and complex villians to inhabit the Star Wars expanded universe in some time. I am guessing there will be several short books in this series, each timed to gather interest in the Fate of the Jedi stories. Far from being just a publicity vehicle I found the story intriging and engaging. It adds to the legend of some of the baddest guys in the galaxy, the Sith. I look forward to the next stories in this clever series.

Lost Tribe of the Sith, July 30, 2009
Good book but really should be called a short story. Not long enough to be called a novel.

Nice addition to the SW Universe, July 31, 2009
This is an excellent short story! I was intrigued with 'Omen' and have to say that this addition is building into a very interesting storyline.

One appealing plot line is how the Sith are being portrayed as somewhat "normal" humans with Force abilities, not the diabolical, evil cult we've always heard about. There are obvious undertones of an ulterior motive - allowing the natives to believe they are 'gods'; trying to explain away cold blooded murder, etc - but there is also a notion of civility. You might even say there is a hint of compassion in there.

I hope this storyline continues throughout the 'Fate of the Jedi' series... it will be interesting to see how things play out. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Death cocktail is what the vampires call a witch's blood. It's poisonous a drop will destroy a vampire within minutes. Nikolaus Drake is the rare vampire who has survived his first taste. Now he's on the hunt for the witch who almost brought him to his demise Ravin Crosse.

A witch who spends her nights hunting vampire tribes, Ravin has three obligations to fulfill to set her soul free. One of those obligations crafting a love spell twists her world upside down when Nikolaus draws the spell from her veins. Natural enemies rarely make the best bedfellows--but is it possible their intentions are really, truly the same? Can Nikolaus's tribal loyalty survive if he surrenders to desires far darker than his own?

Reviews

Congratulations, this is the worst book I've read so far this year, April 6, 2009
Plot Summary: Nikolaus Drake, the leader of a small tribe of vampires, is splattered by poisonous witch blood and barely survives. Since his heart nearly turned to ash and was regenerated, he is now considered a phoenix vampire, a walking miracle amongst his kind. He goes to the witch's house to drain her dry in revenge, when a love potion accidentally bewitches Nikolaus into thinking he's in love with his mortal enemy, Raven Crosse. Apparently Raven needed to get laid more than she needed to finish the job, and killing Nikolaus took a back burner to getting in a few orgasms first.

So ends my streak of great paranormal reads. I can only blame myself in this case. I was greedy and I downloaded this freebie e-book hoping to strike gold, and instead I got a worthless hunk of pyrite. Sometimes it is better to have no book to read, rather than suffer through a story this awkward. The writing had a strange stilted quality, almost as if I was reading a bad translation from a foreign language. As bad as I found the descriptive passages, the dialog was even worse. Nikolaus started the story as cro-magnum man, and later upgraded to a crass, clueless teenage boy.

The premise wasn't bad, as far as paranormal romances go. I rather liked the idea that witch's blood is a potent death cocktail to all vampires. But a good idea is only a skeleton upon which skillful writing adds depth and flesh. Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I can overlook a lot of sins if the sex scenes are well done. Sometimes an author is awful at plotting and dialog, but can sizzle in the bedroom. Unfortunately, I can't dress this up in any way, shape, or form. The sex scenes in this book are rank, like foul B.O. There's no buildup, no climax, no nothing. The author skips so many steps, that she would have done better to avoid having any sex scenes at all. I don't care if this book is free, it's still a gross waste of time.

2.5 falling stars, May 14, 2009
Somewhere in the middle really is all I can say about this book. I did find myself liking the concept of the story but felt Hauf fell short on several area's and the end result fell flat. I didn't feel the love maybe due to a love spell and even so, I still didn't feel it! The love scenes (if that is what you want to call it) was more like a hit it and hit it again and *poof* it was over.

Anyone who thinks this is the best book ever seriously needs to read more!

The second book is The Devil To Pay (Silhouette Nocturne). I have not read this one and am debating to continue with the second considering how I feel about the first.

All I can say next is thank you for the freebie!

ok yes it was free, June 9, 2009
The only reason I read this book all the way to the end was that it was free and I was too lazy to download anything else. I pretty much almost stopped reading after the first chapter. The idea of the story, that a vampire and witch fall for each other, was pretty intriguing. But Ms. Hauf's writing style leaves a lot to be desired. She writes as if she's a high schooler in a remedial english class. Her character descriptions are exceedingly uninspired and almost "generic" to the goth realm.
If you are looking for a vampire romance that is imaginative and much better written, may I suggest the vampire breed series (yes actually a series that you can invest in) by Lara Adrian , beginning with a free download Kiss of Midnight. The follow up books not only bring you closer to the other characters but continue the story that they are all embedded in.
** (2 stars) only for the promising storyline that sadly falls short of delivering

Perfect balance for some of us., April 17, 2010
I don't read a lot of romance novels, but I've read some in the past. Since this one was free, I thought I'd try it out. Since I'm not an avid romance reader, I don't have anything recent to compare this to or know what to expect. I have to say I LOVED the characters and the story regardless of other reveiws I saw. It's a story people, purely for entertainment. Sit back and enjoy it, don't disect it and rip it apart so much. It had love, action, defiance, passion, leather. Ravin is a strong willed warrior and not a weak little damsel in distress as most romance novels seem to have. I liked her transformation from a tough chick to a big softy in love. And Nikolaus is just an adorable puppy. Then he switches gears back to being an angry vamp intent on revenge. The push and pull with these two is entertaining. So what if it's predictable, it's a colorful balance. And Himself...in my mind's eye, he cracks me up. I can see him preening in front of a mirror in Ravin's image like a kid with a new toy "Now THIS is delicious!" I read it a couple times. I'm no book critic, but I know what I like. I definitely liked the pace of the book. I'm not one for loooong drawn out conflicts based on miscommunication between the lovebirds. That's why I stopped reading most romance novels. 'I love you, but my father won't let me. Boo hoo!" fainting to the ground. No, this book was more modern, sleek, and the vampire/witch love fiasco was fantastic. I enjoyed it, as it should be. Not as a hardened critic.

Squandered Story Idea, February 16, 2010
I got Kiss Me Deadly as a Kindle freebie offer. I don't just download everything that's free, only those that seem like they will interest me. This was one, based on the description on the Amazon page, that I had been looking forward to reading. I ended up being really disappointed and I'm glad I didn't have to pay to read it. (Edit to add: I guess maybe I should have read some of the reviews before downloading!)

The story itself sounded very intriguing. I liked the whole concept of witch blood being poison to vampires and something happening so that a vampire became immune, setting up everything else. Unfortunately, the writer squandered a good story idea with poor execution.

The characters were shallow and not too far into the book I had significant difficulty maintaining any interest. The love spell idea was a tricky twist to do right, and in this instance I think it fell completely flat. There was an opportunity for a lot of humor there, but that was squandered too. In the end the book just wasn't written well enough to care about the characters or keep me interested in what was going to happen.

It's also extremely difficult to take a book seriously when the author writes such gems as:

"If his tribe ever got wind of this they'd flail him alive."

"She stirred the officious brew as it began to boil."

"It was designed to only affect the recipient, not the receiver."

The above examples also beg the question, how in heck did an editor let those things slide past? Did the book even have an editor?

If you're looking for a good read this one isn't it.

creative paranormal romance, September 11, 2007
Vampires know that one drop of a witch's blood touching them is fatal. Nikolaus Drake died two months ago when witch Ravin Crosse dropped her blood on him. However, he recovered and believes he is now immune to this toxin. He plans to kill the witch who almost killed him.

Ravin the vampire hunting witch owes three debts in order to free her soul. She works on a love spell to meet one of her obligations only to have Nikolaus arrive at a critical juncture. The love spell enters his soul and he finds he loves the witch. She quickly reciprocates as these natural enemies are unable to stop kissing one another.

KISS ME DEADLY is a creative paranormal romance in which Michele Hauf uses a Twilight Zone like spin to create love between the witch and the vampire. Nikolaus and Ravin are a superb pairing as he wants to avenge her killing him with her blood only to fall in love with her due to a spell. Ironically he must convince the witch he cherishes that he loves her spell or not and that they belong together taboo or not. This is a winner for sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

Completely unbelievable...and I'm not talking about witches and vampires here, February 24, 2010
Thank goodness this book was free. The story was completely unbelievable. I like fantasy. I like romance. I don't mind witches, werewolves and vampires. But PLEASE give me some kind of plot and character development. Two people just wandering around and screwing a bit doesn't make for a great book. It may be free, but my time is worth something!

what?, January 30, 2010
really bad. conversations with the devil who appears as johnny depp and is named "himself". poor writing creates characters you have no attachment to, making the sex scenes as boring as can be. free, yes - but i couldn't even finish it! honestly, even if i had paid for it, i would't have finished it.

Horrible, not even worth the time to download, January 19, 2010
This has to be the worst book I have ever TRIED to read. I couldn't even make it past the first 3 chapters. The character build-up was horrible, there was zero plot, and read as though written by a 5th grader. Bottom line- don't waste your time!

Love, Love, Love It!, August 4, 2010
Oh this book was so good! It had the paranormal aspect that I loved with the loving romance. I've read over paranormal books and I loved how this one taught me something new,different (witch's blood is poison), but was so sweet and romantic. The romance parts weren't too raunchy when I compare them to over romance novels that I've read. And I promised myself beforehand that I wouldn't cry, but there were definitely times where I had to choke it down. Without giving too much away, this book has a vampire and witch who are supposed to hate each other. But the vampire comes under the witch's love spell (by accident) and falls in love with her. But, of course, all good things can't last. And the moment that the spell wore off was at the perfect part and my heart totally broke for the witch. The book said that was more books to continue and I am definitely going to be ordering those! ... Read more

Editorial Review

“The end was near.� —Voices from the Zombie War

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?�

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.


Eyewitness reports from the first truly global war

“I found ‘Patient Zero’ behind the locked door of an abandoned apartment across town. . . . His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine. Although he’d rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no blood. There was also no blood on his other wounds. . . . He was writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls. At first the villagers tried to hold me back. They warned me not to touch him, that he was ‘cursed.’ I shrugged them off and reached for my mask and gloves. The boy’s skin was . . . cold and gray . . . I could find neither his heartbeat nor his pulse.� —Dr. Kwang Jingshu, Greater Chongqing, United Federation of China


“‘Shock and Awe’? Perfect name. . . . But what if the enemy can’t be shocked and awed? Not just won’t, but biologically can’t! That’s what happened that day outside New York City, that’s the failure that almost lost us the whole damn war. The fact that we couldn’t shock and awe Zack boomeranged right back in our faces and actually allowed Zack to shock and awe us! They’re not afraid! No matter what we do, no matter how many we kill, they will never, ever be afraid!� —Todd Wainio, former U.S. Army infantryman and veteran of the Battle of Yonkers


“Two hundred million zombies. Who can even visualize that type of number, let alone combat it? . . . For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They had no limits of endurance. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, unlike us, every single one of them, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth.� —General Travis D’Ambrosia, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

A classic piece of horror and apocalyptic writing, September 12, 2006
I was one of many who heard about Max Brooks' satirical guide book The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. Being a huge fan of George A. Romero's Dead series of films and just the zombie subgenre in general, I was intrigued by the release of this guidebook. From the first page to the last I was impressed, entertained, and hooked on Brooks' serio-comic take on how to survive a zombie outbreak. One section of the book which really caught my interest and has remained a favorite to reread over and over was the final one which details the so-called "historical" instances of past zombie outbreaks throughout history. From as far back as Ancient Egypt and Rome up to the late 1990's. My only gripe about that section of the book was that it was all-too-brief. I felt that it could've been made longer and even would've made for a fine book on its own. Maybe I wasn't the only one to have wished for such a thing to happen for it seems that Brooks himself might have thought the same thing. His latest book in his trip through the zombie genre is titled World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and it takes the final chapter of his previous book and expands on it. But instead of using past "historical events" to tell his story Brooks goes into the near future to describe what would happen if the zombies ever did bring the human race to the brink of extinction and how humans finally learned how to fight back and take back the world.

World War Z is a fictional account of a worldwide outbreak of the living dead in the near future and judging from some of the descriptions of places and events in the beginning of the book it won't be too far in the future. WWZ is done in an interview-style format with each chapter consisting of first-person interviews of individuals who lived through the Zombie War from its initial outbreak to it's final battles and mop-up operations. The sampling of survivors interviewed range from soldiers who fought the losing battles in the early going of the war when lack of information, outdated tactics, and illogical reactions to the zombie outbreak contributed to humanity almost losing the war. These soldier survivors explain how humanity became its own worst enemy when it came to protecting its own and combatting the growing ranks of the zombies. Some of the mistakes were unavailable as information on how to combat the zombies were far and few and even then most were unreliable. Some mistakes on the other hand many today would consider as unconscionable as war-profiteers and those willing to put keep a hold on their own power would sacrifice their own people to keep it so.

There's also regular people who survived the war and who made great contributions during the dark days when humanity were pushed into isolated and fortified pockets of resistance as everywhere around them the zombie army grew exponentially. Some of these people were just children when the outbreak first began as rumors and unsubstantiated news reports. It's the words of those children now adults that show how war and conflict really takes the biggest toll on the smallest and helpless. One could substitute the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, The Balkans and even Africa in lieu of Brooks zombie war and this book would still resonate. There's a particular entry of how children left to their own devices to try and survive alone in the wild with zombies all around have turned feral to the point that their capacity to learn and develop into adulthood has become stunted or even halted permanently.

Brooks' novel also puts in little veiled references to the events occurring now in the real world. There's mention of the unpopular war in the Persian Gulf as having a detrimental effect on the morale of troops once they returned home and how this helped make the initial fight to stem the tide of the zombies a losing proposition from the outset. There's also mention of Iran as having acquired a nuclear arsenal and how this leads to an incident early in the Great Panic of the zombie outbreak that speaks volume of what could happen if unstable states acquire weapons of mass destruction. Brooks' also gives a prescient look into a near future where the US and Europe stop being the economic superpowers of the world and step aside for the economic juggernaut that is China and India. All these inferences of today's geopolitical and economical events mirrors what might just come into fruition.

The interview format really gives the book a sense of realism despite the outrageous and fantastical nature of the book. As I read the book I was reminded of Stephen A. Ambrose's books on the men and women who fought during World War 2. Ambrose also used interviews and personal accounts to make up the bulk of his books like in Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers. Having a personal take on the events gave his books more emotional impact and really brought the emotions of the conflict to those who never experienced it. The same could be said about Max Brooks' World War Z. Even though it's fictional thru and thru it still made the reader think of how such an event, if it ever came to pass, could be so tragic, disheartening but in the end uplifting as it once again shows that humanity could still pull itself together through all its petty misunderstandings to survive. On a more stylistic point, Brooks' novel shares some similarities to Theodore Judson's sci-fi epic Fitzpatrick's War. Judson's book also tries to chronicle a future war which was shaped by religious and ideological forces. Where Judson goes way into the future of an alternate Earth, Brooks smartly stays to a more forseeable future that readers of his book would most likely see happen; hopefully a much brighter and less-zombified one.

Brooks' decision to forgo the usual linear and narrative style for this book also allowed him a certain bit of freedom to introduce one-shot characters in addition to those who appear regularly. In a more traditional novel such one-shot characters would seem useless and even unnecessary, but in this interview format it makes more sense since it's really just a collection of personalities trying to describe their own take of the Zombie War they lived through. Some people I know who have read advance reader's copies of the book (I was lucky enough to procure an ARC copy myself months in advance) have said that there's little or no talk of love and relationships in World War Z. I for one was glad that Brooks didn't try to force certain "interviews" where it talks of survivors finding love and relationships during the outbreak, through the war and all the way to the mop-up. This book chronicles tales of survival and horror. As much as a tale of love would've been a change of pace to all the death and horror in the interviews it would've been too drastic a change of pace. I would think that the last thing that most people would have in their minds when trying to survive day-to-day, if not hour-to-hour would be to stop for a moment and have sex, cuddle or other less-than survival behaviors.

All in all, Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War takes a serious look at a fictional and fantastical premise and event with a serious eye. The book manages to be tragic and terrifyingly sot-on about how the world governments today could fail when confronted by such a horror of tremendous proportions. Unlike his funnier first book on the zombie subject, World War Z shows the flaws and failings of humanity and how it almost led to its extinction, but it also shows humanity's stubbornness in the face of total annihilation and how it could come together in cooperation to not just survive but take back the world. In times of extreme adversity man can be brought to his knees but also show his resilience. A great novel and one that deserves reading from not just fans of the horror and zombie subgenre, but those who enjoy taking a peek into what could be, no matter how outrageous.

"Dawn of the Dead" meets "An Inconvenient Truth", September 30, 2006
Other reviewers are correct that Brooks approaches the problem posed by a zombie issue as a problem to be solved within the structure of modern global politics. In my opinion, the approach of focusing on the response to the zombie plague is more sophisticated and more timely than making an allegory of the zombies themselves.

It was Romero who took the voodoo myth of the reanimated corpse and popularized an idea of the zombie as a vessel for a communicable plague. He identified a fundamental anxiety and created new monster in response to modern anxieties. However, his use of the zombies as a critique of consumer culture isn't as fresh an observation as it might have been in the 70s, which is the most pertinent criticism of the recent "Dawn of the Dead" remake.

To the modern audience, the idea of zombies carries undercurrents of AIDS, biological warfare, and terrorism, and Brooks is one of the first to recognize and tap into that in an intelligent way. He's taken a specialized, genre subject and elevated it here to something that is literary. And while there will certainly be some who will be disappointed not to find the pages filled with endless descriptions of severed limbs and smashed brains, Brooks lays on enough of the biological details to keep the subject from becoming abstract, while keeping his focus aimed on something more significant.

As Brooks envisions it, the zombie plague encompasses the threat of terrorism and global war, natural catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina or the devastating tsunami, and global disease scares like avian flu and SARS.

There are two outcomes of a story about a zombie plague; either it consumes and annihilates humanity, or it is contained by the organized action of something like a government. As a domestic political parable, Brooks doesn't throw any hard punches. He envisions America triumphing over the zombies under a national unity government of both parties, with Colin Powell and Howard Dean as president and vice president respectively.

Powell and Dean are not named but are clearly identified, with Dean providing a narrative, in which he is identified as a "whacko" retired to Burlington, Vermont. He makes allusion to his rising political star and subsequent "meltdown," and mentions the president's military training and Jamaican relatives.

I also think some readers may have misinterpreted the narratives about Israel. As I understood Brooks's narrative, in his "near future" Israel had unilaterally withdrawn from the West Bank behind a security barrier and the Palestinians had declared statehood in the territories. Brooks sees Israel as being the first nation to directly address the zombie outbreak by declaring a national quarantine, effectively made possible by the much-criticized barriers. Certainly Brooks's imagining of these events has a political undercurrent, but I'd see it as a center-right

While early in the book, a showy exertion of American military technology proves useless against the inexorable tide of the undead, but later on, it is the American military that adapts and develops the techniques to defeat the zombies.

Some may find it politically offensive that Brooks approaches the zombies as a problem simultaneously emerging globally, and paints the response to the problem from the perspective of people from various countries. However, the approach to emerging problems like communicable disease, terrorism and climate change as global has been broadly accepted by all but the most polar extremes of the politcal spectrum.

Several of the ideas are legitimately controversial. Brooks envisions Russia organizing as a sort of neo-Tsarist theocracy, and China pushing back the zombie tide only after a civil war which removes its establishment. Nuclear exchange occurs between Iran and Pakistan, emerging from a dispute over refugees from the plague, and Brooks explains this from the perspective of an Iranian diplomat who wryly suggests that traditional enemies have the diplomatic mechanisms necessary to prevent nuclear war, while traditional allies would not be able to communicate in a dispute growing from a crisis.

The policy, implemented globally, which saves humanity is also disturbing, and Brooks treats it as such. Formulated by a calculating, almost sociopathic former policy-maker from apartheid South Africa, the plan calls for the abandonment of large swaths of the uninfected population to serve as bait to distract the zombies, while the military establishment and necessary personnel retreated to and secured defensible "safe zones."

Perhaps Brooks's most radical position is the notion that the trappings of modern society must be abandoned in this kind of crisis. Professionals from the modern American service economy are re-trained by their former plumbers and housekeepers to perform the kind of tasks necessary in the wake of the zombie induced economic crash.

The military abandons its high-tech weaponry and communications mechanisms in favor of single-shot rifles, revolutionary-era firing formations, highly trained dogs, and multipurpose shovels called Lobotomizers that can be used like axes to decapitate zombies. In Europe, refugees ride out the zombie plague by holing up in old castles and fighting off the undead with medieval weapons pilfered from museums. A brilliant Indian general fights off the zombies by positioning his soldiers in a square formation reminiscent of the ancient Greek phalanx.

Ultimately, Brooks, whose previous book explored a similar theme and managed to achieve humor by taking the hypothetical problem extremely seriously, invites audiences to really treat the idea of zombies seriously by approaching them realistically, both as a military problem and a political crisis.

What an amazing book!, September 13, 2006
Like several other reviewers, I read and enjoyed Max Brooks' 'Zombie Survival Guide', but I was skeptical as to whether he could strike gold twice in a row. Much to my satisfaction, the answer was yes.

World War Z isn't so much a novel as it is a collection of very personal recollections of people who have lived through - literally - hell on earth. In a way, it reminded me of news footage of these walls you see where, during a civil war, or natural disaster, people go and leave notes for loved ones, hoping someone, anyone, will see them. Every time I see something like that, it strikes me as hopeless and desperate, but at the same time noble and uplifting. In short, what makes us human. This book gave me the same reaction. I preordered it from Amazon, received it this morning, and finished it about an hour ago. I wish I'd rationed it out a bit, because I didn't want that feeling to end - the feeling of reading the accounts of some of the bravest souls who (n)ever walked the earth.

The only other book I've read that comes close to this in 'feel' is Warday, by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka. But even that is too one-sided; the authors' own opinions and views are clearly dominant. In World War Z, each individual vignette is unique and special; from Tibetan smugglers to dirigible pilots to ex-politicians, each 'interview' has its own distinct voice.

In closing, I'd just like to say that while George Romero may be the father of the 'zombie genre', Max Brooks may well exceed him. Blasphemy? Nope. Just my opinion. One that is hopefully shared by millions of others.

PS: Here's hoping they don't butcher it when they make the movie! :D

Like a good Romero zombie movie, but better!, January 16, 2007
*** SPOILERS BELOW!!! ***

If you love zombie lit but are getting bored with viscera and nihilism, this is a great antidote. Brooks has taken his ironically deadpan "Zombie Survival Guide" and made a whole world out of it. Pretending to be an oral history of humanity's struggle against Romero style zombie hordes, this book has a cast of dozens, most of whom speak for only a few pages before yielding to other voices. As a result, we get a truly international view of the great crisis, and the situation and responses faced by people in a variety of settings.

Generally, this works and works well. Zombie fans will be delighted by the variety and unique sets of questions Brooks addresses - what would an armored company do to fight zombies? What happens to zombies in cold weather? What would happen in Korea and Cuba? Traditionalists will be happy at the slow mindless zombies, but they may perhaps miss all the visceral gore common to the genre, as Brooks does not get too messy. This is a fine choice, as if you want messy there are many, many zombie novels available that are based on anatomy texts, but few that manage to be this creative and panoramic.

Some have commented on Brooks' "leftist" politics. This complaint to me is a non-issue. Some US characters do state that disillusionment over Iraq left the US civilians and military incapable and sluggish to respond to the initial zombie plague, but this is not harped upon and the US military and populace do indeed bounce back soon enough. He also does have an Israel / Palestine solution result from the plague, but we see only very little of the end result, and the rockiness of the path towards a two nation solution is portrayed clearly (complete with an Israeli civil war). Brooks also has a clear Howard Dean stand-in become US President, but unless you are a Dittohead, this will probably be only a minor irritant.

More seriously, Brooks has been accused of an anti-military viewpoint and some Amazon reviewers accuse him of only showing "politically correct" characters in a heroic light, with white male soldiers and other authority figures being shown as inept or malevolent. This is an utter calumny, and some of the only narrators with multiple speaking roles are white male US Army soldiers. The Army's initial response was bumbled as shown, but the reasons for the tactical and strategic failures are clear and realistic and the military soon comes up with effective new strategies, which the soldiers heroically and intelligently implement. Many of the most heroic protagonists in these pages are soldiers of different nations, and the hard choices, psychological and physical suffering, and heroism of these characters comes through clearly and fairly.

The occasional statements about right wing militias seizing control of parts of the US and then not freely handing them back to the government are minor plot points and again are not inconceivable. Left wing citizens do not have the firepower or fortified compounds that some extreme right wing folks have, and the same guys that have bunkers and assault rifles stockpiled also are not very friendly to Big Government. Hardly an unrealistic scenario! And along the same lines, Brooks' solution to the zombie plague is very Big Government with centralized micro-management of resources, citizens, and strategy. This strikes me as again being not overly ideological, and also logical and realistic as many real world crises of large scale and complexity (especially in the 20th Century) were solved in the same way.

Finally to address another review complaint, the UN does take over the eventual wrap-up campaign against the zombies, but this is only after most nations have cleared their countries using their own troops under national sovereign command. The UN is only conducting campaigns in those parts of the world that have been too devastated to conduct their own campaigns or are too isolated or large for nation state operations. Again, not leftist so much as it is pragmatic and realistic.

Sorry to go into the "politics" of zombie wars so much here, but the unifying theme of most criticism of Brooks is that he is too left-wing. As I hope I've shown, I disagree with that assessment and most importantly these politics such as they are have no main bearing on the plot of quality of the book.

Finally, the best things about "World War Z" to me are the quality writing, the surprises of the plot and scenarios, and also the poignancy of the emotional impact. As stated above, the experiences of the combat soldiers are deep and moving, and other sections like the struggle of a pilot trapped behind "enemy lines" and best of all, the K-9 handler's tale are brilliantly done and add both pathos and innovation to portrayal of human experience during the Zombie Plague.

The only poorly done section of the book struck me as the Japan part, with a computer nerd hero who is literally glued to his PC until zombies break down the door. He fumbles his way to escape, discovers a katana, and becomes a samurai ginsu machine, slicing and dicing his way through undead hordes. Finally he meets a wise old sensei who also happens to be blind and an impressive master of zombie fu in his own right. The wise old guy helps the ex-nerd become a warrior monk and the two found an order of swordsmen to save Nippon... Other than a guest appearance by Godzilla and / or giant robots, there is little that could be added to this section to make it seem more cartoonish and cliched, perhaps a sign that Mr. Brooks is capable of wedging his tongue a bit too firmly into his cheek, to the point where his story-telling is impaired. But this is maybe 10 pages out of 400, and the good stuff far outweighs the bad.

All in all, I think this book is brilliant and highly recommend it. The innovation of Brooks's plotting is pared to an optimistic pragmatism that stands in stark contrast to the bleak nihilism of most zombie books. Human society and its components, humans, are ultimately shown to be resilient, intelligent, and even noble. The usual zombie books (c.f. Brian Keene's gore encrusted potboilers) usually show humans being as bad or worse than their ghoulish opponents, with human institutions like governments and armies collapsing into non-existence or brutal predation of ordinary civilians. Brooks dares to think differently and his book is a breath of fresh air.

Brooks gets the details right, tells a fine story, and makes the Zombie War seem very real. Zombie fans need to read this, and non-genre fans with some familiarity with the zombie plague concept will also probably enjoy this. No significant flaws, many many virtues!

A surprisingly good follow-up to the survival guide., September 13, 2006
The thing that made Max Brooks' first book, the Zombie Survival Guide, work well was that it took itself so deadly seriously. After just completing World War Z, I have to say that Brooks has a real potential to turn the whole zombie genre on its ear by incorporating the same type of dead serious dialogue about the completely unimaginable (masses of hungry, reanimated dead) into the kind of conversational tone you would have with friends and family after struggling through something horrific.

I won't dwell on the the horror aspects, and neither does the book really. Sure there's gore and truly gut-churning images throughout, but it's more about how individuals adapt and survive chaos than zombies chomping on innards. This survival is framed in a world that's very real sounding, and contains so many parallels to how one would imagine current governments, corporations, and societies would respond in the face of complete annihilation. Brooks demonstrates more of an understanding of this than many genre writers would ever be capable of. Certainly the best zombie book I've read and one of the better horror books I've read in years, it's also an exciting work of fiction in and of itself.

And yes, it could make an incredible movie too.

Unstoppable, September 13, 2006
I bought World War Z yesterday morning (I'm on vacation) and couldn't put it down until I turned the final page last night. It inspired me to write this, my first Amazon review.

I've always like apocalyptic fiction: "Dies the Fire," "The Stand," "The Postman," "Alas, Babylon," "Lucifer's Hammer," etc. This book moves to the top of the list. The utter serious tone of Brook's writing, coupled with his innovative narrative structure makes this book read like a legitimate history. Further, he deftly inserts real world characters and events into his plot, while never specifically naming them, which, for me, heightened the work's realism.

And the action is gripping.

Another reviewer mentioned that the work lacked some of the drama usually associated with these types of works, ie relationships and sex. That is true, sexual relationships are totally left out of this book. But human drama is not. Whether it's the reformed South African military planner, the Chinese submarine captain, the Canadian artic survivor, Brooks convincingly captures the emotions and mentality of people surviving a major crisis.

My one complaint is that everyone interview are "the good guys." I would have loved to have read accounts of survivors of some of the "rebel areas" or of war lords...or even survivors of the isolated pockets.

It will be fascinating to see what type of movie emerges from this

Starts promisingly, then degenerates into a procedural, May 5, 2007
The world is quickly getting overrun with zombies. They bite living humans; those humans eventually die and are reanimated at zombies themselves. The only way to kill them is to separate their brains from their bodies. Cutting off all their limbs or disemboweling them won't do it; they'll keep dragging their bodies along, in their continual quest for warm bodies to snack on.

This is the basic problem in World War Z. Which brings up the first point of anatomical puzzlement (one of very few): if the brain is vital to keeping the zombies going, then wouldn't severing their spine also do the trick? The book makes it a point to note that a human body is just a bunch of meat with a command-and-control unit attached, and once that c-and-c unit is gone the body is, too. But command-and-control isn't much good without a way to get messages from the general to his troops, so to speak.

Getting hung up on that kind of detail, though, would doom this book. And in any case, Brooks is very good at tying up the loose ends. The zombifying virus changes the bodies' chemistry somehow, so that they also don't need food or water. For that matter they don't need oxygen, leading to what I found one of the most effectively terrifying images throughout the book: swarms of zombies lying on the ocean floor, their undead hands glancing off nearby swimmers, or pulling unlucky ones down. By the time of the book's writing (it's a look back at the Zombie War, after humanity has started to win against the zombies), there are millions of zombies lurking beneath the waves, and the next generation's children have long since learned to stay away from the water.

What are the consequences of a zombie takeover? Brooks takes us around the world to answer that question. Borders are hastily closed off to outsiders, leading to a few missile exchanges and eventually all-out nuclear war between a couple of the combatants. People get in their cars and head out into the hinterlands, quickly running out of gas and abandoning their vehicles on the side of the road. (This leads, coincidentally, to one of my moments of disbelief: as it turns out, the zombies do not have the complicated motor skills to open car doors. Hence if they die in their cars, they cannot get out. As far as I can tell, Brooks invents this constraint to motivate one particular, highly effective, scene midway through the book. But again, we set aside our disbelief and move on.) They head for the sea and take any boats they can...but the zombie virus has already infected some of them, and of course there are those murderous zombies waiting below the sea in shallow water to drag the boaters down.

Others head for the north, where the zombies freeze motionless during the winter. They're trained to expect that someone will come and save them, so they act like the German army invading Russia and don't plan for the winter; they expect the zombie problem will be licked by then. Consequently many of them freeze, and [follow your Jack London imagination].

Brooks is mostly great at visualizing where the story should go. As my friend Chris (who encouraged me in the strongest terms to read World War Z) says, Brooks could probably write a 600-page book in place of this smaller one. The longer story would expand on places where Brooks had to rush: he was forced to pack an entire world's worth of zombie stories, spread over 10-odd years of fighting, into 340 pages. So I don't fault him a certain economy of style, with any clunkiness that that caused.

WWZ starts as Lord of the Flies on a global scale, with governments and individuals all huddled around the same campfire. "Fighting the last war" fails: all the high-tech weapons the U.S. military has stockpiled with zest count for naught, and we have to return to shooting bad guys between the eyes with pistols or lopping off their heads at close range. Our sedentary American lifestyle fails, and those who build things with their hands for the rest of us are suddenly our superiors. Had Brooks kept this arc going throughout World War Z, it would have been perfect.

As it is, I'm afraid it degenerates into what Chris calls a "war procedural" -- though Chris's claim is that WWZ never reaches this point, whereas I claim that it does. The last half of the book is "grunts" talking about the details of which particular bit of ordnance they threw at the bad guys, and how their tactics changed, and oh my god the military acronyms. So many acronyms. Brooks has read too much Tom Clancy; I have as well, which is where the nausea of recognition came from. Had he made the single decision to not interview a single soldier in the final half of the book, the book would have been saved from disappointment. As it is, I left it feeling let down: not upset at having read it, but also not inspired to reread it.

Good follow up to The Zombie Survival Guide, September 18, 2006
This book is a must for any fan of zombie fiction, it was interesting to see how the situation unfolded worldwide, from different perspectives. That being said, the reason I didn't give this book five stars is because, as some others have mentioned, just as a survivor's account was becoming exciting, it was over. I wanted more, if Max Brooks writes another zombie novel, I would like him follow one group of people from start to finish of the zombie plague.

Some reviewers have mentioned the politics in the book, I think they are blowing it out of proportion. Are there some veiled jabs at the Bush administration? Sure, here and there, but Bush and his adminstration is never mentioned, and I took it more as Brooks jabbing government in general.

As far as some saying the idea of someone producing a useless drug they know doesn't help, as far fetched, I guess they haven't seen the Dateline story where they filled a capsule with Nestle Quick and see if they could get an infomercial made. They told everyone at the production company it didn't really work, but they were told how to word everything to get around that, and even found a doctor that would endorse it for the right price, sight unseen. And the government letting the public think the zombie remedy is effective? The government used to tell the public that ducking under a flimsy wooden desk would save them from an atomic explosion, so this part of the book doesn't seem so far fetched to me.

Howard Zinn Meets Zombies, September 12, 2006
I wasn't sure what to think with a follow up to the Zomibe Survival Guide. The first few pages were slow, but after that I couldn' t stop with it. It is in a very serious tone and acts like a real history book would in cataloging events by chronological order but through the words of people who survived. It's like if Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States were mixed with a zombie outbreak. It's more interesting than scary, yet holds the reader til the end wanting to know the outcome. Although fictional, Brooks portrays the characters with distinct voices and perspectives that would convince anyone they were real. The people range from victims to heroes and all feel essential to the story. He never strays toward the absurd or gore effect that occurs with some horror tales. If one didn't know better they would have believed it had happened. Unlike most zombie books and movies, this one will be ranked as the best due to the humanity and realism of what a zombie epidemic would force mankind to endure and win.
The only part of the story that dragged was about the dogs role in the war near the end. It felt overdone and drawn out and could've been shortened to a page or two at most.
Overall this is the best zombie book I ever read and would recommened it to any zombie lovers in an undead heartbeat.

Where Were You When the Zombies Attacked?, May 15, 2008
I understand why so many people loved this book, but it didn't entirely work for me. The central conceit - that the book is a series of interviews with key survivors of the Zombie Wars - is good, but it makes for a very episodic read.

In it's effect, the book is more like a collection of short stories than a single coherent narrative. Yes, all the interviews are telling the same "story," but the characters and settings never overlap - you get scores of unrelated narrators sharing their own tales of horror.

Thus, there's no build up of suspense or tension over the three-hundred plus pages of this book. Each "short story" has its own dramatic arc. Some work better than others. But, with rare exception, you could delete any one of the chapters in this book without affecting the others, or, conversely, you could add twenty more chapters without changing the outcome. A lot if it is interesting, but it all feels kind of arbitrary.

Lastly, without continuing characters, there's really no one to root for or against. You never get emotionally connected to anyone - the stories can involve you, but they almost never move or inspire or touch you. Compare this with a book like Stephen King's The Stand - which also told dozens of apocalyptic stories, but linked them together in one coherent narrative with consistent characters, and you'll see how much less emotionally involving Brook's book is.

Still, this is a good, gory read. If you like horror, a lot of these stories are morbidly fun with nightmarishly memorable moments. Just keep your expectations low-to-moderate. Max Brooks definitely has talent, and I look forward to reading what he does next.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Twenty-five years ago the survivors of the marooned Sith ship Omen bloodlessly conquered the native population of the remote planet Kesh, installing themselves as overlords and transforming the primitive Keshiri civilization into a new Sith society. Letting nothing stand in his way—including his own brother’s life—Omen commander-turned-Grand Lord Yaru Korsin has ruled unopposed ever since. But now his days, and those of the ruthless Sith order on Kesh, may be numbered.Revolt—and revenge—have been brewing in the hearts of the two women closest to Korsin. One is Adari Vaal, the once-outcast Keshiri who rescued the stranded Sith, aided their domination of Kesh, and now leads the secret resistance against them. The other is Seelah, wife of Korsin, widow of his murdered brother, and mastermind of the plot to assassinate the Grand Lord and seize power. But have the comforts of a king and his own arrogance blunted Korsin’s cunning Sith instincts? Or is he ready to deal swiftly and mercilessly with treachery from any quarter? Enemies themselves, Adari and Seelah are unaware of each other’s destiny-altering gambits. They only know that there can be no turning back—and no escaping the consequences if they fail. ... Read more

Reviews

Short, but suspenseful, October 21, 2010
I downloaded this book for my husband on our Kindle and decided to read it. While my husband loves everything Star Wars, I must admit he has been bringing over to the force. This is the first Star Wars book I have ever read and found that it was very short, but easy to read. I was able to guess what happened in the first few books in this series, so I did not need the constant backfill that you get with so many other books. In the end, I found that I was intrigued by this mystery character that showed her true self at the very end of the novella. I am now waiting for the next novella and hope that it brings the same suspense as this book. I would recommend this book as a change of pace from your normal reading habits...unless you currently read Star Wars and then I say read on!

Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #4: Savior, September 6, 2010
An excellent read for Star Wars fans, of which I am. I hope that one day all four of these will be available grouped together in hardcover format as well as those Star Wars books that are only currently available in an E-book format. But outstanding and enjoyed it from start to finish!!!

Just wish installments were longer, August 29, 2010
Well written. Continues the story. Recommend reading first three installments before starting #4.

This seems as though it was written with an impending deadline looming, April 30, 2010
I have been enjoying this series of short stories "Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith", for several months now. They have given us the back-story to the latest series of Star Wars novels, "The Fate of the Jedi". My enjoyment ended with this book. My main complaint is that I found this short story to be TOO short. I also feel that it was poorly planned and hastily constructed. It introduces a new (and important) character without fleshing her out as well as the other main characters have been. Because of that the climatic ending seems less than believable and, ultimately, disappointing. Even the series-changing final battle scene which involves some of the Lost Tribe's most important characters comes across as sketchy at best.

I have been waiting over a month for the latest installment of this interesting (up to now) story and even though it was free I feel as though I over-paid (at least with my anticipation). If we are treated to any more stories in this series I hope that they are better thought out than "Savior" was.

not bad for a free book, June 10, 2010
These e-books are good for free books, but something about the way they are written I find them hard to follow at times. Overall though, if you're reading the current Fate of the Jedi story line it's a good tie in that fills in some of the back story of the Sith.

A frustratingly slow, but (hopefully) improving series., June 10, 2010
After three mediocre attempts, Jackson finally delivers a decent story in this ongoing series. Savior is the first of the 4 Lost Tribe of the Sith short stories that engaged me as a reader. For the first time since I started this series, I actually want to know where it is going. It's clear Jackson does indeed have a story to tell, even though I still question if I care enough to wait for that story to be told. I am hopeful and optimistic that the rest of the series will live up to the initial hype and take us to that galaxy far, far away. Not great by any stretch of the imagination. But finally a start. 3 stars.

Good but not like others, April 28, 2010
It is as well written as the other Tribe of the Sith books, but it was way to short. I know the other three are not long ebooks but this one seemed hurried a bit.
This book focuses on a Sith power play, and the natives trying to get there land/lives back form the Sith. The story abruptly ends as soon as the power plays finish, I would have liked to read more about the after math a bit. Also there is no story included in this about "modern" day sith like the first three had.
I would get this book if you are a fan of the Tribe of the Sith books, though I would wait for it to be free, 80 cents is a bit much for so little.

Star Wars Marathon Part 5, July 28, 2010
I recently resolved to read the entire Star Wars novel line in order and decided to include e-book novellas as their story-lines are interrelated and the authors are often the same. I'm going to be reviewing all of the books as I read them. I am not going to bother with plot summaries as they are already provided in the back cover description.

I disliked Savior for the following reasons:

Style: The style of writing was vague and at times difficult to follow.

Lightsaber Battles: There was a lightsaber battle which wasn't even described. We were merely informed of the results.

Jedi/Sith Philosophy: NA

Characters:
Korsin: Once again, for a sith he doesn't have much of a personality. It's clear that he is manipulative and unscrupulous but doesn't evoke much color while demonstrating these traits.
Seelah: This character has become far more interesting and less of an irritant. She is shown to be an impressively ruthless villain. Due to the stlye, however, the character is not all that believable.
Adari: Quite dull and doesn't have much personality.
Jariad: Reminds me of Devore from Precipice (his father) and is thus a source of irritation

Savior earned two stars because the plot of the novella series is fully under way by this issue and is highly entertaining with a dramatic premise.

Music: I suggest "The Earliest Songbook in England" by Gothic Voices as accompanied listening.

I would not recommend this series even for Star Wars fans unless they are fans specifically of the novels. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Paragon a FREE original e-book short story, the third in a series that reveals the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Paragon includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash (Del Rey Hardcover, available March 9th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. Darkness VisibleThe ruthless cunning of the Sith Order has served the shipwrecked crew of the Omen well on the alien planet Kesh. Subjugating the superstitious Keshiri race by posing as its fabled overlords has ensured the Sith's survival—while they struggle in secret to return to the stars. But after fifteen years on their adopted world, some among the lost tribe have grown restless and fearful that assimilation will consume their Sith heritage. Now, as rival factions begin to appear, a shocking disaster throws into doubt the Sith's future on Kesh. In the distant city of Tetsubal, the entire native populace is suddenly wiped out by a grisly plague of unknown origin. With terrifying speed, more cities succumb to the mysterious contagion. Only the Sith remain unharmed—so far. And as Sith commander Yaru Korsin grapples with the looming loss of the paradise he rules and the race his people have come to depend upon, he must confront the dark possibility that the catastrophe may not be cruel fate but insidious sabotage. ... Read more

Reviews

Another Fun Installment, February 10, 2010
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #3: Paragon is the third short story installment of the Lost Tribe series by John Jackson Miller. The series follows a group of Sith in the time of Naga Sadow who crash-landed on the planet of Kesh.

Miller's strength has always been in his characters, whose attitudes and beliefs are seamlessly woven throughout the narration--beliefs that the reader may take to be fact. The result is a wonderful installment-ending twist that will leave you wanting for more.

A must-read for any Star Wars fan.

Things are not as they appear on the planet Kesh, February 15, 2010
In the latest Star War series, Fate of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker and team battle a whole civilization of Sith whose ancestors were marooned on the planet Kesh 5000 years earlier. Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith tells the back-story of those who became separated from the rest of the Sith before the time of Darth Bane (the Sith Lord that instituted the "Rule of the Two").

This installment, Paragon, takes place 15 years after the a Sith ship crashes onto the planet Kesh. It's local inhabitants embrace the Sith as deity and the Sith take control of the planet. This short story ends with a surprising twist that gives us some clues that it's not going be be as easy as it seems to keep that control.

I find the characters well fleshed-out and the idea of an entire Sith culture fascinating. Each story in the Lost Tribe of the Sith precedes a new installment in the "Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi" series and ends with a preview of the next book, this time it is "Backlash" by Aaron Allston due to come out next month. I have to say that although I have been following both series I am enjoying Lost Tribe more than the full Fate of the Jedi stories. It could be because the characters are new to me and the concept is unique, or it could be that they are better written and more creative (and, let's be honest, free). Either way I'm really looking forward to the next one!

Star Wars, August 27, 2010
My husband read these but wouldn't read more. EZ reading but doesn't hold up to the originals

Excellence, February 25, 2010
Great read, better then the first two. In most of the Star Wars books the sith are just glanced over (if talked about at all), I like getting to know them better. Kind of like getting to know the stormtroopers better in the Star Wars Republic Commando books.

Is there hope for this series?, February 19, 2010
I'm a bit torn about my feelings about this series. On one hand, I relish the thought of reading new adventures set in the Star Wars universe. However, I really don't find any of the characters interesting and find that the humanized version of the Sith are paltry replacements for the likes of Darth Maul, Darth Bane, Darth Sidious, and their ilk. Truth be told, I like my Sith Lords wicked, ruthless, and downright EVIL!

Although it's kind of clever to create a cast of Sith Lords who are more like everyday people than the the vicious, kill-or-be-killed style of villains Lucas created for his mythology, it also makes for unnecessarily overly psycho-analytical, annoyingly pretentious, and ultimately unengaging storytelling. So far, The Lost Tribe of the Sith falls prey to the same trap that ruined the prequel films. There's just too much political intrigue and faux-philosophical storytelling to actually get excited over this series. With the material Jackson has to work with, this should be a slam dunk for an exciting story about Sith Lords. Instead, reading Miller's books are a chore because it seems less like Star Wars and more like badly written fan fiction. Give me show-stealing lightsaber battles and heated dogfights in space! Get rid of all of this socio-political fluff and return to the kind of space opera that made fans fall in love with Star Wars in the first place.

To be honest, if it weren't for the last page of 'Paragon', I'd probably give up on this series right now. My hope is that Miller is about to give us the goods on the next round. If not, I'll be happily moving on to watching reruns of The Empire Strikes Back on my DVD player and putting to rest any thought of reading more books in this series. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kay Kenyon, noted for her science fiction world-building, has in this new series created her most vivid and compelling society, the Universe Entire. In a land-locked galaxy that tunnels through our own, the Entire is a bizarre and seductive mix of long-lived quasi-human and alien beings gathered under a sky of fire, called the bright. A land of wonders, the Entire is sustained by monumental storm walls and an exotic, never-ending river. Over all, the elegant and cruel Tarig rule supreme.

Into this rich milieu is thrust Titus Quinn, former star pilot, bereft of his beloved wife and daughter who are assumed dead by everyone on earth except Quinn. Believing them trapped in a parallel universe--one where he himself may have been imprisoned--he returns to the Entire without resources, language, or his memories of that former life. He is assisted by Anzi, a woman of the Chalin people, a Chinese culture copied from our own universe and transformed by the kingdom of the bright. Learning of his daughter's dreadful slavery, Quinn swears to free her. To do so, he must cross the unimaginable distances of the Entire in disguise, for the Tarig are lying in wait for him. As Quinn's memories return, he discovers why. Quinn's goal is to penetrate the exotic culture of the Entire--to the heart of Tarig power, the fabulous city of the Ascendancy, to steal the key to his family's redemption.But will his daughter and wife welcome rescue? Ten years of brutality have forced compromises on everyone. What Quinn will learn to his dismay is what his own choices were, long ago, in the Universe Entire. He will also discover why a fearful multiverse destiny is converging on him and what he must sacrifice to oppose the coming storm. This is high-concept SF written on the scale of Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld, Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, and Dan Dimmons's Hyperion. ... Read more

Reviews

Please don't avoid this book because of HK review!, June 18, 2007
This is a brilliant piece of SF/F writing and does not deserve to suffer simply because HK reviewed it in "her" usual, incoherent style. The two professional reviews give a good summary of the plot, so I'll just comment on why I enjoyed the book so much:

Kenyon's characters are so vivid that I found myself attached to even minor characters, wondering what happens to them after they leave the stage. There are only a handful of writers whose characters I've actually had dreams about, writing further adventures for them in my head, after I finish a book. Kenyon is one of those writers, and I can't wait to read the subsequent installments in the series.

The characters are the stars for me here, but I must mention how fascinating the world is that Kenyon has created. The two parallel worlds are revealed gradually to the reader throughout the course of the book, but even from the first scenes they feel solidly real. They make sense because Kenyon adds the kind of telling details that bring them alive most subtly and completely for me. Both worlds come complete with nuanced social and political stresses: corporate greed and executive dogfights, difficult family dynamics, political power struggles, clashes between cultures, xenophobia, and lots more. It sounds like a lot for one book, but the strands are so skillfully built and intertwined that the reader's knowledge builds in an apparently natural way. From the first, wrenching scene in the Rose (future Earth) universe--where we encounter an entire ship at the mercy of technology so complex that only one person on board is capable of fully understanding, much less controlling it--to the first scenes in the Entire universe--where we witness a summary execution by one of the powerful and terrifying Tarig--Kenyon sets up fascinating and illuminating parallels between the two parallel worlds.

The plot is complex and surprising also. The pace is never dull, yet events are allowed the proper time to build believably and achieve resonance for the reader. Kenyon doesn't pull any punches, and the consequences of the characters' decisions are sometimes brutal, adding increasing depth to the plot and characterization as the book progresses.

Entirely enjoyable. Highly recommended for those who enjoy both SF and Fantasy worldbuilding and want something complex and engrossing.

Kenyon's Best to Date, April 26, 2007
I have followed Kenyon's writing career closely and have read every one of her novels. There's no question that Bright of the Sky is her very best work yet. It is everything that you expect from her work (beautifully crafted characters that you really care about, a plot and story that holds you attention from the first page to the last and last, but certainly not least, a milieu and "world" that is utterly believable even in its most fantastical aspects) and it is everything that you expect from any science fiction/fantasy story. This truly is one case in which the blubs on Bright's cover can be believed -- there isn't anyone on the science fiction scene these days who does it as good as Kenyon.

One of the structural aspects of this book that I found particularly interesting was the seamless interweaving of traditional "hard" science fiction with a fascinating fantasy overlay. I don't often see this done well (or at all), but Kenyon has managed to do it in a way that makes perfect sense in the context of the story line.

Bright is a grand adventure undertaken by people whose reality seems to leap off the pages. The off-earth forays of Titus Quinn take place in an almost magical and mysterious world, but one whose structure and purpose (when you find out what that is) make perfect sense. This world (the "Entire") is populated with some of the most interesting and intriguing characters (recognizable humans whose lives are patterned from glimpses of an ancient Chinese cultrure) and critters (you'll have to read Bright yourself) that I have come across in my reading. The world-building is just delightful.

Bright is apparently the first book in a 4-book series so there are some story elements that remain loose at the end of this first book. But the story of Bright, itself, is complete and concluded in this first book. I was left with the usual reaction at the end of a 1st book -- "What happens next?" In addition to that anticipation, though, I also got a nice sense of satisfaction that many of the important questions raised and conflicts posed in Bright were resolved (even though that resolution set the stage for what must come next in Volume 2 and subequest books).

All in all, this was a delightful read and, as I noted above, the best work that Kenyon has done to date. This is one that is worth the hardcover price -- you're probably going to hear people talking about this one and I think you're going to want to read it.

Space opera at its best, April 26, 2007
It's so nice to have fun reading science fiction again! Kenyon's story is big and sprawling and colorful, and yet the story is so accessible, with memorable characters and good, but not esoteric, science. I love this adventure/romance/thriller of a book, to say nothing of the fact that the cover itself is worth the price. Kay Kenyon and Stephan Martiniere (the cover artist) make a great pair, and bode well for the future of this kind of sf.

Fantastic Worldbuilding + Flawed Writing, March 16, 2010
30 Words or Less: An undeniable triumph of world building, Kay Kenyon's The Entire and The Rose is a science fantasy tale of two worlds worth exploring despite the gradual pace dictated by occasional prose problems.

Bright of the Sky: 3/5

The Good: Absolutely unique world-building that combines science fiction and fantasy elements and continues to grow throughtout the entire series; Carefully plotted narrative that spans and evolves over four volumes; The world is exceptionally well integrated into the narrative rather than being adjacent to it.

The Bad: Early volumes have problems with jarring perspective changes; Worldbuilding often uses infodumping rather than in-narrative elements; The story isn't well segmented into individual novels, leaving readers with an all-or-none decision.

The Review: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Rarely is this truer than in Kay Kenyon's science fiction/fantasy hybrid quadrilogy. An undeniable triumph of world building split into four books, The Entire and the Rose is 1700 pages of complex characters and intricate narrative. The events of the series revolve around Titus Quinn, the first denizen of the Rose (our universe) to cross through into The Entire, a complex infinite world constructed by the harsh, alien Tarig and inhabited by a number of races of their creation. Several years before the series begins, Quinn and his wife and daughter were pulled into the Entire when the ship he was piloting broke apart mid-wormhole jump. Quinn returns months later in our time with no family and little recollection of what happened despite living in the Entire for over a decade. When science proves that his ravings about a second reality may in fact be true, Quinn returns to the Entire in search of his missing wife and daughter and to explore what, if any, benefit The Entire may offer Earth. As Quinn quickly becomes embroiled in the politics of the world he left behind, it becomes obvious that much more is at stake than the fate of his family. The plot only gets more complex from there, the majority of which takes place in the profoundly strange world of the Entire, although the story does take place in both universes.

To provide any more detail than that would ruin the game-changing revelations that occur frequently throughout the series, shifting plots and loyalties in unexpected but exciting ways. There are several power players on both sides of the divide and rarely is there any way of knowing who is playing who. If the Earth universe is referred to as the Rose, the other universe labeled as the Entire might be better known as the Onion. From the start of the series to the final pages, Kenyon slowly peels back layer after layer of world building, unveiling an amazingly concocted world. Religion, politics, cultural divides, a forever war, teenage cults, complex transit systems: the facets of the Entire go on and on. Kenyon details aspect after aspect of her created universe and she does an unbelievable job of unobtrusively bringing the elements she has previously cultivated back into the main plot.

It's a rare occurence but if anything there is almost too much world building. The Entire is inhabited by a number of races and species all of which are fairly unique when compared to the genre standards. However, a few of these races are almost superfluous, with not a single primary or secondary character coming from their ranks. Kenyon could have either edited them out or integrated them into the story as well as she did the primary species of Humans, Chalin, Tarig, Inyx, Hirrin, and Paion. The cultural depth of these imagined races is continually capitalized upon by Kenyon and as a result the few species that don't get starring roles ultimately fall to the wayside.

While the extraneous elements could have been handled better, the world of the Entire and the thoroughly constructed characters that inhabit it are the main attractions of the series. Kenyon's writing, on the other hand, leaves a little bit to be desired especially in the early volumes. Kenyon writes from an extremely tight third person perspective and she has an unfortunate tendency to jump perspectives mid-scene without warning, generating confusion and necessitating rereading just to confirm which character was thinking what. Kenyon gets better at this as the books go on but early on these jarring transitions occur disappointingly often especially considering a small change symbol (which is often used to switch perspectives between scenes) could have easily been used to remedy this problem. As the books progress, Kenyon does manage to reduce the frequency with which these occur. The third and fourth volumes are much stronger than the first in this regard.

Kenyon also has a propensity to take a "tell not show" approach to her worldbuilding and while the world is interesting enough, there is no in-narrative reason for the characters to lecture the way they do. Consequently, the books of The Entire and The Rose read somewhat slowly. While not a bad thing in and of itself, these are not necessarily beach reads and due to the complex nature of the world and plot, it should be read in its entirety for full effect, commanding a significant time investment on the part of the reader.

Additionally, it is important to bear in mind that this epic series would be best described as science fantasy. While Kenyon maintains the premise that all of the places and structures of her world are science-based, the science satisfies Clarke's axiom and is indistinguishable from magic. Anyone who goes into this series expecting to understand the physics underpinning the world will be sorely disappointed. Despite the trappings of science that frame the Entire, at its core it's a fantasy world; it exists and behaves the way it does because the story dictates the way it does. But it works and it works well.

Here is a review of the individual volume.

Bright of the Sky: Arguably the weakest book in the series, Kenyon's series debut suffers from exposition overload. Kenyon essentially sets up the story three times; first in the future Earth universe, than in the future Entire world, and then revealing Quinn's backstory and what occurred during his first trip to the Entire. With three full histories to explain in additional to all of the characters she introduces, it doesn't feel like a whole lot happens. The last fifty or so pages feel rushed when compared to the whole and while the end of the book comes at a natural stopping point it doesn't really resolve any of the threads introduced. With such a To-Be-Continued ending, it produces contradictory emotions - on one hand there was too little payoff after the slower prose associated with complex world building; on the other hand, A World Too Near beckoned from the shelf immediately. Bright of the Sky is also the book that suffers the most from those aforementioned perspective shifts.

Ultimately, The Entire and The Rose is more than a sum of its composite volumes, so much so that it was too difficult to reach a conclusion on one book before reading the others. The story flows through the pages like one of the arms of the Nigh (a river of exotic matter from the story), bearing strongly motivated characters through alternating periods of slow progress and torrential action. The narrative twists and turns unexpectedly, creating new letters to place between points A and B. At the core of Kenyon's series is her imagined Entire, rivaling any fantasy world for its complexity and surpassing the vast majority for sheer inventiveness. Despite some missteps in presentation, Kay Kenyon's The Entire and The Rose has created a unique science fantasy series that is worth reading, well, in its entirety.

Great Premise, Poor Execution, August 26, 2010
Something about a book really has to stand out, for good or ill, to make me actually write a review about it. The catalyst, for this novel, is the fact that the concept is great - a really interesting story - but the execution is miserable. I started to put the book down several times, out of irritation, but ending up actually finishing it just for the sake of the story.

The problem is that it really is poorly written:

-- Awful, jarring switches between character and perspective - errors of style and flow that are taught in freshman composition.
-- A hero who is really a jerk, but every horrible decision and character flaw is forgiven because the poor, angsty man has just suffered SO MUCH...sob. He treats everyone around him like crap - but feels completely justified in his own distrust and anger at others.
-- The human villains are cartoonishly evil - making unsubtle threats that make no sense for someone with their supposed power and influence and position to make. And the attempts to humanize them are laughable, as well.

Again, the story isn't bad! I'd love to know how the it ends...just not enough to sit through another book (or, rather, three more books) of the author's atrocious writing!

Tremendous world-building and adventure from one of SF's best writers, April 30, 2007
This book is as big and bold as science fiction gets. You travel with Titus Quinn, the main character, through the universe and into another world on a great wave of narrative energy, and encounter a scary and fabulously detailed alien environment (the storm walls are especially cool). Yet the terrific world-building is balanced by the alien creatures and the many intriguing human and almost-human characters, my favorite being Quinn's daughter, who - well, I wouldn't want to spoil it. Anyway, Kay Kenyon is one of those writers that is so good you wonder why everybody doesn't know about her . . . I can only hope this novel gives her the breakthrough she deserves. Once you read Bright of the Sky and want to read one of her other books while you wait for Book Two of The Entire and The Rose, check out Tropic of Creation. Until this came out, it was my favorite Kenyon novel.

This book is beautiful and a great starter to an original series that blends Sci-Fi and Fantasy, July 30, 2007
When Titus Quinn, a top pilot for Minerva Corporation vanishes with his ship in a disaster it is hardly surprising in itself. However, when he turns up a year later raving about an alternative universe that his family is stranded in he is quietly mothballed by his employers - that is until they unexpectedly find proof that maybe he wasn't raving and that Titus may be their best resource to uncover an alternative method of interstellar travel.

The Entire and the Rose is a strange title for a book, but it quickly makes sense once you start reading the story. Titus is a driven and tortured character. He's a man who's past means much more than even he realises and he may turn out to be fulcrum on which the future of the universe depends.

I enjoyed this novel. It's well written with an original and beautifully described alternate universe. In many ways this book sets up the basics of the characters of this series, some of the stakes involved and gives the reader a good understanding of two worlds. It's certainly enough to make me buy book 2 of the series in hardcover when it becomes available - which looks to be 4 books long if the authors introduction is anything to go by.

A Five Star Book., July 20, 2007
I thought this book was great. I generally tend towards the shoot em up side of science fiction, but I have to say I got completely lost in this book. It was really mesmerizing. And, to top it off, I've read some of Kenyons other stuff with mixed feelings. I've read two other books from her (Braided World and Seeds of Time) and I'd give them only a 3.5 and 2 star rating. But this book was great!

The characters were likable, hatable, lovable,... they were very good characters. As the story progresses the characters progress and change as they develop relationships with the people they interact with. I don't think I've read another book that's done better with its characters.

The plot is solid and interesting; however, it can seem a little whimsical and the science of it seems a little stretched, but, other then that, it's got an excellent plot.

One thing I enjoyed was that this book was not very predictable. One page you think there character is going to do this and the next you think something completely different. I love that in a book. Well done!

Murder, She Wrote, August 18, 2010
The middling rating is due to one huge flaw. The writing is good. Compelling minor characters populate the fully imagined alternative universe. Sure, you can poke holes in "The Entire" concept, but basically it's well-done. I also think the writing is good and direct with plenty of transitive verbs. You will keep reading. There are a few slow points, but suspense about what happens keeps you going. So you may think I was on track to rate this book 4 1/2 or 5 stars, and you'd be right. However, to set up the final chase section the author writes a plot device that is so offensive to me, and so repugnant to me, that I would have rated 1 star if I had not enjoyed the book so much until then. Quinn the protagonist turns into a brutal, murdering monster for no good reason. It's a total break with his character throughout the book (and the author's attempts to remind us of some earlier erratic behavior don't do it). I don't read much scifi or fantasy and maybe aliens aren't considered people, but that attitude's not true to this work. Also, it's violently inconsistent with Quinn's close associations with the aliens, and his former wife's associations as well. It's totally unnecessary to the plot of this book also, since a simple alarm would have served as well. The author forgets what Raymond Chandler taught us - the hero walks through a dark world, and he may be a cynical anti-hero, but he cannot be the darkness. Here, through some sort of moral blindness in the author, a very enjoyable work is betrayed, and the hero is turned into the darkest shadow of all. It's a plot device that rings false. Moreover, it betrays the sympathies of the reader, and Quinn's supporters in the book itself, utterly. This book left a bad taste in my mouth. As Agatha Christie had a character say in "Murder On The Orient Express," harming a child cannot be forgiven.

The betrayal of the Quinn character was extra dissapointing because otherwise the book was good. It's crucial for a protagonist to make morally justifiable decisions at decision points. Two books worth reading that stay true to their protagonists are "Scent of Shadows" and "The Wounded Man." "Scent of Shadows" is an urban fanstasy and "The Wounded Man" is a hardboiled mystery. In these two fine examples, protagonists walk through a dark landscape, and deal plenty of violence, but they remain better than their surroundings. It's crucial to retaining the sympathies of the reader that the anti-hero remain noble at the core. All I can say about "Bright" is - wow, what a mistake to turn the hero into a brutal monster.

Jaw Dropping "Wow"!, November 16, 2010
I read this book in two days, and had a difficult time putting it down for any reason. Those who took three weeks to read it, or thought it too slow, surely were reading a different book. The publisher's review is sufficient for the plot, so I will just touch on the highlights for me, personally.

World building is superb, and even the book's detractors gave points for it. I was easily able to immerse myself in the universe of the Entire, and accept it fully. The parts that compose the whole mesh well together. The only point that is jarring to me is that the Entire was able to access the Rose Universe (ours) and dial in on Earth as its focal point. If they were able to access other points in the Rose where they found sentient beings, that is ignored. I need a reason for the terracentric treatment of the Rose.

A number of the reviews said that the protagonist, Titus Quinn, is unlikable. I will agree that he is a flawed hero, but as I have read Book 1 only, he seems to be evolving. Character growth sometimes takes one step backward for two steps forward. To me, Titus is slowly, painfully learning from his past mistakes. That he is struggling forward and growing makes him human, and for me (as for some of those he meets along his journey) a quite likable (sometimes irritating) character.

I finished the book eager to continue the adventure -- I nearly wrote "my" adventure -- and as soon as I finish this review, I am purchasing Book 2 and diving back in. I am glad Book 1 was offered as a freebie, because I now have a new author who I think is a great Sci-Fi writer, and after finish The Entire and The Rose series, I will also start turning the pages of her other novels. ... Read more