RETURN TO GLORY: I liked the story idea but the execution doesn't come off as well as it should. The basic story is of a group of former heroes led by a ranger named Roegr. Roegr comes back from being enslaved in the East and reunites with his old friends the "Seven Companions" they then go off to seek revenge. .... Well that's all good and well but ... and this is a bit of a spoiler, they complete their quest in the first third of the book but wait there's ... and so it goes throughout the whole book .

There's a tone of rambling in the plot, though thankfully not so much in the actual writing. You find yourself going from one thing to the next with these guys with things popping up and happening with no rhyme or reason. Characters come in for a few scenes and go without adding anything, major events happen to characters with no or little apparent affect, motivations spring up and fizzle. You may stick around to the end of the book, seeing hints of real promise but it is unlikely you'll remember or care enough to come back for the second book when it comes out. Overall I give it a C, strong premise, potential but nothing really comes of it. Also quite a few writing errors that distract from the reading.

It is a time for heroes. It is a time for legends to be reborn. A terrible threat faces the Empire and Emperor Warfrost. The threat comes in the form of an ex-Imperial champion named Malagur and his demonic lord, Xorgash. These two unholy allies seek an ancient and powerful artifact that possesses enough power to overthrow Warfrost and put Malagur on the throne. Now, when the Empire faces her greatest threat, a champion returns.

Roegr Sterlain, a Ranger in the twilight of his career, returns from a long exile in a distant land. He learns of Malagur's threat, a threat from his own family's past. Roegr gathers together an aging group of heroes once known as the Seven Companions. These adventurers ride forth once more to stand between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. As Roegr learns of events during his exile and how his once noble friends have been affected, he comes to realize that his greatest challenge may not be in overcoming the forces of Malagur, but in avoiding a traitor's blade. The true test for the Seven lies within.

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SAVING CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

A story about five children and their quest to save Christmas spirit. Savannah, Travis, Kit, Crystal and Hayley start by saving a few ornaments and trees from Christmas and end up saving the elves of Christmas spirit. The evil elf king Gredelia, and his magician Carleturean try and stop the children but with the help of their fairy friends they save the day.

SAVING CHRISTMAS SPIRIT is an action packed fantasy tale for children and adults of all ages who want the loving fun of Christmas to continue beyond the night of December 25th.

It's the only Christmas story that is about the weeks after the holiday, which makes it the perfect holiday present!

To Purchase a copy of SAVING CHRISTMAS SPIRIT go to the Shadowbox-Media Reading Room. Please be sure to mention that you saw the book reviewed at the StuPage Book Reviews.

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Sherwood is the story of Edward Aelredson, lord of Denby, in Sherwood Forest. He was sixteen when the duke of Normandy conquered his country and became William I of England. Edward's mother nicknamed Edward Puck-Robin. Legend remembers him as Robin Hood.

The stirring tale of England's artful outlaw who troubled and challenged the throne itself is known to everyone, as are Marian, the girl he loved, Will Scatloch, Little John, and the other men who gathered to him. But where might their legend have arisen? Who might the historic "Robin" have been all those years ago in Sherwood Forest?

Parke Godwin's Robin Hood is subtly different from the received version of his tale. he setting is shortly after the conquest of Anglo-Saxon England by William of Normandy in 1066. Young Robin is a lesser Saxon landowner who must bow to a brutal foreign king or lose everything his family and people have fought to hold.

Robin's traditional enemy, the sheriff of Nottingham, now has a name - Ralf FitzGerald - and a legitimate claim to our sympathy, as well as that of Maid Marian, who he loves. Balanced against Robin's struggle, we see Ralf as a landless Norman knight struggling to better himself in an alien, hostile country. Loyal to his king, Ralf's unpleasant task is survival and imposing the king's rigid laws on forest Saxons like Robin, who will not believe themselves conquered.

Sherwood is realistic historical fiction of the highest order, a compelling, richly detailed narrative that evokes and illuminates a lost time. With this ambitious undertaking, Parke Godwin launches the first of two volumes dedicated to Robin Hood. Sherwood is a major work of the stature to stand beside the author's classic Arthurian novels, Firelord and Beloved Exile.

With Sherwood, Parke Godwin reshaped the familiar story of Robin Hood to create his own unique version of the centuries old legend. Taking the popular characters of Robin and Maid Marian, Little John and Will Scatloch, Godwin spun a tale of the adventures in Sherwood Forest vastly different from other renditions of the myth.

This latest volume from Parke Godwin reveals a fascinating new aspect of the Robin Hood legend - the story of his later life and exploits as defender of the English people. Robin and the King continues the magic of this fabled epic in a drama richer, more powerful, and grader in scope than Sherwood, weaving two historical men into Robin's life: the friendship of the king's son Rossel and the dangerous enmity of Ranulf of Bayeux.

The tale returns again to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, now set later in the reign of William of Normandy, who had conquered the Anglo-Saxon peoples years earlier when Robin was a mere youth. A now older Robin has remained fiercely committed to freeing his fellow countrymen from absolute rule by any king, be he English or Norman. But this long-standing rivalry between Robin and the crown is soon overshadowed by a more dangerous enemy - a foe from the outside who threatens William's entire kingdom, including the way of life of Robin's own England, a life that was largely preserved under Norman rule.

This foreign threat sets in motion an explosive set of adventures as Robin engages in fierce sea battles, secret undercover operations behind enemy lines, and bloody saber skirmishes with fresh troops from the French Army. And throughout it all, whether supporting him by his side or defending their home from the royal brutes back in England, his wife, Marian, emerges as a powerful ally, united with Robin in their last heroic efforts to save their people.

Robin and the King triumphs as a masterpiece of both history and legend. Employing popular myth as well as historical detail, Parke Godwin has expertly placed the story of England's favorite folk hero within the turning point in English history that was the Norman Conquest

Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion.

Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. Through her eyes, we see the decadent heart of Gion - the geisha district of Kyoto - with its marvelous teahouses and theaters, narrow back alleys, ornate temples, and artists' streets. And we witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it. But as World War II erupts and the geisha houses are forced to close, Sayuri, with little money and even less food, must reinvent herself all over again to find a rare kind of freedom on her own terms.

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WIZARD'S FIRST RULE: This is the first book in the Sword of Truth series. It's pretty good. There are a lot of similarities to other popular fantasy writers around today, but that's not neccesarily a bad thing. The story moves along nicely with nice characters. The characters are not as entreating as Eddings' and the plot not as convoluted as robert Jordon but all in all not a bad book.

Wizard’s First Rule marks the debute of a brilliant new fantasy writer. Truely epic in scope and filled with burning intensity, it is the story of Richard Cypher, a modest woodsman in a world achingly beautiful, aalive with the joys of nature: a world the reader comes to love as fiercely as do Richard and those around him. Though a mere woodsman, he is the one destined to battle the ultimate adversary - Darken Rahl, an evil mage who bids to destroy all that Richard holds good and beautiful, dooming him and the rest of the people of Westlland to a living hell of subjugation and degredation.

Richard’s life is changed utterly when he saves Kahlan, a beautiful woman who is desperately fleeing Rahl’s assassins as she tries to find Zedd, the last great Wizard. Only Zedd can anoint a Seeker of Truth, one pure of heart and strong of purpose, who must wield the terrible power of the legendary Sword of Truth. Only the Seeker can prevent Rahl from acquiring the three Boxes of Orden, which grant their possessor power over all living things. As Rahl’s plan nears its fateful culmination, Zedd calls upon richard to become the Seeker. At first reluctant to take up the Sword and dare the perils that lie ahead, Richard accepts the challenge when he realizes that his new-found love for Kahlan would wither under the lash of Rahl’s dark dominion.

Rahl, a mage for whom no atrocity is too foul, has gained two of the three Boxes. Should he complete the set and unlock its magic, not even Richard, whose father long ago taught him the Boxes’ secrets, will be able to keep Rahl from fulfilling his destiny.

Breathlessly exciting, told withthe sure skill of a great storyteller, Wizard’s First Rule is an unforgettable novel that will captivate readers as few fantasies have done before. Destined to become a classic, it marks but the beginning of a truly extraordinary fantasy cycle...

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STONE OF TEARS. Book two in the Sword of Truth series.: I definetly like this book. It's even better than the first. It continues the story of Richard and friends in their fight against the Keeper.

In Wizard's First Rule, Richard Cypher's world was turned upside down. Once a simple woods guide, Richard was forced to become the Seeker of Truth, to save the world from the vile dominion of Darken Rahl, the most viciously savage and powerful wizard the world had ever seen. He was joined on this epic quest by his beloved Kahlan, the only survivor among the Confessors, who brought a powerful but benevolent justice to the land before Rahl's evil scourge. Aided by Zedd, the last of the wizards who opposed Rahl, they were able to cast him into the underworld, saving the world from the living hell of life under Rahl.

But the veil to the underworld has been torn and Rahl, from beyond the veil, begins to summon a sinister power more dreadful than any he has wielded before. Horrifying creatures escape through the torn veil, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting world above.

If Rahl isn't stopped, he will free the Keeper itself, an evil entity whose power is so vast and foul that once freed, it can never again be contained.

Richard and Kahlan must face Rahl and the Keeper's terrible minions. But first, Richard must endure the ministrations of the Sisters of Light, or die from the pain of magic that is his birthright and his curse. While Richard undertakes the arduous journey to the forbidden city of the Sisters, Kahlan must embark upon a long and dangerous mission to Aydindril, citadel of The old wizards, where she hopes to find Zedd and the help only he can lend to their desperate cause.

War, suffering, torture, and deceit lie in their paths, and nothing will save them from a destiny of violent death, unless their courage and faith are joined with luck and the find the elusive Stone of Tears.

BLOOD OF THE FOLD: Book three of the Sword of Truth series. This is as good as the second book. Fast paced and action packed. The struggles of Richard, Kahlan and their friends as they fight those who would seek to destroy their world are brought forth with Goodkind's usual style.

"A wonderfully creative, seamless, and stirring epic fantasy debut." Thus did Kirkus Reviews praise Wizard's First Rule, Book on of the Sword of Truth. When Richard Cypher's odyssey began in that book, nobody could have imagined where his adventure would lead. Overcoming personal tragedy and becoming the Seeker, wielder of the magical Sword of Truth, Richard defeated the megalomaniacal wizard Darken Rahl and fell in love with Kahlan Amnell, who, as the Mother Confessor, wields considerable magic in her own right and presides over the Midland, dealing justice in disputes both large and small throughout her land.

In Stone of Tears, which Starlog Magazine called "the solid, action-packed sequel to Wizard's First Rule," Richard and Kahlan fought separate battles against Rahl's lingering evil. Richard had to learn to focus his magical gift in order to fend off the deadly Sisters of the Dark, who sought to destroy him, as Kahlan led an army against a new threat, the Imperial Order. Neither Richard nor Kahlan knew of the other's travails, though both defeated their foes, whose masters were bent on destroying the veil that separates the realm of the dead from the land of the living.

Now Richard and Kahlan's struggles continue, against a new and equally dire foe. The Blood of the Fold, a group of fanatical anti-magic zealots, have joined the forces thwarted by Richard and Kahlan. They are the unwitting pawns of a sorcerous evil from the Old World, a realm that has been magically sealed for thousands of years. Richard, Kahlan and their allies now face the combined might of two worlds - the Old and the New. This stunning confrontation threatens an armageddon of unimaginable proportions unless Richard and Kahlan can believe in the power of their love and their faith in the truth.

TEMPLE OF THE WINDS: Book four of the Sword of Truth series. This is a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The love between Richard and Kahlan is the central theme and character. An A book. Enjoy it.

Return to the world of The Sword of Truth which "has everything one could ask for in an epic fantasy" (Publishers Weekly), the world of Richard Cypher, whose adventures have stirred the blood and filled the hearts of legions of satisfied readers. When Richard was a simple woods guide, he never dreamed he would get caught up in magic, war, and dangers so extraordinary that the fate of his entire world would hang on his actions and decisions.

After he rescued Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor of the Midlands and the woman Richard would come to love, he left the forest and entered into a larger and more perilous world. In Wizard's First Rule they were the last hope against the forces of Darken Rahl, who had vowed to enslave the land on behalf of the Keeper, the embodiment of evil that ruled the underworld.

Over the course of his journeys Richard learned to accept his role, first as the Seeker and the wielder of the Sword of Truth, and then, in Stone of Tears, as the new Lord Rahl and the war wizard who led the fight against the Keeper and his dark minions.

Richard managed to seal the keeper in the Underworld and in, Blood of the Fold, defended the Midlands from the genocidal armies of the Blood of the Fold. Yet a greater threat remains. Everything Richard has learned thus far, all the wisdom, the magic and the conviction he holds, will be for naught as the power-mad Emperor Jagang returns with his multitude of demonic underlings. For Richard must now challenge the impossible: the magic that thwarts magic, the three-thousand-years-sealed-away fortress of evil that has begun to infect the world with a terrible, sorcerous plague. He must find the Temple of the Winds.

But once the shadow of betrayal falls across that mission, Richard must accept the Truth and find a way to undo the damage ... or his world will perish.

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SOUL OF THE FIRE: This is the fifth book in the Sword of Truth series. I liked this one as it stands on its own and for the way it continues in the series. There is a lot where characters not associated with the previous books are the central focus yet what they do affects what happens to the main characters from the series greatly. Yes there is the same typical "catastrophic consequences for the world if they fail" theme as in many fantasy books, but isn't that one of the reasons we enjoy them so? Yet Goodkind adds a spin to it by not making it a definite catastrophe, just a very strong possibility. I give this book a solid B+.

In Wizard's First Rule Richard and Kahlan Amnell, the mother Confessor of the Midlands and the woman he would come to love, were the last hope against the forces of Darken Rahl, who had vowed to enslave the land on behalf of the Keeper, the evil lord of the Underworld.

Richard slowly learned to accept his true role, first as the Seeker and the wielder of the Sword of Truth and then, in Stone of Tears, as the new Lord Rahl and the war wizard who led the fight against the Keeper and his dark minions.

Richard managed to seal the Keeper in the Underworld and, in Blood of the Fold, defended the Midlands from the genocidal armies of the Blood of the Fold.

In Temple of the Winds Richard was faced with an evil even he couldn't stand against - a dread plague loosed by the mad Emperor Jagang. Only by journeying to the Temple of the Winds was Richard able to thwart the plans of Jagang and save his world and the life of his beloved Kahlan.

But when Kahlan summoned the dominion of the chimes to save Richard, unwittingly she loosed arcane powers that now not only threaten those she loves, but are bent on reshaping the world itself into forbidding visions that will forever alter the very nature of life itself.

Richard and Kahlan must now hunt the chimes, those most mysterious of hunters - the unseen stalkers of souls, the thieves of order - and in so doing plunge headfirst into danger perilous. For there is no place so dangerous as a world without magic.

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FAITH OF THE FALLEN: The sixth book in the Sword of Truth series. An A book. Richard and Kahlan and Cara are the main characters along with one of the Sisters of the Dark. Richard's decision not to fight and Kahlan's decision to fight and how Richard is going to get out of the trap that he is in keeps things interesting. An A book.

Richard, the lord Rahl and the Seeker of Truth, has returned to his boyhood home, Hartland.

When a Sister of the Dark captures Richard, he makes a desperate sacrifice to ensure that his beloved Kahlan remains free. Taken deep into the Old World and forced to labor for the tyrannical evil he's sworn to defeat, he is determined to remain defiant even in the heart of darkness.

Kahlan, left behind and willing to abandon the cause of the Midlands, violates prophecy and breaks her last pledge to Richard. Finally se will come face to face with the architect of the terror sweeping her land - the mad dreamwalker, Emperor Jagang.

While Kahlan faces Jagang's vast horde, Richard discovers the truth of the Imperial Order's rule. Forced to endure his ordeal without magic, without the Sword of Truth, without his love, he stands against the despair and soul-numbing regime of the Old World, his hope kept alive only by the knowledge of the rightness of his cause.

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DEBT OF BONES: Imagine a long flashback in one of the Sword of Truth series and you've basically got this book. Typical Goodkind style, same characters if you liked his other books you'll like this one. I give this book a B.

A debt of bones knows no bounds, least of all death.

When Abby arrives in the great city seeking help, she has no idea that her desperate appeal will turn out to be anything but simple, or that what she carries with her in a tattered burlap sack could unleash annihilation.

Amid the sweep of a world besieged by war, Debt of Bones is the story of a young peasant woman's struggle to win the aid of the most important man alive. Both share the shadow of an ancient debt that, if called due, could send the fate of countless lives tumbling towards catastrophe.

Abby finds herself trapped not only between both sides of the war but in the mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abbey's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to break, they are caught up in a desperate fight to save the life of a child, but neither can escape the deadly spectre of betrayal and treachery.

With time running out, their only choice may be a debt of bones. The world - for Zedd, for Abby, for everyone - will never again be the same.

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THE PILLARS OF CREATION: This story from Terry Goodkind has little to do with Richard and Kahlan and the whole Sword of Truth series except as motivation. Think of it as another story in the Sword of Truth world. It's not a bad story in fact it reads, as far as tone and character, like most of the others. I enjoyed it in that sense. And I enjoyed it overall, but there's not much connection to anything else that went on before or after (as far as I know) in the series. As a new book I thought there might have been before I read the cover. Overall I give it a B.

A young woman's struggle for salvation from inner demons and an ancient injustice takes on terrifying dimensions. Tormented her entire life by inhuman voices, Jennsen seeks to end her intolerable agony. She at last discovers a way to silence the voices. For everyone else, the torment is about to begin.

Richard Rahl and his wife, Kahlan, have been re-united after their long separation, but with winter descending and the paralyzing dread of an army of annihilation occupying their homeland, they must venture deep into a strange and desolate land. Their quest turns to terror when they find themselves the helpless prey of a tireless hunter.

Exploited by those intent on domination, Jennsen finds herself drawn into the center of a violent struggle for conquest and revenge. Worse yet, she finds her will seized by dark forces more abhorrent than anything she ever envisioned. Only then does she come to realize that the voices were real.

Staggered by loss and increasingly isolated, Richard and Kahlan desperately struggle to survive. But if they are to live, they must stop the relentless, unearthly threat that comes out of the darkest night of the human soul. To do so, Richard will be called upon to face the demons stalking among the Pillars of Creation.

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NAKED EMPIRE (Sword of Truth, Book 8): A continuation of the Sword of Truth series. This story takes the fight against Richard and Kahlan and the fight against The Empire and Jagang's forces and puts them into a community of people not affected by magic. This is not a major spoiler, though it happens a bit later in the book. The main part of the story is spent with Richard having to save these people and himself, for reasons I won't explain because it would be a major spoiler.

I liked the book. Mostly because it gets back to Richard and Kahlan and the fight against Jagang's Empire, though not in a major way. It may be a while before we get a big fight against the empire that brings it to its knees ( I'd say in about three books as my guess just because of the way he did the previous empire and because he enjoys the characters so much). The book is a bit heavy handed with its message and how Richard's problem is solved is a bit too easily explained away, though it does work well with the heavy handed approach to the main "moral". Overall I give it a B. A good story by a good story teller. Its pretty much the same quality as the majority of the stories. The characters are already well established, the larger plot actually moves forward a bit in this one as are some of the minor ones and the answers to some of the questions from previous books are answered and new ones are added.

"You knew they were there, didn't you?" Kahlan asked in a hushed tone as she leaned closer. Against the darkening sky, she could just make out the shapes of three black-tipped races taking to wing, beginning their nightly hunt. That was why he'd stopped. That was what he'd been watching as the rest of them waited in uneasy silence.

"Yes," Richard said. He gestured over his shoulder without turning to look. "There are two more, back there."

Kahlan briefly scanned the dark jumble of rock, but she didn't see any others.

Lightly grasping the silver pommel with two fingers, Richard lifted his sword a few inches, checking that it was clear in its scabbard. A last fleeting glimmer of amber light played across his golden cape as he let the sword drop back in place. In the gathering gloom of dusk, his familiar tall, powerful contour seemed as if it were no more than an apparition made of shadows.

Just then, two more of the huge birds shot by right overhead. One, wings stretched wide, let out a piercing scream as it banked into a tight gliding turn, circling once more in assessment of the five people below before stroking its powerful wings to catch its departing comrades in their swift journey west.

This night they would find ample food.

Synopsis

Beginning with Wizard's First Rule and continuing with six subsequent fantasy masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled and awed millions of readers worldwide. Now Goodkind returns with a broad-canvas adventure of epic intrigue, violent conflict, and terrifying peril for the beautiful Kahlan Amnell and her husband, the heroic Richard Rahl, the Sword of Truth.

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MONTEREY SHORTS: by Walter Gourlay, Frances Rossi, Mark Angel, Shaheen Schmidt, Byron Merritt, Pat Hanson, Lele Dahle, Ken Jones, Mike Tyrrel, Chris Kemp. A range of stories from a writing group in the Monterey California area. The storie range in genre and theme. There is also a range in the quality and in how mych you might enjoy each story. Some are very good and some not as good. Over all the book is enjoyable for those that like short stories. All the authors show promise and quality. I give the book overall a C+.

Welcome to the Monterey Peninsula you thought you knew, or imagined you did. Where skin divers, burned out businessmen, Carmel Valley farm kids and middle class families rub shoulders with ghosts, Russian fugitives, homicidal maniacs and doppelgangers. Where Dinosaur Town is just a midnight ride away. Where the hot tubs talk to each other. Where aliens threaten to overrun the human populace - in the future, at least. Yeah. That Monterey Peninsula.

Order Monterey Shorts sutbtitled: Storeies by Fiction writers of the Monterey Peninsula Paperback from Amazon Today!

Walter Gourlay, Chris Kemp and Frances Rossi
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BLUE LIMBO: The novel starts off with Mitch's descent into maddness, with some flashbacks thrown in. He then goes after the guy who kills his only friend towards the end of the book and along the way picks up a girl. Sounds like a movie script more than an interesting book. Maybe if I had read the novel from which the "characters and setting of an earlier novel, Barking Dogs" were taken I might have enjoyed it better. But Blue Limbo doesn't insipre me to give the previous novel a try. A C book. It's a quick read though.

"Mitch Helwig is a good cop in a future Toronto that is spiraling toward anarchy. Drugs rule the streets, and criminals have the police outgunned. So when Mitch is fired from the force by a corrupt superior, he cashes in his savings, buys some high-tech weapons and equipment, and begins a half-mad crusade to clean up Toronto single- handedly. But Mitch is human; when his wife leaves him and takes hes daughter, his despair gives his enemies an opportunity to exact their own revenge.

Blue Limbo is a tale of vengeance and heroism, a novel of action and character in a city in the shadow of crime and official corruption, where one man throws off the numbing weight of personal tragedy to fight back. Terrence Green has written a tense, exciting SF thriller."

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The Kingless Land (Band of Four, Vol. 1): This book was bad all around. Too much flowery prose, too many adjectives, and characters that were far too shallow. The characters rarely do anything other than their respective role, i.e. the warrior fights and acts macho and boorish, the thief or procurer as he's called in the book, sneaks around and makes witty comments, the healer heals and occasionally does some other magic when the sorceress isn't able to, and the sorceress does double duty as both the wizard and the damsel in distress. She does powerful magic and explains the arcane but with an attitude and she also get hurt and passes out a lot so that she can be saved by the heroes. The plot is horrible, not only is it unbelievable, it jumps around too much and introduces people, places and events that have no use except to throw in one more excuse for our band of four to do their band of four thing. It reminded me of a bad Saturday morning kiddie cartoon. One that gets canceled mid-season and you find the action figures in the back of the bargain section of the toy department. As bad as it was I did read it. It was entertaining in a brainless I have a few hours to waste sort of way. I give it a D-.

P.S. I checked to see if the other books were put out. They were. One day IF I have NOTHING else to read or that lobotomy goes through I MAY pick it up. If you're looking for the reviews for those don't hold your breath (you'll turn blue and pass out ;^)

Now, in his first new series outside Forgotten Realms, Ed has created a world and cast of characters guaranteed to appeal to fans of fantasy gaming and Robert Jordan alike.

Aglirta is known as the Kingless Land, a once-prosperous and peaceful river valley under the protection of a noble sovereign, now fallen into lawlessness and tyranny. The only hope for peace lies in the restoration of the Sleeping King, but he has been ensorcelled.

A lowly band of four adventurers, thrown together by circumstance and adversity, must recover the legendary Dwaerindim stones to return peace to the land and save themselves from a fate worse than death. A warrior, a thief, and a healer must turn their backs on their ordinary lives and join with the sorceress Lady Embra Silvertree -- the Lady of Jewels -- in a last-ditch attempt to awaken the Sleeping King and restore him to his rightful throne.

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WEST OF EDEN: This is a fascinating look at what might have been. Harrison really does his homework in writing about dinosaurs and in all the scientific things that go on in this story. The imagination and serious thought and effort that were necessary in putting this thoughtful novel series together.

From a master of imaginative storytelling comes an epic tale of the world as it might have been, a world where the age of dinosaurs never ended, and their descendants clashed with a clan of humans in a tragic war for survival.

It is the tale of Kerrick, a young hunter who grows to manhood among the dinosaurs, escaping at last to rejoin his own kind. His knowledge of their strange customs makes him the humans leader, the dinosaurs most feared enemy.

Rivaling Frank Herbert's DUNE in the majesty of its scope and conception, Harry Harrison's best-selling WEST OF EDEN is a monumental epic of love and savagery, bravery and hope.

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WINTER IN EDEN: The second book in the Eden trilogy. Just as good as the first. Many discoveries are made by the characters both outside of themselves within the world and within themselves about who and what they are. I give this book an A.

Long acknowledged as one science fiction's most gifted story tellers, Harry Harrison broke new ground with WEST OF EDEN, his most ambitious novel to date. In a daring feat of the imagination, Harrison envisioned the world as it might have been - a world where the age of reptiles never ended, and their intelligent descendants, the Yilane, clashed with human like ourselves for mastery of the Earth.

WEST OF EDEN told of Kerrick, a young human captured and raised among the Yilane, who became their most feared enemy. As leader of the hunting clan known at the Tanu, Kerrick led a great army against the Yilane, driving them from their beachhead on the western continent. Now, Harrison continues the saga of this remarkable world in a new epic of conflict, courage and passion. A new ice age threatens the Earth. Each year the world grows colder. Faced with racial extinction, the cold-blooded Yilane have no choice but to reconquer human territory using their mastery of biology to produce new and deadly weapons. In flight from their savage raid, Kerrick tries desperately to rally the Tanu to the defense of humanity.

Pursued by a ruthless female Yilane war chief whose strange attraction to Kerrick has turned to hatred, Kerrick begins an arduous journey of adventure, danger and self-discovery, accompanied by his beloved Armun and their young son. His quest leads north to the land of the furred whale hunters known as the Paramutan, east to the Yilane stronghold and south to a fateful reckoning with destiny. A poignant, compelling novel of two cultures caught in a tragic struggle for survival, WINTER IN EDEN is a masterwork of the imagination.

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HAMMER AND CROSS:
Another what if series by Harrison. This one focuses on the middle age period (sort of). The series posses some interesting questions and really made me think; especially in the last two books. It was definitely worth the reading to get the answers that he came up with. I recommend this book!

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ONE KING'S WAY: The second book in the series of the Hammer and the Cross.

Harry Harrison, best-selling author of the acclaimed West of Eden trilogy, returned to alternate history in THE HAMMER AND THE CROSS: a major new saga set on an Earth both similar to and radically different from our own.

What if... the Vikings had conquered Britain and forged a new religion and civilization based on the ancient gods of the North? Set in an alternate version of the Dark Ages, One King's Way continues the epic tale of Shef, new jarl of Britain, as he battles to change the course of history.

A craftsman, visionary, and warrior, Shef has risen from slavery to become king of a mighty Viking nation. Having won countless battles on land, he vows to protect his domain by building an unstoppable navy of catapult-bearing warships unlike any the world has ever seen. But his growing kingdom threatens all Europe, and he has made many powerful enemies.

Chief among his foes are the Knights of the Lance, a fanatical order of soldiers sworn to bring Shef down, no matter what the cost. To defeat the jarl, they will stop at nothing, even if it means finding the sacred spear of Christ - and resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire.

Set during an alternate Dark Ages that never was, The Hammer and the Cross is the gripping saga of Shef the One King, a visionary and warrior whose accomplishments have changed the course of history. First, he led a mighty Viking horde to victory over England. Then he defeated his foes among the Norsemen to become the unquestioned King of the North, Now, in the powerful conclusion to Harry Harrison's acclaimed trilogy, Shef must face the reborn power of the Holy Roman Empire.

Ruled by the German knight Bruno, who wields the Holy Lance with which Jesus Christ was slain, Rome threatens Shef's fearsome Viking navy with a new invention of unparalleled destruction: Greek fire. Unable to defend his fleet against this awesome weapon, Shef travels to the East in search of new wisdom. His quest leads him to the lavish court of the Muslim Caliph and, ultimately, to the secret hiding place of the Holy Grail.

While the ancient Norse gods observe Shef from distant Asgard, visions and portents warn of the coming Ragnarok, the ultimate Twilight of the Gods. Faiths and empires clash in the final battle between The Hammer and The Cross, and not even the gods can predict the outcome.

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THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT JOINS THE CIRCUS: A short book with a rather simplistic plot; a light read. Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat Jim is again the main character here as he is duped into going to a planet and is forced to commit crimes. The character never had much depth nor have the Sainless Steel plots ever been overly complicated. This story doesn't break that mold. If you're looking for something to s imply pass the time then this book works as well as any if you're looking for anything more I'd avice checking out some other of Harrison's books. I give it a C.

For novel upon novel, Slippery Jim DiGriz - the Stainless Steel Rat has outfoxed the forces of conventionality, cutting a stylish swathe through dozens of star systems.

Now, Slippery Jim and his beautiful wife, Angelina, find themselves becalmed on a painfully boring backwater planet, with nothing do to bu practice their skills at computer crime.

Then they meet a billionaire who claims to be 40,000 years old ... who offers them millions of credits to investigate a string of unsolved interstellar bank robberies. Robberies which, it turns out, always happen when the circus is nearby ...

In a sense, the Stainless Steel Rat has always been a high-wire performer. Now, as he infiltrates the world of the galactic big top, he's taking the role to extremes ... and drawing the attention of more dangerous ringmasters and strongmen than he ever expected.

Will this be his final show? Has Slippery Jim finally leapt for his last trapeze? Nahh.

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Assassin's Apprentice: A good novel. At first I didn't think it was all that great. After reading the second book and rereading it I better appreciate it. It's a B book, not great but not bad. Not bad at all. Once you get to know Fitz he is an enjoyable character, unfortunately he and a few others are all that appear worth reading about.

"Filled with enchantment and evil, heroism and dishonor, passion and adventure, Assassin's Apprentice marks the debut of a stunning and irresisteible new voice in high fantasy...

Young Fitz is a bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the court of the Six Duchies by his father's gruff stableman. He is ignored by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill - and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family.

For longer than anyone remebers, the Farseers have ruled the stormswept kingdoms of the Six Duchies- using the wild and perilous magic of the Skill. But now, as the barbarous Red Ship Raiders ravage the coasts and sleepwalkers prowl the heartland, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. For Fitz is a threat to the throne... but he may also be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

With unforgettable characters, a sweeping backdrop, and passionate storytelling, Assassin's Apprentice is destined to become one of the most beloved fantasy novels to appear in years."

Royal Assassin: The sequel to Assassin's Apprentice is as good as its predeccessor. It takes the story of Fitz from bastard to assasssin for the king. Fitz is branced out as we watch him age through harrowing experiences. You'll like this one. A B+.

"Young Fitz has just survived his first perilous mission as an assassin. But the cost has been high, and a brush with death has left him little more than a cripple. Battered and bitter, he has vowed to remain in the distant Mountain Kingdom, despite the fact that his oath as a King's Man requires him to return to Buckkeep. But love and events of terrible urgency soon draw him back to the court of the Six Duchies, and into the deadly intrigues of the royal family.

Meanwhile, the terrible Red-Ship Raiders have renewed thier vicious attacks on the coast, leaving burned-out villages and demented victims in their wake. The kingdom is also under attack from within, as plotting and treachery threaten the throne of the ailing King Shrewd. In this time of great danger, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands - and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice.

Filled with vibrant characters and spellbinding beauty, Royal Assassin is a fantasy epic of honor and passion, heartbrack and vengence, frenzied battle and dangerous magic. The Farseer saga is destined to become one of the most beloved fantasies ever written. "

ASSASSIN'S QUEST (THE FARSEER TRILOGY, BOOK 3): A good conclusion and surprising. Fitz is back from the dead or at least in body. He has some tough mental and emotional things to work through. Fitz's battle with himself does not overtake the battle going on in the Six Duchies. A good book I give it a B+.

King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz--or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest--perhaps to death. Only Verity's return--or the heir his princess carries--can save the Six Duchies.

But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him--currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was....

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Not far from the Six Duchies lies Bingtown, hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships - rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. Bingtown's Old Traders, their wealth eroded by northern wars and the rapacity of southern pirates, now face an influx of upstart merchants who bring change to a complex society.

The Vestrit family's only hope of renewed prosperity is the Vivacia, a liveship they have nurtured for three generations. Now, as old Captain Vestrit lies dying in Bingtown, the Vivacia cuts homeward through the waves, about to quicken into a living being. The ship carries Vestrit's daughter Althea and the conniving son-in-law he has named as the Vivacia's next captain.

But lovely, wild-spirited Althea, sailing the Vivacia with her father since childhood and sharing its half-awakened memories and ocean secrets, has bonded with the ship in her deepest soul. Joined by Brashen - her father's first mate, now demoted by the Vivacia's new commander- she will stop at nothing in a bitter quest to claim its captaincy.

Meanwhile, in the rocky cays known as the Pirate Isles, a ruthless man lusts after his own kind of power. The pirate captain Kennit, in his scheme to be king of this outlaw realm, has vowed that he will wrest a liveship from its owners and turn it to his own use. His twisted ambition will bring him into a strange partnership with a boy-priest turned seaman - and into violent conflict with the wizardwood magic of Althea and Brashen.

From the peculiar magic realm of the Others to the bawdy, raucous lair of the pirates, Ship of Magic sweeps a dazzling cast of characters into an epic of terrible beauty and mysterious sorcery.

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SHIP OF DESTINY: A bit confusing in the beginning especially if it has been a while since you read the second book in the series. There is a lot going on which at times makes you wish she had stayed with one or two sets of conflicts instead of the four or five that there are. Though I do have to say that I liked the ending. It tied everything up nicely and believably enough and it left the opening for a continuation. Whether that would be a good or bad thing I don't know. Another thing I liked was the tie in to her previous books, which are set in the same world and time, without interfering in this story. Overall a B-.

The rousing conclusion to the Liveship Traders trilogy, Ship of Destiny is the spellbinding story of a once-thriving city now reduced to a shambles by raging war and rampant greed; of a glorious and mythic species on the brutal edge of extinction; and of the Vestrits, the clan whose destiny is intertwined with both.

Bingtown is a city under fire from forces within and without. While accusations of conspiracy fly between the Old Bingtown Traders and the New, invaders attack the harbor, trying to take the city for their own. Matriarch Ronica Vestrits bears witness to the destruction, but she is not the type of woman to simply surrender. Even as she finds herself branded a traitor, she searches for a way to bring all the city's inhabitants together to stand against the Chalcedean threat. But there is someone who cannot allow Ronica to succeed, no matter what the cost ...

Far out on the stormy seas, Althea Vestrit, ignorant of all that has befallen Bingtown, continues her mission to track down and recover her liveship Vivacia fro the ruthless pirate Kennit. Serving as the Paragon's second mate under Captain Brashen, she faces peril beyond imagining ... not just from her growing love for Brashen or their reckless scheme to regain the Vivacia, but from the unpredictable vessel Paragon himself, as he wrestles with his madness and plots his own deadly brand of revenge.

Yet Althea's bold scheme may be in vain. For her beloved Vivacia will face the most terrible confrontation of all as the secret of the liveships is finally revealed. This is a truth so horrifying, so shattering it may destroy the Vivacia and all who love her, including the boy-priest Wintrow Vestrit, whose life already hangs in the balance ...

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FOOL'S ERRAND (THE TAWNY MAN, BOOK 1): In order to get through the first two-thirds of the book I highly recommend reading the first FitzChivalry series. Not only are they good books but the for the first two-thirds of this book Hobb takes us through re-acquaint the reader with Fitz and how he got to his current place in life. This is fine if you know Fitz but if you're new to the character then I can see the reader going: "Yeah, yeah who care's lets get to some action here." There is action but it takes a while to get there. You get the feeling that this was an introduction book. What would normally, one assumes, take about 2 or 3 chapters takes up a third of the book. It's like going home for Christmas dinner. You spend half the day greeting relatives and stuff before getting down the the meal and presents (not necessarily in that order;^).

Once you get to what is happening and why you get a pretty entertaining book and what promises to be a pretty entertaining series. If you've read her previous Assassin's series about Fitz you'll like this one, if you read her Liveship series and like her style you might enjoy sticking around for this one. If you're new to the whole thing go back and read her earlier stuff and come back, you'll be glad you did. I give this book a B.

For fifteen years, since the events that shattered his old life, FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in a self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him.

A bastard with royal Farseer blood, he has retreated to an isolated cottage far from the intrigues and dangers of the capital. Now he believes himself content to exist in obscurity, raising his adopted son, Hap, and sharing his solitude with his faithful wolf bondmate, Nighteyes.

Despite the rumors he hears of savage reprisals against those possessing the Wit magic, he is determined to remain aloof from the conflict. After all he has served his kingdom, sacrificed what was dearest to him, and he deserves his peace.

But all that is about to change when destiny comes seeking him once again. High summer brings visitors to his door, and with them his past. Jinna, a hedge-witch, foresees that a long-lost love will return to him. Chade — court assassin and Fitz’s mentor from his own assassin days, now growing infirm — has reasons of his own for desiring Fitz to return to Buckkeep Castle.

And when the Fool, the former White Prophet, reappears as the wealthy and charming Lord Golden, he beckons Fitz to take up his duties as Catalyst, the one who enables others to be heroes and change forever the path of time.

To all of them Fitz says no. He has done his duty — more than one man should be expected to do. But then comes the summons he cannot ignore.

Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished from Buckkeep Castle without a trace. Whether Dutiful has been kidnapped or has fled his impending arranged betrothal is unclear. What is clear is that the Prince is rumored to be Witted at a time when public superstition is running high against those possessing that “beast magic.”

Endowed with both the royal Skill magic and the despised Wit, FitzChivalry may be the only one who can retrieve the Prince before his betrothal ceremony — thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment ... or worse.

But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him. Everyone seems to have an agenda for the young Prince, and soon FitzChivalry is plunged into a situation where his loyalties to his Queen, his Wit partner Nighteyes, and those who share his magic will be tested to the breaking point.

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GOLDEN FOOL (The Tawny Man, Book 2): This book continues the story of Fitz. It follows his growth into his new /old setting of Buck Keep and its intrigues and introduces what will be the quest for the next book. Hobbs is very comfortable with the character of Fitz as well as those from the earlier book and she uses that comfort level to move the characters from one point to another both in the plot and in their growth as a character. The only fault I could give is that for a second book it doesn't go very far. This is more because of it being an intro to the quest and following the growth of the characters rather than the second book in a larger story. I give it a B+.

Prince Dutiful has been rescued from his Piebald kidnappers and the court has resumed its normal rhythms. But for FitzChivalry Farseer, a return to isolation is impossible. Though gutted by the loss of his wolf bondmate, Nighteyes, Fitz must take up residence at Buckkeep and resume his tasks as Chade's apprentice assassin. Posing as Tom Badgerlock, bodyguard to Lord Golden, FitzChivalry becomes the eyes and ears behind the walls. And with his old mentor failing visibly, Fitz is forced to take on more burdens as he attempts to guide a kingdom straying closer to civil strife each day.

The problems are legion. Prince Dutiful's betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania of the Out Islands is fraught with tension, and the Narcheska herself appears to be hiding an array of secrets. Then, amid Piebald threats and the increasing persecution of the Witted, FitzChivalry must ensure that no one betrays the Prince's secret-a secret that could topple the Farseer throne: that he, like Fitz, possesses the dread "beast magic."

Meanwhile, FitzChivalry must impart to the Prince his limited knowledge of the Skill: the hereditary and addictive magic of the Farseers. In the process, they discover within Buckkeep one who has a wild and powerful talent for it, and whose enmity for Fitz may have disastrous consequences for all.

Only Fitz's enduring friendship with the Fool brings him any solace. But even that is shattered when unexpected visitors from Bingtown reveal devastating secrets from the Fool's past. Now, bereft of support and adrift in intrigue, Fitz's biggest challenge may be simply to survive the inescapable and violent path that fate has laid out for him.

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VANESSA: The story is written well with the characters really coming alive as the story moves along. By the end of the book you come to care about them. Also the story is paced well with histories and backgrounds placed well throughout so that doesn't interrupt flow of story. The main plot of setting free a civil war company from a mad ghost, goes well with the sub-plot of introducing the new member(s) to the team. Overall I give it a B/B+.

Past, present and future blend into a supernatural suspense thriller of host boosters and the American Civil War ...

'Vanessa' told the tale of how personal life's goal for a man and his wife become the Holy Grail for the newly created Fitzgalen Family, forged by the fires of ghostly battle fed by old Southern resentment.

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I would have liked if there had been more of the ghost conflict or some other conflict. The beginning conflict with the other group was a a fan something I didn't like (I'm a big softie when it comes to character's I like and conflict) but as a reader it was good in that it added drama and tension. The resolution of that conflict was good as a fan but as a reader it was almost too pat and nice. The ghost conflict was almost like a minor add on. Overall I gave the book a B/B-.

Vanessa: Family Tree pits the Family against both mortal and spirit forces, with results not even the Family head could have foreseen. It will take more than the team that confronted Mad Annie to meet these new challenges with success, or survival. Their greatest challenge begins when the ground underneath cries murder.

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VANESSA - ALL HEAVEN BREAKS LOOSE: The last book in the series. This one launches everything to the next level. Relationships are moved forward, members are added, the mission is expanded and more pressure is put on the "family". David pulls it off pretty well. The cast of characters is a bit much and one of the situations is a bit glossed over until the end, though that's because it's supposed to be a secret. Overall I give the book a B.

For many decades, Ryan and Vanessa Fitzgalen had continued their rescue quests for lost souls with only a little outside help. By the conclusion of the world-shaking battle finale at the Edwards Historical Estate in Georgia, the Fitzgalen Family snowball gained in both size and momentum, giving tit the mixed blessings of greater visibility.

On the good side, the world's eyes were opening to see that its long feared superstitions about entities were false, and that there was a conscious existence that waited people after their mortal lives were over.

On the bad side, people who have risen to great power on religious platform would be sorely tempted to use this worldwide focus on the afterlife to advance their own goals. Those goals could have the best of intentions. The best of intentions will now pave a very dark road.

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