Product Description

Called to duty at last, Lieutenant John Nevis faces his assignment with trepidation. Boarding the USS Nicodemus—a sloop of war built in a single night at the top of the world—Nevis wonders uneasily at its strange aura of power, its cannonballs of virgin brass . . . and its uncanny ability to glide swiftly through the waters without steam or sail. As great armies clash all around them, the mission of Lieutenant Nevis and the Nicodemus crew is shrouded in an impenetrable gray mist of magic and malevolence. For a fearsome adversary awaits on roiling waves—an awesomely powerful vessel fueled by cruelty and terror; a demon raider driven by an insatiable lust . . . for blood.

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Cover...
...but Weis & Hickman they're not.

Got this from a friend because the cover really hooked me and it seemed to have an intriguing premise. My friend gave it an "ehhh" rating, which I think translates to somewhere between one and three stars. But I decided to give it a go, again, largely based on the cover art.

Unfortunately the quality of the art and words/story of the book itself were worlds apart and this a yet another example of a promising premise failed by weak storytelling. Due to no lack of effort on my part, I could never get into the story - the characters just weren't all that interesting. If the authors had put as much attention into creating a compelling cast and/or storyline as they did in using navy terms this would have been a hellava book. As it is, it was like hearing a bunch of long, drawn out, uninteresting narratives from a burned out high school teacher.

I've read a lot of good books that were almost undone by a weak cover. This is one of the few times I've seen a cover undone by the story inside. I gave it 2 stars only because I was able to finish it but I deserve at least a half star of one of those stars for willing myself to complete it.

The Commodore versus the Grey-Eyed Man of Destiny
This extraordinary alternate history novel turns on (in addition to the existence of magic of course) an alteration to the outcome of one the most remarkable forgotten events in US history: the private war between businessman "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt and filibustering General William Walker, the "Grey-Eyed Man of Destiny", over the fate of Nicaragua in the five years prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War.The details of the real history are contained in an Author's Note at the end so suffice it to say that in his attempts at private war and conquest in Central America General Walker made the fatal mistake of conspiring to cheat Commodore Vanderbilt.Though one of the mostly unsung heroes of free market capitalism (an exception can be found here: The Myth of the Robber Barons) for making his fortune by taking on monopolists, price fixers, and subsidy receivers (and thus doing more good for the poor than all of his critics combined), as a human being, Cornelius was pond scum, and as an honest though ruthless businessman, not inclined to tolerate being cheated.Having promised to ruin his crooked former trustees and having subsequently bankrupted them, Vanderbilt next set his sights on ruining their coconspirator and ruler of Nicaragua, General Walker, and in our world managed to do so.However, in this world dark magic has allowed Walker's rule of Nicaragua to survive Vanderbilt's worst until 1863 so that he can offer his powers to help the Confederacy, and the Commodore's continued desire for revenge fund's Captain William R. Sharps' proposal for a magical counter weapon.(Think of Captain Sharps as the Gandalf of this story, except possessed of the people skills that made Captain Bligh such a success.)

So we follow our two heroes: Lt. John Nevis and Columbia Abrams as they join their strange new vessel, the USS Nicodemus, he in charge of her virgin brass cannons, she as Ship's Vestal for want of a better term.The story is told entirely through written documents: narratives, diary entries, letters, etc., which worked a lot better than I expected it would.Along with these two we slowly learn the truth about the Nicodemus and his Confederate counterpart, the CSS Alecto, as they race towards their foreordained final battle while struggling with the moral question (both are devout Christians) of how much evil can be countenanced when fighting the greater evil of slavery.Frankly I had severe doubts about the premise, but I thoroughly enjoyed the result!

The book is arguably a bit unfair to William Walker, an evil man no doubt, but one more in the line of a Napoleon or a Caesar than a Hitler or a Stalin.He supported slavery not genocide, and yes, there really is a difference.

Note: a briefly mentioned "amusing story, worth telling over brandy and cigars, but not germane to my present communication" on page 15 was later expanded into the story "Philologos; or, A Murder in Bistrita" in the February 2008 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction.A considerably younger William R. Sharps discovers the lost ur-text of the Grey Book during an encounter with about what you'd expect such a character in such a universe to encounter...

in Transylvania.

A fun read!

Fantasy Fun with Accurate Technical and Historical Detail
This an alternate history fantasy about two civil war era ships doing battle on the high seas. The twist here is that the souls of these ships are captured elemental spirits. It's an interesting premise, one that many professional, as well as recreational mariners, will appreciate; all vessels are viewed by their crews as near-living things, if not actually living things, and all crews consort with seaborne superstitions and myth.

The story begins as Lieutenant Nevis receives word he's getting the detachment of his dreams, the opportunity to leave his desk job at the War Department on Whitehall Street in New York to finally join the fight in the sailing Navy. His first assignment: to inspect and take possession of a dozen ten inch Rodman guns at the Naval Arsenal in Watervliet.

Your first inkling of the story's supernatural slant comes at the end of the first chapter, when Nevis learns the guns and cannon balls are made of pure virgin brass, and that they are destined for an experimental ship of war being constructed on the ice at Thule. For me, that was the hook. The vessel was being built on the ice and not a railway at a shipyard because, for reasons that become clear later on, the ship could not come in contact with land.

Doyle and Macdonald have constructed a logical and very entertaining supernatural story pitting good against evil, weaving in various aspects of reality and staying faithful to the prose and authenticity of the era. I was particularly impressed with their nautical detail and accuracy.

The story is told in log book or diary form, with first person entries from the various characters. If the overall effort has any fault, it lies here, as the entries don't really allow for much individuation of character. This can be a huge stumbling block for avid readers of contemporary fiction, i.e. people who prefer third person narratives and/or a more dialog driven format.

Perhaps the above is a kind way of saying the story lacked strong characterization. And maybe it does. Either way, I wasn't deterred from having a good time. Kudos to the authors for keeping me entertained throughout. And with a story that takes place almost entirely at sea. Trust me, one misstep in the nautical accuracy department and I would have tossed the book in the garage. (I would have said "overboard" but International Discharge of Waste and Dunnage laws prohibit that sort of irresponsible activity.)

The Secret Civil War
In an alternate world where magic is possible and known, the American Civil War is not avoided.A Lieutenant in the Union Navy finally gets an assignment aboard a ship named Nicodemus.The ship is a strange one.It is being build far to the North in a land of ice.It has proper masts and sail but seem to travel under a different power.Iron and steel are not allowed on board, only virgin brass.A young woman has been brought aboard and is somehow connected with the control of the ship.

The ship is faster than any ship has a right to be and is soon plowing the ocean.But the crew learns of another ship like theirs.Similar but dark in nature.A dangerous ship operated by the enemy.One that requires sacrifice.The ship must be stopped and a chase ensues.As the black ship is chased we learn more about the Nicodemus and its workings.Eventually the final confrontation is engaged and the story concludes nicely.

The world of magic is an interesting one.The non-magic history is pretty good and magic's effect on it is believable.But don't believe that this is a Civil War story.It starts out as one but becomes more like MOBY DICK as the chase goes on and on and we see nothing of the war.The only real problem was a detail of the black ship.We are told it needs more sacrifices the further it gets from its point of creation.But then we watch it travel thousands of miles without ant apparent escalation.Other than that, this is an interesting story that delves into the differences between good and evil and where the two sometimes overlap.Check it out.

Decent but could have been so much more
This book has an intriguing premise, a world slightly different than our own (perhaps) where magic and demons exist. Set during the revolutionary war, this time instead of the Monitor and Merrimac fighting it out, the two behemoths are magic-powered warships.

Told as a series of diary entries, we follow Union Lieutenant John Nevis as he is assigned to active duty on board the Nicodemus. He soon learns it is not a "normal" ship as there cannot be any metal except copper onboard and the copper must be "virgin." Miss Columbia Abrams' diary follows her introduction into the mystical arts and gives us a glimmer of what is to come. They find themselves on board the Nicodemus as it sets off under the command of the mysterious Captain Sharps. The action heats up as the Nicodemus learns information about her Rebel counterpart, the evil Alecto with its blood-sacrifices, and begins the chase. Meanwhile, freedom-loving Columbia learns of the true nature of Nicodemus and grows unhappy that the spirit propelling Nicodemus is "enslaved" onboard.

I found the premise intriguing and enjoyable. The mystical bits were not difficult to read and made sense, although I found myself frustrated at places (why the northern latitudes for example). The novel reads quickly and has some really well-done scenes. When it works, it works very well. Unfortunately I found that as the book progressed I found the diary-entry style of the book did not work well for me and that a lot of the potential tension was wasted with the "well, its over with, now let me write down what happened" style, particularly the ending battle. I do not want to give any details away, but I will say that I expected a much "bigger" finale and ultimate resolution to the problem of the Alecto and what was driving it.Many other issues were not fleshed out enough, making the book weaker than it could have been. items such as Captain Sharps motivations and feelings at what he was forced (or would that be 'allowed'?) to do, the whole spy/resupply subplot that went nowhere, etc.

In summary, this is an enjoyable book. It reads quickly and is fun to speculate on what such a world would be like, where the freedom-loving gung-ho union spirit meets the mystical arts. Just don't expect great literature or deep characters.
... Read more

Product Description
“Wait a minute,” I said.“We’ve either got one
corpse too few, or one too many...”
-THE CONFESSIONS OF PETER CROSSMAN

Collected for the first time in one volume,
three tales of Peter Crossman, Knight of the
Temple, by the award-winning and best-selling
team of Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald.

From the Spear of Antioch to the Holy Grail,
Crossman keeps the holy things holy and the
pilgrims safe with cool wit, hot lead, and perfect
faith. ... Read more

Product Description
A legacy from a dying stranger sends fifteen-year-old journeyman wizard Randal on a dangerous journey to find the rightful place of an artifact of power, which tempts him to succumb to its tainted magic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cicle of Magic: City by the Sea
I loved this book! I took it out of my teachers library but didn't read it for a while. Once i did though, I couldn't stop.
I loved it so much that i stole it from my teacher. The carecters are very deatailed for such a short book.I especialy love the fact that its all about magic. It is a must read.

Excellent reading.
My sister bought me this book and it sat on my shelf for about 5 months.Once I finally began to read it I couldn't put it down.After I learned that it was part of a series of books I went out and bought them all.The reading and length of the book is very easy.A little to easy, at a junior high level, but sometimes I even go back and read the book again because the plot and characters were so finely constructed. ... Read more

Product Description

The union is doomed, its death foretold in the fever dreams of Mary Todd Lincoln . . .

Customer Reviews (4)

Not Up to Normal Doyle & MacDonald Standards
Lincoln's Sword by Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald

This is a time skipping novel depicting incidents that impacted the Civil War and influenced Abraham Lincoln.

I intended to really enjoy this book as I was enamored with the Mage World Series done by the same authors. The book is billed as an alternate history of the Civil War. This book was as satisfying as a tofu burger, much ado but little or no substance.My first inclination is to blame the editors as the book bounces hither and thither through time with very little clear connection between events. It read as more of an outline than a book. You recognize the skill of the story tellers and it is as if they are teasing you by wafting the aromatic inklings of a good book and failing to deliver. This book is a disappointment.

If you consider this a short story as opposed to a novel I recommend it but this truly is Doyle and MacDonald light as opposed to the fulfilling work you probably expect from them.

A welcome return
It's good to see a new book by Doyle and Macdonald - maybe they've had some other books out under pseudonyms, but as far as I can see on Amazon this is the first thing under their own names since 2006. It's not, unfortunately, one of their best - enjoyable, but there seem to be a lot of things left out that would make it make more sense. It's an alternate Civil War that roams about in time between 1791 and 1916, with Cole Younger as the central character of most of the chapters. Mary Todd Lincoln is a seer who has visions of terrible futures, and her friend Mercy Levering Conkling is an accomplished mage, as are a couple of other people who are historical personages but none of whom actually had any such powers even if you believe they might exist. The hard thing for me to figure out is how Lincoln's not being assassinated at the time he was in our time-line would have led to independence for the CSA, when Lee's army had already surrendered and Union forces were in control of virtually the entire South already. I don't say it couldn't have happened, but there ought to have been something in the book indicating how it worked out. There's a chapter set in 1875 or so that has Younger traveling in an independent Confederacy, and referring to Lincoln as having served out his second term and currently living in an obscure retirement, but nothing about how this resulted in CSA independence. I don't even require that it be very plausible, but some explanation seems to me to be in order; there's not even a hand-wave. And it also seems rather implausible that it would have been such a disaster if the CSA had achieved independence, although at least they did make a hand-wave to the effect that the CSA wasn't strong enough to last as a nation, and the Union would also eventually collapse as well without the South. Certainly neither country would be as powerful as the USA was as a united country in our time-line, but failure to be a superpower isn't the same thing as failure to be an independent country - if it were countries like the Netherlands and Sweden and Brazil and Australia and Canada wouldn't be around, either. Still, an interesting and well-written book.

A Good Read
As brother battles brother in a war that will decide the fate of the nation, a man strides through time and space in order to guide history into its proper course by placing a symbolic blade into the right hands.Lincoln's Sword, the latest historical fantasy by Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald (authors of Land of Mist and Snow), presents the events of the Civil War through the lenses of symbolism and magic.

Confederate officer Cole Younger is rushed through rites of initiation into "esoteric disciplines" at the urging of a mysterious stranger.Mercy Levering, a talented practitioner of ritual magic, provides comfort to her friend and confidant, Mary Todd Lincoln.Mary is a sibyl, beset with visions of a country covered in the blood and smoke of disunion, as well as those of a mystic sword that is vital to bringing the nation together once again.Both Cole and Mercy are recruited by Mr. Thomas, an enigmatic figure with the ability to travel through both time and space, to ensure that the sword gets into the hands of President Lincoln in an effort to manipulate the events of history to fall into the proper pattern.

The main problem with this otherwise fine novel is the handling of the titular sword.While obviously symbolic of the sacrifice needed to form the Union, it is more often treated as merely a MacGuffin.Its true purpose and the reasons for its importance are ambiguous at best and, in the end, it only serves as the focus of Thomas' various machinations.Setting that aside, the novel's tight pace and multiple points of view keep the reader interested throughout.Further, the use of mysticism and magic within the historical period are handled with a light touch and do not overwhelm the overall story.In the balance, Lincoln's Sword is a good read.

A finely woven tale
Interesting, well-told story. It jumped around from one year to another, but soon the reader understands why. The story wouldn't really work any other way. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the US civil war, time travel and alternate history stories. ... Read more

Product Description
Freebooter at heart, spacer by trade, Beka Rosselin-Metadi doesn't want to hear about her father whose rugged generalship held back the Mageworlds--or her highborn mother whose leadership has held the galaxy together ever since.Beka pilots spacecraft--as far from her famous family as possible, thanks very much.

Then Beka's mother is assassinated on the Senate floor, and her father offers her Warhammer, prize ship from his own freebooting youth--if she'll use it to deliver the assassins to him "off the books."

Looking for assassins has a tendency to make assassins look for you.In short order Beka's arranged her own very public death and adopted a new identity; now all she has to do is leave a trail of kidnappings and corpses across five star systems, and blow the roof off the strongest private fortress in the Galaxy. If her own family can just get off her case long enough...! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

A real treat for speculative fiction fans!
Beka Rosselin-Metadi wants just one thing: to fly spaceships for a living. Since she's the only daughter of the Domina of Entibor, though, it's her "duty" to succeed her mother even though the planet Entibor lies in ruins. The Domina now lives on the galactic capital world, Galcen, with her consort: General Jos Metadi, reformed (somewhat, anyway) privateer and hero of the war against the Mageworlds. The day after her coming-of-age party, Beka signs onto a berth aboard a merchant starship. After that only one member of her family knows where she is, and that member isn't her father. So when General Metadi meets her several years later at a port of call, in his legendary privateer ship Warhammer, Beka's first reaction is fury. Until he tells her that her mother has been assassinated, and offers her his ship as a gift if she will use it to find out who was responsible.

Beka soon finds it necessary to stage her own death, and Warhammer's supposed destruction, because it doesn't take long for the awkward questions she asks to cause someone to put out a contract on her life. Accompanied by a mysterious and powerful old man who claims to be one of her mother's former loyalists, she takes on a new persona: that of a merchant captain who is also a ruthless assassin-for-hire. Being hired in that guise to kill her own older brother is just one of the complications that living as Tarnekep Portree creates. As she comes steadily closer to the truth about her mother's murder, the danger to Beka and to those with her increases - and that only makes her all the more determined.

This delicious mixture of swashbuckling space opera and high fantasy is the first volume in a series, although it's thankfully also a self-contained story. It features a true kick-[...] heroine who's tough, smart, and unsentimental, but Beka Rosselin-Metadi is also a very young woman who seems all the more real because she's still sorting out adolescent rebellion and still entirely capable of acting the little sister's part with each of her older brothers. The supporting characters are just as three-dimensional, and the setting seamless. A real treat for speculative fiction fans, especially those who love books built around women like Beka!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner REGS

Move over Star wars and Star Trek!
Much to my surprise, I have found a new sci-fi winner!
When Beka Metadi is offered her own ship in exchange for finding the names of her mothers' killers, it seems no one is who they apper to be, and even fewer can be trusted.Looking for asassins tends to make asassins look for you, so with the help of a unexpected friend, Beka quickly arranges her own public (and messy) death.Under a new name and face of Tarkemp Portree, merchent captain and killer-for-hire, the task is not much easyer.
This book is a non-stop adventure, with a trail of dead bodies and kiddnappings across five star systems, untill you find, that this is just the beginning.

The Price of the Stars - a good read
This is a good story, it is not necessary to have read previous books in this series to enjoy this story.

Excellent SF Fare
This book (and entire trilogy) does an excellent job of balancing both the SF science and fantasy aspects, creating a believable universe, with compelling characters and events.I often liken it to Star Wars, but in many ways better.Certainly it's a fun read, engaging, and unexpected twists.

I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys Star Wars and similar types of treats.

The Swashbuckling Domina
The Price of the Stars (1992) is the first novel written in the original Mageworlds trilogy.At this time, however, it is the fourth of the series in internal chronological sequence, following The Gathering Flame.In the previous book, Perada Rosselin and Jos Metada headed the resistance movement in the First Mage War and the subsequent establishment of the Republic.Although the Republic won the war, the cost was extremely high;in addition to the military losses, Entibor was rendered uninhabitable by tectonic upheavals, Sapne lost most of its population to plague, and Ilarna was decimated and its Adepts wiped out by invading forces.The Mageworlds also lost heavily, with the Republic destroying its naval forces, exterminating its Mages and dismantling its interstellar mercantile capabilities.Moreover, Arekhon Khreseio sus-Khalgath sus-Peledaen, in his role as Ser Hafrey, was discharged as Armsmaster of the Rosselin family, with Tillijen appointed as his replacement.

Three decades later, Perada is a member of the Grand Council of the Republic and her consort, Jos Metada, is Commanding General of the Republic's Space Force.Ari Rosselin-Metada is a Lieutenant in the RSF Medical Corps at Namport on Nammerin, Owen Rosselin-Metada is an apprentice in the Adept Guild, and Beka Rosselin-Metada is copilot on the armed freighter Claw Hard.

With the help of her brother Owen, Beka had ran away from home to become a commercial star pilot.She is determined that she will never be the Domina of Lost Entibor, but an assassination plot against her mother contravenes her ambitions.At Waycross on Innish-Kyl, she accepts ownership of the Warhammer from her father in order to track down the instigator of the plot.At Embrig Spaceport on Mandeyn, she is saved from an assassination attempt by the Professor, the current persona of Arekhon, who is still protecting the Rosselin family despite his formal dismissal as Armsmaster.

Ari and his friend Nyls Jessan, a fellow medic from Khesat, bring in a farmer who has Rogan's disease, normally a dry world ailment and rather unexpected on the very wet Nammerin.As usual, supply is snafued and cannot provide the required medication, tholovine, in a reasonable time, so Ari and Llannat Hyfid, an Adept and medic, set out to get some through the local Quincunx -- i.e., criminal syndicate -- representative.Unfortunately, this simple task eventually results in a fire, an armed chase, and a deadly duel with a Mage.

Owen has been working for Errec Ransome as a special operative, investigating Mage operations within the Republic, for the last 10 years.His tasks lead him to Pleyver Flatlands, where he crosses paths with Beka and the Professor.They part company and then Beka and the Professor meet Nyls Jessan while being followed and shot at by an estimated 200 armed thugs.The shootouts continue from there on.

This novel initiated the Mageworlds series.It started as a short story that insisted on becoming longer.Now it incorporates 7 novels and still has room for more.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys interstellar action and intrigue on a large scale.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Short and Fun
No, this is not Harry Potter, don't expect it to be, and don't compare the two. Yes, it was written before Harry Potter. Please give the book a chance on it's own merits. We've gotten that out of the way, let's move on.

School of Wizardry started out a bit slow for me. I didn't like the court scenes in the beginning because I felt like the author was just skimming over that section to get to the good stuff. I'm glad Randal was able to enter the school so quickly or I would have lost a bit of interest. Seeing as though this book is 150 pages, I didn't expect anything to be in depth. It really feels like a short story on magic more than a real story. It could have been so much better if more of the classes were covered, if Randal had made a few more friends and we got to know them better. It would have been more interesting if there was more to magic than reading words correctly in a different language, and it would have been more interesting if the bad guy didn't show up out of no where and if he took a little longer to be defeated. If this book had some more detail and maybe double the amount of pages then it would have been a five star, but it didn't. I think this series is aimed at very young readers because it is extremely simplistic. Yet, I've read more simplistic and less entertaining books. I read this book in one sitting in a very short amount of time and I was thoroughly entertained. I came out of it wanting to read the next book in the series, and that is definitely a plus. I think this would be a great book to read to young children, and for adults it's a nice short escape from the real world.

School Of Wizardy
The book I am reviewing is School Of Wizardry .By Debra Doyle and James D. Macondle. The genre is fiction. Have you ever saw wizards or perhaps knights in shining armor well this all comes alive in the school of wizardry.
I am a kid I thoughtI could
Put all the things kids love into a review knowing how much kids love fighting, mystery and comedy .I put it all together and got a fantastic review. When I get books like these I feel I just belong in the book. One day twelve year old Randal notices a Master Wizard comes to his castle long beforhe knew that he would be in,for the biggest surprise of his twelve year life. I can connect with Randal's feelings never knowing what's going on. I noticed this book is a lot like Harry Potter so if you like him you will love this book.
But I wonder will Randal past the test to become a Wizard? Will even want to be a Wizard? Will he follow the Wizard home? Where did the Wizard even come from? Find out and read the book.

Good entry-level fantasy fiction series
Though no great depth is reached in this series, the characters are likeable and the plots are not too predictable. Easy to read, and easy to follow, the stories hold the reader's interest without bogging down in details. Each book leaves a desire for more. Young readers third through eighth grade will devour all six books in the series, and be left wanting to find other books to read. As a teacher, I appreciate a series that I can recommend so heartily to my students.

There is No Wiz in the Wizard
I read this series because my parents read the reviews and didn't bother reading the books before they gave them to me when I was younger. Now I come back and think the good reviews of this series had to be written by the writers themselves, who in real life opened up shop as Book Critics. They are the Red Mike of the "Red Mike Reviews" siteand from their home page pitch themselves to tour schools as experts. They don't hold themselves to their own high standards by which they busily knock other movies and authors. There is no Wiz in this Wizard boy! No imagination, no magic, just solid, too solid, writing.The court scenes lack imagination. I didn't care at all about the Wizard boy. There's nothing horrible about this series. And that's probably worse.There isn't even anything to hate in it. It's just Wizless. And it took three people to get there?I've since given my parent the Harry Potter series, and C.S. Lewis NARNIA Chronicles.

Really Good
I was reading this book and my dad asked me if it was another Harry Potter spinnoff. It's not. The main reason is that this book was written WAY before Harry Potter. Many people might think this book is alot like Harry Potter because it's about a) a school b) of magic. But there the similarities end.

This book tells the story of fourteen-year-old Randal, once a squire at his uncle's castle. A wandering magician works tricks of light to earn a night in safety. Randal decides he wants to become a magician like Madoc and trains at the Schola Sorcerae. This is the story of his time as an apprentice and his friends, enemies, studies, magic, and a major battle that will decide the fortunes of all ... Read more

Product Description
When they vow to guard a shipment of gold, Randal and his friends, Lys and Walter, encounter lethal enemies who could keep them trapped forever in the castle of a powerful warlord.The fifth book in the absorbing fantasy series about a young wizard and his struggle against evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Good Book from the Series
This was a great book by Debra Doyle. Where Randal meets some old "friends" & a new chllenge with his magic. Where he is forced to trust an old enemy's wife when he is blocked off from his magic by a magical bell.And finding a new challenge he needs to complete in order to save a kingdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Convergence of Forces
By Honor Betray'd (1994) is the third novel written in the original Mageworlds trilogy.At this time, however, it is the sixth of the series in internal chronological sequence, following Starpilot's Grave.In the previous book, the Magelords have taken Galcen, the marines have joined Jos Metada, Commodore Jervas Gil has pulled together the Mageworlds fleet at Ophel, Ari Rosselin-Metada has fled Admiral Vallant to Gyffer, Llannat Hyfid has brought her motley crew and the deathwing Night's-Beautiful-Daughter to Gyffer, and Beka Rosselin-Metada has declared herself as the new Domina of Lost Entibor and the focal point of the resistance.Moreover, Owen Rosselin-Metada has found Errec Ransome imprisoned by the Mages, has proven his mastery, and has to been told to retrieve his staff and claim the Guild Mastership.

In this novel, Grand Admiral Theio syn-Ricte sus-Airaalin tries to break Errec's defenses, but fails.At Gyffer, Ari and Llannat join with local defense forces against Admiral Vallant and the Mages.Within Infabede sector, Jos captures warships from Vallant and decides to attack Galcen.At Suivi Point, Beka incorporates the local RSF squadron into the resistance fleet, Tarveet of Pleyver takes out a treason contract against her, and Ignaceu LeSoit breaks several regulations, and the docks, getting Warhammer away from Contract Security.On Nammerin, Owen and his apprentice, Klea Santreny, take ship to Pleyver to fight Mages.At Waycross on Innish-Kyl, Commodore Gil negotiates with former privateers to form a fleet around his three capital ships.

The Grand Admiral knows that he has a little cleaning up to do, but believes that the war is almost won.However, the resistance is gathering.All these forces, Republic and Mage, are converging on Gyffer.Should be a slam-bang fight.

This concluding volume of the original trilogy certainly brought everything to a boil, but the final plot twist is a humdinger.Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys stories of interstellar war and intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Cant wait for the next book.
Love the people and the action. Want more of the same.

Brings it all together
This volume brings the original Mageworlds trilogy to a resounding conclusion, and forces the characters (and hopefully the reader as well) to re-examine their pre-existing assumptions. Maybe the Mages aren't the practicioners of dark sorcery that the Republic has always considered them -- far from it, they have a system of practices as firmly bounded by morals and ethics as those of the Adepts, even if those morals and ethics, and the paradigm of the universe that underlies them, is somewhat different. And certainly the methods the Republic used at the close of the First Magewar a generation earlier -- namely the brutal suppression of Mage Circles and the reduction of the homeworlds to extreme poverty -- did not secure long-term peace. To attain more than a temporary victory, they must be ready to think in new ways about what they are trying to accomplish.

The Mageworlds trilogy can be read at one level as a space opera with lots of slam-bang battles and wild adventures. At the same time, they can also be read as a philosophical exploration of the nature of cultural misunderstanding.

More than just another space adventure
This book has everything to be a space adventure, but it is far more than that. This is a classic combination of action and adventure with characters and plot. If I could think of a better book to tell you about I would. Quite simply, The Mageworlds is the best series I have ever read and I have read several thousand. If you want everything in a book, look no farther ... Read more

Product Description
More than twenty years after the end of the Second Magewar, power struggles within the ruling family on Khesat threaten both the Mageworlds and the Republic and renews old rivalries. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Two Men and a Selvaur
The Long Hunt (1996) is the fifth book written in the Mageworlds series, but is the seventh, and last to date, in internal chronological sequence.It takes place a couple of decades after By Honor Betray'd.

Faral Hyfid-Metada has completed his Long Hunt and must leave Maraghai soon to gain honor, but the elders don't seem to be in any hurry to kick him off-planet.Then his cousin Jens Metada-Jessan decides to go off-world, so Faral and their Selvaur friend, Chaka, go with him.They first head toward the Mageworlds, but are diverted to Khesat, Jens native planet, after an kidnapping attempt on Ophel.Jens and Faral are pursued on Ophel and off-world by members of the Green Sun gang and following behind them are Klea Santreny, an Adept, and Mael Taleion, a Mage, tracking down a disturbance in the eiran.Meanwhile, the Highest of Khesat has been poisoned and the political maneuvering is complex and fierce.

This novel is a coming of age story, in which Jens has his own Long Hunt to pursue on Khesat.It differs greatly from the other Mageworlds novels, with more resemblance to The Three Musketeers in tone and scope, but with enjoyments and charms of its own.Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys tales of youthful adventure and political intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Pedestrian and Mediocre
What could have been an exciting sequel just sinks into a real mediocre blah. It's so formula it could be pablum. OK assophomoric english exercise but not as art.

A youthful lark.
Two kids trying to save the galaxy? Right! They did it. With style and Panache. Encore! Encore!

A good read but not as good as the original trilogy
I enjoyed reading it.BUT... The biggest problem I had with The Long Hunt was that it seemed too sparse.After the depth and fullness of the original trilogy, I felt cheated that it was so short and shallow in depth. It seemed as if there had been a level of story that had been left out.Unlike the tale of Beka Rosselin-Metadi, in THE LONG HUNT we never reallyget into Jens' skin; we don't get enough of his character to put ourselvesin his place.Instead of acting upon the universe like his parents did,Jens is acted upon, ambling along with the flow. Except for a ratherhair-raising hovercar ride, he doesn't really do anything himself norreally appear to be in true danger.I never felt the pitch of excitementwhile reading THE LONG HUNT that I experienced when I read THE PRICE OF THESTARS, STAR PILOT'S GRAVE, BY HONOR BETRAY'D and THE GATHERING FLAME. WhileI liked the basic plot and the basic characters in it (particularly some ofthe background ones), I felt like the story was lacking something... likemaking bread and leaving out the salt.Still good to eat but not asflavorful.THE LONG HUNT was a pleasant read that lacks the savor of itspredecessors.

A good read but not as good as the original trilogy
I enjoyed reading it.BUT... The biggest problem I had with The Long Hunt was that it seemed too sparse.After the depth and fullness of the original trilogy, I felt cheated that it was so short and shallow in depth. It seemed as if there had been a level of story that had been left out.Unlike the tale of Beka Rosselin-Metadi, in THE LONG HUNT we never reallyget into Jens' skin; we don't get enough of his character to put ourselvesin his place.Instead of acting upon the universe like his parents did,Jens is acted upon, ambling along with the flow. Except for a ratherhair-raising hovercar ride, he doesn't really do anything himself norreally appear to be in true danger.I never felt the pitch of excitementwhile reading THE LONG HUNT that I experienced when I read THE PRICE OF THESTARS, STAR PILOT'S GRAVE, BY HONOR BETRAY'D and THE GATHERING FLAME. WhileI liked the basic plot and the basic characters in it (particularly some ofthe background ones), I felt like the story was lacking something... likemaking bread and leaving out the salt.Still good to eat but not asflavorful.THE LONG HUNT was a pleasant read that lacks the savor of itspredecessors. ... Read more

Product Description
After telling scary stories around a campfire in the woods, Valerie and Jay and their friends never expect any of the stories to be realized. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Teen Wolf Gone Bad
The summer before high school starts, Val Sherwood, her friends from the Sunset Hills Junior High Ecology Club, their sponsor Mrs. Castillo and her husband are hiking in the woods; the trip is about two weeks long and they've reached the half way point. That night while telling stories around the fire, one of them a boy named Jay, starts telling a rather spooky one; one he swears is true. Jay swears to them that he turns into a wolf at the full moon; he backs this up with admitting that he was the one that killed a jogger in the middle of town a while back. He also tells them that he'll change tonight and before leaving town, will kill them all and all that will be left is pieces.

At first no one believes him, until later that night when he attacks them, biting Val in the process as they fight back. After getting back she begins to see the changes in her body, she needs to eat and drink more then she normally did, she's got a bad reaction to both garlic and silver, and on the full moon she changes. That doesn't bother her as much as she thought it would, but what does is the fact that Jay is still in town, and he's going after her friends one by one.

This is one of the few werewolf books I have, I got it back in high school I think, and I've loved it ever since. At 16 chapters, it's a quick read but it's entertaining.

This is the Prequel to "Hunters' Moon" it's where the whole
thing started! What started out as a simple camping out, turns into a nightmare! What's worse is that the local werewolf is taking names and his classmates are his victims.But something unexpected happens, and now thecocky hunter has an enemy he hadn't counted on.But which will be thewinner in a battle to the Death? Plus learning to deal with being awerewolf isn't so easy either. There's new rules & stuff to learnabout. Having a bloodthirsty, bad to the bone male werewolf around doesn'tmake things any easier. Add to that the fact he's after your friends, andyou! ... Read more

Product Description
When Randal and his best friend, Lys, join the theater troupe in the court of a wealthy prince, they discover an evil plot against the kindhearted leader.Randal's wizardry skills are needed now more than ever.This fourth book in Troll's spellbinding Cirle Of Magic series delivers just what fantasy fans crave; young heroes, evil enemies, a fast-moving plot, and nonstop excitement!Ages 8 - 12. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Return of an old friend
I first read this series when I was still in grade school, back when the title's were the Prince's Players, Tournement and Tower and City By The Sea (does that make me old or what?) They were the only stories that I would read over and over and over and ---well you get the point. I loved reading about Randal, Lys and Walter,their story seem more realistic to me b/c the charcter's actually had consequences for their actions: like Randal's ever present scar from when he broke a majory wizardry rule in order to...(read the first one and find out)When they went out of print and my library sold them I was crushed (though I did find #2 and #3 at a used book store a year or two ago.) I'm glad that once more the series is back in print and other people can journey with the trio like I once did.

For All Fantasy Lovers
I bought the first of this series for my 8-year-old. After reading the first one myself I had to buy the others. I hope the fifth one comes out soon. If you like magic and adventure, you'll like this series--no matter what your age.

An outstanding book in an outstanding series
This book was originally published ten years ago under the title The Prince's Players.It hasn't lost any of its freshness or originality since its first publication.It was great then, both as a stand-alone book and as part of the series.(The Circle of Magic books tell one story from beginning to end if you read them in order.)All of them can be read by themselves, though, without losing the magic, the charm, and the characters.

I'm glad that these books are coming back into print, so another generation of kids can get their first taste of fantasy.There's lots hidden inside of them for older readers and more experienced fantasy readers too.This is a series that isn't just for kids.

Anyway, in this book Randal (the hero) learns more about what magic means, both to himself and to others.The overall thrust is of self-discovery, personal responsibility, and other positive values, told in the midst of an exciting action-packed adventure.Violence, spies, good twins, bad twins, and theatre all mixed, with the hero making choices that matter.Good book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Knights Templar were the fabled order of mystic warrior-monks supposedly disabanded more than seven centuries ago by the pope. Legends persist of their presence, and this collection of stories muse on the Knights' arrival at history's turning points to guide destiny in Good's eternal war against Evil. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Knights But Not Templar
Templar history, the real history not the fervid imaginings regarding the Holy Grail and such, is a truly fascinating tale worthy of sustained study. But as the previous reviewer has observed, however, all of the tales in this collection are instantly forgetable as they are trite in conception and poorly written. They have the collective depth of creative writing exercises in a first year class. I threw my copy away.

An okay anthology
I've been a fan of Katherine Kurtz's work for a long time now and look forward to each of her books as they come out.I enjoyed most of the stories in the first two Templar anthologies, but I'm afraid I can't say the same about this one.The stories were well written, but just didn't seem to catch my attention.Twenty-four hours after reading the book, I can't really remember any of the stories that I read in any amount of detail.

For those who read all of Ms. Kurtz's books, I would suggest getting it out of a library or buying a used copy, if you must own it.I hope that if she does any more of these anthologies that the stories are better. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Great Read!!!
Randal is a young journeyman wizard, bound by the rules of the Schola to wander the world and gain some magic knowledge. Then Randal met a mysterious dying wizard in his room for the night. The wizard asked Randal to safeguard a very powerful magical statue and hand it over to someone. With this statue came an adventure that forces Randal to outsmart a mercenary, a warlord, and a wizard. As if this isn't enough, Randal will also have to use all his knowledge of the battle-magics to defeat the fearsome evil power behind all this adventure.

I have always loved this wonderful series of books from the first time that I laid eyes on them. This is a great read for all ages. I recommend this book if you like wizardry, adventure, magic, or fantasy. Have fun!!!

Good Fantasy
Lots of sly humor and an exciting adventure story makes this a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
After breaking the oldest law in wizardry while trying to save the School of Wizardry from destruction, fifteen-year-old Randal is made a journeyman wizard but is not allowed to use his magic, no matter how great the need, until he gets permission from the wizard Balpesh living as a hermit in the far off eastern mountains. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intriguing Light Fantasy
This book sticks in your mind for years.It is for young chapter book readers, but is re-readable forever.The action is continuous, the character's are easy to connect to, and the plot is amazing. It has a solidplot in itself, but also has hints of multiple plot meanings, which end upconnecting to the whole series.The inter-book plot connections areuniquely made.The character's, similarly to many children's books, neverfundamentaly change.This book is outstanding in it's fun, easyreadability for anyone who loves magic, wizardry, midieval fantasy, and agreat plot! ... Read more

Product Description
The new novel in the sweeping Mageworlds series.

On the planet Entibor, Arekhon sus-Khalgath sus Peledaen has found shelter and domestic tranquility with his old love, Elaeli Inadi, at the price of what he had left behind: a dispersed and shattered Mage-Circle, an estranged brother who had tried to kill him, and a homeworld on the cusp of massive cultural upheaval.

Arekhon finds himself impelled homeward by strange dreams and prophetic visions.The Great Working—the effort to do the unthinkable and reunite a galaxy long sundered by the Gap Between—remains incomplete, left unfinished in the aftermath of the dissolution of Arehkon’s Mage-Circle.But too much energy and too many lives have been poured into the Working already; and it cannot end so long as any of the Circle members remain alive and bound into it.

Home, unfortunately, isn’t a safe place for Arehkon to be at the moment.For Eraasi has changed—and the great fleet families at the center of the Eraasian culture are girding for war.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Complex answer to questions about previous stories
This is a complex story that answers questions raised in previous books in the seriese. The story is of interest only if one has read previous stories in this epic.

Mageworlds Story Continues - Good but a little lacking
This book was a good one.I think it flowed better than its predecessor.The story of the Great Working is worthwhile, and it was interesting to see some of the events fit into what we already know happened.

I've been a big fan of this series, and the first trilogy is one I pick up and reread from time to time, just because it's fun.For this book, I found that it was not quite up to the level of those first three books.But it was still worth the time to read.

The End of the Beginning
A Working of Stars (2002) is the seventh novel written in the Mageworlds series.At this time, however, it is the second in internal chronological sequence, following The Stars Asunder.In the previous book, the Damaizen Circle has begun the Great Working to bridge the eiran across The Gap Between.The Circle has sent Garrod through the Void to Entibor and other places Beyond the Edge, but he returns both old and mad.The Circle has guided a ship to the far side, left Elaeli Inadi at Entibor in a position prepared for her by Garrod, captured a foreign pilot, Karil, and brought back a foreign ship, the Diamond.They find that Demaizen Hall has been attacked while they were away and only Kiefen Diasul survived.Returning to Demaizen Hall, they are betrayed by Kiefen, but rescued by Iulan Vai, who provides a ship in which Arekhon, Narin, Ty and Karil flee Beyond the Edge.

Ten years later, the Great Working is still evolving and effecting all the Demaizen Circle survivors.Arekhon is having dreams of the Great Working and of Vai and another woman, Maraganha, who later Void walks to Entibor.She helps Arekhon to find Narin, Ty, and Karil and to continue the working.

Kiefen is partially mad from his inability to separate himself from the working.He starts his own circle at the Hanilat Institute to render the connection, but realizes that he can only be free if all the other mages from the Demaizen Circle are dead.Vai has remained on Eraasi and is still working in the shadows.Arekhon's older brother, Natelth, is building ships with technology taken from the Diamond and planning the absorption of the other fleet-families.Arekhon's sister, Isayana, is developing new types of aiketen.A crisis is building in the Mageworlds.

With authors named Doyle and MacDonald, I wonder how much the concept of eiran comes from the celtic magic weavers of Eiru.The philosophical conflict between Adepts and Mages seems to reflect the differences between Norn worship and Brigit worship;the Adepts seem to accept the Norse approach of following their wyrd whereas the Mages weave their own life and luck.

I have to agree with another reviewer that the Mageworlds series needs a Dramatis Personae.Recommended for all Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar adventures of great scope and complexity with an admixture of magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Pedestrian - Been There, Read That, Only Better
We've all been here before, only with writers who are capable of creating life with story and characters. The problem with many aspiring genre writers (such as SF) is they are avid readers and ambitious writers so their efforts inevitably contain rehash and imitation of the greats. I sampled this duo. They consistently lack voice.

A Brilliant Working
Mageworlds fans ought to rejoice when they see this on the shelves.Once again, Doyle and Macdonald have proven that you cannot predict what is going to happen--even if you think you know one of the events at the end of the timeline of this particular story.

General observations: space adventure that is exciting and well written is rare, but these authors manage.The reader viscerally experiences the mysteries of the eiran and its manipulation, and for a time can perceive how the boundaries of time and space can distort, or even blend.The prose is stylish, vivid, the action sequences tight, as readers have come to expect from Mageworlds stories.

Specific observations: this story brings 'Rekhe back up to the point at which we meet him, or very close.(More than that one must not say, for a reader could begin with this book, and read them in a different order, looping back to THE PRICE OF THE STARS; the way time flows, it works.One might get a different perspective on all matters, but isn't that what Jos Metadi tells us in the middle book?)His motivations become clearer, his choices tougher.Woven in are the stories of other characters who become equally vivid: there are funny scenes, tense scenes, scary scenes (Kief is seriously scary), scenes of joy, and of pathos.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
When the Magelords begin to plunder the civilized galaxy, effortlessly destroying opposing warfleets and taking over entire planets, the only hope lies in three reluctant individuals: Perada Rosselin, Jos Metadi, and Errec Ransome. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The First Mage War
The Gathering Flame (1995) is the fourth novel written in the Mageworlds series.At this time, however, it is the third in internal chronological sequence, following A Working of Stars and preceding The Price of the Stars.Five hundred years before, a Great Working was performed to bridge the eiran across The Gap Between.The only surviving Mage from that Circle, Arekhon Khreseio sus-Khalgath sus-Peledaen, had returned to his lover Elaeli Inadi syn-Peledaen, known as the Maestra Elela Rosselin, on Entibor and now serves her descendants as Ser Hafrey, the Armsmaster.

The Mages have begun raiding across the Gap Between and threaten Entibor.Perada Rosselin has just inherited the title of Domina of Entibor and, in the company of Ser Hafrey and Nivome do'Evaan of Rolny, is traveling from Galcen to Entibor to receive her crown.On the way, she takes a side-journey to Waycross on Innish-Kyl in order to converse with Jos Metadi, the leader of a fleet of privateers attacking Mage conveys.Perada wants Jos to command her fleet against the Mages and is offering to take him as her consort if he will become her General of Armies.Metada turns her down and tries to leave, but finds the door locked from the outside.Escaping the building by the back way, Jos and Perada are fired upon by unknown assailants and flee to Metada's ship, the Warhammer.Errec Ransome, an Adept who survived the Mage attack on Ilarna, is the navigator on the Warhammer, Nannla and Tillijen are the gunners, and Ferrdacor the Selvaur is the engineer.

This novel tells the backstory of the First Mage War and the formation of the Republic.It shows why Errec Ransome is called the Breaker of Circles, how Entibor was Lost, and what caused the Rolny enmity toward the Rosselin-Metadi clan.It also gives some background on the other planets involved in the original trilogy.

This novel may be a prequel, but it throughly enjoyable in itself.Recommended for all Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar politics and intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Imititation Book...Zero For Originality!
These writers must write by committee. They're imitators, not innovators. This is a poor substitute for a BOOK. This isn't crab meat, it's imitation Krab flavored.

Another Great read
The characters are intensely personal. You almost know their thoughts and want to help them in their trials.

GATHERING FLAME HAS SOME SPARKS
This 4th novel which tells you how the forst 3 novels began is a fun and good read but lacked some of the character detail somewhat.The mutual love that Jos Metadi and Perada developed seemed to happen much too quickly from two people who saw the universe in such diverse ways.It seemed that they were going at each other and the next chapter - were having kids!That would have been better told if their relationship would have unfolded slowly.Errec Ramsome as usual, stole the show again as the mysterious adept.His story and character dominate this book byt far.Another thing that I did not understand was why was not the 1st born the heir apparent?It seemed that Perada had to have another child, but for what reason?
Overall a good read, but not as good as the first trilogy.

Great Space Opera and a great prequel
From it's opening scenes, The Gathering Flame moves quickly and excitinglythrough the introducing of the main characters and smoothly catches us upwith how they got to be the people they are. Besides wanting to read thisstory I bought it specifically to take to a SciFi Con and have signed byDoyle and MacDonald. Despite the obvious distractions of traveling 800miles and an extremely enjoyable Con, I couldn't rest upon returning homeuntil I finished this book. Pick it up, you won't want to put it down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Undercover in the Mageworlds
Starpilot's Grave (1993) is the second novel written in the original Mageworlds trilogy.At this time, however, it is the fifth of the series in internal chronological sequence, following The Price of the Stars.In the previous book, Beka Rosselin-Metada had joined with the Professor, her brother Ari, Nyls Jessan, and Llannat Hyfid to capture Nivome the Rolny, the man who masterminded the assassination of her mother.

In this novel, Jos Metada realizes that there are others involved in the assassination plot and asks Beka to take the Warhammer into Mageworlds space to continue the investigation.Moreover, Jos gives Jessan permission to accompany her and he promotes and reassigns his aide, Jervas Gil, as Commodore of the fleet.

Beka and Nyls travel through the Net to Mage space looking for Ebenra D'Caer.On Raamet, they take on a passenger who later tries to kill them.Yet they extract enough information from his brain to divert to Ninglin to meet the assassin's contact.

Owen Rosselin-Metada manages to elude the Magelords on Pleyver and returns to Galcen with important information.Errec Ransome, his boss, then assigns him to watch the Mages on Nammerin.There he meets Klea Santreny and starts training her as an Adept.

When Ari and Llannat returns to Nammerin, Owen warns them that he is undercover and not to be noticed if seen.Ari is soon promoted and reassigned to the Fezrisond in the Infabe sector, but Llannat remains behind.

Jos and his new aide, Commander Quetaya, travel incognito to Infabe for an unannounced inspection.After they depart, however, security guards discovered a body stuffed in a trash container within RSF headquarters.

While this is the second volume in a trilogy, the plot does not let up on the suspense and action.The plot is much more complicated than the incidents related in this review.The final volume has a lot of story elements to tie together.

Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys tales of covert action and special operations on an interstellar scale.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Mediocrity at its best
They came, they read a lot, they rehashed.

Beka, Ari and Owen ride again!
This way-more-than-adequate sequel to The Price of the Stars surpasses the first volume in its two great virtues: breathlessly fast action and fascinatingly developed characters. We get to see much more of the enigmatic and powerful Owen Rosselin-Metadi, and the relationship between his brother Ari and Adept Llannat, hinted at in the first novel, begins to strengthen, despite their being stuck in different sectors of the galaxy. Beka, their hellcat sister, just gets tougher and cooler and more heroic by the page. I profoundly admire the authors' ability to portray her as 100% woman and 100% strong. She is never more awe-inspiring than at the end of the novel, confronting and defying her ultimate fear. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling science fiction authors Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald reveal the untold tale behind William Boone and the birth of the human Resistance. William Boone had always been good at strategy and fighting. When war breaks out at the turn of the millennium, Boone is quick to join and even quicker to move up the ranks. Finding himself the Captain of a Special Forces unit sent into the Far East, Boone proves himself as a crack commando who doesnt panic under pressure. And then the Companions arrive. Boone will be tested to the utmost as he finds himself the protector of North Americas Companion Daan, and a founding member of Earths fledgling resistance movement. Set before and during the days of the Taelon arrival, the thrilling story of the Resistances first fallen hero, William Boone, is finally told. Praise for The Stars Asunder: An intricate tale, rich in characters and maneuverings. ~ Analog Fresh and exciting a real page-turner. ~ SF Revue ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good adaptation
In terms of a TV to book rendition that often can create a bland product that has no bearing at all to the TV show it springs from this book does a great job.Its not going to win a prize for literature or anything but it does a fairly good job holding the integrity of the characters together and keeping the reader interested.

Flat
The writing doesn't have a pulse. The series seems to have fallen victim to drone writing assignments.

Dry and Lacking Value
A potentially imaginative project has been cranked out with no fire, no magic. Very dry and uninspired writing ruins an otherwise fascinating Roddenberry treasure. Really disappointing. Critics or English teachers might have done a better job of breathing life into this one.

Borrow, don't buy.
I'm not impressed with this one.It was supposed to give the readers (fans of E:FC) a glimpse into Boone's past, chronicle his first meeting with Augur, etc., etc.I didn't learn anything about Boone I didn't already know.The "first meeting" was trite.The book's one saving grace was the development of Kate, Boone's wife, a data wrangler of some considerable skill.

So many things were glossed over, Kate's participation in the mysterious project, the "Octopus," the arrival of the Taelons, etc. It became very frustrating.Frankly, this book read like a "backstory sketch" meant to provide other writers with a little background information in order to write more detailed books of their own.I'm sorry I bought it.

A book worth reading
This is one of the best books I have ever read.The human nature and spiritual exploring the novle expresses can deeply move the readers.And the background--a science fiction world--supplies such a wonderful,broad environment to set in the very story about humans and talons.The whole story is so complex and mysterious that it makes me take an interest in it.I am very glad to learn that 'Ma'El and 'Da'An are almost the same person,both have elegant behaviour and are much more intellectual than orther Talons.The tow represent a noble spirit and possibility of friendship between humans and talons.But it doesn't come ture in the end.For me,a big fan of 'Da'An,it is a pity.By the way,the TV show is rather good. ... Read more

Product Description
Believing that the grooglemen have taken Leezie the weller, her young student Dan Henchard accompanies the strange hunter, Joshua, on a quest to rescue her. By the authors of Knight's Wyrd. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Painfully Bad
I regret to say that this was a boring disappointment, not even anything about which to rant, other than it's astounding such
average rehash makes it to a book.

A Lyrical Fantasy
Both ethically aware and beautifully written, this book explores what it means to be human.The other themes interwoven in the adventurous plot include the bonds of kinship, and the moral dimesion of society -- helping others from kindness or from self-interest.

I recommend this book to anyone, child or adult, who ever wondered about the philosophy of loss and redemption.Don't let me scare you off, this book isn't dry moralizing, it's also exciting, colorful, and full of sharp and subtle characterizations.Get one for yourself, and one for a friend.You'll be glad you did.

Groogleman
Groogleman is a great book for middle school kids. The authors did a great job on describing the details and creating the final plot. This book is so exciting that after the first few pages you would want to read more and more. You might not want to put the book down after you start it. There areso many events happening at the same time that it is so exciting andinteresting. It is kind of a long story but made short into a small bookwith the main stuff only and with fine details. The way the authorsdescribes the characters is just so awesome. They describe the Grooglemanso good that it feels that you can see it. It feels so real when theydescribe it that you can understand it like a movie nad how the author wasseeing it in their minds. The way the authors describes their personality,feelings, and looks is just so great. It feels like a movie but just withmore details and you can assume what will happen next without having tostop the tape. I would suggest this book to people who like to readadveturous mystery and little horror. The setting and the plot are greatfor all those readers. It is such a good book that I think it deserversfour stars. I have enjoyed this book and I think other readers will as welltoo.

Groogleman
Groogleman is a great book for middle school kids. The authors did a great job on describing the details and creating the final plot. This book is so exciting that after the first few pages you would want to read more and more. You might not want to put the book down after you start it. There areso many events happening at the same time that it is so exciting andinteresting. It is kind of a long story but made short into a small bookwith the main stuff only and with fine details. The way the authorsdescribes the characters is just so awesome. They describe the Grooglemanso good that it feels that you can see it. It feels so real when theydescribe it that you can understand it like a movie nad how the author wasseeing it in their minds. The way the authors describes their personality,feelings, and looks is just so great. It feels like a movie but just withmore details and you can assume what will happen next without having tostop the tape. I would suggest this book to people who like to readadveturous mystery and little horror. The setting and the plot are greatfor all those readers. It is such a good book that I think it deserversfour stars. I have enjoyed this book and I think other readers will as welltoo.

Science Fiction?Fantasy?Excellent either way
Speaking as a middle grade teacher, I want to recommend this superlative book.Even reluctant readers will be drawn into this deceptively simple tale about a boy on a quest.It seems to be fantasy, but the reader comes to realize through subtle clues that it is actually set in a realistic far future.Beautifully symbolic, exciting, humorous, moral, it is a must for any school library--or personal library ... Read more