Product Description
Tanith Lee concludes her compelling Secret Books of Venus quartet with a haunting and suspenseful tale set in her brilliantly reimagined alternate Venice. Centuries into the future, the sunken city of Venus has been salvaged from beneath the sea and rebuilt there under a dome, where it is supported by a vast network of computers that regulate weather, noise, and the most precious undersea commodity of all-air.

It is here that a macabre experiment takes place. Conducted by geneticists at the university, it consists of the resurrection of two lost souls, both murdered in their times: Jula, a first-century gladiatrix, and Cloudio Del Nero, the eighteenth-century composer who met his fate in Lee's acclaimed first volume of the Venus series. An unexplained catastrophe occurs, claiming several lives. Was it merely an accident, computer failure, or has the experiment unleashed an airborne virus? Or is there an even more sinister danger afoot, a force from beyond that threatens the survival of Venus itself? To answer these questions, a traveler from the surface is forced to confront mysteries in his own past that have remained buried, and to reveal the connection that ties him to the unavenged spirits wreaking havoc on the doomed city. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Venus in Glory
"Venus Preserved" is full of gorgeous writing, strong characterizations, and a suspenseful plot. Plus, it stars Tanith Lee's first lead African-descended character, the enigmatic musician Picaro. It's a weird mixture of science fiction thriller, dark fantasy and Biblical Vision, threaded through with Shakespearan allusions. The terrible, wonderful face of God appears in faux-Venus (Venice) preserved under the water, in the midst of scientific experimentation. Dreams, horrific and beautiful imagery, bits of history are all thrown in for a majestic (tragic, triumphant) ending.

Fine tale but ...
Venus lies under a dome beneath the sea as a tremendous lure for surface visitors.Permanent residence is restricted, but tourists are encouraged.Powerful computers run the city controlling climate to include virtual flora and fauna.

Scientists work experiments using DNA remnants of dead souls.These geneticists bring back to life first century gladiator Jula from the DNA remains that an archeological excavation led by Flayd discovered.Also brought back to life is eighteenth century musician Cloudio, both of whom find they feel disrupted and more comfortable with weird flashbacks to their previous lives.Meanwhile a surface musician Picaro arrives at Venus and meets Flayd, who is convinced that something catastrophic is being conducted under the auspices of the city leaders including the computers.As calamities begin to happen and the city is quarantined with no exit or entry, Flayd?s theory seems more realistic.Soon, this quartet manipulated by an entity that makes Machiavelli look like kindergarten, is the last hope to stop the imminent final disaster from taking place

The five key characters (the heroic foursome plus the computer) seem genuine with personalities that in many ways are symbolic of the four forces of nature.These individuals hook the reader wanting to learn more about Flayd?s conspiracy theory.However, that is the weakness of the fourth Venus novel as there is only vague references to a massive conspiracy, but no revealing of who and why especially by the city government who would appear to be biting their nose to spite their face.Thus a potentially powerful futuristic science fiction novel with a strong cast that grips the reader drowns by the ending.

Harriet Klausner

Good but not her best
I like the three previous volumes of _The Secret Books of Venus_ very much. _Venus Preserved_, while good, is not quite up to the same standard.

The story takes place in a Venus (Venice) of the future, a colorful, history-laden city reconstructed in an undersea dome. It is mostly for tourists. Permanent residents must be specially invited. The setting is a charming mix of eras, with the characters living in Renaissance palaces with 18th-century furnishings, eating in Victorian restaurants, and dressing in the clothes of any era they fancy. Venus is permeated with discreet but powerful computer technology; it is built into the doors, the walls, everywhere.

The main characters are Picaro, a successful black musician newly arrived in Venus, and Jula, a 1st-century AD gladiatrix resurrected from her DNA. Both are well fleshed out. They have many ?flashbacks? to their former lives (Picaro?s dramatic and fateful life in this body, Jula?s in her 1st-century incarnation). The flashbacks do not feel like interruptions and they explain the attitudes of these two characters.

Less well drawn, but equally important to the plot, are Flayd the archaeologist (who had excavated Jula?s tomb), and Cloudio del Nero, an 18th-century musician also resurrected using his DNA. Flay?s character is pretty well drawn, but there is a sense of important past influences that are not sufficiently explained. Del Nero is not a real character at all, but a symbol.

These four characters probably represent the four elements.

The real weakness of this book is its plot. Flayd is certain that some conspiracy is afoot, greatly aided by the omnipresent computers. The city government closes off all further exit and entry. Flayd insists this is so some ?experiment? can take place. Contacts between these four characters are thoroughly manipulated, and their conversations are all probably monitored. Increasingly disastrous events take place, which make it clear that Flayd is correct. _Venus Preserved_ has an apocalyptic ending, which I won?t reveal.

All this is dramatic, the ending is showy; but the plot itself, the events, have no purpose. The plot could be called the workings of Fate, since this always a fantasy fallback. But when references are made to an elaborate, expensive government conspiracy and minor bureaucrats are shown doing their part, I expect some disclosure of who is behind the conspiracy and what their goals are. Lee provides no such disclosure. There seems to be no sensible goal the government could possibly have. The minor bureaucrat characters not only have been told very little, they refuse to understand what they see (and what is obvious to the reader). As the book goes on, the major characters become less characters and more symbols.By the end, this creates a lack of emotional response in the reader.

So the book has an apocalyptic ending? Who cares? It?s like the ?thunderstorms? Venus puts on for the tourists?preannounced, flashy to watch, but not personally involving. ... Read more

Product Description
New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey

In an isolated land where the lure of the "Moontide" leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king. When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected… at a price that might be too high….

World Fantasy award winner Tanith Lee

Struggling under the curse of a dead comrade, Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, must face "The Heart of the Moon" to reveal what has been hidden….

C.E. Murphy

In "Banshee Cries," ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this "gift" she has is one she shouldn't ignore— because the next life she has to save might be her own! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Two Outta Three Not Bad
Mercedes Lackey has such a way with creating atmosphere -- I would really like to see "Moontide" expanded to novel-format."The Heart of the Moon" by Tanith Lee was charming.As far as "Banshee Cries"?Ick Ick Ick -- I stapled that story shut when I passed the book on to my daughter.

C.E. Murphy
This author has a very creative mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

not as good as i thought
It took me quiet long to get into all of the three stories!! The last one from C.E. Murphy was probly the one that i liked most but i was a liitle dissapointed. It did not really meet my expectiations

I should have known better
Not the first time I've read an anthology with stories by authors I love - for their full-length novels. Not the first time I've been sorry about it. It's a real challenge to write a stand-alone story about a character with 3 novels out there - and a novella has very different pacing demands from a full-length. Anyway, if you've read the Walker papers, you'll find Banshee Cries duplicates an awful lot of explanations (with the identical same phrases, which really gets my goat, did she just use generic fill material?) Oh well, I'll stick to the novels (which are really, really excellent and you should go and buy any full length by C.E Murphy right now; you'll thank me.)

This is a great book!!!!!!
I really liked this book.Reading new authors gives me a chance to see how they write. ... Read more

Product Description
Popular fantasy author Tanith Lee is at her Gothic, haunting best, creating an atmosphere charged with horror, eroticism, and decadence. In this first volume of The Secret Books of Paradys, Lee begins the search for a demonic creature seemingly impervious to sword, conjuring, or prayer. Readers won't want to miss number two in the series, THE BOOK OF THE BEAST. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

I liked this book, but...
I agree with everyone that says Malice in Saffron is what makes this book worth reading. The third story, the empires of Azure, is also interesting and well written. It takes you back to roaring twenties Paris, and although the time frame is more modern, it is just as well written. The first story was what tried my patience, it was a vampire story featuring Andre Saint Jean, meant to be the vampire Lestat, I think of this series, but who was also a whiny, self absorbed fool. This story drones on through page after page of prose, until it finally comes to it's meandering, sniveling end.
I understand, it wasn't Tanith Lee's fault though, it was Andre St. Jean's. He just had to have his say.
I still didn't like this series as much as I liked some of her other books, such as The Silver Metal Lover, and my favorite of all time (so far) Biting the Sun. I highly recommend them, not only as some of her best work, but as some of the best fantasy that I have ever read.

"Malice in Saffron" excellent
The Book of the Damned is perhaps the best of Tanith Lee's Books of Paradyse series, if only for the presence of the second novella, "Malice in Saffron".The first novella, "Stained with Crimson" begins with an interesting encounter, but becomes so mired in atmosphere and more atmosphere that the plot becomes indecipherable.Still, it evokes such a sense of hopelessness (in me at least!) that it's worth a read just to feel one's emotions tugged so.The third novella, "Empires of Azure", is less compelling.The characters feel caricatured despite Lee's typically stylish prose.It should be for "Malice in Saffron" that you buy this book.Jehanine, a peasant girl who's raped by her (step?)father, undergoes a personality split when she flees to Paradyse.Her nighttime persona of a carousing, murderous young man is a gripping portrayal of repressed rage finally unleashed.Late in the story, Lee introduces a plague to the city, and her subsequent descriptions rank with Camus, in my opinion, for depicting mass reaction to that particular fear of death (obviously, I like Lee very much).Finally, the twist of the "miracle" meal caps the story in a very satisfying manner.I think readers of various genres, fantasy, horror, even history, will get a kick out of this story.

Too much of a good(?) thing
The first novella ("Stained with Crimson") rambled along deliriously until it had long overstayed its welcome.The second ("Malice in Saffron") was relentlessly, unapologetically violent.After slogging through those two, I dragged my feet at reading the third ("Empires of Azure"), but it was best, evoking the spine-tingling suspense of a Gothic horror tale.

Throughout, there was too much emphasis on gender-bending in all its permutations.It would have been a nice touch, if it hadn't been so liberally applied.You had your men with women, men with men, women with women, men with women dressed as men, men with men dressed as women, men turning into women, women turning into men, people of the either/or variety turning into... well I guess they were pretty contented as-is.As for myself, I was more than ready to simply call everyone "a person" and never mind who they slept with, but that would have eliminated two thirds of the book.

There you have it.It was fantasy, it was horror, and it was a blatant call for publicly-funded sex change surgery.

It's original
I like a lot of the ideas Tanith Lee shows here, her stories are very original, with gender changing and cross dressing, but I can't really relate to her characters. She brings you almost to the brink of seeing whatthey are like, then seems to remove you from them before you feel like youreally know them. Her writing style is like that, it seems very impersonal,and sometimes I get lost in her descriptions and I can't figure out exactlywhat she means by this or that. What I like about these stories though, isthat they are exotic, original and not afraid to be dark. Not a bad read. Ithought they would be better though, when I first heard about them.

Bizarre, compelling, and original!
First in the Paradys Tetralogy, "The Book of the Damned" is a three-part exploration into the dark, decadent, and thoroughly bizarre (but completely enjoyable) world of Paradys, something of an alternate-worldParis steeped in sorcery and darkness since its earliest days.

The firststory, "Stained With Crimson," is a less-than-conventionalvampire tale. Andre St. Jean, a poet living in Paradys shortly after theRevolution, becomes the owner of a ruby ring in the shape of a scarab andis shortly thereafter introduced to the owner of the ring, the beautifulAntonina Scarabin. His obsession with Antonina leads to her death andhis...and their dual gender-bending resurrection as Anthony and Anna.Pursued becomes pursuer, predator becomes prey, and it all grows surrealand cyclical. While not my personal favorite of the three, the story isexcellent. The language, rich with color, is descriptive and disturbing;the reader views Andre/Anna's story through the poet's dream-darkened eyes."Stained With Crimson" is expertly told, dark and ironic, andmaintains its dreamlike quality up to and past the last line of the story.

The second novella, "Malice in Saffron" is my personalfavorite of the three and, to tell the truth, one of my all-time favoriteshort stories. Taking place in medieval times, it follows a young womannamed Jehanine from her country farm, where she is raped by her brutalstep-father, to the City Paradys, where her disbelieving brotherPierre--gifted with a topaz cross by the same doting father that so abusedPierre's sister--rejects her violently. She is then led by a mysteriousdwarf into a bizarre double life: by day she lives as Jhane in the Nunneryof the Angel, a quiet female penitent; by night she is Jehan, a beautifuland cruel young man who leads a gang of thieves and cutthroats to greaterand greater atrocities. When the Black Death comes to Paradys, Jehanine isforced to confront the conjunction of her two lives...add a holy vision, anenigmatic, and a bizarre redemption, and you have some idea of thecomplexity of Jehanine's story. Stark, painful, and ultimately beautiful,"Malice in Saffron" is a fascinating tale that deserves at leasttwo re-readings: once for the story and once to understand it, or at tryand unravel the stunning weave Tanith Lee has set before you.

The laststory, "Empires of Azure," is a ghost story set in 1930'sParadis, but hearkening back to a time when the city was known as Par Dis,a community of silver mines at the fringe of the Roman Empire. Told throughthe eyes of a journalist, a young woman who uses the male pseudonym St.Jean--a tribute to Andre St. Jean of the first story--"Empires ofAzure" follows Louis de Jenier, a cross-dresser who moves into a housesaid to be haunted by the girl who was murdered there years ago. In time,the house with its blue-stained windows yields up two things to Louis: aspider-shaped earring made of sapphires, and visions of Timonie, themurdered young woman. Timonie herself possessed the earring, believing itto be a link to Tiy-Amonet, an Alexandrian sorceress and the mistress tothe Roman commander of Par Dis...but neither Tiy-Amonet nor Louis de Jenierare what they appear, as Mademoiselle St. Jean soon discovers. Most of thestory seems distanced from the reader, as all but the very beginning andending are Louis' actions as told by the journalist St. Jean, but thelanguage is no less flawless and the story, despite its odd structure,holds together masterfully.

Elements from all three stories interweaveamong the others--the name St. Jean, the church known as Our Lady ofAshes--but the three stories are fully distinct from each other. Commonelements such as gender reversals and jewelry form another set of links, aswell as the triad of primary colors that provide the novellas' names."The Book of the Damned" is a look at Paradys at three differenttimes in its history, at the people who live in that dark and fascinatingcity--and a story well worth the reading. If you have a taste for darknessand flawlessly crafted prose, read "The Book of the Damned" andits three sequels. They may disturb, but they will not disappoint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Atypical
If you're looking for a typical Tanith Lee (if there is such a thing, knowing Tanith) book, this will come as a surprise.For not only is this out of the sci-fi range, but also hideously long.

It is, however, an enthralling read.

Told in fragments, songs and doggerels, alternating between the first and third person (which some may find confusing), accounts, she tells of the French revolution, from the idea, the catalyst and the overwhelming bloodtide that inevitably followed a flawed idealism.

It's deftly and passionately written -an evident labour of love, but at times so convulous (spelling?) it leaves one head-scratching over her meaning.

Still, whether an old fan or just someone in search of a good read, give it a try -you may be surprised.

Something to keep in mind
It doesn't seem to be common knowledge to newer Lee fans, but this book was written years prior to its actual publication date. According to various "about the author" blurbs I've read, Tanith couldn't find a publisher for this tome because it was over a thousand pages long and not characteristic of her previous work.This was a labor of love, and it probably would have had a better reception if it had been released before some of her more refined later novels.

I think my own interest in this novel was actually dampened by the fact that Lee had to work with historical figures. Her own creations are usually more alien, perverse and aesthetically pleasing than Robespierre could ever be.

Ambitious but overwritten
I suspect that this ambitious historical novel was Tanith Lee's valiant attempt to write herself out of the mass-market sf and fantasy ghetto andinto the rarefied and prestigious world of "literary" publishing. It's too bad that she doesn't quite make it with this novel.It's a goodjuicy read, and she brings the French Revolution and its many colorfulpersonalities to vivid life, but there were too many small but irritatingerrors of fact and translation throughout the novel to keep me stuck insidethat ol' "willing suspension of disbelief".Her writing, alwayslushly descriptive, here often becomes embarrassingly lurid purple prosethat set my teeth on edge.

Still, among recent "serious" novelsabout the French Revolution, Gods is a more entertaining read than MargePiercy's City of Darkness, City of Light; but it can't hold a candle toHilary Mantel's brilliant A Place of Greater Safety, another biographicalnovel about Camille Desmoulins which I think Lee must have read and,consciously or unconsciously, emulated (she makes the same minor errors offact in one or two places).

(Postscript: Frankly, I wonder how any"literary" reviewer could take this novel quite seriously whenfaced with the author's absurd jacket photo, a decade or two old atleast--Lee looks about nineteen--and featuring in-your-face cleavage andraccoonish goth eyeliner.Definitely a photo for one of her (quitewonderful) works of dark fantasy, but not for mainstream, hardcoverfiction.Big, big mistake, Tanith.)

the highest standard of historical fiction
Tanith Lee is one of my favorite writers. This book is a big departure for her, and I get the impression writing it was a dream of hers. It is top-rate historical fiction. It starts out a bit slow, but after it got me,I couldn't put it down. I wanted more after I finished it. I can't wait tocheck out all the facts with a non-fiction history. Lee creates colorful,fleshed-out, human characters out of figures that have become merehistorical stick figures.

I haven't even finished it yet.
I love Tanith Lee. I have just about everything published by Tanith Lee. If you asked me, this book is not by Tanith Lee. What I want to know is, WHO ARE YOU & WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH TANITH LEE??? ... Read more

Product Description
Orphan-slave Claidi knows nothing but the House, with its lavish extravagance, mindless ritual and cruelty. Then Nemian, an enigmatic prisoner, promises escape and safety if she will free him and journey to his city through the wild and savage Waste. But nothing is as it seems: a tribe that yearns to fly, a city ruled by dolls, clocks that are Gods, strange forests, marvellous beasts - and the nomadic Hulta with their young chief Argul. Most menacing of all, the Wolf Tower broods over Nemian's stone city, ruling a deadly game of chance with the spin of the dice. But no one is ready for Claidi's passion for freedom, her bid to destroy the Law once and for all ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A magic world of romace, laughter and danger
THis a fantastic read, Claudi is a charater you can relate to so much as a teenager, told you have everything yet you feel and know you have nothing. A beautifully written book that everyone should read.

Marvelous!!!!!!!!
This book is the first in its series and is wonderful. If you are looking for a book that catches your attention from the very beginning, then this is that book. I highly suggest you read it. The American book is called "Wolf Tower" and can also be found at this website.Click on my name to find out more about this book. I've read it at leats five times and it has never failed to catch my attention. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Addicting Book
According to my 15 year old daughter, this book is very addicting.She had a hard time putting it down.She says the story was fascinating, adventurous, and captivating.

Absorbing, Awesome, and Addicting (in a good way)!!!!!!
This book is awesome. I recommend it. But you should read Wolf Tower and Wolf Star first or you won't understand the story. It's amazing how Argul can disguise as Jelly and all that the ending is awesome. I can't wait to read the next book, Wolf Wing.

"And It's All Because of a Lie..."
"Wolf Queen" (or "Queen of Wolves" in some publications) is the third of four books in the Claidi quartet, a series of books that are told in diary-form by the young heroine Claidi and her travels throughout a fantasy land. In the previous instalments "Wolf Tower" and "Wolf Star" she has escaped slavery, destroyed a corrupt system, found her true love, been kept prisoner in a moving castle and escaped once more in a controllable star. Throughout all of these amazing adventures, Claidi has kept a record in her book, and untangled much of the mystery surrounding her birth and destiny.

Now all she wants to do is be reunited with her beloved Argul, and has used the floating star/tower Yinyay to track down the Hulta people, of which Argul is leader. But when she finally finds them, she is met only with mistrust and anger: in her absence Argul was told that she ran off with a former acquaintance Nemian and no longer wants to marry him. Now he has left the Hulta people, and Claidi is not going to get any help from them due to her perceived betrayal. Determined to track him down, Claidi follows his trail northwards, occasionally joined by the elusive and infuriating Jelly.

Finally she reaches the Winterlands, and the fifth exiled tower of the City - the Raven Tower. Here she grasps several more answers to what has befallen her, as well as meeting the spoilt Winter Raven and Twilight Star, the woman she's been told is her mother.

The story is becoming more and more complicated, with Tanith Lee contradicting herself or twisting character motivations or previously established plot-facts. Characters have several aliases, have lied about past deeds and go about in disguise, making it immensely difficult to keep track of who's who and what is exactly going on. Furthermore, the big revelation about Claidi's past and the designs of those calling the shots aren't really all that imaginative - it is simply personal gratitude and family squabbles that drives these characters - nothing particularly deep or important.

As well as this, Lee has lost the knack of writing in diary-form, something that made the previous books so appealing and realistic. For instance, at one stage, when Claidi is giving a fake name, she writes:

"'Pattoo,' I un-cleverly blurted, picking the name of a friend from my slave-maid days."

The problem is that if you have read the other books, you already know precisely who Pattoo is - so why would Claidi repeat this fact in her diary? The passage is obviously for the benefit of those who have not read the previous books (or need a reminder of who the character is) and therefore comes as written by Tanith Lee to the reader, not as Claidi to her journal. It lends a sense of falseness to the words that are meant to be a private and consistent diary-entry.
At other points Tanith Lee slips into writing in present-tense rather than past-tense, such as "Rushing through the avenue. He is around the next turn before I can get there. I mustn't loose him." Such urgency in the writing is lost when we realise that Claidi can't possibly be writing and chasing after Argul at the same time.

Despite all this, readers who have made their way through the previous books won't want to give up now. There are more fascinating and beautiful landscapes, including a snow-covered tower in the shape of a raven head, and small titbits of intrigue and detail that create a rich world to explore. Lee's writing and language remains clear, descriptive and involving, and her quest of self-discovery is interesting enough to continue with into the forth and final book: "Wolf Wing".

Great book!
This is a great addition to any library! This book answers all the questions you have about Claidi, her name, her family, the rings, the towers, and Argul. Journey as her only constant companion to strange new places and meeting sinister new characters. Any fan of The Claidi Journals will love this new adventure. THE BEST CLAIDI BOOK THUS FAR!

A great book--must read!!
Wolf Queen is my personal favorite of all the Claidi Journals. Intriuguing, enjoyable, and interesting, this book tops all of them! As soon as I was done with it, I flipped it back over and started it again. It has a carefully woven plot, with the Hulta angry at Claidi for something she didn't do, the reappearance of the Raven tower, the continuing search for Argul and a mysterious woman who might be Claidi's mother. A definite read for all Tanith Lee fans!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The third and final book in the Birthgrave trilogy...
finds Tuvek/Vazkor nearing his quest for his mysterious witch/goddess mother. This book has more in common with "The Birthgrave" than its immediate predecessor, "Vazkor, Son of Vazkor". It has more of the epic feel, with Tuvek discovering, as his mother did, the realm and scope of his powers through his travels through strange and mystical kingdoms. This is classic Lee, with all the epic quality of "The Birthgrave" (though please read that first), and Tuvek/Vazkor's character is much more sympathetic and likable than in "Vazkor, Son Of Vazkor" as he grows gradually less bent on vengeance as the story progresses. If you loved "The Birthgrave" as I did, this is similar in tone, and worth reading as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Masterful and Enchanting High Fantasy Tale
This book is awesome, so typical of Tanith Lee's masterful artistry and storytelling.

The story is about a slave girl named Shaina living in a village among a fantasy "role-playing type" world made up of various villages/cities, kingdoms, and empires. She spies a young actor descended from nobility (who plays a knight in a sort of traveling troupe act), who has had his soul stolen by an evil magician named Volk Volkhavaar. She immediately falls for the young noble.

Both Shaina and Volkhavaar have been somehow introduced to the powers of witchcraft (both good and bad) through what seems by accident. Volk learned how to manipulate his powers from an early age by binding himself to a dark God out of desperation to control and dominate people. While he seems like a deplorable character (he is), Lee is able to portray him in a way that makes him quite fascinating (as they say, imaginary evil is always more romantic than the real thing).

Volkhavaar's method of witchcraft (or black magic) involves death and sacrifice to his God and also involves reanimating the lifeless and soulless bodies of his victims (almost like necromancy), while Shaina picks up her only lessons from an old witch/vampiress who teaches her how to use her astral powers (in exchange for her blood) in order to reach the young actor from the troupe. By way of mental telepathy or sorts, the witch's powers are transferred to Shaina.

There is also the hint that Shaina the slave is actually descended from a noble family.

I don't want to give any more information lest I ruin the story for you, and anyhow, this is as far as I am in the story so far . . .

Sometimes when reading a book you can sense a certain "male" or else "female" touch to a story, and most people expect that from a science fiction or fantasy tale, but Lee has the ability to be judged solely by her writing skills, intelligence, and imagination. She is, in my personal opinion, one of the top writers of this time, better than most, far better than Stephen King for one (and more prolific).

She is one of the very few modern-day authors I even bother to read.

It's also amazing that there have been no film adaptations of her works yet -- but being a female author in science fiction and fantasy probably isn't an easy task. I really would like to see a film based on this hypnotic story.

Another triumph for Tanith Lee!
Until I read this, I was not terribly impressed with Tanith Lee's standalone novels (Electric Forest, Days of Grass, Day By Night). This, however, is probably one of her most imaginative and lush fantasy novels. The tale of lupine sorcerer Kernik/Volk and his dark god, and of innocent slave girl Shaina and her hopeless love for a cursed travelling actor, and how they interact, is engrossing and fantastic. Lee's writing is at its richest and most vibrant here, and the book is magical and totally enjoyable. And while "poetic justice" may be served, it's not done predictably so. If you're interested in checking out Tanith Lee, but don't want to get caught up in a series, this is an excellent place to start. ... Read more

Product Description
In the sequel to Black Unicorn, Tanaquil, a young mender, and her familiar come face to face with her half-sister, Lizra, who forces Tanaquil to make a perilous choice between aiding Lizra in her quest for conquest or risking her terrible anger. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Enjoyed this book
I felt this book was much better than the first one. It kept me reading because I just had to know how it turned out. This book finds Tanaquil still journeying. She ends up meeting with her half sister and finds she is not the same girl that she knew. From there she sees battles, a new world and a love she cannot claim.

War, Plagues, Star Crossed Lovers...to Begin With
Tanaquil has had the time of her life traveling and seeing all the wonders of the world for herself. But, as she begins to near her homeland, she hears rumors of horrible wars and a mad empress bent on conquering the world. Tanaquil fears for her mother and her half sister and heads straight for enemy territory in order to reach them...only to be captured by the empress' forces.

But that is not the worst, not by far, for, when Tanaquil is brought before the empress, who should it be but her own sister, Lizra! And Lizra has no intention of letting Tanaquil go. Lizra has had built a giant golden unicorn that will bring fear to the hearts of her enemies, but it will not work. She knows that Tanquil has an uncanny talent for mending things, so she commands Tanaquil to fix her unicorn. And Tanaquil does...against her better judgment.

Now the unicorn is destroying cities and slaughtering many. Tanaquil is sick over her part in Lizra's war, but she cannot leave...for she has fallen in love with Honj...who just happens to be the future husband of Lizra. How can they ever be together when a madwoman controls them...a madwomen they both care for...

This book is the sequel to Black Unicorn and equally as good as the first.

Love this trilogy!
Great light read!Though not as good as the black unicorn, the gold unicorn is still a enchanting read.

Quite enjoyable
Tanith Lee displays her usual inventiveness in Gold Unicorn; the result is a very satisfactory sequel to Black Unicorn.

While not, in my mind, quite as enjoyable as the first one, Gold Unicorn nonetheless remains awell-crafted fantasy in a creative and unusual world.Darker than itspredecessor, Gold Unicorn explores Tanaquil's struggles between loyalty toher half-sister Lizra, now the dreaded conquerer, and her own belief thatthe ideal world her sister strives for cannot be achieved by war.Addedare several complications-- a massive mechanical gold unicorn Lizra hasordered Tanaquil to fix for her war campaign, the mischievous peeve,stinging mousps (a magician's creation formed of mice and wasps), Honj, theenigmatic consort of Lizra...and a hell world to parallel the perfect worldTanaquil saw in the last book.

Obviously some people won't appreciatethis book, but to those who enjoy Tanith Lee's particular style, GoldUnicorn is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Good Sequel, Well Worth Reading
Really, the sequel is very, very good. There are still more interesting, complex characters, a strong plotline, and all kinds of surprises, twists,and magic, magic, magic. Tanaquil is her old complex self, as wonderful andstrong and clever and dry as she was in the first book, Black Unicorn. Herfamiliar, the peeve, is also going strong, and I particularly liked it inthe sequel.

At first, it may look to some readers like the book is justanother formulatic epic-battle-type fantasy, but Tanith Lee takes all theold, used-up cliches of this sort of fantasy and reweaves them, turns themupside-down, completley rejeuvenates them.

This is a wonderful book, anda worthy sequel. I would have liked it perhaps if Tanaquil had just gone onadventures by herself (and the peeve) and there had been no war element,but this sequel is still good the way it is.

Altogether, I wasn'tdisappointed. Fun book! Well worth reading! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This one is actually a little better than The Birthgrave
This book might even be a little better if you don't read The Birthgrave first, but regardless it's a beautiful return to form as Vazkor (Tuven/Mordran - the guy has as many names as his mother) slowly frees himself from the brutal tribe where the heroine of Birthgrave left him and begins to interpret the visions that haunt his dreams. Of course, you already know that he's going to discover his heritage - including his father's bid for power and his mother's witch life - but the fun is how he's getting it all wrong. And when he dreams the same dream that the mother dreams in the first book (the one where he's calling her out and accusing her of ruining him as a warrior in a tribe about to die) it's both expected and unexpected.

Similar to the first book, this is the story of a man learning about who he is and why he's the way he is with powers that he cannot even begin to understand. He can heal fast and he can shoot white power from his eyes but he doesn't know why. In fact, he attributes these powers to his father - whose origins he only learns after the third way mark. As Tanith Lee revisits the places that the mother traveled in the first book - including the brutal tribe, the cities and the gentle people that took in the heroine towards the end of Birthgrave - you are both mesmerized and surprised that she manages to find new insights into these people through their interactions with the strange protagonist that they also consider divine. You see what's happened to them since the first book and you see them in a different perspective.

Of course, this is a middle book between the mother's story and the story of the confrontation between mother and son, but it stands well on its own. Furthermore it is one of the Tanith Lee books that really touched me emotionally. Sometimes her characters leave me cold, but in her tale of a man learning to become compassionate and decent (and still vowing to hunt down his "witch" mother) I was very moved. Definitely buy it. And if you are a publisher, make this woman an offer to get this thing back in print.

The sequel to her classic "The Birthgrave"
It follows the story of the son of the witch-goddess of the prequel, given the name Tuvek by his adoptive parents: chieftain Ettook and city-born Tathra. His story (at this point, in any case) is not as engrossing as his mothers, though, as we already know his history. Most of this book is buildup, waiting for him to discover what we already know, that he is the son of warlord/king Vazkor and his bride, the witch-goddess Uastis. Tuvek discovers that his father is not so revered in the city over which he once reigned and brought to ruin. The people of the city believe him to be his father reincarnated, and imprison him. The balance of the book concerns Tuvek/Vazkor escaping his pursuers, discovering his powers, and vowing vengeance on his mother for killing his father and abandoning him. Tuvek comes across as a bit of a prick, raping and killing his way through the tribal krarls and ruined cities. Not as good as the other books in this series, in fact, I recommend skipping it and going directly to "Quest for the White Witch" (the story is synopsized in the beginning of that book). ... Read more

Product Description
Jet and her robot dog, Otis, have been taken with Jet’s two sisters—one of whom has a role in the latest Super-Movie—to theirplanet’s film capital, Ollywood. Jet and Otis are soon catapultedinto the unplumbed underworld that lurks below the studios andlots. Here lies the beautiful and sinister otherwhere of Indigara,which has spontaneously generated from the sets, costumes,models, and actual celluloid of rejected pilot fantasy and SF moviesthat never got made into series. Even while girl and dog tryto survive the dangers and terrors below, their Indigaran mirrorimages have replaced them, and are running amok in the realworld above…. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Protean weird fiction from a master of the form
Tempting the Gods collects some of Tanith Lee's fiction from various venues, from the late 80s to the present, from a variety of venues (Asimovs', Weird Tales, and Realms of Fantasy).They range in tone from the dark ("Cain") to Arthurian Legend ("The Kingdoms of the Air") to Arabian Nights adventure ("These Beasts") to the just plain weird ("Tiger I").All stories feature Lee's carefully crafted language, tight plotting, vivid imagination and matchless evocation of atmosphere.Not all tales are dark--there's even some humor, such as the new to this collection "God and the Pig."Like Bradbury and Vance, Lee is a unique stylist.This collection--the first part of a two part series--is a perfect introduction to her work, some of the best writing in the weird fiction category. ... Read more

Product Description
Leaving behind the strange world of "Wolf Star Rise", Claidi looks forward to a joyful reunion with her beloved Argul. But to her horror her return to the Hulta people is met with hostility, mistrust and derision. Argul, they tell her, has left them, shattered by the grief of her betrayal. The third book in the exciting Wolf Tower sequence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"And It's All Because of a Lie..."
"The Queen of the Wolves" (or "Wolf Queen" in some publications) is the third of four books in the Claidi quartet, a series of books that are told in diary-form by the young heroine Claidi and her travels throughout a fantasy land. In the previous instalments "Wolf Tower" and "Wolf Star" she has escaped slavery, destroyed a corrupt system, found her true love, been kept prisoner in a moving castle and escaped once more in a controllable star. Throughout all of these amazing adventures, Claidi has kept a record in her book, and untangled much of the mystery surrounding her birth and destiny.

Now all she wants to do is be reunited with her beloved Argul, and has used the floating star/tower Yinyay to track down the Hulta people, of which Argul is leader. But when she finally finds them, she is met only with mistrust and anger: in her absence Argul was told that she ran off with a former acquaintance Nemian and no longer wants to marry him. Now he has left the Hulta people, and Claidi is not going to get any help from them due to her perceived betrayal. Determined to track him down, Claidi follows his trail northwards, occasionally joined by the elusive and infuriating Jelly.

Finally she reaches the Winterlands, and the fifth exiled tower of the City - the Raven Tower. Here she grasps several more answers to what has befallen her, as well as meeting the spoilt Winter Raven and Twilight Star, the woman she's been told is her mother.

The story is becoming more and more complicated, with Tanith Lee contradicting herself or twisting character motivations or previously established plot-facts. Characters have several aliases, have lied about past deeds and go about in disguise, making it immensely difficult to keep track of who's who and what is exactly going on. Furthermore, the big revelation about Claidi's past and the designs of those calling the shots aren't really all that imaginative - it is simply personal gratitude and family squabbles that drives these characters - nothing particularly deep or important.

As well as this, Lee has lost the knack of writing in diary-form, something that made the previous books so appealing and realistic. For instance, at one stage, when Claidi is giving a fake name, she writes:

"'Pattoo,' I un-cleverly blurted, picking the name of a friend from my slave-maid days."

The problem is that if you have read the other books, you already know precisely who Pattoo is - so why would Claidi repeat this fact in her diary? The passage is obviously for the benefit of those who have not read the previous books (or need a reminder of who the character is) and therefore comes as written by Tanith Lee to the reader, not as Claidi to her journal. It lends a sense of falseness to the words that are meant to be a private and consistent diary-entry.

At other points Tanith Lee slips into writing in present-tense rather than past-tense, such as "Rushing through the avenue. He is around the next turn before I can get there. I mustn't loose him." Such urgency in the writing is lost when we realise that Claidi can't possibly be writing and chasing after Argul at the same time.

Despite all this, readers who have made their way through the previous books won't want to give up now. There are more fascinating and beautiful landscapes, including a snow-covered tower in the shape of a raven head, and small titbits of intrigue and detail that create a rich world to destroy. Lee's writing and language remains clear, descriptive and involving, and her quest of self-discovery is interesting enough to continue with into the forth and final book: "Wolf Wing".
... Read more

Product Description
Artemesia—also known as Art—spent her childhood on a pirateship, and she’s sick of practicing deportment at the AngelsAcademy for Young Maidens. Escaping, she sets out to find hermother’s crew and breezily commands them out to sea. Fiery Artsoon shapes her men into the cleverest pirate band afloat. Andthen they meet the dread ship Enemy and her beautiful, treacherouscaptain, Goldie Girl. The Seven Seas aren’t large enoughfor two pirate queens. Art will have to wage the battle of her lifeto win her mother’s title—and the race for the greatest treasurein pirate lore! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A rousing adventure...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the tale of Artemesia / Art Blastside / Piratica, indeed a "singular girl" having an "adventure upon the high seas."

The story starts with Artemesia falling down the stairs at her girls' school, and, thanks to the knock she gets on the head, remembering her previous life with her pirate mother at sea. She runs away, only to find her mother's old crew, and they set to sea and become pirates once more, Art assuming the identity of Piratica, her late mother's name.

What follows is a rollicking adventure with everything you'd expect in a pirate's tale: evil pirates, a parrot, a treasure map, ships, fun, jewels, a "lost" island, treachery, heartache, actors, etc.

I do agree with other reviewers that at times the plot twists seemed a little contrived, Art's knowledge and ability a little suspect (you wonder if she is indeed delusional), and the writing sometimes hard to get into. But if you're looking for a fun, girl-centric adventure story, this is highly recommended. (I would have given it 4.5 stars if I could.)

Pirates of the Caribbean fans will enjoy this!
First of all, read this book's other reviews at your own risk, because many utterly spoil the twist. (This review is spoiler-free.)

One of those books with a vague blurb, I almost didn't check "Piratica" out of the library. However, I'm glad I did, because it turned out to be a good read!

It begins with an unusual twist on the "hero wakes up with amnesia" plot. Rather than waking up with amnesia, our heroine wakes up from a knock on the head with a cure for amnesia, suddenly remembering her lost life as a pirate girl on the high seas. Disgusted with the refinement school her wealthy father has placed her in, she runs away to seek adventure.

This is where it starts to get cliched once again. There were a great many cliches in this book, as a matter of fact, many very similar to those in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. Because of this, I didn't find the first half of the book so impressive - though there was a lovely twist early on that I didn't see coming.

However, the second half was very impressive. Though the stereotypes continued and the plot was nothing particularly special, there was so much fun adventuring going on in the foreground that it wasn't an issue. What's more, I really started to feel for the characters, and even cried at two points in the story! Throughout the whole story, a wonderful balance was struck between a lighthearted tone and serious issues, which to me worked quite effectively. The ending was also very satisfying. Again, not the most original, but definitely worth it.

One other thing I'd like to mention is the character names. I just loved the author's choices - there were characters with names like Salt Walter, Salt Peter, Artemesia, Goldie, Felix, Honest Liar, Ebad, and so on. Such a small detail, but it really helped give the book its own unique character. Even the place names were quirkily renamed from London to Lundon, Portsmouth to Port's Mouth, Thames to Thamis, Madagascar to Mad Agas' Scar, the Americas to the Amer Ricas, giving the world of "Piratica" a familiar-yet-exotic atmosphere.

If you like the adventure genre, complete with pirates, maps to buried treasure, exotic locations and escaping the law, this is a fun book to read! I almost guarantee that any fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean will enjoy it, because it is very similar in many ways. But it also has its own twists and exciting moments. 4/5 stars.

Ahoy, Artemesia
Artemesia Fitz-Willoughby Weatherhouse was practicing grace and deportment, as befits a fine young lady of early 19th-century British society, when a clumsy tumble down the stairs restored lost recollections of her youth. Now 16, she suddenly remembers the accident six years earlier when an exploding cannon on her mother's pirate ship robbed her of both her memories and her mom. No longer content to be a "lady" -- and thoroughly despising the father whose only wish for her was to suppress her natural instincts and personality -- Artemesia escapes her rigid school and seeks some means to resume her former life.

After an unexpected encounter with a notorious English highwayman, Artemesia makes her way to a seedy dockside tavern, where she finds a large portion of her mother's former crew making a bare living as coffee salesmen. But they, though pleased to see this younger model of their beloved former leader, have more memories of hers to restore -- particularly those proving that Art's version of events were never true. They weren't pirates, the crewmen insist, but actors portraying pirates on stage. Their popular productions -- with Art's mother always starring in the lead role of the good-spirited and merciful pirate queen Piratica -- were so realistic that they had impressed on young Art's mind memories more vivid than the truth.

Or did they? Tanith Lee's young-adult novel "Piratica" has a good many twists and turns in the plot before readers discover the real story of this young girl's past. But, until they surface, Art isn't content to pass her time in that seedy pub; instead, she -- now using the name Art Blastside -- leads her acting troupe to sea, where they commandeer a ship and make their fiction into reality under her mother's trademark black-on-pink Jolly Roger.

Compared to some of Lee's other, more mature fiction, "Piratica" is a trifle awkward and oddly paced, and its heroine is just a little bit too good at everything she tries to do. Acting solely on memories from, in some cases, her infancy, she demonstrates unparalleled skill at seamanship and knowledge of the sea. Her crew, meanwhile, is presented as a tight collection of actors who, once prodded by their 16-year-old captain, excel at all things nautical. It stretches even the most pliable limits of belief.

Not that "Piratica" isn't an enjoyable read. It is, and I was never tempted to cast it aside; Lee's mastery of character and plot are too deft not to hold my interest. Still, a far better example of young-girl-as-pirate fiction can be found in the pages of L.A. Meyers' excellent "Bloody Jack" series, which I heartily recommend. Even so, I am sure I'll want to read "Piratica II" if the opportunity presents itself.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(net) editor

I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Okay, first I just need to say, this book is not just for middle-to-high school readers. I would recommend it to anyone! I seriously LOVE this book. I didn't find any of it hard to read, or confusing at all, I thought it was unique and I liked the writing style. I read this book in two days and immediately got the sequel. I like that it's not one of those books where you know what's going to happen at the end; it's not the kind where you know there's going to be a happy ending. It kept me guessing until the last two or three pages. It's witty, full of romance (and that alone is enough to pull me in!), and engaging. You can tell it was really well thought out, and everything comes together in the end in a way that surprised me. The characters are wonderful, because they're not perfect. They have little quirks and real personalities. I loved it the first time I read it and now, two times later, I still do. Even if you don't buy this book, you should at least get it from the library. It's completely worth it!

Adventurous and Satisfying!
Piratica was just the kind of book I was looking for; something about adventure on the seas. And all the unexpected twists and turns throughout really captures you! I've read many books, and this by far is my favorite. It satisfys every reader looking for adventure, romance, a good sword fight or two, and of course pirates! ... Read more

Product Description
Starting with the premise of four novels based on the phases of alchemy and the four primal elements, Tanith Lee created an evocative fantastical alternate to the historical Italy in her Secret Books of Venus series. The fist volume, Faces Under Water, was set against a backdrop of a macabre Venietian carnival. In Saint Fire, the chilling second volume in the series, Volpa is a strangely beautiful servant girl who glows with an inhuman inner fire. When her master, an abusive wood seller, is mysteriously incinerated, Volpa begins to discover her power of fire. Church leaders, who see her as a mighty weapon in their holy wars, notice her gift, and unable to determine whether her powers are heavenly or demonic, are nonetheless determined to have Volpa on their side. This gripping fantasy of a mysteriously gifted Joan of Arc figure is stunning from beginning to end. Amazon.com Review
Tanith Lee, winner of the August Derleth Award and several World Fantasy Awards, has created a fascinating alternate Venice in her Secret Books of Venus, a proposed four-novel series based on ancient concepts surprisingly scarce in fantasy: alchemy and the four elements. Available now are Book I, Faces Under Water, and Book II, Saint Fire; they can be enjoyed out of order, for they have self-contained plots and no shared characters. Inspired by the Joan of Arc legend, Saint Fire explores the mysteries of faith, love, power, and the miraculous. Dark, ironic, insightful, and elegantly written, Saint Fire is classic Tanith Lee.

Volpa is just another slave, until her pale beauty and fiery hair attract the lustful attention of a brutal owner. A mysterious conflagration leaves her free, unharmed, without memory--and in the power of the Church, whose ambitious leaders have conflicting plans for her. Some believe she is touched by the Divine; others see her fire-power as Satanic and will stop at nothing to destroy her. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not As Good As It Should Be
I love Tanith Lee.I've read almost all of her books over the years and although she has had a clinker or two in the past, "Saint Fire" is an unexpected clinker...

"Faces Under Water", the first book in this series, was very good.The story, the characters and the writing all made it a great read.I expected the second book to follow the pattern but it didn't.

"Saint Fire" almost seems like a rewrite of some older story or a half-hearted attempt to continue the Venus series.This story sure didn't move along.There was far, far too much "religious-ness" which, in parts was necessary but in other parts was over kill.The heroine -- Volpa/Beatifica, was typical Lee:a frail, quiet, pale girl with gold eyes (do all Lee's heroine's have gold eyes?) who has a Power.She isn't particularily interesting and you just can't get to like her.Which is also typical Lee... Oftentimes you find that you end up more interested in a secondary character than the main ones.But even here, none of the characters roused any sympathy or interest.The "knight of God", Cristiano, was cold and strange.The Magister, Danielus, was manipulative and weak.The plot itself was weak, too.Out of the blue, "infidels" from another country come screaming across the sea to attack the "good guys".Why?There was no good reason for a war except the obvious -- the heroine can call up fire at will.The ships of the enemy are made of wood.Hmmmm.

Well, anyway, I really looked forward to this book and was very disapointed.It dragged and staggled along to a very un-exciting, un-interesting finish.And was confusing in between.If a no-name author had tried to get this published, no editor in the world would have agreed.Because Tanith Lee is a Name, the editors evidentially don't bother to read her stuff over.I can only hope that if there is are books 3 and 4, they are better than this.

A Good Read...
After thoroughly enjoying 'Faces Under Water' the first book in this series...I was rubbing my hands together waiting for this one to hit the shelves. I was not as thrilled with this one as the first...I enjoyed themain character, Volpa in 'Saint Fire' ..but some of the minor characters Ikept mixing up (the names are similar) and I was at times bored with the"war is emminent" plot, which I know is necessary - but Iwould've preferred more in depth interaction with the charecters (maybesome more diologue).. But, basically I enjoyed it - and I recommend it. Ijust liked it a bit less than Venus book 1. ... Read more

Product Description
Rachaela's daughter is named Anna, to honour the dead. On her breast is a small blue mark. In two years, she grows to the maturity of a 16-year-old woman and is abducted by Cain, the outcaste of Scarabe. Meanwhile, he is stealing other children and taking them to a place at the end of the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

wish it were still in print
I liked this book! I wish Lee would do a sequel to it.

Darkness I
This book is an excellent finish to the Blood Opera sequence, by acclaimedBritish author Tanith Lee. However, I recommend you read the first twobooks (Dark Dance, and Personal Darkness) first, so you'll know what'sgoing on! Recommened to Tanith Lee fans.

Lee's Getting Lazy, But the Spark's Still There.
I don't know what to make of this third story of the Scarabae; it seems to me that Tanith Lee is just indulging herself. I felt the same way with herthird Unicorn book; Red Unicorn seemed to be just as much an exerice inwriting and little else as Darkness, I.

I get the feeling that TanithLee is getting lazy with her novels. They're not as tight as they usuallyare; all of her latest stuff seems half-hearted, a rough draft, notpolished at all. Strange. Perhaps Lee needs to do something completelydifferent for a while, or something, to get back in the swing of things.

Still, even with its problems, Lee's Darkness I is definitely worthreading. Her characters are, as usual, excellent, real, and completelydifferent from any other. Lee's best qualities are her prose style, bothlush and spare at the same time. Amazing. Her characters, as ever, arewonderfully drawn, remarkably different, unusual.

I just hope that whenTanith Lee writes again, she's rejeuvenated; I miss the tight writing andplots that I expect from her. I'm looking forward to another sterling book.

Dreadful. Blase Characterization. Horrible Plot.
The only good parts of this book are the thoughtful reflections of its young black boy character Faran and when the ageless hells angel vampire walks into a rave and drags all the ecstasy takers down with the cosmic frequency of his tortured soul. Lee's prose isn't even up to par, whencompared with her own self, that is. Overall, just a dreadful story thatreally isn't much of one, and that irked me greatly because it spoiled themood of the first Scarabae novel. ... Read more

Product Description
Raised in a swamp by a mad witch, poor Louisa grew up with one goal in mind: to marry a wealthy man, then inherit his lands and money by whatever means it takes. And Louisa may well succeed, for she is a stunning beauty with the manners of an angel. At last she sets off to make her fortune . . . and with the help of her vial of undetectable poison, she soon finds her first victim. A dazzlingly dark fantasy, as only Tanith Lee could write it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tanith Lee Scores Again
Tanith Lee never ceases to amaze me. She has had a very long career, and her writing not only continues to be fresh and compelling in fantasy (probably her "clan terrtitory'), but to conquer other genres handily. "Louisa the Poisoner" is both a fantasy and a twist on a type of Victorian romance. This is a short novel, but with a satisfyingly rich plot and palette of (mostly unpleasant) characters. It is wickedly, sardonically funny, something Lee does particularly well. Its "moral" is, to say the least, unconventional, but, I think, quite apt. A very fine, short read!

Pretty light stuff but it's still Tanith Lee
Reading this book makes one feel like Tanith Lee is taking a break from trying new things. This is a quintessential Tanith Lee book complete with morally ambiguous/repulsive heroine and a cast of despotic fools that play victim to her machinations. The progress of the book consists of Lee's heroine wheedling her way into the bosom of a gothic family standard and killing them one by one.

Not much else happens. There's a prosecutor that shows up late in the narrative to provide some tension, but that's about it. It's always great to read Tanith Lee whose prose is second to none, but this book is just nothing new.

Nice pictures, though. ... Read more

Product Description
An epic fantasy of eroticism, sorcery, blood and vampires, by a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction works, who has won the World Fantasy Award on several occasions. This limited edition is signed and numbered by the author, and produced on high-quality paper with special design features. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Engrossing
Highly recommended - if you can find it! The reader is left with the feeling that Lee injected every modicum of her talent into this. Her rich prose is at its zenith here, and if you are a fan of her unique writing style, you'll savour every luminous detail. The Blood of Roses (not to be confused with several other books of this name, not by Lee) is an extremely complex tale of vampires (while avoiding Anne Rice-ish clichés), wolves (while avoiding wolf clichés), dark pine forests, blood sacrifice, religion, omens and other strange things too many to mention here... set in a sort of parallel Dark Ages Europe. The forest is the star in this tale: dark, brooding, timeless, a tapestry of danger, death, and rebirth. The latter, rebirth - renewal of the seasons and of life itself - regeneration - is a constant theme in this book. The story is told in a looping narrative that seems to weave back over itself. Lee is often cruel to her characters, if not relentlessly barbaric at times, which reflects beautifully the harsh primitive European setting.

Buy it if you can find it! ... Read more