Elizabeth Berkley Books

Like one reviewer below, I read this book over 20 years ago now, in my late teens, and it's stayed with me. I re-read it last week as an adult and still love it and realise how good the writing is. I loaned my old copy to a friend 20 years ago and never got it back -- so I was glad to be able to get hold of a copy again now, as I believe it was now out of print for a long while.

This is the story of Kerris, a young man come of age but out of place in Tornor Keep, the fortress at the edge of the northern border of Arun. Though he is cared for, as the nephew of the keep's lord, he is less-than-loved, a mis-fit, whose crippled arm (amputated in a battle that raged when he was a child) and burgeouning psychic/so-called 'witch' powers only make him more of an outcast among his peers, who are hardy warriors on the verge of their civilisation. He almost resigns himself to his life when a band from the South, a cadre of mysterious, semi-mythical dancing warriors, the 'chearis', arrive at Tornor to take him back to his birthplace and help him fulfil his destiny.

The world of Arun is deftly developed and sublte, which allows Lynn to weave in the subplot of unconditional, uncovetous love between the two main characters and all of the chearis. Lynn's writing is very fluid and you quickly get comfortable and lost in the world of Arun. That, to me, is the mark of a great sci-fantasty writer (which is why Lynn won such acolades for this book and the entire trilogy a few decades back).

But if you yank your head out of the world of Arun too quickly -- where the force of love and the force of life bridge and forge relationships that would be taboo in our own world -- then you could be shocked by the love that grows between Kel and Kerris. But Arun is not Earth, and there is a different ethic and set of morals there -- the lovers do not breach the ethics/morals of their world. Lynn handles the relationship (which is at the heart of Kerris's maturing into his new life, but not the entirety of the novel) with sublty and care... nothing graphic about the love scenes between the men (of which there are only two). Despite the impression given in other reviews (which seem to have gotten stuck on one issue), there is nothing salacious in how Lynn handles the relationship.

Basically, the romance aside, this is a story of this band of brothers/sisters forging something new in a world where the characters are forced to choose between love/pacifism and hatred/suspicion/war... the choice is not always easy... some live, some die... this is a land whose culture is in transition. This is a story about transitions.

When I was younger, I didn't know that this was part of a triology. Now, as an adult, I have read all three books (The Watchtower and The Northern Girl). Though they do stand alone (each story does refer to the history established by the previous one, but is set generations apart), the trilogy certainly deserves the awards it earned long ago -- the writing gets better with each one; the world/land of Arun is so well developed that you get lost in it and want more.

Unlike some trilogies, you can read each book as a stand-alone and in any order you choose. If you start with Dancers of Arun, you won't be disappointed.

(p.s. -- though the term 'witch' is used in the book, it refers to a set of psychic powers some people, but not all, in Arun have. This book was written long, long before the spate of witch-sci-fi-fantasy novels that have come in the wake of tv sci-fi-witchery-Bufffy fandom. Nothing wrong with those stories, but this is not one of them. Totally different feel and world and society crafted here.)

I first read this in about 1982, and though people complain about the writing, it fits perfectly with other fantasy fiction of the late 1970's. Granted, I didn't know anything about homosexuality at the age of 21 or so, but it gave me a gentle introduction into alternate lifestyles that still influences me. (and no, I'm not.)

Good reading, but anyone who stocks it should shelve it in the adult section... not in fantasy.

Generally, this part is better than part one (which is sort of unusual, as sequels generally get worse). I'm assuming you, the Reader, already have an opinion on part one (after all, who reads middle parts of a trilogy?), so I'll break this review into two parts, for those who liked and once who didn't.

If you liked part one, you will probably like part two too. There's a bit more action and slightly more adventure, but the general idea remains the same - you have one major character on his road to completeness. One can even say all the Tornor novels are some sort of 'initiation stories', and I'm not even talking about the explicit homosexual content involved.

If you disliked part one, you are probably not going to like part two, for the same reasons as stated above. The books generally share the same main idea and the same structure, but if you were on the "like/dislike" edge, you might find the more lively plotline to tip the favor to Lynn's side. Hence three stars and not two, which I have to part one.

I guess I must be! This book is horrible! Maybe I expected too much but as I am reading this book I want it to end. I am usually not the type to voice my opinion on most books. I am compelled to on this title! This will be my last purchase of this authors works. The story line and characters are confusing,the writing is poor and if I have to read one more "a fox barked" I will be compelled to throw myself from the second floor window! Thnks for letting me vent and now onto another hopefully better book.

The middle and best book of one of my favorite trilogies, it's exactly what I want: no stock characters or swashbuckling, but lots of interesting, different, people. I did find the beginning disconcerting (unlike some other readers, I'm NOT good with incest
involving children), but the action was instigated by the child,
and was not portrayed as abusive. The fragility of the people, the
village, and the world seems very real to me. The originality of
these books is great, and they seem to me to be beautifully written. I only with Ms. Lynn would write MORE!

Not just plot, which is fast-paced with a very interesting premise, but also has an excetional literary and lyrical quality to the writing which makes it an unusual and pleasurable read.
Definitely not your regular,formula "who dunnit!" A joy to read how the author consistenly strings words together in such a poetic manner within a prose genre.
Looking forward to his next book: "The Boy With Perfect Hands"

My husband and I both love Poe's works...our initial courtship began with a line from Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". When I saw this book in our local bookstore, naturally I had to buy it. Alas, the writing style is sophomoric, the author references Poe's most well known works in the most obvious manner possible, and he also has an annoying penchant for capitalizing the epithet "Goddamn"...even when it's used in the middle of a sentence! I grew up in Chicago and I've spent a fair bit of time in the near Wisconsin suburbs as well, so I know there actually are intelligent people who live there, but you'd never know it from reading this book. I'm hoping I kept the receipt so I can take this execrable pseudo-"homage" to one of America's greatest horror writers back to the bookstore for a refund!

This was an extremely disappointing book. The identity of "The Raven" was so obvious that for a while I hoped the author was trying to make it seem that obvious only to throw in a last-second twist. Unfortunately, there was no twist and it seemed almost amateurish. The best I can say about this book is that I'm glad I got it as a paperback, and hopefully I can trade it in at a used book store toward a better book. Don't make the mistake I made and spend any money on this book.

I bought this book because it centers around one of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe. This book, unfortunately lost track of Poe's personality and talents. Though the book is well written, I was able to figure out who the murderer was mid-way because it follows basic mystery formulas. I also was annoyed that the main character was given a gimmicky love of Swiss Miss hot chocolate to muse over in almost every chapter. Give me a break!

If you're interested in reading two excellent mysteries based on Edgar Allan Poe, definitely read, Randall Silvis' "On Night's Shore" and "Disquiet Heart" in that order.

Every moment we get to ride along with special agent Elizabeth Hewitt in this fast-paced mystery actively engages one's mind and viscera. Her clues to discover the identity of the killer are premeditated and linear, yet the reader's narrative is deftly cloudy and metaphoric. The murders themselves are grisly and inhumane, exactly the stuff that would make Poe himself turn the pages. From start to finish this book is crafted to be a sophisticated balancing act, between the purposeful homage to Poe and the clever use of his work as vital clues to a modern-day killing spree; between the heroine's remarkable strength and womanly vulnerabilities; between the internal ramblings of the psyche and our public self-projections; between our hope goodness will prevail and a superior evil intellect; between the vile details of the murder scenes and the illusion of beauty crystallized in prosaic sentences. You will be astonished this masterful and wonderfully imaginative novel is Rusch's first.

This was a fast and easy read; nothing too taxing on the brain. Interesting to read about Queen Elizabeth I, although I didn't learn anything that I hadn't already known. But despite (any maybe because of) the simplicity of the story, it read like a dressed up version of a basic timeline of Elizabeth's life. Not a lot of character depth; just a story of friendship and love simply placed over the non-fiction details of Elizabeth's life and the events in it.
In general, a pleasant read. Kept me interested, but not riveted.

The story had no true purpose. It was flat. Ms. Ashley would have done better to concentrate more on developing her heroine and her clasdestine activities. Instead she floats all over, in effect, glossing over her heroine and her supporting activities. Even her portrayal of history was incorrect. Elizabeth didn't go to the tower until AFTER Queen Mary had married. Pick a time in the turbulent period and stick with it. Ms. Ashley doesn't have the talent to write a novel spanning over a decade. She needs to stick with fiction. History isn't her cup of tea.

Told through the eye's of Eloise, Elizabeth's seamstress and confidante, this is a somewhat lukewarm telling of Elizabeth's road to be Queen. It begins with the death of her father, Henry VIII, and ends somewhere around her 30th year after she has cooled things off considerable with Robert Dudley.

During the turbulent years of the reign of "Bloody Mary", Eloise doubles as Elizabeth's spy by gathering information for Elizabeth while she is Mary's prisoner. Somehow a seamstress manages to keep Elizabeth informed of the goings on in the outside world. You have no idea how in the world she manages to do so. That is until one obscure sentance gives it away. It actually is an intriguing way it's done and it would've added so much more to the story if it had been examined more than just a blurb that could easily be missed.

There is a romance between Eloise and her contact, James Colby, although you'd never know it from the complete absence of any sort of passion between the two. Their clandestine meetings seem to be nothing more than gossip followed by a parting kiss.

Elizabeth is not portrayed as a the passionate, headstrong woman she was. Well, maybe the headstrong part! She was written as a self-centered brat who goes around slapping everyone. Even her elderly governess who she claims to love more than anyone.

There is no story development between Robert and Elizabeth, rather you as a reader are instructed that they were good friends who eventually may have become lovers. Their relationship is told rather than felt. In fact, it seems as though every important event that happened during that time is glossed over. The only thing really in depth is the depiction of Elizabeth's gown.

I just did not enjoy this novel much at all. It lacks passion and the ability to pull the reader into the story, at least this particular reader. The last 100 or so pages were so much better than the first 200 so that saved it from getting two stars! I can only recommend this novel is you're a die hard fan of anything having to do with Elizabeth. I give it a halfhearted three stars.

I'm not a fan of historical fiction or biography. My book group chose this book and I unenthusiastically agreed. Instead of wading through the book, I quickly became fascinated by the story created by Jennifer Ashley. I finished the book in less than 48 hours giving me plenty of time to explore a biography of Elizabeth I as a factual contrast. If I finish that book, I'll submit a review for that book also.

These days, when I see a novel set in Tudor England -- from 1485 to 1603 -- I automatically cringe. So very much historical fiction is set in these times that it was become painful for me to read it, as most authors tend only to do the most cursitory of research, and usually, they don't get it right.

Let's face it, the life of Queen Elizabeth I of England is pretty heady stuff and a great temptation for any novelist. No one had expected Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to become queen -- after all, she had a younger brother, Edward, and an elder sister, Mary, who would inherit before she did. And this princess had a less than ideal childhood -- alternately cherished then banished by her father as the whim too him, she was barely a toddler when her mother was victim to the executioner's sword. She was highly intellectual, with a natural flair for music and languages, and a wit that could run circles around most people.

Jennifer Ashley's The Queen's Handmaiden, takes a look at the early life of this remarkable woman through the eyes of one of her attendants. Eloise Rousell is the daughter of a gentlewoman and a roving player in a theatre troop -- not exactly a birthright that will ensure stability. Raised by her grandmother, Eloise quickly displays an unusual talent, and one that will help her make her fortune -- she is an expert seamstress, able to create gowns that are beautifully made and designed. Eloise is also clever, and has learned quickly to keep her mouth shut -- a trait that will be even more valuable in the treacherous Tudor court. When still a child, she's sent to live with her Aunt Kat Champernowne, who is none other than the Lady Elizabeth's governess.

Growing up as both a servant and a confidant of the princes, Eloise quickly turns into a quick-minded young woman. Through her eyes we see the dashing, if not too bright, Thomas Seymour, and his troubled marriage with Catherine Parr, and it is both of the girls first encounter with both love and treason. There is the short reign of her brother Edward VI, who is merely a king in name while two powerful families, the Seymours and the Dudleys, who each strive to be the real ruler of England. And then, there is Mary, Elizabeth's older sister who both wishes her sister dead, and England returned to the Roman Catholic faith...

Certainly we've seen this story before, written over so many times that it has pretty much become a cliché in the world of novels. How many plucky heroines who are nobodies can the reading world put up with? But Eloise Rousel is a bit different and Ashley isn't afraid to make her so, either. While her role in the novel is that of the narrator, she is strong enough to have her own voice, and not once does the author let her slide into insipid, mawkish mooning about either -- Eloise is quite aware of the dangers around her, and not even the attraction that she has towards a courtier, John Colby, is enough for her to loose her good common sense. Too, Ashley is wise enough to keep her heroine from the usual antics found in historical novels -- Eloise is not ravishing, or brilliant, or the sort who strikes men down with her beauty. Instead, she's just a person, and leaves the brilliance to Elizabeth.

What sets this book apart is that Ashley has managed to capture the essence of this monarch, and keeps it within what is known. She throws temper tantrums, isn't above slapping her servants in a fit of pique, and an absolute peacock in wanting admiration and near worship. But she was also very loyal to her friends, had a great deal of resiliency when it came to times of crisis, and would ultimately prove to be the right monarch for England when the time came. All of these traits were fairly well documented in the queen's time, and Ashley makes excellent use of her sources.

Finally it is the amount of research about the real people and events, the details of daily life and dress, that make this novel worth it. While it does get a bit heavy with the florid prose over clothing details, Ashley keeps the story moving briskly along at a near breakneck pace. Not once was I bored with the story, nor did my attention wander, which is to me the sign that an author has really paid attention to what she is doing.

My biggest complaint is that the romance between John Colby and Eloise never really seems to catch fire -- everything is at a very cool simmer and it comes across as more of a business arrangement than any sort of love affair. Still, that too can be documented with the times, and Ashley wisely stays away from having the reader trudge through pages of erotica to tell her story. Thank goodness; it's a very welcome break in the world of historical novels these days.

Overall, a solid four stars. It's not a great novel, but it is certainly a good one, and well worth the trouble to seek out if you enjoy historical settings. For me, it's definitely a keeper, and I suspect that I'll be giving it a reread several years down the road.

Recommended.

The Book was between a Jane Austen and contemporary author. It was easy listening but not alot to the plot or story line.

I have to admit that I am a sucker for old-fashioned, "sweet" romances. This one is definitely a keeper for me, and ranks up there with the best of Mansfield, in my estimation. I didn't have any problem with the Scottish brogue, but that is because I am a lover of all things scottish, and I have read so many books with brogue in them that I already knew a lot of the words. Besides, they were either explained, or easy to figure out from the context. I thought the hero to be a true hero--gentle, warm, funny, and honorable. I liked the fact that he became fond of the heroine's family members, and that they reciprocated his feelings. The heroine was a bit arrogant at the beginning, and the author did a good job of showing how she had her faults revealed to her and how she had a change of heart about things. This book was a "clean" read and reminded me of some of my favorite old-fashioned romances. Definitely going on to my "keeper" shelf after my mom finishes reading it!

Compared with Mansfield's other books, this one is average. The Scottish brogue in many places diminishes the pleasure of smooth reading. This one is unlike her other books e.g. the Fifth Kiss or The Magnificent Masquerade which would evoke tender, warm or poignant emotions from her readers.Anyway, any book by Mansfield is delightful.

My major complaint is the unrealistic characters on the cover.

Yup! Celene Bernard, masquarading as a boy, was not going to let a man bully a woman, even an Indian woman, without trying to help.

Burke Cardwell has lived among the Chippewa Indians for the past 11 years with his traps and lovely Indian wife, Morning Song. Now he is a widower and suddenly decides he needs a disreputible woman to present as his wife when he returns to England. This will be the start of his revenge for being kidnapped and sent among the trappers.

Celene appears to be that woman, she is fiesty, uncultured and opinionated. Ah, but Celene has had enough of brutish men and their dominations. Never will she willingly surrender to a man's authority again.

Burke soon discovers a beauty in this silver haired, green eyed French woman that tugs at his protective instincts.

Of course, her abduction by the enemies of her father, Antoine Peugeot sets Burke on a trail of danger. Celene will have to petition her half-brother, Darkening Sky to help save Burke's life. And he still almost loses it because of Autumn Leaf's obsession with Cardwell. Oh, the troubles they live through! And she doesn't like the river.

Well the marriage finally happens and then Bayard Forrester shows up and throws everyone in a turmoil as he identifies the Eighth Earl of Hammondsford, Frederick Andrew Burke Hammond-Cardwell. WoW, is there trouble in the henhouse.

Read this great story of how Burke finally understands and gives up his idea of revenge against his grandfather, Alaric, the Fifth Earl of Hammondsford. [I think I have the name right].

What a tale - great plot - excellent characters and nasty relatives - mystical seduction - weird villians.

Definitely Recommend for those who like a well-rounded story.

From the back cover:

Widowed at twenty-three, Celene Bernard had learned that men could not be trusted--a woman needed a fiery spirit and a strong will to protect herself. So when she saw a trapper harassing a defenseless woman, she was so enraged that she pushed him into the Prairie du Chien mud. But she was even more furious when the uncivilized brute demanded her as his bride--and her traitorous father agreed.

An Englishman who had lived among the Indians, Burke Cardwell hardened his heart to her protests. But he soon grew determined to keep her from harm--and win her respect. When he saved her from a violent assult, Celene was forced to admit her gratitude. But as they braved danger among the fur traders, trappers, and Indians of the Mississippi Valley--and struggled to triumph over hardship and betrayal--a debt of gratitude grew into a bond of passion, and two hearts hardened by the wilderness were softened by the tender touch of love...

And my review:

Grayson obviously did a lot of research for this book, and it shows. Not in a good way. The book reads like a history textbook rather than a romance novel.

And the whole setup for the book felt very contrived. I can usually suspend disbelief enough for the sake of a good book, but it was just too much here. I had no idea why the characters acted the way they did. It made no sense why Burke instantly wanted Celene as his wife. It also made no sense as to why her father would agree.

This is the second time I've tried a book by Grayson that didn't meet the standards of a good romance novel. There will not be a third. If you're really determined to read BRIDE OF THE WILDERNESS, try to borrow it, as it's not going to be a keeper, even if you do get through it.

KF: I like Peaches Dann, the amateur sleuth with the faulty memory. But this is not the best of the lot. Actually, it is fairly confusing - giving one the impression of hasty writing and inattention to plot and transition. Certainly not fascinating or intriguing. Actually, not even very interesting.

Peaches Dann has such a faulty memory that she constantly has to create ingenious ways of reminding herself of what is important to her. Her methods are so effective, Peaches decides to help other people suffering from the same problem. She writes a book and starts a tour to promote it. Unfortunately, the book tour is interrupted by her rapscallion of a father, who, though wheelchair bound, has eloped with some woman he has only known for a few weeks. Peaches feels guilty because she introduced her lonely father to the colorful Azalea Marlowe.

She only finds out that they were married when Peaches receives a call from a Tennessee hospital spokesperson who informs her that Azalea has fallen down a ladder at the family homestead she was renovating. Her dad wants Peaches, who has demonstrated some crimesolving ability in yhe past, to investigate the incident because he suspects it was not an accident. When Peaches arrives at Azalea's place, she learns that the family's home has had several mysterious occurrences, including the unsolved disappearance of a groom and his future brother-in-law in 1849. That mystery reaches into the present day as someone is murdering people trying to learn what happened in the mid nineteenth century.

IS THERE A DEAD MAN IN THE HOUSE? Is the fifth book in the Peaches Dann series, starring a unique heroine whose faulty memory makes her crime solving abilities a delightful counterpoint. Elizabeth Daniel Squire creates a realistic murder mystery that is only solvable if the reader is a genius or an expert on amateur sleuths. Ms. Squire has created a charming series that successfully combines the best of a cozy with the elite of a literary mystery.

Harriet Klausner

It's not often I read a book that not only teaches me something about science and history, but provides a great read as well. "The Music of the Spheres", by Elizabeth Redfern, is one such novel. The level of detail and description of late 18th century London's taverns, back alleys, and environs are very well done and the historical context (after the French revolution) was a fascinating look at a historical era that I knew very little about.

The mixture of murder, astronomy, history and plots within plots was a great effort, and reminded me, at times of a Le Carre novel. As in Le Carre, you find yourself in the middle of a world that deals in intrigue, shades of gray, and very few happy endings.

My one criticism of this book is that I would have liked to know more about the inner government intrigues and villains who were pulling the strings that put the back dealings and treacheries in motion.

I look forward to reading Miss Redfern's next novel, Auriel Rising.

I don't like fiction. I don't like mysteries. But I do like history and astronomy, so when I saw the book I figured, Why not? I started reading and was hooked. The story got progressively more exciting, building toward a climax...that sucked!! The ending was heartbreaking, which after the depressing-ness of the rest of the novel practically killed me. But I could have lived with that except that the whole last scene was so hackneyed, poorly conveyed, and out of keeping with the rest of the book.

Some of the things I liked were that none of the characters was perfect, i.e., things were not black and white but with a lot of shades of gray. Also, the chapters are short, which is nice because you can grab a portion of the story and not have to remember later what was going on. And I liked the sex scenes--they may not have furthered the plot, but sometimes you need a little breather and what better way?

But I can't give it four or five stars because the ending was just too apocalyptic and contrived. What I would like to see is a sequel in which at least *somebody* ends up happy.

One of Ms. Redfern's astounding gifts as a writer is her ability to make you smell. So if one doesn't like the fact that London used to smell badly, as did some of its' residents, go for a perfumed romance instead.
The book is well crafted with characters of substance. The subplots do not go on interminably. The end comes about at a rapid pace; and it may not be to the emotional satifaction of all concerned.
It's gritty, smelly and immensely entertaining.

It always amazes me how many people can't read anything more complex than Sue Grafton. But then it explains the American movies and television.It all caters to that chunk of population.Elizabeth Redfern wrote a rich and complicating book that requires little effort and patience,which are in short supply among our countryman.Risk it and reward will be more than worth it.

This is a rich, multi-layered novel that intrigues, fascinates and irritates in turns. This was Ms Redfern's debut novel and a combination of effective writing and intriguing characters with some mystery and science blended in makes for a fascinating combination.

Irritating? Well the ending didn't 'feel right'. But I realised that this was a direct consequence of my having become attached to the characters and substituting my own preferences over the author's.

Recommended to those readers who enjoy some science and mystery in historical fiction.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This starts out ok, but doesn't fufill the promise of the first few chapters. The flow of the narrative is so uneven that there are several places where it almost seems as if the publisher accidently left out several paragraphs. Read McKillip, Kerr, LeGuin, or McKinley if you want to read good fantasy by a female author. Especially read Monette if you're interested in fantasy with gay/lesbian themes.

While this book is certainly a far cry from 'traditional' when compared to most fantasy novels, the stilted and extremely choppy writing style, along with the rambling plot left me clueless as to how it could have possibly won the World Fantasy Award. There are far better books out there.

First of all, an important note before I begin (since this tends to be the biggest suspicion directed at a male reviewer grading a female author's book): I'm not a fantasy chauvinist. I rank Robin Hobb and Patricia McKillip among my favorite fantasy authors. With this disclaimer behind me, on to the review.

I'll start with the positive side. Lynn knows how to write. That's certain. Her action development is quite proper, her characters are pretty believable too. Major warning however: in Lynn's novels from the Tornor series, every character, be it male or female, is involved in a pretty explicit homosexual affair. I tend to find this a bit exaggerated at best, but since humankind has had cultures which exhibited this behavior too (ancient Greece), I'm not putting this as a con of her stories, just a warning.

The real downsides are much more important. The major one is... lack of action. This shows mostly in this part of the trilogy. The word "trilogy" is actually not really warranted here, since you'd tend to think about a trilogy as three _connected_ novels - if it were so here, I guess my mark would be at least one star higher, since this novel does quite good for a starter-of-three. The only problem is that... it isn't. There isn't really too much happenning here, the book is short and the action is virtually characters travelling from one location to another. Maybe there are fans of "descriptive fantasy", but I'm not one of them. I either need to have a good plot or a decent problem to think over when I read a book, this one has neither.

Actually, if you want a "soft" transformation from some slow-paced, non-fantasy literature to fantasy, you might want to ignore the above and just read this, it might be a good choice for you. Otherwise, if you want something more subtle than hack'n'slash, I'd recommend Robin Hobb. If you want good quality hack'n'slash, go for Salvatore. If you just want plain epic fantasy, go for Brooks. Lynn is not the way to go here.

The first book of one of my favorite trilogies, it ranks with LeGuin's "Earthsea" works. I like my fantasy subtle, not full of
stock "beings", and set in interesting cultures, and this fills
those requirements entirely. If you're looking for action and
adventure, rather than exploration, look elsewhere. I only wish
Ms. Lynn had fulfilled the early promise of this work, rather than
publishing sporadically and parsimoniously. I especially like the
way that the society described in the trilogy evolves during the course of the three books.

The main character of Elizabeth Lynn's "Watchtower" is the compelling and stoic warrior, Ryke. Ryke is loyal, tough--a no-nonsense kind of man's man. He's a right-hand man, everything you'd want in a number two. But because he's a hero's sidekick in search of a hero, and he can't carry the book by himself.

He's loyal to Prince/lord Errel, who at first shows hints of having underlying steel when he is held captive and forced to play the role of a jester by the men who overtook his father's keep and murdered all his men. But Errel soon turns into a power-renouncing nancy-boy who would rather juggle and farm the rest of his life than take up his father's legacy.

Not exactly the stuff of epic fantasy.

And beyond that, the story fails to make you care. It has a host of shallow supporting characters, and a long middle-section which is more boring than watching hobbits walk and eat. It's also driven by a strong sense of 'why?' that never gets answered.

Quite simply, Lynn finds the sweet-spot that makes you _want_ to like her book, but can't ever quite actually make you like it.

The stories, without fail, were tame and harmless as a paperplate. I would recommend this book to couples trying to rekindle some sort of bland passion, or to those who feel that holding hands is a type of foreplay.

This was overall pretty well done, but not quite as spicy as I like. It was still worth reading and more exciting than some of the snoozers they have out. They just don't make them like Ann Rice anymore, do they? her 'Beauty' Trilogy is the best I have ever found. More recent is Nancy Madore's Enchanted, which is probably one of the best erotics I have seen lately.

Naughty Bedtime Stories is one great erotic short-story collection. I had once read one erotic novel by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd called Midnight Butterfly and it was about time I read another one of her offerings. This collection contains some rather naughty stories for couples. Each story contains something that will please a specific reader. Lloyd has written stories with elements of bondage, different fetishes, fantasy and paranormal. My favorite stories are "In My Dreams," "Woodworking Wizard," "The Woman Who Tried to Seduce Death," "Succubus," "Incubus," and "Read Aloud." There is something for everyone here. Even though some of the stories were disappointingly short, Naughty Bedtime Stories is an overall satisfactory read (so to speak).

I have read some other books by this author that I enjoyed, so I was excited to get this one. However, I discovered that this is exactly the same book as one I already had by her by another name "Bedtime Stories for Lovers III". Why would you market the same book by another title??? I was very upset to have paid money for the same book.

This book is at the emotional level of a third grader. There is no concept of suspense, realistic events, or realistic characters. The plot moves like molasses and Peaches Dann speaks to us as if she has no faults (besides her cutesy memory problem). There is no emotion in this story whatsoever. Someone killed my aunt, and is trying to kill me? I'm not going to show any emotion or hide out. I'm going to be stupid and hang around investigating! My latest amazement comes from the fact that it ships in 24 hours from amazon - while reading it, I was somewhat amazed that it was ever published. To sum up, the bright spots of the book were a cat and uhh, the other cat.

I was saddened to read the above review about the late Elizabeth Squire's work. The person obviously doesn't like cozies. With her permission, I was happy to include a counter review that was posted on Dorothy L recently. This book begins the absent minded sleuth Peaches Dann series, which includes 6 other books, all of which were reviewed most favorably by numerous literary critics and fans. Why else would there be so many! I hope future readers will not be diswayed by the above review and keep the legacy of Peaches Dann and her author alive for many years to come. Just remember ... these are cozies! Enjoy the ride!

Peaches Dann is used to her father's paranoid outbursts, so she only goes out to check the pond to humor him. Much to her dismay, she finds that her father was right this time. Her Aunt Nancy's body is lying face down in the water. But who could have wanted to kill her aunt? Or was Peaches the intended victim, since she and the victim have similar dresses. Then another murder takes place, in a trap most likely meant for Peaches. What does it all mean? Peaches will have to use every memory trick she's learned over the years to figure this one out.

With a title like this book has, I went in expecting a cozy mystery and was not disappointed in that regard. The book could have been better overall, however. The plot moves along at a slow pace and I really struggled to get into it. While there are several likeable characters, I also found myself irritated by many of them. The references to Peaches' poor memory (which I didn't think was nearly as bad as it was made out to be) and excerpts from her "book" on memory techniques were also overdone.

Peaches is certainly a pleasant character. I'll probably give the author another try to see if she developed as a mystery writer. Not my favorite book read this year, but I've certainly read worse.