Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

If the world of Midkemia feels familiar--possibly even cliched--that's because it is. Ray Feist is writing from a D&D game that he had in college, so the fantasy is not original in setting. D&D itself is a rather clumsily thrown-together goulash of all kinds of fantasy stereotypes and cliches itself.

Despite that, Magician (and the rest of the Riftwar Saga) succeed where so many other novels in the genre do not, due to compelling characters, interesting and intriguing plot, drama, tensions, romance, and a very skilled writer.

So many other "high fantasy" writers leave me disappointed; Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, David Eddings, R. A. Salvatore... the list goes on and on.

Raymond Feist is one heck of a writer, and that's the secret of his success.

Raymond Feist was not the first author I read a book from when first coming into fantasy, but I wish it had been, he is by far the best in his class next to Tolkien. In the First book magician Pug And Thomas, I gat shivers thinking about it i have never enjoyed another book better then Feist's book's in my 20 years living I would say if you hadn't read this book you missed out on an experience. The transformation that Pug and Thomas go throw both being so unique and so original in thinking that i was blown away.; Arutha by far is the greatest charater in both a book world and someone you might meet on the street. Every character Feist introduces It's hard to explain it's almost like there real just coming out of the page and talking to you face to face he really makes it good and thr depth that the story goes into is almost feels like it could happen. The theres that deep family feeling that comes at you when you read about Duke Borric and Arutha and Lyme and of course Martin WOW!!!!!! Thats something only a Master of words can accomplish.

This book was simply amazing. At times it felt like I was reading one of the Lord of the Rings books but besides that everything seemed creative and original. Feist threw many very good ideas together in the book. He did a good job in making everything nice and understandable. While I was reading the book I felt like I was actually connecting with the characters. If you like fiction books then picking this up would be no mistake.

Magician is the first book in Raymond E Feist's epic Riftwar series. Set primarily on the world of Midkemia, a medieval, rural type world, the story centres on two boys, Pug and Tomas. Pug's ambition is to be a magician whilst Tomas wants only to become a soldier. All is going well in their lives until war erupts, changing the boys' lives forever. The twist in this tale is that the invaders are from another world, a place called Kelewan that is medieval Chinese in style, populated by a harsh and cruel race. They have discovered a rift in space/time that allows them to cross to Midkemia where they cause havoc, murdering and enslaving the Midkemians. Naturally, as with all fantasy books, the two youngsters are, in their differing way, to become heroes and to save the day. One criticism could be that there is not much detail given regarding Kelewan but Feist (along with Janny Wurts) has brought out the Empire trilogy which is a series set on that world. For anyone wanting that extra information, they will find those books a real treat.
This book seems (judging by previous reviews) to be one that you will either love or hate. Many have tried to compare it to Tolkein whilst others belittle that view. It certainly isn't Tolkein, but is an original and interesting book in its own right. Sure, many of the staples of fantasy are there such as elves and dwarfs, swords and sorcery etc. but there is enough originality in this book to make it a very worthwhile read.
This is a big book to read (in the USA it has now been split into two volumes) but don't let that put you off, it's not so heavyweight that it becomes a chore to read, nor so lightweight it becomes boring. It's certainly worth the time of any lover of fantasy fiction.

This is my favourite science fiction fantasy book of all times. Raymond E. Feist created a masterpiece in this book which he continued over his next set of books.

I loved the excellent character development in this book. Pug and Thomas are amazingly complex characters that you feel like you know after reading the book.

I find it very hard to believe that this amazing book has gotten so many bad reviews here. I don't expect everybody to like science fiction/fantasy but if you do, you will love this book.
In fact if asked to recommend a starting science fiction/fantasy book I will always recommend this book.

Myself I have read it many times and no doubt I will read it again. Although some of his later books were excellent none of them came close to this wonderful book until the daoughter of the empire series which was co-written with Janny Wurts.

I am so sad that Sailor moon products are out of print. This is an amazing story. I love the Manga and the Anime. 200 episodes wasnt enough!

The whole series is very mysterious and keeps you on the edge of your seat. When you're reading this series all that goes through your mind is "What's the Golden Crystal?" 'Who's Helios?" And most of all "Is Darien gonna be OK?" Finally the last book of this series! IT's wonderfully written and drawn as I said before. It teaches you little lessons that you don't realize until you need to know these lessons. (Does that make sense?) If you read the previous books of the SuperS series you should really get this one to find out what happens in the end. It's so sweet and happy!

This is my absolute favorite out of all the Sailor Moon mangas. I love the Supers series to death, and this is the perfect ending. I've got to say that the main reason this one is my favorite is because of the artwork. It's stunning, to say the least. Ms. Takeuchi pulled out all the stops on this one. No matter how many times I read Supers #4, the picutres never fail to make me stop and say, "Wow". It's certainly not lackin in plot, either. This is where everything comes together, and every twist and turn is compelling and credible. Every element of the ending to Stars is satisfying. This little book, in my opinion, represents manga at its finest.

This is a wonderful volume. Bunny/Darien, Usagi/Mamoru, Serena/Darien are my favorite couple. I loved both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version is my favorite and the English version is great. I use both the Japanese names, Usagi and Mamoru and the English names Bunny and Darien. In this volume, many events occur. Bunny and Darien awaken and have lots of romantic moments together. Soon, they must face more challenges. Bunny and Darien are girlfriend and boyfriend and eternal lovers. They must face a huge challenge when a secret about Bunny's past is revealed. Bunny is worried, but Darien comforts her. Darien protects his true love, Bunny. Darien tells Bunny to lend her his power. Darien tells her they can conquer this. Darien and Bunny kiss. As they kiss and hold hands, the energy of their love and power saves them. Darien and Bunny's kisses are so loving. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask kiss and have lots of loving, romantic kisses in the series. Soon, a secret is told about Bunny and secrets are revealed as Bunny and Darien discover new things. Find out what will happen in this volume. Bunny and Darien are the best couple. Usagi and Mamoru are the best couple. Serena and Darien are the best couple. Usagi/Mamoru and Serena/Darien and Bunny/Darien are all the best couple in ever version.

This is THE most cool comic book I have ever read! It totally blows Dennis the Menace out of the water!! The conclusion of the SuperS series is included in #4; including yet another oh-so cute 'n' funny "Rini's Diary" (What happened to the 'picture' part??). We see all of the sailor scouts "Sailor Guardian's" and the senshi in their princess forms!! Also Luna, Artemis and Diana turn into their human forms, (Flashback to the Sailor Moon S movie!), and Bunny flashbacks to the Silver Millennium. (There are some VERY cute scenes of Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity as a baby, as well as the six/seven year old Inner Senshi! Oh, and witness the birth of the one who possesses the second greatest power to the Queen (no, its not Tony Blair!), ETERNAL Sailor Moon! And a new crystal of the Pink Moon! (Guess who owns it?)

This is a re-read from my youth and I am glad that it has been reissued. I love all of Engdahl's work and I only wish that she would write more after her long dry period. A well-writte intelligent and charming female protagonist learns and grows within a setting much like early (good) Andre Norton- reminiscent of Ice Crown, in fact.

This is an interesting book. I like the three different voices she uses to narrate the three different worlds, and the way the most advanced world, being the most self-aware, is done in first person.

Interesting questions are raised and about truth, right/wrong, etc. I do not agree with everything the author seems to believe, but this book would be a good springboard for discussion of questions like, "What is truth?" and "What/who is God?" and "Is there anything beyond what we can see and study with traditional science?"

There are a lot of other interesting questions that can be pondered that the book raises but does not answer. For instance, was Alana's father exploiting her young heart and propensity to fall in love in order to save the world of Andrecia and, if so, is that a morally defensible thing?

Not the absolute best book I have ever read, but worth reading, and probably worth reading more than once.

Having read Sylvia Engdahl's excellent novel, The Far Side of Evil, several years ago, I approached this book with a positive outlook that it would be just as thought-provoking and well told. I wasn't disappointed, though this novel is indeed different in tone.

The Enchantress of the title is Elana, whose exact age is never given but can be assumed to be in her late teens or early twenties. Elana, looking for adventure and real life experience, stows away on board a starship that is sent to Andrecia, a medieval planet that is currently being colonized by a more advanced society. Once her presence is known, her father and boyfriend decide that Elana can indeed help with the plan to oust the invaders, which will allow Andrecia to continue to develop at its own pace. Elana becomes the "Enchantress"; she befriends two locals who are off to fight the "Dragon" (a massive rock-chewing machine), and helps them by awakening their own skills so that their quest will be successful. In the process, Elana finds herself falling for the local known as Georgyn, and in her inexperience, putting them both in grave danger.

This book moves seamlessly between points of view, which gives it a much more universal feel than had we only known Elana's side of the story. When Georyn's voice takes over, the story almost becomes a fairy tale; indeed, that is how he sees Elana and the invaders who have come to his world. Elana is, of course, young and inexperienced but desperate to do the right thing; and Jarel is the lone voice of the invaders, unsure of his world's plans but unable to do anything to stop them.

I enjoyed this novel but did feel that at times it was a bit on the fantastic side. I felt the plans Elana's father made to dupe the invaders weren't necessarily believable, but I was able to keep in mind that this is indeed a fantasy. Elana could be infuriating in her lack of knowledge and her headstrong ways, and her poor boyfriend Evrek is relegated to the background while Elana forges ahead with a relationship with Georyn. Overall, however, this is a well-written novel and Engdahl has a gift for telling a tale that will pull you in from the first pages. Over thirty years since its debut, this thought-provoking novel holds up well and is just as relevant today. Recommended for lovers of fantasy.

When Elana's mission gets put in jeopardy she faces a lifetime of torture and imprisonment. Will she be able to save herself and the mission? Elana, the Enchantress, and her father were agents of the Federations Anthropological Center and it was their assignment to stop the Imperials from taking over the planet Andrecia. They led Georyn, a woodcutter's son, to believe that a stone was the source of his new magical powers; however, the truth was that they had taught him telekinesis and he wasn't even aware of it. Georyn was supposed to use his "magic" to defeat the dragon (a mechanical weapon used the Imperials). Elana and Georyn were on their way to the Imperials camp when natives captured them. The natives took them to the Imperials camp where they were locked in barracks. The Imperials planned to send them to a research center to be studied. Elana persuaded one of the guards, Jarel, to help them and he let Georyn out of his cell when no one was paying attention. When it appeared that the dragon was going to defeat Georyn, Elana decided to sacrifice herself to try to end the whole ordeal. As she ran and laid in front of the dragon, a flood of courage surged through Georyn. He used his magic powers to save her, stop the dragon, and scare away the Imperials. Georyn went to the king to announce that the dragon had been killed and to get his reward. He decided to explore the rest of the planet he lived on while he had the chance. Elana left Andrecia after accomplishing her goal and traveled back to her own planet. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys reading a great book.
This book is written with loads of details. Georyn was the youngest of four sons born to a poor woodcutter, who lived on the planet Andrecia. Elana was a young woman in the First Phase of her training to be an agent. Jarel was an Imperial medic who was determined to prove that his civilization was not right in trying to colonize Andrecia.
Even though this is a science fiction book some of the things in it are realistic to our own world. The cool, green, peaceful planet, Andrecia is the third planet of a medium sized yellow sun. The Federation tried to prevent weaker nations from being taken over by stronger nations. Some types of people tend to be better at some things than others.
This book will stretch the reader's imagination. The Imperials used a huge machine that resembled a dragon to clear an area on Andrecia for the colony they were planning to establish. Georyn was taught telekinesis on a subconscious level, therefore he didn't even know about it. The Federation was an organization meant to save weak planets from the more powerful ones trying to colonize.
I recommend this book to everyone. It is a great read. It is very imaginative but some of the elements of the book seem somewhat realistic. Even if you are not a big fan of science fiction books this is a story that everyone should read.
~V. Newberry

Please keep in mind that I really liked this book. "Enchantress" is well written and enjoyable. That being said, I could not entirely enjoy the story because I had a problem with the heroine. I know this probably says more about me than her but...

The heroine, as thoughtful and insightful as she is, is a bit of a hypocrite. She "suffers" enormously with guilt about even the smallest of lies she is forced to tell her "poor primitive" lover.

On the other hand she only feels a twinge of condescending pity for her fiancé whom she has been more-or-less betraying by concealing her "forbidden love" for the "primitive" for most the book.

And when it comes to lying to her father and sneaking around behind his back; forget about it! She doesn't even hesitate a second and even takes a certain pleasure in it, even when, inevitably, her "disobedience" endangers entire civilizations.

There are only four main characters in this book. The heroine, her male father, her male fiancé, and her male lover. I found myself many times wishing she had a mother, sister, or best friend to whack her upside the head and tell her to stop acting so ridiculous.

The one woman who COULD and WOULD have set her straight was killed as the book opened. (Actually there WAS one other female in the book; a practically-unconscious sacrifice victim being "delivered to the dragon.")

Anyway enough about my problems. If you didn't even notice the things I had issues with, (and you probably didn't) "Enchantress" is a good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even more than the first (Fablehaven). My youngest son wants to be a writer so I'm always on the lookout for books like this one that are imaginative and well written in order to inspire him; the story is so well told that you just keep turning pages!

This second book to Fablehaven (The Rise of the Evening Star) is even better than the first! and the first book is pretty darn good! We have not read the third book yet but you can bet that as soon as it arrives we will devour it with the same enthusiasm as with the first two books! I highly recommend the Fablehaven stories to young and old.

The communication between Kendra and Seth is so well done that you could believe they are flesh and blood siblings instead of fictional characters. Sometimes authors fail to research the previous information from the first story so it melds with the future books, but Brandon Mull apparently knows the story he is telling so well that I didn't find any disconnects or irregularities in the flow of the plot or characters from one book to another. These stories are humorous, intriguing and enchanting!

I have found that Mull has written another book titled "The Candy Shop Wars" which I'm going to check out after I finish this review. Kudos to Brandon Mull for what looks like a very successful young adult fantasy fiction series!

This is a follow up to the first one. We found it very enjoyable and great fun as we traveled with the children into Fablehaven once again. Great book! Fantastic series.

I love Fablehaven, but I can't understand why people compare it to Harry Potter? It is not HARRY POTTER, the plot is completely different. Fablehaven is it's OWN book. I don't want to know how it compares because ,in actuality, it doesn't, they're two separate novels. Also, why do people give whole synopses on a book some people haven't even read yet? It totally gives away the whole STORY... Thanks, thanks a lot. I won't have to read the book now, I'll just read peoples reviews on it. I digress: I love Fablehaven, it's really imaginative and kids will adore this book! The dialog is wonderful. If you like fantastical creatures and magic and such this book is great for you. I thought it was just going to be a stupid children's book when I read the first page but it turned out great. I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to read the other books.

Great series that my 10 year old son loved! Couldn't put them down. Can't wait for the 3rd book to come out.

When Kendra realizes that the new boy in her class is really a monster, she and her brother are soon approached by a mysterious stranger that claims to know their grandfather and a way to get rid of the monster. When he asks the children's help for a dangerous mission, can they trust him? And back at Fablehaven, Seth and Kendra's grandparents have hired three individuals to hunt down an artifact hidden on the grounds. The evil Society of the Evening Star has begun to hunt down the magical artifacts as well. And if the society gets to all of them first, the result would be catastrophic.

It is unusual when a sequel is better than the first. But Mull has managed to create an even more exciting and fantastic story than the first Fablehaven book. More danger, more suspense, more mysteries, and more fabulous characters. I have to say that I'm enjoying the Fablehaven series just as much as Harry Potter! The children and the choices they make are believable. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with the danger continuously escalating. The characters and creatures are incredibly vivid. And the illustrations are wonderful. This was simply one of the best books for youth that I've ever read.

Both of my grandaughters (ages 10 and 7) are heavily into the Disney Fairies world. They loved the book. The illustrations are beautiful.

I love this book. I bought it for the younger kids who use the school library I work in, but my 8th graders won't give it up! They love it. A great book for all ages.

This was a present for my daughter bday. It came fast and was able to find a frame for it. It makes a great addition to her room!

My 6-yr. old granddaughter opened her present. When she saw the fairy book she squealed and then hugged the book and yelled "Mom, look, it's the fairies!" She loved it! The pictures are wonderful and there are plenty to look at. Great book for little ones with imagination.

Another wonderful book and a real collectible. My daughter was overjoyed with receiving this for the holidays.

I write this review having read this sometime ago. The whole way the author treats this 'brother' issue in this and later books is simple superb.

Needless to say, the brother is the exact opposite of Miles in so many ways - and tantalizing similiar. The author develops this dichotomy very well and uses it to very entertaining effect during the reading.

Must read book. The only down note is that it seems the author has exhaused the Vorkosigan theme - all good things must come to an end sadly.

One deadsicle, one schizo.


Mark impersonates his brother to take the Free Mercs off on a liberation mission. A bit of an understatement to say this doesn't go well. The original version is killed and frozen, and Mark is tortured until his not so stable personality fragments into many.

The M & M show has to someone get out of this and wreak some havoc on bad Barons.

I came late to this series, and had serious doubts about all the awards its author has won after reading Shards of Honor. Luckily, I bought the 2-in-1 "Cordelia's Honor" and forged ahead anyway into Barrayar. Wow. Now that was worth the praise. Then I advanced to Warrior's Apprentice and was further amazed. Could the author continue to churn out action packed smartly written comedy slash adventure slash dramas? She can. She has. Sure there are dips. I found Cetaganda a bit lifeless. But the other books are predominantly very strong and impressive.

Mirror Dance is the culmination of all that came before. Seeing the Vorkosigan's from Mark's perspective is like meeting them all over again. Watching him become human in the face of his newfound family's integrity and acceptance is incredibly moving. I can't lavish enough praise on this series or this book.

Not without suprsie I read the previous reviews. Personally I did not like the last three novels : "Mirror Dance", "Brother in Arms" and "Borders of Infinity" as much as the novels in the "Young Miles" book. It seemed to me that inadvertently Bujold's interest to moral dillemmas started to influence too much of the story and characters. I remember how one of my school teachers was telling us how Pushkin ( the author of "Evgenii Onegin" ) was distraught that his characters could not fall in love. To me this is an example how author remains loyal to the world of characters he creates and follows the logic of his own creation.
It also feels sometimes that Bujold falls somewhat victim to romanticising the brutal, ruthless world of Nexus monopolies, intelligencies and political intrigues that she had created herself). For example , suddenly Barrayran Chief Security ( who is described as one of the most feared and paranoid persons in the "mean" society of Mile's home planet) suddenly becomes soft and sentimental and lets Mark just off the hook. It appears that Bujold feels too conflictual about hurting more an "innoncent prey" of sadisctic Kommaran revolutionary.
-But what about the security risk?
-Yeah, but Mile's mother would not want that to happen to the clone of her son ( I think Bujold identifies with the Countess). Of course you could argue both ways.
Again,I would give away my left hemisphere for the poetic beaty of Bujold's right but, but .... I hope to see more "war hawkish" elements in the future novels.

Mirror Dance is a joy. I've read it four times now and each time I gain a greater respect for Bujold's ability to tell a compelling story. This is a difficult book to review because there is just so much going on. The basic plot review is that Mark is back and plans to take Miles' place with the Dendarii and save at least some clones from death. However, Mark forgot one thing--he isn't Miles and doesn't have his experience and knowledge base. Mark also failed to recognize Miles loyalty to a brother he has never know and to his troops. Mark also learns the hard way that people are not things and there are consequences to all actions.

Miles and Mark each make mistakes, misunderstand, and flounder about trying to do the right things in a situation that has no simple answers. In the end, they each learn more about themselves then about each other but at least there's a mutual respect and a willingness to try to be family.

This is truly a book that you'll have a hard time putting down. The action is fast paced, the plot threads are extremely tight, interwoven, and multi-leveled. It's staggering that all this is told in one novel. I laughed I cried and found myself trying to get the characters to listen to reason but alas they are already written and in the end all you can do is read on and hope that the end of the book is worth the joy and pain of the reading.. Brothers in Arms built up to this novel and Mirror Dance is a supreme payoff.

I have been gaming for over 15 years, ond only recently picked this up and played at a con. I love it. It's simple, easy to learn and play, and has an inherent flexibilty that makes it easy for Keeper's to make a judgement call on events not covered in the rules. (When in doubt, the Luck roll is a good bet).

If you want real horror, ignore the WoD and make it Cthulhu!

The Call of Cthulhu system, as written in the 5.5 and 6.0 versions, is one of the most complete systems I've ever found.

That is amazing, considering exactly how LITE the rules system is. There are very few hard and fast rules, with almost everything being handled by percentile dice. The system is very organic, with characters increasing in skill by performing them.

The characters in a Call of Cthulhu game are more 'real' than some similar games from other companies. They have a great sense of depth due to the occupation system used. Also, considering how lethal combat is in the game, you are greatly encouraged to think your way out of problems.

One other area that has been found by my group to be important is the ease of transfer from one 'style' of play to another. Whenever we are wanting to run any type of realistic game set in any era, we always look to the Call of Cthulhu rulebook for ideas. So far, we have run a wild west game and several other genres using the rules in this book.

The works of master horror writer H.P. Lovecraft of the 1920s have influenced almost every single good horror writer to date, from Ann Rice to Stephen King. COC is likely the best RPG ever put to print, and the publisher Chaosium just makes things easier for players by adding content from their various supplements with each new edition. A typical game session has your characters snooping around for clues, and interrogating various NPCs (non player characters), and then implementing a course of action. The climax of a campaign also often (unfortunately for players) includes one of the hideous deities of the Cthulhu Mythos, such as Azathoth, Cthulhu himself, Dagon, or, possibly the worst, Nyarlathotep, trickster god with a thousand avatars or "masks". COC is the only game that has ever given me, as the gamemaster, chills reading a supplement in the middle of the day. I also recommend picking up one of the numerous Cthulhu Mythos anthologies of short stories. Prepare to be scared

I first read these tales in an "Armed Services Edition" of HP Lovecraft stories, back in 1944! Sitting underseas in a US Navy Submarine in the South Pacific, scared to death, and lonely for home, these stories gripped me so completely, I forgot my real fears of war.

That old book, now tattered and yellowed with age, was read by my son and daughter, who now want to pass it on to my grandchildren. It's time for me to replace it with a new Penguin edition before is falls apart, totally!

Lovecraft's writing has many weaknesses, flowery language, poor characterizations and vague plots. I see all these faults now, but they never bothered me when I first read him. Women don't seem to be a part of Lovecraft's world, and that is a shame. His stories were too short to correct these faults. Modern full novels, in the Lovecraft tradition, like "The Riddle of Cthulhu," are written with many of HPL's faults corrected; like the inclusion, for example, of unforgetable characters, romance and a believable plot. Still, the "Call" is the source and the classic horror book. You must experience these classic stories, then move on to today's modern "Lovecraft Style" novels!

Doesn't it tell you something, that *every* review for this edition of this book gives it 5 stars? (Some of the out-of-print editions have reviews here too.) And let's face it, us RPG enthusiasts are not the sort of folks to shy away from criticizing.

Some people will say the Basic Roleplaying rule-set is outdated. It's true that games like Unknown Armies and Godlike are pretty cool, and I know people who are using those rules for their CoC games. But just try introducing a newcomer to those rules, or getting someone who's only played D&D before to convert. They get dizzy, I tell you. Nope, for a simple, elegant rule-set that just about anyone can grasp right off the bat, Call of Cthulhu's Basic Roleplaying has still got it, after more than 20 years. The rules fade into the background, where they belong.

And unlike other games with their multivolume core rulebooks and endless splatbooks that you *need* if you want a fully fleshed-out campaign, everything you really need is right there in this one rulebook. Heck, every time Chaosium does a new edition, they comb all the supplements for spells, monsters, skills, and so on, and add them into the new edition--to save you time and money! Chaosium even printed the entire short story, "The Call of Cthulhu," in this edition, so newbies can get a taste of what it's all about.

If you've got an older edition of CoC, you don't need to buy this one--the rule changes are quite minor. Unlike D&D, a new edition doesn't make everything you already know obsolete--"editions" of CoC are back-compatible with older editions and old supplements. Chaosium does new editions to keep the book in print and to make it a little better every time, not to force the fans to spend money. I bought it because my old book was getting worn out, and I wanted a more durable hardcover edition. Now I can loan out the old book to players. But I'm really happy with the little changes, and it's nice to have some of the information that used to be in adventures and supplements all gathered together in one book.

My only complaint was an annoying sticker on the cover, but I got it to come off with minimal residue. Overall, a solid, strong service. Average speed but great quality of the product itself.

Hart's Hope is a tragic tale about a land of magic and misery, where common people live in a desperate struggle to cling to life, and rulers rule with iron fists. The bulk of the story revolves around the life of Orem, the son of an ousted king and result of the meddling of powerful forces, who is meant to righten the natural order of the world that has been corrupted by the justifiable anger and hate of Queen Beauty.

The book is in the form of a narrative letter from one character to King Palicrovol, chronicling events in a fashion that draws you in and keeps you captivated from the beginning to the end. Difficult questions are raised about the necessity of evil and the justification of vengeance. The writing style is magical and mysterious, almost flowery at some points, and very graphic, maybe making this story a bit too much for the faint-of-heart (and certainly too much for young children). Explicit sexual scenes are not glossed over in the least and the commonplace brutality found in this story makes the whole thing more life-like, powerful, and sometimes disturbing.

The setting reminds me a lot of Card's Alvin Maker series, especially as far as the characters and the types of magic involved.

It takes real talent to tell such a powerful and epic story in 300 pages. Orson Scott Card is without a doubt one of the best Fantasy/Sci-Fi writers of all time.

In typical Orson Scott Card fashion, Hart's Hope does not disappoint. One of the things I love about Card is that each one of his books are entirely different, yet they are instantly identifiable as a book that he authored. What's even better is that he always exceeds my expectations. I could build up a book of his in my head for five years, and it would still be better than I could ever imagine. The man is magical with a pen (or a computer) and with Hart's Hope, he has written a truly magical tale.

Orson Scott Card has describe Hart's Hope as the most classic fantasy novel he has written, meaning that the book holds all the elements of a traditional fantasy. It takes place during an unstated time, yet seems medieval in fashion. It involves magic, sorcerers, kingdoms lost, kingdoms fought for, kingdoms saved, vengeance, and kings and queens. It's quite the epic novel wrapped up into a little under 300 pages.

Hart's Hope is the story of Orem, the unknown son of the king, Palicroval. Palicroval has killed the current king and taken the king's daughter as his wife. The king's daughter then decides to take vengeance and becomes Queen Beauty through a truly horrifying ritual of blood and sorcery. Queen Beauty in turn has put the king, Palicroval under a horrible spell and sees his every move. The Hart is a stag of 100 horns, a god of power. The Hart leads Palicroval to a woman who fathers Palicroval's son, though Palicroval is unaware of it. The child is named Orem and has powers that are unknown to anyone, even to himself. All of these storylines interweave into a very complex but surprisingly easy to understand plot that takes us on a truly magical, wondrous, and at times horrifyingly graphic, yet beautiful story.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've never been disappointed with Card. I've read nearly his whole library and find it very hard to rank books of his in order of which I like best, though I must admit that my favorite book of his is still Speaker For The Dead, the sequel to Ender's Game. The great thing about Card's novels is the love we feel for his characters. He has a gift of bringing a touch of humanity to all of his characters. I care about his characters like no other author's. Hart's Hope was no exception.

I enjoyed this one very much and would recommend it to any fans of fantasy. And for those that aren't crazy about that genre, you may still like this book. The writing and the story itself stand alone without being classified into a genre. Beautiful book!

The most lingering question you will have after reading 'Hart's Hope' is, 'What is evil, anyway?' Is Evil a single act? A single retribution? A single greed? Or is Evil a festering wound that takes years to nurture, molding it as you would a lump of clay? If Evil is singular, can it be absolved? Where does Evil end, and where does it begin?

'Hart's Hope' is one of the best books I have ever read. It still clings to me like a sticky web, trailing from my fingers as I pass my hand across all that I own, all that I am. And I ask myself, "What If?"

When Palicrovol defeats the bad King Nasilee, he only has to force the king's daughter Asineth to marry him and consummate the marriage in order for him to rule Burland. Palicrovol's single act of mercy in not killing Asineth as he was told he should do would eventually become his undoing. Instead of killing her, Palicrovol sends Asineth away with the powerful wizard Sleeve, but not before he has tagged Asineth with the name 'Beauty'.

Beauty's thirst for vengeance and power over the man who defiled her is legend, overpowering even the bonds of motherhood when she gives birth to a ten-month child, a bad omen. Obtaining magical powers through her child, Beauty sets out to challenge King Palicrovol.

Beauty leaves Palicrovol with his kingship, but takes over her father's city, renamed Inwit. She transforms Palicrovol's virgin bride into a hideous visage and renames her Weasel. Palicrovol, banished from the city, eventually finds himself spellbound to take a farmer's wife on the shores of a river.

The farmer's wife births a son named Orem. The majority of the story is about Orem's upbringing and adventure into Inwit, where Orem will meet his fate with Queen Beauty. Along the way are many unsettling events, one of my favorites being Orem's encounter with the Sweet Sisters, deformed co-joined twins separated by magic.

Hart's Hope is written with such lavish and precise prose that I could feel the wind, hear the lapping waters of the river, see the gates of the city, and smell the putrescence of Beggarstown. 'Hart's Hope' is as magical and mystical as your imagination will stretch, yet completely absorbing with its realistic description and dialogue.

It is a heart-wrenching tale of despair and broken promises, of abuse and outright evil, and of the hope that lingers in the hearts of those who keep faith. Steeped in curious creeds and mysticisms, Orem faces off against Beauty even knowing that he must sacrifice the one thing he holds most dear to his heart.

If you are a fantasy lover, you mustn't miss out on this spectacular tale. Though I warn you, it is dark. Truly one of the best books I have ever read. Enjoy!

This book was a complete surprise. I have been reading Orson Scott Card for about the last 15 years, but this amazing little book is quite a wonderful departure.

"Hart's Hope" reminds me of a classic, non-politically correct fairy tale with violence, magic and allegory. Underlying the story are the questions of what is good and evil as well as the power of words and the wonder of making and unmaking. These are classic themes but expressed in such a strong inventive voice.

Since this book is a pretty quick read, I am actually considering going back and re-reading this because I was really intrigued with the way Card plays with the different religions and Gods who are so real in the world of this novel that they have their own faults.

This is a fantasic fantasy read, unlike anything I have read in quite some time and very different from anything from OSC. Highly suggest this one.

The Never War is the third book in the Pendragon series. I thought this book was amazing this book I think was the best of all of the pendragons. This book brings back the characters Mark, Courtney, Spader, and Bobby and a new traveler Gunny. This book brings you back into 1937 on first earth. At the start of world war two and ends with a big ending that may shock you.
I would totally recommend this book because it envolve your own world and it makes you brush up on your history. This book is definitely the greatest sci-fi I have read. The Never War is a book that you never want to stop reading it keeps you on the edge of your seat through out the whole story and this book always has you thinking of what could happen next.

This is a really interesting book for probably one reason: the historical fiction.
This book takes you to First Earth, where life is eternally 40 yeaers behind our Second Earth. The plot of this story is where Saint Dane is trying to alter things that have already happened to cause chaos throughout Halla. This is about the Hindenburg. Saint Dane offers Bobby a chance to save the Hindenburg from crashing but what will happen if he doesn't?
This is book is chalk full of good historical fiction. I liked it, A LOT!

For this book review I read Pendragon: The Never War. The author of this fantasy book is D.J Machale.

This book is mostly about Bobby Pendragon who is a traveler and Gunny and Vo Spader, another two travelers who go through the flume that killed Uncle Press. Vo Spader and Bobby Pendragon come out and see two gangsters who have machine guns pointing right at them. The gangsters take them but they both escape and that's where they meet Gunny. Gunny takes them back to his hotel because he is a hotel bellboy. He lets them stay on the sixth floor. They meet a gangster named Max Rose but Max Rose makes them go see Winn Farrow. Winn Farrow catches them and ties them up and he burns the place down, but they escape. A big blimp called the Hindenburg comes in with Max Rose's money in it, but Winn Farrow fires a rocket at it and blows it up and Max runs into the blimp and he dies. They all go back to Second Earth and see their friends.

I think this book is a really good book because it didn't get boring or anything. It was a really exciting book. This book would be best for people who like good adventure books and exciting books.

The book that I read for my report was called The Never War by D.J. MacHale. The Never War is a fantasy book. It was very, very good.

My book is about a boy named Bobby Pendragon who is called a Traveler. Travelers can go to distant universes to fight off a very evil Traveler named Saint Dane. So, Bobby warps to New York 1937, where he is chased down by gangsters and has to deal with, of course, Saint Dane. As he explores this new, or old (to him), New York, he comes along the First Earth Traveler, Gunny.

Bobby also comes along a man named Max Rose, who was a rich gangster and was working with the Nazis in Germany. He finds out Rose has an enemy, Winn Farrow, a very dangerous gangster. But one thing that really makes Bobby mad is that Winn is planning on destroying a blimp called the Hindenburg. But, this blimp is from Germany and is sending Rose his payments for working with them. Should Bobby stop Winn from blowing it up? Or should he let him destroy it so history can play out the way it was supposed to?

You should really read this book. It is filled with excitement and adventure. I would recommend this book to people who like adventure and action. This was a very, very good book. It was probably one of my favorite books because the book flows and never leaves you hanging. The book is also suitable for people who like history. It is going on in 1937 and that's when World War II started.

D. J. MacHale wrote for television for years before turning his attention to novels. He created ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, a long-running series on Nickelodeon in the United States, but it also showed in Canada on YTV and Cinar.

For the last few years, he's been writing the adventures of Bobby Pendragon, a boy who's destined - hopefully - to save the world. Several worlds, actually. Bobby is a Traveler, one of those who have the power to "flume" from world to world. He's brought into the adventure by his Uncle Press. As Bobby was growing up, Uncle Press also took Bobby scuba diving, mountain climbing, to martial arts, driving, and several other things that gave him skills he needs to survive against enemies he encounters. All during that time, Uncle Press was training Bobby to be a Traveler.

Bobby's greatest foe is a villain called Saint Dane. Saint Dane has the ability to change his appearance at will and constantly hides in different worlds while working his nefarious plans.

THE NEVER WAR is the third book in this exciting series. In it, Bobby travels to First Earth, which takes place in the year 1937. The gangster era isn't new by any means, and I was slightly let down when I discovered I wasn't being taken to a new world. I especially loved Cloral, the world Bobby went to in the second book, THE LOST CITY OF FAAR, and I look forward to returning there hopefully in one of the later books.

Still, I'm older than the average Pendragon reader. The 1930s and the Hindenburg are familiar to me through several other books I've read as well as history I've researched.

For all the familiarity with the time period, though, MacHale tells a fascinating and fast-paced tale. Bobby and his new best friend Spader land in the 1930s while pursuing Saint Dane. They're immediately met by machine-gun toting thugs that try to kill them. Bobby figures out how to escape and gets Spader out as well. Spader is way out of his depth because he's never seen anything as "technologically advanced" as the 1930s.

One of the best things about the Pendragon books is that Bobby usually gets to save the day in a down-to-earth manner. He doesn't have any really special skills or powers that help him. At this point, he's fourteen years old and can do what most kids that age can. This makes the series more believable in some ways, and I think it draws the Pendragon audience in a little closer.

MacHale's sense of timing and pacing is excellent. The story moves quickly, and I got a real sense of urgency throughout the book as Bobby tries to figure out what Saint Dane is really doing. Many of the chapters end up on cliffhangers that will draw you rapidly into the next chapter. The dialogue is fantastic and sounds real.

One of the other facets of the series that I really enjoy is Bobby's friendship with Mark Dimond and Courtney Chetwynde. The closeness they share, even through Bobby's journals, feels real.

MacHale also mixes in adult heroes with his young champion. Vincent "Gunny" Van Dyke was an excellent grown Traveler in this novel. He was kind and gentle, and guided Bobby and Spader throughout the adventure.

I did miss the world-building in this novel, but I know MacHale gets back to it in later volumes of the series. But for kids who haven't researched the 1930s much, this should be a fun book and on equal footing with fans of Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

More of us need a mirror so we can truly see ourselves and discover that there are positive changes we can make that will enable us to be better people and that can make the world a better place to be. This is perhaps the weakest book of the five, but is still a good read. Do start at the beginning, however, of the series, or nothing will make much sense (if anything DOES ever make sense in this mixed up world of today).

Mark Rodriguez 2/26/06

The Mirror of Merlin, Author: T.A. Barron, ISBN: 0-441-00846-1

The Mirror of Merlin book review

As Merlin realizes that his home, Fincayra, is in grave danger of the ever growing haunted marsh, he steps up and decides he is going to find who made that happen and why. This story takes place at the legendary island called Fincayra, just before the medieval times. The characters in this epic story are Merlin, his friend Hallia, the evil witch Nimue, and a friend he meets on his way, Ector, (otherwise known as Arthur). As Merlin and Hallia find a ballymag (a water creature who lives in the marsh) in a stream instead of a marsh, he tells them that the haunted marsh is growing rapidly. They also discover that the marsh ghouls are attacking innocent people, which they only do when someone invades their territory. But they don't know that the evil witch Nimue is behind it all. The reason why the haunted marsh is growing so rapidly is because Nimue traveled through the magical mirror. This can take people into the past or future. Since she traveled through the mirror she has the power to control the marshes because someone unexpected taught her about the magical way. So she uses her magic for evil and controls the marsh ghouls and the marsh itself so she can take over the legendary island Fincayra. This book is one of the better fantasy books I've read.
The reason this book tops my list is because I really like fantasy books and that this book seemed really good to me. This book was also a real page turner. It kept up with the story and it sometimes got really suspenseful at times which caused me to read it even more. There are also really good descriptions throughout the book. I really enjoyed this kind of genre for this book because I love fantasy and anything with swords, dragons, or wizards has always interested me. This book really hit on all of those things that I love. I would recommend people from 6th grade to 8th grade to read it and if you are the kind of person that likes fantasy I would really recommend this book for you. Also there were a couple of surprises in the story that really got me. One of them was finding out that the little boy named Ector is really King Arthur. So if you need a book to read, pick this one up and enjoy!

This novel is a fast, fun, and thoroughly entertaining read. While not on the same level as the classic fantasy novels, Barron has found a way for the reader to connect to the young boy Merlin, and always want more at the novel's close.

In the long winter in a enchanted forest a child was born Merlin enchanted life. This book was a skill fully written book by Rosemary Sutcliff. A novel that will catch the readers eye. Set in England and partly in Norway, far away from the world we know to a unreal universe beyond imagination.

This book set in a fantasy/ medieval setting. The main character in this book is the all powerful Merlin, described as a towering, wise and tattered man. Merlin created by the evil, dark, shadowed, witch, and queen of evil Mab to bring the people back to the old ways. Queen Mab's plan backfired and merlin will do anything to get the queen back for killing his aunt Antasia. At just a hand wizard merlin is ready to fight. But is Merlin ready for the challenges he is about to face? Read the book and find out.

This phenomenal book I would recommend it to any young reader looking for a good book. If i were to rate this book on a scale from 1 to 10 it would be a 10. Any young reader would love this book.

This book review was written by Philip Davis

I liked this book because it presented problems not yet thught of in the average reader's mind. This bookis also intertwined with the other books so you didn't have to meet the whole cast of characters. It took little characters from the other books and made them bigger in one way or another.In every book new information is presented, this book holds alot. Not considering learning about Fincayra itself this book is only second to the fifth book.
I think the best part of this book was when he meets himself, it was a comical meeting. Full of questions and anwsers. The meeting of young and old made me feel and think of pity, sorrow, laughter and wonder on what is to come in the future.
I think the most vivid part of this book was when older Merlin grows a tree right in his own house. In the middle of his own living room! Reading the tree grow is as if you are right in the room when it happens. As if the tree is planted in the book and you are riding it yourself. Not only do you feel that you were there but that you belng there.