Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

Great sci-fi: readable, compelling characters, imaginative. It's been a while since I last read sci-fi and Netfold makes me wish to have more time for reading fun fiction like this one.

Shomron's characters act logically. I love that.

I hate horror movies where people walk backwards. They act illogically. Did you even notice that one of the things that make a Steven King novel better that the other horror schlock is that the protagonists act logically? Well, that's one of many things that makes NETFold great.

The story is tight and fast-paced. You won't believe the amount of action that takes place over a 37-hour period. (Well, time passes in a funny way in the net...) The characters are well-developed by their actions, not by long description.

I read the book for myself, and now I am reading it with my 11-year-old daughter. She is fascinated by it.

NETfold is a brilliant book. Much like Harry Potter created a new category of adventure literature, NETfold creates a new category of Sci-Fi literature - one that is just as certain to create an avid following.

NETfold's world is one in which next-generation computers facilitate the realization of our Earth fantasies, and allow us to condense an entire Earth day into a mere NET hour. Can you imagine what life would be like if you could build a beautiful home or graduate from college in just one week? But when an adventurous, lovable - yet immature bio-computer decides to bend some NET rules, and convinces his bright 15 year old creator to join him on forbidden adventures, things go terribly wrong. A portal to a world far more advanced than our own is opened, one whose menacing inhabitants threaten our very existence. Will our heroes defeat the powerful invaders? Will the NET's highly-trained security staff assist them in their desperate mission, or will they only impede their gallant efforts?

This book will keep young and adult readers alike at the edge of their seats as events unfold. Can't wait for the sequel - and for the IMAX debut !

NETfold is a fast paced, intriguing story; I was immediately drawn into the characters' world and the unfolding plot. Action begins on page one and it was impossible for me to set this book down. The characters are extremely well developed. NETfold is a thriller so imaginative the reader quickly becomes captivated by the virtual and real worlds in which this story unfolds. I don't typically read science fiction novels, but this book came highly recommended to me by a friend. Regardless of the reader's understanding of technology, the author clearly lays out the world of the NET. In terms of creating a virtual world that on the one hand does not exist, yet on the other may be eminent with future technology, the imagination and conviction of the author convinces us that someone may be sitting in front of their computer in their house in Palo Alto "hooked in."

NETfold is a great read for people of all backgrounds who are looking to be submerged in a fantastical world where so much is attainable that it will change society forever. While Shomron's virtual world is intriguing and liberating, the believable possibility of a virtual world like the NET is also exciting and scary. My wife is now reading the book and I have purchased copies for three different friends who have all raved at how captivated they were reading the book. Clearly, Shomron is a skilled author of the modern technology-based thriller. His use of language and action will surely push NETfold to the forefront of fiction today.

What an amazing story! You managed to combine the fantasy worlds of Ray Bradbury, the adventure of the "Da Vinci Code" with a little romance thrown in to boot. The characters were brought to life with your descriptive prose. I found myself rooting for the good guys and cringing at the devastation wrought by the evil ones. Your humor shown throughout accelerated the pace of the unfolding plot.

How soon can we expect to see Net Fold II?

Old Mother West Wind was a gift for grandmother, who read her children stories from this series when we were young. Happy stories and illustrations for young elementary children. Good entertainment, useful for K-3 school. Loved it!

These stories were first told to his own children by Thornton Burgess. Then they were read to me by my mother over 60 years ago. They were long out of print when my own children were of the right age but they are back for my grandchildren. They are highly recommended.

This book was a gift to my 6 year-old grandson. He loves it; both the stories and the pictures. This is a book my mother read to me when I was little boy. My favorite character was Bobby Coon.

Thornton Burgess was a naturalist and the stories of animals in Old Mother West Wind are wonderful. The characters attitudes and behaviors are true to the animal portrayed. A wonderful way to get acquainted with nature. Perfect book for an adult to read to a younger child.

A book of short stories about animals who talk, _Old Mother West Wind_ is enjoyable for a child of about five years to about eight as a read aloud (or older, if your child isn't terribly worldly.) These short tales often attempt to explain "how", as in how the skunk got his stripe, and have, in addition to the animals, characters such as Mother Nature and the Merry Little Breezes.

Many of these stories attempt to teach a moral, though often it is not obvious due to the author's skill. These are old stories and they reflect the values of the time they were written in. My ADHD eleven year old read the book himself and enjoyed it and is looking forward to the sequel.

Here are the stories included:

1) Mrs. Redwing's Speckled Egg - Mrs. Redwing has just laid a beautiful new egg and the Merry Little Breezes must help keep it safe from Tommy Brown.

2) How Reddy Fox Was Surprised - When Johnny Chuck wanders too far from home, Reddy Fox decides to play a trick on him. But the joke's on Reddy Fox.

3) Why Grandfather Frog Has No Tail - Grandfather Frog tells the Merry Little Breezes why Mother Nature took away all frogs' tails.

4) Why Jimmy Skunk Wears Stripes - When Mrs. Ruffed Grouse's eggs are destroyed by "a pair of eyes," the whole forest seeks the culprit. When Jimmy Skunk is found out, his days of night camouflage are over. (This was my son's favorite.)

5) The Willful Little Breeze - When one of the Merry Little Breezes stays in the Green Meadow after Old Mother West Wind has gone home behind the Purple Hills, he foils Hooty the Owl and Reddy Fox's plans to eat Mr. Bob White and his family.

6) Reddy Fox Goes Fishing - While Reddy Fox sleeps, he dreams he can fish as well as Billy Mink, but Reddy Fox just ends up all wet.

7) Jimmy Skunk Looks for Beetles - As Jimmy Skunk looks for beetles, he doesn't make any friends, but is rather selfish and destructive. However, the adventure really starts when Peter Rabbit decides to help.

8) Billy Mink's Swimming Party - Billy Mink invites Jerry Muskrat and Little Joe Otter to a swimming party at the Smiling Pool.

9) Peter Rabbit Plays a Joke - When Peter Rabbit tries to play a joke on Johnny Chuck and Reddy Fox, the joke back-fires.

10) How Sammy Jay Was Found Out - When Happy Jack's store of nuts disappears, Old Mother West Wind forms a committee of the whole to solve the mystery.

11) Jerry Muskrat's Party - When Jerry Muskrat throws a swim party, many of his guests aren't having any fun. Then, Little Joe Otter comes up with an idea that saves the party.

12) Johnny Chuck Finds the Best Thing in the World - When Striped Chipmunk hears Old Mother West Wind tell the Slender Fir Tree that she's found the Best Thing in the World, everyone starts to search for it--and everyone imagines it as something different.

13) Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox Play Tricks - When Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox trap Johnny Chuck inside his home, Jimmy Skunk helps Johnny Chuck surprise the two of them.

14) The Tale of Tommy Trout, Who Didn't Mind - Though Tommy Trout's mother tried to warn him of the dangers outside of their little pool, Tommy Trout didn't listen.

15) Little Joe Otter's Slippery Slide - When Little Joe Otter, Billy Mink, and Jerry Muskrat build a mud slide on the bank of the Smiling Pool, Peter Rabbit's curiosity gets the best of him.

16) Spotty the Turtle Wins a Race - When Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox, and Billy Mink decide to race to see who's fastest, Peter Rabbit teases Spotty the Turtle that he should join. Spotty the Turtle does, and uses his mind to win the race.

I have read this book three times - bought this copy for my daughter. It is fun, full of wisdom, and hard to put down. A great gift for the open minded and curious!

I am an avid reader (although usually of non-fiction books), and I was completely taken in by this work of "fiction"! In fact, I read the entire trilogy (nearly 600 pages) in just a few days!

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the metaphysical. Although it's fiction, I believe it shares some of the "real" views of the author - apparently obtained during her messages from Seth (I haven't yet read her "Seth" books yet, so I can't be certain about this).

Basically, this is a story about the journey & subsequent learning of a non-physical being - oversoul seven, and his many teachers along the way. It is beautifully written, and such a page turner, that I only wished there was more stories of the adventures of this quirky soul.

If you are at all interested in the "metaphysical", or enjoy this authors books re: Seth, I would highly recommend "The Oversoul Seven Trilogy" - the author presents some of the most difficult of concepts in an easy, enjoyable way. I can't speak highly enough about this book!

Read this and you will never be the same again! Unlike anything else I have ever read, the Oversoul 7 trilogy stands alone, and in my top 5 books of all time. Cosmic truths presented in fictional format, but NOT cheesy or contrived like most 'New Age fiction.' You know what I mean - those books that have a story just to provide an excuse for New Age preaching. blech. It's great when it works, but it rarely works. Well this time it works! Jane Roberts pulls it off, and pulls it off quite well!

Read Oversoul and your dreams will come alive. You will look at every sunflake with new appreciation. Your sense of time and space will be forever altered. You will grasp at last the paradox of nonlinear time (ie, 'time travel'). You will meet unforgettable characters and remember them fondly many years later (the hallmark of a great book). And, you'll have fun reading it.

For those of you who love fictional accounts that leave you on a different plane of existence, this is for you. Many may prefer books that spell things out and leave you with a set of rules to follow from some motivational speaker. This book offers your imagination an enjoyable trip that leaves you with some new perspectives and concepts with which to create your own life.

I was so glad they re-released these books. I love the whole series. As novels they are great, but as an explanation of how the universe works they are awesome. I espeically love the old age home of the gods!

The whole idea of all time being simultaneous is so clear. Made me wonder if we aren't all just someone's oversoul!

Simon and Schuster present the original, unabridged tale of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie to a new generation of readers. The 1911 tale is in a large sized book with 134 pages and colorfully illustrated life-like pictures.

I remember the story of Wendy Darling, her brothers, parents, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Neverland, the mermaids, Tiger Lily, and all the wonderful situations that made up this animated fairytale in print. From the moment Wendy and Peter Pan meet, to the first flight, to the trips to Neverland and all the escapades that followed, to the end with a grown up Wendy and her own child -- it's all here in the manner in which it was really meant to be told. It's too unique to be missed by young or old. Rereading it as a grown-up was a magical experience.

Although I see nothing wrong with the Disney adaptation of Peter Pan, I am glad to see the original version back in fresh print. There isn't anything in Peter Pan I feel would affect young children, it's just a lengthy tale that would most likely take a week of bedtime reads to finish.

For those who have never read J. M. Barrie's long, quirky & involved story of a boy who can fly, loses his shadow & talks with fairies & the girl who befriends him & learns to fly too. It's all there & I was surprised at how long it is. It could take a month of daily reading to your children to finish it!

This complete & unabridged original tale of Neverland(no, it was not ever Never Never Land!) is rich in Victorian/Edwardian England's sense of humor & propriety; of starched strangers getting to know each other across social barriers; of precious parents torn with guilt & passionate dogs bereft of duty. Of cocky young boys & mean-spirited pirates; of exotic redskins & luring mermaids & that dreadful ticking crocodile! Certainly not for the politically correct!

It is also rich in an entirely new way for Raquel Jaramillo has set Barrie's story to photographs in an immediate, fantastically textured, dreamy & magical way. This illustrator has refreshed the images to this oft-abbreviated story & revived its delightful & scary philosophies.

Psychology & political correctness aside, Raquel Jaramillo has done well with this master storyteller's greatest tale. Adults & children alike will be able to identify with the whole cast & once again become immersed in the magic.

"Second to the right & then straight on until morning..." how many nights did I slip into sleep, murmuring that phrase & dreaming I was on my way to Neverland where the Lost Boys made their homes(after all, girls were much too clever ever to fall out of their prams & get lost!)

Truly, I was taken aback when I first pulled this gorgeous book out of its wrappings. The illustration and pure magic that jumps out from every page will enchant children all of ages (even big kids like me!) This edition of Peter Pan was written and designed with love for the story; that is evident! You'll find a map inside the cover, showing the Lost Boys Territory, Buccaneer Zone, Deadman's Isles, among other things.

Peter Pan presented like this makes a beautiful coffee table book. You'll be anxious to read this to your children, and your older kids will engross themselves over it, too.  

This is not the Peter Pan we had growing up! I highly recommend this book to parents and children who really appreciate a classic and a keepsake.

I've read the story/play before getting this book, and I must say the digital images really elaborates a new wave of magic. The digital imaging photographs are great in company with the writing. The colors are fantastic and the typography really promotes the tension of the plotline. For any illustration or fine art student this is one book you must have for reference. It is like taking Disney's Peter Pan into live action, except with lesser background scenes.

This book tells the original story that started the Pan legend before TV and movies hooked it into something else. The story remains timeless as expected of a classic, but this time awesome new illustrations by Raquel Jaramillo will send parents and children to Neverland in spite of the cost. Computer graphics enhance the illustrator's classy depictions and add to the wonder of a tale that remains ageless and beautiful. The youngster inside all of us will love this great rendition that the author would have loved to read and show to his friend's children.

Harriet Klausner

Gods be feathered, how I love this book. The four-book Chanur series is one of the greatest SF epics of all time. (The fifth, Chanur's Legacy, is a fun afterthought but not as deep as the original chunk.) This first volume is a satisfying stand-alone read, but trust me, you'll want to read the rest. I always warn people not to start this series unless you have a large chunk of time set aside--even though I've reread it countless times, once I get started I still find its momentum impossible to put down.

Pride of Chanur starts with an unforgettable image--a mostly naked fugitive human writing numbers on a spaceship deck in his own blood to prove his sentience to the startled alien who has just slashed him with her claws in self-defense. From there it rolls along into an intelligent, funny, and utterly satisfying adventure. Cherryh achieves an amazing feat in telling the story entirely through alien eyes, yet still giving us completely satisfying, believable, and likable protagonists. She vividly depicts four entirely distinct and fully realized oxy-breathing species, each complete with distinct patterns of thought, traditions, and psychology, plus several other more mysterious methane-breathing species, in all their complex and troublesome interactions, plus humans (well, mostly just one) thrown precipitously into the mix. The human is the alien in this story, and we hear his perspective only through the often garbled and always incomplete computer translator, an approach which is unusually realistic (unlike so much SF where translation always works perfectly, instantly) and always leaves you curious to know more. The reversal of perspective is so convincing and complete that you'll find yourself looking at your own species' psychology as the strange one.

Plus there's the fascinating reverse-sexism of the hani, the main alien culture, which essentially follows the structure of a sentient lion pride: men are considered too volatile and unstable for everyday business, thus are kept secluded except during dynastic battles; the sensible, pragmatic females take care of commerce, law, alliances, and space-faring. (In the sequels, these beliefs get confronted and deconstructed in interesting ways.) The quintessentially feline temperament and mannerisms of the hani--vain, swaggering, hot-tempered, affectionate, physical, fierce, loyal--are convincing and irresistible, especially if you're a cat person anyway! And be warned, the pidgin and idiom the characters use for inter-species communication will completely infect your brain.

Dive right into this satisfying yarn, and know that in the next three books a far, far wilder, bigger, and more complex story will unfold...nail-biting action intertwined flawlessly with deep psychological and cultural insight, tangled intrigue, agonizing moral dilemmas, and extraordinary character transformations. Enjoy the ride!

Not many writers can do aliens as well as Cherryh -- bilateral, oxygen-breathing, most of them, but with minds and emotions and evolved biologies that are very, very different indeed from human. Pyanfar Chanur is the successful, wealthy captain of a Hani trading ship, a powerful figure in the powerful Chanur family, leading a crew composed all of family members, like all Hani ships. And then she's suddenly saddled with Tully, a refugee human escaped from the Kif, an opportunistically piratical race that evolved by blood feud. Humans are newly arrived on the edge of the space occupied by the member races of the Compact and trading rights with them will be worth a lot, but Pyanfar will have to risk everything. And the profoundly untrustworthy Kif aren't going to make things easier. Cherryh does a terrific job of gradually introducing the reader to the intricacies of the vaguely lion-like Hani society, in which females do the work and tend to the psychologically unstable, world-bound males, who are lords of the estates -- until they're challenged by younger males and finally lose. You'll come to know Pyanfar and her crew as individuals, too. The plot gallops, the characterizations are intriguing, and the dialogue is snappy. Yet the book is much denser than it appears. What more could you want -- except the three following volumes in this saga?

Yeah, this book was pretty cool. It's not quite as dense or sprawling as I've come to expect Cherryh books to be (not that that's a bad thing!), but that doesn't detract from it one bit. And this book moves, moves, moves. It's probably one of the most engrossing books I've ever read.

This is another one of Cherryh's first-contact type novels, and I think it's the thing she does best, really. It involves a lone human somehow lost in alien space who manages to sneak abord a Hani merchant ship, and how his presence upsets the delicate balance of power there. It's serious without being too oppressive, and it is without question the best of the series. I've read the other three, and really you can take those or leave them--the book is complete enough in itself. (With the others, I kind of feel myself playing the Star Trek 5/Aliens 3 game--if I didn't like it, it didn't happen. Trek 5? Nope. Went from 4 straight to 6....)

I highly reccommend this book. It's typical Cherryh, in that you'll have to wait for your gratification until the very very end--but then, it's always worth it.

After reading and enjoying Ms. Cherryh's "Cyteen" I started searching for more of her novels and decided to begin reading Chanur's Saga. "The Pride of Chanur" is its first volume.

Ms. Cherryh creates, once more, an astounding backdrop Cosmos full of intricacies, depicting the other end of the universe shown in "Cyteen".
Here she elaborates The Compact's Media where many alien races compete, trade and fight. There are oxygen breathers and methane breathers; big cat-like people and gray somber entities; aggressive races and peaceful ones; some species are deceitful and others are straight forward.
Just to make things more complex a Human show up demanding asylum from the Hani (Chanur's kind) and giving way to a feud between Hani & Kif (the bad guys of the story).

One astounding feature of the book is that the main character is Captain Pyanfar Chanur and her ethnocentric point of view is THE point of perception. All other races (including human) are strange and requires all her imagination to figure up what kind of entities they are. Are they friendly? Stable? Trustworthy? All these and many more questions she has to answer in order to survive.

The other bewildering aspect is that Hani kind is conducted by their females. Ladies are in charge of commerce, space travel, politics and any other significant activity (even war). Males are the Lords, pampered by females, sporting and hunting. Only one by Clan, he may be defied by other males (his own exiled sons are suitable) to singular combat and the winner takes all.

The novel has the typical Space Opera structure, enriched by new elements as character's depth and culture's coherence.
It is a very good sci-fi novel that will be enjoyed by fans & general public!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I'm currently re-reading this in it's incarnation as the first part of "The Chanur Saga" "Omnibus edition." I wanted to put a separate review here since I intend to rate that "omnibus" low simply because it's not complete. "The Pride of Chanur" is an excellent book. Written in the standard Cherryh "from the gut" manner, it grabs on to your emotions and yanks them hither and yon from the first couple of pages all the way to the end. It's one of those books where you try to read faster and faster so that you can find out what's going to happen (even after having read it several times before). The best part of the book is the fact that it's stand-alone: it finishes what it starts. The remainder of the series requires this book. But, this book doesn't require the remainder of the series (though you'll definitely want to read that). Excellent book.

This is not a review of the book (which I would give 5 stars), but I thought it might be helpful for other customers to know that I purchased this as a gift on July 20 2006, and as of October 5 it still has not arrived. The current delivery estimate is November 7. I would not order this item from Amazon if you need it soon.

I have had good success with Amazon on other items. There seems to be a fulfillment problem with this particular book.

What were you expecting, that this book would materialize in your mailbox on YOUR schedule?

Eris will see to it you get the book when you're READY for it, not when you WANT it.

Do not order this from Amazon if you need it soon, October 5, 2006
Reviewer: Robophonic (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This is not a review of the book (which I would give 5 stars), but I thought it might be helpful for other customers to know that I purchased this as a gift on July 20 2006, and as of October 5 it still has not arrived. The current delivery estimate is November 7. I would not order this item from Amazon if you need it soon.

I have had good success with Amazon on other items. There seems to be a fulfillment problem with this particular book.

The original Principia Discordia was very much mish mash of near random pages thrown together, and the pages themselves were changed and modified. I've always felt that it should be a continually evolving book, and with this edition including newly created pages, it hits closest to the spirit of discordianism (at least in my opinion).

The other editions I've seen present it almost as a relic of the past, as something to be looked at, and fondly reminisced over. The purple edition did a great interview with one of the creators (and 3 of his personalities if I remember correctly), which is nice, but too stale for me.

I'm sorry to see it out of print.

In summary: This edition of the Principia is particularly good because it features added material, all in the style and theme of the original.

Side note: If you want better reviews of this book, look for the reviews of for the purple and yellow editions (by Omar K. Ravenhurst, and Malaclypse et al, respectively). All editions feature the same original content.

Give this book another thousand years and it will replace the bible. My gods it is stupid,funny,genius!!!

This is good for all those studying metaphysics
The AISB
The Discordians
And All Those Able Minded People Looking For The Fnords
Bring On The Slack Before BOB
Was His One Time Only Partner
Eris

Sabrinas Aunts apply her for a Summer camp consellor job. They put her down as having many other jobs alike elsewhere which is a lie. So welcome the highest consellor theyve ever had. So shes put in charge of cabin 13- the troublemakers cabin. But when they get too much she puts them under an obedience spell. Can she keep it up though when they are losing every competition?

Sabrina's lonely. Harvey's away to Europe with his Mum + Dad and Libby's flanting it in France.So her aunts zap a counselor résumé that makes her sound brilliant. So Sabrina and stowaway Salem are off 2 Camp Bearclaw.Then there's the bad news. She get cabin 13. the trouble-maker cabin.So food fights and running aways are a daily occurous.But so Sabrina finally loses her temper and cast a spell to make her camper act like angels. But her campers are 2 good. Can Sabrina win the Tug of War competition? And can she remove the spell? Read and find out!

This was definetly one of the best Sabrina books. It wascreative and funny. I really liked it a lot, and if you read it, youshould like it too.

ive read about 15 of the sabrina books and this is my favorite it even beats showdown at the mall. Its so good like all of john vornholt's books, as my favorite buffy the vampire slayer book is 'coyote moon' also written by john vornholt hes a great orthor. i think what makes the book good is it has comedy,romance,fun ect all in one book also its easy to relate to if you have been to summer camp. This is definatley my favorite and ive read many.

This is THE best Sabrina book of them all. Sabrina uses herwit, diplomacy and just a little magic to tame the wildest bunch ofkids at her summer camp. If you like Sabrina, read this book first.

I love it! It is action packed, and full of suspense and comedy! This book is great for kids as well as adults.

I think this book was an adventure it was written very well there are some very breif parts that were dull but over all I really think that you should buy or read this book!Its sequel escape from castle cant was also good.If you are itno to mystery than its for you. If you like adventure or comedys it will more than likely for you.I truely liked this book and think you should read it as soon as possible!!!

Orphaned Lucy Wickwright is the long-suffering maidservant and involuntary co-conspirator in the madcap exploits of her mistress Pauline, heiress to the Barony of Cant. However, their relatively carefree childhoods are rapidly nearing an end. Amid ominous rumblings of discontent and even revolution, Lucy finds herself caught up in plots against Pauline and the gum-chewing aristocracy of Cant, and must decide where her loyalties lie.

Intelligent and well-written with an original premise (the premodern barony of Cant, tucked away in the creases of modern maps, which allows for modern incursions such as chewing gum and t-shirts), _The Secret of Castle Cant_ is a very promising first novel. The author's strongest suit, in my opinion, is the fact that he, like the best authors for young readers including J.K. Rowling, obviously respects the intelligence of his readers and doesn't write down to them. His "footnotes" and other references to the "history" of Cant also suggest that this world has not just been casually thrown together but carefully developed in his mind.

Pauline and Lucy develop a wonderful friendship that outweighs their original class differences and, while spoiled, Pauline is portrayed sympathetically and is obviously in the process of changing to a better, less thoughless person by the end of the book. Lucy is fiercely loyal and, while her methods for avoiding trouble without strictly lying may be deplored by some parents, her use of them is certainly realistic (I know I did it), and is unfortunately in common use by many adult public figures these days. My only criticism is that boys close to the heroines' ages seem to be portrayed as either stupid or arrogant, but I hope that can be remedied in the next book.

Altogether an enjoyable book, and I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel.

If you love adventure and like funny books I don't know why you are sitting here. Get up and go get this book! I love this book because it is so funny.
It is about a bad, bad boy. He finds a key and goes inside Castle Cant. In the castle he finds a door to another world. I recommend this book to 6,7,or8 graders.
-Darien

The Secret of Castle Cant is charming in its use of names, words and anachronism. But most charming of all is its main character Lucy Wickwright. The author has created a Cinderella-esque girl that doesn't depend on a Prince Charming to save the day. She is a practical, no-nonsense maidservant to the heiress to the Barony of Cant, Pauline. Although Pauline's mishaps always end up getting Lucy in trouble, Lucy steadfastly remains loyal.

Then when the questioning of the line of ascension and a rebellion against the royal addiction to chewing gum coincide to throw the whole barony into a tizzy, Lucy manages to keep her head and save the day.

Within the mystery of the secret of Castle Cant, the land itself is a mystery - where does it exist, in what time and in what land are questions never answered. In fact, it's a place where "time stands still" (as the opening describes it.) It further says that The Barony of Cant is a land "lost in the creases of maps." PK Bath shows a clever genius in not giving this piece a set time or place.

Another genius of the author is his naming of characters. I am most impressed with Uncle Hock Tooey. But Luigi Lemonjello is of similar genius as are Gil Blemesch and Blaise Delagaisse.

Finally while I was most impressed with the tools and techniques used to craft this book, I am less impressed with the actual story. While I loved the characters and the land, I had hoped for a different ending. Perhaps something more striking. I will, of course, read the sequel Escape from Castle Cant and see if that satisfies my hope for the outcome.

This book is well-done. I highly recommend it if you like a girl-does-well-by-following-her-heart type story. Also recommended if you like clever conversation among characters. Not recommended for those who prefer straight-arrow stories with pretty princesses in crisp dresses, where this happened and that and they all lived happily ever after.

I caught on to this author a little late, and admittedly bought Bloodring on a whim because of the fabulous cover! Just finished Seraphs and both books are wonderful. The world Thorn inhabits is fascinating, she is a great character - very likable and believable - and the secondary characters are well done, too. This series has everything - mystery, action, romance, religion, friendship, politics, and more. Very thoughtful and an intriguing look at one possible end of the world, but not. Can't wait to see what happens with Thorn, her men (Lucas, Eli, and especially Raziel!), her friends, her sister and Mineral City. Going out to buy Host today. Highly recommend this great series!

This is the next book after Bloodring. This series is an enjoyably wild ride with non-stop action!

The Thorn series (Bloodring, Seraphs, Host) is HIGHLY recommended. I read all three books in five days over the Christmas holidays! I hope the author will write more soon. These are the best!

I think what I like the most about this new series is the characterization. Hunter does a wonderful job creating unique, well-rounded characters. Thorn, the heroine in this series is now outed (as per the last book) and is being brought to trial for being a "witch." That's only the beginning as she discovers the evil coming out of the mountain has to be stopped. Then there is the captured Sereph and Cherub, which it seems she is the only one willing to believe exist. It's up to Thorn to step up and save the day, again. There was alot of questions answered in this novel and a few unanswered surprises that come to the surface. I'm anxious to read the third and would definitely recommend this one to any sci-fi/fantasy reader. By the way, don't let the buff angel on the cover fool you. This is not really a romance series, but far more action pact.

I am really impressed. A TOTALLY new idea and very entertaining. I have read all 3 of the books out so far and I cannot wait till the next one. Faith Hunter has created a complex and engaging universe, while her character development allows you to become deeply involved with the storyline. I am a huge fan of Kim Harrison, old L.K. Hamilton and Kenyon. I was skeptical because I normally do not like post-apocalypse stories, but I was really hooked by this one. I HIGHLY recommend it!

I really don't have much more to add to the other reviews. I just whole heartedly agree! I have been counting the days since summer 07 until the last book in the series, The Infinite Day, is published in June '08.

I have travelled far in the realms of fantasy and sci-fi... to Narnia, Empyrion, Middle Earth, Byntar and Albion, but never have I journeyed so far away as this book has taken me. Nor does anything even come close to the distance we encounter in "The Shadow and Night". As I opened the book and read the first pages, the thought came to me: perhaps this is the story I have been waiting all my life to read - or the tale I have always wanted to write. Well, not quite. But darned close to it.

In the Year of Our Lord 13000, the Lord's Peace is about to come under attack. Over eleven thousand years have passed since the Great Intervention; since that time there have been no wars, indeed no evil at all among humans. The Assembly's far-flung colonies have been created from inhospitable planets over thousands of years of terraforming and atmospheric adjustments.

But I'm not just talking about physical or temporal distance. The people on these worlds are redeemed, almost unfallen, incapable of sin. Far-advanced technologies are a part of daily life, but not overbearingly; simple, useful concepts are a joy to behold, such as the personal diary: a computer, telephone, camera, journal, dictaphone all in one; and the perfection of the Internet to a virtual-reality library containing all the information in the known universe.

The most distant Made World is Farholme, six hundred light years from Earth. Merral, the forester, finds himself an unwilling fighter for the cause of good when he becomes aware of strange happenings at his uncle's farm. The array of characters surrounding Merral is headed by Verofaza, a visitor from Ancient Earth, sent to investigate reports of a possible threat at Farholme.

The sudden re-entry of evil to the universe is all the more terrible because no one has any experience to deal with it, whether on a global or personal level. Temptations go unrecognised at first, and negative feelings are puzzled over as unknowns. Clues to the impending threat are woven in from the beginning, almost utterly harmless to start with, but creeping in with unabated increase of the suspense factor.

The author is an advocate for "slow creation", in other words, God-designed evolution, as this is taken for granted by all the characters. In the story, evolution appears to have passed from being a theory and is presented as a proven fact.

Nonetheless, the writing and the story drew me in from the first page. Descriptions and characters are sharp and vivid, from sunsets to animals to spaceflight, and particularly the unknowing innocence of saintly heroes in the face of insidious evil. Yet they too must grow, and that is what they do.

I'm glad the two books are joined in one volume here, because the first, while ending at a quiet moment, provides no conclusion to the mystery of what is going on. That is the epic quality of these stories; there is no quick-fix solution anywhere to be seen, but at the same time the reader is dragged into a personal journey of unimaginable proportions.

In the second part, things get exciting. If the first part is gripping suspense, then the second is pumping adrenaline. A peaceful people must prepare for war, and the tale moves increasingly from sci-fi to include the realm of fantasy - but it fits. After all, in a tale at the very end of time I would consider it normal for angels and fallen angels to appear. It's like seeing a war from the inside, up close and personal, with all the emotional reactions of those involved.

Vero changes almost overnight from a timid graduate to a decisive army organiser, studying ancient war histories and pondering a good many Ancient English metaphors along the way. Of course they don't make much sense to him, but that doesn't stop him using them. There is also much telling revelation of the first-time soldiers' initial excitement at battle, followed by the grim horror of reality.

This book will make you think. It will shoot you into the far distant future and make it believable. And it will take you all the way back to the roots of evil, and the triumph of good. If you're anything like me, it will surprise you, shock you, and bring you to the edge of laughter and tears. You will see yourself in its pages, and you will be reminded of the almighty power of the Lamb among the stars. Certainly a most incredible feat of writing (it took me around fifteen hours to read!) - I look forward to getting hold of the next installment. Much more is yet to come for the people of Farholme.

This edition of The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley, Ph.D., includes the first two books of his The Lamb Among the Stars series: The Shadow and Night and The Power of the Night. The series continues with The Dark Foundations and concludes with The Infinite Day.

In the Assembly of a thousand terraformed worlds are held together by instantaneous travel through interstellar gates, the reality of good and evil is not questioned--the Creator intervened in the course of human history ten thousand years before and banished evil from the lives of men and women.

But now evil returns.

And when Farholme's gate is destroyed, the remotest world is cut off from the safety of the Assembly. Suddenly, the people must battle an adversary thought long vanquished while confronting an alluring malevolence that springs from their hearts, minds, and souls.

Dr. Walley writes with an understated smoothness comparable to the style of a fellow British writer--H.G. Wells. His prose does not call attention to itself--this is not a cliff hanger--but page by page, he steadily builds story tension as every avenue of escape is cut off from his characters.


"They were separated by no more than twenty meters, and Merral could see the face clearly despite the shadows. It seemed to him that, despite its flattened appearance, the face was more human than ape. The large brown eyes seemed to stare at him, and Merral decided that if the face conveyed any emotion at all, it was of a cold intelligence and a determined and calculating hatred."


Most books in the SF genre depict stable societies as dystopias, be they theocratic, such as Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, or secular, such as Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Social stability comes at the cost of human freedom and vibrant creativity. Particularly in the America, the bureaucratic State has been personified as the villain, and the hero becomes the lone ranger who fights against unforgiving societal rigidity.

Dr. Walley turns this story tradition on its head. What if a truly good and stable society were to arise that did not sell its soul in a Faustian Bargain? What if the people were so unpretentiously sublime that they did not know they were good? Where would pride or boasting be? What appeals to me most about this story is that Dr. Walley pulls off these tricky themes without any insincere preachiness directed at the reader. The characters act because of who they are, not because Dr. Walley has a point he wants to make.

And into this world, evil comes. Night falls. How can mere men and women survive?


"We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the World." John 9:4-5


Highly Recommended

I echo all the other reviews. Note there are only 5 stars to date! I found this as good as Ted Dekker's circle series. Ted has more adventure along the way, but this story has thought provoking dialog, stuff that makes you think. Chris has very thoughtfully come up with a unique society, far more creatively than most fantasy writers. This is great science/fantasy fiction. There is romance too.

So what happens when Utopia...no longer is? Not physically, of course, since Farholme is still being shaped and terraformed, but rather a societal utopia. Small things start to go wrong, and though they seem innocuous, they're the first breaches in the dike.

A well-described world, thought-provoking characters, and a very interesting plot should hold most readers' attention. Give it a try!