Fiction Books

As an artist with oil painting and water colors and also folkart, I was feeling a lack of motivation to keep up my art. I looked for inspiration on the Internet and found Angi Sullins webpage and also her story of her life journey. I ordered her book "A knock at the door" and also her DVD. I found that it inspired me to keep searching for a new direction for my art and painting. Thank you Angi for your story and your book and DVD it helped me to have hope and to keep on the journey late in life.
Rhona

After everything else that's been said about this, all I can say is:"WOW!". If this doesn't touch you and pull at your heart, there's something wrong with you. You don't need to be religious or spiritual even to enjoy this. It will awaken something inside you and life might be a little better for it. Watch, liisten and enjoy(you might shed a tear also)!

A PERFECT GIFT. THIS IS PURE MAGIC. VERY MOVING..I GOT CHILLS! IT WILL DO YOUR HEART GOOD!!! WELL DONE ANGI SULLINS AND SILAS TOBALL!!

If you have ever yearned to live in another era and realm... Get this book & dvd set! This was 0riginaly available as a free download only through The Durwaigh Gallery website in 2004. Costumers that viewed this sugested a book version. The art work showcases some works of the best Fantasy Artists out there today.(Mark Potts,ect.)The dvd is actually the download itself recorded on a disk, and accompanied by wonderful music.

I found that this also makes a great children's book. My 4 yearold neice always wants to watch the dvd and read the book over and over again!This is one thing that you would never get sick of, trust me parents! I also had to wrestle this from my Aunt as well.

Needless to say, this book will make a unique gift and is sure to be a favorite for the whoever you have in mind!

This is a MUST HAVE for every coffee table or bookshelf! You have to see it!

This is a wonderful, romantic paranormal fantasy. Part Cinderella story, part Sleeping Beauty coming of age story.
Ellysetta, is a mortal Celierian Woodcarver's adopted daughter. She has been tormented all of her life by mysterious nightmares and the feeling of being an outsider. Ellysetta is unaware of her own latent magical abilities.
Rain Tairen Soul, is King of the Fey. He is responsible for the survival of his people and their soul kin, the winged Tairen. Rain, is a survivor of the terrible Mage Wars against the evil Eld Mages.
The Tairen's Eye Oracle crystal has shown Rain an image of Ellysetta's face. This is the Oracle's only reply when asked how the Fey and the Tairen can be saved from imminent extinction.
Upon meeting Ellysetta, Rain realizes that she is the rarest of the rare, his Truemate. Now he must protect her from Celierian intrigues, and the powerful Eld High Mage, Vadim Maur. Most difficult of all, he must court Ellysetta, and she must willingly decide to accept Rain and the matebond.
This is a pleasant change from many of the paranormal Alpha hero romances that treat the female soulmate as one to be dominated and not wooed. Basically, simplistic "You - Jane. Me - Tarzan" romances.
In this epic, the secondary characters are well developed, the world building is complete and imaginative. The hero and heroine are flawed but intelligent and independent. We can see them grow and mature as the story advances. Refreshingly, they are not totally sure of themselves or their truemate.
Recommended.

I really liked this book. It has the perfect mix of romance, danger and humor. I'm looking forward to reading part II.

To say that I am impressed by this author's initial published work is understating the case quite seriously. I bought the novel when it was released, and the sequel the next month. Unlike at least one other reviewer, I did not find this first volume to read as unfinished; rather, it dovetails nicely into the second novel.

It is, however, rather important to remember that Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadow are, in reality, one larger work (along with, perhaps, the third of her books?). This impresses me even more, as it is very rare indeed for a new author to even be considered, and that seems especially true when their work is (as Cheryl herself noted on her website (If I recall)) a whopping 1000-page tome!

As for what I would have wanted to know prior to purchase? That was answered by the back-copy, surprisingly. I am an avid reader, but this set surprised me. Ordering new copies of the first two books today, as the originally-purchased ones are getting more than a tad worn!

Readers looking for fantasy will probably like this. I was surprised and delighted a number of times with the author's creative ideas. One wonderful scene is listed under Caution Spoiler below. Ellie is adopted and does not know her genetic heritage. A powerful dark mage is hunting for her. The Fey King Rain learns that she is his truemate. Ellie and Rain will marry when a three week preparation period is over. By the end of the book, the dark mage is still planning to do evil with her, and Ellie is not yet married to Rain. The story is unfinished. There are many questions unanswered, and the reader must purchase the sequel. I did not read the sequel so I don't know if multiple sequels are needed or not.

I was very entertained with Den's role in the book. Den is the local bully who hurt Ellie over the years, but tries to trick her into marriage. The things he does before and after Rain arrives make excellent story-telling.

I personally do not care for straight fantasy stories, so my rating is probably lower than normal for a fantasy fan. I bought this book mistakenly thinking it was fantasy and romance. So, if one is looking for romance, do not get this book.

As far as writing goes, I had a couple of problems. The pace of the story was a little too slow for me. It took too long for events to move along. Some scenes were a little redundant, for example: the author repeating the reasons for Rain's pain and suffering over 1000 years and why he hates the mages.

This is the first time I found myself wishing the author did more telling and less showing. An example is on pages 338 to 357. Ellie and Rain attend a dinner held by the king. The author spends nearly 20 pages showing their arrival at the castle and the detailed conversations Ellie and Rain have with the other guests. A few of the guests offer potential marriage proposals for Ellie's unwed 9-year old sisters. These detailed conversations were not interesting, and they could have been shortened or summarized. After 20 pages of cocktail party small talk, the guests sit down for dinner where more interesting and critical plot events happen.

CAUTION SPOILER:
One scene which I loved and found myself chuckling over several times after reading the book is on page 129. Most of the following is a quote with only a few edits for brevity. Ellie touched Rain for the first time on the back of his hand. Rain drew in his breath at the sudden rush of feelings that sprang from the simple feel of her skin meeting his. The strength of his connection to her went so far beyond what he had felt for Sariel (his deceased wife), he could hardly fathom it. If any dared to harm her, he would shred them without mercy and dance as he drank their blood. Ellie misunderstood the fierce look on his face, because she snatched her hand back and apologized for touching him. "Nei, do not apologize." Rain could barely restrain himself from reaching for that hand and putting it back on his skin. His fingers itched to do so, and he clenched them into fists. He craved her touch, ached for it as only a Fey warrior could. But admitting to his need was the same as admitting a weakness, something a Fey rarely did willingly. "I was merely surprised. You may touch me if you like." But she didn't lay that sweet hand upon him again. He cursed his own unguarded reaction that had cost him such a small but much-desired pleasure and wondered how he might contrive to get it back. He bent his head to her, his gaze intent as he willed her to touch him again. To his disgruntlement, she did not. Rain's friend is laughing at him and sending him silent mind-to-mind communications saying "If you could see yourself, Rain. Pouting like a tzicaida whose lunch just got away. You could always just command her to put her hand back on you." Rain scowled. To issue such a command would be to admit he could not win his desire any other way. It would be the same as admitting defeat, another thing no Fey warrior would ever willingly do. Nei, he was tairen enough to be crafty, to lure his (Ellie) into giving willingly that which he desired without revealing to her how badly he desired it.

Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: unknown time on a planet with two moons. Copyright: 2007. Genre: fantasy.

Do you remember when you were a child, that you would just know when something magical and wonderful was about to happen? Perhaps it was your mother reading a story that started "Once in a land far away there lived"......., or going to the movies and hearing "Once Upon a time in a land far away"........?

All of these memories and feelings came rushing back as I started reading Lord of the Fading Lands; all of the joy, the hope, the expectation of a momentous story that would become a lasting memory, an old friend to visit, and re-visit frequently. I realized that I had found a treasure, and with my hopes high, I read straight through the night, abandoning dinner preparation, hubby left on his own, and sleep was nothing to even think about until this fabulous story was finished.

Rainer, Tairen Soul, King of the Fey, knew that his people were dying, as were the Tairen, the dragons of the Fading Mists. Daring death, Rain Tairen Soul grasps the Eye of Truth, seeking help to stop the extinction of the Tairen, and the Fey. In the midst of great pain, the Eye shows Rain a glimpse of a woman's face, then fire raining down over the world, and that he must travel to Celieria, a foreign land, to save the Fey and the Tairen.

In Celieria, a young woman, Ellysetta, promises to take her younger sisters to see the procession of the Fey as they enter the city, and to see Rainer,the first visit of the King of the Fey in over a thousand years. While traveling, nearing Celieria, Rain has a soul reach out to his, crying out in fear and pain. Rain is shocked. A woman has called to him, and it seems that she is his "True Mate". Transforming instantly into Tairen form, Rain takes to the air to protect his mate. The call is abruptly cut off, and Rain is left circling Celieria looking over the city for any contact with the soul that had called him.

Elly takes her sisters to watch the entrance of the Fey to the city, and to see the king circling over his warriors in Tairen form as he warns the people not to get to close to the marching Fey. Ellysetta's youngest sister falls, injuring herself. As Elly kisses the pain away from the injury, the circling King, in Tairen form, starts pouring fire into the sky, frightening the citizens, and causing Elly to fall, and be injured. Dropping out of the sky, landing at Elly's feet, Elly expects instant death at the hands of the Fey King. But Rainer has found his true mate; now to convince this shy, humble young woman that she is his mate, the other half of his soul, and that she will become the queen of the Fey. Needless to say, complications are inherent as Elly's family tries to deal with the life altering changes that is brought into their lives by the King of the Fey.

Rainer begins his courtship of Ellysetta, hoping to woo her affections while trying to build alliances with the Celierans. Rain knows that the evil power in the north is rising again. The Fey need the support of the Celierans to overcome this evil, as they had once, a thousand years ago, defeated the very same dark Mages of the north that are rising again to destroy the Fey, and the Celierans.

Ellysetta and Rainer's courtship, with the adventures of a thousand year old immortal wooing a young maiden, plus dealing with the dissention in the Celierian Court that is full of doubters, brings many changes to Elly and Rainer's lives. Their romance is beautiful, and poignant. The fey are heroic, and Ellysetta's growth is wonderfully detailed.

I highly recommend this novel. I am so thankful that I picked up this book on a whim. Please become a part of this adventure. There are 2 books out, with 2 more coming within the next few months. I can hardly wait!

Kate Daniels doesn't go looking for trouble, trouble finds her. After the Weres hand over an embarrassing job to her (someone actually accomplished breaking into their keep and stealing their maps)she runs into more problems then she can chew. Nothing new for her. In this alternate Atlanta where magic and technology comes and goes in flashes, Kate battles on the side morally right as much as she battles her inner demons and biologocial secrets.

This is not a romance novel, but more of a urban paranormal mystery with a true kick-but character. I love the fact that she's not the prettiest thing on the block, nor the nicest. She's average, but with extraordinary secrets that even the readers are attempting to read and learn more about. Yet, for those of you die hard romance readers, there is an underlining romance iffy line. Kate and the Curran (the head of the Atlanta Weres; i.e.Mr. Big, Bad, and Scary)seems to constantly be stumbling into each other. He's either rescuing her from near death or her jobs bring her into contact with his people. What I like about these parts are that they lighten the mood for the book and lead to a few chuckles. I especially like the part where he treats her like a mouse toy and "plays" with her by tossing her around the room a few times.

Overall, it's a great, unique book and I'm axiously awaiting the next in this series.

I'm a Sookie Stackhouse and Rachel Morgan fan who is always looking for other series. I read book one in this series and gave it a 4. I bought book 2, just to kill time and was totally drawn in by it. I am now putting book 3 on my wishlist. I am not a "magic" fan, but enjoyed the interplay between Kate with her magic, and the knight in shining armor who is the alpha of the shapeshifter pack.

No sophomore slump here! Ilona Andrews follows--and tops--her debut novel with an excellent sequel, _Magic Burns_.

We get some more world-building. Andrews explains, in a way that flows smoothly with the story and doesn't feel like an infodump, the theory as to why the magic and tech have gone wonky in the first place. We also learn about magic flares, which occur roughly every seven years. During these upsurges in magic, powerful and dangerous summonings can be done. As _Magic Burns_ begins, a magic flare has kicked in and Kate finds herself entangled in the mystery of a witch coven who disappeared after getting in over their heads.

Kate is growing as a character as this series progresses. In Magic Burns, she lets a few more people into her heart, and I don't just mean romantically (though the romantic tension between her and Curran is just enough to be lots of fun without dominating the story). We also learn a few more tantalizing hints about Kate's parentage and about the powers she keeps under wraps.

The mystery/supernatural plot is more layered than that of _Magic Bites_, and better executed. Andrews continues to root her plots in a diverse range of mythology and folklore rather than sticking to the current urban fantasy trends. This time, everything's more complicated, because the good guys and bad guys are less clearly delineated, and Kate has to navigate a minefield of other people's competing agendas. The pace is fast, and there are no "Huh?" moments like the one I had in _Magic Bites_.

Andrews has also toned down the gore. There's still plenty of violence, but if you thought there were a few too many explicit descriptions of cannibalism and rape in _Magic Bites_, you'll probably like _Magic Burns_ better.

_Magic Burns_ just earned Andrews a place on my very short "snap up on sight" list. She's one of the most original voices currently writing in the urban fantasy subgenre, and I can't wait to see what she does next.

This is one of those rare books that you just can't put down after you start reading it. I can't wait for the nezt in the series!

Futuristic Atlanta: magic wreaks havoc in the city and citizens, human and supernatural alike, prepare for the dreaded phenomena when magic and technology refuse to co-exist and continually fight for dominance. It is a world where you wake up each day not knowing if you'll be able to start your car due to the magic fluctuation or, for those who possess magical powers, your spells will fail when the technology is up and running. It's all part of the citizens' daily life except every seven years, the magical waves intensify and all the complexities associated with it culminates into a build-up called a flare. As all hell breaks loose in Atlanta, greater forces like gods and goddesses battle it out for supremacy. And death to anyone who stands in their way...

Once again, our Kate Daniels is knee deep in supernatural drama as she finds herself helping the local Pack retrieve some stolen maps. As Kate goes map-hunting, she comes face to face with the impertinent culprit who takes delight in confounding her and the local Alpha, Curran. More obstacles are thrown her way when she unexpectedly becomes a babysitter to a young girl whose missing mother may be the key to unravelling the chaos surrounding her. And with two powerful gods vying for the chance to step into the human realm, Kate may be out of her depth. Tough as this mercenary is, she knows that she needs all the help she can get even if that means going to the very man who gives her the chills... in a good and (mostly) bad way.

MAGIC BURNS is a tautly written action thriller filled with supernatural creatures galore! The author conveys the intricacies of this alternate universe with drama and flair. Magic leaps off every page and characters come to life. I thought Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) was an excellent read, but this book totally exceeded my expectations. Ilona Andrews' world is utterly bewitching, captivating the reader right from the start. Kate's character is continuously evolving; the same goes for the secondary characters. Every individual has their place in Andrews' magical world. No secondary character is wasted, everybody is given an opportunity to react and interact and prove their purpose. Indeed, the author has given us such intriguing characters leaving you hanging on to see what she has in store for them.

A word of caution though that the violence and mayhem in this book equates to splatter horror. It is graphic and horrific and Andrews doesn't gloss over the details. If you don't mind these, then I guarantee that this is a great reading experience that packs a terrific punch.

A positively adorable book, from its hilarious and sweet story to the bright illustrations. Great for read-alouds, as kids instantly like the somewhat stuffy police officer and his whimsical dog. Excellent message.

this is the book our 16 month old picks up every morning when he wakes up and wants to read... a great story.

I absolutely LOVE this book...............I have my special copy, and I am 'over 37'........and I also give it to special people in my life. It is delicately beautiful....and....lets us all know that puppies are more human than human beings.....

I use Officer Buckle and Gloria with kindergartners when I teach my humane education classes. I found it well-written because it was "engaging" for the students, keeping the attention of the children as it moved forward to its happy conclusion. The colorful illustrations throughout the book were great for helping communicate the action. I recommend it for pre-K and K children as a way to enhance their love and appreciation of dogs! Donna Forst, M.A., Education Coordinator, Hawaii Dog Foundation

I'm substitute teaching and I just read this book to a bunch of first graders. I was cracking up laughing all the way through (the kids were a bit puzzled). Cute book and entertaining for all ages - nevermind the ages 4-8 designation. The illustrations are priceless.

Tihs book is awesome. It takes a gentically altered human, altered to be a eilite commando. Who sees her family wiped out by pirates. Injured and bleeding she is joined with an enetity from Greek Mythology.
She then steels a new state of the art A.I. warship whos "personality" invades her mind. Now three people sharing the same mind. But pirates beware, three minds are certainly in this book better then one and look out because here they come. Edge of you seat action packed, takes a bit to warm up. But after it does, it is all go, go, go. Oh I hope there is a sequal in the wroks.

I've been reading SciFi/Fantasy for 50+ years and have thousands of books in my library. There have been a relative few such as Lord of the Rings by Tolkein or Ender's Game by Card that I couldn't put down. Fury is another such.

Excellent fast paced book, top notch story, hope he writes another one soon!!

very well written, which is the most important thing, u can get invloved in the story

Great, fast paced adventure as I've come to expect from Weber's tales. Unfortunately, Amazon's webpage led me to believe that it was a sequel to Weber's "In Fury Born." They are, in fact, the same book - one in hardcover and one in softcover. Buy one or the other and enjoy!!

this is anti materialist propaganda!!! i'm just joking (those people bother me), this was a nice little story about a greedy king who demands more and more presents from everyone in his kindgom, but no matter how many presents he has he's never happy, hence the constant demand for more. then one day he sees a quilt this quiltmaker gave someone as a present and the person seems pretty happy so he demands that the quiltmaker make him a quilt. the quiltmaker refuses to do this however and says that she'll only make the king a quilt when he gives his stuff away, then he'll be able to be happy. so the king tries this out. he gives one of his presents to someone and it makes him feel kind of good inside, so he does it again and again. years later the king is practically poor, but he's smiling a lot and the quiltmaker gives the king a quilt. he says he doesn't need the quilt, but the quiltmaker gives it to him anyways. the pictures are colourful and expressive and there's a nice moral to the story.

A wonderful story and illustrations.Wish there was more stories like that as we live in the world focus on having more instead to be kind and help others. I saw this story as a play and it sure touch me. It is a great keeper!!

I keep buying this book again and again to give away. My favorite line reads something like, "He kept lists of all the lists of things he owned...." Regardless of religious preference, few can argue the wisdom of "it is better to give than to receive" and the golden rule. BOTH values permeate this book inspiring children to think of others more than themselves. However, children aren't preached to. Neither are parents. This book makes us all better people, by revealing the ugly materialism that invades our culture and challenging us to embrace generosity and repenting of our greed. The text is poetic, the characters sympathetic, the illustrations rich, yet the story itself is worth it's weight in gold. We have been given a treasured tale in the Quiltmaker's Gift.

Review by Jennifer, 10 years old

The genre is fantasy because it has a bear, which talks and is nice. In real life the bear would kill the old lady. There are birds that let people make them a sweater and put it on, and there are even dancing blue cats.

I think when the king starts crying and worrying about the old lady, the author should change the king, and make him really mean but then cry and worry. Then like in the story, the king will go see if the old lady has given up and make the greedy king one of her special quilts which she didn't. The author should make the king's challenges that he gives the old lady, harder to survive, which she still survives. This then makes the king sadder and a big change will happen to the king.

I liked the part of the story is when the soldiers came in their pajamas and sleepy, because you mostly see soldiers dressed neatly and awake.

I like the author because he's a side ways thinker because you can't sew with pin needles and bears can't talk. I like all the side ways thoughts but my favorite was the blue well-dressed cats, it was funny I think the author likes kids.

My favorite part was when the king was giving the presents back because he noticed he didn't like them but it gave him joy to see everybody smile and full of happiness.

The pivotal point is when he gives the first gift back and he was happy. It was the pivotal-point because he gets happy and he was always not happy and thoughtful.

All three of my children love this book at ages 8, 6 and 3. The moral is wonderful. Pictures and words are excellent. I would recommend this book to any parent wishing to teach children the importance of giving and not being greedy.

This is an AWESOME story for kids and grown-ups alike--for all the right reasons! Berkeley Breathed weaves such a rich and colorful tapestry with his words and the illustrations will make you "fall on the floor laughing!" It is a delightful Christmas story about the human experience and one of enlightment without any deep religious undertones. It's old-fashioned in the respect that it has a "moral." It's tickles one's fancy because the story is based on an actual "thing" that can be visited with wonder and intrigue. I know because my family had to make a "pilgramage" years ago to see it with our own eyes!!

As a Realtor in the Portland, Oregon, area I make it a habit to give this book to clients every Christmas...whether they have kids or not! You certainly won't be sorry for the purchase and I truly believe you're getting an excellent value for the cost. Enjoy!

Leslie Newberry
Cell: 503-349-2727

This is my favorite Christmas story, hands down. I cannot read it without getting choked up and teary... and it's NOT a sappy story! This tells of a young boy who has a run-in with an old man who may or may not be Santa Claus; the boy has little and believes in even less, though his encounter changes that. Don't think you know how this ends though - the boy is not easily won, and he does more for the old man than the other way around. The final image will give you chills... (in a good way)
DON'T SKIP TO THE END! IT IS BEST AS A SURPRISE.

This is my favorite Christmas story. The story is great, the pictures are amazing and it makes even my older child think twice. I gave this book as a gift to several neighbors this year and they are all believers now! We read this every year.

The Red Ranger Came Calling has overtaken every other book, even my now #2 pick How The Grinch Stole Christmas, as my "must-tell" Christmas story. I am not able to read it aloud without tearing up at some point, curiously not always at the SAME point in the story.
This is a tall tale, more accurately the re-telling of a tall tale, and it's poignant message to remember to "look up" when seeking answers. The beautiful story for all ages is matched in brilliance with the artwork of Breathed. I have yet to find a child or adult who doesn't "get" the story and its beautiful moral. One need not be an Opus fan to love this book and appreciate the artistry inside.

I'd bought this for myself because I love the Bloom County/Outland series. This last Xmas I needed a gift for a 5 year old boy. Remembered how much I loved this book but on the re-read remembered it brought into play the concept that Santa dosen't exist, then resolves it. As it turns out it arms a kid with some fun mythology to run with. And the art is incredible.

This book was great. It was a little difficalt because it went back and fourth between the characters and things that went on in the past. This book is a gory one so it would be good for 7th grade and up. It tells the tall of the twins very good. but only read it if you read the first one time of the twins.

An excellent book and a great series quickly sent by seller very happy

Dragonlance series is beyond doubt one of the best known and loved works of heroic fantasy. Written with an exceptional honesty and story-telling talent, it sparkles with the authors' love for their characters and the world they created. The Twins Trilogy is a dark tale following all the patterns of heroic fantasy, but it still manages to be fresh and exciting like the best folktale. Raistlin remains one of the most striking tragic characters eagerly awaited to reappear in subsequent Dragonlance novels.

The Legends Trilogy- the Time of The Twins, the War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins, is the sequel to The Chronicles Trilogy- Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, and Dragons of Spring Dawning, which brings to life the ultimate battle between Good and Evil in the magical World of Krynn. The books are so incredibly well written that the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense. The authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have truly outdone themselves and have presented us with a masterpiece of literature the likes of which we have seen only in JRR Tolkien's work and RA Salvatore's The Dark Elf and Icewind Dale trilogies. Duty, honor, bravery, magic, dragons and heroes are all about. One should seriously start thinking about maybe turning them into movies...

War of the Twins is one of my absolute favorite books to come out of the Weis-Hickman machine. Mind-bending concepts of time travel and of the future locked in place combined with world-altering events makes for a dramatic and intense read that will keep you up late at night. It is also perhaps the most emotionally tense book in all of Dragonlance. The interactions between Raistlin and Caramon and Crysiana and Tas are fantastic. The strange love triangle between the brothers and Crysiana makes for interesting reading and also helps the reader really appreciate the emotions of the characters. Of all the characters, Raistlin in particularly really starts to reveal his true self: merciless and determined. While at times you feel like Raist must be starting to actually feel for the people that love him, it is quickly revealed that he only cares about his ultimate goal. Caramon comes into his own in this book, leading an army and realizing that he doesn't need his brother in order to live his own life. Crysiana doesn't evolve too much in this one but does grow in her sense of purpose and in her faith. Tas kind of gets left by the wayside for much of this novel, but comes back for dramatic impact on the overall story.

The only complaint I can think of is that the Dwarfgate wars were sort of skimmed over, not revealing too much detail as far as the actual battles are concerned. The leaders of the various armies and factions could have been better fleshed out, especially Kharas and the leaders of the plainsmen and hill dwarves. These are minor regrets thought and Weis and Hickman leave much to the reader's imagination which probably enhances the overall effect of the story. They focus on the main characters and the emotional battles they are going through, and that would have been taken away from some if they had included too much detail about the side stories and characters.

Overall I'd say this is one of the more mature and grim of the Dragonlance novels, without very much humor at all and a lot of tense and dark moments. The vivid characterizations of the book sold me. I'd recommend this entire trilogy to anyone in for a good emotional story.

I think the author should stick to writing about racing. In this book, a horse kicks eight-month-pregnant Ashleigh in the side. She has to go to the hospital. Her baby is born, but a blood vessel in Ashleigh's brain bursts. She goes unconscious, and she starts to dream about Christina, her baby, in her older years. In the dream, Ashleigh has died, and Christina is eventing. I won't go into further details.

In this book, Joanna Campbell has Christina jumping a three-year-old filly and considering riding her in three-day events. Ridiculous! That would do damage to the young horse's legs, and the horse would be too young to compete, anyway. Also, in the book, the filly, Jazz Goddess, is born as a runt. But later in the book, she is portrayed as tall and big over and over and over. There's also a lot of other unrealistic stuff, but I'll let you read the book on your own.

I loved this book, just like all the other ones, but it was really weird how they had all this stuff that was a dream and never really happened! It sorta gives you a fake idea of what will come. But dont get me wrong I loved the book and the story line was really cool. I absolutly love Jazz Godess! She was like almost one of those perfect horses! Except when she crushed Christinas leg, but she went on to come in second or third in the Rolex, and that might not have happened if her leg didn't motivate her! So, this was a great book, if a bit werid.

I think it is vey sad that Christina has to live without a mother, especially one like Ashleigh...She was my favorite character of all time besides Mike. I was glad that Christina did what she wanted to do, and not be another Ashleigh...Everyone who read this book will probably like it!

I LOVED this book!!!!! This was like the perfect book in this series!!! I loved that Christina was into jumping, because thats what I'm into!!! This is a great book, if you havent read it GET IT!!! YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! I only wish that the new books could be this great. I am glad that Brad's real son (Parker) isnt like his son in this book (Ross), who was a jerk. I am also glad that in the new books Christina is with Parker, not Kevin. But other than those things, I wish the new books were more like this one. I also liked Rebecca, Christina's best friend in this book, a lot better then Melanie. I wish the new main characters/couples were Christina and Parker, and Kevin and Rebecca, Melanie get on my nerves! Well, this is a wonderful book, and you should difinately read it.

At first I didn't really get this book. I mean, in the prologue Ashleigh's like in a coma or something and no one's sure whether she'll live or die. Then the entire story takes place as if she dies, but then in the end it says she lives. I didn't really get it. But then I figured out the whole story was about how everything would have played out if Ashleigh had died. How her daughter, Christina, goes on to be a great Eventer and win second in the Rolex and so on. It's a bit confusing, but after I read it for the second time I understood how the book worked.

It's a big book with bright colors and lots of touchy feely things on every page. It makes reading time a lot easier because there are fun things to help keep him interested in, so he's not always trying to turn the pages while I'm trying to read. He even snuggles the fuzzy teddy bear. There is an apron that keeps getting tugged on and hasn't torn out, so it's got to be made really well. There is just enough story on each page, without getting too long and boring. I'd like to find more bookss like this one.

This was actually given to us as a gift- and I have searched and searched for another book like it- so far havent found another book as great as this one! My son just loves this book, it is his favorite, and has been for the past six months (he is now 15 months). Not only do I have it memorized, but he truly enjoys checking out each and every page. It is not often that a toy can keep him occupied, let alone one without lights and sounds- but this one catches and keeps his attention. I have found him sitting reading it on his own. How great! Buy this!

Grandchild really enjoyed the book. One of her favorites since not many kids books are about girls.

I purchased this book several months ago for my daughter. She is now nine months old and really enjoys it. Each page is filled with brightly colored objects as well as 3 or 4 different textures to touch. We have another touch and feel book but it doesn't have a story line. On each set of pages, this book has 4-5 sentences describing each of the textured items on those pages and how Violet or her mother use them. I read the sentences and we feel the textures together. Her eyes light up each time we flip to a new page. She absolutely loves this book and I recommend purchasing it for your child.

This is really an awesome book for tactile children. My son loves the book so much that he kisses Violet and her mom on every page they appear. The only concern I have,at least in my 2 editions, is the very last line of the book doesn't make sense. It says, "At Violet's dreaming happy dreams until the morning light." I think this maybe a typographical error. Otherwise, it is a great book for babies and toddlers to explore and to begin a love for reading.