Science Fiction and Fantasy Books


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Television-->Programs-->Science Fiction and Fantasy-->15
Related Subjects: V A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U X Y W
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250
Science Fiction and Fantasy Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Science Fiction and Fantasy
War of the Twins (Dragonlance Legends, Vol. 2)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by TSR, Inc. (1995-02-21)
Authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
List price: $6.99
New price: $1.97
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

the review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-26
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.

great series
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-18
An excellent book and a great series quickly sent by seller very happy

A classic heroic fantasy
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-30
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.

FANTASTIC!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-06
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...

One of the best books in the Dragonlance saga
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-03
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.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Castle of Llyr
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Company (1991-12)
Author: Lloyd Alexander
List price: $11.45
New price: $19.95
Used price: $0.66

Average review score:

I am so glad I found these...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-13
A friend loaned me her copies of this series. I enjoyed them so much I wanted my children to be able to read them, but I was apprehensive about having them read her autographed copies, and they weren't available at our local library. I was so delighted to find them at amazon.com and at such a great price I just couldn't pass them up. This is one of those true classics, great for both kids and adults. Enjoy!

Third in a series that keeps getting better
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-12
The third book in Alexander's Prydain Chronicles is certainly the most romantic of the five books--Taran practically admits to being attracted to Eilonwy and shows jealousy when he learns that she's being sent to the Isle of Mona not just for "princess training" but, rather, because a prince (Rhun, providing the book's comic relief) is her intended husband.

This book takes the form of a standard rescue-the-damsel-in-distress story but Alexander keeps the pace brisk and introduces new characters that will return in future books: Llyan, a giant mountain cat, and Glew, a giant. Dallben and Coll only appear in the opening chapters, but returning characters include wandering bard Fflewddur Fflam, Prince Gwydion, and evil Queen Achren.

I woouldn't say that this is the best book in the series (that would be The High King, in my opinion) but it's a close second.

Not Free SF Reader
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-03
The princess needs a bit of deportment apparently.


When you decide you need to work on the aristocratic side of a girl, of course you would send her off with a pig keeper and a beast man, wouldn't you?

Because of this, and a bit of a princess triangle, they all end up in a Land of the Giants type scenario, or at least in part.

Here, along with a bit of magic, is a fantasy book where a crow actually comes in useful as a good thing.


Chronicles of Prydain
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-06
This is a great series. One of my favorites and my husband's favorites.

Good book, good principles
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-05
All of Alexander's main characters are back in this book (besides Doli I think), and once again Alexander does a wonderful job of portraying the battle of good vs. evil in the fun garb of a fictional adventure. This book highlights self-sacrafice, as Taran has to choose whether or not to help the man competing for the same things that he wants. It also highlights the immorality of selfishness, as Glew is pretty much selfishness incarnate and ends up stuck in a cave with no way to get out, until Taran and co. decide to be merciful to him even though he tried to kill them.

This books is lots of fun, definitely a recommended read, along with the rest of the series.

Overall grade: A-

Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Hidden Past (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice)
Published in School & Library Binding by Rebound by Sagebrush (2001-06)
Author: Jude Watson
List price: $13.15

Average review score:

Keeps getting better!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
Wow this book is filled with action and excitment. The Jedi Apprentice series just keeps getting better and better!
A must have for any Star Wars fan.

fine 3rd instalment about Obi-Wan's apprenticeship
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-14
Obi-Wan has at last become the Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn and is about to leave on his first official mission. Things couldnt be better, right? Think again! The Jedi are kidnapped and taken to Phindar, a planet ruled by a criminal who has people's memories erased. Things only get worse when one of the Jedis falls into his clutches and is slated for a memory wipe!

This is an exciting story and explores further the developing relationship between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Auxiliary characters are fun, especially the jovial Derida brothers, and Yoda is present in spirit if not body. There are a few battles but violence is not graphic.

Another winner
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-31
This story is officially the beginning of Qui Gon and Obi Wans master, Padawan relationship. As with just about all of the books in this series, this book comes with a moral, as well as an interesting story. You get the sense of how both Qui Gon, and Obi Wan help each other to grow not only as individuals, but as Jedi knights too. The author does a good job of illustrating the fact that even though Obi Wan and Qui Gon are both loyal members of the Jedi, they both have very different, but accommodating, personality traits.

The Absolute Best in the Series!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-09
[...]

Finally! Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn has taken thirteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Padawan learner, and they're off on their first mission to the planet Gala, to make sure the planet's governmental elections go smoothly. Then, just as quickly as they take off, their ship is hijacked (uh-oh!) to the planet Phindar. But the good news is, Obi-Wan gets to meet up with his new Phindian friend Guerra Derida, from the previous JA book. They also meet Guerra's sister Paxxi. To paraphrase the Derida brothers... not so! Paxxi is Guerra's equally likable, equally funny brother. Together they work to outwit the Syndicat, an evil organization that controls Phindar by renewing the citizens (wiping their memories) and sending them off to another planet. One of the leaders is the Derida brothers' renewed sister Terra. There are also appearances of the Deridas' gentle mother Duenna. Can they foil the Syndicat's evil, or does renewal await them?

As said in the title, this is THE absolute best JA! It's clever and poignant, with clever characters design and interesting environmental details. Really, it's like nothing you've ever read before. It'll blow you away. And without the Deridas, what would the story be? Garabage? No, something worse than garbage. Even if you think "George Lucas is dumb and Star Wars is just a bunch of idiocy!", you'll love this. I highly recommend it! It rocks! Really. It takes poignance and sci-fi adventures where they've never gone before.

The absolute best in the series
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-06
Finally! Qui-Gon has taken Obi-Wan as his Padawan learner, right when Obi-Wan turns thirteen, and they are off on a mission to the planet Phindar, a planet ruled by a group named the Syndicat. The evil members of the group renew people as punishments. That means they wipe their memory, and send them off to another planet far, far way. Pretty cruel, huh? Plus, Obi-Wan gets to meet his Phindian friend Guerra Derida again, and Guerra's sister Paxxi. To paraphrase the two... not so! Paxxi is Guerra's brother, and they are both extremely likable, funny characters. Together the four work to outwit the Syndicat, plus maybe recover Terra's memory. Terra is Paxxi and Guerra's sister, but she has been memory wiped and now leads the Syndicat. Can Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, with help from the Derida brothers, foil the Syndicat's evil? Read The Hidden Past to find out.

I'm serious, read this book! It is THE best in the JA series, and definitely worth your time. You're gonna find it hard to put down, even if you think Star Wars is just a bunch of idiocy. This'll change your mind. Extremely poignant, with clever character designation and interesting environmental details, this may be one of the best books I've ever read. It rocked. Really.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Captain's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 4)
Published in Audio CD by Penguin Audio (2008-03-27)
Author: Jim Butcher
List price: $49.95
New price: $19.50
Used price: $18.45

Average review score:

Where the heck is the map?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-18
The fourth volume of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, Captain's Fury continues the adventures of Tavi as he contends with Canim invaders and duplicitous Aleran "allies." At the same time, First Lord Gaius, Bernard, and Amara travel to Kalare to put an end to Kalarus's rebellion. As usual, Butcher stuffs the novel with combat and political intrigue. At this point, he knows what he's doing; he has created a formula for the series, which could continue in perpetuity. I have followed with interest Tavi's journey from a shepherd to a student to a soldier to a prince. Illustrating a character's growth from a boy to a man is an effective way to plot a series.

This novel's highlight is the development of Gaius as a full-fledged primary character. In the earlier volumes, he has been a presence more than a person. His arrival as a character humanizes him. I also like how Butcher reverses the roles: Before, Tavi was the one without furies, while Gaius reveled in his; now, Tavi is starting to come into his power while Gaius cannot depend on his. The First Lord also serves as a foil to Tavi. You can sense a conflict brewing between them based on their personalities. Tavi's compassion and trust will inevitably clash with Gaius's grim resolve. Much of the novels focus on the nature and consequences of service and loyalty. More than any other volume, Captain's Fury shows how Tavi inspires service and loyalty, whereas Gauis compels it.

By now, we know Tavi's secret identity, and part of me thinks it is a mistake. I like Tavi as a resourceful country boy who succeeded due to, not in spite of, his inability to furycraft. His success showed up the flawed society of this world with its emphasis on bloodline and furycrafting. Now, we have to wonder if his success is inherited instead of innate. Has he excelled merely because of his father? I know that Tavi's identity is crucial to the series and cannot be second-guessed, but I still wish he were a simple shepherd. There are enough stories about peasants who were royal all along.

Butcher's series is entertaining, but I think it is starting to feel formulaic. I hope that Butcher throws a curveball in the next volume. I'm ready for some surprises and betrayal. Also, can someone please insert a map of Alera in the next book?

great reading
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-09
i've said it before i'll say it again, if you like epic fantasy this series is for you!!!

Excellent 4th part to the series.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-22
I really enjoy this series. Jim Butcher is an author I love to read and I originally got hooked on his Dresden Files series. I'm currently anxiously awaiting the next release from both series at the end of 2008.

The Codex Alera is a story line that, while not as intricately woven as George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (or is it Fire and Ice? I forget), it is still very, very entertaining. We're not reading Aristotle here, but I never did enjoy reading him in the first place. Some might say it's predictable, but there are some good twists here and there and the series is going in the direction I really want it to go. If Butcher did something strange and killed off half of the cast to be unpredictable, I'd be upset.

I recommend this book and this series to all those that enjoy the Dresden Files, Orson Scott Card, George R.R. Martin, etc.

Again, it's a highly enjoyable read and I really can't wait to get the next book.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-18
Captian's Fury is an excellent continuation of the very good series of books. A difficult book to put down once you start with enough twists to keep you guessing to the end yet not lose you along the way. Already anxious to get the next one.

Roman-style magic, military, and politics--nicely done
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-08
As captain of Alera's First Legion, Tavi has spent two years holding the invading Canim warriors to a draw. Now, though, Senator Arnos has brought two more legions into the battle--and he's intent on destroying both Tavi and his reputation. Arnos intends to be the champion of the nation, setting himself up as a candidate for emperor when the current emperor dies. To make sure Tavi is completely disgraced, the senator orders him to murder civilians--something he knows Tavi will never do.

Tavi's composure is shaken when he learns that the woman he thought was his aunt is actually his mother, and that his late father was the heir to the Alaran thrown. Still, he believes that the war can be won without massive slaughter--that the Canim are anxious to end the invasion and head to their homes. Unfortunately, Arnos wants his triumph and Tavi can do little from the prison where he's locked up after disobeying orders. Fortunately for Tavi, he has a number of friends, and his powers of magic are gradually growing.

Author Jim Butcher continues his Codex Alera series with an adventure that combines Roman-style military tactics, magic, personal bravery, and political jockeying for position during the decline of the aging emperor. A Roman-style government, military and political system provides a solid base on which Butcher can add his magical system (based on personifications of the different elements). Tavi (Octavian) continues to grow as a character, creating loyalties among his men (and women) that will serve him well if he can survive to become emperor. But at the end of CAPTAIN'S FURY, he's exposed to the Aleran nobility as heir-apparent. His problems with assassins are about to be multiplied.

Butcher is best known for his fine Dresden File series. The Codex Alera series is a great addition to his output. Fans of magical world-style fantasy will definitely want to read this entire series.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Covenants: A Borderlands Novel (Borderlands)
Published in Paperback by Roc (2004-05-04)
Author: Lorna Freeman
List price: $7.99
New price: $2.85
Used price: $1.61

Average review score:

Unexpectedly Excellent!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-07
Rabbit is a simple soldier in the Iversterre Army, stationed in a back-water outpost... Or at least that is what he wishes he was and tries hard to be. Unfortunately for Rabbit, he's got a few rather big secrets. When one of the Faena, a talking mountain cat named Laurel, happens upon Rabbit's troop, things start to fall apart as far as Rabbit is concerned. Rabbit is from the Borderlands, a territory distinct from Iversterre, to the south, and so is the Faena, a creature most people in Iversterre think of as mythical. Rabbit has grown up with Faena, so he's not confounded by Laurel's appearance--but he somehow gets caught up in a Covenant with him... a simple sharing of food that turns into something bigger.

Laurel has been sent as an Ambassador to the King's Court of Iversterre. Years ago (largely forgotten by most of the people), the Borderlands fought a war and handily defeated Iversterre, now the two countries are approaching another war: smugglers and slavers and reavers from Iversterre have been killing Borderlands creatures or selling them as slaves and trading in their artifacts.

Rabbit travels with his troop, accompanying the Ambassador to the Courts and finds that he's the target of assassination attempts and that he needs to stop being the simple soldier and former farmboy and find out about politics and intrigues quickly. And although magic is totally disregarded in Iversterre, it seems that plenty of magic is at work; something else that Rabbit needs to know more about fast.

This is a solid and enjoyable epic fantasy that has some of what you'd expect (magic and mages and dragons and elves and kingdoms at war) and yet still feels fresh and unique. There is plenty of adventure and mystery and action and betrayal and evil. What's better, they aren't fighting an Evil Overlord, but men and creatures with the typical desire for power and riches.

Rabbit is a good main character. He's a farmboy and simple soldier, even though he's also quite a few other things as well. While he may be a bit TOO much, particularly towards the latter part of the book, the fact that he's humble and doesn't ask for much helps keep him grounded and accessible. The cast of characters who surround him are complex and intriguing as well. The plot twists and turns and is a wildly fun roller-coaster of a ride.

It is very easy for an epic fantasy to fall into the usual tropes and become indistinguishable from one another. This book is saved by its strong characters and clean and accomplished storytelling. I'm happy to recommend this book and will certainly be reading any sequels.

Wow!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-31
I stayed up all night to finish this book, unable to put it down. I have only done that with Harry Potter & The Lord of the Rings (nothing new there), and the Bartimaeus Trilogy & Howl's Moving Castle. One thing I love is the dynamics. It doesn't so much repeat as return, the way a theme does in a symphony.

The book has everything: humor, intensity, memorable characters and situations, memorable places, haunting images, brilliant dialogue, ideas, philosophy, feelings, symbols... And although, as is always the case with fantasy, a few aspects are recognizable from other works (I'm thinking mainly of Avatar, and the two are very different) there is a flavor of originality throughout.

It's not the kind of book I immediately want to reread, because it is the kind of book I first want to keep thinking about. I keep discovering things in retrospect, and realize how well it is planned. It is the kind of book I don't want just to reread, but to study.

I really, really hope Lorna Freeman doesn't have to wait for posterity to get the attention she deserves. I couldn't even find a new version of her second book on amazon (only second hand). But, as urged by a reviewer here, I wrote to penguin about the rumor of their discontinuing her series.

A great start to a enjoyable series
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-28
A great start to a enjoyable series, I have reread this book till the pages are falling out, the second book was a good follow up was waiting for the third book shawdows past but it looks to have been canceled this is a shame I was really looking forward to reading it.

Excellent start to an innovative series
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-23
Both of the Borderlands books were great reads, with a truly innovative world, intriguing characters, and exceptionally vivid imagery. I can't wait until the next book comes out

Unite to save this author!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-06
I was completely surprised at how good this book was, the publisher write up does not nearly describe the scope of this book. I read it in a day and can't wait to start the next one.

Here is where the tragedy starts. Due to what the publisher thinks are low sales numbers Ms. Freeman's third book in this series has been put on hold until further notice!!!

I urge anyone who has read this book and enjoyed as much as I did to contact Penguin Publishing group to rally behind this author and get her books published.

This is one of the many reasons to buy new books when you find an author you appreciate. By buying used books talented authors like this get dumped by their publisher because the sale numbers are high enough.

Support your favorite authors, BUY NEW!!!

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Forgotten Door
Published in Hardcover by Westminster John Knox Press (1965-06)
Author: Alexander Key
List price: $9.95
Used price: $0.27

Average review score:

A Classic Book With a Message
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-15
The story of a boy, Jon, who falls through a mysterious door and lands on earth. Falling from what seems safe into chaos, the boy faces love and hate. While some provide loving care, others seek to destroy thus, encasing the human condition.
The author's theme is quite clear, yet not preachy. Forcing readers to look within and celebrate other's differences while recognizing held beliefs is what rides throughout the book. The theme is revealed through its characters and the setting holds to enforce it. The writer carefully questions the normal human nature. Readers are gently forced to face their own disagreements. A book that has been around for generations still provides the right answers to time old questions. Through its read, it is possible to fantasize of a better world.

Loved it then - Love it now
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-26
I always loved reading this... still do ...enough to have 2 copies on my shelf...and I'm 51. It's one of those few books that stick with you thru the years, one you don't forget and makes you think. I always thought it would make a great Disney movie.

leaves you wanting more, but still excellent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-29
Other reveiwers have noted that this book is pretty short and leaves you wanting more, but that is not such a bad thing. I read this a few times when I was seven or eight years old and the story stuck in my head. I couldn't remember the title, but 20 years later I remembered enough details to find this book with a few internet keyword searches. I was not dissapointed when I read it again as an adult. It is an excellent story with a good moral. I agree with past reveiwers that it is good when it could have been great, but I reccomend just taking it for what it is and enjoying it. Also, for anyone under 12 it is a great read and not too taxing. It's a great book for instilling a love of reading, so share it with any youngsters you know.

Memories from long ago
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-08
I am 46 and I vividly remember reading this book as a child. The adventure of a boy who accidently travels from his beautiful, peaceful planet to our planet was magical for me when I read it as a girl. I hadn't remembered the title or author, but when I saw the book cover at a garage sale, I gasped and pounced on this book. If you are a parent, you have to get it for your children. On an emotional level, you'll be giving them a great adventure story that will fill them with wonder. The "adult" in me can now see that it taught me something about the good and bad in people and their actions. Absolutely recommended!

A gentle, thoughtful gem
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-01
Like so many others, I read this lovely book when I was much younger, and it has remained with me to this day. It's a deceptively simple story, told directly & clearly, which poses quite a few difficult ethical & moral questions about the world we take for granted. Yet it's never preachy or heavy-handed. Through the eyes of Little Jon, we not only see the flaws of our own society, with its emphasis on greed, power, and selfishness, but we also get a glimpse of another, better world. Certainly any child who is puzzled by the needless cruelties we so easily inflict on one another will welcome this book. Why *does* it have to be that way? Why *can't* we rise above our worst instincts? Well, maybe we can ... and a book like this is a reminder of that possibility. It's inspirational in the best sense of the word, and most highly recommended!

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Juniper
Published in Library Binding by Topeka Bindery (1999-10)
Author: Monica Furlong
List price: $13.00

Average review score:

Timeless
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-18
This is book is at the top of my all time favorite books as a child(I'm 21 now). I read this book a million times over and if I could find it I'd do it again. This novel definately molded my reading as a child and I can't be more thankful of it. Interesting and difficult to pull away from this book draws you in. I think I might go and re-buy both this book and Wise Child to read just for summer fun!

the story of juniper.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-09
After reading Wise Child I was very happy to discover Juniper. It is the story of Juniper and how she became a doran after enduring her teaching from Euny. The story is well written like Wise Child. I recommend reading this book especially if you enjoyed Wise Child.

A jouney of self-discovery. Not as good as Wise Child, but well-written and still wonderful. Recommend, especially as a sequel
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-23
The prequel to Wise Child, Juniper is the story of Ninnoc, know as Juniper, a medieval princess sent to apprentice under her godmother. Juniper leaves her friends, family, and the comforts of her father's small palace to live with Euny, her grandmother, in a small cold shack on the edge of the kingdom. Under Euny's care she toils throughout the day, eats little, and sleeps poorly, all with the promise that, in time, Euny will teach her the knowledge and ways of a doran, the women of the world who live alongside the rhythms of nature and use their skills and magic to help others. While Juniper spends a year and a day at Euny's shack, her father's castle comes under attack by her aunt, and evil sorceress who wants the kingdom for herself. Juniper's first task as a doran will be to use her powers and what Euny has taught her to defeat her aunt and save her father's kingdom. While I prefer Wise Child, Juniper is also an engrossing, worthwhile read. Many of the same themes are present, especially the concept that nothing worthwhile comes without a price. Juniper's story is darker than Wise Child's: Euny is a tough task master and Juniper's aunt is a more immediate and threatening foe. In exchange, the elements of magic are larger and more visible. While perhaps not as enjoyable or as skillfully crafted as Wise Child, Juniper provides interesting backstory and continues to examine the path of a doran--how they learn, what their purpose is, and what trails they must face. I recommend this text, especially as a prequel to Wise Child.

Despite the similar storyline, Juniper is very different from its sequel, Wise Child. Both stories are about young women who live with a doran, working hard and suffering in order to learn from her and train to be dorans themselves. However, Juniper deviates from Wise Child's focus on the nature of love and family: unlike Wise Child, Juniper comes from a stable and loving home. Rather, Juniper's story is about assessing one's own skills and finding one's own path, even if that path takes you far away from the comfort and desires of your youth. This theme of self-discovery is worthwhile and interesting to readers of all age groups: it's instructive and comforting to the young, and reminds older readers that the sacrifice and reward of self-discovery is never really over.

Perhaps the biggest difference between Wise Child and Juniper is the role of magic in the books. In Juniper, magic plays a much more visible role and doesn't fit into the world as we know it quite as well as it does in Wise Child. Talking animals, transforming sorcerers, and magical items all transform the visibility and role of magic. While not as extreme as it could be (there are no dragons here), magic is more obvious and harder to explain in this book. As a result, the story is a little more distant and harder to identify with than Wise Child, making for a less sucessful book. Juniper's story is more exciting, with a more physical and exciting climax, but on the whole it isn't as successful or as enjoyable as Wise Child.

Nonetheless, Furlong writes in a clear, readable style, her characters are realistic and easy to identify with, an the lessons contained within the book are worthwhile and personal. It is a fitting companion to Wise Child and contains many of the concepts and themes that make that book so wonderful. As a prequel, this book successfully provides backstory and characterization that should interest anyone that has read Wise Child. I do recommend this text, primarily but not only as a sequel, and I like to come back to it every couple of years.

Definately read this...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-21
If you have read Wise Child...(I don't know, I read Wise Child first--I don't know if that's out of order or not)...anyway, this is a great book to go along with Wise Child. The books are imaginative and fun to read, and I'm not even a kid anymore...she just makes them fun for all ages to read...I highly recommend this book...

I hope this helped you...

Good for reading to your children
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-27
I'm a guy (you know the drill - testosterone has me rooting for the robots in the terminator movies) with 3 young daughters and so story time for me can be it's own kind of hell, overpopulated with too many thoughtful ponies, joyous princesses and other terrors from the Id.

Juniper at least is a story that can engross a child while being satisfying to the adult reader. I never once had the urge to plunge my head through the sheetrock in the bedroom whereas when forced to read stories like the Pony Pals, that's all I can think about. The wise women in Juniper are are a bit too knowing and all seeing, the plot a bit formulaic but other than that, it's a story of growing up, persistence against adversity good and evil, courage and adventure and some things in between. Same holds through the rest of the trilogy: Wise Child and Colman though they're not written in order.

I suspect that these stories catch the mind of young girls more than boys and are aimed more at a female audience. I don't know if I would have read it by myself, but with mission to read to my daughters, it was an enjoyable journey. I could see adult women enjoying this for it's own sake. In any case the books of this trilogy are well above the average children's fare for girls or for boys. Definitely worth the price of admission.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
When Worlds Collide
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Warner Books (1978-05-18)
Author: Philip/Balmer, Edwin Wylie
List price: $1.95
Used price: $2.95

Average review score:

Old does not mean good
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-15
Books,Movies and anything that was created in the 30's seem to be deemed good.I am 70 years old and have been reading SciFi for years.I saw the movie back in the 50's and thought it was great but did not realize it was from a book.After I happend on these glowing reviews I wonderd how I let this one get by me all these years.Lucky for me I found it at the Library so I did not waste my money only my time.I opend this book with great expectation.My expectations were soon dashed after mudeling through around 50 pages of mundane dialoge.I then just started scanning pages looking for something of interest.About half way through there was a little war just before the end of the first book.I am now just starting the second half.After worlds collide.I am hopefull that this second half will have some redeaming features.The Movie I saw in the 50's was much better than this book more action,suspense and drama but when thy landed that was the end of the movie.I do not recomend this book it is not good just old.

A do-over well worth doing again
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-07
This is one of a handful of books I've read twice. Wonderful for introducing a young person to science fiction. I've also read the sequel, which I delightfully discovered in a second-hand store. It is also quite good.

Totally satisfying
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-06
It just doesn't get better than this. I had of course heard about this book all my life but somehow never got around to reading it. The terrific Bison series has reissued it, and so I finally got my chance. There are actually two books here, the second being "After Worlds Collide." Amazing but true: they are equally wonderful, each in its own way.

The first book delivers on its promise to depict the end of the world. That's not so easy to do! Furthermore, I found the underlying science to be surprisingly plausible and even timely, given our new understanding of how asteroids and comets have shaped Earth's history and could do it again. Yes, the characters are all two-dimensional, and of course various social details are dated. But the plot is so compelling that: who cares!

Anyway, the first book leaves you hankering for more, and the second book more than satisfies that hankering. Again there is edge-of-your-seat adventure. But for me the overriding pleasurable impression is of mystery. I won't give away the details, but suffice it to say: they are an excellent surprise, and I wish this had been a trilogy! Nevertheless, the book is actually more true-to-life in that some things remain unanswered and unknown. Really, the mysterious aura of the second book provides a kind of satisfaction in its own right.

Now I've got to find other books by Wylie!

READER OF MANY BOOKS
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-26
I READ ALOT AND MOST BOOKS ARE ENTERTAINING. SOME BOOKS ARE MORE. THIS BOOK FITS IN THE LATTER. IT KEPT ME UP LATE SEVERAL NIGHTS. MANY CHAPTERS END IN SUSPENSE THEREFORE KEEPING YOU READING. A FEW THINGS I DID NOT LIKE BUT THEY WERE SMALL SO I DID NOT TAKE A STAR AWAY. THE BOOKS ENDS ABRUPTLY,LEAVING YOU FEELING A LITTLE UNSATISFIED. WITH ONLY A FEW PAGES LEFT AND THINGS UNRESOLVED, I KEPT THINKING THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT IT COULD END PROPERLY. THE ROMANCE IS A LITTLE IRRITATING. THIS WAS A BOOK THAT KEPT ME THINKING ABOUT IT LONG AFTER FINISHING IT.

Classic Sci-Fi!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-20
I first read this back in the early 80's and because of it, fell in love with science fiction.

The book describes the death of the Earth in horrifying detail. The Noah's Ark theme is classic, where a group of survivors board rockets (arks) in order to escape the destruction of the planet. All in all, the authors give a good story, rich with adventure, emotion and incredible new worlds.

Not perfectly explainable in terms of science, but enjoyable even today.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Mediator #6: Twilight (Mediator)
Published in Library Binding by HarperTeen (2005-01-01)
Author: Meg Cabot
List price: $16.89
New price: $8.98
Used price: $7.07

Average review score:

JESSE IS HOT!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-22
i read this book 24/7 because of love the make out seen and paul i think paul is a hottie but he a jerk somtimes but he ok i would love to be a mediator so i can kiss a ghost so it can help me out with my life it would be very awesome!!

the mediator 6
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
I love the mediator books so much and I want them to go to book seven maybe even ten. I've gotten addicted to them and I don't want them to end at 6.

Mediator # 6 Twilight
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-13
The story line continues and this book is just as exciting and exhiliarating as the rest in this series. I would highly recommend this book and the previous in this series. Excellent read!!!!

Good, but not the best in the series.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-13
This series is a lot of fun to read, but I did feel that the ending was a little too perfect. Everything tied up in a perfect bow. Throughout the book, I felt that the story was lacking a good central plot to work around. From the beginning, we knew Paul was up to something, and shortly after, we knew what it was, but for some reason, Suze couldn't figure out the obvious. Suze was just confused and unsure and shallow most of this book which is very unlike her character. However, the ending was just what the reader would wnat and I am very glad I read the book. I liked the series so much I had to read all of it in one week. Read it, but it isn't the best in the series, but you'll be happy with the ending. I am left wanting to understand Paul better, but maybe that is for another series. :)

V.Z.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-25
I thought the sixth and final book in the mediator books was an awesome book. It solved all the questions I had about what was going to happen in the end, and it answered them in a very unexpected and extremely pleasing way. I totally recommend this book, but I recommend reading the first five Mediator books before reading this one so you have a better idea of what is going on.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Momo/Momo (SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITION)
Published in Paperback by Santillana USA Publishing Company (1997-11)
Author: Michael Ende
List price: $10.95
New price: $5.95
Used price: $5.50

Average review score:

Great and beautiful book for both adults and children
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-19
Momo lives in the ruins of the ancient amphitheater alone. She is in rags and an orphan. Though she could stay there by the residents' help at first, she becomes indispensable to them more and more. That is because they get a solution or confidence while the residents are telling Momo about their stories. However, Momo does not do anything to them. She just listens to them with the utmost attention and sympathy. One day, the gray men suddenly appear in the city. They are people who work for the company called TimeSaving and steal time from the residents. Many residents who were happy are being changed by the gray men little by little into busy people who do not have time to enjoy themselves. After Momo finds out the reason that people are getting busy, Momo starts an adventure with the tortoise and Professor Hora to rescue the residents from the gray men.

This book is for an adult who is pressed for time. This book includes many valuable lessons and suggests a right direction of life to people. I could learn from this book how important listening to other people is, and I also could think about time I have and spend every day. Momo helps people to listen to themselves by talking to her. Even though I have tried to listen to other people, I would find myself telling more about things I wanted to say. This book makes people realize once again about the importance of listening. Like this book says, people live busily to pursue their happiness, but they tend to lose their happiness because of that. Even if people make lots of money, they could lose their important things and get unhappy. This book tells us that we should take care of people who are around us more and try to feel the change of seasons and appreciate our life. How to spend time that we have evenly is up to us. We can make us be pursued by time. In addition, this book is very exciting. The adventure that Momo shows to take back time from the gray men led me into the exciting and fantastic world.

Una fantasía muy cierta
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-02
MOMO es un libro lleno de fantasía, pero que con cada una de sus palabras nos recuerda la cruda realidad que vivimos y en las miles de cosas en que nos escudamos para no apreciar la belleza a nuestro alrededor, el compartir con otros y el poder que tiene sólamente escuchar.
Esta historia la debemos compartir con otros, porque no puede quedarse encerrada en nuestro corazón.
Está escrita para ninos, adolescente, adultos y mayores, cada quien con su experiencia sabrá sacar el mejor provecho de las enseñanzas que nos deja esta pequeña niña, no tanto con sus palabras, como con sus acciones.
El lector definitivamente se siente transportado a un mundo que conoce y compate pero se niega a reconocer como verdades, porque nada es más duro que reconocer en si mismo los errores que cometen otros.
Momo debiera ser un libro de lectura obligatoria en la escuelas, pero por no serlo, estoy segura de que más personas realmente lo van a disfrutar en cada una de las etapas de su vida.

A timeless classic for children and adults
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-05
I am so pleased that Momo is available again after being out of print. It is one of my all-time favorites. Read it aloud to your kids or your class. There is so much wisdom in this book and it is a great way to start conversations with children about the true values in life.
While the story in itself might appeal to very young children (amazon recommends it for pre-school children) I think that its beautiful depth would be lost on them. I am positive that the book wasn't written with this age group in mind.

This fantasy with a wonderful moral starts slow but gathers speed until its exciting conclusion
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-13
(Young adult fiction) In Momo, Ende tells the story of a young girl (Momo) who wanders into a neighborhood and lives alone but is supported by the local residents. She repays them with her wonderful powers of listening which inspire arguers to resolve their fights, storytellers to tell wondrous stories, and children to play exciting games. Soon, though, a group of strange men begin to steal people's time, causing them to work constantly, feverishly, and mirthlessly. Momo must save the day.

My wife and I began reading this aloud and stopped because of the slow exposition. But as I continued on my own, the pace picked up, and I was treated to an adventure into the origins of time and back again.

The book has several strengths. Ende draws his characters with wonderful detail: Momo and her friends are drawn with painstaking detail (sometimes too much, maybe, but ultimately with benefit). The moral of the tale, that time enjoyed is not time wasted, is a valuable if simple reminder to all of us in our rushed world. A secondary theme, established early in the book, points to the powerful value of listening to others, another valuable reminder. (As an aside, my favorite book on that theme is Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie.) As Momo journeys to the origin of time, Ende employs evocative imagery to help us visualize a physical manifestation of time.

I look forward to recommending this title to my children and to other young readers.

For "I dont have time to ..." people
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-12
It is not because you do not really have enough time to ...
It is not because you do not have enough skills to manage your time to...

It is because you choose to happen it to be so.

See (in this book) how


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Television-->Programs-->Science Fiction and Fantasy-->15
Related Subjects: V A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U X Y W
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250