Showing posts with label epic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic. Show all posts

Buy Cheap The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2) Review

The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2)

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The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2) Review

This is really good, how am I the first review?
Shadow picks up where The Hawk And His Boy leaves off, and if anything gets better. No middle volume slump here. Several significant confrontations with the Dark along with identities and allegiances uncovered, both expected and unexpected, keep the story moving along at a good pace. The prose standard continues to be high. And where some authors outsmart themselves with "clever" twists that make you roll your eyes and wonder what they could possibly have been thinking, the twists here work well, keeping the story fresh, and yet having that feeling of inevitability one gets from a story proceeding exactly as it must.
As with most longer fantasy the story follows multiple characters or groups. Often with that type of plot I get annoyed with one or more threads and plod through them waiting to get back to party X with the characters I like, but that doesn't happen here as all characters are either sufficiently appealing in their own right or up to no good in such a way that I genuinely wanted to know what they are doing.
A lot of focus in first half or so of this volume seems to be on characters other than Jute, arguably the main character in volume one, though it does drop in on him occasionally at first and more often as the story progresses. A number of characters who had lesser roles in Hawk And His Boy get to spend a lot more time on stage and come into their own in this volume. Owain Gawinn and Levoreth happily get a lot of stage time here.
Can't wait for the final volume, which will immediately jump to the head of my queue when it's available. If you like classic Good vs Evil save the world fantasy, give this series a try.

The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2) Overview

The Epic Continues

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Lowest Price The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' Review

The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time'

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The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' Review

The Wheel of Time is probably the best-known and most widely read fantasy series other than The Lord of the Rings.
When this book was published in 1988 or 1989, it created a sensation -- a tremendous first volume that had the usual good-evil battle and tons of action but also was filled with magic, history, politics, sociology, cultural background and realistic characters. When I re-read the first five books, I was amazed at the details of history and politics that Jordan provided in his world. Jordan also has numerous protagonists, not just one or two primary ones like many other fantasy writers.
Moreover, Eye of the World features strong men and, through their magical abilities and powerful personalities, stronger women. Jordan has been rightly lauded for the prominent and powerful roles he created for the female characters.
The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising and The Fires of Heaven followed and created a tremendous series such that The New York Times noted that Jordan had come to dominate the genre that Tolkien made famous.
In Eye of the World, the writing is smooth, the various characters and their motivations work well, and there's action aplenty. The sense of innocence and mystery that correspond to the heroes' relative lack of knowledge of their surroundings and the world at large is palpable and realistic.
Unfortunately, starting with Lord of Chaos (book 6), Jordan's creation became unwieldy. Instead of concentrating on following the themes and story-threads of books 1-5 (which combined are more than 3500 pages, hardcover), he created new storylines, bogged down the narrative and halted the pace of the epic. Book 8 in particular is an unmitigated disaster -- 650 pages (hardcover) of wheel-spinning (pardon the pun) with almost no progress to the story. Book 9 began to jump-start the narrative once again.
The series is at 10 books (the tenth will be published in about two months from now) and growing (13 total possible -- it's a common numerical theme in the books), thus the last volume will be published in 2006, at the earliest.
The Eye of the World is great, as are the next four in the series. They are, however, addictive, so know what you're getting into.

The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' Overview



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46% Off Discounts: Lowest Price A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2) Review

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)

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A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2) Review

During one of those endless nights when I just couldn't put Clash of Kings down, I wondered: "Why aren't there more books like this?" George Martin has created one of those most deeply involving and satisfying series out there. In only two books, he has crafted real characters involved in the horrors of war. Many of the reviews below accurately describe the way that Martin creates characters of grey, rather than comic book black and whites. Many of the scenes in the book fit well with dark and somber lighting. This is not your daddy's fantasy novel.
Martin's characters bring a more realistic spin on knighthood and war. Cersei describes it best to young Sansa when she destroys the young girl's romantic view of knights by remarking that knights are for killing, nothing more or less. And kill they do. The battle scenes are raw and unglamorous, like the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan. Its all very realistic and gritty and heck, it makes sense: what do you really think happens when a not-so-sharp sword is swung haphazardly at another person: I've never seen it firsthand, but I'm sure its not pretty. It may be an oxymoron to claim that a fantasy book can be realistic, but this series is: after seeing the battle scenes in Braveheart or Gladiator, I have a deeper understanding of the horrors of sword fighting in, say, the medieval times in English history. Martin's story is realistic in the sense that it doesn't gloss over the horror and pain and terror of battles and the rage of the people who fight them.
Martin's series is a hardcore fantasy adventure for adults. While other authors cater predominately to a younger fantasy audience, Martin seems to write for the "college and beyond" crowd (at 31, I'm well beyond). Sex scenes, like the battles, are not glamorous in the least. Whereas characters in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series constantly blush and stumble at the very thought of even kissing a girl, Martin's characters think lewd thoughts, perform graphic sex scenes, etc. Yes, its not for all ages, or for every taste, but for those of us who are tired of the same old antiseptic stuff, Martin is a mature breathe of fresh air.
Meanwhile, he continues to awe me with his story telling. The different kings are now in open conflict with each other. Whereas Game of Thrones focused on the Starks v. the Lannisters, in this installment, it seems as if the entire land is in termoil, with no less than six kings fighting each other and attacking each other. The battles are terrific, including the climactic battle. (no spoilers here)
One other note I feel compelled to make is that Martin has created strong and independant female characters in his series. People might assume, based on the reviews, that this is a male-dominated story. Nothing could be further from the truth. Martin spends as much time writing about the female characters (Sansa, Arya, Catelyn Stark) as the male characters, and the female characters rule (i.e. Cersei) and fight battles (I won't reveal any specifics on this point except to say that Martin introduces two female warriors.)
Martin has created a real world, with all the vices of our own, and given all his characters life. Here's hoping that other writers take note.

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2) Overview



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46% Off Discounts: Purchase Cheap The Omen Machine Review

The Omen Machine

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The Omen Machine Review

There has been a tremendous amount of hype revolving around the release of this novel, beginning early last year with the announcement that Terry Goodkind would be returning to the beloved world of Richard and Kahlan, once again. Having completed the 12th novel of the 'Sword of Truth' series with the grand finale 'Confessor', most believed Goodkind had closed off this world and had moved onto other stories. However, that seemed to change sometime after 2009 when, a somewhat chilled response to his 'Law of Nines' mainstream thriller resulted in seemingly less interest than had been expected.
Fast forward to early 2010 when, much to the amazement of readers and long-time series fans, a new Richard and Kahlan novel was announced. Thus began a year and a half long wait, rife with speculation, excitement, and even a little fear for what would become of the protagonists and the world we had thought closed. Fans were given great reason to expect good things when it was announced, 'The Omen Machine' was not an unnecessary extension of the 'SoT' series, but would in fact be a new storyline, perhaps even a new trilogy or series all-together.
Let me be up front and say that I have long enjoyed many of the 'Sword of Truth' series books, particularly the early novels. I consider 'Stone of Tears' and 'Faith of the Fallen' to be one of the best (at very least in the top rank best books overall). In addition, between long waits for other stellar fantasy books (eyes towards you, Mr. Martin), I have enjoyed multiple re-reads from the 'Sword of Truth' and even a romp through 'The Law of Nines'. That said, I can certainly understand and agree with the complaint that later books in the series felt "too preachy". A lot of repetitive dialogue with less forward progression than had come previous. While the books were all well and good, in comparison, the later portions of the 'Sword of Truth' are just not as enjoyable as the early novels.
Getting that out of the way up front, I am ecstatic to say, 'The Omen Machine' is not only a thoroughly good read, it is a stunningly bright star of a novel that excels on virtually all levels. Terry Goodkind has successfully swooped in and picked up right where 'Confessor' left off (to the day!) and began anew with a much faster paced novel, a shorter read, that feels much more aligned with the speed and the exhilaration of the early books -- yet stands firm in its own right. Promise made and promise kept, the 'SoT' is over, all rise the 'The Omen Machine'.
I had expected to spend about 4-5 days reading this book and I surprised myself when the final clock came in at just under 1.5 days. I didn't care to put it down and at a brisk 540 some odd pages, you'll probably feel the same.
There are a handful of all-new characters introduced, including 2, in particular, that give a completely new name to villainy and danger. Both Richard and Kahlan grow in surprising ways and at least 1 significant event from the past is rediscovered in a brutally enlightened, new way. Best of all, the book rises to a fantastic climax and then concludes with clear foreshadowing of something even greater. A wonderfully satisfying read.
Overall, this is an excellent novel that will appeal to readers of almost any type, even the most fidgety contemporary fan (which I am sad to admit I have grown into) will find a lot to love here. Someone else said it early today and I agree; while it is certainly helpful to have read prior R&K/SoT novels for a fuller comprehension of the backstory, this novel is perfectly packaged as a stand-alone. New readers should not hesitate to try this book even as their first foray into the world. I would even recommend it to readers that may have tried Terry Goodkind in the past, but were perhaps turned off by the size, philosophy, or even voice/style of his prior books.
After much anticipation and the admitted fear of being let down, I am happy to give this book a well-deserved 5-out-of-5 stars with a definite recommendation. Enjoy.

The Omen Machine Overview

Hannis Arc, working on the tapestry of lines linking constellations of elements that constituted the language of Creation recorded on the ancient Cerulean scroll spread out among the clutter on his desk, was not surprised to see the seven etherial forms billow into the room like acrid smoke driven on a breath of bitter breeze. Like an otherworldly collection of spectral shapes seemingly carried on random eddies of air, they wandered in a loose clutch among the still and silent mounted bears and beasts rising up on their stands, the small forest of stone pedestals holding massive books of recorded prophecy, and the evenly spaced display cases of oddities, their glass reflecting the firelight from the massive hearth at the side of the room.Since the seven rarely used doors, the shutters on the windows down on the ground level several stories below stood open as a fearless show of invitation. Though they frequently chose to use windows, they didn't actually need the windows any more than they needed the doors. They could seep through any opening, any crack, like vapor rising in the early morning from the stretches of stagnant water that lay in dark swaths through the peat barrens.The open shutters were meant to be a declaration for all to see, including the seven, that Hannis Arc feared nothing.#1 New York Times-bestselling author Terry Goodkind returns to the lives of Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell—in a compelling tale of a new and sinister threat to their world.

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45% Off Discounts: Special Prices for The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics) Review

The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics)

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The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics) Review

As a fan of Narayan's work, I was fascinated to see how he would tackle the grand subject of the Ramayana, a work that runs through and certainly influences all of Narayan's stories. The result is one of his most delightful and beautifully written novels. I think it is important to approach this book not as "THE" Ramayana, but one storyteller's unique vision of the timeless epic--even as a variation on one of his Malgudi novels (the characters certainly bare a distinct resemblance). Narayan's writing is extremely sensitive, refined, yet full of humor and charm. Throughout he adopts the tone of a storyteller, openly acknowledging that he is only "retelling" a story by a much greater storyteller, and leaving out the juciest parts at that. His little asides where he explains, "And here the poet described the scene so touchingly..." are at once reverent and amusing, as Narayan wisely omits anything too excessive or poetic that might derail his narrative. But the story itself is wonderful, a colorful, full-blooded telling of the Ramayana, sparse, fast-moving, but with all the hallmarks of Narayan's style. This book is a must for any fan of Narayan's fiction, Indian writing, or mythology. Narayan effectively conveys the epic's timelessness, with characters and situations that echo throughout literature and film, full of profound human emotions. And this is always one of Narayan's chief strengths, to create believable, complex human characters. In his treatment, even Rama and Sita emerge as sympathetic individuals, not the cardboard cut-outs all too common given their extraordinary powers. In short, this is a magical and engaging work that I know I will read again and again in the years to come. I invite you to do the same!

The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics) Overview

A sweeping tale of abduction, battle, and courtship played out in a universe of deities and demons, The Ramayana is familiar to virtually every Indian. Although the Sanskrit original was composed by Valmiki around the fourth century BC, poets have produced countless versions in different languages. Here, drawing on the work of an eleventh-century poet called Kamban, Narayan employs the skills of a master novelist to re-create the excitement he found in the original. A luminous saga made accessible to new generations of readers, The Ramayana can be enjoyed for its spiritual wisdom, or as a thrilling tale of ancient conflict.

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Special Prices for A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One Review

A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One

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A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One Review

First off, I'm a heavy duty fan of GRRM. I've read over a 100 different fantasy authors in my time (started at 12; I'm now 32). Took about 5 years off from the genre b/c I felt it was all getting too formulaic and cliched.
So, when I came back to fantasy at the end of 1999, I read the usual: Goodkind, Jordan, etc. and then someone told me about GRRM and man, that was the kicker!
Here are the reasons to choose GRRM. I've also listed the reasons not to choose him to make it fair b/c I know their are certain personalities who won't like this series:
WHY TO READ GRRM
(1) YOU ARE TIRED OF FORMULAIC FANTASY: good lad beats the dark lord against impossible odds; boy is the epitome of good; he and all his friends never die even though they go through great dangers . . . the good and noble king; the beautiful princess who falls in love with the commoner boy even though their stations are drastically different . . . you get the idea. After reading this over and over, it gets old.
(2) YOU ARE TIRED OF ALL THE HEROES STAYING ALIVE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE UNDER CONSTANT DANGER: this gets even worse where the author kills a main hero off but that person comes back later in the story. Or, a hero does die but magic brings him back.
This sometimes carries to minor characters where even they may not die, but most fantasy authors like to kill them off to show that some risked the adventure and perished.
(3) YOU ARE A MEDIEVAL HISTORY BUFF: this story was influenced by the WARS OF THE ROSES and THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR.
(4) YOU LOVE SERIOUS INTRIGUE WITHOUT STUPID OPPONENTS: lots of layering; lots of intrigue; lots of clever players in the game of thrones. Unlike other fantasy novels, one side, usually the villain, is stupid or not too bright.
(5) YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BIASED OPINIONS AND DIFFERENT TRUTHS: GRRM has set this up where each chapter has the title of one character and the whole chapter is through their viewpoint. Interesting tidbit is that you get their perception of events or truths. But, if you pay attention, someone else will mention a different angle of truth in the story that we rarely see in other novels. Lastly and most importantly, GRRM doesn't try to tell us which person is right in their perception. He purposelly leaves it vague so that we are kept guessing.
(6) LEGENDS: some of the most interesting characters are those who are long gone or dead. We never get the entire story but only bits and pieces; something that other fantasy authors could learn from to heighten suspense. Additionally, b/c the points of views are not congruent, we sometimes get different opinions.
(7) WORDPLAY: if you're big on metaphors and description, GRRM is your guy. Almost flawless flow.
(8) LOTS OF CONFLICT: all types, too; not just fighting but between characters through threats and intrigue.
(9) MULTILAYERED PLOTTING; SUB PLOTS GALORE: each character has their own separate storyline; especially as the story continues and everyone gets scattered. This is one of the reasons why each novel is between 700-900 pages.
(10) SUPERLATIVE VARIED CHARACTERS: not the typical archetypes that we are used to in most fantasy; some are gritty; few are totally evil or good; GRRM does a great job of changing our opinions of characters as the series progress. This is especially true of Jaime in book three.
(11) REALISTIC MEDIEVAL DIALOGUE: not to the point that we can't understand it but well done.
(12) HEAPS OF SYMOBLISM AND PROPHECY: if you're big on that.
(13) EXCELLENT MYSTERIES: very hard to figure out the culprits; GRRM must have read a lot of mystery novels.
(14) RICHLY TEXTURED FEMALE CHARACTERS: best male author on female characters I have read; realistic on how women think, too.
(15) LOW MAGIC WORLD: magic is low key; not over the top so heroes can't get out of jams with it.
REASON TO NOT READ GRRM
(1) YOU LIKE YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS: GRRM does a good job of creating more likeable characters after a few die. But, if that isn't your style, you shouldn't be reading it. He kills off several, not just one, so be warned.
(2) DO NOT CARE FOR GRITTY GRAY CHARACTERS: if you like more white and gray characters, this may unsettle you. I suggest Feist or Goodkind or Dragonlance if you want a more straight forward story with strong archetypes.
(3) MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEWS TURN YOU OFF: if you prefer that the POVS only go to a few characters, this might be confusing for you.
(4) SWEARING, SEX: there's a lot of it in this book just as there is in real life.
(5) YOU DEMAND CLOSURE AT THE END OF EVERY BOOK: this isn't the case for all stories in the series. Some are still going on; some have been resolved; others have been created and are moving on.
(6) IF YOU WANT A TARGET OR SOMEONE TO BLAME: this can be done to some extent but not as much. This is b/c he doesn't try to make anyone necessarily good or evil.
(7) ARCHETYPES: some readers like archetypal characters because it's comfortable; we like the good young hero (sort of like Pug in Feist's THE RIFTWAR SAGA); it's familiar and we sometimes like to pretend we're this upcoming, great hero. You wont' get much of this in GRRM with the exception of one or two characters.
(8) LENGTH: you don't want to get into a long fantasy epic series. In that case, look for shorters works as this is biiig.
(9) PATRIARCHY: men are most of the main characters with lots of power (one female exception). ....

A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One Overview



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44% Off Discounts: Purchase Cheap Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset Review

Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset

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Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset Review

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," the striking film version of the inspired series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, had a disappointing run this year in terms of box office. Even with surprising critical support, the film fell below expectations from a money making standpoint. Now, as we are enjoying the DVD release, I think the world of Scott Pilgrim is about to explode as new fans to the irreverent charm of Scott and company discover the delightfully skewed source material. And I thought, I'd recap the highlights as I've gone back to appreciate the six volumes anew.
Volume One: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life. The 2004 introduction to Scott Pilgrim and his motley band of acquaintances sets the tone perfectly for all that is to follow. We meet the band and Scott's gay roommate, but it's Scott's love life that takes center stage (naturally)! His chaste courtship with the slightly obsessed Knives is hysterical--but everything changes when a bewitching Amazon delivery girl named Ramona literally invades his mind. Setting his heart on the mysterious Ramona, Scott soon discovers she has some pretty heavy baggage in the form of seven evil ex-boyfriends that need to be dispatched. A great start to an increasingly bizarre series!
Volume Two: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. The saga continued in 2005 with a chapter that provided numerous flashbacks developing some of Scott's formative relationships. His deepening affection for Ramona serves to unleash the warrior in Knives. Even as the couple deal with Knives' new aggression, Ramona's second evil ex (a movie star, no less!) drops by and must be dealt with. That's no problem, really, when appealing to his pride and machismo--and his demise barely even registers in comparison to Scott's ex Envy reappearing. This is the volume that perfects the blend of fighting and comedy.
Volume Three: Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness. In 2006, O'Malley released my favorite volume to date. As Scott's ex Envy (a successful rocker) is back, it provides a welcome romantic foil for Ramona. Their break-up was devastating to Scott and much of this chapter's humor is derived by exploiting the toxicity of relationships. But dealing with Envy is only part of the problem when it's discovered that Ramona's third ex is also in Envy's band (and dates her!) The overlapping of various bonds make this a delightfully complicated mess and the Vegan agenda has never been so diabolically wrought. Great, funny stuff!
Volume Four: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together. In this episode released in 2007, it finally seems time for Scott and Ramona to settle into a more conventionally sane relationship! But as their happiness is peaking, Scott is being attacked on two fronts--by an older Asian man and a plump blonde--both with murder on their mind. Dense Scott may be the last to realize who Ramona's evil ex is in this edition, but his bewilderment is especially ingratiating! Some of the more fun confrontations are the backdrop to moments of happiness and moments of jealousy--just like a true pairing. I enjoyed to hints of domesticity provided in this action packed volume.
Volume Five: Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe. (From 2009) As Scott gets closer to winning Ramona's heart, a new challenge presents itself. Ramona has dated twins and now their combined power, plus an adeptness of robotics, just might be too much for Scott to handle. When Scott's closest friend Kim is put in harm's way, though, he must rise to the challenge. This is a noteworthy chapter in that it develops some of Ramona's darkness and doubts. No true love runs a true course! But in a surprising twist, the couple may be over before they really had a chance. Volume Five is probably the most realistic in developing Scott and Ramona as a realistic couple--and, oh, there are some awesome parties too.
Volume Six: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour. The concluding chapter wrapped up in 2010, with Scott finally facing the evil mastermind behind the whole series--Gideon. Bringing a newfound maturity to Scott, this chapter has him dealing with loss and self awareness. Helping to unravel his own life's drama, Kim, Envy and Ramona all figure prominently in Scott's development. The final contest has dramatic consequences and is played out exquisitely both in the real world as well as "subspace." A fitting send-off to a beloved dork, a nice combination of action, romance and comedy.
A note on this collection, be aware of pricing. On a good day, you can get the individual volumes around $4 each--so it may not be prudent to pay for a "set" price to get the six together. The books are definitely worth having, just look for the pricing scheme that makes the most sense.
As for the box set, it adds a nice slipcase to the previously released books (the books themselves do not have added content) as well as a cool poster. If you already have the books, however, it may not be worth a complete reinvestment for just a case and a poster. If you don't have the series, it's a handsome presentation--just be aware you can get the actual content much cheaper if you don't care about the cardboard case and poster. KGHarris 11/10.

Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset Overview

Looking for the perfect entry point into the world of Scott Pilgrim? Well, this is it, buddy! All six volumes of Bryan Lee O'Malley's epic tale of a slacker's quest to win the heart of the girl of his dreams by defeating her seven evil ex-boyfriends! All together in a beautiful new slipcase!Also includes an exclusive poster featuring an all-new full color piece by Bryan Lee O'Malley!

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32% Off Discounts: Buy Cheap A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar Review

A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar

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A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar Review

John Picacio is a big name when it comes to artists working in the field of fantasy and science fiction, having done many covers and illustrations. When it was announced that he would the calendar after the already excellent work from Ted Nasmith last year, mich rejoicing could be seen.
I received the calendar and I must say I am well pleased with it. Beautiful work all around. My particular favorites were a very striking Tyrion ( probably the best Tyrion I have seen yet), Melisandre, The Mountain vs Red Viper, Ned at the Godswood ( also the cover you see), and Bran reaching out to the 3-eyed crow. I guess the only one that feels a bit off to me is the one that shows The Others. It's still much better than the strange depiction of The Others in the tv series, but it's also still different from described, they should still be more angular and a bit less humanoid, with ice skin that serves as armour.
So yes, very good, and highly recommended.

A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar Overview

Featuring stunning, all-original artwork, award-winning artist John Picacio captures in striking detail twelve of the legendary characters from George R. R. Martin's acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire. With a cast from the Lannisters to the Starks—and a host of heroes and villains in between—these images evoke the magic, mystery, romance, and adventure that have established Martin as a virtuoso of modern fantasy.

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Lowest Price Fire Sea: Death Gate Cycle Vol 3 Review

Fire Sea: Death Gate Cycle Vol 3

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Fire Sea: Death Gate Cycle Vol 3 Review

Haplo the Patryn and his dog leave the Nexus on their third journey, this time to Abarrach, Realm of Stone. Haplo tours the four elemental worlds at his lord's command, preparing the sundered realms for the coming of the Patryn leader and for an easy conquest of the worlds by the Patryns. Haplo also searches for traces of the Sartan, the godly wizards who are the ancient enemies of the Patryns and who, except for one weak survivor in the realm of Air, seem to have died out.
It is this very Sartan, the clumsy and apologetic Alfred Montbank, who, while Haplo crosses Death's Gate to Abarrach, materializes on Haplo's ship. Haplo must grudgingly accept the presence of his sworn enemy at his side as he enters a world in which the two must combine their powers simply to survive.
In the dying world of Abarrach, the Mensch races have all died out long ago, leaving only corrupt, powerless remnants of the Sartan, weakened by many generations of living in a world of caverns, fuming lava and noxious gases. Haplo and Alfred soon discover that the Sartan on Abarrach practice the forbidden art of necromancy - raising all their dead for everyday use in menial tasks and chores.
Our two protagonists come in contact with a young Sartan prince and his people, who have travelled from their barren land in the colder parts of the world in search of a long-lost colony on the edge of the great fire sea, nearer to the core of the world. This land is ruled by a crafty Sartan wizard, Kleitus, who knows of the world's peril and wishes to find Death's Gate, and through it not only salvation from his dying world but also the power of other worlds.
Haplo and Alfred find themselves embroiled in a civil war between Kleitus's city and the prince's people. But when a young man, in grief over his lost love, raises her from the dead far too soon, the world is plunged into a wave of mass killing and death by horrid, vengeful undead creatures.
Haplo, wishing to bring the knowledge of resurrection back to his lord to benefit the Patryns' cause, must come to realize the horrifying consequences of the Sartan's use of this dark art on Abarrach, as both he and Alfred fight to stay alive in a dying world, slowly taken over by the living dead.

Fire Sea: Death Gate Cycle Vol 3 Overview

Ages ago, the world had been divided into four realms--sky, fire, stone, and water--but now only the few magicians who have survived the Labyrinth and crossed the Death Gate know how to unravel the mysteries of the realms. Book available.

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Confessor (Sword of Truth)

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Confessor (Sword of Truth) Review


Lets take a look back at the series so far:
1 Wizard's First Rule - great book, Richard meets Kahlan and defeats Darken Rahl.
2 Stone of Tears - even better, Richard captured by sisters of light, Kahlan leads a ragtag army to victory.
3. Blood of the Fold - good book, enter new villain Jagang, Gars vs. Mirswith.
4. Temple of the Winds - ok book, evil brother, cool plague, Kahlan uses chimes to save Richard. Why did he not know the consequences of this while in the Temple?
5. Soul of the Fire - another mediocre book, wedding, Anderith, Fitch gets killed.
6. Faith of the Fallen - back to a good book, but Richard is getting a little preachy, Nicci captures Richard (kind of like he was captured in books 1 and 2), carving the statue.
7. Pillars of Creation - I don't know how to rate this one, I admire an author of a series like this to take a big chance and set a whole book around a new character (Richard's sister) but she doesn't play much of a role in the next two books, so what was the point?
8. Naked Empire- The worst of the bunch, we were introduced to the idea of the supremely ungifted and their threat to magic in book 7. This book just reiterates that and contains some of the worst preaching by Richard.
9. Chainfire - Kahlan missing, only Richard remembers her. The sisters of the dark have used an incredibly complex spell with huge side effects to do something that Zedd did simply in the 2nd book. Richard goes to Shota then to Zedd looking for answers but they cannot help him. Ok now you know what happens in the first 564 pages. I would recommend skipping those first 564 pages other than a few good scenes that are recycled from earlier books. Richard's meeting with Shota plays out very similarly to the one in Wizard's First Rule including an attack by the Golem-like Samuel. Nicci rides into the Imperial Order Army to take out their wizard just like Kahlan did in Stone of Tears.
10. Phantom - Rachel is back, Richard keeps looking for a way to save Kahlan and gets captured in the process in a familar way in a familiar place.
11. Confessor - To the end, Nicci becomes Richard's mouthpiece for sermons, Kahlan looks deadly but does not get anywhere until Richard saves her. Richard is of course a great Ja'La player. Zedd does not do much, Rachael is more effective. Richard gives us a decent fight toward the end, but he is conveniently separated from his sword and other powers. Neither Richard or Kahlan ever live up to their potential powers. Shota becomes a deus ex machina showing up just in time to save several people including Richard. Some extraneous cameos by popular characters and quick uneventful deaths for others. The end comes with a twist but not much of a climax. Loose threads, questions? What about the disasterous baby born of a war wizard and confessor? Did the boxes of Orden fix not only chainfire, but also the chimes? With the chimes destroying magic, why did we need the pristinely ungifted to threaten magic as well? Did we really need 11 books to tell this story?????
Looking back over the more than a decade I spent with this series, I think it was the repetitions that killed it. Repetitions in plot, repetitions in dialog, repetitions in themes. Don't get me wrong I mostly agreed with the themes. I liked the plot and dialog, Goodkind can write a great scene. There was just too much repetition of similar scenes, dialog and themes.
You could probably get by with skipping several of the medicore books in the series and still get a good coherent storyline. Here is my recomendation, read the series but skip #7, #8 and #10. Find a summary on wikipedia or something, I just saved you a bunch of grief and hours of your time better spent.
If you are looking for consistently great fantasy without all the hang-ups inherent in this series I would recommend the Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.

Confessor (Sword of Truth) Overview

Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost. Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history. When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed.

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