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

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

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

Are you looking to buy The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Lowest Price Offers

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

Want to learn more information about The Shadow at the Gate (The Tormay Trilogy #2)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

32% Off Discounts: Best Price A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) Review

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4)

Are you looking to buy A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Cheapest Deals

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) Review

OK, I did something a little different in this review. Soon there will be literally hundreds of reviews for this book, all giving similar reasons why people like or dislike A Feast For Crows. Instead of adding, and probably losing, my voice in amongst the clamour, I've done a bit of mathematics for you. I actually went through the book and noted which characters had chapters of their own and how many pages each of those chapters had, then I figured the numbers out as percentages (yes, I know, I need to get out more). So now, for your literary edification and illumination, I present to you a list of what actually happens in the book, according to my calculations (all rounded off).
CERCEI: 22.5%. That's right, folks, the Lannister Queen has more than one page in five, and nearly one page in four, devoted entirely to her point of view. If you've always wanted to know what goes on in her scheming little mind, then boy, do we have a show for you! Considering that there are thirteen people altogether who get chapter viewpoints of their own, Cercei's 22.5% share means that, on average, everyone else only gets 6.5% each. You could say that Cercei has the lion's share (terrible pun, I know).
BRIENNE: 17.5%. Next on our little list comes the Maid of Tarth. Most of the time we spend with her is on character development, rather than juicy action. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but you've been warned. If you were expecting her to become Lara Croft: Tomb Raider reborn, think again. Also, of some small statistical note, more than 60% of the pages in this book are devoted to the female character's points of view. Just so you know.
JAIME: 15.5%. The ever-more-interesting brother, and erstwhile lover, of Cercei continues in his evolution from out-and-out bad guy to, well, kind of a good guy. We're going to have to read the next book to see which way he jumps for sure, but so far he's certainly more inclined towards honesty and honour than he seemed to be in the first couple of books.
SAMWELL: 9%. The first character with less than ten percent of the ink investment is Sam. One of the more down-to-earth minor characters from the previous book, he gets fleshed out a little more here (excuse the pun).
SANSA: 8%. One of the few remaining Starks, and one of only two who get chapters of their own in this book, Sansa is also evolving as a character. In this book she is very slowly starting to show signs of an independence that she heretofore lacked. Of course, with only three chapters of her own, she doesn't show much. Not that she was ever on the front lines of either political intrigue or physical combat.
ARYA: 6% The only other person from House Stark with chapters from her own viewpoint. Arya has always been an interesting character to me. Her moral ambiguity, like Jaime's, is stretched further in this book. I'm a little nervous as to how she'll shape up in the end. At this point, it's a little difficult for me to tell, though I have optimistic expectations.
WHO? WHAT? HUH?: 21.5%. Seven people, some of whom are hardly mentioned, or not mentioned at all, in previous books, have their own chapter or two each in this book. So more than one page in five is from the viewpoint of someone you probably can't remember reading about before. And half the time the same viewpoint doesn't come up again in this book at all.
TYRION, JON, DAENERYS, STANNIS, DAVOS, ETC.: 0%. These characters don't appear at all. We have to tune in to the next episode for updates on their adventures. I wondered about this when I bought the book and saw that the maps at the front only showed Westeros.
So there you have it. If you're here reading reviews because you've gotten halfway through the book, don't like it, and want to see what everyone else thought, then I'd recommend that you keep reading. Slog through a few more pages; it does pick up at around the halfway mark. Although, in my mind, the endings for the various characters are fairly anticlimactic. Nothing is really resolved, unlike the previous books. And it's going to be the same for the next book, apparently, since Martin says that it will only focus on the characters who were expected to appear in this book but didn't.
I've given A Feast For Crows three stars, where the previous books in the series would have each earned at least four stars from me.

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) Overview



Want to learn more information about A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

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)

Are you looking to buy A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

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



Want to learn more information about A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Buy Cheap A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5 Review

A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5

Are you looking to buy A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5. check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Cheapest Deals

A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5 Review

In "A Dance with Dragons," George R.R. Martin seems to have ripped out a page from his own self-written guide to writing a good story, and replaced it with a page from Robert Jordan's version - and in both cases, the change was very much for the worse.
The page he borrowed could charitably be called "Setup," or "Preparation," or even given some grandiose description about the "careful movement and positioning of critical pieces on a game board." In practical terms, though, it comes down to "Delay," "Pointless Stalling," and would be more accurately summed up as "an entire book about multiple characters wandering slowly across the world to approach - but never reach - a place in which something interesting has the potential to happen." For example, everyone's favourite dwarf has a simple goal: he wants to throw in his lot with the dragon queen, offering her whatever advice and wisdom he can. A noble goal, that, and one that would do a great deal to move the story along - his cynicism would open her eyes about some pretty important things. But does he make it to her? Not in this book! No, he's far too busy being packed into barrels like Bilbo the hobbit, swapping tales with cheese lords, being lost, found, sold, and bought, falling in with slaves and signing paper for sellswords, and even being saddled with a plucky lady-dwarf sidekick who continually tells him that he should stop causing trouble and just focus on making the big people laugh, because that's what dwarves are for. In Westeros during the previous four books, he was known and feared as Tyrion of House Lannister, Halfman to the wild mountain tribes, former Hand of the King, unsung hero of Blackwater Bay, the Imp, kinslayer and Kingslayer both; in Essos during this book, all he really manages to do is play a lot of Stratego, reminisce about a previously-unmentioned happy boyhood of gymnastics training in the art of dwarfish capering, and fall convincingly off a trained pig.
The same song is sung throughout the book: nobody actually *gets* anywhere. In Meereen, Daenerys mopes, sighs, tosses her braids, and moons over a pretty boy. On the Wall, Jon Snow hems, haws, asks everyone within earshot for advice on what to do, then completely ignores all of the advice to do something entirely different while complaining about how nobody supports him. Stannis grits his teeth, Melisandre misinterprets prophecies, Dolorous Edd makes comments about mules. A new character is introduced who represents either the most vibrantly crimson scarlet of red herrings, or George R.R. Martin on waterskis leaping majestically over a great white shark; the jury's still out on the kid, but it *is* safe to say that he spends half the book marching determinedly in one direction before abruptly turning around and charging off on completely the opposite course.
And then, there's the issue of the page missing from this book, the page that had elevated the first three books so high above the likes of Goodkind or Jordan. It's the page called "Caprice," or "Injustice," or maybe "Nobody is Safe." It's the page on which he knowingly and thoroughly subverted the standard fantasy tropes of good triumphing over evil, of all death being either deserved (if the deceased was a bad guy, like for instance an orc) or deeply meaningful (a sacrifice, like Boromir dying to protect the hobbits). The previous books used that page, and used it well. No character was sacred: anyone could die at any time, for any reason - or for no reason at all - because the world was a cruel and merciless and fickle place, and justice and honor and fair treatment were exceptions rather than rules.
In "A Dance with Dragons," though - and in "A Feast for Crows," to an extent - that page is notably absent. The Onion Knight, by this point, has gone through more lives than the average cat; while I have great fondness for the character, I almost wish Martin *would* kill him off just so the poor soul could rest. Whenever Arya gets a knife pressed against her throat, it turns out to be a well-meaning rescuer offering her a haircut. Mance dies then reappears good as new, Catelyn died and reappeared (somewhat the worse for wear, in her case), ghosts from the past pop up alive and well and living in the Westerosi equivalent of Paris. At this point, I'm more than half-expecting Khal Drogo to ride up on a skeletal horse and say "Hey Dany babe, I busted out of the nightlands, let's cross the poison water before my afterlife parole officer finds out I'm here." A Song of Ice and Fire has gone from "Nobody is Safe" to "Every Main Character is Totally Safe at this Point," and the suspense is just *gone*.
So, after all that, do I regret reading "A Dance with Dragons"? No. The sad truth is, even a mediocre George R.R. Martin book is better than most of the other offerings in the genre. My thoughtful boyfriend bought it for me on iBooks the very hour it was released, and I'm sincerely grateful that he did, and I'll buy and enjoy the next one just as promptly.
But even though this book was good enough, it can't help but suffer by comparison to the others. On its own merits, I rated "A Dance with Dragons" 3/5 stars; compared to the magnificence of the first three, though, it's more like a 1.5/5.

A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5 Overview



Want to learn more information about A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Special Prices for The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga) Review

The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga)

Are you looking to buy The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Lowest Price Offers

The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga) Review

The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga) is the long awaited conclusion to the Kinshield Saga. Gavin has claimed all of the Runestones from the tablet making him the next king. Daia has agreed to be his champion and they must decide what course to follow. Brodas Ravenkind has escaped and poses a threat to everyone that Gavin cares for, but there is also Ritol, the demon, who is responsible for the attacks of the beyonders. In order to defeat the demon Gavin must reconcile himself with his past life as Ronor Kinshield, the champion of King Arek. With the help of Daia and her unique ability as a conduit Gavin's inherited magic becomes much stronger and he is able to see into the past for clues. Brodas is however not done with Gavin or his own goal to sit on the throne. He is planning terrible things for Gavin and company which will only make it more difficult for him to achieve his goals.
This is another fantastic book by K.C. May. I have enjoyed everything of hers that I have read and was extremely excited to get a chance to read The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga). The characters were just as I remembered them with Gavin being an honorable if uncouth man who would give anything to protect those close to him. The story took a bit of a turn that I was not expecting and there was an element of romance introduced as well. As much as I enjoyed the conclusion of the series I am a little sad that there will only be two books. If you have not checked out The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga) pick up a copy for start your journey through a wonderful series.
This review is based off of an ARC copy provided by the author.

The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga) Overview

Book 2 of The Kinshield SagaBeyonders, evil beings that materialize without warning from the realm of chaos, continue to invade the world of men, destroying everything -- and everyone -- in their path. The most powerful of them all, Ritol, has been confined for two hundred years inside the palace in Thendylath, trapped by King Arek's magic.Having newly claimed the right to rule Thendylath as king, Gavin Kinshield has no money or army, but he's determined to protect his people from the beyonder attacks. With his new power of Wayfarer, Gavin has the ability to journey to all seven realms. To end the invasion, he must travel to the realm of chaos and summon Ritol. But can he escape before the beyonder champion kills him, devours his soul and takes his place as Wayfarer?If wizard Brodas Ravenkind has his way, Gavin will never make it that far. Not only does Ravenkind want the throne for himself, he wants revenge for his cousin's murder too. After all, he made a promise the first time Gavin crossed him'

Want to learn more information about The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Buy Cheap Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy) Review

Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy)

Are you looking to buy Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Cheapest Deals

Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy) Review

This was a great book. I finished it in less than 2 days (it would have been quicker but work and kids can sometimes get in the way.) I am a huge fantasy fan and have read all the big name authors and recently, a lot of the newer authors with my kindle. This book was one of the best books I've read.
If you're like me, finding a new author is a blessing and a curse. Happy to have found a great world with great characters and phenomal pacing but sad you will now again be forced to wait for the next book. Finding this book to me was like finding George R.R. Martin way back when or stumbling across Brent Weeks first trilogy or Peter V. Brett's books. I know every fierce reader out there has favorites all their own BUT if you are looking for a book everybit as good as anything I have read (that's saying something) give Aaron Pogue a try this book was ridicuously good and at .99 you can't beat it.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED

Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy) Overview

Daven Carrickson grew up as a beggar in the filthy alleys beneath the shadows of the palace. He's the son of a known thief, disgraced and despised. His only real talent is his ability with a sword, and his only real chance at finding honor or a home is a desperate dream of joining the King's Guard.Then Daven receives a new future when Master Claighan invites him to study magic at the Academy. The wizard offers to make him into a new kind of soldier: a swordsman equally skilled with forged blades and mystic forces. It only helps that Daven has no home, no family, and nothing left to lose.But when conspiring forces destroy the wizard's plans, Daven finds himself wanted for treason and murder. Hunted by a great black beast of a dragon, caught between the King's Guard and a rebel force led by a rogue wizard, Daven's only hope of surviving is to become more than he's ever dreamed possible.Taming Fire is the first book in the Dragonprince Trilogy. Approximately 110,000 words.

Want to learn more information about Taming Fire (The Dragonprince Trilogy)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Special Prices for The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga) Review

The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga)

Are you looking to buy The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Great Deals

The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga) Review

If this book were a movie, my husband would be all over it! In fact, I can picture it as a series he would follow as eagerly as he follows "Legends of the Seeker," and for much the same reasons. This genre isn't typically my preferred type of reading material, but the description was intriguing so I wanted to give it a go.
Wow. I was hooked in the first chapter and had trouble putting the book down to sleep last night. Each of the first few chapters introduces new people, people whose lives and stories become inextricably tied together as the story continues. One of the things that sometimes turns me off about the fantasy genre is the whole new language one must learn to understand what is going on. There are new names for objects, actions, types of people... it's like taking a confusing crash course in a foreign language. That's a lot of work when all I want to do is enjoy. Although K.C. May introduces new creatures and unfamiliar items with unusual names, the book is very readable, and there was no confusion. I didn't have to work to enjoy; this fantastical world is seamlessly woven into terms to which we can all relate.
The writing style is such that it was very easy to become engaged in the story. When I read some stories, I find myself constantly thinking of how I would have written certain lines or paragraphs differently. That tells me that the writing is not to my standards, and it distracts me from the story the author is trying to tell. When reading this story, however, I found myself enthralled and fully immersed in the adventure. The pacing of the chapters and introduction of new characters was ideal for maintaining interest and moving the story along without drawing anything out unnecessarily. Sometimes bad things happen to great characters, and I mourned the unavoidable losses along the way, even as I celebrated the small victories. I cringed, I delighted, I was completely and utterly engaged.
The ending is very satisfying in and of itself, but it does open the door for a sequel. I, for one, am eager to read more from this talented author.

The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga) Overview

A mysterious stone tablet with five magical gems has sat abandoned in a cave for two hundred years. The kingdom is in ruins, with only warrant knights to keep the peace. But then, the gems in the tablet, one by one, disappear.Warrant knight Gavin Kinshield is a man of many secrets. He's the one deciphering the runes in the tablet. Unless he can find a suitable replacement, he'll be Thendylath's next king. All he really wants is the letter written by his ancestor Ronor Kinshield, the last man to see King Arek alive... a letter he must earn by tracking down a common thief.But when Gavin saves a woman's life, what should have been a simple task draws him face-to-face with his nightmarish past... and the truth of King Arek's demise.______________________From the very first page, The Kinshield Legacy grabs you by the throat and propels you into a world of magic, sorcery, jeweled-eyed gargoyles and a sisterhood of female warriors. A world where beyonders savage unsuspecting travelers; where a dark, yet charismatic, wizard covets the king's throne for his own and will let no one get in his way--including the rightful ruler. He who claims the King's Bloodstone shall reign as king. Enter Gavin Kinshield, warrant knight and rune solver, a man haunted by his past, and a hero like no other. A rousing debut from K. C. May, an author worth watching.~ Carol Davis Luce, Author of Night Passage"The Kinshield Legacy is a rousing good fantasy tale, with nice characterization and some ferocious action. These days I read primarily for business rather than pleasure, but I found myself eager to return to this novel."~ Piers Anthony, Author of the Xanth novels______________________The Kinshield Legacy was named a Top-4 Read of 2010 by book reviewer Grace Krispy on DailyCheapReads.comUpdated 6/23/11 to include a map of Thendylath. Readers can also find it on the author's web site.

Want to learn more information about The Kinshield Legacy (The Kinshield Saga)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Purchase Cheap Watership Down Review

Watership Down

Are you looking to buy Watership Down? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Watership Down. check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Great Deals

Watership Down Review

When I went off for my first semester of college my father gave me $100 with which to buy textbooks, which certainly dates me. After buying everything for my classes I had enough money left over to buy a hard cover copy of "Watership Down" by Richard Adams for $6.95, which for people who love books is certainly a great way of representing the ravages of inflation over the years. I decided to read a chapter of "Watership Down" each night before going to bed, thereby marking the beginning of my obsession with reading a chapter of something each day that has nothing to do with school. When my dorm roommate became as hooked on the story as much as I was he and I would read chapters aloud. Fifty days I got to the book's epilogue with the same sort of sadness that it was all over that I experienced getting to the end of the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Living in the Sandleford Warren with its Chief Rabbit and Owsla maintaining a comfortable social order, Hazel and his little brother Fiver are content enough. But Fiver has the gift of prophecy, and when he warns that the warren has to be abandoned right away or they are all going to die, Hazel and a small circle of friends believe him and leave despite the fact that have no idea where they are going. Fiver envisions a great high place where they can be happy and safe, but there are a series of imposing obstacles to overcome, from not only humans and predators, but other wild rabbits as well. Consequently the basic story of "Watership Down" is the ancient quest for home, although in this case it is a new home that represents a wild rabbit's idea of utopia.
The greatness of "Watership Down" rests on the sense of realism that Adams brings to his story wild rabbits. Adams studied Lapine life in R. M. Lockley's "The Private Life of the Rabbit" in order to keep his rabbits real. But beyond the way rabbits live in nature Adams provides them with a history and a culture, represented not only in the stories they tell of El-ahrairah (the Prince with a Thousand Enemies), but their beliefs in Frith the lord sun, and their simple games such as bob-stones. When confronted with sticky situations they are able to use their ingenuity to come up with surprising solutions that are still within the realm of possibility for real rabbits. I always liked the way Hazel, Blackberry and the others have to work out these puzzles, straining for a leap of intuition and cognitive insight that seems just beyond the reach of their relatively simple minds. So while these rabbits are capable of doing more than others of their kind, Adams keeps their efforts remarkable rather than magical.
We also pick up a few choice words from the language of the rabbits (e.g., "silflay" is to go above ground to feed, "homba is a fox), which ends up paying off with one of my favorite moments in the book when Bigway utters a simple but effective curse. The lesson of the story is clearly that bigger does not mean better, for Hazel is neither the strongest nor the smartest of the rabbits that he leads, but he had the best qualities of leadership. Each of the rabbits that join Hazel on the quest to find Watership Down and build a new life there offers something to the ground, and the distinctive personalities that Adams creates for each of them adds to the novel as well.
Of all the books that I have that I like to pick up from time to time and read again my favorite parts, "Watership Down" is the oldest. As a children's story is it simply one that is too good for most children, but without the deep allegorical elements that afflict so many other great children's stories. Perhaps that is why this novel has become so beloved, because it speaks to the child in all of us and the simple virtues that we all want the world to embody. Having read the book again from start to finish, I was not surprised to find that it is still as good as I thought it was when I first read it many years ago.

Watership Down Overview



Want to learn more information about Watership Down?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

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

A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar

Are you looking to buy A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar. check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Cheapest Deals

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.

Want to learn more information about A Song of Ice and Fire 2012 Calendar?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Buy Cheap Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle) Review

Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle)

Are you looking to buy Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Great Deals

Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle) Review

This series (starting with Dragon Wing, of course) was the first fantasy novel I'd ever read. My husband was "into" fantasy and recommended it to me. It was not what I expected at all and I have read the entire series twice since then.
Dragon Wing is the first of seven novels in the "Death Gate Series." Long ago powerful sorcerers called the Sartans sundered Earth as we know it into four separate planets -- air, fire, stone, and water. Onto each planet they placed dwarves, elves, and humans, and of course many of their kind to watch over everything. They also created a prison world for their ancient enemy, the Patryns. I don't want to give away anything from the novel, but that is the set-up for the series.
A problem with most fantasy novels is the "good vs. evil" plot. It's all so formulaic. Evil is dark, good is light. Even "The Wheel of Time" series and the "Lord of the Rings" series, the two most popular fantasy series, succumb to this pitfalll of fantasy writing. The Death Gate series has a much more intricate plot. There's no "dark one" trying to take over the world. It's more true to life in that there is no clear-cut right and wrong.
If you decide to start this book, I want you to know what you're committing to: after the first fifty pages, you will be sucked in and forced to read the entire series. All other aspects of your life will seem trivial except for what is happening in your book. The plot becomes more and more intricate until everything will suddenly come together marvelously for a beautiful climactic ending.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. This is just a review of the first book. There's only one real problem with the first book: it's not clear who the main character is. First I thought it was the dwarf, then Hugh the Hand. But ignore the review that says it's just a set-up for the series. Actually, the world on which this book takes place is my favorite of the four, because it is the most developed. This is an excellent book to start reading fantasy. The only problem is that it will spoil you. I haven't found any fantasy novel or series that is better, and since The Death Gate Series I have read a lot.
Bottom line: read it, but know what you're getting into and make sure you have plenty of time to be addicted.

Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle) Overview



Want to learn more information about Dragon Wing, Volume 1 (The Death Gate Cycle)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

60% Off Discounts: Buy Cheap Confessor (Sword of Truth) Review

Confessor (Sword of Truth)

Are you looking to buy Confessor (Sword of Truth)? here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Confessor (Sword of Truth). check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Lowest Price Offers

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.

Want to learn more information about Confessor (Sword of Truth)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...