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 Blessed
Be the Jewel
Author: Stefani Sobers
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com
Publication Date: 2002
Price: $3.50
Pages: 170 pages
ISBN # 1-931201-78-1
Genre: Magic Realism/ Fantasy
Sage always knew she was different. How could she forget? Her pale skin and
raven black hair brought stares from everyone she met, but what stopped
people in their tracks were her sapphire blue eyes; eyes she inherited from
her mother and grandmother before her, eyes that set her apart from the
other children, eyes that brought suspicion, eyes that held a secret.
Julia Sage August was the 13th Jewel, an exceptional woman, with
extraordinary powers, powers that were to be used to protect those who could
not protect themselves. A chosen among the chosen, Sage was the final Jewel,
more powerful than those who came before her.
But power comes with a price. Could Sage shoulder her responsibilities and
face the challenges that were before her? Could she triumph over the
horrible evil in her future or would her personal demons drag her to defeat?
BLESSED BE THE JEWEL, by Stefani Sobers, is modern literature's answer to
Lara Croft. Packed with action and excitement, this book presents the reader
with a wonderfully strong female role model. The fast paced plot will hold
the reader entranced while flashbacks add depth and heart to the story.
Blessed Be the Jewel is a book that I would definitely recommend, especially
for girls in their teens. There are important lessons to be learned between
these covers.
Bravo, Ms. Sobers! I would love to read a sequel.
Five out of five stars
Sterling Pearce - GWN Reviewer
gspearce@charter.net
January 22, 2003
The
Fifth Ring
Mitchell
Graham
Eos, Feb 2003, $7.50, 576 pp.
ISBN: 0060506512
Epic Fantasy
Over three millenniums ago, the ancients were at the height of their power.
They flew in mental vehicles and transported themselves from one place to
another using the power of the mind. Each citizen, at the age of
twenty, was given a rose gold ring to wear that gave its user unbelievable
powers but the scientists soon realized what they unleashed and destroyed
all but eight of the rings. Unfortunately, the damage was done and
civilization collapsed. Even today there are places on the globe that
are totally inhabitable.
King Karas Duren, the ruler of Alor-Satar is a powerful megalomaniac.
While excavating the palace grounds at Rocoi he stumbles across the
rings and ancient manuscripts. He learns how to use the power of the
ring and shares the secret of the ancients with his family because he will
need their help if he is going to start a war that will make him ruler of
the world.
One of the soldiers working on the dig steals one of the rings, which ends
up as a prize in a fencing match in the town of Devondale in the land of
Elgaria. Mathew Lewin wins the ring but it comes into his possession
after his friend dies. A rival who he bested in the match kills his
father and in his anger Mathew retaliates and kills his foe. The
constable wants to take him into custody to answer to the king's justice.
Rather than submit, Mathew, with the help of Father Thomas, his girlfriend
Lara, and some other friends escape. He hopes to make it to Bacora,
where the church rules while containing powers to track down the rose ring.
Mathew realizes that the ring grants him powers and he slowly learns
to use it even though he fears what it can do.
Karas woos elves to his cause. Using the powerful Orlocks and that of
the rings, he has an advantage that his enemies don't have and unless a
miracle occurs, Karas will soon rule the world.
Although it is never stated, the assumption is that the world Mathew lives
in is Earth three thousand years in the future, on a technological stage
similar to medieval England and France. The world is made up of
several kingdoms that distrust one another but make alliances for the sake
of power. Readers will believe this because it is very similar to the
geo-political happenings of pre World War I Europe and to a degree, present
time.
Karas comes across as an Idi Amin, not caring who or what he destroys as
long as he gets what he wants. While not fully explained, the rings
seem to be tuned to the brain emanations of a single person who is the only
one who can use it. The cataclysm that destroyed the world is totally
believable because in our society we are on the brink of destruction if the
leaders of the world use the instruments of mass destruction.
On the other side of the spectrum, Mathew is a golden light in a dark world.
He wants to unlock the power of the ring, not to rule with it but to
learn from the mistakes of the ancients. He's an honorable
eighteen-year-old man who has the maturity and the foresight of a person
three times his age.
There are many threads left dangling so it will be safe to assume that THE
FIFTH RING will have a sequel. Mitchell Graham has written an epic
fantasy that will please those who like the genre. He is a very
descriptive writer, so readers can easily visualize the whole book in their
mind's eye.
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
1/8/2003
 TURNING
THE STORM
Naomi
Kritzer
Bantam, Jan 2003, $6.99, 384 pp.
ISBN 0553585509
The realm of Verdiana and the Kingdom of Vesuvia went to war over perfume
with the mages on both sides of the border unleashing powerful magic.
The results are a wasteland where nothing grows and magic is unable to
be used. The refugees were imprisoned in wasteland camps and used as
slave labor to build a barrier between the two kingdoms. The religious
order of the Fedeli use the tactics of the Inquisition to make sure everyone
observes the religion they practice and the Circle of Mages uses magic as a
battle tool.
At the conservatory where Eliana practices the violin, the Fideli came in
and killed a student for practicing the outlawed religion of the Redentori.
When the Circle comes to kidnap her friend Mira who escaped from them,
Eliana walked out of the Conservatory and looked for her family. She
ended up in one of the camps for exiles. The conditions were so poor
and terrible she became part of the resistance and freed the camp. She
became acknowledged as the leader of the newly-formed band now known as the
Lupi. The Lupi, under the direction of Eliana, liberate the other
camps and soon have a large and fearsome army. When they leave the
wastelands the mages attack them leading to large number of the Lupi dead.
They retreat back to the wastelands while Eliana transforms herself
into a boy named Danieel, who is a violinist in the enclosed part of the
capital city of Cuore.
While there, she tries to learn anything that can help her army defeat the
Fedeli and the Circle. She comes across a secret meeting of a group of
Redentori. At a masked festival, she meets one of the Redentori and is
shocked to discover he is the Emperor Travan. She is able to spirit
him away to safety but the Fideli catch her. She refuses to
break under their torture. Her old friend Mira rescues her and makes
sure that she gets to safety. She travels to a known Redentori place
and with the help of other musical Redentori is able to destroy the mages
who were following her by using own power. After the battle is won,
Eliana travels to where Emperor Travan has his government in exile waiting
for her return. Eliana and her fellow Redentori plan to cut the supply
line that brings food to the Imperial Enclave, forcing the entrenched Fedeli
and Circle mage to fight them. Using battle tactics she has used over
the las! t year, Eliana and her troops have a chance of winning but she must
guard against betrayal from those she goes into battle with.
Eliana is a warrior in the tradition of Boadacia. Her troops are loyal
to her because she wouldn't have them do anything she wouldn't do first.
She is a symbol of the resurgent Redentori religion and the resistance
fighter who despises what mages have done to their land. The people
also want the Fedeli overthrown because they will not let any religion but
their own be practiced. Eliana is a young woman who had to grow up
fast and though she leads her army, she is never sure if she is steering the
right course. Her doubts endear herself to an audience who roots for
her to defeat her enemies.
The story line is fast-paced and exciting because the reader never knows
what is going to happen next. The underlying themes deal with the
repression of religion and the abuse of power by those in power. The
villains are complex three dimensional characters who have reasons (bad ones
for acting as they do so that the reader will understand their logic and
despise them for it. Naomi Kritzer, with only two books to her credit,
has already left her mark on the fantasy genre.
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
1/8/2003
Hades' Daughter
Sara
Douglass
Tor, Jan 2003, $27.95, 560 pp.
ISBN: 0765305402
Approximately in 1000 BC, Athens annually sends tributes to Crete to include
sacrifices to Asterion the Minotaur. This year's tribute includes
Thesus, the son of the Athenian King, but he plans to beat the Labyrinth's
monster. He gains the love of Ariadne, daughter of the Crete monarch
and the Mistress of the Labyrinth. She betrays her heritage to abet
her lover who defeats Asterion. Later, he deserts his pregnant wife
leaving her abandoned on an island to birth a daughter while Thesus takes up
with Ariadne's sister. Outraged, a proud Ariadne seeks revenge by
destroying the fabric of the Game, the divine magic that holds the world
together.
One hundred years later, Brutus, former ruler of fallen Troy, seeks a
different throne. He seemingly triumphs aided by the Goddess Artemis,
a survivor of Ariadne's opening gamut of a century ago. However,
Ariadne, calling herself Genvissa, sees Brutus as a useful lackey because
the avaricious brute is too cocky to see beyond his own superego.
Through him, she sets in motion act two of her Troy Game vengeance.
Though at times wordy and one subplot (occurs in 1939) does not tie back to
the ancient theme (clarity in future novels?), readers will appreciate the
scope and characterization of the opening saga in Sara Douglass' vast
historical fantasy. The key two elements to this delightful epic tale
are the flawed and contemptible lead characters and the two prime ancient
eras vividly alive due to rich texturing interwoven into the plot.
Fans will definitely want to read HADES' DAUGHTER and the sequels as
Ms. Douglass clearly has game.
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
1/8/2003
Grail
Prince
Nancy
McKenzie
Del Rey, Jan 2003, $14.95, 528 pp.
ISBN 0345456483
Fantasy
In King Arthur's world no person can escape his or her destiny so a prophecy
foretold is prophecy fulfilled no matter how much the person tries to avoid
it. Galahad, the oldest son of Lancelot and his wife Elaine, knew at
an early age that his father's heart was given to his queen, Guenivevre.
His mother made no secret that she despised her husband and her
cousin, the queen. While growing up, Galahad concluded that women were
weak and conniving, and he vowed to stay celibate.
He also hated his father for not loving his mother and for spending so much
time in Camelot while neglecting his own kingdom of Lancescol.
However, Galahad was brought to Camelot where he proudly served under
the Pendragon's banner. Unfortunately, his temper and unruly tongue
gets him into trouble with his father and King Arthur because he speaks what
is in his heart. He cannot see that Lancelot loves Arthur and the king
loves his father, and the queen remains true to her husband.
It was foretold that Mordred, Arthur's son and heir, would be destroyer and
though Mordred fought his fate, destiny would not be denied. Father
and son kill each other on the Battlefield of Canlann. Before Arthur
died, he assigns to Galahad a quest to reunite Excalibur with the sword and
the Chalice so that Britain will be forever undefeated. Prophecy says
that Lancelot's son will be Britain's savior but Galahad spends years
searching in vain for the treasures he seeks. Only when he opens
himself to truth and love will the prophecy be fulfilled, but Galahad has
many demons to overcome before he can open himself up to the truth about his
parents, the queen and the woman who is his destiny.
GRAIL PRINCE is the story of Camelot at the height of its glory and what
happens after the king who united the kingdoms of Briton falls. It is
the story of a son who hates his parents and fears love yet is determined to
realize the wishes of a dead king. Lancelot, while not the main
character, plays a key role as the catalyst to his son's actions.
Readers will love him because his heart is torn between his love for
his king and queen that makes him a hero to everyone but his own wife and
son, whom feel neglected (there is a price to pay to be a hero).
Although there are times the readers will feel like spanking Galahad for his
self-righteousness behavior, the audience will also understand that he is a
victim of his mother's hatred, his father's unrequited love, and a priest's
need for vengeance.
Arthur is presented as the only light in a world of darkness, a civilized
man keeping the savages at bay. He is shown to be a man with faults
and wishes; a person who makes mistakes but tries to rectify them. He
plays a very important role in Galahad's life as a father figure and it is
his influence that eventually sows the seeds of Galahad's redemption.
There is a sense of irony in Galahad's friendship with his cousin
Percival because it parallels that of Arthur's to Lancelot.
There are many stories of Camelot but GRAIL PRINCE is one of the better ones
as the touch of magic makes this work of fantasy very fulfilling. The
novel gives the audience a sense of a place that was not larger than life,
but rather an amalgam of all the personalities trying to make it work.
Camelot is a place of legends but in the hands of myth chroniclers
like Nancy McKenzie it is an Eden where readers can see dreams come true.
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
1/8/2003
A
Year in the Linear City
By Paul
Di Filippo
Ps Publishing
http://www.pspublisging.co.uk
Fantasy
Trade
April 2002
80 pages
$14.95 US
ISBN 1 902880 36 6
The city is, literally, linear. One street, Broadway, runs through the
middle, lined on either side by the huge buildings that make up the
city. It's borders are neatly marked off, on one side by a wide, deep
river, on the other by the railroad tracks that bring everything the city
dwellers need. When a person dies, if they are lucky, the Fisherwives
take him over the other side of the river, where the cooler temperatures and
gentler feel bespeak of heaven, or, if they were not lucky enough, the
Yardbulls would come, and take them to the wrong side of the tracks.
The flickering flames, the heat, all make one think of hell.
This is the world in which our main character, Deigo, lives. His father is
dying, and fears the coming of the Yardbulls for his body. When Deigo
was a tot, his father, mother and he were boating down the river. The
boat capsized, and Diego clung to his father. His father could not
save his wife, and when he saw the Fisherwives come for her, he began a life
long regret, a hatred of himself and his son.
A Cosmogonic fictioneer, Diego takes great pleasure from inventing
futuristic things, such as people talking over wires. He is, in many ways,
an optimistic character, and a foil for the setting in which he lives.
The world setting is very creepy. Underneath the city lives a great
city beast, whose scales are considered incredibly valuable good luck charms
to the members of Diego's borough. When the scales are ripped away,
the beast bleeds. Also, the skies are filled with Fisherwives and
Yardbulls, who hover expectantly, every once in awhile diving into the city
to carry off the dead. Combined with the nearness of the symbolic
heaven and hell, it lends the novel a surreal darkness. There is also
a lack of things -- the people who live here depend on the train to bring
supplies, but it doesn't always bring sufficient amounts. Things are
never invented, and rarely are they fixed. Also, things such as drug
use are accepted. This lends a shabbiness to the world, making it an
even bleaker picture. If it wasn't for the positiveness of Deigo and
his lover, Volusia, reading this would make one's spirits sink, so clearly
is the sett! ing wrought.
All these strange facets, such as the Yardbulls, and the fact that all the
boroughs are part of one gigantic city, laid out in a straight line
demarked by river and railroad are almost too fantastical. Di Filippo
makes these aspects work marvelously, to create a truly lovely bit of
Cosmogonic fiction.
4 out of 5 wings
Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN Reviewer
12/04/2003
Voyage
of the Shadowmoon
Sean McMullen
Tor, Dec 2003, $27.95, 496 pp.
ISBN: 0312877404
fantasy
Led by Captain Ferran, the bizarre crew of the Shadowmoon seems like weird
cargo handlers sailing the seas. Though they actually trade the goods
kept in the hold of their schooner, the mission of the Shadowmoon is to sail
the ports of the continent Torea seeking information as the crew serves as
an undercover espionage unit.
The orb changes for Ferran and friends when they see the horrifying total
annihilation of Torea. Apparently the Emperor Warsovran became
impatient with the siege of Larmentel. He obviously found the long
buried Silverdeath, an awesome weapon of mass destruction interred centuries
ago out of fear of its misuse. He used the weapon leaving only the off
shore crew of the Ferran alive as eyewitnesses to total death. The
planet's aristocracy clamber to take advantage of the void with several of
them wanting possession of Silverdeath already in the hands of a genocide
megalomaniac. Only the fearless crew of this seemingly minnow of a
vessel stand in the way of some lunatic unleashing the final wave of
annihilation.
VOYAGE OF THE SHADOWMOON is simply great, as readers will obtain one of the
top epic fantasy tales of 2002 in time for the holidays. Even with
vampires and sorcery, the world seems so real before and after the
destruction of Torea. The large key cast members are easily
distinguishable between them because each one is fully developed yet done
within the context of the action-packed story line. The fantasy realm
has a winner with science fiction guru (see the Greatwinter trilogy) Sean
McMullen who unbelievably makes the impossible seem authentic.
41/2 out of 5
Harriet Klausner, GWO Reviewer
12/22/2002
The
Queen's Gambit
Deborah Chester Ace
Dec 2002
$7.99
464 pp.
ISBN 0441009972
By
drinking from the sacred Chalice, Pheresa saves her life. Unfortunately her
betrothed, the heir to the Kingdom of Mandria died because the dark side of
sorcery he wanted to master consumed him. Pheresa expects to be the next
monarch, but first must trick the church that wants her as an icon of the
holy Chalice. After succeeding at that endeavor, Pheresa manages to get
through to King Verence still in a fog while mourning the death of his son.
He names her Princess of the Realm, but she must marry her cousin Lervan to
inherit the throne. To keep his heir safe, the king designates Sir Talmor to
guard Pheresa. When King Verence suddenly dies, Pheresa and Talmor flee the
city as enemies attack. As they struggle to survive, they prepare for the
day when she returns for her crown even as they fall in love with one
another. THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT is a powerful romantic sword and sorcery tale
that readers will gain tremendous pleasure from perusing due to the lead
couple. Pheresa almost obsesses over her belief that her destiny is to be
queen. Talmor will die to keep his beloved safe and he also provides the pin
that keeps Pheresa from going over the edge with her contention. Fans of
S&S will relish this delightful tale especially when the beleaguered
heroes try to defeat their foes within the regal court and from outside the
capital. Deborah Chester has written a fantastic fantasy that behooves the
need of more novels in Mandria to satiate the certain clamor and demands of
readers. Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer 12/4/2002 Teasing
Danger
Autumn Beaudreault
New Concepts Publishing
August 2002 in ebook format, print ed. Feb. 2003
90,000 words
ISBN 1-58608-353-8 1-58608-353-8
Whenever
her romantic relationships become too much, Wiley usually draws a map,
letting her best friend Jasmine know where she'll be, and takes off for some
much needed time alone. Jasmine is use to tracking her best friend Wiley
down, but this time when she gets to the place where Wiley is supposed to be
camping, she finds nothing. She makes a camp fire for herself, knowing that
something must be wrong. After nightfall, just as she is about to crawl into
her tent, a pack of wolves surround her camp, and a man orders her to come
with him. She fights, but subsides when he promises to take her to Wiley.
Soon she realizes by the unseasonable warmth, triple moons and strange
growth that she's crossed into another world. Her companion, Keilor, takes
her to the fortress of the Haunt, which is guarded by fierce, werewolf
looking warriors. She finds out that her life long best friend is a Haunt,
and has been betrothed since childhood! to their leader Jayems. Originally,
Keilor and Jayems had only intended to allow Wiley to reassure the woman she
called sister of the heart that she was alive and well, but after meeting
Jasmine the two realize she's going to cause serious trouble. They agree to
keep her in their world, a plan that Jasmine is less than thrilled with.
They aren't exactly happy either -- Jasmine is a sylph, and she exudes a
pheromone that drives Haunt men mad with lust. They can't deny a sylph's
wishes, and when they still walked the planet Earth, the Sylph were used by
their enemies as a weapon to hunt and destroy their kind. The relationship
between Keilor and Jasmine is done with a cool twist...they feel incredible
desire for each other immediately, but neither are sure that the attraction
isn't simply fueled by her sylph pheromones. He isn't interested in getting
tangled up with her, despite his need for her, and he's not sure that she'll
be so warm towards him when she discovers that he, like all of his kind, can
shape shift into werewolf-like form. Usually in a romance the woman is in
some way attractive. Either she is very beautiful, or unconventionally
so...but still, she is attractive. Jasmine is attractive enough, but the
fact she's a sylph turns that attraction on its head, making all unmated
Haunts become fascinated with her, and making the attraction something of a
burden she could live without. Having a setting where the attractive
qualities of the woman actually work against her romance is rather unusual,
and it works well, as throughout the s! tory the sylph aspect of her powers
play a role. Jasmine is also a fun character...she's gutsy, but she also has
an unfortunate habit of blurting things she would be better off not saying.
It makes her much more likable, because who hasn't had a situation where
they've said something and immediately wished they hadn't? Keilor is a good
match for her, a fierce warrior, filled with pride, he slowly acknowledges
the love he feels for her is real all by himself. I liked this because in so
many of the fierce warrior type cases this isn't so...his or even her
friends have to gang around and bludgeon him over the head until he admits
his love. The alien world is also rich and slightly spooky. The Haunt have
incredibly advanced technology, and a rich culture that makes Jasmine's
attempts to fit in interesting reading. Filled with some truly risque love
scenes, passion, action and moments of light heartiness, I found Teasing
Danger to be a fun read. Four out of Five swords Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN
Review
 Alice
at Heart
By Deborah Smith
Belle Books
Fantasy
Jan 2002
$14.95
320 pp.
ISBN: 0967303524
Though it is February, Odd Alice swims the icy waters of Lake Riley high in
the Georgia Mountains as if it is a summer day. Her idyllic watery
solace ends with a splash and a vision. She rescues a child who fell
into the lake and Griffin Randolph, the treasure seeker in her vision who
faces death from an underwater explosion near Spain, until Alice pleaded
with him to breath.
Because the child she saved is related to the Governor, Alice becomes a
publicized hero with the Bonaviendier siblings attending the ceremony and
claiming she is one of them. They prove their contention as they share
the same webbed feet. Alice visits the three sisters at their Sainte's
Point Island home where she also meets Griffin. As Alice begins to
learn about her mermaid heritage, she and Griffin fall in love, but their
families have been feuding for quite awhile as landlubbers and water people
have never mixed.
ALICE AT HEART is a tremendous opening book of what appears to be the
beginning of a long delightful series starring the residents of Sainte's
Point and the across the bay town of Bellemeade. The story line
predominately focuses on a first person account by Alice, but does switch to
third person accounts of other prime players deftly handled by Deborah Smith
so that the audience obtains a deeper understanding of the cast.
Though the tale suffers from the first novel syndrome of introducing
the entire universe in one sitting, Ms. Smith provides a powerful and
absorbing novel that at its heart is simply fun to read.
5 out of 5 genies
Harriet Klausner
11/12/2002
The
Fall of The Kings
Ellen Kushner & Delia
Sherman
Bantam, Nov 2002, $13.95, 496 pp.
ISBN 0553381849
Five hundred years ago, the Northern King led his mighty army buttressed by
the fifteen powerful wizards to the Kingdom of the South for a marriage that
obligated the two rival nations to merge into one country. As the years
past, nobles wanting more power kill the king and his cadre of wizards.
Replacing the monarchy with the Council of Lords, this select aristocracy
rules the land without opposition for two centuries censoring any
discussions about wizards or magic and anyone if caught would be found
guilty of treason, the penalty is execution.
Perhaps it is complacency on the part of the council or just the simple
thirst for knowledge, but for the first time in the two hundred year reign
of the noble council, rumors abound that shortly the magic will return. The
Council acts quickly to end any real or imagined threat to their power by
the restoration of the monarchy. They send spies to the University to
ascertain if anyone is committing sedition so that if the answer is yes they
can eliminate the threat before it takes seed. The undercover investigation
leads to History Professor Basis St. Cloud, a firm believer that the magic
of the wizards was real and not a flimflam game to fool kings. He believes
proof lies with finding the lost Book of the King's Wizards. The other
potential troublemaker is a traitor to the nobles as he is one of their own,
Thereon Campion, heir to the Duchy of Tremontaine. Are these two men the
forerunners of a new age of reason based on a monarchy or just idle fools
fated to die if remo! te evidence proves they are heretics. Either way,
neither one will find life remaining as they know it.
THE FALL OF KINGS looks like medieval Europe with a twist or two besides the
obvious question whether magic once existed. For instance, the nobles do not
just eke out a Magna Carter from the king, but eliminate the monarchy by
killing the ruler. In the king's place, the Council establishes a form of an
oligopoly that applies censorship to insure no one even whispers words of
wizardry or magic without dying. Still with this powerfully vivid
background, the story line belongs to a deep three- dimensional cast. The
professor is not heroic material, but just a man of learning trying to prove
his theory on wizards using magic and not trickery is genuine. He reminds
the audience of the scientists in Planet of the Apes seeking the truth
though the opposition will do anything to silence them or in this case him.
Teran is caught between two worlds as he is clearly a product of his time as
part of the nobility, but the monarchy, if he lives long enough, seems
within his grasp or a! t least it seems so like King James just prior to
Culloden. Finally, the nobles will do anything including kill innocents to
remain in power. With that ensemble coming together in an epic story line,
Ellen Kushner and Della Sherman ease the tension with political infighting
at the university that reflects the greater society of a place in which no
one, including the in-crowd, dare step out of their preordained role if they
want to live. THE FALL OF KINGS is a triumphant fantasy that feels so real
one must wonder whether this writing duo are social science professors at
that Northern University.
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
11/12/2002
The
Flower of Clear Burning
Joel Van Valin
Novel Books, Nov 2002, 271 pp.
ISBN 1591050264
Hillkirk is a quiet, relatively safe town that lies in the eastern part of
the realm. Theresa Winered is a married woman stifling from the
confines of her position. Hanoli, a barmaid, tries to keep her dignity
in her squalid existence. Valla is the local midwife respected for her
knowledge of herbal medicine. Although these three women are of
different statures in life, their practice of Wicca makes them natural
allies in the dark days that are soon to be upon them.
An unstoppable plague is sweeping toward them from the southlands. At
the same time a ravaging horde of Barbarians from the east is sweeping
closer to them every day, destroying anything in its path. Theresa
travels into the forest of Havernon and becomes one of the leaders in the
war effort. Hanoli and the man she loves travels to the island of
Isalt in hopes of finding THE FLOWER OF THE CRUEL BURNING, the only known
cure for the plague. Valla stays in Hillkirk hoping to give comfort to
her patients. These three remarkable females, already courageously
helping people, play a heroic role in a war they thought there was no hope
of winning.
Lovers of fantasy that like heroic battles and plenty of action inside a
believable plot will want to read THE FLOWER OF CLEAR BURNING. The
characters make this novel stand out from other works of similar style and
caliber. The women accept burdens men normally assume with a
determination to complete them or die trying. Joel Van Valin is a
gifted storyteller who will appeal to fans of Patricia Briggs and Candace
Sans.
5 out of 5 genies
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
11/14 /2002
 From
the Ashes
by Meghan
Brunner
1st Books
http://www.faire-folk.com
ISBN 0-7596-8170-8
May 2002
Ryna, a gypsy and veteran Renaissance Faire worker has been looking forward
to the Pendragon Renaissance Faire all year. Last year, she met and
fell for the handsome and incredibly dashing Liam, and was looking forward
to seeing him again. His first act upon her return is to dump her,
causing her much confusion and hurt...not the best way to start of the Ren.
Faire. A rookie faire performer, Bea, also has been waiting anxiously
for the faire to start. Her brother Daniel, is a veteran, and has
finally convinced his little sister to try out. Now as she wanders the
village in the persona of the crotchety herb woman Phoenix, she is
introduced to the wonders of the faire life. Unfortunately, now that
Liam is free he has set his sights on the extremely sheltered young woman,
and his intentions are far from pure. This would not be a huge
surprise, but Liam is willing to do anything, including forging an alliance
with dark powers to ! get his desires. He won't stop if Ryna stands in
his way...in fact, he's hoping she will.
Bea and Ryna make an interesting contrast as well as a romantic pairing.
Ryna grew up on the road. She lives in a vardo that she pulls
behind her truck every time she and her large, extended family more to the
next show. She understands the ropes, and has a very snug, nice nitch
for herself. Everyone knows her and likes her. Her fellow gypsy
family are warm and very caring. She is also comfortable with her
magick, and knows the ways of the world of the Bright, as well as the way of
the mortal. She's very hurt by Liam's desertion of her, so she is
unwilling to allow herself to love. Bea, on the other hand, is totally
new to the Ren. While we see things through Ryna's eyes as comfortable
and familiar, we see things through Bea's as bright and exciting and
new....she has a strong sense of wonder, and it makes everything seem more
amazing. Seeing the Renaissance Faire from both these points of view
is interestin! g, because we get to explore a world made new by Bea's
explorations and we also get the commonplace feel that a old hand like Ryna
must experience. Bea is also a very sweet person...she's been
protected all of her life, and because of this enforced shyness, she is very
unsure of herself. Through the book we watch her open up and develop.
The camaraderie between the two girls is wonderful to watch, because
they balance each other so well.
The true beauty of this book is the setting that the reader find themselves
in. Brunner herself is a long time Rennie, and therefore can create
for us the world of the faire in incredible color. The antics of
the peasants, who are always looking for something funny to do, where it's
to eat out of a (rigged!) garbage can or see how many of them can fit into a
privy, or port-a-jon. We're introduced to the O'Malley's, a croft
living family who spend their days much like any other Irish Family of the
time would, the Bertenelli's, who make the most wondrous of deserts,
and the Merry Maids, who with their fearless leader Robyn, happily act out
the antics of Robin Hood in genre revered roles. Along with the gypsy
family who play beautiful music, dance amazingly or blow fire, we have an
eclectic group of talents and entertainment. All these people have
good hearts and get along like a large family. Perhaps in some ways
their ca! ring for each other and their great sense of humor and openness
are the most magical aspects of this book. Who would not want to be
welcomed with open arms into a place were everyone looks after each other,
where people share readily and tease each other with gentle jokes that are
made out of fondness, not spite? In some ways these lovely and ideal
things are really what makes this book the great read that it is, that we
see the Ren so clearly, and that we feel welcomed within it. I was
struck with a great longing to see if I could put together an act and hit
the road myself. The people are so accepting and so diverse that it is
hard to believe that any of us could not fid a content home among them.
True, there are Bright Fae and Shadow Fae, and magicks galore, but it's the
people who will bring you back for the sequel.
Four out of Five Pixies
Cindy Lynn Speer
9/26/2002
 The
Lost Dragons of Barakhai--Fantasy
Mickey Zucker Reichert
Daw, August 2002, $23.95, 376 pp.
ISBN 075640091
A year and a half ago, graduate student Ben Collins followed a rat into
a storeroom and wound up in the Kingdom of Barakhai. In that
land, all humans except the Royal Family were cursed, forced to shape shift
into other bodies for half the day or night. When Ben left that world
for his own, he was badly injured and needed medical treatment. Now
Zylas the white rat says Barakhai needs him once more. Ben feels like
Barakhai is home and Earth is just the orphanage where he was raised so he
must act.
There are two young dragons held prisoner by the king and they have the
power to remove the curse that force the humans to shift into another form.
Zylas and Ben concoct a dangerous plan that includes using an old enemy who
has the king's ear.
THE LOST DRAGONS OF BARAKHAI is an adult fairy tale with a handsome hero
(make that bumbling grad student), a fair maiden (who spends half her life
as a fair horse) and a rebel leader (who remains human even when he turns
into a rat). Mickey Zucker Reichert is a fantastic storyteller who provides
fantasy readers with some of the better tales.
4 1/2 out of 5 cloaks
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
8/13/2002
 The
Witch Queen---Fantasy
Jan Siegel
Del Rey, August 2002, $24.00, 352 pp.
ISBN 0345439031
She once dreamed of ruling Logrez through her son, a product of having sex
with her brother the great king Arthur but failed in her deadly scheme.
Morgus hates mankind and intends to rule modern day England but she is not
wise in the ways of the present. She plans to use the spirit of a
modern day witch, separated from her body by Morgus, to learn how to get
around in the twentieth century.
Fern Capel, unwilling to be an apprentice to such a malevolent being, fights
her and eventually thinks she kills her dangerous "guest."
Unfortunately, Morgus is a survivor and after a time of recuperation is back
intending to destroy Fern once and for all. When it comes to Fern's
attention that she will have to fight her enemy once again, she gathers her
allies for the coming battle, never dreaming what she will have to sacrifice
for the ultimate victory.
This is the third installment in the Fern Capel Saga and it is by far the
most creative and fascinating to date. The antagonist is almost as
interesting as the heroine as Morgus is a malevolent being so consumed by
hatred that it is not at all easy to predict how she will attack only that
her assault is pending. The heroine is a being of pure goodness so
easy to predict but remains likable and engages the empathy of the audience
early on. The climax is truly a shocker that solves the problems that
plague Fern, but not quite in the way the audience will anticipate.
5 out of 5 cloaks
Harriet Klausner, GWN Book Reviewer
8/13/2002
 The
Fifth Sorceress
Robert Newcomb
Del Rey, Aug 2002, $26.95, 624 pp.
ISBN: 0345448928
Over three centuries ago, the malevolent Coven nearly destroyed Eutracia.
However, the kingdom's wizards managed to defeat the evil sorceresses.
The victory resulted in exile of the surviving sorceresses across the vast
ocean to Parthalon, the ban on female magic practitioners within the realm,
and required vows by male applicators to remain on the side of the light.
Plotting vengeance and final destruction of their enemies, the sorceresses
begin a diabolical plot to obliterate Eutracia and its magical do-gooders
through the regal line. They plan to abduct Princess Shailiha so that
a special doomsday machine incantation can be completed that will result in
either their victory or the end of the planet. Only her brother Prince
Tristan and his advisor Wigg the wizard stand in the way of the sorceresses'
success.
THE FIFTH SORCERESS is clearly one of the top three fantasy tales of the
year. The story line is typical good vs. evil epic with the forces of
the light led by a reluctant hero and his wise advisory wizard while their
opponents will stop at nothing including global destruction to gain victory.
However, Wigg, whose advice does not always work, makes the tale as he
misinterprets things leading to unfortunate calamity and even when he is on
target things can still go wrong in a Murphy sort of way. Thus, the
quest becomes real as the audience never knows what will succeed or fail
even whether Tristan will win the day. This novel heralds a tremendous new
force in the genre as Robert Newcomb casts quite a spell on the audience.
5 out of 5 cloaks
Harriet Klausner, GWN Reviewer
8/13/2002
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