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Review Date: 3/17/2011
Even after over twenty years now - I still remember this book with a patina of fondness. The characters and setting have stayed fresh in my minds eye over time. When my brother-in-law, never a reader, came to me a number of years back and asked me to suggest to him something to read for enjoyment this was the book I gave him. My brother-in-law is now a fairly avid reader.
In my younger days I read a lot of Piers Anthony. Mostly known for his Xanth series with it's outlandish story lines and puns, Anthony is typically type cast as a lightly comic fantasist. Like his Hope Hubris series - Bio of a Space Tyrant - this series does not follow that norm at all. Battle Circle is a post-apopalyptic story full of barbarians who like to settle things with swords and fists. However, the characters here - Sos the Rope, Var the Stick, and Neq the Sword, so named for their choice of weapons - are fully fleshed out heroes and men of principle. The plotlines are engrossing and the story is great. If you like the Conan type you really should read Battle Circle.
In my younger days I read a lot of Piers Anthony. Mostly known for his Xanth series with it's outlandish story lines and puns, Anthony is typically type cast as a lightly comic fantasist. Like his Hope Hubris series - Bio of a Space Tyrant - this series does not follow that norm at all. Battle Circle is a post-apopalyptic story full of barbarians who like to settle things with swords and fists. However, the characters here - Sos the Rope, Var the Stick, and Neq the Sword, so named for their choice of weapons - are fully fleshed out heroes and men of principle. The plotlines are engrossing and the story is great. If you like the Conan type you really should read Battle Circle.
Review Date: 12/4/2009
After I read Ciper, the first book in the series, I went out and bought the trilogy. This book is better than the first.
This world is unique and detailed and fraught with its own perils. In this world there are horrible monsters and wild magic that make the seas a bastion of terror and danger. Raw magic called sylveth floats on the waters and will turn anything and anyone it touches into either horrible monsters or, rarely, magical beings with differing powers. Most persons who touch sylveth turn into ravening monsters not remotely human that have to be killed; however, the magicians of this universe are created by sylveth as are the pilots. Pilots are able to read the waters of the sea and keep the ships plotted onto a safe course through the dangers of sea monsters and storms. The city nation of Crosspoint is kept safe from sylveth and spawn (sylveth created monsters) by a barrier of magic called The Pale. They have a powerful advantage over their contentious neighbors because of the pilots and magical compasses that keep their ships safe on the seas.
The action is nonstop and the characters are detailed and the story engrossing. Each person grows and changes as the book progresses. The only problem seemed to be that the main character - the pilot Thorn - goes through so much punishment that it seems he probably should have died four times over.
Thorn, betrayed by his own guild, decides to nurture a friendship with the very men who have kidnapped him to be their pilot on an illegal ship on a possibly treasonous mission. The captain, Plusby, on the ship has severe issues of his own but the two, after a rocky start, develop a mutual respect that blossoms into a strong friendship. Then there is the romance that blooms and nurtures between Thorn and the female captain of a pirate ship from the very nation that is their sworn blood enemies. This pirate ship is fleeing persecution from their own people and how the two crews end up cooperating and helping each other is a fascinating story line in and of itself. The main characters - Lucy Trenton and Marten from Cipher - are a part of the storyline but in a very subdued manner.
All in all a wonderful read that is definitely on my favorites list.
This world is unique and detailed and fraught with its own perils. In this world there are horrible monsters and wild magic that make the seas a bastion of terror and danger. Raw magic called sylveth floats on the waters and will turn anything and anyone it touches into either horrible monsters or, rarely, magical beings with differing powers. Most persons who touch sylveth turn into ravening monsters not remotely human that have to be killed; however, the magicians of this universe are created by sylveth as are the pilots. Pilots are able to read the waters of the sea and keep the ships plotted onto a safe course through the dangers of sea monsters and storms. The city nation of Crosspoint is kept safe from sylveth and spawn (sylveth created monsters) by a barrier of magic called The Pale. They have a powerful advantage over their contentious neighbors because of the pilots and magical compasses that keep their ships safe on the seas.
The action is nonstop and the characters are detailed and the story engrossing. Each person grows and changes as the book progresses. The only problem seemed to be that the main character - the pilot Thorn - goes through so much punishment that it seems he probably should have died four times over.
Thorn, betrayed by his own guild, decides to nurture a friendship with the very men who have kidnapped him to be their pilot on an illegal ship on a possibly treasonous mission. The captain, Plusby, on the ship has severe issues of his own but the two, after a rocky start, develop a mutual respect that blossoms into a strong friendship. Then there is the romance that blooms and nurtures between Thorn and the female captain of a pirate ship from the very nation that is their sworn blood enemies. This pirate ship is fleeing persecution from their own people and how the two crews end up cooperating and helping each other is a fascinating story line in and of itself. The main characters - Lucy Trenton and Marten from Cipher - are a part of the storyline but in a very subdued manner.
All in all a wonderful read that is definitely on my favorites list.
Review Date: 9/24/2009
Helpful Score: 1
I was looking forward to getting into a book where vampires were once again the actual blood-sucking monsters of my youth rather than tragic romantic figures. That said, this book was a bit of a disappointment. The characters were not consistent in their mannerisms: In fact I'd call the young vampires "wishy washy". None of the vampires could make up their minds whether they were good, bad, or just indifferent. The main character (more or less) being an aristocrat from the past was a let down.. Here is an extremely powerful vampire able to control peoples emotions and feelings, shapeshift, and even turn into mist and yet he's quaking in his boots scared to death of one frail ancient human who had the good luck to manage by surprise to stab him in the heart once ages ago. The lead up to the "final confrontation" with his "old enemy" is a complete let down.
Review Date: 10/30/2009
Helpful Score: 1
2nd Beka Cooper Book.. 1st was Terrier. I got Terrier on audio dvd to listen to on a lengthy drive and was captivated by the characters and story line. The young female protagonist is straight forward, intelligent, stubborn and likeable. I didn't quite have enough time to finish the first book on my trip so I got the actual hardback upon return home and finished it. Was impressed enough to snatch up "Bloodhound" as soon as I saw it on the shelf.
Beka Cooper is a wonderful character and her tribulations at being the newest member of the watch (police...) in a large slum type neighborhood is at once gritty and compelling. The magic involved is unique with her ability to hear the ghosts of recently departed who ride with pigeons and also her abiility to hear spates of old conversations by feeding "twisters"... Not to mention that she has a familiar in the person of a cat who may or may not be a god but is definitely a character unto himself.
Beka's rough and tumble trainers on the watch reminded me mostly of Hawke and Fisher if you've ever read that series by Simon R Green. Pragmatic coppers who keep the peace by dint of being tougher and smarter than the bad guys. Graft is a way of life and the take is expected. Beka herself comes from a poor family but her mother married into a higher status upon the passing of her father so she has in's at all levels of the society. However, her family is less than enchanted with her choice of careers or the fact that she continues to reside in the "lower city". Her friends on the other hand are quite entertaining: The head thief of the city is half in love with her and she has friends who are quite rogueish themselves. Prostitutes, bakers, thieves and lords. Beka walks a tightwire with a balance and precision that is fascinating. A wonderful character.
In this second book she leaves some of her friends behind (kind of missed them) because it is mainly set in a separate city from her own due to her having been sent to investigate a problem there. It mainly relates to a major counterfeiting ring that could destroy the economy stability of the realm. I won't bother you with the whole story line but the book is wonderful and definitely worth the read.
Beka Cooper is a wonderful character and her tribulations at being the newest member of the watch (police...) in a large slum type neighborhood is at once gritty and compelling. The magic involved is unique with her ability to hear the ghosts of recently departed who ride with pigeons and also her abiility to hear spates of old conversations by feeding "twisters"... Not to mention that she has a familiar in the person of a cat who may or may not be a god but is definitely a character unto himself.
Beka's rough and tumble trainers on the watch reminded me mostly of Hawke and Fisher if you've ever read that series by Simon R Green. Pragmatic coppers who keep the peace by dint of being tougher and smarter than the bad guys. Graft is a way of life and the take is expected. Beka herself comes from a poor family but her mother married into a higher status upon the passing of her father so she has in's at all levels of the society. However, her family is less than enchanted with her choice of careers or the fact that she continues to reside in the "lower city". Her friends on the other hand are quite entertaining: The head thief of the city is half in love with her and she has friends who are quite rogueish themselves. Prostitutes, bakers, thieves and lords. Beka walks a tightwire with a balance and precision that is fascinating. A wonderful character.
In this second book she leaves some of her friends behind (kind of missed them) because it is mainly set in a separate city from her own due to her having been sent to investigate a problem there. It mainly relates to a major counterfeiting ring that could destroy the economy stability of the realm. I won't bother you with the whole story line but the book is wonderful and definitely worth the read.
Review Date: 10/21/2009
Helpful Score: 2
This is the first book I have read by this author but have now received her original "Path" series which I look forward to reading. This book was a bit on the dark side overall, kind of like the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop, but was engrossing. The characters are consistent and believable and the story draws you in. The world is unique and the magic within it is different from the run of the mill fantasy. Overall, quite a good read.
Review Date: 8/11/2014
All I can say is WOW! Brian McClellan is a former student of Brandon Sanderson of whom I have been a fan with his Mistborn Trilogy, Steelheart, and others - most especially his Way of Kings and now Words of Radiance. I am truly impressed by Mr. Sanderson.... BuT, I do believe the student has surpassed the teacher. The two books out so far in the Powder Mage Trilogy are without a doubt some of the best writing I have seen in the last few decades. The action scenes are vivid and heart pounding. The characters are fully realized - especially Taniel Two-Shot and his father Field Marshall Tamas. Between muskets, swords, magic, characters you care about and heart rending and pounding action this is a book you cannot let yourself miss.
There are 3 simultaneous story lines running continuously within this 2nd installment. First, there is Field Marshall Tamas and 2 brigades of Adran infantry caught behind enemy lines within the nation of Kez. They are fighting a running battle to survive and return to their own homeland to continue the war against the invaders. The majority of the nation of Adro is reeling from the belief that the Field Marshall and all his troops are dead.
Meanwhile, the 2nd story line follows Tamas' son, Taniel Two-Shot and his own efforts to fight the war from the Adran side while facing treachery and deceit from his own commanders. Taniel's companion, a sorcerous female named KaPoel from a savage tribe, uses a type of voodoo sorcery that is very powerful. The growth of the relationship between Taniel and Kapoel belies conventions and is quite powerful despite the fact that there is no true romance in the story line. Taniel goes through literal hell in his battles and continues to rise to the occasion.
The 3rd story line involves Inspector Adamat and his own mission to recover his wife and children from the villainous Lord Vetas. You will find yourself holding your breath to see what happens next.
The story skips between the 3 main lines on a regular basis without ever losing the reader in the mix. By the way, Mihali the reborn God Adom who continually cooks up his own brand of sparkling mischief is wonderful. The book ends up with a nice set up to lead to the 3rd installment... PLEASE get it out quick!!
There are 3 simultaneous story lines running continuously within this 2nd installment. First, there is Field Marshall Tamas and 2 brigades of Adran infantry caught behind enemy lines within the nation of Kez. They are fighting a running battle to survive and return to their own homeland to continue the war against the invaders. The majority of the nation of Adro is reeling from the belief that the Field Marshall and all his troops are dead.
Meanwhile, the 2nd story line follows Tamas' son, Taniel Two-Shot and his own efforts to fight the war from the Adran side while facing treachery and deceit from his own commanders. Taniel's companion, a sorcerous female named KaPoel from a savage tribe, uses a type of voodoo sorcery that is very powerful. The growth of the relationship between Taniel and Kapoel belies conventions and is quite powerful despite the fact that there is no true romance in the story line. Taniel goes through literal hell in his battles and continues to rise to the occasion.
The 3rd story line involves Inspector Adamat and his own mission to recover his wife and children from the villainous Lord Vetas. You will find yourself holding your breath to see what happens next.
The story skips between the 3 main lines on a regular basis without ever losing the reader in the mix. By the way, Mihali the reborn God Adom who continually cooks up his own brand of sparkling mischief is wonderful. The book ends up with a nice set up to lead to the 3rd installment... PLEASE get it out quick!!
Review Date: 9/28/2014
Anti-Hero central: This is a well written medieval type fantasy with lots action, violence and interesting characters. There is no romance to really speak of except the minimum amounts that are required in such a story - or any story dealing with human beings who are social creatures with emotions. I enjoyed the setting, the characters and the style.
That being said,,, I only gave this book 3 1/2 stars because David Dalglish doesn't have heroes or good guys in his stories. He has conflicted anti-heroes who are apt to cause as much damage and commit almost as many despicable acts as the"villains." In many cases that makes for a better more realistic tale with believable protagonists and antagonists. The problem with David Dalglish is that he. carries the conflicted anti-hero thing too far. His heroes aren't likable. In some of his books (the Half Orc series for prime example) the main characters are despicable hateful creatures who should be the villains of the story.
This is not as prevalent in "A Dance of Cloaks" as in many of his other books, and this is a good book worth reading if you like violent medieval fantasy settings...., but in general I personally am moving to other authors with conflicted but likable heroes instead of all villains and nobody worth cheering for.
That being said,,, I only gave this book 3 1/2 stars because David Dalglish doesn't have heroes or good guys in his stories. He has conflicted anti-heroes who are apt to cause as much damage and commit almost as many despicable acts as the"villains." In many cases that makes for a better more realistic tale with believable protagonists and antagonists. The problem with David Dalglish is that he. carries the conflicted anti-hero thing too far. His heroes aren't likable. In some of his books (the Half Orc series for prime example) the main characters are despicable hateful creatures who should be the villains of the story.
This is not as prevalent in "A Dance of Cloaks" as in many of his other books, and this is a good book worth reading if you like violent medieval fantasy settings...., but in general I personally am moving to other authors with conflicted but likable heroes instead of all villains and nobody worth cheering for.
Review Date: 7/19/2009
Helpful Score: 1
I bought and read this book a number of years ago and still have it on my shelf. I also made my son read it despite the fact that he is too young to really have been into the heyday of comics. We both loved this book. The plot and writing are superb. The action is great and even if you had no clue about comic book superheroes in general or Superman in specific this would still be a great read.
Review Date: 12/1/2008
Helpful Score: 1
Plots within plots within plots.... all woven in a complex tapestry that draws one in and leads one to trace the pattern from point to point without ever once losing the thread. One of my favorite books of all time.
Review Date: 11/4/2009
The Count of Monte Cristo with dragons and magic. Lots of fun and well worth the read.
Review Date: 11/29/2008
I read this entire series a number of years back and was enthralled by the entire series. Weis and Hickman are truly masters of their genre and also do well on solo ventures (One should read the "Star of the Guardians" series). In any case, the characters are fascinating and the plot continues apace all the way through. I only wondered throughout just what exactly was going to turn out to be the true nature of Haplo's dog... (No, he's not actually God with a tail)
Review Date: 10/27/2009
I have read a lot of stuff by Weis/Hickman through the years but this series has long stood out in my mind as a favorite. I began this one when it was newly published back in about 1991 and read all seven in the series. The action is great, the characters are likeable and progress and grow throughout. All together a great series well worth the time. P.S. I only wondered all the way through what the heck Haplo's dog was actually going to turn out to be... You'll have to find out for yourself. Enjoy
Review Date: 11/7/2010
Helpful Score: 4
Overall a good story that kept me reading... However, it kind of bothered me at the same time. The magical stystem in the story is based on persons who are so strong willed and determined not to die that on the brink of death their "soul" latches onto another persons and basically borrows life force from it in order to maintain their own life. From that point forward the new born sorcerer can peform magic using the power they obtain from their vessel. Unfortunately, every spell they cast uses up life force of the vessel their soul latched onto. As an aside, no sorcerer knows who his power-vassal actually is and are bound by convention not to find out. The upshot of this of course is that all the sorcerers powers are like those of a vampire - they suck the life force from another person in order to fuel their own power. By agreement the sorcerers have never revealed to mortals the secret source of their powers so when someone becomes a "power vassal" they are just told that they have the "wasting disease" which is incurable. The fact that the magic users don't know whose life force they are using up doesn't make it more palatable for me, in some ways it makes it worse. In this world all the sorcerers have always been men, apparently because women are too weak-willed to become a sorcerer. The sorcerers all bind themselves to a "mortal" ruler and help them in the capacity of adviser/court wizard. Yet, if this was to approach reality it seems that sorcerers would rule this world on their own because they can apparently do almost anything and are basically immortal barring accident because when their power-vessel dies their soul just latches onto someone else. In any case, the protagonist here is a woman who is so bound to live that she manages to become a sorcerer and has to hide the fact from all the male sorcerers. She gets embroiled in a variety of politically and personally motivated trouble and even manages to find and get involved with her own "power-vassal" more or less by accident. There is a race of powerful beings that threatened the extinction of the human race at a time in the distant past before being defeated and exiled behind a magical barrier in the frozen north. There is a hereditary lineage of knights who protect and maintain the barrier in order to keep the soul-stealers bound captive. Now the barrier is weakening and the horrors are escaping. Sorcerers, normally extremely singular and uncooperative with each other, are forced to work together to try to save humanity. Our heroine gets involved and the fate of humanity is at stake. As said, the story is engrossing and well written... I just had a continuing problem with accepting our protagonist as a good guy given the nature of the magic because every time she used her magic she was killing an innocent person somewhere.
Review Date: 1/28/2009
While best known for his military series such as "Brotherhood of War", "The Corps" and others this series is my personal favorite from Griffin. The action is real and the characters wonderful.
Review Date: 6/15/2013
I have read Weiss and Hickman for over 40 years. Most are truly great and there is a reason they are legends in the genre of fantasy as far as Dragonlance type goes. This series is my probable all time favorite and has been on my keeper shelf for many years. There it stays. I still say, twenty years later, that I thought Haplo's dog was going to turn out to be a deity of some sort... Wrong guess, but the series is still there in my head all these years later. Seven great ones. Read them. Book one is Dragon Wing.
Review Date: 12/30/2008
Helpful Score: 1
Good sword and occasional sorcery series for teens, especially boys. Richard Blade is your general penultimate warrior who is always smarter, better and stronger than everyone else around. He dimension hops via a machine which transports him through a wormhole system ... Generally he lands alone and friendless in unfriendly territory where he ultimately wins huge battles, rises to the pinnacle, wins the girl, accomplishes his mission, then heads home. I read the series in the late 1970's at about the age of 15 and enjoyed it. Don't think it would go so well at my current age.
Review Date: 11/28/2010
This is basically 3 novellas thrown together done in a style of Anne Rampling does Mack Bolan... The stories revolve around a former Navy Seal - Mike Harmon - trying to settle into civilian life and college. In the first story our hero witnesses a snatch and grab on a college coed. Going along for the ride our hero ends up rescuing a large bevy of stark naked college girls in a slave ring while killing a huge number of Middle Eastern terrorist types. In the second story Harmon has to stop a terrorist cell with a nuke on an island in the Caribbean and again does a bang up shoot 'em all dead job. Following this Harmon then assists in tracking down a nuclear weapon that has been set to explode in France. In all three stories the action is good and the story is engrossing.
The problem is that between the first two stories we spend about a hundred or so pages descending into a scenario where Harmon takes two young ladies onto his yacht and explicitly teaches them the do's and don'ts of bondage and sexual slavery in fairly explicit terms. The whole section is unnecessary and almost made me put the book down. In the middle of the third story Harmon basically rapes and brutalizes a Russian prostitute and then tries to improve her lot in life out of guilt. Again... unnecessary.
If you like military action and a basic American hero kills the terrorists in a world hopping rampage - this is a good book. But don't read it if you have a problem with bondage and multi-partner sex scenes.
The problem is that between the first two stories we spend about a hundred or so pages descending into a scenario where Harmon takes two young ladies onto his yacht and explicitly teaches them the do's and don'ts of bondage and sexual slavery in fairly explicit terms. The whole section is unnecessary and almost made me put the book down. In the middle of the third story Harmon basically rapes and brutalizes a Russian prostitute and then tries to improve her lot in life out of guilt. Again... unnecessary.
If you like military action and a basic American hero kills the terrorists in a world hopping rampage - this is a good book. But don't read it if you have a problem with bondage and multi-partner sex scenes.
Review Date: 10/27/2009
Helpful Score: 2
Actually I'm amazed that this isn't on about 500 wish lists. Terry Pratchett is one of those authors who is addictive in the real sense of the word. Definitely an intelligent persons comedian who has taken satire to an entire new level. That said, while I opened this book expecting to reunite with old friends such as Sam Vimes of the Watch, DEATH, Corporal Nobbs, Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler and a bevy of Ridcully(ous) wizards I was instead introduced to a new batch of Disc World denizens every bit as quirky and fun. The storyline is quite twisty and the Post Office (and subsequently the Mint) will never be the same. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it for readers of all ages.
Review Date: 12/16/2010
Helpful Score: 2
I was just perusing the newly listed stuff and came across the name Neil Hancock on another series and immediately thought... Ah! Circle of Light author. What a wonderful series that was. Such bright memories. Funny thing is that I read the series as a young teen maybe 14 or so years old and am now almost 50. That alone tells me something. After all these years the characters of Bear, Otter, and Dwarf still bring a smile of fond remembrance. How much more praise can one give a book? This one stuck with me as far and as long as LOR and old JRR Tolkein ever has. Get it for your adolescent.
Review Date: 1/3/2009
An excellent series for adolescents. I read it when I was about 12 or so and truly enjoyed it. Although in my mid 40's now it's a series I never forgot.
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