Coming from a different direction, Peter David explores the Peter Pan legend through the eyes of Paul, a young man whose family has experienced a terrible loss. Paul's baby sister dies in her crib one night. His family deals with this tragedy in different ways. Paul's mother retreats into reality, declaring that only the recognition of the pain of life will make one strong enough to survive. Paul's father simply retreats, leaving his family and the woman who used to be his wife but is now a stranger. Paul relies on what he believes - that his friend, the Boy of Legend, and the magic that surrounds the Boy can somehow replace his sister with another baby. After rescuing a pixie, Paul finds himself led into Anyplace and embroiled in a power struggle between the pirates and the Boy. Thus begins an adventure for Paul that will cause him to question his beliefs and face the most difficult pain of all - saying goodbye.

His quest is not all rainbows and roses. Peter David, the author, weaves the thread of loss and loneliness heavily throughout the story. While some might believe the subject matter of sadness and rejection are too much for younger readers, I disagree. What child has never experienced some type of loss? This is an excellent example of how one little boy deals with the pain he is feeling.

Mr. David writes in a lyrical prose that is a work of art. Unfortunately, the structure and cadence of the writing serves to separate the reader from the story, keeping the reader from participating in the fantasy, experiencing the wonder alongside Paul. Instead, a gulf has been formed, maintaining a strict formality of here is the story and over there stands the reader. For readers who enjoy submerging themselves into a book's reality, this will be a disappointment.

In spite of this, or maybe because of it, I enjoyed this story. The formality and separation served to give the book an old-fashioned feel, as if this was a dusty favorite resurrected from the nursery. The style of the book gives it a sense of being made to read out loud. The cadence lends itself to auditory emphasis and perhaps would be more entertaining to children to listen to the story rather than read it themselves. Peter David goes behind the scenes of NeverNever Land, giving bones and structure to a legend that has spanned generations. He brings in many well-known characters from Peter Pan, giving them fresh faces and different reasons for existing. The new characters are blended seamlessly in with the previous legends, causing Tigerheart to be able to stand on its own.

This is a deep story that would bear well under the scrutiny of a literature class. The nuances of the storyline, though delicate, are clear. Here is a young man struggling to understand the abandonment by his mother, the painful escape of his father, and the harshness reality can bring to life. Mr. David ties up all his loose ends in the end, delivering a whimsical tale that harkens back to the elegance of turn-of-the- century literature.

Fans of the Noble Dead saga have watched Magiere discover her heritage, assist in rescuing an elven assasin, and constantly remain on the lookout for more vampires. Now, driven to recover a powerful talisman, she finds herself blindly following a mysterious dream to a castle somewhere along unknown trails. She must find the talisman before her half-brother, the vampire Welstiel, finds it first and uses it for untold evil. Readers will also see into the mind of one of the Undead, Chane, a “child” of the vampire Welstiel. Created by Welstiel, Chane owes him allegiance for the half-life he leads but finds that allegiance challenged in the days to come. The two sides are joined by a third, a powerful elven contingency who seek the talisman also to use it’s power to further their own agenda. All three collide at the mountaintop fortress that holds answers to questions raised throughout the entire series.

For a long and complicated series, the book is a quick read and easy to understand. The descriptions of the Undead and their practices are chilling and a bit unusual in this age of overdone vampiric clichés. There are a lot of characters with very odd names, which can make it difficult to keep them straight. (I would have appreciated a cast list but I realize that serious fans would not necessarily need such a crutch.) The elven casting was as expected, but the political byplay wasn’t. The power struggle between the three groups adds depth to what could have been a shallow story.

Readers definitely need to read the series in order, otherwise they will be lost from the beginning. The action starts right in the middle of the story where the last book left off. Many allusions are made to previous happenings and the events in this book gain significance by the experiences the characters have already weathered.

I appreciated the way the authors crafted the sense that Fate can be avoided for awhile, but eventually she catches up with you. Several characters in this story are pushing the limitations of their destiny, but each one will be called upon to finish their chosen task whether they want to or not. Sometimes the action became a bit repetitive but the grand finale was worth it.

The end of the book served as a bit of a teaser also, so I looked up the series’ website and discovered the authors are preparing to continue the saga by beginning a new series. The website suggests there will be a couple of characters carried over from this first series but that the action will happen on another continent. The first book in the series should come out around January, 2009.

Every once in a while a book comes along that redefines enjoyment and artistry. With Breath and Bone, Carol Berg has achieved just that. The magic in this story lives and breathes in the very words and phrasing of the tale. I have not read a more captivating work of art in sometime.

Readers are drawn seamlessly into Valen’s mind in this first person point of view tale spun effortlessly, woven with magic and such craft as to gift life into its very pages. Valen finds himself between the devil and the deep blue sea as his oaths and renegade reputation catch up with him. Bound to the bastard prince Oriel and struggling against a deadly addiction, he comes the overwhelming realization the kingdom and the very existence of all creation depend on him and his questionable decision making. At the root of it all lies the reason for his grandfather’s madness and the hatred he feels from his father.

The plot twists and turns, knarled like an old tree and filled with unexpected darkness. Hidden motivations come to light and questions raised by the first book in this series, Flesh and Spirit, are answered. The tale is filled with numerous characters yet each has an individual voice so readers easily can keep them straight. More than a typical quest fantasy, Valen struggles with questions many people face. Issues of familial devotion, abandonment, and loyalty are woven within the age-old conflict of whether the ends justify the means. Is saving the lives of hundreds worth the damning of one soul?

I could find no weak link in the golden chain of this story. From beginning to end I was held in thrall by the beauty and blending of myth and magic. Carol Berg is a gifted artist who paints magnificent scenes of prose. The only slightly negative statement I can make is to beware - know that every book you read from now on may suffer in comparison. Here is a book that will compel you to return and enjoy its texture and savor its depth. Bravo, Ms. Berg!

Drake is sent on a journey meant to be short and simple. Yet no journey through the Thornwoods could be termed simple. Constrictor vines, vicious ants and thorn vipers were the least of his worries. Aevians top the list, beginning with the bloodthirsty and aggressive griffins and wyverns. Only by hiding in the thorny woods and taking hidden paths does Derek have any change of bringing his two guests to their destination. His fellow travelers, however, are dwarves on a daring quest to face the one who set the aevian plague on this world - Draglune, the Iron Dragon himself. Although Derek knows by leaving he may never see his home or his beloved again, he too feels called on this quest.

This is Mr. Genesse’s first foray into writing a fantasy fiction novel after denying his calling for years. He has crafted a world where humans are dogged by dragons, wyverns and other aerians. Living in towns protected by thorn trees with paths whittled through forests, humans use what they have available in their natural world to fight for survival. They also have the use of Earth magic assists in their struggles against the unnatural and the already dead. Ghosts walk this place also, haunting those they can easily control.

For a first novel, this was a fairly good attempt at world building. Mr. Gennesse has crafted believable characters that have layers to their motivations and emotions. There is a sense of dogged tenacity in the humans, in their determination to survive in this inhospitable world. The author has certainly captured the malice and evil that drips from the dragon and his minions. He may borrow heavily from archetypes but manages to lend his own bent to them.

Each aspect of the story taken by itself seems well-built. Yet the process of knitting these pieces together falls short of impressive. The weakest point of the entire story is the romantic relationship between Drake and his beloved. I appreciate the lack of sugary sappiness, but the shift between death-defying action and enduring love was not believable for me.

Even knowing this, however, I would be willing to read the next book in the series. Mr. Genesse has the rest of the series written and I am interested to see what will happen with Drake and his quest to save the world. This is a promising book from a writer working to perfect his art.

When I reflect on Shannara, we are going back to the baby steps of a love affair with Fantasy that if not taken when they were, I would have probably found myself not inundated with advanced copies for a site I co-own dedicated to the subject of Speculative Fiction itself. It was not my first venture into Fantasy, but it was perhaps the first series I continued simply because it was Fantasy. Later in life I’d realize I was already a fan of the fantastic and it could be illustrated with books I read before – be it from Tolkien, Stevenson, Lovecraft, or others but I think then it was just about adventures then and Shannara offered another place I hadn’t been before, and at that age being someone who was used to and loved travel even then it was not only enough – it was optimal. I was as a child lucky enough to had already seen places and found myself at a place where so many rarely left their own state. Be it the Coliseum, the Parthenon/Acropolis, Pisa, The Sistine Chapel, Pompeii, Ercolano, the real Oktoboer Fest, Carnivale, Mardi Gras, Big Ben, Venice – Vesuvius or Fuji, the Pyramids, the Louvre a ride on The Orient Express and countless German and French castles and cathedrals and rugs from Turkey later – when I sat in history classes I always felt a chapter ahead, it was a review for me, not an introduction. Later, I’d I found myself in the dirty south of the U.S. which at the time was something not unlike exile from meaningful culture. Later, I’d recognize a highly functionable and welcome order to it all but at the time I think I was substituting that sense of wonder lost, with a maze of wonder at the library. I’m not at all sure if there were books I didn’t like then, in fact there may not have been even ‘good’ or ‘bad’ they were just all part of one large journey for me, some legs were just more memorable and some more staying power - better than I remembered - when I made the journey back, but if not, it does not taint what came before. To me I was just chillin’ with Huck one week, fishing with Ahab the next, sharing riddles in Hed after that, blew trees in the Shire a month after, all while walking through Shadow with my bud Brand who was babbling about chaos, and all because years before I wanted to go beyond where the wild things were. You see, Allanon and me, well, we go way back; before Bremen found him hiding all shook - we were already tight, even before me and Jessica used to have mélange sessions. I’d tell you my last name is Creel, but that’s another shadow, one me and only the Grimpond talk about but what you need to know is that when I wasn’t being a hell raiser as a youth, I could be found plotting my next secret vacance in my room, or what looked like plotting otherwise, why was I so quiet? Nobody complained, least of all me, because I was in my comfort zone – and I had been there before, and in fact I could fuck around and tell you how to get to Varleet from the Vale on a budget right now – like I said I’d been there before.

When discussing Shannara or Terry Brooks work in general – those that even take the time to do so anymore - many find it difficult to isolate a specific topic, having to express their stance on him and the fact alone should speak on his presence in the field. I myself am not gifted enough to buck that trend and as I type this I find myself unable to think in the box. I don’t love or hate the works of Brooks - but no different than any other writer at times I have loved and hated them. It is this relationship, this passion that defines fandom for me. Writers evolve and more importantly readers do as well and it’s not a shift that occurs one or in one direction. If we rightfully view the works of Rowling as an anomaly in regards to its measure of success in book sales – not just fantasy sales – then Brooks sits among the most successful who has ever done this and while to some that is somehow proof of impropriety against art itself, such stances prove to cause only minor chinks in the armor in one of the few writers in this field’s history that I think has a legitimate claim to being a generation’s introduction to the form – even if, irrefutably, largely borrowed beyond anyone’s attempt at shielding with the worst of paper-arguments ‘nothing new under the sun’. For myself, while presently – and for some years - my tastes have moved away from what Shannara has to offer but while I have aged and expanded upon my reading and bear with me, lore, of this corner of fiction that offers a perspective in a larger picture beyond the lines that are often the topics of heated and too often-linked discussions I try not to lose, replace, or dilute the veracity of my experience at the time. Addendums certainly - but no subtractions. The relevance of these statements to this review is due to the relationship that Dark Wraith of Shannara has with previous Shannara material, and more importantly, chapters I’m not only very familiar with, but chapters that I will always be familiar with. While it is The Heritage of Shannara arc that represents the best Brooks has shown in Shannara, and aside from his Word/Void work (in particular Angel Fire East) my favorite in his body of work, it seems to in his first three books in particular that fall into a timeline that sowed and cultivated the fanbase noted above. The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara are not classic books, but they attempted to capture and perhaps even remind of classic tales in a form many had been waiting for, whether they were conscious of it or not. It is within these three books that the most resonant of threads could be found to truly test the waters of a market and platform I feel very strongly about: the OGN – the original graphic novel. With the success of King and Hamilton projects in sequential art, I’m interested in seeing more of and how others will follow suit and Brook’s attempt will be an interesting gauge due to that existing fanbase noted above.

When Dark Wraith of Shannara showed up at the door in January I must admit some measure of curiosity. I am perhaps a bigger fan of comics than I am in any other form of reading and I think that’s telling for anyone who is aware of how much time I put into a site like Fantasybookspot.com I love getting my VanderMeer, Erikson, Mieville, Zivkovic, Martin, Jonathan Carroll and Jeffrey Ford books – and releases by Saramago, Ishiguro, and McCarthy are close to spiritual experiences bound up and sold on shelves; Speculative fiction is close to my heart, but more than anything, I love my sequential art – I love my comics. It also presents a very low risk investment in my time, I tend to commit to my novels even if I don’t see anything of value hundreds of pages in – a habit that I think is the only plausible explanation on why so many people are familiar with books like The Fifth Sorceress. I have my own preferences and I get perhaps unequal opportunities to explore them and this format allows for a shot of Shannara I otherwise wouldn’t indulge in, and this is something I consider a fortunate circumstance.

Dark Wraith takes place some three years after The Wishsong of Shannara and utilizes principle characters from that book. This was an auspicious discovery for me as my favorite denizen of the Four Lands was introduced within those pages and the opportunity to see further adventures of Slanter was more appealing than I would have wagered. Wishsong, more than the other books really offered a group-quest that lingered due to the number of characters and the finality of where some of those paths led in how they would affect the survivors. It was also the end of the first arc and to the reader a geopolitical era and tone in Shannara that would be come forth from the Heritage arc. Because of this, I think it was the best place to mine further adventures and also a minefield due to a chance of pulling on strands knotted close to hearts. When finishing the 160 pages, I saw both of my thoughts play out. In familiar fashion a member of the Ohmsford family is recruited to continue their legacy as Allanon’s chosen champions and protectors of the land and this time –as promised - it will fall on Jair, burdened with his charge and a promise, he once again seeks out the Mwellrets who (in Wishsong) failing in their attempt and I guess strangely upset at being freed of being enslaved by the power of the Ildratch (because, you know, their evil) have plotted a new course of action: restoring the Druid Keep of Paranor to the land to unlock the knowledge within its walls. It should be said that there is not a tremendous amount attempted here, it’s a straightforward read that offers little in regards to searching for invisible thought bubbles mid-page but I think if it is aiming at the age-group I think it is, this wasn’t unforeseen or unintended. I was reading Brian K. Vaughn’s The Escapist (in collected form) at the same time and there is more going on, more weight on several individual panels and single lines in it then can be found within the entirety of Dark Wraith, but it offered this real interesting dynamic as when I was getting most disinterested in Dark Wraith I’d pick The Escapist up and it was almost telling me to take it (Dark Wraith) for what it was (anybody – and by that I mean everybody should – who had read The Escapists understands). What drove me nuts from the beginning was something that actually makes a substantial amount of sense in regards to character and story – a boy emulating someone he looked up to and able to manifesting what is most likely semi-fantasy even on its own but when augmented with legitimate need becomes something more. In comics nothing is guaranteed, especially death, and while there isn’t a true resurrection within the pages, given the nature of the original character, it’s close enough to want to reflexively argue otherwise – and that isn’t even a problem in itself or abnormal, but it did create this major and what looks to be the central element in any works to come after that if you find yourself not behind puts a very tangible ceiling on how much one can enjoy the story (and possibly further adventures). The death of Garet Jax (Wishsong of Shannara) is one of the really great deaths in the history of fiction – largely because it ended the existence of one of the most heinous, no-dimensional characters ever conceived. Garet Jax was a weapons master – unequaled, the best there is or ever was, yada, yada, yada.. He was also a walking deus ex machina – a mortal force of nature that would solve the majority of the quest’s problems by skillfully, hitting shit - sometimes hard. When he wasn’t (actively) being cool, we were being told how kewl he was by others. Let me say this about Brooks – he is consistently able to bring conclusions that satisfy and he does this by surrounding the inevitable saving of the day with a recognition of sacrifice and acceptance that does resonate and finds a corner in our memory that doesn’t fade. He showed this many times; with Amberle (Elfstones of Shannara), Allannon; he showed this with a debt and bond of two races being acknowledged by an injured Elf and Dwarf – and what these instances do is bind the allegiance of generations of Ohmsfords through representatives of the land – it is the people who become what they fight for, what they are loyal to, and through them the Four Lands and taken to the end the reader themselves. The death of Garet Jax, while welcome by me and clearly writing that was on the wall from the novel’s beginning was still one of those great moments in this child’s reading history. The ambiguity of the event, a mystery of whether or not the mortal demise of a man unequalled was in fact the reward he searched and trained for or was his sacrifice a delightful, if sobering, reality check. Say what people want to say, but these are terrific books for younger readers and Brook’s ability as a closer pays off. Like I said there is no true resurrection, thus it seems like I’m shadowboxing a bit, but the usage of the Wishsong that transforms Jair into Jax is strikes me as an element that would have been high on my list of not basing a story or a series of forthcoming stories on. The other underlining theme of Jair struggling to keep his promise of abandoning the Wishsong that he made to his sister and coincides with the familiar ‘power corrupts and eventually enslaves’ forms the apparent meat of the story that will take new readers for a tour and returning visitors a spin down memory lane. This is really an admittance of not caring for the fundamental premise and it was difficult for me to shake that as I read on as nothing really evolved from the transformation that made me not think just seeing Jair and Slanter reuniting to get by on wits, luck and experience would be more fun. I realize that some could consider it the sweetest thing imaginable, but for me it just strikes me as a decision that sounds better and perhaps even exciting as an idea thrown out there and dismissed after a second thought than it looks on paper and brought to fruition. What we are set-up for is basically a condition that allows Jair to handle any imaginable situation by being someone else and the balance is supposed to be given by Jair’s personal regret of lying to his sister in the course of saving his own life. That just cannot last for any length of time as the fundamental conflict for people who are used to reading even the least competent of fiction - indeed it got old just within these pages alone. We knew it was going to happen, we knew what going to happen when it did, we knew what Jair was going to ponder later and while it is passable – if not memorable - once it is a cycle that has to stop now and cannot carry another story. The backdrop of an adventure; the where, who, and when of it will not matter if these continue to be the bookends of the tale. I don’t know, I was looking for something to occur that even if not perceptible by the new reader, that was an attempt at really grabbing prior visitors – to let us know these graphic novels are projects that go beyond what we may want to read, but reads the afficianado has to read, filling in the gaps in the puzzle or introducing new ones – calling back to what some may hold dear, maximizing the fact that there is a fanbase that’s reading, waiting for that single moment of recognition that goes beyond bearing a name, when we look up and see familiar stars when we stop reading about wonder and start breathing it and Dark Wraith of Shannara never took that step for me. It was like following familiar tracks but upon catching up you find that they just belong to those wearing the same brand of shoes – the occupants, strangers.

It is, I know, awfully hip to say one loves the purity of black and white, and in the sense of seeing older works brought back in a collected or archive format with specific creators/pencilers I agree, but for the most part I’d be disingenuous in saying I prefer non-color. It certainly is appropriate and even optimal in some cases and this happens – I think – to be one of them. Jair himself echoed my thoughts early in the story, as an Ohmsford will once again find themselves on the banks of the Silver River on the way to a greater journey:

The black and white art helps creates this distance even when standing at what amounts to a figurative bridge in-story and for the most part I really took to the art. It is impossible for the visuals we created in our imaginations to be rendered as we saw it but there were no choices that troubled me terribly and even some that played out well and I think balanced the idea of a book for younger readers that still gave the sense of aging for those familiar with the novels and you can see this with Kimber who is a full blown tuttin now and apparently doesn't require clothing any longer. She lives in the cut, not a trailer park, still it is very alive. For the most part, the art exceeded expectations for me and managed find that middle-ground that was part of the contrast we’d see between the first two novels arcs.

Interestingly enough, I feel that the Dark Wraith of Shannara serves as better appetizer for the uninitiated to take a look at the novels and not as much as a product that at the end demands attention by those looking for more Shannara. This was a rather disappointing development for me simply because aside from seeming backwards to me, but from a purely selfish standpoint, as a former reader of Shannara I fall into the secondary category! I think in some ways, it may be underestimating the sophistication of the Manga reader, but I admit the American Manga market is something I don’t have near a comprehensive knowledge of , having not lived on those shores during it’s apparent rise in popularity and my own Manga reads are chosen with heavy deliberation as though I am a huge comic book fan and half-Japanese – I’m not what I’d call an avid fan of Manga. That said, it does give a gist of what occurred in the novel that will not leave the reader with the feeling of an incomplete tale, and that with just about everything else noted really brings us to the bottom line with this release. It’s damn well put together in terms of being friendly for anyone to pickup and comprehend – be it strictly Manga, strictly graphic novel, strictly comic book, existing Shannara fans, people who may have just read Wishsong of Shannara, or any combination of the above, but I finished not at all inspired to read on (the implication of further adventures and a continuing story is implied in the end – and by the time this review sees light possibly even announced) to any but the most loyal of fans and to me would be better suited as a nice online web comic project for fans to read between novels. I was reminded I once liked these characters but they were built with a shelf-life that I thought correctly optimized them already and nothing in these pages suggests otherwise. I think Brooks himself may have initially been aware of this (at the time) and avoided it with his early work by continuing tales in the setting with successive generations. What bothers me the most is that if you are like when you see a new project like this announced, you tend to reread source material to warm up for the event, but this 160 pages ends up not paying that off, indeed it doesn't seem to event attempt to.

The most interesting reading for me came after the story itself in the ‘making of Dark Wraith of Shannara’ segment that is also followed by a sketch-book of the artist, Edwin David. It’s rather brief but has some interesting insight on the collaboration between Robert Place Napton, who adapted (if I’m reading this correctly) Terry’s outline, David and Brooks. Visually I think Dark Wraith of Shannara is a success, the story itself does nothing for me, andI wonder how much could have been done about it, even though its really not relevant in terms of allocating opinion. It is what it is – no matter how it got there. Now in truth, I did find the story flat, a bit uneventful, it never approaches possessing any degree of suspense or a payoff and it reads very much like a preliminary outline put straight to paper. The story itself is just uninspired and felt more like a story that occurred without leaving any evidence it passed. It was like having that feeling that you just read a book but experienced a synopsis and when this occurs what happens is you get an opinion of a project that once finished, doesn’t deviate from whatever (preconceived) you had coming in. I found that upon completion I could describe (if asked) what happens in two - not unusually long - sentences in a manner that would make reading the actual 160 pages an absolutely redundant experience. I don’t like making comparisons out of thin air, as I said before at the same time I was reading this, I also happened to be reading the collected (hardcover) of Brian K. Vaughan’s The Escapists and while I can tell somebody what it was about as well (perhaps with two especially long sentences in this case) it would not in any way diminish the experience of the read itself – it had life beyond summary. There is nothing for the reader to bring to or take away from the story that they didn’t possess before. It just goes through the motions, and one feels like such a venue could be used to get dirty in the Four Lands and really what we are left with what seems more chum thrown to potential new readers than something those of us with the soil of the Westlands still stuck in our boots or seen the pride of Callahorn first-hand can get excited about. It is in a word, unnecessary, and when putting a brand that means something to many on a book, it’s the one quality you can’t be. It should be said I stopped reading Brooks after the Voyage of Jerle Shannara arc and there perhaps may be call-backs imbedded from material beyond that, that may add dimension to this graphic novel that I cannot be aware of but not once did I feel like I ever went back. One could, I suppose, possibly compare it to The Hedge Knight, which was material that chronicled activities that took place prior to the timeline in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and what you got was not a mind-blowing or essential addition, but still it was a piece, and with Dark Wraith and as someone familiar with the material and the legacy of the Ohmsfords it just doesn’t feel like a progression or even just a continuation of that, and if it tripped and fell flat, it somehow managed to do so without ever walking.

Shades!

Which is all it ended up being, nothing substantial; looks good, and while the spark of Jair’s future with Kimber leaves the faintest ripples of interest, there is just not enough brewing here that could ultimately make it recommendable and I find any attempt at lauding it impossible without following it with "for what it is" – and that’s usually the worst of signs.

Jay Tomio
The Bodhisattva

Gavril faces his deepest fear-that he cannot exist without his Drakhoul. His comfortable life was turned upside down in the first book of this trilogy with the appearance of a smoky presence that wrapped around him and invaded his being. The Drakhoul, a dark and demanding creature, promised strength beyond reckoning and breathed sulfur into Gavril’s soul. This power came with a heavy price, however. Gavril sustained physical changes without and within, his body changing into a dragon with the appetite of a vampire. Unable to face living as a monster, Gavril throws off his familiar with the help of Kiukiu and looks forward to living as a human again. Unfortunately, without the power of the Drakhoul to protect his people, Gavril is taken prisoner and Eugene proclaims himself Emperor of all he surveys.

Ms. Ash blazes through her descriptions of people. As the second book in the series entitled The Tears of Artamon, Prisoner of the Iron Tower is Act II of a three act play. There are many characters and most seem to be playing more than one role. Attempting to identify the alliances made and betrayed can leave one breathless. Like a typical second act, life seems dark for our hero Gavril and the countries fighting for independence.

I enjoyed this one more than the first, which is a bit unusual. The author seems to delve deeper into the primary characters, making them real. Readers see into the mind of Eugene, the self-proclaimed Emperor of New Rossiyan. He is not a flat, all-out bad guy but is very human, a contradiction. The loving father, afraid to emotionally embrace his new wife because the loss of the first was so painful. This alongside of the imperious ruler who demands instant groveling, paranoid about all around him and whose dreams consist of all he sees bowing to him. Readers sense that if Astasia and Eugene could just communicate better, a love could blossom that could heal the agony in his heart.

However, the character development of Eugene is balanced by a frenetic bouncing between other characters, shifting the focus so much I became a bit frustrated. I wanted the story to land in one place and develop more. I think she attempted to do too much here, trying to balance the story of Eugene as a budding emperor with the rebellion in the south and the destruction of Gavril’s country in the north. On top of all this is the search to understand the Drakhoul and his kind, to control or banish him forever. The story dashes one way and then swerves the other, like the daemon-dragon of the tale. Reader, beware! Ms. Ash invests effort in creating her characters only to pitch them off a cliff for the sake of the story. My hope is Sarah Ash will resolve this story effectively in book three of The Tears of Artamon, The Children of the Serpent Gate.

Demurral, a vicar in a beautiful corner of Britain, is tired of pushing and controlling ignorant peasants. He knows he has the power to rule much more and is willing to do whatever it takes. In fact, he even doubts that God himself is doing a good job. He eagerly uses his power to command the spirits of the dead and release a demon from the crypt. Demurral’s greed, however, starts a war in this repressed community. The common people are challenged to choose sides. Are they for the vicar, the repression and evil he gladly proclaims? Or will they unite, join with the forces of light and overthrow the darkness?

Previously self-published in the United Kingdom, G.P. Taylor received such a great response that his book was picked up by one of the big houses - Faber and Faber. A vicar himself in Yorkshire, G.P. Taylor has put much of the local geography and history into this tale. His descriptions of the seaside and cliffs are one of the strong points in this book, placing the reader in the midst of the setting.

Written for adolescents, the character building in Shadowmancer is deceptively simple. Not much time is spent on each person, but the time spent looks into their deepest hearts. The story is mainly focused on the battle of good and evil - the Holy War fought here on earth. It is a swashbuckling tale of common folk once again being called upon to do their part in the eternal battle, of slaves finding freedom to live again.

For myself, however, the book contains a bit too much lecture for me. I believe in the message spoken throughout this tale, but for me - stories consist of characters. I want to know why they do what they do. At times the action moves so swiftly and the point of view shifts completely, I felt as if I lost the thread of the story.

Since the tale seems to be more important that the characters themselves, though, a reader needs to approach it for what it is. Shadowmancer feels more like a medieval bard’s work - spoken by the light of the fire in return for a loaf and a warm place to sleep. A book I will read to my children, or let them read, as it does not tiptoe around the truth; it pushes and demands the reader to see and compare real life with the tale.

We enter the story right in the middle of the action. Reiffen has made a choice to return to his evil captors, the Three Wizards, to learn the magic he has been promised. He leaves his friends, Avender and Ferris, without any explanation. We follow all three as they reach young adulthood, watching them try to come to grips with Reiffen’s decision.

Reiffen discovers that the study of magic under the Three involves blood, pain and sacrifice, many times given by unwilling subjects. His friends struggle with the king they see as usurping Reiffen’s rightful throne. To make things worse, the prince is madly in love with Ferris. Prince Brizen quietly and thoroughly pursues her hand in marriage. The storyline bounces back and forth, with Avender and Ferris proclaiming Reiffen’s innocence even as evidence of his traitorous acts accumulate. Events culminate in battle, and Reiffen leads the wizards’ armies against the very throne his friends are attempting to protect. All seems lost; the throne, their friendship, Ferris’ love for Reiffen, all destroyed in Reiffen’s relentless push to possess magic.

This is the second installment in the Stoneways Trilogy, begun by book one Reiffen’s Choice. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Reiffen’s Choice yet, but I promise you I will. S.C. Butler has deftly woven a tapestry of mythical creatures that gleams in the sun. His dwarves are most definitely of the earth and their grasp of technology only makes them more unique and true. The nokken and the shape shifter, or Oeinnen, are reminiscent of figures from other cultures and add a pungent twist to Butler’s world.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the timeline. The next chapter might be the next day, next year, or even two to three years. Time passed in leaps and bounds, leaving me feeling bereft of a connection to the characters. Now, this may serve a purpose. Many are the books who bore their readers with minutiae, inconsequential details of unnecessary storyline. Butler easily avoids this pitfall. I wonder, though, if he was a bit too efficient in this. I like his characters, really. I wanted to spend more time with them, watching and listening to them struggle with their world.

Butler’s craft at creating characters is obvious, as he was able to capture my attention and keep my interest even though I have not read the first book. I would encourage other readers to experience Reiffen’s Choice first, though, if only for the introduction to the characters both good and evil. I enjoyed reading Queen Ferris from beginning to end. Readers young and old will relish this story, although some of the scenes in the wizard’s workroom are painfully explicit in the details. Be on watch for the third book in the series, tentatively named The Magician’s Daughter. Put S. C. Butler on your list of Need to Read!

Mercedes Lackey fans will thoroughly enjoy this fun escapade into turn-of-the-century England. Reserved for the Cat follows along with the Elemental Masters stories, which focus on magicians in the real world pictured in historical settings. We meet Ninette, an orphan in Paris who is gifted with the ability to capture her audience with her ballet dancing. As a young woman without proper lineage, her options for a future were limited to washerwoman (and die young), a prostitute on the street (and die even earlier), or catch the eye of a wealthy older man with her dancing abilities and live in relative ease. With her mother’s firm instruction, Ninette plunges into the life of a dedicated ballerina focusing on catching that wealthy old man.

These plans fall awry and she stumbles into the world of magic as she is rescued by a talking cat. Thomas, the cat, leads her to Elemental Masters involved in the theater with the idea of establishing her as a known ballerina in England. Of course, the plans of mice (er, cats) and men don’t always happen as intended. Ninette discovers the world of magic contains more than good, thoughtful Masters.

This is typical Mercedes Lackey, pushing the envelope of social acceptability regarding female roles in society. She brings a modern day perspective to the historical issues of women’s’ rights. She deals with the everyday struggle women faced simply to survive and the unalterable dependence they had on the male figures in their lives.

Within these social issues, however, lies a truly enjoyable tale. I find Ms. Lackey’s Elemental Masters series a true frolic into fantasy and Reserved for the Cat is no exception. Witty and dry, the magic in her books is always so believable, as are her characters. This is a great book, made to enjoy during these snowy days of December. Curl up under a blanket and enjoy Reserved for the Cat. Then look up the other marvelous tales published by Mercedes Lackey. There are too many to list here. Trust me - you will find your time well spent!

The Northland is a cold place filled with tall, strong people who seem consumed with icy hatred for any Southlanders. Ellin, a Southlander by birth, is stuck in the Northland because her father is tending the mortally ill Northland king. All she sees around her are people who look down upon her because she is small and red-haired instead of tall and blond. What she doesn’t realize is just how different she really is.

Northlander is a great introduction to a potentially great series. The first book establishes Ellin as a character and introduces the conflict between Northlander and Southlander. We listen as Ellin presents her story from her point of view, and so we are privy to her private thoughts and musings. She is challenged to grow personally as she faces threats to her family and eventually her kingdom.

Magic is handled with a delicate touch in this story, as is the violence that typically happens when someone attempts to overthrow a king. I appreciate how real Meg Burden makes her characters - none of them are completely good or bad. Like most people, they face decisions and sometimes make the right one and sometimes don’t. The story doesn’t get deep into the decision-making process, though, and remains a fairly simple storyline. As such, it is perfect for young and developing readers. Most importantly, Meg Burden has the bard’s gift of stopping the tale at a point that only whets your appetite for more!

I look forward to the next story about Ellin, and I think this will develop into an interesting series. I encourage anyone with young readers in the house to look into Northlander and keep an eye out for the next installment of the Tales of the Borderlands.

Hell is a setting but never quite a theme in Wayne Barlowe's debut novel God's Demon; this explains both the book's successes and its disappointments. At its best Barlowe's novel provides a fairly typical, quasi-medieval fantasy story -- in an infernal setting that evokes the primal otherness of games like Doom and Diablo. But with the novel emerging based on Barlowe's concept art for a forthcoming film adaptation of Milton's Paradise Lost and Barlowe's own interest in Dante's Inferno, God's Demon aspires to more. Unfortunately, Barlowe's attempt to include classic questions of punishment and redemption, freedom and divine will evokes admiration, yes, but also the sense that these questions never really mesh with the story he is telling. The result is a work that may yield some visceral pleasure for epic fantasy fans, but feels muddled in plot, characterization and theme.

As the story begins, God's Demon is very clearly a tale of two leaders and the cities they rule. Thousands of years after the Fall, the nominal capital of Hell, Dis, is a dirty cesspool of mistrust, torture and pain ruled with an iron fist by Lucifer's lieutenant Beelzebub the Fly (Lucifer himself having mysteriously disappeared after the Fall). Adamantinarx, ruled by the Demon-Major Sargatanas, is in contrast clean, orderly, and as permissively "enlightened" as is possible in Hell. Adamantinarx's "underlying openness was due solely to Sargatanas' will," muses Eligor, Captain of Sargatanas's Flying Guard: "there was a difference, a nobility to this demon." Eligor, as chronicler of the story, notes how Sargatanas always consulted "with each of his chief underlings," "encouraged a degree of leniency toward the souls in his keeping," and "promoted the growth of the Arts." Beelzebub and his allied Demons find Adamantinarx to be an uncomfortable reminder of what they lost in their Fall from Heaven and their failure to hold to their Angelic dignity; Sargatanas, who yet yearns for Heaven, believes that Hell must be reformed before any chance of a Heavenly return will be granted.

And then there is Lilith, former consort of Lucifer, now prisoner and unwilling plaything of Beelzebub. Barlowe's conception of Lilith echoes several folk traditions from the Middle Ages: she is both the ultimate object of sexual desire and also, as part of her creation and split from Heaven, a voice for rights and equality. While captive of Beelzebub she nevertheless launches her own quiet campaign that will break the détente between Dis and Adamantinarx. Thus the seeds of another war, a War for Heaven, are sown.

So, too, are the seeds of some of the novel's core problems. The fundamental differences in ideologies between the core characters too often turn them into mouthpieces: characterization is rather wooden in the core cast and undifferentiated in the secondary characters. With Sargatanas's "nobility" and "difference" from other Demons established from the start, he is never required to learn or grow in his single-minded drive to regain Heaven. (One might argue that expecting human character development in a Demon is a category error, but Barlowe's Demons are very human: they fear and hope, hate and love -- the latter even though their hearts have been symbolically ripped out.) Not only are we constantly told rather than shown when it comes to character attributes (as with Sargatanas's nobility), but what we are told often contradicts what we are shown. We are told that the thoughts of Adramalik, Beelzebub's Chancellor General, are "almost always of the here and now, and rarely" of the past -- shortly after several long remembrances. Sargatanas may encourage leniency toward souls, but this does not stop him from shaping sentient souls into the raw building blocks of his "enlightened" city; his "nobility" does not stop his ultimately self-centered drive to resume his place in Heaven.

Indeed, the politics of God's Demon are rather odd. Sargatanas is portrayed as an enlightened leader who strives to rule by consensus and to create an "open" city; he is pitted against the militant, autocratic Beelzebub. Yet Sargatanas also yearns to return to a Heaven that is a rigid autocracy. God is "the Throne" and is "surrounded by six-winged archangels, swords in hand, singing praises." When asked what he will do if allowed to return to Heaven, Sargatanas replies simply that he will "wash away this place" and then "will wait to be brought before the Throne." The "underlying openness" and "enlightenment" that define Sargatanas's conflict with Beelzebub, the possibility of dignity in Hell, are thus difficult to credit as core elements of his value system. This is especially true given the rather gaping plot hole that Sargatanas's quest initially is redemption for all his allies, but somehow, without mention or explanation, morphs into a quest of redemption for himself alone. Lilith, similarly, is presented as an advocate of "philosophies of tolerance" and "emancipation" toward the souls, a champion of their free will. Yet the statues of herself that she distributes to the souls to foster her "obvious message of hopefulness" engender visions in which the souls "worship" Lilith and "pray to her," "prostrate themselves before her" -- and these are hailed as "visions of freedom." The underlying message, that serving a higher being is better than (or perhaps the only true) freedom, is a matter of personal belief; what's problematic is the religio-ideological game of bait-and-switch created by these mismatches between story and theme.

God's Demon is better when it can be taken for a straightforward feudal fantasy. Barlowe's Hell has a strong medieval flavor: Beelzebub is Prince Regent of Hell; owing him fealty are the Demons Major (among them Sargatanas), each responsible for large areas of Hell; they in turn have a number of skilled Demons Minor as bondsbeings; and human souls serve the role of peasantry. Sargatanas organizes hunts for entertainment just as a noble Lord might; Demons fight with swords and bows (among other things), and ride on Abyssal cavalry. As an overthrow-the-unjust-ruler fantasy story, God's Demon can be read as a more militant take on some of the same elements that made Brandon Sanderson's Elantris popular: a relatively progressive leader; an original and intriguing magic system based on glyphs; a dash of romance.

And as mentioned earlier, what Barlowe does best is make Hell work as an epic fantasy setting. The base is the Hell of popular imagination: hot, dimly lit, shades of gray broken by fire. To this Barlowe adds an organic layer, cities that throb with a New Weird viscosity of biological systems and flesh.

Demons themselves likewise conform to the popular archetype -- big and red, winged and horned -- but Barlowe adds his own refinements to their physiology and magic. Combined with the setting and an assortment of monstrous creations, the strategy and tactics of the war between Sargatanas and Beelzebub give the battles between them a unique flavor.

Barlowe adopts a writing style that is an appropriate mix of "high" language, that feels slightly more formal than typical transparent prose, combined with word choices that emphasize the horrific and tortured setting. "Most of the meaty exteriors were punctured by a window" is here meant both figuratively and literally. Barlowe does occasionally let the language get away from him: excessive commas and clauses render some sentences needlessly vague, and others simply make no sense in context.

The plot and pacing are much the same: largely good but uneven. The pace of the novel is smooth after an initial jumble that covers thousands of years, solidifying into a three act structure with a satisfying ramp-up of politics and skirmishes before a large-scale final battle. There are several surprises that in most cases Barlowe smartly reveals earlier rather than later; the ending offers resolution, but also enough open ends to feel "realistic" and to permit a sequel. In addition to the thematic issues with the plot, there is one notable inconsistency (concerning what happens to infamous humans in Hell) and the book's ending turns on a somewhat unsatisfying "if character X could do that, why didn't they do it earlier?" moment. And with all matters of plot there is the unasked question of how much occurs by Divine plan as opposed to free will and coincidence; to what degree do we accept deus ex machina in a novel about Heaven and Hell?

God's Demon is ultimately a frustrating book. As a reader I want authors to be ambitious, to tackle big issues. I'd often rather read something that failed at being excellent than something that succeeded at being average. But in this case, the book's ambitions so consistently derailed the storytelling that I found myself wishing that Barlowe had either devoted far more time to making the themes work with the story, or had scaled back on the thematic links between his work and the classics. Barlowe clearly has the imagination and writing skill to be a notable author, so it will be interesting to see what shape his future projects take.

-- Matt Denault

Note: this review was based on an advance review copy; last-minute changes to the text may not be reflected in the selected quotations.

A little boy with a gift for leadership and a desire for the good of his people runs afoul of those with a hunger for power. His skills in strategy and inspiration unwittingly threaten the position of the crown prince, who is himself incapable of the type of loyal following that Inda inspires. Inda’s downfall from grace marks a turning point in the story, and he must leave the life he knows and create a new existence at sea. Here the story widens its scope and readers begin to see that the fate of this one boy has affected his country on every level.

This is fantasy written in both broad sweeps of the pen and behind-the-scene details, bringing this world into three dimensional relief. Full of swashbuckling flourishes, mysterious spies, political machinations, and believable characters, this is a well-told story that has adroitly worked its way into my list of favorites. Although the main character is Indevan, the boy of the title, the book is truly about politics and powersharing among cultures sustained by war and trade.

Sherwood Smith has excelled at her craft, creating a society where men have granted women power within limits and women have quietly worked behind the scenes to control and ameliorate what men might do. The complex social structure, the assumption that small magics are a part of life, the slang of the characters all combine to convince the reader that the lives defined by this book are reality. What captivates me the most are the hints that Inda’s people may have come from some other world, dropped comments here and there that imply a larger scope to the story than just the pages in this book.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I like books that look at the bigger picture and authors who take the time to create the small details and flesh out their stories. Sherwood Smith has accomplished this with flair. She includes a short list of definitions in the back of the book to help with terms, but I could also have used a list of characters or a family tree.* I found myself backtracking a bit to remind myself who was who. She also ended the book with a whopping cliffhanger (blast her hide)! This means I need to run out and find The Fox, the next book in the series.

*Readers who would like more information about the Inda universe should check out Sherwood Smith’s website at www.sherwoodsmith.net

Cammon is a gifted Reader, able to know people’s thoughts and emotions. In fact, he might be the most powerful Reader in a kingdom known for distrusting mystics. Surrounded by his mystic friends, he has the opportunity to change this hatred and mistrust when he befriends the princess. As Cammon’s friendship with Princess Amalie deepens to something no commoner should ever feel for royalty, the kingdom faces a political crisis brought to a head by enemies of the crown. Not only that, Amalie begins to display some astonishing talents. Those involved in the power struggle for the throne begin to be deeply concerned as their viewpoint on mystics is challenged.

Reader and Raelynx is the latest installment in the Twelve Houses series. Although I haven’t read the first two books, I wasn’t lost in the story. The author sprinkled in the backstory with a deft hand, explaining the history and pieces of the character-building in a way that I could jump right into the story. I found the story concept inventive, a new twist on mind magic in a market glutted with mental sorcery. I was captivated by the characters and their experiences. I intend to go back and read more, to watch these people develop even though I know how the story will end.

Sharon Shinn is good at describing individuals but the book gets shaky when the story steps back to look at political entities. As a result, the scenes from the final battle are disjointed and rough. Perhaps if I had been in on the political scene from the beginning of the books I would have picked up on the more subtle workings in the action. Unfortunately, I felt a bit let down by the last couple of chapters.

Regardless, Reader and Raelynx is still an enjoyable read for a Saturday afternoon. Not complicated or gory, this is a perfect story for young readers looking to explore a different author. I would encourage readers to also look into The Thirteenth House and Dark Moon Defender, the first two books in this series.

Thorn is a neomage, a non-human descended from the unfortunate infants conceived before the first plague of the End Times destroyed life on Earth as we know it. These infants developed abilities to manipulate energies left from creation. They are believed to be soulless beings, less than human Only able to reproduce when aroused to mage heat - and this only happens in the presence of angelic beings - the mages are scorned by humans and live isolated in enclaves.

In this third installment of the story, Thorn has found a home in a small mountain village and is accepted by the humans around her. Her semblance of balance is rudely cast aside, however, when a mage shows up in her village for no reason. Apparently, the demon dragon she assisted in locking in metaphoric chains has almost broken free. At this point the story rockets out of control, demons and angels popping in out of nowhere and Thorn doing her best to protect the humans in her care.

The book culminates in a mighty battle that exposes the strengths and weaknesses of all involved. Because it is written in first-person, the reader sees inside the head of the main character. Her fears, motivations, all laid out for us as readers to judge. Faith Hunter does something with her characters I always appreciate - they are fallible and scarred by their experiences.

I found this book intriguing, a completely different blending of post-apocalypse and fantasy. While a little dark, I loved the juxtaposition of mage magic and angelic magic with a little human conspiracy theory thrown in (some humans believe the angels are really aliens bent on total domination of Earth). This may sound complicated, but at its heart Host is all about the battle between good and evil fought by the ones caught in the middle. Even though I know how this story ends, I will look up Seraphs and Bloodring (the first two books) to know more about Thorn and her angelic and human friends.

If you have yet to read the first two books in Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series, Green Rider and First Rider’s Call, then stop reading RIGHT NOW. Go immediately to the reviews written by amberdrake, which can be found on this illustrious website. Then promptly buy both books for yourself. Only after you have read them can you proceed with this review!

High King’s Tomb picks up at the end of book two, First Rider’s Call. The Rider Barracks have been destroyed. Rider Alton D’Yer is still attempting to heal the breach in the wall. King Zachary is still going to marry someone other than Karigan, his professed true love. The Riders are picking themselves up and trying to heal from the devastating battle of the previous summer. Even though the enemy was brought down, another is rising up to challenge the crown of Sacoridia and bring back an entity thought long gone - the Arcosian Empire.

This is a longer book, but Kristen Britain has added depth to the culture of Sacoridia and to her characters. I love how she creates and develops the people in her books. Karigan has matured, changed by her struggles and gathered scars. She has survived, but not unscathed. More than anything, this story illustrates the depth of commitment required to be a Green Rider and the sacrifices that must be made.

Readers will also learn more about the establishment of the kingdom, the mythology and religion, even the roots of the magic. The author introduces us to even more new characters, such as the captivating man that gentles and trains the amazing horses that agree to carry the riders. Because of this, I felt Ms. Britain was opening closets and overturning rocks to expose avenues for other storylines in the future. Instead of a culmination of the story about Karigan, I felt a bit baffled by the myriad details added to the book in general. The storyline gets complicated in the middle. The action is divided into the happenings along the D’Yer Wall, Karigan and her challenge to the Arcosian rebels, and another mysterious character called the Raven Mask.

By the end of the book, I felt I had more unanswered questions than when I started. This isn’t exactly a problem because I’m hoping it indicates another book is in the works! Fans of Ms. Britain’s writing will not be disappointed but, like me, they may walk away hungry and wanting more.