REVIEW: Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn

ISBN 0-441-00928-X

Genre: Fantasy

(c) 2001, Ace Book, Berkley Publishing Group

Sharon Shinn's website

Rating: 2 stars

Buy Link: Book Depository

"Good story but with flaws"

Corie is the illegitimate child of a dead nobleman with the daughter of a village witch/wise woman. When she was six, her uncle Jaxon came at the behest of her dead father and bargained with her grandmother for her to live her summers at Castle Auburn with her half-sister Elisandra. Corie lives for her summers at Castle Auburn, but as she grows older, she realizes deeper and darker things are afoot at the castle.

Sharon Shinn writes a wonderful story that both entrances you and makes you stop and think at the same time. In this book, she touches on the subjects of slavery and abuse, but more than that, it's about growing up and seeing the world through different eyes, learning that the world isn't quite the way you thought it was. It's about coming into your own principles and beliefs and acting according to what you know is right, even if it is against the way of the world. It's about Corie and her growth from a young girl into a woman.

I have said before that Sharon Shinn is very good at characterization and character development, and it is true again here, especially in the person of Corie, whom I like very much as a heroine. At 14, she was charming and engaging, despite being forthright and liable to say anything she thinks. She could wrap Bryan (or any man) around her finger if she so wants.

She was infatuated with Bryan (as did many girls), blinded by his handsome features. Still, she possessed a fierce loyalty to her sister, to whom Bryan was betrothed, in that even as she enjoyed Bryan's attention, she was aware he was her sister's and didn't think of fighting with her over him, and later on, her intense need to save Elisandra.

As Corie grew older and the veil of innocence was taken away, she became aware of Bryan's true nature--that he was handsome, yes, but he was cruel and selfish and may not make the realm a good king nor her sister a good husband. Her moral compass was also being challenged with regard to the aliora, fairy-like creatures who became the humans' slaves when captured.

Possible spoilers below, so be warned.

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

I've always liked a Sharon Shinn story and this is no exception. However, I have some complaints:

1. Maybe because I'm a romance reader, I wish there were more romantic moments (more development of the romance) between Corie and her future husband (not telling who, so as not to spoil your reading pleasure). Corie's thoughts regarding her feelings for him also came across as...not strong enough. (Actually, I'm tempted to write, "What feelings?", but there were hints, like not wanting to read news about him dancing with another girl, etc.)

I'm not convinced she loved him because her reaction to him was rather bland. She even wanted him to marry her sister (to save her), even after he told her that he didn't love her sister that way. So, I'm a bit disappointed here. However, that said, I realize this is a fantasy novel and I'm content with what I can get. The consolation is that the guy is more forthcoming and we really see that he likes her through his actions (though how she couldn't see this is a mystery, and instead she was always attributing it to something else) and his declaration of love toward the end more than makes up for Corie's lackluster emotions.

(I want to quote some of his lines but they're very revealing as to who he is, so...sorry. Read the book if you want to know.)

2. I think Jaxon's "romance" with Rowena, the Queen of Alora, is more exciting. However, so much about them happened in the background. I wish we could've seen more about what had happened between them before that shocking entrance into Castle Auburn, proclaiming that they had married along the way. I'm very interested to know how their bargain was struck and if there were feelings on Rowena's side for him, or if she was doing it merely for her people.

3. Elisandra's actions at the end. This is the only point that truly disturbed me. I know why she did what she did, and I empathize with her situation and I really believe she only did it as a last resort to a very difficult situation. I now know why she is portrayed as so cool and calm all the time, because only a person of such..."cold-bloodedness", I should say, could have done what she did.

Despite the justification, I'm not sure I agree with her method. Granted, Bryan is an evil man and his eventually being king and her husband would spell doom for the realm and for her. He is very cruel, as shown in his callous disregard for his illegitimate child and the way he punished Andrew. Perhaps Elisandra is merely delivering her own brand of justice. Perhaps she agonized over her decision before finally being resigned to the fact that there's no other way. However, I just...don't...quite...agree with the method of his downfall. As I was reading, I thought this book could also be classified as YA, but when I came to this part, I think not. Or perhaps, it can be read but with parental guidance.

Perhaps this was balanced in Corie's and her future husband's "condemnation" of Elisandra's actions later on, but the fact that Elisandra got away with it, that she wasn't punished but moreover was "rewarded" with possession of Jaxon Halsing's estate plus the love of a good man, well, that may send the wrong impression to a young mind.

So, much as I love this story, I couldn't give it the rating I wanted. Since I believed that the third point is a very important one, I have to give the story a rating of 2.

REVIEW: Threshold by Sara Douglass

ISBN 0-765-34277-4

(c) July 2004, TOR

Sara Douglass's website

Rating: 4.5 stars




Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Great story with a mix of fantasy, adventure, magic and romance"

Tirzah is a glassmaker, and her special talent is that of caging. She has an affinity with glass that enables her to do fine and detailed work unlike any. Which was why, when she, along with her father, was sold as a slave to pay off their debts, she was shipped to far away Ashdod to do caging work for the pryamid that the mages are building.

The moment she stepped foot inside Threshold (the pyramid), the glass screams at her that something is wrong, though they couldn't tell her the exact nature of the wrongness.

Where she met Boaz, a powerful yet cruel Mage, yet beneath is a sweet and tender man that captivated her. Which is the real Boaz? And what is the mystery and sense of evil that is hanging over Threshold?

I picked up this book due to recommendations from some online bloggers/readers and I wasn't disappointed. Ms. Douglass presented a unique form of magic here, that of the number one. I don't pretend to understand everything that she wrote here on that subject (math is not my strongest point), but it did open my eyes to the wonder of how a mundane concept as "one" could be manipulated and become a magic system all by itself.

Ms. Douglass also did some great foreshadowing in the story. When Tirzah carged the picture of a river with frogs in a piece of inferior glass as part of her test, we could not have known just how important this carving is. But it is very important--to Tirzah, to Boaz, to Threshold. Oh, and frogs also feature a lot here. In a way, they're magic. If I were a writer, I would never have thought to use frogs, because well, because...they're not sexy and not at all magic-inspiring. Yet, in this story, they worked.

Tirzah, as we can guess, possessed magic herself. She's an Elemental, and she can hear the glass and the metals, and later on, manipulate the elements. I love this passage, which she hears often throughout the book, as there's a certain lyrical beauty to it:

Hold me, soothe me, touch me, love me.

Tirzah started off as a timid, ignorant village girl resigned to her fate, and it's a pleasure to see her grow and develop into a smart and strong woman who was desperate enough to risk all to protect and hold her own. Boaz also did a lot of changing, but because this book is written from Tirzah's point of view, we only see his changes, which are more monumental than that of Tirzah, through her eyes. Would have been lovely to know what he was thinking and feeling though.

Unlike in romance novels, Boaz the hero was very cruel to Tirzah in the earlier part of the book, even to the point of doing her harm. But he did show remorse later on and, though I'm not saying that made it okay, there was a reason to his cruelty. Their romance was adequate, but I would've loved to see more romantic moments between them especially toward the second half of the book. But because this is a fantasy novel, I'm happy with what I'm given.

My only complaint is that the defeat of the villain was rather anti-climactic as we don't see the actual fight, because it was between him and Boaz. That said, I recommend this book to all who love a good story with a mix of fantasy, adventure, magic and romance. 

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

ISBN 9780765348661

Series: The Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1

(c) November 2004, TOR

Jennifer Fallon's website

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

Rating: 2 stars

Every once in a while, I get tired of reading paranormal romances and other types of romance novels, so I decided to refresh myself with another love of mine--fantasies. I loved The Immortal Prince, which I reviewed here, so I thought I'd picked up one of Ms. Fallon's earlier works, which has received good reviews as well.

In Medalon, R'shiel, daughter of First Sister Joyhinia Tenragan, is a novice in the Sisterhood, and she is an unwitting pawn in her mother's plots and schemes. When one of these was revealed, she escaped with her half-brother Tarja, and they became embroiled in a rebellion against the Sisterhood, which had done innumerable (hidden) acts of cruelty against the people over the years. They also met Brak, from whom they learned that the Harshini, a magical people, do in fact exist and that the legendary demon child is living in their midst. And the Harshini want the child in order to defeat a god...

I was prepared to love this book and be taken on an adventure. Unfortunately, several factors, some of which are personal biases, hindered that goal:

1. The presence of gods and goddesses in the story, interfering in actual human events. The first time I encountered this was when I read one of David Eddings' series. The Tamuli, if I'm not mistaken, where this goddess "clings" to Sparhawk and later (end of series) was incarnated to be his daughter. I feel that the inclusion of this goddess ruins what was otherwise a great story, and I remember having heated debates with one of my friends about it. Anyway, I hated it then and I hated it now in this story. There is a tendency to abuse the presence of the gods to solve a problem that would otherwise have provided an opportunity for growth for the character.

2. I feel too that some of the events lost their suspense/tension factor when readers get to know about it far ahead of time from another character's perspective. Because of this, I was never really "gripped" by the story.

3. R'shiel. I loved her at the start. I thought she had potential as a great heroine. She was brave and daring, and two of the things I like about her was her affection for her brother and her sense of humor in response to her mother's unfeeling and unmaternal attitude toward her. But she became sort of blah toward the middle and whatever emotions I first invested in her leaked away.

4. Romance aspect. I guess I'm more of a romance reader than I realized, because what little romance there is in this book wasn't enough to satisfy me. Even the tension wasn't there. The only author I've read who was able to write a decent romance over a trilogy for the main characters in a fantasy series was Jacqueline Carey for the first Kushiel trilogy (Phedre's and Joscelin's story). I like the way the characters' relationship progressed over the three books.

Morever, in relation to point #3 above, I hated Phedre for a time for what she's doing to Joscelin. (I love love love Joscelin.) Phedre is a strong heroine, but her actions and her physical needs might not cause all readers to love her. Not that what she did was repulsive, but that I, for one, don't understand why she needed to do certain things. So, although I didn't like the female protagonist at times, but she inspired such strong emotion that I felt compelled to read on, if only to see her capitulate in the end for love of the hero. Not that she did, but compromises were made. If her books weren't such huge tomes, I might be tempted to reread.

So, will I read Treason Keep (Book 2)? I don't think so, as I've lots of fantasy titles on my TBR pile.

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: The Battle Sylph by L.J. McDonald

ISBN 9780843963007

Series: The Sylph Series, Book 1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2010, Leisure Books, Dorchester Publishing
L.J. McDonald's website

Rating: 4.5 stars




Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"Fantastic worldbuilding, diverse characters, magic and a magnificent fantasy adventure in a whole new world!"

With the prevalence of vampires and werewolves and demons, L.J. McDonald's unique worldbuilding blew me away. She has created a fantastic world of sylphs and the humans to whom they were bound. The sylphs were elemental spirits (air, water, fire, earth and healing sylphs) and of course, there were the battle sylphs that protected the hive. Sylphs lived in hives with a queen as the leader and she could take one or more battlers as mates. Think bee hive with the queen bee and her drones and worker bees and soldier bees.

Actually, the sylphs originally lived in another world and they were lured over to this Earthlike world (the action mostly take place in the kingdoms of Eferem and Para Dubh) and bound to one human master. The battle sylphs were attracted to the promise of the woman used as a sacrifice, and this woman was to be their queen (their love and mate), but the human man who was to gain the battler would kill the woman and bound the battler to him instead.

Read more about the sylphs.

The characterization is wonderful and unique for the characters being portrayed. Because the story is told from several points of view, we note how the narrative and the conversation differed for each character based on the character's age, background, experience and individual personality and circumstances. This makes for a holistic reading experience, wherein the reader gets to see the world from different sets of eyes.

For example, both Heyou and Solie are young, and we are made aware of this in their individual narration and in their actions. Whereas Leon Petrule as the king's head of security is an adult and seasoned soldier, and this can be seen in the way he acted and make decisions and in his thought processes. Not only that, but he is certainly not a sterotypical villain. He might well be the character that underwent the most radical change in the story.

The pivotal characters in this story are Solie, who defied the sacrificial death appointed to her, and Heyou, the battler who became bound to her.

Solie is seventeen years old, and she is young and sheltered, having never gone beyond her own and her aunt's villages. However, she is taught by her aunt to be strong and independent in the sense that she didn't need a man, if she didn't want one. This served her in good stead when she was captured to be a sacrifice to lure a battler over for the crown prince.

Heyou isn't your common hero as well. Though he is a battler, he is young and untried when he first crossed the gate to be bound to Solie. Yet for all that, he knew his duty is to defend and protect the queen and the hive with all that he has, even to the point of death. I like the part where he had established a bond with Galway, a trapper who had rescued him when Heyou was near death. Because Heyou is young and reminds him of his son, Galway acts like a mentor and father figure to him, something unheard of in the usual relationship between a battler and his master, which usually includes lots of hate.

Both Solie and Heyou did grow some over the course of the book, especially Solie as she needed to adjust to her new role. For all that she's young, Solie is smart, and she knew that she needed help and wasn't too proud to ask for it. Even in her inexperience, she rose to the occasion when needful and that is something to admire. Having such young protagonists who act their age would've taken away much of my enjoyment from the book had it not been for the balance provided by the adult characters surrounding them, like Leon, Galway and the two battlers Mace and Ril.

However, lest I give you a wrong impression, the story doesn't just focus on Solie's and Heyou's romance. No, there is so much more going on, like how they'd unwittingly made an enemy of the king and the possible consequences of that, and about how the sylphs are making a new hive in Eferem and the ways they're going to impact the world. That said, I'm interested to see how Solie and Heyou would have grown over the years, and I'm especially curious to know how Ril's and Lizzie's fate would play out in the next book, The Shattered Sylph.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

And this review marks the start of our new feature called Author Week!

This week, we have L.J. McDonald here with us, who will grace us with excerpts from her books (the sequel THE SHATTERED SYLPH is out next month, in case you're interested to know) and an interview! She'll be around, so if you have any questions, ask away!

Because we here at The Raving Readers love this book so much, we're giving away one copy of The Battle Sylph to a lucky winner! What's more, Dorchester Publishing has offered five additional copies for giveaway, so there will be six (6) lucky winners instead! Yay! Thank you, Dorchester!

And there's no geographical restriction, so everyone who lives on planet Earth, even the penguins in Antarctica, is welcome to cast your name into the hat.

How to enter?

Today's question: What is the best paranormal story/series you've read? Why do you love it?

Extra chances to win:
+ 3 if you're a follower of this blog
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
           on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,
           your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you tweeted about
           this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You also wrote a blog
           post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to qualify, be sure to come
           back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win!

Contest ends on March 12 (Friday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced on March 13 (Saturday).

Good luck!

REVIEW: The Immortal Prince by Jennifer Fallon

Series: Tide Lords Quartet, Book 1
(c) 2007, TOR Fantasy, HarperCollins
585 pages, Mass Market Edition
Author's Website

Summary:

Cayal, the Immortal Prince, is tired of millenia of living, and he thought he found a way to solve his problem. Unfortunately, a botched hanging leaves him very much alive and in full possession of his memories. So,back to prison he goes. Meanwhile, Arkady Desean, academic historian and the Duchess of Lebec, is sent to interrogate the man who claims to be the Tide Lord Cayal and to prove him a liar, and in the process, she finds herself not quite believing--yet also not quite disbelieving--his tale...

Review:

Jennifer Fallon weaves an intriguing tale, which twists and turns all throughout, and she obviously ascribes to the maxim, "Things are not what they seem." The story is written from the points of view of many persons, each of whom contributed to make the story whole, and from each of their perspective, we see how the world and the gods of Amyrantha are viewed by the different factions--humans, gods, and Crasii (half-human, half-animal creature).

I love a good yarn, and this story certainly delivers. Aside from which, there are 3 more books to look forward to in the series! I've heard that this series (all 4 books) has been published and read by the Australian public, but Book 3 is just going to be published in the US in 2010, and Book 4 the year after. I'm just going to have to exercise my patience to wait (unless a good Samaritan from Australia wants to send me the books, anyone?), but at least I'm assured that I'll complete this series some time down the road.

Jennifer Fallon's gods are interesting, because they weren't gods who came into being from nothing or whose origins are unknown, but they were once mortal who were then made immortal. Their powers also come and go with the Tides. At the start of the book, the tide has been gone for a long time--a thousand years, if I'm not mistaken--and the Tide Lords have faded into legend and memory. Because of this, Cayal has a hard time convincing Arkady that he is indeed a Tide Lord. And he couldn't do anything to prove it, because when the tide is out, the Tide Lords lost all their powers, though they remain immortal.

Rarely too does a book make me think, but this one did. Death is not a topic we like, nor one we ruminate about. If possible, we run from it as far away as we could. I think that's why the Fountain of Youth is so popular. If it were possible, I think each one of us would like to live forever, so that we'd get to do ALL the things we want to do, read ALL the books we want to read (I know I'll need a few thousand years), and be secure in the knowledge that we won't die.

Yet, Cayal presents the other side of things. Just think of the license we'd have with immortality. We can do things without repercussions, because we needn't be afraid we'd die, even if we were punished. Continents could be blown up and civilizations wiped out, but what do we care? We're still alive at the end of it. And so, we have Cayal, a man who's lived for over 8000 years and has seen and done everything, and aside from the pain he's also suffered from his actions, some of these things sickend and depressed him so much that he wanted to die to get away from it all. He was tired of living, the way we sometimes are, but in his case, he has lived through 8000 years. Only he couldn't. And that's very frustrating.

Perhaps the author is right and man isn't meant to live forever. Perhaps man is meant to live only an average of 80 years, a limited time that would prompt him to live wisely and choose to fill his life with people and activities that would enrich (not in the material sense) him. Cayal said the fun is in the journey, and in this, I agree with him.

If Cayal were the hero of this series (because in a fantasy series, one never knows), I'm not sure if I like him very much. He's not the typical romance hero, definitely, heroic and made larger than life, but he's all too like us--human with flaws and prone to selfishness and making stupid calls in life. I don't know if meeting Arkaday (or thousands of years of living) will make him a better man, but things he's done in his past made me cringe and wonder how he could have done such things.

However, this story is more than just Cayal's and Arkady's romance. There is a larger game at play, one which involves all the other Tide Lords. I believe this first book serves the purpose of introduction and laying down the foundation that the Tide Lords existed, and the story takes off from Book 2 onwards with them gaining back their powers and ready to wreak havoc once again in human lives. Reading the blurbs of the succeeding books on the author's website, however (I dare not read the excerpts), makes me wonder if the romance between Arkady and Cayal will feature a strong portion or not. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

This is definitely a great start to the series and I'm interested to see how Cayal will evolve and mature/grow in the next books, and how his budding relationship with Arkady will affect him. To be honest, the back cover blurb didn't draw me in, but once you start reading, Ms. Fallon's way with words will hold sway over you and won't let go until you've read the last page.

Book Rating: 4.5

REVIEW: Reader and Raelynx by Sharon Shinn

Series: Twelve Houses
(c) 2007, ACE Books, Penguin Group
449 pages, Mass-Market Edition
Author's Website

Summary:

Book 4 in the series

The Princess Amalie is to choose from among her suitors, in a bid to quell the rebellious uprising brewing in the kingdom. Cammon, who is able to read the emotions of people, is assigned to help her weed out suitors who aren't sincere. In the process, both of them start to fall in love with each other, despite rules and conventions that forbid the match between a princess and a commoner.

Review:

Sharon Shinn's writing style is easy to read, and the words and the story flows smoothly along. Again, it was nice to meet up with old friends--the characters from the previous books--and to know what had happened to them after their individual romances/books.

The story picks up from where Justin's story ended, about a year later, with war imminent on Gillengaria's doorstep. The entire series has one big story arc, and this is the 4th book in the series. Per the author's website, she believed readers would have a hard time following the story when they start with this book. In my opinion, however, if you're the type to be satisfied with hints and highlights that had happened in the previous books, it would be perfectly okay to read this without reading the others. But you would've missed out on the developing relationship of the six main characters of the series that had happened in the previous books, which I believe forms the very foundation of their deep friendship. Especially for Cammon, the hero in this book, whose character is wrapped up in his relationship with the other five.

Amalie is a bright young woman who takes such delight in the things around her, as though she is seeing everything for the first time. And a lot of times, she is. Cammon, on the other hand, is a powerful mystic who can read minds and do lots of other wonderful, strange and powerful things. One of the first thoughts that entered my mind regarding Cammon is, how could the author make him so powerful? Heroes usually have flaws, despite the immense strength or power they wield, and Cammon seems to be...flawless, perfect. Yet, we find later on that his weakness is Amalie and the friends he had accumulated along life's journey, and that his powers cannot penetrate/doesn't work on people not from Gillengaria.

Cammon and Amalie are said to be good for each other, despite their stations in life, as both experienced loneliness and being friendless while growing up due to different reasons. However, I couldn't get much into the feel of their romance. There seems to be something lacking, though I couldn't pinpoint what. Of all the romances, I feel Justin's and Ellynor's (Dark Moon Defender) is the best, the sweetest, and one whom I don't mind to read again sometime down the road.

One thing that jarred me out of my suspension of disbelief is the scene where Amalie wanted to know what her husband would expect of her after they marry. In short, what the marriage bed is about (in theory) and how a man is different from a woman. Granted, it is winter, and they were outside in the garden on a bench, she and Cammon are friends, but still, when a man strips all his clothes in front of a girl...it is a bit inconceivable that nothing--absolutely nothing--would happen, especially when they were having more than friendly thoughts toward the other, even if these thoughts weren't that fully formed yet. Or perhaps, the romances I've been reading are affecting my thinking as to how a couple would react to each other when one of them is naked.

This story in effect wraps up all the loose threads and brought several pairs of lovers together. Despite the negative comments above, generally, I enjoyed this story, as I have enjoyed any story by Sharon Shinn for the "feel good" sentiments.

The fifth book, Fortune and Fate, relates the events that happened two years later after the end of this 4th book. The protagonist here is the Rider Wen, who left the palace after a grievous mistake she'd committed during the war. Though some of the six primary characters will also make cameo appearances, however, I'm not sure I want to read it since Wen didn't exactly endear herself to me during her brief appearances in Reader and Raelynx.

Book Rating: 3.5

REVIEW: Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Yelena Zaltana

Author Website

Summary:

Yelena kills General Brazell's only son, Reyad, and she is thrown into the Commander's prison, awaiting execution. One year later, she is called by the Commander's second-in-command, Valek, who gives her the job of the Commander's food taster. She learns the different poisons by taste and smell, yet a misstep could send her immediately to her death. Not only that, but General Brazell is intent on vengeance for his son. Everywhere she turns, Yelena sees only death, yet she learns that her only chance at life lies in her hands.

Review:

Normally, I don't like reading books in the first person POV, but the Kushiel series has cured me of that. If written well, the first person POV is a joy to read, as is the case with this book. I was also drawn to read this book due to good reviews it has garnered from other review sites.

Yelena is a complex character, and she is in turns scared yet defiant, hopeless yet courageous enough to go on living. She is also quick and resourceful and loyal to those who have earned her respect.

Poison Study is a fast-paced and interesting read, because I couldn't stop turning the pages. And it is more than about Yelena studying about the poisons, because this story goes beyond that. There are hints to Yelena's origin and background, which we'll learn more about in the second book, Magic Study. And her romance with her hero (no, I won't tell, since it's taken me several chapters before I realized who it is) is rather sweet, although the hero wasn't really featured that much, this being a book that has Yelena and her predicaments square in the center.

The worldbuilding is also quite unique, with Ixia abolishing magic and dividing the country into military districts, while to the south, Sitia is the home of the magicians.

What I didn't like about the book though, was the events that happened toward the end. I feel that some events were resolved rather in a simplistic manner, such as the death of one of the villains, as Yelena tapped on a friend's magic to disable him. I feel that the resolution would have a greater impact on me if Yelena and her hero had been able to kill the villain by themselves. Still, this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story, and I'm looking forward to the next book to discover all about Yelena's origins and her continuing romance with her hero.

Book Rating: 4.0

REVIEW: Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey

Series: Kushiel series Author Website Summary: After experiencing such tragedy in their young lives, Imriel and Sidonie dare not rebel against Blessed Elua's precept "Love as thou wilt" any longer, no matter the upheaval it brings to Terre d'Ange. The older generation who suffered Melisande Shahrizai's treachery couldn't countenance their union, as they believed it Imriel's strategy to gain the throne. To appease her people, Queen Ysandre agrees to consent their union should Imriel bring Melisande to justice. Review: Jacqueline Carey has done it again! She astounds me with her talent and gift for storytelling. I believe this is the story of Imriel's that I love the most and it is a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. The Angelines were right in that the love between Imriel and Sidonie does have a purpose, but it is something not one of them could have imagined. New villains, new adventures, new places to explore! Imriel, who has long felt inferior to his foster parents' heroism, has gained a serene contentment in his relationship with Sidonie. Yet, before long, he would be called upon to play a part in saving his beloved Terre d'Ange from evil foreign forces. Ms. Carey's suspense and adventure-ridden fantasy compels me to keep on turning the page long after I should have stopped reading and go to sleep. Here, we also see Imriel succumbing to his dark desires, as he clung to the trust in Sidonie's dark eyes. What I know of BDSM is only in theory, yet I can say that the scenes written here were not gratuitous and were tastefully done. Sometimes, the author places the characters in the situation and let you imagine the rest. So, everything depends on how vivid and creative your imagination can be... With regard to the final treatment of Melissande, I can only applaud the author for thinking of such a solution. BEGIN SPOILER Surely, readers don't expect Imriel to actually bring his mother to Terre d'Ange to be executed. How could he be called human and sleep at night if he actually did that? How could he be fit to be the hero of this novel if he did? Whatever sins Melissande may have committed, she is still his mother who loved him and who cared for him herself when she had a phalanx of servants to do her bidding. If she were to be brought for execution, I believe it should be someone other than Imriel who does it. END SPOILER It's also great to see Sidonie come into her own as a heroine of her own story, that she was as much a match for Imriel as Imriel was for her. I enjoyed this story for the adventure, yes, but more so because of Ms. Carey's great characterization as she shows us the power of love--between lovers, and between a mother and her child. The frailties of human nature are depicted for us to see, balanced by man's capacity to change with the experiences of life. Book Rating: 4.5

REVIEW: Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey

Series: Kushiel Series (Imriel Trilogy)

Author Website

Summary:

In this second book of the Imriel Trilogy, Imriel is engaged and married to Dorelei, niece of Drustan, the Cruarch of Alba. Imriel agreed to the marriage mainly to stop the rumors that he is eyeing the throne of Terre d'Ange and to pacify the Angelines' disquiet about having a half-Cruithne on the throne once Queen Ysandre steps down in favor of her daughter (with Drustan) Sidonie. This way, his son with Dorelei would become the next Cruarch, after Talorcan, Drustan's nephew, as the line of succession in Alba is matrilineal.

At the same time, Imriel also engages in a forbidden affair with his (distant) cousin Sidonie, but due to many reasons, political and otherwise, both Imriel and Sidonie decide to put this affair aside, thinking that what was between them must only be lust, which would fade with time and distance.

However, when Imriel travels with Dorelei to Alba for his wedding and subsequent marriage life, he comes afoul of Alban magic, which results in tragedy and a need for vengeance.

Review:

In my opinion, this book is better than the first one in the trilogy.

Imriel is still full of angst and confusion, but I feel that it is in this book that he becomes a man. Not when he accepts his royal duty to wed Dorelei, but when he decides to open his heart to his wife and give their marriage a chance. He learns to love Dorelei and his home in Clunderry. I think if events had not turned out the way they did, he would've learned to forget Sidonie and be contented with the life he has made in Alba with Dorelei.

Imriel's story isn't larger than life, but his was a very human story of love, acceptance and vengeance.

And, I have to say, I was surprised at Phedre's actions. I suppose I've always hold her in my mind as a courtesan and anguissette, but here, she acts very much like a mother would when her son is in danger, thereby adding another dimension to her character. It's good to see that she and Joscelin have arrived at an agreement regarding their relationship (Phedre has taken a lover), though, like Imriel, I didn't have to like it.

Ms. Carey has revived my interest in this series, and I'm looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.

Book Rating: 4.0

REVIEW: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey

REVIEW: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
Series: Kushiel Series (Imriel Trilogy)

Author Website

Summary:

Imriel de la Courcel no Montreve, son of traitor Melissande Shahrizai and foster son of the realm's heroine Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve and her consort Joscelin Verreuil, has grown up and is torn between wanting to be good and giving in to his nature--that of his desire for sadistic, violent pleasures. Though many people suspected him of having designs on the throne, Barquiel L'Envers being one of them, Imriel had no such intentions. Wanting to escape the atmosphere at the palace, he sets off for Tiberium for a year of studies, where he was plunged into intrigue, mayhem and war.

Review:

I have to be honest. I initially picked up this book because I wanted to read more about Phedre and Joscelin. Therefore, I was a bit disappointed when there were only bits and pieces about this dynamic duo (especially Joscelin!), especially when Imriel left Terre d'Ange for his year at Tiberium.

This book is very different from Phedre's larger than life tale, because from the start, Phedre already knew what she was and what she wanted. Even when she was young, Phedre has the self-assurance of mature young woman, and her loyalty and her heroism were at her core. Imriel, however, was a confused young man, brought about by his heritage and his childhood experiences. Hence, this first book in the trilogy can be said to be a coming-of-age story where Imriel tries to search for his identity.

When Imriel sets off for university, he is actually setting off for an adventure, as in Tiberium, he comes into contact with the Unseen Guild and even receives the same offer as Anafiel Delaunay, Phedre's patron. He dives into an affair with a married woman and learns about the arts of covertcy from her. He thwarts an attempt on his life, survives a riot, and eventually helps his friend Lucius wins a war in his hometown. In the process, he grows up.

It's a good start to the trilogy, but I can't say I like this book very much. Though it was interesting to off on a journey with Imriel, yes, I miss Phedre and Joscelin. Somehow, this book didn't have the same awe-inspiring wonder as the Phedre trilogy.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey

Series: Kushiel series (Phedre trilogy) Author Website Summary: Book 3 in the Phedre trilogy Cloistered in the sanctuary in La Serenissima, Melisande asked for Phedre's help to find her young son Imriel, who has gone missing. Meanwhile, Phedre still searched for the one name that would enable her to free her best friend Hyacinthe from his prison. Review: Here, we see a mature Phedre, who is contented with her life with Joscelin. They have also come to a compromise each can live with regarding their relationship. Yet, Joscelin will be tested once again as the Perfect Companion, whose love will drive him to follow Phedre to the ends of the earth, wherever she may choose to go. If ever Phedre has a weakness, I don't know if Melissande would stand a greater percentage or Joscelin. Certainly, Phedre loved Joscelin, yet, she's obsessed with Melissande, and it seems Melissande is able to get Phedre to respond to her sexually in a manner that Joscelin couldn't (or didn't even want to, because violence isn't in his nature). Perhaps, it's because they're mirrors of one another, Melissande the person who doles out the violence while Phedre is the receiver, as she craves such and without which her body wouldn't be satisfied. That aside, Phedre and Joscelin embark on another exciting and oft-times scary adventure into new lands, after Phedre's insistence and Joscelin's anguished but willing compliance, to rescue Imriel so that they could have the lead Melissande promised her in order to seek the name of the One God to free Hyacinthe. Phedre's loyalty and friendship to Hyacinthe is to be commended, as she had studied for ten long years to save her friend. Perhaps there was even a measure of guilt that drove her to go to such lengths, for if Hyacinthe hadn't spoken up, Phedre would have been the one to serve as apprentice to the Master of the Straits. I can't imagine how she or Joscelin managed to stay sane after Phedre's ordeal with the Mahrkagir in Darsanga. If you think Phedre suffered when Waldemar Selig tried to skin her alive, read this book and you'll be shocked anew. Yet it was Imri, whose trust Phedre has gained slowly and who thirsts for a family, that drew Phedre and Joscelin together again. At first, I was ready to hate Imriel, not because of his heritage, but because of the way he treated Phedre in Darsanga, when he still distrusted her. But like all of Ms. Carey's characters, he slowly wormed his way into my heart and I couldn't wait to read his story. This is a fantastic story and not to be missed. Book Rating: 4.5

REVIEW: Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey

Series: Kushiel series (Phedre trilogy)

Author Website

Summary:

This is book 2, comes after Kushiel's Dart.

When word came that reeked of Melisande, Phedre re-emerged from her one year reprieve at Montreve to seek her out in order to bring her to justice. In La Serrenissima, she uncovered a plot to assassinate Queen Ysandre.

Review:

I don't know how she did it, but Jacqueline Carey has me tied up in knots. Did I say I absolutely love Joscelin Verreuil? And I hurt when he's hurt. I had to remind myself a lot of times that this is just a story. These people don't exist. But it is a testament to Ms. Carey's talent that she could engage my emotions this way.

In this book, I initially disliked Phedre because she hurt Joscelin, (see Joscelin's hurt in above paragraph) so much that at times I wanted to throw the book across the room. If I could just leave her in whatever place and let her languish while I read on about Joscelin, I would. Unfortunately, it's her POV the author has taken and I have to go along for the ride if I want to know what happens to Joscelin.

Phedre is headstrong and stubborn, and I didn't like it when her anguissette yearnings rose up again or the way she used pillow talk to find leads on Melisande. Oh, I suppose I should be used to it, after all, that's the premise of the first book, that she was trained in the arts of a courtesan and covertcy mainly to uncover secrets in the bedroom. But whereas before she was free to do as she wished, now there's Joscelin! If she loved him, she shouldn't hurt him.

I guess the reason I was so affected is because at my core, I'm a romantic. And I'm reading about her story and her exploits with my own bias on the concept of faithfulness.

That aside, it was a spectacular adventure with even more fantastic swordplay. Phedre formed new allies and traveled to more exotic lands in her quest for justice. We also get to see Joscelin in action toward the end of the book, and we see Melisande's shocking revelation and all the things that she dared for her ambition. Circumstances in the story caused them to be apart for awhile amid their own misunderstandings, and when they finally came together...sigh. I reread that scene for what seemed like a million times.

Phedre grew up over the course of the book, and Joscelin as well. For all his "hotness", Joscelin has his faults, that of being narrow-minded, and here, he was broadened and his experiences enabled him to accept Phedre for what she was. Too often, we read about a couple's relationship from the courtship stage up to the time of their declaration of love. Here, Ms. Carey brought us beyond that, and we see how Phedre's and Joscelin's relationship grew and how they come to a compromise, and how they learned things about themselves and each other.

Book Rating: 4.0

REVIEW: Dark Moon Defender by Sharon Shinn

Series: Twelve Houses series

Author's Website

Summary:

Justin is sent on an assignment to spy on the Lumanen Convent. There, he meets and befriends Ellynor, a novice at the convent, and unexpectedly, love blossoms between them. Underlying this romance is the trouble that continues to brew in Gillengaria.

Comments:

Sharon Shinn's male characters are fascinating and varied. We have dangerous and taciturn Tayse in the Mystic and Rider, flirty and silver-tongued Romar Brendyn (not the hero though) in The Thirteenth House, and here, we have Justin--inexperienced in the ways of romance and love, yet simple and charming in his emotions. And honest.

(Because sometimes, I find myself wondering at Romar Brendyn, whether he truly loved Kirra or was merely making lip service to his "love" because he was fascinated by her and wanted to possess her. Certainly, at times, I find him selfish in his actions.)

From the first page, reading this book was like visiting with old friends and looking forward to a new adventure with them. After the storm that was The Thirteenth House, reading this book was both comforting and exciting.

I was tickled thrilled by the way Justin and Ellynor strike up an easy friendship, then fell headlong into love. Their early scenes together count for some of my favorite passages in this book. Like Justin who looked forward to Ellynor's every appearance, as soon as I finished reading one of their scenes, I looked forward to reading the next. The delight these two characters find in each other was so palpable that they jumped off the page, and they were charming in a way that Tayse and Senneth were not.

Yet, Tayse's proposal of marriage was moving and romantic, easily one of my favorite scenes in this book. And we also see the tight bond of friendship among the original six characters: Senneth, Tayse, Kirra, Donnal, Justin and Cammon become even tighter, and how, through the things they have gone through together, they have become family to each other. Especially Senneth, who had the wisdom and the foresight to try and smooth things for Justin. We should all have a Senneth in our lives!

We also see here what happened between Kirra and Donnal after the end of The Thirteenth House. That is, we have Kirra's version of things, as she narrated to Justin, and well...it's satisfactory, to a certain extent. I guess the class divide between them is really very hard to surmount.

And in the backdrop, we have the continuous machinations of Halchon Giseltess and his sister Coralinda to overthrow the current king and claim the throne for themselves.

I am looking forward to Cammon's story in Reader and Raelynx.

Book Rating: 4.0

REVIEW: Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Series: Kushiel Series 1st trilogy

Author's Website

Summary:

Book One of the trilogy

The heroine of this novel, Phedre no Delaunay, is a courtesan and an anguissette, one who finds pleasure in pain. Adopted into Anafiel Delaunay's household, she was also trained as a spy. Treachery and treason followed her as she was sold into slavery, and she became an unlikely heroine who was instrumental in saving her country. Constantly at her side was the skilled priest-fighter, Joscelin Verreuil, whose fate was to stand at the crossroads and to choose again and again.

Comments:

Jacqueline Carey's prose is lush and evocative, which makes the book a pleasure to read. Almost sensuous, the imagery quite vivid. For example, Phedre describes herself as a "night-blooming flower that wilts under the sun".

Tere d'Ange is different from our world in that its people live by the precept given by their main god Elua "Love as thou wilt". Hence, though they may marry to set up a family and a household, it is permissible for them to have lovers, i.e. virtually anyone they fancy. I have to admit that I have a hard time swallowing this at first, as I believe in loyalty in marriage.

Aside from lovers with which one can attain bodily pleasures, there are also thirteen night courts or pleasure houses, with each house catering to a different need: for example, Gentian - the courtesans there know how to divine the meaning from dreams (after they have shared your body to relax you), Valerian - to satisfy the need of masochists, Mandrake - to satisfy the need of sadists, etc. These houses serve the goddess of desire -- Naamah, who lay down with kings that Elua might have food.

Another thing about the people is that, as they are descended from angels, they are all very beautiful. Even the most ugly among them is beautiful by our standards. Oh, yes, forgive me. No one is ugly. Everyone is beautiful. When Phedre and Joscelin went to foreign lands, they are stared at precisely because of their beauty. Even when Phedre was forty (in book 3), she was still very beautiful. If I weren't sensible, I'd be eaten up with envy by the time I finish the series.

As a heroine, Phedre is incomparable. I don't know if it's because I haven't met quite a heroine like her, one who delights in her sensuality and who seeks pain as a means of pleasure. Actually, Phedre is more than that. If she didn't experience pain every now and then, she practically wilts. She couldn't take it. She needs pain. She is also unwavering in her loyalty to Anafiel, her patron with whom she was infatuated. She works for him as a spy and a courtesan, prying secrets from the lips of her clients while they lay resting in bed. Pillow talk, so to speak. But Phedre soon rises above being a mere courtesan. Cunning and patriotic, she would go to great lengths to save the country that she loves, using all her skills to achieve it.

Joscelin Verreuil is a Cassiline brother, the middle son who was sent for training as a warrior-priest. I forgot how, but he was requested by Anafiel from the Cassiline brotherhood to protect Phedre when she goes on her assignments. A Cassiline brother makes the vow of celibacy. In this instance, Jacqueline Carey is an absolute genius when she paired a courtesan with a monk. At first, Joscelin despises Phedre for what she is, especially when she slept in enemy beds. Later on, when he realizes that she does this to survive, so that they can escape to return the news of an impending invasion to Tere d'Ange, he came to respect her.

The pacing of the book is just right, with action and adventure and romance and sex neatly spaced out. Right, I can't not mention the sex, because it's part and parcel of what Tere d'Ange is. I have to say though, that none of the sex scenes is gratuitous and that they are graphic up to a certain point. Mostly, the author hints at things and leaves the rest to the readers' imaginations. I have to admit I don't much understand the BDSM part of the story, but I derive guilty pleasure from reading it.

I have to say though, that sometimes, I don't understand why Phedre did this or that. The author didn't give us a peek into Phedre's thoughts, so I'm left wondering. Or maybe I just didn't catch some of the hints she had given throughout the book. That said, I feel for Phedre and Joscelin and I kept rooting for their happy-ever-after. I was so into the book that I have to keep reminding myself this is only a story created by a woman's vivid imagination.

This book is also a huge tome at almost 1,000 pages (depends on the edition you're holding), but the action propels me onward. I keep turning the page. At one sitting, I consumed about 300 or so pages.

Book Ratings: 4.5

REVIEW: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire

Author's Website

Summary:

A Game of Thrones the first book in the series A Song of Ice and Fire. It is told from several viewpoints: Ned, Catelyn, Bran, Sansa, Arya, Jon. Ned and Catelyn are a couple, and the rest are their children, except for Jon, who is Ned's bastard son. Daenerys, the daughter of the overthrown king, also has a voice in the story.

The story began with Ned's sons, Robb and Jon, finding a direwolf who was killed by a stag (its antlers pierced her throat). Six direwolf pups are nearby, one for each of Ned's children, even Jon. This was a sign, because the direwolf is the sigil of the Stark family (i.e. Ned) and the antlers/stag the sigil of the current king's family.

True enough, soon thereafter, King Robert, who was Ned's childhood friend, came to offer Ned the position of Hand of the King, the second most important person after the king. Though Ned initially didn't want to accept, Catelyn received a message from her sister that the former Hand of the King (who was the sister's husband and also Ned's foster father) had been murdered by the queen's family. She persuaded her husband that he should accept the position in order to investigate the matter.

Hence, Ned's family was split in three different places, and Ned himself was plunged into a court of intrigue and deceit. Essentially an honest and straight man, he floundered at court, not knowing who he should trust...

Comments:

I enjoyed the story, which is gripping and interesting and many-layered, though some may balk at the many point of views (POV) being used. My problem with this is that with each new "chapter", the story is told from a new POV, and just as the scene gathered momentum, I'm left hanging at a crucial point. I want to read on, I want to know what happened! Instead, the story jumped to another person's POV, with which I have to start gathering momentum once again. I believe this is an individual bias, because I like a story wherein there is only one or two POVs, or at most, three. More than that and the story starts to fracture for me.

Also, this author doesn't cringe in making bad things happen to the good guys, or even to killing off his characters. This trait is either good or bad, depending on individual taste. For me, I hated that I invested so much in the character, only to have him die at the end. Nevertheless, I do recognize that in the interest of a good story, this had to happen sometime. Also, since the character's death was the catalyst to making men out of boys and to the development of other characters, then the author could almost be forgiven. Almost.

The characters are also complex with their own individual motivations. For example, I can't quite decide if Tyrion Lannister is a bad guy or not. His connections say that he is, but he also did several kind acts that made me think he is more than what is depicted thus far. I guess the author would keep me guessing until the end.

Most of the main characters are men--strong and powerful--but then there's Arya, Ned Stark's daughter, who I believe would play a central role in the coming books. Sansa, another daughter, maybe. Arya and Sansa are very different from each other in terms of personality, and though I immediately liked Arya, I can't quite decide about Sansa. She's a young girl on the cusp of womanhood, and her infatuation with the prince led her to undesirable, if believable, behavior. Her eyes to the reality were surely opened in the end, and I would like to see what she would become. As to Catelyn, I don't much like her, because it was her decision at the start that thrust Ned into court and split up their family. Of course, without her, this story wouldn't take place.

In all, an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the second book. However, I wonder if I should wait until George R R Martin finished the entire series. I don't fancy reading all the previous books again each time a new book comes out. Did that with Robert Jordan's series whose name escapes me at the moment, and I gave up before Winter's Heart. Too tedious.

Book Rating: 4.0

REVIEW: The Thirteenth House by Sharon Shinn

Series: The Twelve Houses

Author's Website 

Summary:

The Thirteenth House is Book 2 of The Twelve Houses series, the first of which is Mystic and Rider. Here, we have the story of Kirra Danalustrous, who together with her companions, rescued the Regent Lord Romar Brendyn from his kidnappers. In the process, she and the married lord fell in love and conducted a tumultuous affair while the world fell into chaos around them.

Comments:

Sharon Shinn is a good writer. Almost against my will (more on that later), I was drawn into the adventure and I couldn't stop reading. Her characters took on a life of their own, and here, Kirra has her own personality and she was depicted quite convincingly different from Senneth (from Book 1). In fact, I quite like Kirra, when she wasn't mooning over Romar Brendyn.

In Book 1, we see Kirra as the flirtatious serramarra and happy-go-lucky shiftling. In Book 2, we realize she's restless by nature, and yet, she can be serious and responsible when the situation calls for it. In the end, she has to make a hard choice, and I admire her strength in being able to do so. She does not see only what's good for Kirra Danalustrous, but for the whole country, and she can act on it.

That said, I don't like one point in this story: the adulterous nature of Kirra's liaison with Romar Brendyn. I've been a long time reader of romance (interspersed with other genre), and because of that, it was hard for me to swallow the idea of an adulterous heroine. That, more than anything, made me reluctant to start this book, but because I wanted to know more about Senneth's and Tayse's developing relationship, I plucked up the courage to read this book.

However, Kirra did try to do the right thing at the start by rebuffing Romar's flirtatious attempts. I could even label her as honorable. But her yearnings for her own romance, coupled with her attraction for Romar and his "courtship" made her cross the line into a forbidden passion. It made me wonder though, is this usually how people fall into affairs in real life? Perhaps there was resistance on the part of one party, a conscious act not to betray one's code of honor, but the other party's persistence eventually wore his/her resistance down and made him/her succumb.

And succumb she did, even toward the end, until something woke her up. A hard slap to reality that she needed.

I wish we could've read more about Kirra's real happy-ever-after romance, but perhaps her adulterous liaison mirrors the unrest boiling in the country and how often we seek for love and acceptance in the wrong places. On the other hand, I admire the author in tackling this subject that isn't often seen in either romance or fantasy, and Kirra's emotional journey and her ultimate choice.

Another thing I noticed is how Romar is portrayed so very differently from Tayse. Though Tayse has feelings for Senneth over the course of Book 1, we don't see him actually "courting" Senneth. He was even denying his feelings for her and suffering from insecurity. However, here we see Romar Brendyn, "courting" Kirra with words and actions. Which would have been romantic had he not been married. I actually liked him for a time, until I remembered he was married and quite consciously deciding on cheating on his wife.

Like Senneth's story, I think we will see more of Kirra in the next books. I hope so. I want to know what happened to her and Donnal.

Speaking of Donnal, I don't like the way Kirra took him for granted. But perhaps, we tend to do that to friends who have been at our side for a long time, and it is only when said friend is gone that we come to value him and his friendship. What I like best about this entire book was the scene of Donnal's leaving. I almost cried.

On the whole, I think the gods dealt harshly with Kirra in this book. She went through hard trials and difficulties, betrayals and abandonment. Though Romar professed to love her, I think he's very selfish. He didn't want to leave his wife, yet he wanted to have Kirra as well. Where does that leave Kirra? What kind of life is he subjecting her to? He's like a man who wants to have his cake and his pastries and eat them. Then again, this book is about choices--Kirra's choices--and we also see her growth and development as a character. 

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind

Series: The Sword of Truth

Author Website

Summary:

The story revolves around Richard Rahl and the love of his life, Kahlan, the Mother Confessor, whose touch brings death to any man, except well...Richard. He grew from a simple woodcutter to the ruler of his realm and the books contain magic, politics and religions galore, including 1,000-year-old magic-users who live in an age-slowing palace.

Comments: 

I love the first four books in this series. I think they're well-written and the world-building and magic believable enough to make me suspend my disbelief. I love some of the plot twists the author employed, and believe it or not, one of my favorite sub-plots was the budding romance between Warren and this older magic-user who lived in that age-slowing palace I wrote about.

However, Book 5 (Soul of the Fire) seriously threatened my disbelief suspension. A chicken that was not a chicken? Is that for real? And, who would believe that Richard and Kahlan preferred to live with the Mud People over decent shelter with plumbing? Okay, my bad. Maybe it's my prejudice and background showing through. Maybe as ruler and consort of a world/country, they're into immersion.

I also grew to hate Kahlan with each successive book. She's an independent woman, sure, and as an independent woman, I ought to admire her. Yet, she's irritating and bossy and she always thinks she's right because she's the Mother Confessor who has seen the world while Richard, even if he's the ruler and a war wizard, is really only a simple, backward woodcutter.

From there, the series went downhill for me. We got pages and pages of narration and how Richard had to find the perfect wood to whittle figurines in Faith of the Fallen. And since Richard's life is so blah while he waited for Kahlan to recover from a life-threatening wound, the author came up with other characters whom we should take an interest in. Well, we would, if they were interesting.

Needless to say, I didn't finish reading Faith of the Fallen, nor did I pick up the other books. I've read that the entire series is now published, so if any of you has finished reading it and loved it, let me know. I might decide to re-read and complete the series. 

Book Ratings: 

Wizard's First Rule: 4.0
Stone of Tears: 4.0

Blood of the Fold: 4.0

Temple of the Winds: 4.0

Soul of the Fire: 3.0
Faith of the Fallen: Not Rated since I can't finish it (too boring)

Note: I wanted to include all the book covers, but for some reason, Blogger won't allow me.