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The Martians

Kim Stanley Robinson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is one of science fiction's most honored series, with Red Mars winning the distinguished Nebula Award, and both Green Mars and Blue Mars honored with the Hugo. A modern-day classic of the genre, this epic saga deftly portrays the human stories behind Earth's most ambitious project yet: the terraforming of Mars.

Now, following the publication of his acclaimed adventure novel, Antarctica, Robinson returns to the realm he has made his own, in a work that brilliantly weaves together a futuristic setting with a poetic vision of the human spirit engaged in a drama as ancient as mankind itself.

From a training mission in Antarctica to blistering sandstorms sweeping through labyrinths of barren canyons, the interwoven stories of The Martians set in motion a sprawling cast of characters upon the surface of Mars. As the planet is transformed from an unexplored and forbidding terrain to a troubled image of a re-created Earth, we meet men and women who are bound together by their experiences on Mars and with each other.

Among them are Michel, a French psychologist dazzled by the beauty around him; Maya, a woman whose ill-fated love affairs lead to her first voyage to Mars; and Roger, a tall Martian-born guide who lacks social skills but has the courage to survive on the planet's dangerous yet strangely compelling surface.

Beginning with the First Hundred explorers, generations of friends, enemies, and lovers are swept up in the drama that is Earth's tenuous toehold on Mars. International exploration turns into world building; world building degenerates into political conflict, revolution, and war.

Following the strands of these lives and events, in an age when human life has been extended for decades, The Martians becomes the story of generations lived on the edge of the ultimate frontier, in a landscape of constant man-made and natural transformation.

This new masterpiece by Kim Stanley Robinson is a story of hope and disappointment, of fierce physical and psychological struggles. Both deeply human and scientifically cutting edge, The Martians is the epic chronicle of a planet that represents one of humanity's most glorious possibilities.


A Letter from Kim Stanley Robinson:

"When I finished Blue Mars, I realized I wasn't done with Mars yet. There were things I still wanted to say about the place, and about my characters from the trilogy, and there were a number of sidebar stories and characters that had found no place in the trilogy's structure. I also had a couple of precursor Mars stories that did not fit the trilogy's history--'Exploring Fossil Canyon' and 'Green Mars'--and I had held these out of my earlier story collections thinking they belonged with the Mars group."

So all this material was there, and as I wrote Antarctica, I found myself drawn back into the matter of Mars repeatedly, by the discovery of possible life in meteorite AHL8004 and by the Pathfinder landing. I decided to make a collection of Martian tales, and as I put them in roughly chronological order, I saw that they seemed to be adding up to their own larger story, functioning as the trilogy's 'unconscious' or 'secret history'. Using all kinds of modes, from folk tales to scientific articles, from personal accounts to the full text of a constitution, I arranged things so that the book altogether tells the story of an underground and hard-to-see resistance to the terraforming described in the trilogy proper. I had a great time doing these stories, and hope they add up to my own version of a Martian Chronicles."

Murder in LaMut: Legends of the Riftwar: Book II (Legends of the Riftwar)

Raymond E. Feist, Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 1.0 of 5

Rosenburg defiled the Riftwar Legacy with this 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

From the title, you'd think this story was about a murder. You'd be wrong. This story is about three characters, none of which I could really bring myself to care for, trying to make it through a winter of garrison life surrounded by the men of various nobles who are jockeying to become the new Earl when the present Earl marries the Duke's daughter and becomes the new Duke. However, if you're interested in this book, you've probably already read Magician. Which means that you already know who the next Earl of LaMut is going to be - and he doesn't even have a cameo appearance in this book. A book about people competing for an honor that you know that none of them will receive before you even open it is rather pointless.

The murder mentioned in the title doesn't happen until three quarters of the way into the book. And the main characters don't really appear to be interested in finding the murderer. They want to find someone they can plausibly blame for the murder so they can get paid and leave town. This book does not meet the standards set by the rest of the series.

Editorial Review:

In Midkemia, there are no easy roads . . .

For twenty years the mercenaries Durine, Kethol, and Pirojil have fought other people's battles. Having already defeated the Tsurani, the Bugs, and the goblins, it seems there are no more enemies for them to vanquish—even as the Riftwar rages on in the west. What lies ahead for the able trio are a few welcomed months of restful garrison duty.

When ordered to accompany the promiscuous Lady Mondegreen, her aging husband, and her current lover to a summit in the city of LaMut, the Three Swords willingly comply, expecting an uncomplicated and undemanding assignment. But nothing is straightforward in this land of violence and treachery. And when the fury of a winter's storm traps them inside a castle teeming with ambitious, plotting lords and ladies, the mercenaries suddenly find themselves with a series of cold-blooded murders to solve . . . and the political future of Midkemia resting in their hands.

Very Bad Deaths

Spider Robinson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Perils of Telepathy 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very Bad Deaths (2004) is the first SF novel in the Russell Walker series. It is set in and about Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, during 2003, with flashbacks to the 1960s. Except for the original premise, it is more of a mystery than science fiction.

In this novel, Russell Walker is a newspaper columnist for The Globe and Mail of Toronto. He lives in Trembling-on-the Verge on Heron Island, a small isle within ferry distance of Vancouver harbor. His wife has died the year before and he is thinking of suicide.

Zandor Zudenigo is descended from Serbians living in Croatia. He once was Russell's roommate in college. Nicknamed Smelly, Zandor was so odoriferous that you could see the fetor around him. Of course, Zudie had a good reason for his odor: he was an involuntary telepath. In other words, he couldn't shut it off and most thoughts from other people were painful to him.

Nika Mandic is descended from Croatians. She is a constable in the Vancouver Police. Unfortunately, she is a public relations officer -- Officer Friendly -- the lowest ranked job on the force. She drives a pickup and trailer combination to schools and other community facilities and gives lectures on personal safety.

In this story, Zudie knocks on the door to Russell' office at 3:00 AM, interrupting his consideration of suicide. At first Russell assumes that he is being raided by the police and hides his stash, but soon he recognizes his friend's voice and admits him. Zandor has some business to transact, but he first must do something about Russell's clinical depression.

After the treatment, Russell doesn't feel any different, but he is interested in the story Zudie has to tell. Recently, Zandor had been peacefully pursuing his interests when a failing plane crosses over his island. The mind of the pilot is violently offensive, lashing Zudie with thoughts of torture and murder.

The fuel line blockage -- according to Allen the pilot -- suddenly clears and the plane only bounces once on the water and then continues on to its destination. Zandor is left with the pilot's first name, but not his surname. After all, why would Allen have thought of his last name while facing sudden death?

Zudie also knows about the family of four that Allen is going to abduct and torture to death in a cabin within the remote woods. Zandor does know what the curb cut for the cabin looks like on Route 99 -- the Sea to Sky highway -- but not its exact location. Now he wants Russell to help him rescue the threatened family from this serial killer.

Unfortunately, Russell doesn't have any local contacts in the various police departments in Greater Vancouver. He is a columnist, not an investigative reporter. Moreover, his column is published outside the Vancouver area, so he doesn't even know any reporters with police contacts.

After Zandor leaves to avoid the waking thoughts of the neighbors, Russell tries calling a few police numbers, but only reaches answering machines and voice mails. So he dons more impressive clothes and takes the ferry to Vancouver harbor. He has the address of Police Headquarters, but the correct building is hard to find. After reaching the facility, Russell finds the lobby personnel to be less than helpful.

Finally he locates the Major Crimes Division and converses with a very helpful person in their lobby. After recovering from his shock at her helpfulness, he asks his carefully scripted hypothetical questions and gets straight answers. Yet he just can't come out and admit the reality of his case.

Returning to his car, he berates himself for being a coward, but he still can't imagine anyone accepting such a wayout tale. As he is trying to come up with a reasonable description of the circumstances, a woman parks a car behind him and leaves. Then a tough looking man enters the car and prepares to drive off.

Russell backs up his car to block in the other vehicle. The man steps out and confronts him. Russell is imagining the damage that the thug could do to him when the man quickly runs away. Then the woman who parked the car chases him down the block.

The pursuit doesn't last long. When the woman returns and thanks him for his actions, Russell meets Nika for the first time. He talks to her for a while and learns that she is a policewoman. Then he asks her to meet him on a deserted beach in the wee hours of the morning. Since that is during her shift, she is reluctant to agree to pursue personal interests on department time. But Russell tells her that it is a matter of life or death and she is finally persuaded.

This tale involves the threesome in searching for the cabin where the crime is going to occur. Russell and Nika drive down Route 99 and record the curb cuts that match Zandor's description. Russell discusses their possible actions with Nika and then they take the recordings to Zudie to view.

Russell and Zandor are very reluctant to confront Allen. They consider him very dangerous and would prefer to ambush him from concealment. Of course, Nika disagrees due to her upbringing, training and limited experience.

Strangely enough, Russell and Nika both come from families with strong police backgrounds. That is what led Nika to the force. Yet Russell did not learn all that much from his uncles and cousin. Still, what little he does know helps in his relationship with Nika.

This novel is a character study and history of Russell Walker. It exposes most of his faults and many of his strong points. The other characters are only shown through his eyes. They all have strong moral senses, but very limited experience in -- and stomach for -- violence. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Robinson fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of police procedurals, inexperienced amateurs, and strong perseverance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Editorial Review:

Aging baby-boomer, Russell Walker wants only to retreat from the world and the shattering death of his beloved wife, into the woods of British Columbia. But the real world won't let him become a hermit. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the mystery of a series of mass murders by a monstrous sadist and serial killer who makes Hannibal Lector look like a boy scout. And he is caught in a frightening predicament: He is the only possible intermediary between telepath called Smelly, so sensitive he can't stand to be near most people, and a sceptical police officer who needs to hear and believe what Smelly knows about the fiend. This involuntary trio may be the only ones who can catch the inhuman butcher before he kills again - if he doesn't catch them first.

Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda: A Guardians of the Flame Novel (Tor Fantasy)

Joel Rosenberg

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Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Kethol is an adventurer with an easy smile, a man who is quick with a quip and quicker with a sword.His partner, Pirojil, the ugly one, looks impressive and deceives people into thinking he's stupid to their sorrow-for his might and loyalty are worth a kingdom.And the fledgling wizard Erenor, a man who tries to stay two steps ahead of his enemies, as well as one step ahead of his friends.Loyal retainers they are, sworn to Jason Cullianane, a man who walked away from a crown, and who has been trying to convince all the almost-warring factions that he doesn't want the job back. Their lives aren't very easy, what with keeping Jason from getting killed by yet another conspiracy, rescuing some damsel or whatnot in distress, and squirreling away something for the ever-diminishing prospect of retirement. And now it looks like our heroes might wind up succeeding in none of their schemes, for there are plots within plots, and Kethol has been forced into a disguise not of his own making. There is magic aplenty in the air (and on the ground), and in order to save a kingdom, they may have to pull off a complicated scheme that could kill them all--or land them in positions of supreme power. But, hey, whoever said that a soldier's life was a cakewalk? Set in Joel Rosenberg's bestselling Guardians of the Flame series, Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda is the third adventure of the journeymen soldiers of Castle Cullianane (and their sometimes ill-fated leader) in all their raucous glory. A fun, fast-paced read, it's a rollicking roller coaster of a book that will have fantasy fans reaching for more.

The Wild Shore: Three Californias (Wild Shore Triptych)

Kim Stanley Robinson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Dreaming of a Post-Apocalyptic California? 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Being a California Native and a lover of post-apocalyptical fiction this book should have been a slam-dunk for me and in some ways it was.

Robinson got two things right -
First, he realistically portrays the life of a primitive, struggling, post-nuclear attack community along a wild and rugged California coast. They fish, hunt, sow and trade for their survival. Many want to forget their past in order to brighten their future while others are obsessed with their once powerful history and take great risks to reassert their independence. That is exactly what one would expect from a post-apocalyptical American society.
Second, the survivors would flounder under the burdens of lack of communication, lack of central government and the frustration of walking among the rubble of technology you know would be helpful but that no one alive has more than rudimentary understanding of. The geo-political situation would be not only misunderstood, but in many ways unknown and perhaps even irrelevant to survivors in such circumstances. The bits and pieces of the world situation that these people do happen upon are unvalidated and confused.

This realism, and the thought and consideration behind it, are impressive. It's very in tune with Robinson's detail-oriented style.

But that detail-heavy writing style is the thing that most turned me off of this book. The superfluous descriptions of the natural scenery was overwhelming and literally boring. I understand that Robinson is trying to imply a tie to nature that these post-war people would have that we can barely imagine in this day and age - yet pages and pages of scenic detail are unnecessary. I found myself literally skipping pages ahead to avoid having to read yet another description of the sea-cliff or the redwood grove. Not even an uber-naturalist would be interested in this much information. And it takes away from an otherwise fascinating and well-flowing narrative of a young boys life in the turbulent times Robinson has created.

While I'll probably finish this series, I'd only recommend it to those with a particular interest in California or post-apocalyptical writing. Or if you have trouble falling asleep.

Editorial Review:

2047: For the small Pacific Coast community of San Onofre, life in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear attack is a matter of survival, a day-to-day struggle to stay alive. But young Hank Fletcher dreams of the world that might have been, and might yet be--and dreams of playing a crucial role in America's rebirth.

The Shadow Roads: Book Three of the Swans' War (Swans War)

Sean Russell

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Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

After the King of Ayr died without naming an heir, a century of enmity destroyed the one kingdom, as the mighty families of the Renn#233; and the Wills fought to determine the crown in a bitter storm of treachery and blood. But now the decades of hatred have woken the unquiet river spirits from their timeless sleep, andrevived a feud more deadly than any conflict of man.

As alliances shift and loyalties are tested in the harsh civil war between the two great families, each determined to destroy the other, Toren Renn#233; still fights for peace, hoping to stop the age-old war. But betrayals and double crosses rack the Renn#233; and the Wills, even as a larger threat rises. For the dark knight Hafydd has made a sinister alliance that leads him to secrets hidden for eons, including one that could destroy them all.

Only a brave few have managed to stand against Hafydd, and they are scattered throughout the land after a painful defeat: lost, separated, and weakened. Left for dead, the enigmatic wanderer Alaan must find his way through the treacherous, shifting southern lands, accompanied by the courageous Valeman, while Elise Wills, transformed by an eldritch bargain, pursues Hafydd herself as the nagar fight for revenge and the armies of the Renn#233; and the Wills clash for supremacy on the battlefield.

But what began as a struggle for a crown hasbecome a fight far more perilous, for woken by the wars of man and nagar, even Death himself is preparing to leave his fell kingdom and walk the world again. And if the door to his dread domain cannot be shut, the feud between the Renn#233; and the Wills and even the ancient wars of the nagar will be as nothing compared to the coming doom.

Lyrically written, dramatic yet poignant, the eagerly awaited The Shadow Roads concludes at long last the epic tale of the Swans' War, a triumph of literary achievement and the height of Sean Russell's acclaimed career to date.

Conceptions III

Luis Royo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Royo's Conceptions III ---- another great one 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Royo fans will love this one. Mostly sketches and funky one-paragraph story/explanations behind the imagery. However, if you ever wanted to see how L.R. comes up with his final illustrations, this book is for you. You will see sketch-to-sketch-to completion on many of his newer paintings. There are a few final colorized paintings in the middle of the book too. All are amaziing. Cant wait for the next one.

Jace Lash
Sag Harbor, NY

For the Luis Royo fan 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Bare pencil artwork for some of Luis Royo art,if you ar a fan or an artist wannabe you are going to like this book.

The Female Figure 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This collection is predominately finished sketches with a handful of colored pieces. The subject matter is almost entirely the female figure with only a few male subjects who accompany the female focus. Royo's art is as always awe inspiring to look at, and the hard cover makes this book quite impressive. The size of the book is slightly smaller than most of Royo's collections but the content is amazing. I highly recommend this book as well as his Secrets collection.

Not Quite Scaramouche: A Guardians of the Flame Novel

Joel Rosenberg

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Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Several of them, in fact. He's the heir to an empire-but he doesn't want to be. And nobody believes that he could or would walk away, and give the job of ruling the kingdom to someone else.

In this roller coaster of a sequel to Not Exactly the Three Musketeers, it looks like the stage is set for a major shake-up in the kingdom. Jason's help in keeping everything from blowing up are the self-appointed soldiers of the errant Jason, sent by that wily off-worlder Walter Slovotsky to keep Jason in one piece . . . more or less.

There's Kethol, the long and lanky redhead with an easy smile, who's quick with a quip and quicker with a sword; Pirojil, the ugly one, whose looks deceive and whose might and loyalty are worth a kingdom; and the fledgling wizard Erenor, a man who tries to stay two steps ahead of his enemies--as well as one step ahead of his friends. They're all part of the Cullinane retinue, sworn to protect the Cullinane manse and the sometimes-heroic Jason Cullinane and they have their hands full.

Because no one likes a vacuum--or one too many contenders for power, Jason's soldiers are going to have to do some fast adventuring to make it all turn out all right.

Next in Joel Rosenberg's bestselling Guardians of the Flame series, Not Quite Scaramouche continues the adventures of the journeyman soldiers of Castle Cullinane (and their sometimes ill-fated leader) in all their raucous glory.

Stalking the Unicorn: A Fable of Tonight

Mike Resnick

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

It's 8:35 pm on New Year's Eve, and Private Detective John Justin Mallory is hiding out in his Manhattan office to avoid his landlord's persistent inquiries about the unpaid rent. As he cheerlessly reflects on the passing of a lousy year, which saw his business partner run off with his wife, he assumes the bourbon is responsible for the appearance of a belligerent elf. This elf informs him that he needs the detective's help in searching for a unicorn that was stolen from his charge.When Mallory realises the little green fellow is not going to disappear with the passing of his inebriation, he listens to the elf's impassioned plea that the stolen magical beast must be returned to his care by daylight or his little green life will be forfeited by the elves' guild. Join detective Mallory on a New Year's night of wild adventure in a fantasy Manhattan of leprechauns, gnomes, and harpies as he matches wits with the all-powerful demon The Grundy in a race to find the missing unicorn before time runs out!

The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume II: Sword-Maker - Sword Breaker

Jennifer Roberson

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The (Complete) Adventures Of Tiger And Del 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume I
The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume II: Sword-Maker - Sword Breaker
The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume III (Sword-Dancer Saga)

In the beginning of this very enjoyable, unique series, we meet Sandtiger, a man who was raised as a nameless orphan, a foreigner from an unknown land and a slave within a nomadic desert tribe. He gained his name and begrudged freedom as a boy when he killed a deadly, venomous sandtiger which had been preying upon members of the tribe. Defeating death, and bearing the beast's claw marks as a distinctive scar upon his face, Sandtiger found a willing teacher who took him in and taught him the skills and honor codes of the sword dancer. Driven, he achieved the highest level of mastery, (7th level) in record time, and went on to become a living legend. Much of the story is narrated by Tiger, mixed with third person perspective. Roberson did an admirable job using this fresh technique; it works well.

When he is not hiring out his services as a sword dancer in order to settle disputes or matters of honor, Tiger, who is in his mid-30's, spends his time in cantinas, drinking and womanizing. It is within such an establishment that he is tracked down by young, beautiful Delilah, a fair skinned woman with blonde hair from the far north who carries a sword (unheard of for a female) and claims to be a sword dancer. Despite personality clashes, Delilah hires Tiger as a guide to help her journey across the very large, deadly desert of the region. Del is a driven soul, searching for her lost brother, and for revenge against murderous bandits who took him, and her innocence, years prior.

As the adventure unfolds, Tiger is forced, by circumstances and interactions, to adjust his perspectives and attitudes towards Del, and women in general. It becomes evident that Del is a truly skilled sword dancer, as well as a sword singer who is able, through her song, to call forth a mystical power which is infused within the spirit of her specially forged blade. It also becomes known that Del is quite likely Tiger's equal in the dance, a discovery which follows betrayal and near death at each other's hands. Through it all, we discover that the presence of magic is very disquieting to Tiger, both mentally and physically, every time it is encountered. This leads to ironies.

Through the first of these novels, we experience the hardships and struggles faced by the couple as they fight to fulfill Del's quests and simply stay alive. We are given views into the humorous relationship which Tiger faces on a regular basis with his very spirited, very difficult stallion. We also enjoy the gradual meeting of minds and souls of our two heroes, creating a bond of loyalty between the two, which becomes imperative to Tiger's very existence as he is eventually faced with the threat of an ancient, powerful evil which struggles to control him through his own mystical sword, a sword forged specifically for him during a journey to Del's homeland, a sword which he did not even want.

Over the course of the first four books, Tiger becomes increasingly embroiled in circumstances beyond his control, a victim of prophecy and fate. His love for Del leads him to break oaths, which makes him a target for death, outside the ceremonial circle of the sword dance. This leads to his departure from his beloved home in the southern desert region, searching overseas for the unknown, unconfirmed land of his ancestry, all upon the basis of a stranger's comments. A stranger with similar appearance and large build. This is where the final two novels begin.

Upon their sea voyage, Tiger and Del encounter pirates, slavers, and near drowning. Tiger never learned to swim, having been raised in a desert. As the story progresses, we are introduced to the interesting female captain of the pirate crew, an attractive redhead who desires Del. We also meet the first mate, a mysterious outcast from Tiger's homeland who bears strange blue tattooing upon his shaved head, multiple piercings, and a secretive knowledge of mystical powers. The mate recognizes Tiger's common heritage, and rather than selling their captives into outright slavery, Tiger is ransomed to the matriarch of his homeland as a potential lost heir to the throne. The bounty he was traded for, however, indentures and angers Tiger, but bound by his own codes of honor, he agrees to cooperate with a task she sets before him... for awhile.

Up to this point, I have attempted to offer only the most general of a synopsis, hoping to inspire interest but not to give too much away. The joy and excitement lies within the steps of the journey. From this point, If your interest has not been inspired as of yet, nothing else I say will matter. Assuming that it has, I will only say that Tiger sleeps with death, and we discover interesting things about the first mate and his abilities. Secrets are then gradually revealed about Tiger, himself, secrets he is not pleased at all to know. Intrigue and irony ensue, in large portions, in more ways than magic can account for.

Whenever magic is dealt with in Roberson's Tiger and Del novels, it is always low-key, for the most part. It is not along the lines of Tolkien's wizardry or the magic of elves, it is much more subtle, and I believe, more suited to the stories. (Nothing comes across as "over the top.") I really cannot give any more of the story away without creating a spoiler, but I will say that I was sad to see the saga end. To me, that has always been a measure of a really good book or series. This series has definately been among my favorites to read, and I am somewhat particular about what I will endorse. I hope my effort here has been enlightening and enticing.

Editorial Review:

This second Sword omnibus edition includes the third and fourth novels in the best-selling series: Sword-Maker and Sword-Breaker.