Rosenberg, Joel Books

Murder in LaMut (Legends of the Riftwar, Book 2)

Raymond E. Feist, Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Really Poor Book! 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I have been re-reading some of the older Feist books in my library and decided to add the rest of his books. I have been reading them in series order according to the recommendation of Feist's site www.crydee.com

All I can say is that you will not miss anything by NOT reading this book.

All I can figure is that Feist decided to get a piece of the action off what this guy Rosenberg wrote by adding his name since it takes places in Midkemia that he created. It was slow to the point of dragging so bad that I fell asleep! I had the murderer picked out chapters before the murder was commmitted. There was so much analyzing of what characters were thinking that you could skip ahead and not miss a beat. Of all the Feist books the only other ones that have given me so much plot struggle were the machinations of the Great Game on Kelewan, but at least in that series there were great plot twists and story lines to help hook you back in to the story.

Editorial Review:

It should have been so simple . . .

Durine, Kethol, and Pirojil are three mercenaries who have spent twenty years fighting other people's battles, defeating the Tsurani and the Bugs and the goblins. Yet now it seems there are no more enemies to vanquish, leaving them with a few months of welcomed garrison duty as the Riftwar rages on in the west.

When the trio is ordered to accompany a lady and her husband safely to the city of LaMut, it looks like an easy—even cushy—assignment. But in Midkemia, nothing is that straightforward, and the men find themselves trapped by a vicious winter storm in a castle with scheming lords and ladies, an unsolved murder, and nothing less than the political future of Midkemia at stake. . . .

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.

Not Exactly the Three Musketeers

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Half-hearted at best 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I keep hoping the Guardians of the Flame series will improve, but after the first two, it was all down hill. The author has a habit of reusing favorite phrases and descriptions. Particularly disgusting is the frequently mentioned "loosing of the bowels with a horrible flatulence" upon someone's death. Although many of the other stories in the series follow an interesting idea (modern-day folks transported into a wizards-and-warriors world), this story fails to have anything interesting to explore. He keeps you in the dark about the 'real' part of the plot until at least page 288, and even then it's over so quickly that I almost missed it. This book doesn't really have anything to recommend it; it has poor writing, poor character development, and a poor plot. I'd take Terry Brooks over this any day.

Editorial Review:

Kethol--The pretty fellow, a long and lanky redhead with an easy smile and an easygoing attitude that his clever eyes deny. He is quick with a quick...and quicker with a sword.

Durine--The big man, a head taller than most and twice as wide, built like a barrel, with a loyal heart and hands too thick to use anything more delicate than an ax handle.

Pirojil--The ugly one, his face heavy-jawed, with an eye ridge that would mark him as a Neanderthal only to the most gracious. But looks deceive, and his might be the rarest gift of all.

Athos, Porthos, and Aramis they're not.

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

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
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 Sword and the Chain (Guardians of the Flame)

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Quest Continues 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The second book in the Guardians of the Flame series returns the reader to the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Karl, Andrea, Ahira, Walter, and Lou are stuck in a strange world in the bodies of the characters they created and played. These friends are bound to this world through a pledge to bring freedom to the world. They made their pledges to save the life of a friend. Now Karl and his friends must wage a war on slavery, fighting against Wizards and the Slaver's Guild. With the aid of the young dragon Ellegon, from the first novel, Karl and his friends start trying to fulfill their promise. The two books in this series that I have read so far have read mostly like you would expect a Dungeons & Dragons adventure to be. The characters have to adapt to the strange world of magic, with only their wits and the instincts of their bodies. There is, of course, the obligatory quest, and plenty of magic and spells. This book is interesting, easy reading. Do not expect many plot intricacies, but do expect to enjoy the developing story of the Guardians of the Flame.

The Road to Ehvenor (Guardians of the Flame)

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

How many ways a character can sit "tailor-fashion"... 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This series is great! The concept was creative ad well entertaining. Joel Rosenburg delightfully colors his characters with strengths and weaknesses, making them very easily to relate with.

Yet there is one major flaw I see in Mr. Rosenburg's writing of this series. EVERYONE has to sit "tailor-fashion".... Do you know how OLD this has become after re-reading this series straight through? Walter Slovotsky sits tailor-fashion on the boat, Tennetty sat tailor-fashion while sharpening her blades, even Ahira gets to sit tailor-fashion! WHAT'S UP THE TAILOR-FASHION SEATING ARRANGMENTS? This descriptions is laced through all the books like wormwood in how much it is used. It begins to detract the reader from the excellent story that is written here.

The only negative critique I have for Mr. Rosenburg is that he needs to write his characters as sitting in some other way than "tailor-fashion". He has worn holes through this term, and should not use it again.

I wonder is Ellegon gets sit tailor-fashion in The Road Home....?

Editorial Review:

As magic from Faerie begins to creep into This Side, the border town of Ehvenor becomes the site of a battle between Jason Cullinane's warriors and the invading forces of sorcery.

Not Quite Scaramouche: A Guardians of the Flame Novel

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
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.

The Silver Crown (Guardians of the Flame)

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Sword and the Chain Redux 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Silver Crown is no worse and no better than The Sword and the Chain. Like its immediate predecessor, it seems to have no real theme other than the use of violent means to achieve noble ends. The promising theme of The Sleeping Dragon - the adaptation of people from our world to a fantasy world - has been all but abandoned. What we are left with is not much more than entertainment; enjoyable but neither provocative nor moving.

To be fair, there is a suggestion that the true plot of the series is a long-term effort by erstwhile professor Deighton to control the fantasy world. Deighton even makes an appearance in The Silver Crown. It could be that an incredibly complex storyline is about to emerge, in which case my opinion of books two and three may have to be revisited. For now, however, I remain of the view that The Silver Crown is a harmless read that should be enjoyed by most fantasy readers who don't mind a bit of violence in their stories.

On the edge of a sword 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Karl fights to free slaves and to destroy the slave guild. This is a good book especially if you like alot of fighting scenes with pretty graphic descriptions on how people are being killed than this is the book for you!

The Warrior Lives (The Guardians of the Flame, Book 5)

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Good 4 out of 5 stars.
14 of 16 people found this review helpful.

I liked this one. I hated to see Karl get killed off in the last one, but hey, that's what happens. As the saying goes, you live by the sword you die by the sword. Or in this case the sword and the gun. At any rate, I thought this "he's really not dead 'schtick'" was well-played. I would only have been disappointed if he had not really been dead. I wanted to see more of Karl, but at the same time knew that wasn't possible - he was _dead_. It would have been very easy to bring him back again as the writer can basically do whatever he wants, he can play God. But he didn't. He played it like the real world in spite of the fact that his world is filled with magical beings, etc. Karl Cullinane, for all he was extraordinary, was as mortal as anyone. I liked this one.

Editorial Review:

The word arrives that Karl Cullinane is dead. Jason, his son and heir, assumes command. He leads the inner circle of warriors and the dragon Ellegon against the evil Slaver's Guild. Then Jason learns his father still lives. When a dwarf appears, signaling death, Jason faces a choice and the full weight of kingship.

The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame)

Joel Rosenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fantastic 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is the book that got me back into reading. It is a wonderful tale of a group of college role-players who are transported into the world and bodies of the very game they were playing. The story has many twists and unexpected surprises. I would recommend the entire trilogy. The stories that appear later on in the series are hit or miss for me, but the original three are the best.

Not as impressed as others 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I read the book several years ago and found it silly, fairly unengaging, and filled with poor dialog.
One other problem, and this is only partially the author's fault, is that the material is fairly cliché riddled.
Granted, the book is fairly old and predates a lot of other DM transports characters into the game, but the idea wasn't really new then either.

A Gamer's Delight 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a must read for any fantasy fan. Honestly, its a must read for anyone getting into RPG's or fantasy lit. A great idea for a novel. Also the characters are realisticly portrayed as confused at first, then believers in the world in which they have been thrust. I have some complaints about the overall conclusion of this series, but this book is fantastic.